Chen Lishu was reading a book when the door was pushed open, and Chen Liwan’s small head peeked in from the doorway.
“Fourth Sister? Come in quickly.”
Chen Lishu beckoned her in. Chen Liwan entered the room and first showed Chen Lishu the candy Li Xiulan had given her, saying, "Big Aunt gave me candy. Big Sister, you have some too."
Chen Lishu patted her small head and smiled, shaking her head, "Big Sister won’t eat. You keep it for yourself."
Chen Liwan carefully tucked the candy back into her pocket, saying, "Then I'll take it back for Little Sister and the others."
After putting away the candy, Chen Liwan remembered the task her family had given her, "Dad secretly went up the mountain and hunted several rabbits and pheasants. He wants to ask when Big Sister will go to town."
Chen Lishu calculated that tomorrow was the day she had agreed to deliver goods to Zhou Bin, so she got up and returned to the Chen family with Chen Liwan.
What she didn't expect was that Chen Mantun was indeed a master at catching rabbits. In just a few days, he had accumulated five rabbits and two pheasants. Wu Chunmei had also made nearly four hundred hair clips.
“Mom, why did you make so many?” Even her elder sister-in-law had only made over two hundred in the past few days.
“I know you’re in a hurry, so Liyuan and the others helped out after finishing their homework, which made it faster.”
Chen Lishu was touched. However, she still reminded them to prioritize their studies. Seeing Wu Chunmei nod in agreement, she then confirmed the time to go to town with Chen Mantun for the next morning and left with the hair clips.
The next morning, father and daughter set off for town before dawn. When they arrived, people were just finishing breakfast.
“Dad, it’s still early, let’s go to the state-run restaurant for something to eat.”
Chen Mantun immediately waved his hand and refused when he heard "state-run restaurant," “Don’t waste money. I heard a steamed bun there costs several mao. It’s too expensive. Let’s bear with it and eat when we get home.”
“How could it be several mao? Dad, aren’t you listening to others brag? I heard it’s only a few fen each.” Chen Lishu had never been to a state-run restaurant and didn't know the prices. However, she could trick Chen Mantun first, as she had money and grain coupons now. Once they were in the restaurant and ordered, he would have to eat it even if he was reluctant.
Indeed, Chen Mantun was a little surprised when he heard Chen Lishu’s words, “A few fen? Why so cheap?”
“I got some grain coupons a couple of days ago, and they’ll expire in a few days if I don’t use them. Let’s go eat something.”
Upon hearing that they were about to expire, Chen Mantun didn't hesitate any longer. Carrying the bag of game, he went to the state-run restaurant with Chen Lishu.
The state-run restaurant in the county town wasn't very large. The hall, about thirty square meters, had several round tables. Opposite the entrance was a glass window with a sign above it listing the day’s offerings.
Seeing the two enter, the white half-curtain next to the window was lifted, and a plump man wearing a scarf and a white hat came out from inside, smiling and asking, "What would you like to eat?"
Chen Lishu’s gaze fell on the sign: Steamed buns, five fen each; meat buns, one mao; vegetable buns, eight fen. Noodles, two mao, soup free. Finally, it was marked that one liang of grain coupons was needed separately.
“I’ll have six meat buns and two bowls of soup,” Chen Lishu ordered directly without asking Chen Mantun.
“Coming right up.” The plump man answered and went to the back.
“It’s one mao each! I’ll just have a steamed bun,” Chen Mantun said anxiously, getting up to stop the man, but Chen Lishu quickly stopped him.
“Dad, once things are ordered here, they can’t be returned.”
Chen Mantun truly believed her words and hung his head, sighing.
Soon, the buns and soup arrived. The buns at this time were very substantial, each almost as big as a palm. A bite would release oil. Chen Lishu managed to eat one and could eat no more.
“You child, you order so much when you can’t eat it,” Chen Mantun grumbled, and after eating one himself, he didn’t eat any more.
“Your mother hasn’t eaten yet, perhaps I should take it back for her.” Thinking of his wife who was still breastfeeding, Chen Mantun asked his daughter.
“Alright.”
Chen Lishu nodded, asked the plump man for some oil paper, and wrapped the buns.
“Comrade, are those live animals inside? Are you selling them?” Just as the father and daughter were about to get up and leave, the plump man looked at the bag in Chen Mantun’s hand, which was moving, and leaned in to ask in a low voice.
Chen Lishu glanced around and noticed two other diners not far away. She nodded slightly.
The plump man’s eyes lit up, and he smilingly discussed with the two, “There’s a small door at the back of the restaurant. How about we talk there?”
Chen Lishu nodded. She and Chen Mantun carried their belongings out of the restaurant and went to the small door in the backyard.
The plump man quickly appeared, first inviting them into the yard before smilingly introducing himself, “I’m the cook at this restaurant, my name is Liu Yong.”
Liu Yong was in his thirties, and Chen Lishu directly called him Brother Liu.
“What are these things you have?”
Chen Lishu opened the bag, revealing the rabbits and pheasants inside. Liu Yong leaned in, took a look, and nodded with satisfaction.
“Sister, how much do you plan to sell them for?”
“We…”
Chen Mantun was about to speak when Chen Lishu interrupted him, smiling at Liu Yong, “We don’t know the market price. Brother Liu, see how much you can offer. If it’s acceptable, we’ll sell; if not, it’s fine.”
Liu Yong immediately felt that this young and beautiful girl opposite him was not someone to be easily fooled.
After thinking for a moment, he said, “How about we weigh them by the pound? Three mao per jin.”
Chen Lishu knew that the weight he mentioned was the gross weight. In the black market, whether it was rabbits or pheasants, for convenience, they were sold for two yuan each. Rabbits were heavier than pheasants, and on average, one could weigh five jin at most, so this calculation was not profitable.
“Five mao per jin. If Brother Liu agrees, we’ll sell. If not, I’m happy to have met Brother Liu too.” Chen Lishu’s attitude was firm, leaving him no room to negotiate.
After a while, Liu Yong smiled helplessly, “Little girl, you are indeed a determined one.”
The goods were quickly weighed, a high thirty-eight jin. Liu Yong promptly gave them nineteen yuan. Chen Lishu didn’t move, gesturing for Chen Mantun to take it.
“Sister, bring your hunted game here next time.” He knew many people at the state-run restaurant, and his own family ran a small restaurant. This game was precisely a scarce commodity.
Chen Lishu smiled and nodded, “Definitely, definitely.”
Delivering goods to the state-run restaurant was safer and more reliable than going to the black market, so Chen Lishu readily agreed.
Emerging from the backyard of the state-run restaurant, Chen Mantun stared at the nineteen yuan in his hand, unable to recover for a long time.
He had thought that selling them at the black market for fourteen yuan would be great, but instead, after having breakfast, it became nineteen yuan. Not only did he get five more yuan, but the man even asked him to bring more next time.
Chen Lishu gave Chen Mantun time to digest the information and didn't disturb him. Seeing that the time agreed with Zhou Bin was approaching, the two then walked towards the alley behind the department store.
As soon as they arrived, they saw Zhou Bin already waiting there. The two first exchanged polite greetings, then inspected the goods. Zhou Bin gave her the remaining eighty yuan in full payment. He also took out fifty more yuan and arranged to order two thousand more in half a month.