Lijuan became anxious when she was asked to go to work.
She didn't want to work. How tiring it would be to work. It was much better to be lazy at home and do nothing.
The girls in the city didn't have to do any farm work and they were so delicate and squeamish.
The more work you do, the easier for you to get tanned. Your skin would not be that white and would become rough. Having dark skin and be extremely skinny, just like a total country bumpkin, she didn't want to be like that.
But she was unlucky because Weiguo listened to Xiulan's words. He nodded, and after thinking for a while, he stated, "Lijuan, you will go to work in the production team tomorrow like the rest of our family!"
Lijuan's face suddenly collapsed, so she hurriedly cast a look of help at her mother.
Yumei tried to persuade her husband, "Weiguo, I also need someone to take care of me at home. So, it is not convenient for Lijuan to go to work, right?"
Xiulan immediately retorted, "Auntie Mei, didn't you say that there is not enough foodstuff at home? There's not enough foodstuff to eat, so are you still thinking about having people to serve you? Besides, you don't really need to have someone to take care of you every day, right? Wouldn't it be enough for the few of us in our family to help a little bit more?"
Weiguo was not fazed and agreed with his daughter. "Xiulan is right. Right now, earning more work points is the most important thing, so we can get more foodstuff back here! If there is no foodstuff to eat, everyone will starve to death, and it is useless for her to just take care of you here at home!"
"Weiguo…" Yumei was a little unwilling, so she continued to persuade Weiguo.
But today's events had already made Weiguo a little dissatisfied with her. His biological daughter was working and she even wanted to go to the county seat to beg for foodstuff because his pregnant wife didn't have enough to eat, but Lijuan was just so lazy at home. He, a father, couldn't be indifferent and partial to Lijuan, a stepdaughter, and let his biological daughter suffer more. Otherwise, he would owe Xiulan too much.
Original translation is from . Please read it on the translator's website.
"All right, there is no need to discuss this matter anymore, so it's settled! Lijuan will start working tomorrow to earn work points!" Weiguo said with a stern face.
He rarely got so mad. Seeing him like that, Yumei stopped and didn't dare to say anything, but she hated Xiulan to the point of gnashing her teeth. Lijuan also had a look as if she wanted to skin Xiulan alive.
Xiulan just ignored the cannibalistic eyes of this mother-daughter pair. After eating, she cleaned up and went back to her room to rest.
The next morning, Xiulan woke up early. Because of the early rush, she didn't eat breakfast at home. There was nothing to eat at home anyway. On the way, she took a piece of bread and a carton of milk from the space, which solved her breakfast. Of course, it was much more delicious than the unpalatable wowotou.
After walking all the way, she was so tired and out of breath.
Fortunately, she ate some food from the space, otherwise she might not be able to hold on up to the county seat. Compared to her previous life, she didn't care about such a small amount of exercise at all, but this era was different. She was so poor now. The original owner had been hungry since she was a child and had not eaten well. She had already weakened her body long ago and her physique was not good at all, so she would be exhausted after walking for a long time.
It seemed that not only Xiuzhu's body needed to be replenished in the future, but also her own body.
After resting for a while, Xiulan continued on her way. Weiguo said that it was a two-hour journey, but she walked for three hours before finally arriving at the county seat.
When she saw the houses in the county seat, she couldn't believe it, because the appearance of the county seat was too far from what she had imagined.
There was a main road leading to the county seat, with rows of houses on both sides. Not the kind of big and tall buildings, but rows and rows of low houses.
The houses were low and dilapidated, even the roads in the county seat were extremely shabby, and the ground was uneven. Comparing it with modern roads, it was really far worse.
Such a place turned out to be the county seat. This was not as good as a small town in the 21st century.
Xiulan sighed in her heart and continued to walk forward.
It should be past nine o'clock in the morning at this point, but there was not much activity on the streets of the county seat, and there were not many people. After finally encountering some people, she glanced around and found that they were not much different from the villagers, all of them looked malnourished.
Regarding the black market in the county seat, she didn't know where it was. She could only wander around the county seat and see what it was like.
After walking for a while, she discovered something new, namely various shops in the county seat.
There were state-owned restaurants, supply and marketing cooperatives, as well as post offices, inns, and other storefronts. These stores also hung slogans featuring this era.
She finally stopped in front of the supply and marketing cooperative.
The words 'Develop the Economy and Guarantee the Supply' were posted on the wall in front of the supply and marketing cooperative. It was probably because of the long time, so the characters had faded a bit and the paint had fallen off in some areas.
The supply and marketing cooperative had most of the things that people need. She wanted to see what was on sale and what the price was. Since she had come to this era, some basic information must be clearly understood.
In addition, she also wanted to buy a piece of soap. There was no soap at home. If she only used water while taking a bath, it would really make her uncomfortable to death.
Original translation is from . Please read it on the translator's website.
Although there were soaps in her space, they were different from the soap in this era and cannot be easily taken out.
When she walked into the supply and marketing cooperative, there were not many people, and there were not many customers looking at the goods, let alone those who were buying. The furnishings in the supply and marketing cooperative were similar to the small shops in later generations, with several rows of transparent glass cabinets holding various goods.
The shop assistant inside saw Xiulan came in, but she didn't lift her eyes and didn't pay any attention to her at all.
Xiulan was a country bumpkin and the clothes on her body were already worn out, so the shop assistant concluded that she must not be able to afford anything and did not need to entertain her.
In addition, being a shop assistant in the supply and marketing cooperative was considered a regular employee of the country which was a secured job. She worked very leisurely. This kind of work was not something that ordinary people could get casually, so this kind of person would put on a high posture and be somewhat supercilious.
Because of this, the shop assistants in this era did not have the enthusiasm of shop assistants in the 21st century, as they were just indifferent and neglectful to the customers.
After looking at the goods a few times, Xiulan called out to the shop assistant, "Comrade, how much is this soap?"
The shop assistant did not answer and just continued to crack her melon seeds.
From the shop assistant's point of view, talking to Xiulan was tantamount to saying nothing, since she couldn't afford to buy anyway, and entertaining her was a complete waste of her time.
Seeing that the shop assistant didn't say a word, Xiulan thought that the she hadn't heard her, so she raised her voice and continued to ask, "Hello! Comrade, how much is this soap?"
Her loud voice aroused the dissatisfaction of the shop assistant, so she angrily replied, "Am I not here? Why do you have to yell in such a loud voice?"
Xiulan was speechless for a while. Did I guess it wrong?
She asked her at a normal volume just now, but she ignored her, so she raised her voice and shouted this time to ask her again. Was there a problem with that?
The shop assistant of this supply and marketing cooperative was so mad that she almost raised her nostrils to the sky.
Although Xiulan was dissatisfied, she did not bother to with the shop assistant. It was useless to argue with such a person, so it was better to save some of her saliva.
The shop assistant came over and asked, "What do you want to buy?"
"I would like to ask how much is soap!"
The shop assistant said lightly, "One yuan plus 1-yuan industrial coupons." 1票证 – coupon/voucher/ticket – During China's planned economy period, when the supply of commodities was extremely scarce, to ensure the balance of supply and demand, the state implemented a planned supply of food and clothing, and other daily necessities for urban and rural residents, and issued special purchase certificates such as food coupons and cloth coupons according to the population. Credentials are commonly referred to as "coupons/tickets". It was like their second currency at that time.
Pictures of coupons
Xiulan was a little dumbfounded by the shop assistant's answer. So, it's not enough to only use money to buy things because you still need coupons to purchase goods?
"What are industrial coupons? Do you need these coupons to buy things?" Xiulan didn't understand, so she asked.
When she asked these questions, the shop assistant looked at her with disdain in her eyes and sneered. "As expected, a country bumpkin doesn't understand anything!
"In addition to using money to buy things, you also have to use coupons. These two things are indispensable. Like for foodstuffs, you have to use food coupons, for pastries, you have to use pastry coupons, for candy, you have to use sugar coupons, cloth coupons for cloth, and oil coupons for oil!
"For things like soap, towels, iron tools, tobacco, and alcohol, you have to use industrial coupons!
"I won't sell it to you if you only have money but no coupons! It's different from your countryside.
"Country bumpkin, peasant, go away if you don't have money or coupons, don't hang around in front of me!"
With that said, the shop assistant stopped paying attention to Xiulan and continued to crack her melon seeds.
Xiulan had no money and no coupons. She was despised by the shop assistant, but she didn't have the courage to argue with her, so she turned around and prepared to leave the supply and marketing cooperative.
Original translation is from . Please read it on the translator's website.
As she was leaving, she seemed to hear the shop assistant continue to mock and ridicule her.
She was very annoyed by that person's attitude. Isn't it just not having coupons? Why does she have to look down on me so much?
Before leaving the door of the supply and marketing agency, Xiulan suddenly bumped into a girl who was entering the door. The girl looked about the same age as her, about seventeen to eighteen years old.
She was probably from the city, since her clothes were much more fashionable. She was wearing a nice blouse on top and a black skirt on the bottom
The girl's name was Liu Xiaohong, who bumped into Xiulan. Xiaohong cried out in pain and looked at the person she bumped into. She just heard the conversation between Xiulan and the shop assistant just now.
She looked at Xiulan's clothes again that were tattered, and she didn't know how many patches were on them. Her eyes also showed a strong disgust.
She patted her clothes and said to Xiulan angrily, "This country bumpkin, you have soiled my clothes. Do you know how expensive my clothes are? Can you afford them?"
Xiulan suffered a bit of pain from the collision, but she didn't mind it. However, when she saw Xiaohong's attitude, she immediately became a little annoyed. "It was obviously you who bumped into me, okay? Why would I care about your clothes? Do you still want to rely on others for your own mistakes?"
"You…" Xiaohong gritted her teeth angrily. Just now, she accidentally bumped into Xiulan's body, so she really couldn't blame Xiulan, but she was not willing to reconcile after Xiulan said that to her. So, she could only retorted angrily, "I bumped into you first, but so what? Who let someone like you, who have no money and no coupons, come to the supply and marketing cooperative? I am different from you. I buy things and can afford them! If you ask me, a country bumpkin like you shouldn't come to this kind of place in the first place, so you won't bump into me!"
Xiulan didn't know where Xiaohong got this mindset. She was unreasonable and too sinister to twist her words and forced her own logic onto people. Xiulan immediately raised her voice and countered, "What's the matter with being from the countryside? Have we eaten your meal? Heh! Do you think that the people in the city are that great? If it weren't for the foodstuffs that the people from our side have worked so hard to grow, do you think the people in your city would be able to eat these foodstuffs?"
Heh! If you are really capable, then don't eat the foodstuffs grown in our countryside! You're eating the foodstuffs grown by the country folks you despise, right? Do you know that this is discrimination against farmers?"
Xiaohong was speechless when Xiulan slapped her with those words. But she looked at Xiulan unwillingly. She wondered why this country bumpkin, who had never read a book at first glance, could she speak so well. She didn't even know how to justify her hate now.
Xiulan still felt that she had not scolded this girl enough, so she continued, "New China1新中国 – New China – The People's Republic of China is sometimes referred to as "New China" to distinguish it from the "Old China" of the New Democratic Revolution. It was established on October 1, 1949, so October 1 every year is the National Day of the People's Republic of China. has been established. We are not a feudal country, nor a capitalist country, but a socialist country. Both workers and peasants are the masters of the country!
"So, what's wrong with you? With such regulations, you still engage in class discrimination? You looked down on peasants, right? In your eyes, should these state regulations not be taken seriously?
"Which work unit do you belong to or which work unit your parents belong to? I have to ask your leaders if they should discriminate against the peasants and whether they should engage in class discrimination!"
Xiaohong felt scared when she heard that.
She was disgusted at the country bumpkins like Xiulan because they were just disgusting for her. If Xiulan really accused her of class discrimination, once this happened, she would definitely not be able to eat and walk around, and their family might not be able to turn over for the rest of their lives.
If Xiulan really inquired about her parents' work unit and ran to the unit leader to make trouble, then her parents would probably lose their jobs as well.
She could eat commodity grains because her parents work in the city, otherwise, she would be the same as the country bumpkins.
She didn't want to get into such big trouble for such a small thing.
She was really annoyed. "Forget it! I… I don't want to argue with you!"
Original translation is from . Please read it on the translator's website.
But Zhao Xiulan didn't just stop there.
Why does this girl have such attitude when she is in the wrong?
"Comrade, you must apologize to me for what you just said!" Xiulan demanded solemnly.
Xiaohong widened her eyes and looked at Xiulan, then exclaimed, "Apologize? You want me to apologize to you?!"
A country bumpkin, just a mere peasant, are you worthy of my apology?
She didn't want to argue with Xiulan anymore and it was already her biggest concession, but Xiulan still had to make an inch and asked her to apologize.
"Don't go too far!" Xiaohong gritted her teeth.
"Shouldn't you apologize for saying the wrong thing? If you don't apologize, then I'll find someone to be the judge!"
Xiaohong was still very afraid of what Xiulan had just said.
Although very reluctant, she finally endured and apologized to Zhao Xiulan, "I'm sorry!"
Regardless of whether Xiaohong apologized sincerely or not, Xiulan had gotten the result she wanted anyway. She snorted softly, ignored Xiaohong, and left the supply and marketing cooperative.
The shop assistant of the supply and marketing cooperative watched Xiulan leave, and wiped the sweat on her forehead.
She also heard what Xiulan said just now. Just like Xiaohong, she also ridiculed Xiulan as a country bumpkin. She always had this attitude before. Although these kinds of people who came to buy things were dissatisfied, no one could give such claims like Xiulan.
If Xiulan also argued with her and got her into trouble with the leader, she would most likely lose her job.
This job was a secured job, with light work and leisure benefits, and she could also eat the commodity grains. If she lost this job, she would cry to death.
Fortunately, Xiulan did not mind her earlier.
But next time, if Xiulan came to their shop again, she wouldn't dare to neglect her anymore.
After leaving the supply and marketing cooperative, Xiulan found a hidden place, then she entered the space and looked at the information about the 1960s era.
The 1960s was the period where China had the planned economy system.1计划经济 – Planned economy, also known as command economy or command economy, is an economic system, in this system, the state in production, resource allocation, and consumption aspects, etc., are carried out in advance by the government plan. The "command economy" is usually used in the same way as the planned economy, but if you distinguish it in detail, the command economy refers to an economic system in which the means of production are shared. Therefore, a command economy must be a planned economy, but a planned economy is not necessarily a command economy. In an era when the supply of commodities was extremely scarce, in order to ensure the balance of supply and demand, the state implemented a planned supply of food, clothing, and other necessities for urban and rural residents, and issued the coupons according to the population.
After all, it was all because of poverty. Supplies were too scarce, unlike in the 21st century, where supplies were abundant. As long as you had money, then you could buy anything.
But not all things required money and coupons. Just like in the black market, these things were not restricted, and some people just gave money without coupons.
Some rural people, when their family needed money, they would use the foodstuffs distributed to their family to exchange money on the black market, then the buyer did not need to give any coupons and would just give them the money. Foodstuffs could also be exchanged for various scarcity coupons, so in short, people who came here got what they needed.
However, because of the lack of supplies, the country did not allow things that were traded in private and the control was very strict. Once caught, there would be serious consequences. So, the things on the black market were naturally much more expensive than those normally available for sale.
Even so, in this situation, people would still go to the black market for foodstuffs. No matter how dangerous this was, it was better than starving to death without foodstuffs to eat. In desperation, who would care so much? Being able to fill your stomach was the most important thing.
After roughly understanding it, she came out of the space.
Although she had everything in her space, it was somewhat inconsistent with the things of this era and could not be easily taken out.
She wanted money and all kinds of coupons, so she could give it a shot on the black market. Anyway, she had foodstuffs in her space and taking out a little had no effect at all.
Original translation is from . Please read it on the translator's website.
Many people were short of foodstuffs and other things you could eat at this time.
If she took out some foodstuffs to the black market to trade them, she should be able to get some money and coupons.
Thinking this way, she sneakily took out five kilograms of white flour, five kilograms of rice, and five kilograms of dried noodles from the space.
She bought all the things in her space originally just to hoard enough supplies. Many of them were packaged in white bags and had no trademarks.
Otherwise, she would not dare to take out anything with traces of the 21st century.
After carrying these things in the basket, she searched for the black market in the county seat.
There was no way to ask others about the black market and she had never been there before, so she didn't know the location.
But she judged from her own common sense, this kind of thing must not be done blatantly, so if she went to hidden places, she would definitely be able to find the black market and find people she could trade with.
As expected, according to her own judgment, she walked into a small alley and saw several people looking out.
Although the black market was banned, many people had no foodstuff and couldn't get by at all, sometimes they had to take risks to get some foodstuffs.
Seeing those malnourished and sickly people with tattered clothes, she didn't bother to ask them.
She wanted money and coupons, but she was worried that they didn't have money or coupons to trade with her foodstuffs.
Those who came to trade on the black market might not necessarily be able to get money. For those who were desperate, who had no money and no tickets, it was very likely that they would directly grab the foodstuffs when others took them out.
She did not discriminate against the poor, but felt that since she came to trade on the black market, the more cautious she must be, the better.
She looked around for a while and finally saw a man with gold-rimmed glasses, wearing a black worker's uniform, and had a somewhat thin figure.