CHAPTER 35: CHAPTER 35: THE BIG MEAT SELLER

"Feels like livestock are more cherished than us."

Wu Yongfei stared at the animals inside the pen, the cattle and horses drinking water and munching on fodder heartily, once again lamenting the series of human vs. animal comparison.

Aunt Ma retorted without hesitation, "You don’t compare to the livestock; they can work, hauling hundreds to thousands of pounds, while you spill water when you carry a bucket, and even smash the bucket."

The tone was full of disdain.

Wu Yongfei was left speechless by her blunt words.

Yi Chichi and the others thought it was quite amusing; Wu Yongfei looks decent when he’s not talking, but when he opens his mouth, it makes people marvel at how a good young man somehow grew a mouth.

He’s just meant to be mute.

The market was bustling, and Aunt Ma and her group not only wanted to buy but also sell goods.

There were only a few chances in a year to buy and sell legally, so they naturally had to seize the opportunity.

"We’re going to set up a stall while you wander around. We’ll meet back at three in the afternoon."

Worried about the young ones being restless, Aunt Ma added, "If you buy all you need, you can head back early."

In other words: no need to wait stupidly for them.

"Alright, Aunt, we’ll remember that."

Recognizing the hidden message in her words, Yi Chichi and the others responded obediently.

After they left, the group exchanged a glance, then charged into the crowded market like untamed horses.

Yi Chichi hadn’t had breakfast, and when she passed a breakfast stall, she couldn’t help but stop to see what was offered: fried dough sticks, noodles, flatbread, and tofu pudding.

"Uncle, do you need food coupons?"

"No, I don’t."

The uncle didn’t even look up. Few people in the countryside had food coupons, and market trading was typically barter or cash transactions.

"Comrade, would you like some?"

"Yes."

Yi Chichi quickly ordered, "Give me two flatbreads and a portion of tofu pudding."

"Fifteen cents."

"Here you go."

She handed over the money, and the uncle took it, wrapping two flatbreads in oil paper for her, and asked, "Child, do you want chili in the tofu pudding?"

Yi Chichi, "...No."

She didn’t dare ask for sugar, for fear of getting scolded.

If she remembered correctly, the Northeast was authentic in the tofu pudding domain, favoring salty ones and reportedly even adding chili.

The sugar enthusiasts were the outliers.

Moreover, the owner might not have any sugar.

Soon enough, the tofu pudding was ready.

She sat at a table under a straw shed, savoring it, alternating between bites of tofu pudding and flatbread.

"Uncle, give us half a pound of fried dough sticks, four flatbreads, and three bowls of tofu pudding."

A cheerful and lighthearted voice came through, causing Yi Chichi’s ears to twitch as it sounded somewhat familiar.

Turning her head, she realized it was indeed an acquaintance.

"An Hao!"

She called out, causing the young girl standing beside the young man to be taken aback, then she looked over.

Then, her eyes met Yi Chichi’s smiling ones.

"Chichi!"

She looked pleasantly surprised, her face blooming with a bright smile.

"You also came to the market?"

"Yes."

Seeing she had companions with her, Yi Chichi smilingly invited, "Join me."

"Sure."

So, the table meant only for Yi Chichi was now occupied by one man and two women.

Through An Hao’s introduction, Yi Chichi learned the identities of the young man and woman accompanying her.

The man was her cousin, named An Li, who went to the countryside in ’66 and was assigned to the forest farm.

He now held a junior staff position at the farm.

The young woman was An Li’s uncle’s daughter, named Zhou Ni.

Since she was older than An Hao, she called her "sister."

Zhou Ni also worked at the forest farm.

Upon learning their identities, Yi Chichi squinted slightly. Indeed, An Hao’s background was interesting.

But it had nothing to do with her.

Yi Chichi, who only wanted to bide her time until the economic reform, wasn’t planning on clinging to anyone, so she greeted the two calmly before chatting with An Hao.

"Are you used to life at the forest farm?"

"...It’s okay."

The suspicious pause made Yi Chichi glance at her, but she said nothing more, "Why did you decide to come to the market today?"

If she remembered correctly, An Hao’s forest farm was about fifty kilometers from here.

Traveling such a distance just to go to a market, she didn’t think An Hao had such leisure interests.

An Hao nudged An Li, and when he looked over, she indicated with her eyes, should they tell the truth?

An Li considered for a moment, then slightly shook his head to indicate not to.

An Hao immediately understood and made up an excuse to brush it off.

"We heard there was a big market here, so we took leave to come over."

Yi Chichi laughed to herself, this exchange of looks was so blatant, luckily she wasn’t the type to pursue answers to the end.

So she followed her lead and said, "Finish eating, then have a good look around."

As they talked, she finished the last bite of her tofu pudding, wiped her mouth with a napkin, "You all take your time eating, I’ll head off first."

"Okay, let’s catch up another time!"

An Hao felt a bit guilty, seeing Yi Chichi leaving, she dared not ask her to stay, and instead sent her off with her words. As she watched her walk away, she whispered softly, "Brother, I think we can tell the truth."

After all, selling is selling, it doesn’t matter who it’s sold to.

"I don’t care what you think, I care what I think."

"Why?"

Zhou Ni rolled her eyes, her tone sharp, "The fewer issues, the better. Why do you ask so much?"

They were here to make money and trade goods, not to make friends.

Educated youths were no help to them, so there was no need to tell the truth.

Thinking of this, she seriously advised, "An Hao, since you call me sister, I have to teach you, not everyone is suitable to be our friend."

An Hao objected, "I think Chichi is pretty nice."

"I never said she’s not nice. But if you tell her the truth, and she shamelessly asks you for things, will you give them or not?"

An Hao stayed silent, sighed after a while, "I understand."

Chichi, I’m sorry, see you next time!

Hoping the next time we meet, it’s just the two of us, without anyone else along.

However, no one expected, an hour and a half later they met again.

"Chichi, let’s go, come back here later."

Yi Chichi was looking at wooden crafts at a carpenter’s stall when Wang Nan and Ge Sujuan dragged her away.

"??? What’s so good?" asked Yi Chichi with a blink of her eyes, curious as she was being carried away.

"There’s meat."

"Where?"

The mention of meat got Yi Chichi excited, for she was a carnivore in her original world, feeling famished if she missed meat for a meal. After coming to this world...

Forget it, it’s unmentionable.

"In the small forest to the east."

Yi Chichi, "..."

Wow, are these two like private detectives?

She had walked around the market and didn’t find anyone selling meat. She tried to buy eggs but there were none.

Plenty of dried goods like pine nuts and mushrooms though.

"Where did you get that info?" she asked in a whisper, as if engaged in some conspiracy.

"Old Bai told us."

Wang Nan succinctly whispered to her, "Apparently, a big meat seller came today."

That was indeed good news, Yi Chichi was eager to buy them all.

But the possibility seemed low as she noticed many people heading the same direction as them.

After confirming eye contacts, they were all meat buyers as they were.

"We need to hurry, I worry it might be sold out if we’re late."

Sound reasoning.

"Let’s go."

Soon, they arrived at their destination.

Yi Chichi was surprised to find that the ’big meat seller’ Wang Nan mentioned was An Hao and her siblings.