CHAPTER 315: CHAPTER 242: HEADING TO THE BIG MARKET

Yangliu Village is located not far from the fork in the road from the county town towards the provincial city and the neighboring county.

This market day, even people from the provincial city and the neighboring county came here to trade. Villagers from nearby areas brought their local specialties to the market to exchange them for household goods. City folks came here to buy authentic local products.

Rumor has it that in the early years, every household in Yangliu Village had a unique skill. The baskets and winnowing pans they wove were extremely sturdy, even if accidentally stepped on, they would bounce back to form. Their woven rattan mats, each with different patterns, were sold to Beijing.

Every time Yangliu Village had a market day, the village’s woven goods were never worrisome, especially the rattan mats, which sold the best.

This year’s market day was the same as in previous years. Long dirt roads lined with densely packed small stalls, stretching as far as the eye could see. The slightly wider areas had two rows of stalls, and on the ground, there were packaged skins and bamboo baskets containing items like mushrooms and other mountain goods. The family brought agricultural and sideline products along with some local cloth, shoe inserts, and so on.

There were many selling snacks at the road junction. In front of a stall frying popcorn, children stood far away, lightly covering their ears. Grandparents took their grandchildren to watch the making of sugar figurines.

Everywhere you could see women gathering in groups around the local cloth stalls, making comparisons. Elderly ladies clutched small banknotes in their hands, haggling over prices. Middle-aged men walked around picking and choosing. Children clung tightly to the adults’ clothing, their eyes not forgetting to look at the stalls selling candies and popcorn. Many who looked like city dwellers squatted by the stalls selling mountain goods, cured meat, and wild game, bargaining on prices.

Zhang Guoqing parked his vehicle at a distance. Following the crowd inside, he deliberately headed towards the stalls selling coarse grains and mountain goods. He encountered several acquaintances and greeted them a few times before hastily inquiring at a stall.

The seller was obviously experienced. Knowing he wanted refined grain, he didn’t hurry to discuss the price but directly took out a small bag from the worn bamboo basket behind him and handed it to him.

Zhang Guoqing opened it and took a look, secretly breathing a sigh of relief. After negotiating the price and arranging the delivery time, seeing it was getting late, he quickly headed toward a nearby stall after placing a deposit.

The person probably recognized Zhang Guoqing and kept smiling as he came over.

Before Zhang Guoqing could speak, the young man directly brought two large burlap bags from the back to him and didn’t forget to wave to an old man selling cured meat and wild game not far away, gesturing with his hands.

Zhang Guoqing looked at him and couldn’t help but laugh, "What? Are you giving it to me for free?"

The young man laughed sheepishly. Seeing the old man coming over with a carrying pole, he quickly went forward to help, whispering in the old man’s ear, "Uncle, we’re selling everything to Zhang Guoqing from Zhang Family Village."

That old man, hearing this, immediately turned to size up Zhang Guoqing, "Are you Zhang Dayou’s youngest son, Zhang Guoqing? Why do you need these?"

Before Zhang Guoqing could reply, his nephew quickly pulled him aside, "I know you’re giving them as gifts. If you buy all of these, how about I give you a discount?"

Zhang Guoqing smiled at him but didn’t respond. Stepping forward, he took over the old man’s carrying pole and chatted with him for a few minutes. He learned that the old man was from a village next to his uncle’s. After talking about his two uncles’ recent status, Zhang Guoqing not only bought all the mountain goods and wild game at his stall but also agreed to visit his house in a few days to purchase more.

Learning that Zhang Guoqing was also helping others to buy a considerable amount, the young man was so excited he stuttered, and even after seeing him off, his face was flushed.

The old man knocked him on the head with his pipe, "Look at your silly face. Why are you still looking after he’s gone?"

The young man held his head, muttering discontentedly. That was Zhang Guoqing, a famous person. If he gave him more attention, he could earn money to renovate the yard before the year ends.

If he could establish a closer relationship, he’d be known as Zhang Guoqing’s brother in the future. Who wouldn’t respect him? Zhang Guoqing’s cousins from his uncle’s family had said that their cousin was always willing to lend a hand to those in need, very righteous. Moreover, word had spread that Zhang Guoqing had the support of the Yue family, who didn’t want to know him?

Zhang Guoqing checked his watch and saw there was still some time left. He locked the car door, planning to take another stroll to see if there was any interesting or rare item to bring back for Jiao Jiao. Sitting in confinement had isolated her from the world and bored her immensely.

As he walked along, he indeed spotted many finely crafted small items. There were talented people everywhere, and besides intricately crafted baskets and shoe inserts, there were also wave drums and lifelike wood carvings.

When Zhang Guoqing returned, besides the furs he had just bought, he carried so many things on his shoulders, hung on his body, and in both hands, that he was unable to spare a hand.

In his left hand, he carried a large bamboo basket he had just bought, holding inside smaller bamboo baskets and stacked wicker baskets of different sizes, toys for his son, and assorted roasted pine nuts and other snacks. The most eye-catching was his right hand, holding high a stick made of sorghum stalks, with two layers of candied haws and a dozen sugar paintings and figurines on top.

Revisiting childhood memories, he was in a pleasant mood. Ignoring the teasing gazes of passersby, Zhang Guoqing happily avoided the crowd and drove towards the county town.

"Jiao Jiao, look at what I got!" After moving the bags into the cellar upon arriving home, Zhang Guoqing eagerly searched for Zhou Jiao, carrying the large bamboo basket and holding the stick as if showing off a treasure.

Zhou Jiao had just finished her needlework and was organizing the gifts brought by Zhao Chuan Guang and his wife last night. Since Zhang Guoqing had driven back and greeted her, she watched him move things in and out, pacing worriedly in the living room.

Finally seeing him come to the living room and looking at everything hanging on his shoulders and in his hands, she couldn’t help but burst into laughter. This sight was a rare spectacle.

Zhou Jiao reached out to take the wooden stick, lovingly touching the red candied haws and the lifelike sugar figurines and paintings on it. Looking at him taking out the various-sized wicker baskets and the lifelike animal wood carvings from the large bamboo basket, she gazed at him excitedly, a look of anticipation in her eyes.

Zhang Guoqing pointed to the back room, "What about our son? You can’t go out today. Dad and the others will come over later. As it gets closer to the end of the year, there are markets on the 3rd, 6th, and 9th days. There will be plenty of opportunities."

Zhou Jiao nodded helplessly, concerned about what he had bought.

Zhang Guoqing enthusiastically described the evening’s transaction. He had arranged with the vendor to deliver grain by ox cart at eight or nine o’clock tonight. He would buy as much as they had, and he could even afford a higher price, as it meant having an extra supply line. Seeing the vendor, he knew the man had plenty of contacts.

Zhou Jiao nodded repeatedly, knowing that grain was the most important. While she was now in the county town, she needed to collect as much as she could. With more family members and people she cared about, her sense of concern was even more pronounced.

"Did you remind them to keep it quiet?"

"That person is sharp. I said it’s for a friend and told him not to spread the word. Don’t worry, wait for tonight’s deal."

"Also, Dad initially planned to go to the neighboring province with Uncle Dashan. Now the plan has changed. Did he tell you whom to find on which side?"

Zhang Guoqing’s lips curved slightly, and he said softly, "Dad explained everything last night, even giving me Liu Sanyuan’s workplace address, and I have to send them some stuff. I plan to let Mom take care of our son for a few days. Later, I’ll take you and Uncle Dashan there."

Zhou Jiao looked at him cheerfully. She really wanted to go out and see the world.