The sales clerk nodded when she heard that.
“That’s true. You’re an educated youth, right? These are the kinds of clothes you need to wear. That stylish dress you have on won’t work for farm labor.”
“Exactly, so I can only buy ready-made clothes.” Qin Ziqi thought this older sister was quite nice. “Big Sister, do you have iron cooking pots? I’ll be cooking for myself. Without a pot, I won’t have anything to eat.”
“We do. The small ones are three yuan plus one industrial coupon, and the large ones are four yuan plus two industrial coupons.”
Qin Ziqi had no idea what counted as small or large, but when she got off the ox cart earlier, she had asked Uncle Zhao Hu, the man driving it.
“I’ll take a small one.”
After paying the money and handing over the coupons, she had originally planned to leave once she had bought everything she needed. But then she heard a shout coming from deeper inside the supply and marketing cooperative, gradually getting closer.
“Here it comes! Fresh pork has just arrived!”
She had to buy some. Otherwise, if she cooked meat later, she wouldn’t have a legitimate source for it.
She hadn’t seen the pork earlier, so she bought two jin of lard, one jin of pork belly, two jin of ribs, and one pig’s trotter.
She stuffed the bamboo basket until it was completely full. Fortunately, there weren’t many people in the supply and marketing cooperative today, and the older sales clerk from the ready-made clothing counter was helpful enough to assist her with buying the meat. Otherwise, Qin Ziqi wouldn’t have been able to buy so much.
With her arms full, Qin Ziqi planned to walk around and familiarize herself with the town, then have lunch at the state-run restaurant. Finally, she would take out the bundle she had prepared in her space. By then, it should be about time for Uncle Zhao Hu’s ox cart to arrive.
Zhou Xue had bought nothing but food. She didn’t know how to cook and hadn’t even thought of buying meat. She bought candies, egg cakes, malted milk powder, and Jiangmi Tiao, so she could eat them whenever she got hungry.
Lu Chengxiu didn’t dare spend so freely. She only bought one jin of egg cakes, which she could eat a piece of whenever she was hungry, as well as some daily necessities she was missing.
As for the two Shen brothers, Shen Xingheng bought roughly the same things as Zhou Xue, while Shen Changzheng only bought daily necessities.
“Qin Zhiqing, do you want to go to the state-run restaurant together?”
Shen Changzheng looked at the bamboo basket full of things Qin Ziqi was carrying.
This woman really has money.
“No, I still want to walk around and take a look. You go ahead.”
The calculation in his eyes was practically written all over his face. How could Qin Ziqi not understand?
She said that and walked away with the bamboo basket on her back.
Behind her, Lu Chengxiu clicked her tongue.
“What’s she so proud of? Educated Youth Shen, let’s go together.”
Lu Chengxiu was responding to Shen Changzheng, but her eyes were fixed on Shen Xingheng.
Zhou Xue frowned but said nothing. She simply started walking toward the state-run restaurant. There was no need to ask anyone for directions—it was directly across the street.
After making sure no one was following her, Qin Ziqi walked into an empty alley and put the bamboo basket into her space.
She then came back out and wandered around the streets.
After familiarizing herself with the post office, clinic, and other important places, she finally headed back toward the state-run restaurant.
Presumably because everyone was waiting for the ox cart, the others were still there, although they looked as if they had already finished eating.
A small blackboard outside the state-run restaurant listed the day’s dishes:
Today’s Specials: Braised Pork, Stir-Fried Pork Liver, Pork Stewed with Vermicelli, and Stir-Fried Greens.
“I’ll have one serving of braised pork, one serving of stir-fried greens, and one liang of rice.”
She had always seen novels praise the braised pork at state-run restaurants as something special. Qin Ziqi wanted to try it herself and see how braised pork differed from place to place.
She had already eaten the Shanghai version before. It was rich, glossy, and slightly sweet, and genuinely delicious.
“That’ll be four jiao and three fen, plus one liang of grain coupons and one liang of meat coupons.”
After paying and handing over the coupons, the waitress gave her a receipt and told her to wait until her number was called before collecting her food.
Since it wasn’t peak mealtime, there weren’t many people, and Qin Ziqi’s order was ready within a few minutes.
She carried her food to a table by the window and sat down. She didn’t go over to Zhou Xue and the others.
Lu Chengxiu and the others had already finished eating.
Zhou Xue and the Shen brothers had each ordered one meat dish, one vegetable dish, and rice. To save face, Lu Chengxiu had ordered the same thing.
Now that she saw Qin Ziqi had also ordered braised pork, she noticed that when Qin Ziqi paid, she had quite a lot of money and coupons in her hands.
Unlike herself, who had brought less than ten yuan because she had to restrain herself from spending too much.
“Look at her. She spends money like water. Where does she look like someone who came here to help build the countryside? She looks more like she’s here to enjoy herself.”
Zhou Xue didn’t particularly like Lu Chengxiu. Or rather, she looked down on people like her.
She didn’t particularly like Qin Ziqi either, but she still said, “If you’re jealous of her, just say so. We’re not idiots.”
Lu Chengxiu finally shut up.
She knew very well that among the female educated youths, only Qin Ziqi and Zhou Xue weren’t short of money.
There was no way she could take advantage of Qin Ziqi.
But Zhou Xue was obviously rather simple-minded. Perhaps she could still benefit from her somehow.
Naturally, she wouldn’t offend her.
As for the other female educated youths, their pockets were practically empty. There was no point wasting her effort trying to befriend them.
Qin Ziqi ate leisurely.
It wasn’t even one o’clock yet, so there was no hurry. She had to wait anyway.
The northeastern-style braised pork was delicious too, just different from the Shanghai version. Shanghai braised pork tended to be sweeter, while this one had a slightly salty flavor.
A little after one o’clock, she finished everything.
Food was rationed in this era, and wasting it was absolutely unacceptable.
Qin Ziqi had eaten until she was stuffed. She rubbed her stomach, stood up, and decided to walk around nearby to digest her food. Then she would take out the bundle and wait for the ox cart.
She left the state-run restaurant and walked toward the post office. Halfway there, she turned around and headed back.
When she got near the supply and marketing cooperative, she found an empty alley and took out the bundle she had prepared.
It was filled with clothes and wasn’t particularly heavy.
Besides, Qin Ziqi had no intention of opening it in front of anyone. Once she took it back, she could make it contain whatever she wanted.
With the bamboo basket on her back, it wasn’t particularly light, but Qin Ziqi’s strength had been gradually increasing. Carrying a bamboo basket while holding the large bundle didn’t tire her out.
When she reached the large tree, only Feng Dazui remained of the three middle-aged women who had come to town that morning. The other two had probably gone back earlier.
Zhou Xue and the others had also already come out of the state-run restaurant and were waiting.
“Oh, you’re Qin Zhiqing, aren’t you? Where did you get such a big package?”
Feng Dazui had probably asked Zhou Xue and the others about her earlier, since she now knew Qin Ziqi’s name.
“The post office.”
“Qin Zhiqing, what’s in such a big package? What did they send you?”
Feng Dazui rose onto her toes, trying to see what was inside. Her eyes also kept darting toward the bamboo basket on Qin Ziqi’s back, but it was tightly covered with a piece of cloth, blocking the contents completely.
“Nothing much. Just clothes and daily necessities.”
Feng Dazui refused to give up and was about to ask more when, conveniently, Uncle Zhao Hu’s ox cart arrived.
Qin Ziqi quickly carried her things onto the cart, placing the bundle beside her and holding the bamboo basket in her arms.
Feng Dazui was quick to take the seat beside Qin Ziqi.
Her eyes stared straight at Qin Ziqi’s belongings.
“Qin Zhiqing, what’s in that package? Let me have a look. It’ll broaden the horizons of this country woman.”
“Auntie, how much money and how many coupons does your family have? Why don’t you show them to me too, so I can broaden my horizons?”
Qin Ziqi rolled her eyes.
In your dreams.
Feng Dazui glared fiercely at her.
“What kind of person are you? You have no manners at all.”
“Auntie, you’re very well-mannered. So well-mannered that you want to look through someone else’s package.”
Uncle Zhao Hu, who was driving the ox cart, coughed.
Feng Dazui immediately shut her mouth.
It wasn’t that she was afraid of Zhao Hu. They were both from the same generation. But if she offended him, her precious son might end up being given a hard time. He might even get beaten up.