Luo Xi looked at the young man who had suddenly squatted down in front of her.
Wasn’t this the same sucker from last time?
With a sincere expression, she asked in a hoarse voice, “Big Brother, are you here to buy some books?”
The man looked at Luo Xi.
This person was clearly not the same woman from last time. Judging by her expression, she didn’t seem to recognize him either.
He hesitated before asking, “You’re selling these books. Do you have an accomplice?”
Luo Xi shook her head. “No. These are red books. Very, very red books. Want to take a look?”
This was the first time the man had heard of a “red book.”
He asked curiously, “What’s a red book?”
Luo Xi chuckled. “They’re books that teach people how to behave. Want to buy one?”
The moment the man heard that, he lost interest. He stood up and walked away.
Luo Xi secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Good. As long as he didn’t buy anything.
Just as she was thinking this, another tall boy who looked around seventeen or eighteen came over.
After a brief exchange of glances, Luo Xi followed him.
In a secluded alley, Chu Yan felt as though ten thousand horses were galloping through his heart.
He stared at the scene before him in disbelief.
Luo Xi had one foot planted on the boy’s chest, while holding a brick in her hand and patting his face with it.
“Trying to extort me?”
The boy’s face was already swollen and red, clearly having taken quite a beating. Even his nose was running.
He pleaded miserably, “I wouldn’t dare! No, I didn’t mean it.”
Luo Xi snorted. “You didn’t mean it? Then who was just saying he was going to report me?”
She hadn’t expected this seemingly sunny and cheerful teenage boy to be so aggressive.
After “inspecting the goods,” he had actually wanted to take all five of her books for free.
Luo Xi was practically laughing from anger.
She had seen plenty of people who were shameless, but never someone this shameless and broke.
Thinking that it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble, she had simply turned around and planned to leave.
Who would have thought the other party would actually threaten her, saying that if she didn’t sell the books at his price, he would immediately report her.
Who was Luo Xi?
When had she ever tolerated such nonsense?
She kicked him without hesitation.
She hadn’t expected the boy to look tall and sturdy—and to be surprisingly durable.
She kept beating him until his own parents would probably have trouble recognizing him before he finally begged for mercy.
The boy was crying inside.
All he had wanted was to get a few adult books for free.
They were worth only ten yuan. Was there really any need to beat him half to death?
Besides, what decent person went out carrying a brick?
“I… I wasn’t going to report you. Really! I was just joking, ha… Just joking.”
Luo Xi sneered. “Joking? Then I’ll joke with you too. Did you find it funny getting beaten up?”
The boy looked like he was about to cry. “…Y-yes. Funny.”
Luo Xi patted his face with the brick again.
“Then why aren’t you laughing? Are you just naturally not much of a laugher?”
The boy endured the pain throughout his body and forced a smile.
“I… I’m smiling.”
Only then was Luo Xi satisfied.
“What’s your name? Where do you live? Where do you work?”
“Tell me everything honestly, or else…”
She threatened him again.
The boy trembled and refused to answer.
If he told her, she would have leverage over him.
He was just about to put up a little more resistance when the foot pressing against his chest suddenly applied more force, as though his ribs would be crushed if he didn’t talk.
He immediately shuddered.
His eyes became crystal clear.
“My name is Ma Dongdong. I’m eighteen. I live at No. 203, Liuyue Alley. I-I don’t have a job.”
Luo Xi pressed down harder with her foot.
“No job? Then where did you get the money to buy books? Looks like you planned to rob me from the very beginning!”
“No, no!” Ma Dongdong hurriedly explained. “I have money! My parents and my older sister give me quite a lot of pocket money every month. It’s more than enough to buy books.”
Luo Xi suspiciously looked him up and down.
“Then take out the money. My books aren’t something you can just read for free.”
Ma Dongdong tremblingly pointed at Luo Xi’s foot.
“Sister, Sister, your foot! Please, have mercy and move your foot. I’ll get the money for you right now.”
Luo Xi wasn’t worried about him trying anything.
She stepped back.
Ma Dongdong’s heart was unwilling, but his body was very honest.
Trembling, he pulled a wad of bills and ration coupons from his trouser pocket and was just about to count out ten yuan for Luo Xi.
Luo Xi snatched the money from his hand.
After counting it, she discovered that he actually had twenty-two yuan and one cent.
Besides the money, there were also several ration coupons.
She very generously returned the one cent to him.
“Considering that your attempted extortion just now caused me severe emotional trauma, to the point that I can no longer continue selling books, you’re going to have to take all two remaining sets off my hands.”
“I’m a very reasonable person. Since you’re buying two sets, I’ll give you a twenty-percent discount. You don’t need to pay thirty, and you don’t need to pay fifty. Just twenty-two yuan, plus these coupons.”
Ma Dongdong stared at the pitiful one cent in his hand, completely confused.
“Aren’t two sets supposed to cost twenty yuan? How did a twenty-percent discount turn into twenty-two yuan, plus the coupons?”
Luo Xi’s gaze turned faintly ominous.
“Didn’t I tell you? I’m a very ‘reasonable’ person. Do you understand?”
Ma Dongdong’s lips trembled.
He forced himself to say, “I-I understand.”
Still, he wanted to struggle one last time.
“B-but, Sister, look… The books are all the same. I won’t have any use for the extra set if I buy it.”
Luo Xi smiled and tucked the money into her pocket.
“How could it be useless? Look. Aren’t two sets more than one set? You have one more set of books now. How could they possibly be the same?”
Ma Dongdong: “…”
What the hell had he just heard?
Luo Xi didn’t bother wasting any more time with him.
She took the two remaining sets from her basket and shoved them into Ma Dongdong’s arms.
Having finished her business so quickly today, she happily waved her hand.
“Get lost. No. 203, Liuyue Alley.”
Ma Dongdong shuddered.
He gave an awkward smile.
“Don’t worry. I absolutely won’t do anything unnecessary.”
With that, he hugged the books and sneakily hurried away.
Luo Xi turned her head toward a certain direction.
Chu Yan was helpless.
He stepped out from around the corner.
“What a coincidence.”
Luo Xi tugged at the corner of her mouth.
“I suspect you’re following me, but I have no evidence.”
Such a blunt statement left Chu Yan at a loss for words.
Seeing him remain silent, Luo Xi didn’t say anything else.
She turned and walked away.
Chu Yan watched her retreating figure and secretly sighed.
After leaving the black market, Luo Xi changed back into her usual appearance.
She planned to go to the grain store to buy some meat.
Among the ration coupons she had just obtained were two meat coupons.
Unfortunately, perhaps her luck wasn’t very good today.
Just after leaving the alley, she saw a man exposing himself to a girl, proudly shaking his body at her.
From Luo Xi’s angle, all she could see was the man’s completely naked butt.
The girl, however, was facing Luo Xi, so she had a perfectly clear view of everything.
It was Guo Yuanyuan, the daughter of the brigade Party secretary.
Guo Yuanyuan was terrified.
She instinctively took two steps backward, only to hit the wall behind her.
It was a dead end!
She was doomed!
The exposed man stepped forward another two steps, an obscene grin spreading across his face.
Just when Guo Yuanyuan was in despair, she suddenly spotted Luo Xi in the distance.
Her eyes lit up.
“Comrade Luo, quick! Go outside and call someone!”
The man suddenly turned around.
When he saw Luo Xi, a flash of excitement appeared in his eyes.
This girl… was so beautiful!
His body immediately reacted.