Li San was a middle-aged man in his thirties.
He was tall and powerfully built, looking like someone not to be trifled with.
He truly lived up to being the boss of the black market.
He had a wide range of goods on hand.
Su Yun bought twenty jin of rice, ten jin of fine white flour, two jin of oil, and another ten jin of cotton.
“Cotton isn’t cheap,” Li San said, glancing at Su Yun.
He didn’t judge her by appearance, but her clothing still made him reasonably doubt whether she had the money.
Su Yun counted out two large ten-yuan notes.
“Twenty yuan. Is that enough?”
At present, cotton was as expensive as meat.
Twenty yuan could only buy about twelve to thirteen jin of cotton.
Seeing how straightforward she was, Li San had no further concerns.
He quickly checked the items she wanted. The total came to sixty yuan.
“Brother San, do you have a basket? I’d like to buy one.”
“A basket?”
Li San chuckled and looked around. “Do I look like I sell baskets here?”
Before Su Yun could reply, Li San said directly, “I’ll give you one.”
He didn’t sell baskets, but he had a few for personal use.
Since Su Yun was straightforward, giving her one didn’t matter.
“Thank you.”
Su Yun accepted the basket, and as repayment, she also intended to give Li San a gift.
Li San raised a brow. “You’re giving me a gift?”
“Yes.”
“What is it?”
He was curious.
Su Yun asked him to extend his wrist. “Let me take your pulse.”
“You’re a doctor? You know medicine?”
“Yes.”
Su Yun did not hide it.
She examined him and pointed out his condition.
“Your recurring insomnia cannot be solved by sleeping pills alone. In fact, continuing them will only make you dependent on the medication.”
Li San’s eyes widened slightly. “You can tell I haven’t been sleeping well recently?”
Su Yun smiled as she withdrew her hand. “I told you, I know medicine.”
She borrowed paper and pen from him and wrote a prescription.
As she wrote, she explained:
“Follow this prescription. One dose lasts three days. Brew a new batch every three days. After three courses of treatment, your sleep will return to normal.”
Su Yun majored in surgery in university, and traditional Chinese medicine was part of her family inheritance.
She knew both Western and Chinese medicine and adjusted treatment according to circumstances.
Li San was thoroughly impressed, the corners of his lips lifting. “You’ve got some real skills.”
Su Yun’s gaze remained calm, neither arrogant nor impatient.
She handed him the prescription. “I do know medicine. If Brother San or your friends have difficult illnesses, you can come find me.”
After speaking, she stood and picked up the basket beside her.
Li San called after her. “You’re not charging for medical treatment?”
Su Yun replied, “I’m repaying you for the basket. No need for money.”
“Well, well. I, Li San, don’t usually take advantage of people.”
He told her to wait, then turned and went inside. He came back out with a piece of pork.
It was a little over a jin, mostly fatty with some lean meat.
“Freshly slaughtered this morning. Medical fee.”
He wrapped the pork in oil paper and placed it into Su Yun’s basket.
Seeing this, Su Yun had no choice but to set the basket down.
Li San raised a brow. “Still being polite with me?”
“No.”
Su Yun asked him to sit down, then moved behind him. She grabbed his right arm, pressed her knee against his back, and pulled forcefully.
A sharp crack sounded.
The pain in Li San’s right shoulder instantly disappeared.
He moved his arm and looked at Su Yun in disbelief.
“Girl, you…”
Su Yun pointed at the pork in the basket.
“Pork.”
Li San couldn’t help but laugh. This girl, whose head was injured and who still had bruises on her neck, truly refused to take advantage of anyone.
“Your bone-setting technique is amazing. Who taught you?”
At this point, he was completely convinced of her medical skill.
“Family inheritance,” Su Yun replied.
She took a few steps toward the door, then suddenly turned back and placed ten yuan on the counter.
“Brother San, you have good connections. Can you help me find acupuncture needles? I don’t mind if they’re expensive, as long as the quality is good.”
Li San looked at her worn-out clothes. “You’re willing to spend money on needles, but not on new clothes?”
“Don’t girls like dressing nicely?”
She was nothing like the women he had seen before.
She had a presence that made people want to get closer.
Li San had never felt that way before.
Su Yun smiled faintly. “My husband and I have no one to rely on. Feeding ourselves is the most important thing. Dressing up isn’t something we can think about.”
Li San instinctively asked, “You’re married?”
After leaving the black market, Su Yun went to the supply and marketing cooperative.
She bought three bowls, two pairs of chopsticks, and a spoon. Then she went to the pastry counter and bought a jin of White Rabbit milk candies, spending two yuan.
After paying, she went to the fabric counter and bought some cotton cloth—enough for about two sets of clothes.
She wanted to buy more, but she had no fabric coupons left.
After paying, she chatted with the saleswoman and offered her candy.
The woman was older and kind-hearted. Seeing how poorly Su Yun was dressed yet how generous she was, she lowered her voice and asked if she wanted discounted fabric.
This was exactly what Su Yun had been waiting for.
She had bought the White Rabbit candies for this purpose.
She knew from the novel that the supply and marketing cooperative had defective fabric that was not sold to the public.
It was usually bought cheaply by employees.
Ordinary people could not access it.
Sister Hu took pity on her and decided to sell her two bolts of defective cloth.
The cooperative sold it to employees for five yuan per bolt; each bolt was eight meters.
Sister Hu sold it to Su Yun for six yuan each.
She would make two yuan profit.
“Do you want it?” Sister Hu asked in a low voice.
Su Yun nodded. “Yes, yes. Thank you, sister. Next time I come to the commune, I’ll bring dried sweet potatoes for you.”
“No need, no need. Everyone’s rations are tight these days.”
Although she refused, she was clearly happy.
This girl might be poor, but she was sensible and likable.
Soon, Su Yun received the two bolts of defective cloth.
After thanking Sister Hu again, she left through the back exit of the cooperative warehouse.
Today’s harvest was abundant.
Carrying her full basket, Su Yun returned to the village.
The journey from the commune to the Production Team of the Frontline was about three kilometers. She walked quickly and arrived soon.
When she pushed open the courtyard gate, she saw piles of bamboo inside.
Xiao Yuan was sitting under the eaves, splitting bamboo strips.
Seeing Su Yun return, he looked up and nodded slightly.
“Was the trip smooth?”
Su Yun nodded and closed the gate. “What are these bamboo strips for?”
“The brigade collects bamboo products. Since my legs aren’t convenient and I can’t earn work points in the fields, I take on this kind of work.”
When he said this, he looked a little embarrassed.
But Su Yun’s gaze had already fallen on the finely split bamboo strips.
“You did all this? You’re amazing!”
Her eyes were full of admiration and surprise.
Xiao Yuan, who had been a little self-conscious, did not expect this reaction.
“You don’t think it’s… embarrassing?”