A few more people boarded the bus from the back, and gradually some chatter started up.
But it wasn’t as lively as before.
The bus wasn’t just packed with people—everyone had brought all sorts of things with them. The smell of sweat and stinky feet all mixed together.
Lin Jinghong nearly threw up.
She quickly stuck her head out the window, and the scent of fresh grass outside diluted the stench a bit.
“Are you okay?”
Lin Jinghong turned her head, waved her hand, and said nothing.
Yang Jinxia, sitting beside her, took out a yellow apple and handed it over. “Here, smell this. It’ll help.”
The fragrance of the fruit made Lin Jinghong swallow instinctively. “Can I only smell it?”
Yang Jinxia was taken aback for a moment, then quickly shook her head. “No, no—it’s for you to eat.”
“Thanks.” Only then did Lin Jinghong take it.
About an hour later, they finally rattled their way into the county town. Lin Jinghong couldn’t wait to get off the bus.
She took deep, greedy breaths of fresh air.
Crunch. She bit into the apple cupped in her hands. Yang Jinxia walked up beside her. “Thanks for today.”
Otherwise, she’d never have had the chance to get a seat.
“Yeah.” Lin Jinghong shook the apple in her hand, then turned and disappeared into the crowd.
Yang Jinxia stuck out her tongue and broke into a smile.
Behind them, an angry middle-aged woman glared with wide eyes.
The county town was much better than the commune—at least you could see plenty of two-story buildings.
There was even a three-story one, which was the grain management station.
The state-run restaurant here was also much bigger. Though the streets were still dirt roads, they were smooth and paved with crushed stones.
Faded slogans were plastered on the mottled walls.
The people on the streets dressed plainly, in a narrow range of colors—black, white, gray, and blue dominated the crowd.
Lin Jinghong’s floral-print top had two patches at the elbows, one at the hem, and had long since faded. Her trousers were baggy with a patch at the knee, and her shoes were cloth ones.
Those had patches too.
But everything was washed spotlessly clean, and her hair was neatly braided into a plait.
Just like most girls of the time—except for her bright, clear eyes, like the brightest stars in the night sky.
Truly unique.
After wandering around for a bit, Lin Jinghong roughly figured out where the black market was.
In the alley behind the food factory and the cotton mill.
Whether there were other black markets, she wasn’t too sure.
“Wait, wait, wait…”
Lin Jinghong was following behind a middle-aged woman carrying a basket when she was suddenly stopped by someone.
She blinked. “What is it?”
Impatience was already creeping into her eyes.
The one blocking her was a big, burly man in his twenties, who looked like he wasn’t easy to mess with.
“Don’t you know the rules? You can’t just barge in.” Ji Chengyang frowned.
“Are you buying or selling?”
Lin Jinghong blinked. “Selling?”
Something felt off. You’re the one who’s selling yourself.
“Where’s your goods?” Ji Chengyang got glared at for no reason and was a bit confused.
People came to the black market either to buy or to sell.
“I’m just looking around first. My goods are in the woods outside town—not convenient to bring in.” Lin Jinghong understood now: this guy was in charge of the black market.
Ji Chengyang gave her a second look.
He charged her a five-mao fee and let her in.
Lin Jinghong felt the pain. It hurt her wallet.
Five mao—that was way too expensive.
Inside, the whole alley was lined with stalls selling all kinds of goods.
Everyone was hunched over, glancing around nervously.
Ready to bolt at any moment.
Profiteering was no joke.
Lin Jinghong made a full round and noticed that grain sellers were the fewest.
Made sense—in these times, grain was life itself. Small-time dealings, the authorities would turn a blind eye. But if you tried to traffic grain in bulk, you’d better be ready to sleep six feet under.
Ji Chengyang had been following Lin Jinghong at a distance the whole time.
He noticed she kept stopping and starting.
Buying nothing, selling nothing.
After wandering for over an hour, she finally patted her butt and left.
“Hey?”
Ji Chengyang looked at the person in front of him and raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”
“You’re the one in charge here?”
“More or less. What’s it to you?” Ji Chengyang couldn’t figure out what she was up to.
“I’ve got a wild boar. I’ll sell it to you—give me a good price.” Lin Jinghong wore an expression that said, Satisfy me, and I’ll bring you good goods in the future.
Ji Chengyang didn’t believe her—she was skinny and sallow-faced. A scrawny, malnourished girl telling you she had good goods? That was pure nonsense.
But when he met Lin Jinghong’s eyes, he found himself believing her against his better judgment.
“I’ll need to inspect the goods first.”
Lin Jinghong didn’t mind. They agreed to meet in the woods outside town an hour later.
After that, she bought a bunch of stuff directly from Ji Chengyang and swaggered off.
“Brother Yang, you don’t think we’re being scammed, do you?” One of Ji Chengyang’s underlings looked worried.
What if it was a trap to lure them in? They’d bring people over and get caught red-handed.
“Bring two brothers who know how to fight. Be careful.”
Lin Jinghong didn’t have much feeling for Yuliang County town as it was now, and she didn’t want to sightsee. Still, seeing the old streets and the slogans dripping with era flavor was somewhat interesting.
Too bad she didn’t have a camera on her—otherwise, she could’ve recorded it all. It would’ve been meaningful to look back on later.
“What do you think you’re doing?!” As Lin Jinghong passed by an alley entrance and was about to shake her head and leave, she suddenly heard a panicked voice.
She stopped in her tracks.
“I’m your fiancé, what’s wrong with me getting a little close to you?” came a man’s voice next.
It sounded revolting.
“Who’s your fiancé? If you come any closer, I’ll scream!” The girl’s voice grew even more frantic and indignant.
But it was just a bluff.
“Go ahead and scream. I wish everyone would know, so they can all see what a slut you are.”
In this day and age, who would spread something like this around? Wouldn’t they be ruined?
In an era where reputation was valued more than life itself, even though the crime of hooliganism carried severe penalties, it couldn’t stop many people from itching to break the law.
Because they latched onto the victim’s mentality of not wanting—and not daring—to make a scene.
Some would even force the girl to marry the man to hush things up, just to keep the peace.
“You—”
“Come on, let your man get a taste of you first. I’m dying for it!”
“Smack!”
The next moment, the sound of something heavy hitting the ground—the man had landed flat on his face!
He’d been kicked flying from behind.
“Who the hell—?!”
“Your grandpa!” Lin Jinghong said coldly.
She yanked Yang Jinxia, who was crying her eyes out, over to her side. “Are you okay?”
She’d thought the voice from outside sounded familiar.
Turns out she’d seen her just this morning.
Yang Jinxia covered her mouth and shook her head, but the tears simply wouldn’t stop.
She clung tightly to Lin Jinghong’s hand.
The man on the ground, dressed in work clothes, got up and turned around, his face covered in blood.
Lin Jinghong hadn’t held back at all—she’d probably broken his nose.
His face was also scraped up.
“You, you—”
“Beat him to death.” Lin Jinghong shoved Yang Jinxia forward, exposing her directly.
Face to face with the man.
Yang Jinxia instinctively stepped back in fear, but her retreat was blocked by Lin Jinghong. She had nowhere to go.