In Ning Xin’s understanding, free markets were typically held in the mornings or evenings, usually tucked away in some obscure corner or deep within a narrow alley.
But Ning Yi had taken her on his bicycle straight to the grain depot closest to their home.
He even rode the bike directly into the depot’s back courtyard and stopped in front of the warehouse.
“We’re here. Get off,” Ning Yi said, squeezing the brake and propping one foot on the ground.
Ning Xin dismounted and looked around. She couldn’t help but quietly ask, “Brother, did you take a wrong turn?”
“No, this is the place.” Ning Yi looked a bit confused by her question.
“But…”
Ning Xin glanced at the bags of grain stacked inside the open warehouse door, hesitated for a moment, and then said, “Aren’t we going to the free market? I didn’t bring the grain ration booklet. Besides, we don’t have much in grain coupons left.”
“What are you thinking?” Ning Yi chuckled.
He gently pressed his hand on his sister’s head and laughed. “Even if I were going to a place like that, I’d go alone, I couldn’t take you with me! If Grandma ever found out I brought you there, she’d chase me down with a big stick!”
With that, he guided Ning Xin forward. “I’m taking you to meet someone, my best friend from when I was sent to the countryside. His name is Xu Shaonian. Just call him Brother Shaonian when we see him.”
Hearing that it wasn’t the free market, Ning Xin felt a bit disappointed.
But since they were already here, she had no choice but to follow Ning Yi inside.
Ning Yi clearly knew the place well.
He walked ahead, stopping just in front of the warehouse, and called out loudly, “Shaonian! Where are you? Come out, I’m here!”
But no one answered, no matter how long he called.
They had no choice but to step back out of the warehouse.
Fortunately, after a short while, a young man in a blue work uniform hurried over from the alley beside the warehouse.
He wasn’t very old, at most in his early twenties. He was tall and lean, and even from a distance, his bright eyes and striking features were unmistakable.
He was probably out of breath from rushing over, his chest heaving. His hair and clothes were soaked with sweat, and his face was glistening, his eyes glistening too, shimmering like obsidian.
It made him look even younger.
Looking at him, Ning Xin found it hard to believe that this person was about the same age as her brother, they looked so different. How had they become friends?
Meanwhile, Ning Yi was already waving at the man, calling out familiarly, “Shaonian, where did you run off to? We’ve been waiting forever. Were you helping out in the front?”
Xu Shaonian clearly didn’t expect to see the Ning siblings at the warehouse entrance.
He let out an “Ah,” and only after drawing closer did he say somewhat hesitantly, “Brother Yi, the things you mentioned this morning haven’t been delivered yet. If you’re in a hurry, I can go check on it after work?”
Ning Yi quickly waved his hand. “You think I came to rush you? Of course not! Who would ask in the morning and come demanding it by the afternoon? That matter’s not urgent; there’s no shortage of grain at home.”
With that, he pulled Ning Xin, who had been standing to the side, forward.
“I brought my sister here today to show her where to find me. This is Xiao Xin, the one I’m always telling you about. That herbal tea you had this morning? She brewed it herself. Tasted good, didn’t it?”
As he spoke, Ning Yi tilted his chin toward Xu Shaonian, his expression brimming with pride.
Even without saying it out loud, his body language clearly conveyed to the man before him: “My sister is the smartest and the best in the world, and I will not hear otherwise!”
Xu Shaonian couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh.
Ning Xin was speechless.
For a moment, she almost didn’t want to admit that this person was her brother.
Realizing that the beans she wanted were being procured through him, Ning Xin extended her hand proactively.
“Hello, I’m Ning Xin. Sorry for the trouble. No rush about the beans, whenever it’s convenient for you works. I’m not in a hurry.”
Xu Shaonian clearly didn’t expect her to greet him so directly. He quickly reached out and shook her hand briefly.
“Hello, I’m Xu Shaonian. Don’t worry, since I promised Brother Yi, I’ll make sure the beans are delivered to you by tomorrow at the latest.”
His words were crisp and decisive, without a trace of hesitation, clearly the mark of a straightforward person.
Ning Xin found herself warming up to him instantly.
“We all know each other so well, why are you both being so polite? Shaonian, look at you, covered in flour from head to toe! Go get yourself cleaned up. Xiao Xin and I will wait here for you.”
Hearing Ning Yi’s words, Xu Shaonian didn’t decline. He responded with a quick acknowledgment and headed to the public faucet out back.
Watching him walk away, Ning Yi said in a low voice to his sister, “Shaonian is from Beijing. His family moved to Xinnan back in the day because of his dad’s job transfer. Even though his parents are still on the farm and haven’t been reinstated yet, he knows a lot of people in the city and has a wide network. I was thinking of asking him to help find a thermos bucket, maybe he can track one down.”
“Will that work?” Ning Xin looked at him uncertainly. This was the first time she’d heard about Xu Shaonian’s family background.
Especially after hearing that his parents hadn’t yet returned to the city, she instinctively didn’t want to trouble him with their family matters.
“No harm in trying, what if it works? Don’t underestimate him; he’s got connections!”
Ning Yi straightened up as he spoke and walked toward Xu Shaonian, who had just washed his face and was approaching with his hair still dripping wet.
“Shaonian, I want to ask you for a favor…”
Ning Yi quickly laid out his idea.
Xu Shaonian didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he turned to look at Ning Xin. “You’re planning to use it to sell herbal tea?”
His tone was calm, showing no surprise or curiosity.
Ning Xin nodded. “Yes.”
“Does it have to be brand new?” Xu Shaonian asked.
“No, it doesn’t,” Ning Xin replied, feeling hopeful.
She quickly added, “It doesn’t have to be new. As long as it works and doesn’t leak, that’s fine. If it could keep things warm too, that would be great.”
Hearing this, Xu Shaonian’s expression relaxed a bit.
“Large thermos buckets are hard to come by. It’s not just about ration coupons, the main issue is they’re usually sold only to organizations, not to individuals.
If it doesn’t have to be new, then there might be an option. The head of the No. 8 Middle School cafeteria mentioned while buying rice the other day that they’re planning to renovate the cafeteria over summer break. He said they’d be selling off some items, and I remember him mentioning thermos buckets.
If you’re interested, I’m about to finish work. I can go with you to take a look.”
Xu Shaonian clearly knew Ning Yi wasn’t the one to make the decision here, so he kept his gaze on Ning Xin as he spoke.
How could Ning Xin not be happy to hear that? She replied cheerfully, “That would be great! Thank you, Xu Shaonian.”
Seeing his sister agree, Ning Yi naturally had no objections.
After Xu Shaonian went into the warehouse to briefly explain things to a colleague, the three of them rode their bikes to No. 8 Middle School.
It was clear this wasn’t Xu Shaonian’s first time there.
He greeted the gatekeeper, and the old man happily let them through.
The three of them rode two bikes across the campus and arrived at the cafeteria.
Xu Shaonian’s source of information was evidently quite reliable. Scattered near the cafeteria entrance stood several workers from the construction team.
Some were chatting at the entrance, while others were setting up scaffolding against the wall, it was clear the renovation was about to begin.
They got off their bikes and had just stood still when a man in a straw hat hurried over.
He greeted Xu Shaonian first. “Shaonian, what brings you here at this hour? On such a hot day, aren’t you afraid of the sun?”
His tone sounded quite familiar.
Xu Shaonian, on the other hand, seemed rather indifferent.
He said, “Director Zhang, I recall you mentioned that your cafeteria had some retired utensils for sale. My brother here is looking to buy a thermos bucket. Do you happen to have one?”
Upon hearing that they were Xu Shaonian’s associates, Director Zhang’s demeanor became noticeably more welcoming.
“I think we just might! Come on, I’ll take you to have a look,” he said, personally leading the way.
Director Zhang brought the three of them to an empty classroom.
Inside, the desks and chairs were all stacked high against the walls, leaving the central space filled with all kinds of pots, pans, and various utensils.
In the far corner sat two stools, atop which rested two army-green thermos buckets, both covered in dust.
These buckets had likely been used in the cafeteria for students to access hot water. They were quite large, each fitted with a brass spigot.
Although the exteriors showed signs of wear and tear, they still looked relatively new. At least from the surface, there didn’t appear to be any major issues.
Ning Xin’s heart raced with excitement, and she couldn’t help but ask, “Director Zhang, are you selling both of these buckets?”
Director Zhang hesitated for a moment.
He turned his gaze toward Xu Shaonian.
“This is my younger sister. She and her brother are siblings,” Xu Shaonian introduced.
Hearing this, Director Zhang smiled at Ning Xin and said, “What do you need these buckets for, little miss? This kind of thing is rarely used in a regular household.”
“I’m taking them back to my hometown. There are a lot of people in the family, and they’ll come in handy for drinking water during the summer harvest,” Ning Xin replied casually, making up an excuse.
At that time, being self-employed wasn’t considered a glorious pursuit, in fact, it was often looked down upon.
Ning Xin didn’t really care about that herself, but since she had come with Xu Shaonian, she didn’t want to cause anyone to think less of him.
Director Zhang clearly didn’t believe Ning Xin’s explanation at all, but he seemed more than willing to do Xu Shaonian a favor.
He nodded. “If you want them, you can have both buckets. But they’re a bit pricey. Did you bring enough money with you, little miss?”
“How much is each?”
“Twenty-five yuan each, fifty for both.”
After saying this, Director Zhang seemed to feel the price was a little steep, so he added, “These two buckets are just dusty on the surface, they’ll clean up nicely. They’re actually about seventy to eighty percent new. Back when we bought them, each one cost us fifty yuan, and we had to provide an official letter from the organization to purchase them!”
He then looked at Xu Shaonian. “Shaonian knows, we’re expanding the school and the cafeteria. If it weren’t for that, we wouldn’t be selling any of this stuff. Everything here is still in good working condition!”
Director Zhang seemed to be the talkative type, rambling on about many things.
But Ning Xin’s attention had shifted to the various utensils and tables scattered around the room.
Although she had only just started selling herbal tea, this was by no means her final goal.
She was determined to open a restaurant someday.
Ning Xin had always dreamed of opening her own restaurant, one dedicated to making medicinal dishes.
She wanted to put all the medicinal recipes her master had taught her to good use, ensuring they wouldn’t go to waste.
In this era she now belonged to, opening a restaurant was quite challenging. Putting aside all other difficulties, the fact that almost everything required ration coupons was already a major obstacle in itself.
Looking at these cups, bowls, and pots, Ning Xin’s mind had already begun to sketch out how she would put them all to use.
When Director Zhang finally tired of talking and paused to catch his breath, Ning Xin suddenly spoke up, “Director, you’re selling all of this, right? If I buy in bulk, could I get a discount? Also, do these require ration coupons?”