The next day, Saturday, was when the base canteen’s military truck went to Ya County.
Ji Nanxi carried a bamboo basket on her back and a cloth bag over her shoulder.
When she saw Squad Leader Li, Ji Nanxi greeted him, “Hello, Squad Leader Li.”
Squad Leader Li was loading empty large baskets onto the military truck—these were essential tools the base used for transporting vegetables.
Hearing her, he looked up and smiled, “Comrade Ji, heading to the county today?”
“Yes, I’ll be troubling you today, Squad Leader Li.”
After saying this, Ji Nanxi handed Squad Leader Li two pieces of Military Spicy Candy. “Here, something sweet for you.”
Squad Leader Li chuckled, “How can I accept this?”
Ji Nanxi took a step closer with a smile. “Squad Leader Li, could I ask you something?”
Squad Leader Li nodded. “What is it? Ask away. If I know, I won’t keep it from you.”
Ji Nanxi blinked. “Squad Leader Li, do you know where in Ya County sells fresh duck eggs?”
Squad Leader Li paused for a moment. “That? I actually do know.”
“There’s a duck farm in Ya County. Our base orders from them twice a week for their preserved eggs and salted duck eggs.”
“What, Comrade Ji wants to buy fresh duck eggs?”
Ji Nanxi nodded repeatedly. “I do want to buy some. Squad Leader Li, could you take me to that duck farm?”
Squad Leader Li laughed. “Of course! It’s no trouble at all. The wives from the base have all been to the duck farm. Comrade Ji, hop on. When we reach the county town, don’t get off. I’ll call you when we arrive.”
“Alright, thank you, Squad Leader Li.”
After thanking him, Ji Nanxi nimbly climbed into the back of the truck.
Five or six military dependents were already seated in the truck and made room for her as she boarded.
Auntie Liu patted a straw mat and called out, “Ji Nanxi, come over here! I saved you a seat!”
Ji Nanxi was slightly surprised and walked over. “Thank you, Auntie Liu!”
She then gave Auntie Liu two pieces of Military Spicy Candy as well.
Auntie Liu accepted the candy, her smile widening. “Nanxi, what are you going to buy in Ya County?”
As the truck started moving, Ji Nanxi gripped the railing. She didn’t hide her destination. “I need to buy fresh duck eggs, preserved eggs, and salted duck eggs. Also, I’m going to the recycling station to buy some newspapers and such—it’ll make lighting the stove easier.”
Auntie Liu nodded. “I’m going to the supply and marketing cooperative, so I won’t be going the same way as you.”
Ji Nanxi replied, “Alright.”
The military truck drove on. When they reached the county town, Auntie Liu and the others got off.
Those heading to the duck farm remained on the truck.
The truck continued for another ten minutes or so until it reached an open area. Squad Leader Li called out, “We’re at the duck farm, Comrade Ji! Time to get off!”
“Coming!”
Ji Nanxi jumped down from the truck, landing steadily on her feet.
She then followed Squad Leader Li into the duck farm, where a distinct smell of straw and duck droppings greeted her.
Ji Nanxi remained unfazed as she looked around. Rows of bamboo-fenced duck pens held flocks of spotted ducks flapping their wings and quacking loudly.
Not far away was a large pond where fish were raised and lotus flowers grew.
“Old Zhou! Got a customer here!”
Squad Leader Li called out toward the building.
“Coming! Coming!”
A middle-aged man with dark skin responded, emerging with an apron covered in duck feathers tied around his waist.
Seeing Squad Leader Li, he grinned, revealing teeth yellowed from smoking. “Squad Leader Li, what brings you here in person today?”
Squad Leader Li pointed at Ji Nanxi. “This is Regimental Commander Lu’s family member from our base. She wants to buy some fresh duck eggs.”
Old Zhou rubbed his hands together and greeted warmly, “Ah, from Regimental Commander Lu’s family! Please come in!”
Ji Nanxi followed him into the warehouse, where she saw dozens of bamboo baskets piled in the corner, lined with dry straw and filled with bluish-white duck eggs.
On the wooden shelves on the other side, preserved eggs wrapped in straw and salted duck eggs stored in clay jars were neatly arranged.
“How much do you want? The fresh duck eggs were just collected today. The preserved eggs were cured last month, and the salted duck eggs are flavorful enough.”
Old Zhou picked up a salted duck egg and shook it near his ear. “Listen to this sound—guaranteed to have flowing oil!”
Ji Nanxi’s eyes lit up. “I’ll take thirty catties of fresh duck eggs for now, and five catties each of preserved eggs and salted duck eggs.”
Old Zhou raised his eyebrows in surprise. “That much?”
“We just settled on the island, and I don’t know if Zhiyan will be hosting guests at home, so I need to prepare in advance. Otherwise, if I come at the last minute, I’m afraid there won’t be any stock!”
Ji Nanxi lied without batting an eye. “Uncle Zhou, how do you handle payment here?”
Old Zhou replied directly, “For fresh duck eggs, it’s 1 yuan per catty with ration tickets, 1.5 yuan without. For preserved eggs and salted duck eggs, it’s 2 yuan per catty with tickets, 3 yuan without.”
Ji Nanxi nodded. “Thirty catties of fresh duck eggs, five catties each of preserved eggs and salted duck eggs—I’ll pay in cash.”
Old Zhou began tapping away on his abacus. “Thirty catties of fresh duck eggs, 45 yuan. Preserved eggs and salted duck eggs, ten catties total, 30 yuan. That comes to 75 yuan.”
Ji Nanxi paid promptly and slipped Old Zhou an extra pack of cigarettes. “Uncle Zhou, I might come often in the future. Please look out for me.”
Old Zhou grinned from ear to ear. “No problem!”
With that, he quickly called for workers to help pack the baskets.
He even personally selected the largest and plumpest duck eggs, carefully padding them with dry straw to prevent breakage during transport.
“Comrade Ji, you’ve bought quite a lot.”
Squad Leader Li helped load the baskets onto the vehicle and couldn’t help but remind her, “The weather is hot, duck eggs don’t keep long.”
Ji Nanxi smiled. “I know. I promise they won’t go to waste.”
She had bought so many preserved eggs and salted duck eggs for a reason, of course.
“Squad Leader Li, please take the goods and go about your business first. I’ll walk to the city center. On the way back, I’ll wait for the vehicle to return together.”
Squad Leader Li nodded. “Alright!”
He had also bought quite a few duck eggs and preserved eggs today.
The soldiers at the base couldn’t miss a single meal—breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
So, preserved eggs were often used to make porridge in the mornings.
As for salted duck eggs, because they were more expensive, it wasn’t possible to give each person a whole one, but splitting one in half was no problem.
Squad Leader Li still had to buy pickled vegetables, salted vegetables, pickled radishes, and the like, so he really didn’t have much time to linger here.
Squad Leader Li sighed softly. “It’s a shame meat is hard to come by! Even though we’re by the sea, it’s not a solution for everyone to eat fish and shrimp every day!”
Meat?
Ji Nanxi took these words to heart.
Back in the Interstellar era, when fighting Astral Beasts, Ji Nanxi had wondered—could Starbeast Meat really not be eaten?
Because the appearance of Astral Beasts was strikingly similar to the poultry of 22nd-century China!
They resembled chickens, ducks, geese, cows, sheep, pigs, and the like—just magnified many times over.
When she first saw them, Ji Nanxi truly hadn’t recognized them.
Thinking about it now, I’ll check the sales section when I get back to see if there are any Astral Beasts for sale.
If there really are, I’ll buy some, stew the meat, and taste it—then I’ll know if it’s edible!
As for worrying about radiation or mutations in the Astral Beast meat, I can just buy an Interstellar medical-grade purifier, and that’ll solve the problem completely.
It’s no surprise that Ji Nanxi would have this idea, because in the Interstellar world, no one would ever think of using a medical purifier on an Astral Beast.
No one even considers it, let alone suggests it.
After all, Ji Nanxi has been on the battlefield in the Interstellar realm, where Astral Beasts, once killed, are simply left on the field—no one bothers to clean them up.
First, Astral Beasts are huge and heavy; second, in the Interstellar world, they’re practically worthless.
But if Ji Nanxi can turn these Astral Beasts from waste into treasure…
Not only could she improve the diet of the soldiers on the island, but she could also process the Starbeast Meat and resell it to the Interstellar market.
By then, the million Credit Points in the Mall System wouldn’t be far off!
With this thought, Nanxi’s steps grew even lighter.
After leaving the duck farm, she headed straight for the scrap collection station.
The old man guarding the gate was dozing off when she called out clearly, “Uncle?”
Startled awake, the old man glanced at Nanxi, waved her in, and said, “Pick what you want from the backyard, and weigh it when you’re done!”
“Alright, Uncle!”
Nanxi stepped into the backyard, crouched down, and began sifting through the mountains of old books and newspapers.
She pulled out a book with a gilded spine titled “Complete Collection of Chinese Recipes,” its back cover still bearing a 1967 borrowing slip.
[Ding—]
[Discovered “Complete Collection of Chinese Recipes” (1965 edition). Can be scanned and added to the Dimensional Mall’s “Ancient Blue Star Culinary Culture Database.” Estimated reward: 200 Credit Points.]
Nanxi paused for a moment, murmuring softly, “Scan.”
Then, she quickly tucked the brick-thick recipe book into her arms.
She continued searching for other books and newspapers, eventually gathering a thick stack of old newspapers and two more old books.
On her way out, she told the old man, “Uncle, I’ll take these—they’re for starting fires back home.”
The old man had her weigh the scrap. “That’ll be 1 yuan. Take them.”
“Sure, thanks!”
And so, Nanxi paid one yuan and stuffed all the newspapers and books into the basket she was carrying.
In the afternoon, on the way back.
In the military vehicle, Auntie Liu stared at Nanxi’s bulging basket and clicked her tongue. “Why did you buy so much old newspaper?”
Nanxi smiled in response. “Well, no matter how much I buy, it’s never enough to burn!”
Auntie Liu nodded. “That’s true. Firewood is used every day. My two kids often go out to gather firewood too.”