60s: I have a store

Chapter 642 The Long-Awaited Black Market

Once night had completely enveloped Beijing, Li Youde and Dapeng, under the cover of darkness, each carrying a bulging coarse cloth bundle, headed towards the black market.

These two bundles contained ten jin of pork and five jin of beef, provided by Zhou Yimin.

Li Youde and Dapeng walked very fast, skillfully choosing to go through alleys without streetlights, and looking back from time to time, afraid of being seen by patrolmen or passing villagers.

The two were worried that they might be a little rusty since they hadn't been to the black market for a while, but to their surprise, it was no different from before.

Li Youde and the others didn't chat, afraid that others would recognize their voices and find them by their voices, leaving them with no way to seek justice.

The two soon arrived at the nearest black market to the courtyard house. It was called a black market, but it was just a very empty place.

There are no walls around, making it easy to escape if caught.

However, these black markets are organized by specialized people, so there are people specifically tasked with keeping watch. If they see the police coming, they will shout loudly to notify the people in the black market.

At that time, everyone will scatter and run away. If you're lucky, nothing will happen. If you're unlucky, you'll get caught. If you're not selling, but just buying, there usually won't be any big problems.

They soon arrived at a guarded area.

The two of them arrived here knowing the way well.

When one of them saw Li Youde and Dapeng approaching carrying two large bundles, he asked in a low voice, "Buy or sell?"

Da Peng deliberately lowered his voice, making it hoarse: "Sell."

"Two cents!"

Da Peng handed over the two cents he had prepared beforehand.

The guard still reminded them, "Don't look at their faces, don't ask questions, and don't pry."

It's an ironclad rule: nobody knows anyone else, only things and money matter.

Li Youde and Dapeng had been to the black market countless times and understood that this rule was good for everyone.

As the two stepped into the black market, a cold wind, mixed with the smells of mold, dust, and scattered goods, hit them.

I don't know if it's because I haven't been here for too long, but I haven't gotten used to it yet.

There were no lights here, only the beams of each person's flashlight flickering in the darkness, and occasionally someone would haggle in a low voice.

They all kept a distance of two steps, no one getting too close, afraid of being recognized.

The stall owners either had their backs to the door or had their eyebrows covered by hats, with their chins buried in their collars.

The shoppers all kept their heads down, hands tucked into their sleeves, and rarely even made eye contact with each other.

Here, "strangeness" is the best protection, and "silence" is the safest choice.

Li Youde and Dapeng found a corner against the wall and placed their two bundles side by side on the ground. Just as they squatted down, a beam of flashlight shone over them, and a hoarse voice asked, "What are you selling?"

The person speaking was wearing a patched old cotton-padded coat, with a scarf wrapped around his neck twice, revealing only his eyes, making it impossible to see his face.

Da Peng didn't answer directly, but instead reached out and lifted a corner of one of the bundles, revealing piles of dark red pork inside by the light of the other person's flashlight.

Pieces of meat, alternating between lean and fat, were stacked together, their marbling clearly visible in the light, with a subtle oily sheen shimmering along the edges.

He then lifted another bundle, revealing neatly arranged chunks of darker beef, still with some fresh tendons, indicating that it hadn't been stored for long.

The beam of light abruptly stopped, followed by a low gasp, the hoarse voice distorted: "So much...meat?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the several beams of light that had been scattered around suddenly converged, and unfamiliar figures emerged from the darkness.

Some clutched their bags tightly, while others instinctively took a half-step forward and then quickly stopped. No one spoke, but the longing in their eyes seemed to burst forth as they stared intently at the meat in the two bundles.

You have to understand that in those days, meat coupons were more precious than gold. Even when the supply and marketing cooperatives occasionally had meat, you had to line up before dawn to grab it, and often you still couldn't get any.

Although it's not uncommon on the black market, the quantity of meat is still too small, and you basically have to fight for it, let alone two large bundles of meat, which weigh at least ten pounds.

This was more than the amount available on the black market in a month. Everyone present stared wide-eyed at the sight of the meat.

However, due to the rules of the black market, they dared not act rashly.

The people who organize the black market also ensure safety within its boundaries, so anything can only be dealt with outside the black market.

"Is this meat for sale?" A man in a blue cloth shirt spoke first, his voice very low.

"Sell." Da Peng lowered his voice, but it was loud enough for those around him to hear. He reached out and completely opened both bundles.

"Pork is 1.8 yuan per pound, beef is 2 yuan per pound, just tell me how much you want."

After these words, there was a full three seconds of silence in the darkness. Then someone hurriedly pulled money from their pocket, their voice still unfamiliar: "I want two pounds of pork! Save two pounds for me!"

They were afraid that if they spoke too late, someone else would get there first and leave them no meat at all.

Li Youde quickly took the money, shone his flashlight up to check it to make sure it wasn't counterfeit, then picked up the small scale he had brought, quickly weighed the meat, wrapped it in two thick layers of old newspaper, and handed it over. He didn't have any extra conversation with the other party throughout the whole process, and they didn't even touch hands.

Then, more people gathered around, handing over money rapidly: "I want three catties of pork!"

"I want a pound of beef! Could you cut it into smaller pieces?"

"I want two pounds of beef! I have the money!"

The people present seemed to have gone mad, all scrambling and grabbing. If they hadn't still had a shred of rationality, they wouldn't have made any grabbing moves.

Otherwise, it would definitely bring a lot of trouble upon oneself. How could one organize a black market of this scale without any real strength?
While Da Peng was taking the money and keeping accounts, Li Youde's hands were almost too busy weighing the items. Sweat dripped down his face from his forehead, but he didn't dare to raise his hand to wipe it away.

In this black market full of strangers, even the slightest noise could cause trouble. If you attract the attention of the patrol, you might not only fail to sell your meat but also get arrested.

Before long, most of the meat in the two bundles was gone, but more and more people gathered around, and some even came over and asked in a low voice, "Do you have meat for sale?"

It was obvious that this amount of meat was not enough for everyone present. Helpless, Li Youde said, "Sorry, all the meat is sold out. If you want to buy some next time, please come earlier."

Upon hearing this, Dapeng whispered in Li Youde's ear, "Youde, isn't there still half a piece of meat here?"

Li Youde explained in a low voice, "Yimin, didn't you ask us to help? We can't just come empty-handed, can we?"

Hearing this, Da Peng realized that even if they couldn't find suitable meat, there was no shortage of buyers. Even if they kept half, it would sell out in less than ten minutes. Those present muttered a few curses under their breath after hearing this.

Some people can only blame themselves for not coming sooner; if they had come earlier, they would have been the ones buying the meat.

Before long, the person who bought the meat took it from Li Youde and left the black market without looking back, fearing that someone else would rob them.

Some people saw those people carrying meat and quietly followed them. They didn't dare to make a move within the black market area, but it was hard to say what would happen outside of it.

Li Youde carefully wrapped the remaining meat, stuffed it back into the bundle, and tied it securely around his waist.

Those present found this strange; there was clearly still a lot of meat left, so why not sell it?

However, Li Youde and his group refused to sell, and they could not force Li Youde and his group to sell.

He could only mutter a few curses under his breath before leaving.

"Let's take a look! Maybe we can find what Yimin wants!" Dapeng nodded immediately, stuffed the cloth bag containing money into his arms, and looked around warily.

Li Youde nodded, tightened the flesh tucked into his waistband, and followed Dapeng. The two strolled through the black market.

After much back and forth, no one paid any attention to Li Youde and Da Peng.

Everyone still needs to buy things. Although Dapeng and Li Youde are still a bit chubby, we can't focus all our attention on them.

In the black market, there are other people selling meat, although not in such large quantities.

Li Youde and Dapeng walked further in. The further they went, the fewer stalls there were, the more scattered they were, and the more varied the goods they sold.

Some stalls displayed old books and paintings, some piled up bronze and ironware, and others covered things with black cloth, waiting for knowledgeable people to come and ask.

Li Youde and Dapeng slowed their pace, their eyes scanning each stall like searchlights. They kept their flashlights low, only daring to lightly sweep over the items, not daring to disturb the stall owners.

When browsing stalls in the black market, the rule is to "look more and ask less," as striking up a conversation rashly can easily arouse suspicion.

They hadn't walked far when their eyes simultaneously landed on a stall located towards the back.

The stall owner was an elderly man with gray hair, wearing a faded silk jacket with frayed cuffs. He held a chipped porcelain cup in his hand, sat on a small stool, leaned against the wall, and closed his eyes as if he were dozing off.

The stall didn't have many items on it, just a dark blue old velvet cloth with three or four things on it: a porcelain bottle about half a foot tall, with light blue and white flowers painted on the body, and a few small dirt stains on the mouth of the bottle.

A jade bracelet, emerald green, rests in the center of the velvet cloth, gleaming with a warm luster in the dim light, without any obvious cracks.

There was also a brass thumb ring with blurry cloud patterns engraved on it, and two copper bells were scattered next to it, their bodies oxidized and blackened.

“This old man looks like a remnant of the old regime,” Li Youde whispered into Dapeng’s ear.

Da Peng nodded, looking at this demeanor, no one would believe he wasn't a remnant of the old regime.

The two had heard Zhou Yimin mention before that the old men and women who lived on the black market often had treasures hidden in their hands. Most of these people were once wealthy families and had a lot of antiques and paintings. Having been used to a life of luxury, they would certainly not be satisfied with simple meals. Therefore, some old men and women would bring their good things to the black market to sell.

The two exchanged a glance, tiptoed over, and stood in front of the stall.

They didn't speak, but squatted down and gently shone their flashlights on the objects on the velvet cloth. The inscription on the bottom of the porcelain vase was blurry but could be seen as "Made in the Qianlong Reign of the Great Qing Dynasty." The blue and white glaze was just right, and it didn't seem to be a recent imitation.

The jade bracelet felt heavy in my hand and cool against my skin. The bronze ring was warm and smooth, and although the engravings were worn shallow, it still exuded the weight and significance of an old object.

"Gentlemen, what would you like to see?" The old man with his eyes closed suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse but strong, his eyes still closed.

Li Youde and Dapeng were startled by the sudden sound.

After recovering, Li Youde spoke first, his voice calm: "Sir, we're just looking around. These porcelain vases and jade bracelets of yours are antiques, aren't they? If you'd like to sell them, just name your price, and we'll take them if it's reasonable."

The old man opened his eyes and shook his head: "I don't want money."

These words stunned Li Youde and Da Peng.

Black market transactions are always about money, so how can there be transactions that don't require payment?

Da Peng couldn't help but ask, "Grandpa, since you don't want money, how about we trade you some meat?"

The old man shook his head again: "I don't want any meat either!"

This was the first time Li Youde and Da Peng had encountered such a situation. Even the meat, which usually worked every time, was useless. For a moment, neither of them could figure out what the old man wanted.

Da Peng couldn't help but ask directly, "Sir, since you don't even want the meat, what do you want? You can't exactly say you're waiting for a destined person to give it to you for free!"

The old man spoke slowly and deliberately: "What are you thinking? Of course I won't give it away for free. I only want food."

The two then realized that the request was for food, and they were in a dilemma, as they had only brought meat with them and had not brought any food.

However, we still need to figure out exactly how much grain we need first. We can't go back and tell Zhou Yimin without even knowing the price!
Li Youde quickly asked, "Grandpa, how much grain do you need if you buy all of these?"

The old man's gaze fell on the porcelain vase, and he said slowly, "The porcelain vase needs twenty catties of white flour, the jade bracelet needs thirty catties, the thumb ring needs ten catties, and each copper bell needs five catties."

Li Youde and Dapeng quickly calculated in their minds that, all added up, it would only amount to seventy or eighty catties of wheat flour.

"Grandpa, if you don't have enough wheat flour, can you make up for it with cornmeal?" Li Youde was worried that Zhou Yimin didn't have enough wheat flour.

The old man thought for a moment and said, "Cornmeal is fine too, but one pound of wheat flour can be exchanged for four pounds of cornmeal."

Da Peng immediately became anxious: "Grandpa, that's not fair of you. Isn't one pound of wheat flour worth three pounds of cornmeal?"

The old man said, "You can use wheat flour to buy it. Did I tell you to use corn flour?"

The two were surprised by the old man's response, but it seemed that Zhou Yimin might be interested in these items.

Dapeng and Li Youde exchanged a glance, then said to the old man, "Grandpa, we didn't bring this much grain with us. How about this, we'll bring the grain over at the same time tomorrow."

The old man fell into thought, and after a short while he spoke: "Okay, but I'll only wait one day. If it's over by then, don't regret it."

After saying that, he packed his things in a bundle and left.

They didn't say another word to the two of them. It was the first time they had ever seen a seller like this. But since he had something that Zhou Yimin wanted, they could only put up with it.

(End of this chapter)