A jinx, me? But I bring good fortune to my whole family!

These days, bicycles are not common. In better-off villages, there might be two or three, but most villages don't even have one.

Not to mention cars; there were only a handful in the entire commune, and usually only high-ranking leaders were qualified to ride in them.

Su Xiulan pulled Nuannuan's little hand and moved to the side of the road, reminding her sister-in-law Hongxia, "Sister-in-law, hurry up, move to the side!"

The car wasn't going fast, and there was an iron chain strapped to the back, making a creaking sound as it drove over the road. The doors were closed tightly, and it was impossible to tell who the leader was inside.

The car slowly drove past them, bringing a cool breeze and the smell of gasoline.

"My goodness!" Sister-in-law Hongxia exclaimed, glancing in the direction the car had driven away. "Which high-ranking official is inspecting the countryside? Look at that entourage..."

It snowed a little last night, and the roads are very slippery; even oxcarts can't move. If it weren't for hearing that the supply and marketing cooperative had scraps of cloth, Sister Hongxia wouldn't have bothered going to town.

The leader drove over in the snow, so he must have something important to discuss.

"Could something have happened at the forest farm?" There hasn't been any big news in the village lately; the only thing everyone's been gossiping about is the forest farm's recruitment drive.

In addition, a new factory manager has arrived over there, so maybe the car we just saw belonged to the factory manager.

Hearing about the forest farm, Su Xiulan's heart skipped a beat. That group leader surnamed Zhang had a grudge against her and was making things difficult for her son. She wondered if this factory director was in cahoots with him.

Nuannuan stared at the direction of the car's rear, which was long gone, with a hint of envy.

I wish I could ride in one of these little cars someday, so I wouldn't have to walk outside in this freezing weather.

Little Green rolled her eyes.

【It can definitely be done!】

Who is sitting in the car?

Nuan Nuan suddenly remembered something she had forgotten: Xiao Hei didn't seem to have come back yesterday.

I don't know where they went to play.

"Oh well, whatever, it's none of our business anyway."

Su Xiulan didn't care. With that team leader around, her youngest son probably wouldn't get the job.

However, that job was too tiring, and she couldn't bear to leave her son with the wounds on his body.

"Yes, it has nothing to do with us. Let's hurry up and leave, or we'll be in trouble if we're too late and they've already robbed us."

Sister-in-law Hongxia didn't hesitate. She took Su Xiulan's arm, then looked at the little one following behind, and asked, "Nuannuan, are you tired? Do you want me to carry you?"

Nuannuan waved her little hand, "No need, Grandma, Nuannuan is very capable, she can run by herself."

Hearing these adorable words from a child, Hongxia couldn't help but touch the warm little face.

"Nuan Nuan, you should call her 'Your Highness,' not 'Grandma'..." Su Xiulan corrected, smiling apologetically, "Look at this little girl, she's got the generational order wrong."

"What does she know at such a young age? Just call her whatever you're used to." Sister-in-law Hongxia didn't seem to care.

The snow caused a delay on the road, and it took two hours to reach the town.

The two parted ways and agreed to meet at the entrance of the state-run restaurant.

Su Xiulan was going to browse the black market, while Sister-in-law Hongxia was queuing at the supply and marketing cooperative to buy cloth.

Su Xiulan led Nuannuan to a secluded alleyway. She looked around to make sure they wouldn't be seen before whispering, "You can take it out now."

Nuannuan patted her tummy. "Mommy, Nuannuan is holding you."

"Nuan Nuan, should Mommy take it?"

Nuannuan is too young, she's worried about her.

Nuannuan shook her head, "Nuannuan isn't tired."

She was carried for most of the way, and the little girl is very energetic now.

"Alright!"

It's safer for my daughter to carry it; if we encounter inspectors, she can easily put the items away.

Su Xiulan pulled her headscarf down, letting her hair cover half of her face. Anyone who didn't know better would think she was doing something shameful.

She held Nuannuan's little hand tightly and reminded her again, "Stay close to me and don't run around."

"There are a lot of child predators in town. If they take you away, your mother won't be able to find you."

Nuannuan shrank back in fright. Last time, her wicked grandmother and second aunt seemed to have tried to sell her to a child trafficker. Those people were terrifying.

Nuannuan's two little hands gripped Su Xiulan's big hand tightly. Sensing her daughter's worry, Su Xiulan bent down and picked up the child.

"Don't worry, Mom will definitely hold you tight."

The little girl nodded obediently, nestled in Su Xiulan's arms, not daring to move.

Seeing her daughter's obedient and well-behaved appearance, Su Xiulan's heart softened completely.

This wasn't my first time at the black market; I knew my way around. Even though the roads were slippery from the snow, there were still quite a few people there.

In the dead of winter, many families had no food to eat. They would bring whatever they could find to exchange for goods or money. In those days, every household was struggling to make ends meet.

However, it was quiet inside, and no one was shouting.

Some women were so frightened that they turned pale, and their baskets contained only five or six eggs.

Some people huddled together in groups of two or three, whispering amongst themselves, clearly haggling over the price.

Su Xiulan wasn't in a hurry. She carried her daughter around inside, observing the surroundings as she went.

Nuannuan blinked her eyes curiously, her voice filled with excitement.

"So much delicious food!"

"It's meaty!"

Su Xiulan... was initially a little nervous, but upon hearing this, she almost burst out laughing.

What a little foodie! The first thing she saw when she arrived was meat.

Little Green watched curiously, occasionally pointing and whispering to them.

【Warm and Sweetie, do you see that person? Wearing leather shoes, they must be rich.】

Have your mom go ask around; maybe she'll close the deal.

Nuannuan also looked at the man, who was wearing a slightly worn military overcoat and a fur hat. His leather shoes were polished to a shine, making him completely different from ordinary people.

This person was conspicuous, but no one greeted him.

Nuannuan whispered, "Mom, ask this uncle."

Su Xiulan was also feeling uneasy. She could tell that the man was not someone to be trifled with, so she didn't want to go over there and felt a sense of dread.

But her daughter's words were never wrong. Thinking back to the ginseng that was sold at a high price last time, it was also negotiated by her daughter with someone.

She gritted her teeth inwardly, steeled herself, and leaned closer, whispering, "Hey bro, what would you like?"

The man stopped and scrutinized Su Xiulan with a sharp gaze, which finally settled on the baby in her arms.

What do you want to sell?

The man looked wary and did not answer.

"Uncle, do you want something that can make sounds?"

Before Su Xiulan could answer, Nuannuan covered her mouth and laughed.

The little girl knew she couldn't speak loudly here, so she deliberately lowered her voice.

Her voice was soft and gentle, and her face was smiling, revealing two small dimples, making her incredibly endearing.

The man became interested. "Oh my, you little girl actually know about things that can make sounds. Do you guys have some?"

"I really want one, but the supply and marketing cooperatives are all out of stock now, and you need industrial coupons. It's the Lunar New Year, and coupons are hard to come by."

Su Xiulan's eyes lit up. "Brother, I actually have a radio."

The man's eyes practically lit up. He glanced around anxiously, grabbed Su Xiulan's sleeve, and pulled her to a corner. "Little sister, what you just said is true? How's that guy? How new is he? Is there anything wrong with him?"

"If it's in good condition, I'll definitely take it; the price is negotiable."

Su Xiulan quickly followed him, found a secluded spot, and whispered, "Just like the new one."

As she spoke, she looked at Nuannuan, who pulled a cloth bag from her bosom and hugged it tightly with both of her little hands.

The man hurriedly took it, carefully unwrapped a corner of the cloth, and saw the shiny edge.

"Hey young lady, this looks pretty good. May I take a look?"

Su Xiulan put Nuannuan down, took the things, and quickly opened them.

The man was even more satisfied. "It's a Red Lantern brand, just like new. Look, there's not even a scratch. Young lady, this kind of thing sells for 120 yuan at the supply and marketing cooperative, and you need industrial coupons. I won't try to bargain you down, 130 yuan, plus ten feet of cloth coupons. Is that okay?"

Cloth coupons can still be obtained, but industrial coupons are too difficult to exchange.

The supply and marketing cooperative, however, was stubborn and wouldn't give out even one less bill.

Su Xiulan's breathing quickened with excitement, and her heart pounded. She thought this would only sell for eighty or ninety yuan, or at most a hundred yuan, but she never expected it to be a hundred and thirty.

This is something I never thought of before.

You should know that in the village, a strong laborer can only earn a few dozen yuan a year.

"become!"

Su Xiulan didn't waste any time; at this point, it was all about getting in and out quickly.

The two men were exchanging money and goods when a piercing whistle suddenly rang out from the alleyway entrance, accompanied by a cacophony of footsteps.

The inspection team has arrived!

"Stop! Don't run!"

"Everyone, squat down!"