The timeline system has gone awry; they insist that steamed buns are a magic pill.

"Still the same old routine, just getting by."

Li Qingqiu's casual reply drew the attention of all the passengers on the bus. In this day and age, "just getting by" is not a compliment; it's probably something like "second-rate."

"Hehe, the old way is fine too."

Han Guodong chuckled awkwardly. This guy really hadn't changed much; he still spoke without thinking. "Come on, have a smoke."

"Hey, this is a cigarette with a filter, it's good."

This wasn't Li Qingqiu's deliberate mockery; the Da Tuanjie cigarette, with its mouthpiece, cost 45 cents a pack, truly a top-tier luxury cigarette, something most cadres couldn't afford.

"The last time I went to the countryside, someone gave me two packs, but I didn't really know much about them."

Han Guodong had a smile on his lips. He thought Li Qingqiu didn't know anything about cigarettes. He had already prepared his answer in his mind.

"You get such good cigarettes even when you're in the countryside? What kind of job do you have?"

Li Qingqiu took the cigarette, struck a match, lit it, and then lit it for Han Guodong. He exhaled a puff of smoke before asking Han Guodong about his work.

"Look, I've only consulted you, and I haven't even introduced my job yet. Actually, it's nothing much. I show movies at the cultural center and occasionally go to the countryside. It's actually quite hard work." Han Guodong said it was hard work, but he still sounded quite proud.

"Projectionist, young man, that's a good job."

"Yes, young man, when will you come to our brigade to show a movie?" When Han Guodong introduced himself as the projectionist, several brigade cadres who were attending a meeting in the county spoke up and extended a warm invitation to him.

"I have a lot of work this year, it's hard to say right now, maybe there will be an opportunity."

Han Guodong declined without giving a clear answer, but the brigade cadres offered him cigarettes and said nice things, which made Han Guodong feel quite respected for a while.

"Old classmate, I remember you're from Lijia'ao, right?"

"Yeah, what's wrong?"

Li Qingqiu flicked the cigarette butt away and leaned back against the side of the vehicle, which was somewhat bumpy.

"It seems our cultural center hasn't been to Lijia'ao yet this year."

"Is that so? I wouldn't know."

Li Qingqiu wasn't very interested in open-air movies and didn't pay much attention to the meaning behind Han Guodong's words.

Several brigade cadres nearby exchanged glances. Was this young man stupid? The other party had made it so clear, and he didn't even know to say a few words of flattery.

Han Guodong was also a little annoyed. This guy was still the same as before, acting like a complete idiot.

"Hehe, Qingqiu, what brings you to the county town?"

"Could it be that you heard Han Caiju is back and want to see her?"

Li Qingqiu was completely bewildered by Han Guodong's words. Who? Han Caiju? He didn't recognize the name.

Who is Han Caiju?

"Ah, Qingqiu, you're not kidding me, are you?" Han Guodong wanted to make a joke, but Li Qingqiu's words left him speechless.

"No, I really forgot."

Li Qingqiu thought to himself, "I don't remember him. He probably isn't someone important."

"You really forgot?" Han Guodong didn't believe it.

"I really forgot. Would I lie to you? You don't give me any money to spend," Li Qingqiu muttered.

"I thought you hadn't forgotten Han Caiju and were thinking of going to the county to find her. Let me tell you, Han Caiju is quite something now." Han Guodong said, glancing at Li Qingqiu. The guy's expression didn't change; he really didn't remember her.

"What happened? Did it go up to heaven?"

"They've almost ascended to heaven; now they're cadres in the Revolutionary Committee."

The county revolutionary committee is quite powerful; it's like passing a civil service exam and getting directly into the county party committee office. "Why bring that up?" Li Qingqiu muttered to himself, "I don't have that kind of name in my head." "That's good."

"Hey, Qingqiu, you really don't remember? You got into a fight and dropped out of school for her back then?"

"What did you say?"

After a long internal struggle, Li Qingqiu finally concluded that he couldn't continue studying and had to drop out of school. The original Li Qingqiu had spent nine years in elementary school without passing the junior high school entrance exam. He was originally going to go home to work, but after a month of commotion, he repeated the fifth grade before finally passing the junior high school entrance exam.

He dropped out of junior high school after less than half a year and went home. He got into fights, all for a girl. Li Qingqiu finally felt like a protagonist. "No, I really can't study anymore. Maybe the original owner didn't take fighting seriously at all, let alone Han Caiju."

Besides, Li Qingqiu was five or six years older than the average student when she was in school. He probably wouldn't even have given a twelve or thirteen-year-old girl a second glance.

"It happened many years ago, I've long forgotten about it."

"But it's better to forget about it. You're quite far behind Han Caiju now."

Han Guodong smiled and said, "I thought you were going to go find Han Caiju after hearing she was back. I was even thinking of giving you some advice."

Li Qingqiu muttered to himself, "Something about what Han Guodong said doesn't seem quite right. Maybe he's up to some kind of scheme." He continued, "Actually, you're right. I'm just an ordinary farmer, while he's a county official. The difference is huge."

"It's good that you know. I was afraid of going to your door and being laughed at."

The more Han Guodong said this, the more Li Qingqiu felt there was something wrong. Why didn't Han Guodong seem concerned about losing face? What was this guy up to?

"By the way, Qingqiu, you seem to be older than all of us."

"It's alright, I'm twenty-five this year."

"You're twenty-five, five years older than me. Are you married? Have you had children yet? Look at me, I was so busy talking that I forgot you're older than all of us. At this age, your kids should be old enough to run errands." Han Guodong spoke more casually.

"Why bother being a bystander? With my looks and qualifications, no one even wants me, let alone a wife or kids," Li Qingqiu sighed helplessly.

"Not married yet?"

"No."

Li Qingqiu said with a smile, "What's up, old classmate? You want to introduce me to someone?"

"I don't even have a place to settle down yet."

Han Guodong muttered to himself, "Twenty-five years old, why isn't he married yet? Is he waiting for Han Caiju?"

"Young man, are you named Li Qingqiu?"

"Uncle, do you know me?"

"I've heard some things about you."

"Is that so?"

Li Qingqiu thought to himself that it was definitely not a good thing, so he simply didn't ask. Who knew that Han Guodong would become interested and ask him about Li Qingqiu's reputation and the recent incident caused by steamed buns.

Han Guodong almost couldn't help but laugh. Li Qingqiu was speechless. What does the original owner's deeds have to do with me? The way you're looking at me is a bit offensive.

"Hehe, Li Qingqiu, didn't I just ask you what you were doing in the county town?"

"I'm going to visit my second aunt."

Li Qingqiu patted his basket with a smile. "I dug up some winter bamboo shoots to give her a taste."

This is so embarrassing! It's not like I'm an old man. You know me, so what are you talking about? Do I need you to help promote my achievements?

What a meddlesome fellow! Li Qingqiu mentally cursed the old man a thousand times over.

And this guy, what's wrong with you? Damn it, if you have nothing better to do, can't you shut up? I really don't want to talk anymore. So what if you can play movies? I don't even like watching them.

"Winter bamboo shoots, that's quite a rare find."

"It's alright."

Li Qingqiu and Han Guodong chatted for a few more minutes, but for a while they didn't have much to say. Han Guodong, on the other hand, was busy chatting with several brigade cadres from time to time. Being a projectionist was a good job, and all the brigades were eager for a projectionist to come to their brigade to show movies every day.

"Young man, why didn't you invite your classmate to show a movie at your brigade?"

"You two are classmates, that's such a good relationship... It's a blessing that most people would kill for."

"I don't really like watching movies. Besides, what's the point of showing a movie on such a cold day?"

Li Qingqiu didn't care, but the old man next to him shook his head. This young man didn't understand social etiquette at all. He said that if he could invite a projectionist, he would be very successful in the brigade.

The mule cart continued on its way, but Li Qingqiu wasn't too concerned about Han Guodong; instead, he was thinking about how to sell the mushrooms.

This wasn't the first time the original owner of the county town had been there, but for Li Qingqiu now, it was his first time.

"I've been to the alleyway of the black market a few times. I've dealt in snakes, and I also sell fish and shrimp there."

"He seems to have gone to his second aunt's house a few times to freeload, but his cousins ​​don't really like him."

Li Qingqiu rummaged through his memories of the county town. Chikou County wasn't large, with a population of around 100,000 in the town proper. There was only one department store, a few state-run restaurants, and not many streets; Li Qingqiu had a general impression of all of this.

Of the several state-run restaurants, he remembered the most vividly, especially one that served fried meatballs. It smelled particularly good, and Li Qingqiu thought to himself that he would go back and try it to see just how delicious it was.

Li Qingqiu got off the vehicle carrying a basket on his back. Han Guodong greeted Li Qingqiu and then kept his distance, as if he was afraid of being bothered by Li Qingqiu.

"A problem."

Li Qingqiu muttered to himself, thinking that Han Guodong probably looked down on his old classmate Li Qingqiu, and that most of the nonsense he just said was probably for some purpose. He decided to check out the black market alley first, walking along the street and observing as he went.

"Cars are almost nowhere to be seen."

Most people travel by mule cart, horse cart, ox cart, or donkey cart, or by handcart, bicycle, or on foot. Their clothing was better than that of people in the commune, but compared to those in the production team, it was like heaven and earth.

Li Qingqiu belonged to the lower class; her clothes were patched upon patched, and she was clearly from the countryside. "No wonder," she said, "my little sister dreams of going to the city every day. Life in the city is pretty good."

After strolling around for a while, Li Qingqiu arrived at the entrance of the black market alley. He looked around and found the place to be quite secluded. As he entered the alley, he glanced around and saw that there were indeed some people there.

They didn't sell a lot of things. They sold loach, pheasants, some small odds and ends, bamboo baskets, hampers, tobacco leaves, and some small tools. I didn't see any grain, since it's a county, and such eye-catching things as grain aren't sold.

He didn't bring any industrial goods, but he did have some cabbage, potatoes, pickled vegetables, pumpkins, and the like. Li Qingqiu found a place to put down his basket and pulled out a handful of vegetables. "Hey, young man, what's this?"

"Snow mushroom".

"Mushrooms? Are there still mushrooms like that in this weather?"

The uncle selling pumpkins nearby muttered to himself, "Where did you get this? It's a real gem."

"I found these in the mountains, picked some, and they tasted alright. I'm going to use some to make some money to buy matches."

Li Qingqiu said with a smile that matches are actually not expensive, only two cents a box. Usually, people would buy ten boxes for two mao (0.2 yuan). It is an essential item for every household.

How much are you selling them for?

The uncle's eyes darted around, sizing up Li Qingqiu. Judging from his clothes, his family must be quite poor.

"I don't know either, sir. Could you please help me figure out how much to sell it for?"

Li Qingqiu laid out the meadow and planted some mushrooms. Now that no one was around, he chatted with the uncle next to him for a bit to pass the time.

"These mushrooms look ordinary, and since you can't eat them as a meal, they probably won't sell well. I think five cents a pound would be about right."

Li Qingqiu almost burst out laughing. "Uncle, are you kidding me?"

"Five points! That's so high!"

"This isn't a case of one pound of mushrooms costing as much as two boxes of matches."

Li Qingqiu feigned delight, and the uncle's lips curled into a smile. "That's right, but there aren't many people around right now, so I'm afraid we might not be able to sell it today. How about this, you can sell it to me, I live nearby and I can come over whenever I have time."

"I'll give it to you, five cents a pound?"

"Brother, how could I possibly accept that? If you buy it and can't sell it, you'll lose money. No way, I can't do that. It's heartless. No matter what, I can't sell it to a kind-hearted brother like you." Li Qingqiu said, as if to say, "Even if I starve to death or freeze to death, even if the mushrooms rot and become bad, I will not sell them to you, my kind brother."