In 1959, what's wrong with me pedaling a tricycle?

After leaving this place, Wang Xingguo clenched his fist and cheered inwardly. Now that he had made progress on two key points, especially since he had met Jiang Yue'e, a nurse at the General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army, things would be much easier in the future.

Don't think Jiang Yue'e is just being helpful. The patients she takes care of are all military officers, so it's also beneficial for her to help introduce fish.

At first, Wang Xingguo couldn't understand why the hospital was short of fish, but later he figured it out.

Currently, various units have reduced the supply of meat, and perhaps these high-ranking units have also been affected, which is why this situation has occurred.

It was already past noon when Wang Xingguo randomly picked a restaurant and ordered a four-ounce bowl of shredded pork noodles.

Actually, it wasn't until July of 60 that restaurants started using the cash plus coupon system. At that time, you didn't need food coupons or meat coupons to eat at restaurants, but the prices would be a bit higher.

This four-ounce bowl of shredded pork noodles costs 35 cents, but there isn't much shredded pork in it, probably less than 5 mao (a unit of weight).

You can pay extra for more meat, but it's unnecessary. If you want meat, you might as well buy meat coupons from your neighbor.

Thanks to Wang Xingguo's frequent bringing of eggs and fish home, the family didn't crave meat too much. Moreover, to prepare for the future, they lent their meat coupons to their neighbors, and when they needed meat, they would take the coupons from their neighbors for that month to buy meat.

In fact, Wang Xingguo knew which black market sold meat, but the price was too high, so he felt it wasn't worth it. He decided to wait until December, after his hometown had handed over the task-related pigs, and then spend his own money to buy a few unplanned pigs, slaughter them, and freeze them with ice for preservation. That would be more cost-effective.

After finishing his noodles, Wang Xingguo left the restaurant, rode his tricycle into a secluded alley, and then entered the space with the vehicle.

After busying himself with cooking pig feed, feeding chickens and ducks, tending to crops, and so on, Wang Xingguo began preparing the fish.

At Peking Union Medical College Hospital, there is a distinction: outsiders cannot enter the VIP ward and must be accompanied by a family member, while ordinary wards can be entered freely.

Wang Xingguo and Aunt Chen had arranged to meet around 3 or 4 pm. He would bring the fish to the entrance of the VIP ward at the hospital, where Aunt Chen would meet him and he would help deliver the fish inside.

As time went by, Wang Xingguo arrived at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital's VIP ward with a bucket containing sixteen crucian carp weighing nearly six kilograms each.

Aunt Chen was already waiting at the door. As soon as she saw Wang Xingguo carrying a bucket of water, she immediately smiled.

"Xiao Wang, thank you for your hard work. Hurry up and go register with me. Wow, so many crucian carp! Xiao Wang, you're really something! I have to thank you properly!"

Wang Xingguo said cheerfully, "Aunt Chen, you're too kind. We men of Beijing are men of our word. If we say we'll get you fish, we'll definitely get it done for you."

Aunt Chen smiled and praised, "Young Wang, you're a fine man! You're a real gentleman from the capital!"

When registering with her work permit, Aunt Chen wrote her relationship as her nephew. With a family member accompanying her, the guards usually don't make things difficult, and she was registered and allowed to pass smoothly.

Aunt Chen was surprised that Wang Xingguo brought so many crucian carp, and she had less to prepare for the meal.

However, Aunt Chen was a woman of principle; she couldn't let Wang Xingguo go through the trouble of bringing the fish over and then take it back with him.

So she went to find a nurse and asked her to ask other patients' families if anyone wanted crucian carp so they could bring something to eat.

Aunt Chen herself asked for ten crucian carp, and gave Wang Xingguo a carton of Peony brand cigarettes and two bottles of Moutai liquor. This was definitely not a shortchange on Wang Xingguo; she gave him a high price in exchange.

The price of Moutai liquor is currently marked at 2.91 yuan per bottle, but ordinary people can't actually buy it. On the black market, this liquor sells for at least 8 yuan per bottle!

Therefore, what Aunt Chen gave was absolutely sincere and carried with it a heartfelt expression of gratitude.

Wang Xingguo quickly said, "Auntie, this stuff is valuable. You're losing out by exchanging it for just a few pounds of crucian carp..."

Aunt Chen waved her hand to interrupt, saying, "Oh, Xiao Wang, don't be so polite with me. I'm so grateful for your help. Don't worry about whether it's a loss or not, just take it. I'm really worried. My husband isn't in Beijing, my child is in the army, and my mother is like this now... I can't possibly manage all this by myself. Thank you so much for helping me get these crucian carp..."

After saying this, Aunt Chen wiped away her tears. It's likely that she and the old lady had a very good relationship, and she lost control of her emotions for a moment after encountering such a situation.

Wang Xingguo quickly comforted her, and Aunt Chen asked him to send over crucian carp again in a few days, which Wang Xingguo readily agreed to.

Just as we were helping Aunt Chen put the fish into her bucket, the nurse came over with someone.

When exchanging gifts, it doesn't matter whether they are expensive or cheap; it's the thought that counts. Someone brought over a pound of sugar coupons, and Wang Xingguo exchanged them for two relatively large crucian carp. In terms of price, it was obviously a loss, but you can't calculate it like that.

After all, if he wanted to get a pound of sugar coupons, he would need to spend a dollar or two to buy them on the black market.

Someone brought a bag of apples, probably weighing four or five pounds, and Wang Xingguo gave her the remaining four crucian carp.

Actually, they lost money, but they don't mind.

Unexpectedly, some people came over after hearing the news, and they all looked very disappointed when they learned that all the crucian carp had been replaced.

An elderly woman pulled Wang Xingguo aside and asked, "Young man, could you help me get some crucian carp? Snakehead fish will also be fine. My family has a sick person who is injured and hospitalized, and we really need these fish to make fish soup. Could you please help me?"

Wang Xingguo smiled and nodded, saying, "It's fate that we met. Auntie, I have to help you! Here's what we'll do: I can't get into the inpatient department, so tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, I'll deliver the fish to the east gate of the hospital. If anyone needs crucian carp, how about we exchange them at the east gate?"

Those who didn't get any fish immediately said it was no problem, and each of them asked Wang Xingguo to help them get some crucian carp so they could bring something to exchange with him later.

They were all smart people; no one raised the price, and no one spoke of buying or selling.

When Wang Xingguo left, it was almost 4:30. He had to rush to the General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army to deliver black carp to Grandpa Zhou and Nurse Jiang Yue'e.

Wang Xingguo had the most crucian carp and common carp, but not many snakehead fish, so he brought not only snakehead fish but also some crucian carp.

What he's doing now is actually using fish to find a way to make good products.

Once he sells fish a few times, the families in the hospital will all know who he is, and those in need will naturally go to him.

You can never have too much good stuff. After all, the fish doesn't cost him anything, but the cigarettes, alcohol, and receipts he gets in return can be exchanged for real, high-value goods.