Courtyard Houses: From Families of Martyrs and Orphans to Giants of the Times

at night.

The courtyard gradually quieted down.

The lights in every house were turned off.

There were only a few coughs occasionally.

There was also the sound of the wind blowing through the eaves.

The west wing of the backyard.

Lin Jian'an, however, did not sleep.

Beside the kang (heated brick bed).

The system panel was faintly lit.

[Dongcheng Black Market]

[Opening hours: 1:00 AM to 4:00 AM]

Current security level: Low

[Recommendation: Conduct transactions while concealing your identity]

Lin Jian'an stared at the panel for a long time.

I was actually a little excited.

black market.

This was a very special place in the 1950s.

The planned economy era.

There are many things that you can't buy even if you have money.

then.

The black market then emerged.

Grain, ration coupons, secondhand goods, medicine...

As long as you're bold enough.

There are people selling everything.

of course.

The risks are also high.

They were caught.

At best, a fine.

In serious cases, they might be imprisoned for several days.

"but……"

"This is also the fastest way."

Lin Jian'an knew very well.

Relying solely on finding bargains at scrap yards.

Points can increase.

But the money comes slowly.

I want to collect old items in the future.

You can't do anything without money.

and so.

We must go to the black market.

Thinking about this...

He rose gently.

After confirming that the mother was asleep.

Only then did he put on his cotton-padded coat.

He quietly left the house.

It was especially cold in Beijing in the early morning.

The wind felt like a knife scraping my face.

The alley was pitch black.

Occasionally, you can hear stray dogs barking.

Lin Jian'an shrank his neck.

Head east along the street.

Follow the system prompts.

The black market is located near an abandoned warehouse.

After half an hour.

He finally arrived.

Looking at it from a distance.

It was pitch black over there.

But upon closer inspection...

However, quite a few people could be spotted.

Someone is squatting in the corner.

Someone was speaking in a low voice.

Some people were carrying sacks in and out.

The air was filled with hushed sounds.

"Would you like some refined grains?"

"The industrial tickets just arrived."

Wild mountain produce is being sold cheaply.

"Eggs for cloth coupons!"

This scene.

Lin Jian'an was deeply moved by what he saw.

really.

Regardless of the era.

Underground transactions will always exist.

He just went in.

A system notification immediately sounded.

[Large quantities of materials from that era have been detected]

[High-value antique item detected]

Special transaction target detected.

Lin Jian'an's eyes lit up immediately.

This place.

It smells even better than a junkyard.

Because of the people who come to the black market.

Many of them are genuinely short of money.

The old folks at home don't take it seriously at all.

You might just stumble upon a great bargain.

He didn't rush to make a move.

Pretend to be just strolling around.

While we were there, we observed the surroundings.

soon.

He then discovered it.

There are rules here.

The grain seller is on the east side.

The ticket exchange area is on the west side.

But the people who truly sell old items.

They all squatted in the very corner.

After all, this is the way things are these days.

Antiques are worthless.

Whoever buys it will be a victim of injustice.

Just then.

The system suddenly lit up red.

High-value items detected

[Distance: 5 meters]

Lin Jian'an immediately looked in that direction.

In the corner, all I could see was...

A thin old man was squatting on the ground.

Several pieces of junk were laid out in front of me.

An old teapot.

Bronze furnace.

There is also a rolled-up painting.

It looks particularly unremarkable.

People passing by.

I can't even be bothered to look at it.

After all, people are struggling to get enough to eat these days.

Who has spare money to buy these?

However, the system prompts kept getting stronger.

[Detection Target: Ancient Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy]

Lin Jian'an's heart skipped a beat.

Calligraphy and paintings?

He knew it best in his past life.

This is it.

I went over there immediately.

"Sir, is this painting for sale?"

The old man looked up and glanced at him.

This was clearly a bit unexpected.

I guess they didn't expect that.

Children might ask this.

"You know your stuff?"

"I don't know."

"It just looks quite old."

The old man immediately smiled.

"You're a real go-getter."

talking.

Unfold the painting a little bit slowly.

Lin Jian'an only glanced at it.

My heart almost missed being hit.

Although the painting has turned yellow.

The edges and corners are also damaged.

But he recognized the signature.

Zheng Banqiao!

What the hell!

Although it's uncertain whether it's true or not.

But just look at that aura.

It's not like a typical counterfeit.

"System, check."

next second.

The prompt will appear immediately.

[Fragment of a landscape painting by Zheng Banqiao from the Qing Dynasty]

[Value: 180 points]

[Review: Possesses high collectible value]

One hundred and eighty!

Lin Jian'an's breathing became rapid.

This is the biggest leak to date!

and.

This is only a fragment.

How exaggerated would a complete version be?

He suppressed his excitement.

Pretending to ask casually:

"How much?"

The old man sighed.

"You really want it?"

"Um."

"Give me two pieces."

Two yuan.

In this day and age.

Actually, it's not a small amount.

An ordinary worker's daily wage is only a few cents.

But the problem is.

The future value of this thing is impossible to calculate.

Lin Jian'an was ecstatic.

But on the surface, they still have to pretend to be poor.

"Two pieces are too expensive."

I only have one child.

"Where would we get that much money?"

The old man was clearly a little disappointed.

I was just about to put it away.

Lin Jian'an suddenly spoke again.

"Would one piece be okay?"

The old man hesitated.

After all.

Nobody buys this painting anymore.

You can't exchange it for grain if you keep it in your hands.

"Alright."

"Take it."

Lin Jian'an immediately took out money from his pocket.

Fortunately, there were some left over.

Cash on delivery.

Holding a painting in one hand.

I just received it.

The system notification immediately started flashing wildly.

[Will it be recycled?]

"no."

Lin Jian'an did not retrieve it this time.

Because it suddenly occurred to him.

This is a really good thing.

I may not necessarily need to exchange points in the future.

Keep it.

It might be worth more.

Especially after the reform and opening up in the future.

These antiques are where the real profits are made.

"It seems the system doesn't necessarily have to be reclaimed immediately."

A new idea gradually formed in his mind.

Just then.

Suddenly, a commotion arose from the side.

"Oh shit!"

"You dare lie to me?"

A burly man suddenly overturned the stall.

The person selling goods across the street turned deathly pale.

"I don't!"

"This ticket is real!"

"fart!"

"The grain depot is completely unusable!"

moment.

The people around immediately dispersed.

Everyone is afraid of getting into trouble.

Lin Jian'an also frowned.

The black market fears this kind of thing the most.

Counterfeit notes.

This is considered a particularly taboo offense.

And it's easy to attract patrols.

really.

Not long after.

Suddenly someone shouted in the distance.

"The patrol is here!"

That sound.

The entire black market instantly erupted in chaos.

"Run!"

"Pack your things!"

"Damn it, who brought them here!"

The crowd that was trading quietly.

Everything suddenly became a complete mess.

Some people were running frantically while clutching sacks of grain.

Some people directly bypassed the Great Firewall.

Some people don't even want their belongings anymore.

Lin Jian'an's heart skipped a beat.

"Depend on."

"This happens on your first visit?"

He was just about to leave.

The next second...

The system suddenly issued a notification.

Danger detected approaching.

Recommendation: Evacuate immediately.

Followed by.

Flashlight beams were already visible at the other end of the alley.

"stop!"

"Don't run!"

"examine!"

This has completely thrown things into chaos.

Lin Jian'an didn't say a word.

He turned and ran.

But the problem is.

He is only twelve years old.

He is not tall.

The crowd became chaotic.

I almost got knocked over.

Just then.

An old man selling goods in front of me suddenly fell down.

The things in his arms spilled all over the ground.

The crowd behind them stepped on it.

"Help!"

Lin Jian'an paused for a moment.

This is normal for a person at this time.

The most important thing is to run it yourself.

But he noticed that the old man's hair was gray.

It's been trampled on so badly it can't get up anymore.

Grit your teeth.

They still rushed over.

They grabbed the people and pulled them up.

"Walk!"

The old man was completely stunned.

Obviously, this was unexpected.

Even in times like this, someone still helps him.

But he hadn't even taken two steps.

Suddenly, an angry shout came from behind.

"Those two up ahead!"

"stop!"