Chapter 99: Treasure Hunting

Beixinqiao

After getting off work from the steel rolling mill, Cao Weiguo pedaled his bicycle like lightning to a trust store.

A trust store is different from a pawnshop; its business is primarily agency-based, acting as a bridge for both consignors and buyers.

Unlike the peddlers of the old days who walked the streets buying old goods, the trust stores of this era are public-owned; they don't desperately drive prices down but can provide a relatively fair price.

If the price is low and the final selling price is higher than the acquisition price, they will even compensate the customer with a portion of the money.

Besides fair pricing, people who come to the trust store to buy things can also feel at ease because the origin of the goods is clear, and you don't need coupons to buy things at the trust store.

In this era of material scarcity and coupon-based supply, one can imagine the purchasing power.

When one cannot afford to shop at large stores that require coupons, the trust store becomes the first choice.

Additionally, browsing the trust store is a hobby for many people; sometimes they don't go to buy, just to browse.

Some sharp-eyed folks can often find "treasures."

Cao Weiguo hurried to the trust store precisely to find "treasures."

After parking his bicycle, Cao Weiguo inspected the store with great interest.

The items in the store were diverse, ranging from cameras, handicrafts, and watches to clothing, furniture, and pots and pans—everything one could expect.

It was probably close to closing time, and only two young men and one middle-aged woman remained in the store.

The woman was leisurely cracking melon seeds, and the two young men were cleaning.

Cao Weiguo walked to the counter for pots and pans and discovered a blue and white bowl.

"Ma'am, if you would be so kind, I'd like to take a look at that blue and white bowl."

The woman glanced at Cao Weiguo and took down the blue and white bowl.

"This bowl isn't cheap, so be careful not to break it."

Hearing the woman's words, Cao Weiguo said with a smile: "Thank you, Ma'am."

Holding the blue and white bowl and examining it carefully, the light in his eyes grew brighter: "Ma'am, how much is this bowl?"

The woman said coldly: "Two ten-yuan bills."

Whoa!

This price was truly not low!

In this era, the average daily wage for a worker is around one yuan, and a farmer's daily work points are calculated between five jiao and one yuan.

This twenty yuan is not a small amount; it's enough for a family's food for a month or so.

This bowl is a decent antique, but it can't be eaten or drunk.

For today's common people, it's not as practical as a cornmeal bun.

It is precisely for this reason.

This large blue and white bowl with a farming and weaving pattern from the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty had been sitting here for a long time without anyone buying it.

In this day and age, people can't even get enough to eat; who has the heart to collect cultural relics and antiques.

Seeing that Cao Weiguo didn't speak, the woman said unhappily: "Don't just stand there, looking at it for a moment is enough to satisfy your craving."

"I'll take it!"

The next second, Cao Weiguo caught the woman off guard.

The two young men who were cleaning also looked over in surprise.

Cao Weiguo took out a stack of money with a pained expression and tremblingly pulled out two ten-yuan bills.

The woman's eyes lit up: "Young man, you really want to buy it!"

Cao Weiguo said with a bitter smile: "Who told me I need to use this thing to ask for a favor? Even if I have to go hungry, I have to buy it."

Cao Weiguo took out his identification and completed the purchase registration.

Only then was it a case of money and goods changing hands.

Before leaving, Cao Weiguo took five White Rabbit creamy candies from his pocket and stuffed them into the woman's hand.

"The price of this bowl isn't low, but the quality is truly excellent. Sorry to trouble you today, Ma'am."

"Oh my, this is White Rabbit! Thank you, young man."

Not only did she sell her relative's bowl, but she also got a few rare creamy candies.

This made the woman, who had been "aloof," beam with joy.

The person who consigned this blue and white bowl was no outsider; it was a relative of hers.

If there weren't some connections, this item would either go to the black market for trade or be sent to a cultural relic store.

Black market trading carries too much risk, and it's not easy to run into a buyer.

If sent to a cultural relic store, getting a dozen yuan would be considered decent.

But by placing it here, if one encounters someone who loves it, one can exchange it for quite a bit more money.

Cao Weiguo didn't know the story behind it and left happily with the bowl.

Halfway there, he put the large blue and white bowl with the farming and weaving pattern from the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty into his storage space.

This bowl couldn't be considered a precious cultural relic; it just had a little bit of collection value and room for appreciation.

Based on current prices and future prices, Cao Weiguo buying this blue and white bowl might even be a loss.

But Cao Weiguo couldn't help himself when he saw something he liked, and he had spare cash, so he bought it on a whim.

At the same time, it was also to test the waters at the trust store and familiarize himself with the environment here.

In the future, when he has free time, he will come to browse; he can't waste his master-level appraisal skills.

Although the probability of finding treasures at the trust store is not high, and the prices of items are expensive.

It's still safer than the pigeon market or the black market, and it feels solid and secure.

After leaving the trust store, Cao Weiguo went to the Xinhua Bookstore halfway.

He spent over two yuan to buy two copies of the Red Treasure Book and a few comic books for leisure.

Commonly known as "little people books."

Not only do children love to read them, but adults love them too.

The reason is that these books contain not just words, but mostly pictures, making them easy to understand.

Moreover, the stories depicted have a beginning and an end, are clear, and become more interesting the more one reads.

Most people in this era were oppressed in the old society, had no money, and had no opportunity to study, so many were illiterate... These comic books are easy to read and look good, so everyone likes them.

It's just that the motherland's national strength is still recovering, and even daily necessities are very scarce.

Spending the money equivalent to dozens of eggs to buy a comic book is something many people wouldn't even dare to imagine, let alone be willing to buy.

So when Cao Weiguo returned home with the comic books, he was criticized quite a bit by the frugal Song Yulan.

Cao Weiguo said with grievance: "They won't let me buy a radio, and it's really boring at home. These few comic books aren't expensive, and reading them in my spare time is both educational and interesting."

Song Yulan said angrily: "Not expensive? The money for one comic book could buy over ten jin of cornmeal, enough to steam several pots of buns."

Cao Weiguo took Song Yulan's hand and said: "Good wife, these books can be read for a long time. After I finish them, I can let our children read them; it's not a waste at all. At worst, I won't buy any more in the future, so don't be angry."

Song Yulan wanted to laugh out of anger: "You, you even brought up the children for the sake of a few comic books. It's not that I don't let you spend money, but you can't be so extravagant. Wouldn't it be fine to buy one at a time?"

Cao Weiguo quickly tried to please her: "My lady's lesson is correct; I will definitely listen and correct myself. Let's hurry up and eat; the dishes you made today are so fragrant, they've made my stomach rumble."

Song Yulan pouted: "You, you just have a sweet tongue. Let's eat." ===== CHAPTER 101 =====