Chapter 64

Chuncheng at this time was still quite good, with an industrial foundation and a considerable population.

A large number of buildings were built before 1965, including gymnasiums, hotels, and film studios.

Li Xuewu rode his bicycle and wandered around, browsing the different scenery of this era.

He wandered to People's Avenue, which was still called Stalin Street, where vendors' stalls were lined up one after another. Looking inside, it was full of people.

Li Xuewu turned into a small alley, found a place where there was no one, put away his bicycle and the things in his satchel, carried an empty satchel, and squeezed into the crowd.

There was not only money in Li Xuewu's satchel, but also a large Type 54 pistol, which couldn't be exposed.

He wandered around, looking left and right.

Dried fruits, hardware, frozen pears, dried black fungus, all kinds of goods—it was really quite complete.

There is no need to doubt the nature of these stalls; they were the product of public-private partnership.

Li Xuewu wandered for a long time. Just as he was looking at the grain at a stall, his sleeve was pulled.

Li Xuewu turned his head and saw a young man wearing a white cotton mask on his face and a dog-skin hat on his head.

Why could he tell it was a young man even though he was wrapped so tightly?

Because his eyes were exposed, his figure wasn't bent, he was wearing an old military coat, and his hands were tucked into his cuffs.

Seeing Li Xuewu looking at him, he gave Li Xuewu a wink and told him to follow.

Li Xuewu thought this kid was a bit interesting, looked around, and followed.

The young man led Li Xuewu into a low brick house in an alley.

In the room, there was only a kang, a stove, and a half-grown child burning fire, playing with knucklebones in his hand.

"Shua shua shua, shua shua shua, rice with stewed pig's trotters, Dad eats one, Mom eats two, leave a big knucklebone for the little bald girl..."

It was quite warm in the room.

The young man didn't care about the half-grown child, looked outside, and then said, "I've been watching you wander around for a long time, but you haven't bought anything. Is it because you don't have coupons?"

Li Xuewu heard that there was a play here.

"How about it? Do you have them?"

The young man didn't care about Li Xuewu's tone, "Yes, do you want them?"

Li Xuewu took out a cigarette, handed one to the young man, lit it, and asked, "What do you have?"

Seeing that the cigarette Li Xuewu handed over was good and he asked such a big question, it seemed he was a big shot.

The young man didn't play riddles anymore, kicked the half-grown child, and the child put away the knucklebones and slipped out of the door, squatting at the alley entrance with his hands tucked.

At this time, the young man said, "Grain coupons, cloth coupons, oil coupons, coal coupons—I have all kinds of coupons, even tickets for women's sanitary pads. What do you want?"

Li Xuewu heard that the young man's tone was quite big. The more people like this were, the less reliable they were in doing things.

He smoked, looked at the masked ticket scalper in the smoke, asked for the price of each type of coupon, and saw that the masked guest was about to get anxious.

"What exactly do you want?"

Li Xuewu smiled and said, "I don't need anything."

The masked guest was anxious, "Damn, are you playing with me? I see you're not a flute; you're a short-cut!"

Saying that, he pulled the bayonet he had tucked in his bosom out of the scabbard.

This bayonet looked like a Type 38 rifle bayonet, slender and bright. The masked guest held it in his hand and gestured at Li Xuewu.

Rice-bowl-seeking book.

Li Xuewu stepped back, reached to his lower back, took out the large Type 54 from his space, and held it in his hand.

Before Li Xuewu could speak, the masked guest opposite threw the bayonet at his feet and knelt on the ground with a "clatter."

"I'm just a line leader. The blade on the cover is just for show. In front of you, I'm just a chicken. The ticket isn't with me. Good man, don't aim your weapon at me."

Li Xuewu threw away the cigarette butt, swung the Type 54 at the masked guest, and signaled him to get up.

The masked guest stood up in fear, thinking to himself, why is it inconvenient for me to aim if I kneel?

This kid's mouth was full of underworld slang. Li Xuewu didn't understand this jargon and couldn't match it, but he could roughly understand some meanings.

Li Xuewu looked at the masked guest whose legs were trembling and said, "Don't be nervous, I don't lack coupons. I lack Northeast specialties. I am a... um... Northeast local specialty purchasing agent... do you understand this explanation?"

Hearing the opposite side speak, the masked guest knew this person was an outsider.

The masked guest stood up straight with a "clatter," took off his dog-skin hat, and opened his mask. Only then did he see the hair on his head wet with sweat, sticking to his head and steaming, not knowing if it was from the heat in the room or Li Xuewu's scare.

He took out a box of "Great Production" cigarettes from his pocket, knocked one out, handed it to Li Xuewu, obviously having lost his fear, and lit it for Li Xuewu, speaking politely.

"I know, I know. Since we've spoken, we're all insiders. Brother, where are you from?"

Li Xuewu smiled and exhaled a puff of smoke, put away the Type 54 from his sleeve, and said, "Anyway, not from this Northeast area."

Hearing this, the masked guest smiled a lot more, laughing and saying, "It seems you're an old guest from inside the pass. As long as you're not a jumper, it's fine. Why, is there anything you need help with? If you have something to say, just say it. I know the rules of the underworld. I, Da Chun, can hold my own in this area. As long as the price is right, I can get anything for you."

Looking at the young kid who was only sixteen or seventeen, his words were full of underworld spirit.

Thinking of the speed at which he knelt just now, he must have been poisoned by society many times.

But there wasn't a single word of truth in this kind of person's mouth, and even his name might not be real.

"I came empty-handed this time, wanting to see the local market situation. I have some local specialties from inside the pass that I want to distribute here, and I also want to bring some local specialties back. Just like I said, I'm a local specialty purchasing agent."

Da Chun said happily, "Purchasing agent, purchasing agent, this term is good. Is this jargon from inside the pass? We're all purchasing agents. What do you want to purchase? I'm a local. I can walk across the entire Stalin Street. Who in the street doesn't know that I, Da Chun, have a wide path? As long as the price is right, I can get anything for you."

Li Xuewu looked at him while exhaling smoke, and didn't speak until Da Chun felt unnatural from being stared at. "The quantity is a bit large; you might not be able to eat it. You just said you are a line leader, a connector, right? You must have a shopkeeper behind you. Why, is it convenient to meet?"

Seeing that his bragging was not believed, and that he had leaked his bottom line from being scared just now, Da Chun knew that no matter what he said, people wouldn't believe him and wouldn't tell him anything.

But seeing the boss didn't follow the rules, this matter was very difficult, but he thought this was an opportunity he didn't want to miss. If he could connect to this line, he would be fat just by eating what leaked through the person's fingers.

Da Chun asked carefully, "Is it convenient to say the quantity?"

Li Xuewu calculated how much he could earn this time and calculated the volume of his space, then said to Da Chun, "I can mobilize 4 train cars from inside the pass at any time. How much quantity do you say that is?"

Hearing this, Da Chun's caution disappeared instantly. Is this person from a mental hospital? This is too much bragging. Why not say he is the Minister of Railways?

"Brother, I, Da Chun, have been dominating this market for many years. I'm also a big shot, with dozens of yuan up and down a day, but I don't have the leisure to talk nonsense with you here. Holding that black thing doesn't work either. Don't look for trouble if you don't have the ability. Stay wherever it's cool."

Li Xuewu flicked the cigarette butt in his hand, flicked the ash, and said indifferently, "It's okay, I wouldn't believe it if it were me. If you have any ideas, you can find me. But be prepared when you find me again; I don't do small orders. I'll be wandering in this market until 4 o'clock this afternoon."

Watching Li Xuewu throw away the cigarette butt and walk out of the room without looking back toward the alley entrance, Da Chun was really muttering in his heart, not knowing whether what this person said was true or not.

Gritting his teeth, he put on his dog-skin hat, pushed open the door, and ran into the alley.