Chapter 67 The Transaction (Revised)

"Alright, stop dawdling, get to the point." The old man glared at the little girl squatting next to him.

"Oh!" Bai Nuo's attempt to gain sympathy failed, and she stopped struggling.

Before coming, she had already calculated all the supplies she had collected during this period and cleared out the things she wanted to sell recently. However, the items were a bit mixed. This time, she planned to give away the rice, flour, and bicycle that she had taken from that fat pig director, and sell the rest slowly.

"I currently have 1,000 jin of rice and 1,000 jin of flour, as well as five old-fashioned bicycles and two 26-inch women's bicycles, all of which are Shanghai Phoenix brand."

After Bai Nuo finished speaking, she quietly looked at the old man. Her meaning was clear: she was going to stick with him. So, tell her whether she would accept it or not.

Actually, 1,000 jin of rice and 1,000 jin of flour may sound like a lot in terms of numbers, but it's not that much. Nowadays, each bag of rice and flour weighs 50 jin, so 1,000 jin would only be 20 bags of each. Even in such a large black market, it might not be enough to sell for two days.

But if you add the five ounces of old-fashioned bicycles and the two 26-inch motorcycles, then it's not a small amount.

Seeing the little girl's shameless act, the old man twitched his lips speechlessly. However, he didn't mind having too many of these things. Even if bicycles couldn't be sold in the county, they would be gone in no time if taken to the city.

After all, for some people, money is easy to spend, but tickets are hard to come by.

This area is full of black market agents, so the old man wasn't afraid of being overheard and directly quoted a price.

"The state-run grain station charges 23 cents a pound for rice and 18 cents for flour, but you need ration coupons. The black market price is three times that: 69 cents for rice and 54 cents for flour, but you don't need ration coupons. I'll buy rice from you for 60 cents a pound and flour for 46 cents. What do you think?"

"For your sake, it's definitely possible." Bai Nuo nodded without hesitation.

She knew the black market price just by walking around inside; it was indeed that price. Some retail prices might be four times higher than those at state-run grain stations, but considering the black market's purchase price, the price they gave her was quite fair.

The old man rolled his eyes speechlessly at the little girl who was acting all innocent after getting a good deal.

That's why he could offer such a price; if it were those junior managers, they'd be considered kind-hearted to give them even 50 cents.

However, the old man has been rebellious since he was young. If he likes someone, he'll do anything for them, but if he doesn't like someone, even mountains of gold and silver might not be enough to make him give him a good look.

"Also, a Phoenix brand 28-inch bicycle originally cost 168 yuan, plus a bicycle receipt. The price in our market is 210 yuan without the receipt. Those seven you have, we'll offer them together for 190 yuan each, no receipt needed. What do you think?"

“No problem, Grandpa. Since you’re so agreeable, I wouldn’t possibly refuse you. It’s settled then.”

Bai Nuo smiled and nodded. His face looked ordinary, without anything special, but his bright eyes were full of joy, with a hint of cunning in them, which made the old man shake his head.

How can there be such a shameless brat!

Bai Nuo arranged a place and time to pick up the goods. The location was in a dilapidated house deep in an old, run-down street not far from her home.

A wealthy merchant family originally lived there, but the place was vandalized when the Cultural Revolution began. It is said that the people inside committed suicide by hanging. Several other families in the vicinity were also sent down to the countryside or moved away. Some people used to say that the place was haunted, but now that promoting feudal superstition is illegal, no one dares to say it anymore. However, no one dares to go near the place, whether it is day or night.

These were places Bai Nuo had the system find on the way here; they were perfect for clandestine transactions.

"Alright, it's settled then." The old man was a very straightforward person; he waved his hand after the deal was agreed upon.

"Hey grandpa, are you cold? Are you hungry? Do you want me to go buy you a big meat bun?"

Bai Nuo didn't rush to leave. He remained squatting in the same spot, smiling as he watched the old man.

If someone else had said this, it might have sounded like flattery, but the little girl's sweet, soft voice, paired with her charming tone, gave the impression of a granddaughter coaxing her grandfather.

However, the old man thought it was just the brat being cheeky, and her laughter made him feel really uneasy.

"Alright, alright, I got it. If you need anything again, just come to me directly. Get lost and stop staring at me like that. It's giving this old man the creeps."

"Okay, Grandpa!"

Bai Nuo got what she wanted, quickly stood up, turned around, and was about to run away pushing her little bicycle.

"You brat, wait!" The old man frowned, looking at the spoiled brat who had used her and then discarded her, and glared at her fiercely: "All you do is call me grandpa, but you don't even bother to introduce yourself. Otherwise, if I'm not here anymore, who will you look for?"

"Bai Nuo, Nuo as in promise, Grandpa!" Bai Nuo straddled the chair, one toe touching the ground, and turned to look at the old man with a smile.

The old man's brows twitched slightly as he quietly gazed into those bright, clear eyes. His expression remained calm, revealing nothing of his thoughts. He then chuckled softly and waved his hand impatiently, saying, "Alright, get lost. If anything happens in the future, just come over. If I'm not around, just say you're here to see your Grandpa Yu."

"Okay, Grandpa, bye-bye."

The girl's standard Beijing accent, mixed with a touch of Shanghainese softness, created a unique blend that made the old man pause in his waving gesture. He quickly looked up at the girl's cheerful back, pursed his lips, and couldn't help but exclaim, "Next time you come, make sure your face looks nice; it's horribly ugly."

Only after Bai Nuo's figure disappeared did the door behind the old man, which had always been tightly closed, slowly open. A middle-aged man with a strong build and upright posture walked out. The man had a long scar on his right cheek, which added a touch of ferocity to his originally mature and handsome face.

"Old man?"

"Go and check if any educated youth have come to the countryside recently, and find out how many girls named Bai Nuo there are. Once you have the information, come back and don't bother the others."

"Niu Niu?"

The middle-aged man looked at the old man in surprise. Bai Nuo looked simple, but it wasn't a common name. Could it be such a coincidence that they had the same name?

The old man sighed softly: "Go and investigate, and while you're at it, ask what's going on in Shanghai. Why did they suddenly send the child here without giving us any advance notice?"

"Okay, I'll go right away!" The middle-aged man nodded hurriedly, turned around and walked quickly towards the small gate in the backyard.

"Host, why did you tell him?" The system couldn't help but ask after leaving the black market street.

Bai Nuo's lips curved into a beautiful smile, and her tone was light and calm, but it was clear that she was in a very good mood.

"I think this old man looks familiar, he looks a lot like my great-uncle who is obsessed with love."

"Does the host suspect he is his maternal great-uncle?"

"Not necessarily. There are a few old men in the Yu family who look quite like my great-uncle. The Yu family lives in the government compound near my house. I've seen them all. If it weren't for my love-struck great-uncle, we'd have to see what his purpose is here!"

Bai Nuo turned her head to look at the alley behind her, her brows furrowing slightly: "I just want to make sure that the Yu family's stance hasn't changed. I don't want my great-uncle to be caught in the middle and put in a difficult position."

So, it all depends on who this person is!