Chen Manyun hesitated for a long time and finally nodded lightly.
After that, the whole family followed what Chen Lishu said, under the pretext that Wu Chunmei needed nutrition during confinement, and successively collected thirty kilograms of millet and two kilograms of red adzuki beans.
Millet costs 80 cents per catty and red beans cost 50 cents, which cost half of the family’s savings.
"Let's keep the rest of the money. If we can't sell it, it would be a waste for us to eat because these grains are so valuable."
Chen Mancun looked at the grain in the bag and felt that he should go to the town to sell it first.
Nowadays, food is too expensive. If you have corn shavings, sorghum and rice, it is a good thing, let alone millet. White flour is even given out by the New Year team at a pound and a half. Rice is not eaten, and it is handed over directly to the public.
Wu Chunmei also agreed with Chen Mandun's approach.
Chen Manyun is the main force in harvesting grain. If he is not allowed to see some benefits to stimulate his enthusiasm, it will be difficult to continue this work.
So Chen Lishu thought for a while and nodded: "Well, tomorrow I will go to the town to sell the grain."
"How can I let you go to such a dangerous thing? If a girl's family encounters some problems, it will be ruined for life. Dad will go tomorrow. Anyway, I am a big man. If they want to criticize me, they will drag me out.
"
"Yes, Lishu, let your dad go." Wu Chunmei said, her eyes turned red again. They were all out of poverty.
Chen Lishu thought for a while and suggested: "I'll go with my dad, so I can have someone to take care of me. If one of them is selling goods and the other is letting loose, it won't be easy for someone to catch me."
The couple thought her proposal was a good one, so the matter was settled.
Because the town was more than twenty miles away from the village, Chen Lishu and Chen Mantun got up before dawn. In order to seize the time, they didn't even eat breakfast, so they wrapped themselves in the thickest clothes at home and headed towards the town with food.
.
At the beginning of winter, the sky seemed to be leaking, and heavy snow continued to fall. The snow on the road was even deeper than the knees.
Although it was still dark, the white snow reflected the surroundings clearly. The father and daughter trudged forward with one foot deep and one foot shallow.
By the time they arrived in town, Chen Lishu's feet and half of her legs had already lost consciousness.
"It's time for them to go to work now. Let's find a place with leeward wind and wait. Anyone who needs help will come and inquire."
Chen Mandun held the bag in his hand and pulled Chen Lishu to shrink towards the corner.
Chen Lishu was speechless when she heard what he said. No wonder her father was deceived last time and was even caught and blackmailed by Liu San'er.
"Dad, this won't work. How long do we have to wait for people to find us? Besides, it's so cold. We can't stand it even if we just stand there."
Chen Manyun turned around: "Then what do you think we should do?"
"Dad, take your things and hide somewhere first. I'll go ahead and ask about the situation. If the deal is settled, I'll bring the people over. This way, even if someone discovers that I don't have anything on me, they won't be able to say anything."
Chen Mandun nodded immediately after hearing Chen Lishu's words: "I'm still a daughter, but you have a quick mind. This is a great idea."
Seeing Chen Manyun hiding in the alley, Chen Lishu walked towards the first employee family area.
At this moment, a woman in her thirties walked out of the house. Seeing that she was wearing a navy blue overalls, on the left side of her chest were four small letters of "Qingshan Sugar Factory" woven with white threads. I knew that this should be sugar.
Factory employees.
Chen Lishu took two quick steps forward and asked in a low voice as she passed by: "Sister, do you need some millet?"
The woman stopped and looked her up and down warily. She saw her eyes were clear, she had two braids, and she was wearing patched coarse clothes. She knew she came from the countryside to sell things secretly. She finally felt relieved.
Come down.
"Let's go over there and talk." He said and pulled the person to a relatively hidden wall.
"How much does millet cost per pound? How much do you have?"
"One yuan and five pounds, no votes."
The woman frowned at the price she quoted.
Seeing her reaction, Chen Lishu knew that the price might be too high. But she was asking for a high price and then counter-offering. She was not in a hurry and waited for her to speak.
One dollar and a half is indeed a bit high even if you don’t need a ticket. Normally, it’s only one dollar and twenty-three when you buy it in private. Now that the Chinese New Year is coming, even if it goes up to one dollar and four, it’s almost the same. The woman thought about it and said: “One dollar and a half is too expensive, let’s go to one dollar and four.”
."
When Chen Lishu heard that she was only a dime short, she immediately shook her head firmly: "Sister, we came all the way to carry it here, it really can't be cheaper. This year is not good, so this food is saved by the mouths of the family.
."
Sure enough, the woman hesitated and continued to ask: "How many pounds does it weigh?"
"Thirty pounds, and two pounds of red beans."
"I'll go look at things first."
When Chen Lishu heard what she said, she immediately led people towards where Chen Mancun was hiding.
Chen Manyun was waiting anxiously. When he saw his daughter bringing someone over, he immediately came out from the corner carrying things.
The woman had seen the millet, which was golden yellow in color and full of grains. She nodded with satisfaction.
"Weigh me five pounds." He happily counted out seven dollars and fifty cents. After thinking about it, he took out another dollar and bought a pound of beans.
In just a short time, they sold six kilograms of grain. The father and daughter looked at the eight dollars and fifty cents in their hands and became very motivated.
Chen Lishu asked several more people one after another, and before noon she sold all the food. She received a total of forty-four yuan and a pound of sugar.
A pound of white sugar was offered by an aunt to exchange for it. The girls and sons at home were in the workshop, so the family could save some. Because it would be bad if others found out about selling this thing, I simply exchanged it with Chen Lishu.
Two pounds of grain.
Chen Lishu didn't expect that it could be done in this way. Sugar is more valuable than food.
Seeing that it was still early, I told Chen Mandun, took the money and entered the family area of the sugar factory again. Not long after, I bought another pound of sugar for three yuan and came out.
"Sugar is so expensive and can't be eaten as food, so why do you have so much of it?" Chen Manyun asked in confusion.
After the past two days, he could see that this girl had an idea and was better than him.
Chen Lishu put away the two kilograms of candy and replied, "Take it home and exchange it with others for food."
It is more convenient to eat food in the countryside than in the city, but sugar, oil, etc. are all rationed. All year round, the team can't get even 2 taels, and even if you have money, you can't buy them.
As they walked home, they passed by a state-owned restaurant. It was lunch time, and the smell of popping green onions came from inside.
Chen Lishu's stomach immediately began to growl unbearably.
Going to a state-owned restaurant requires food stamps. She doesn't have any now. However, she has secretly made up her mind to work hard to make money. She will definitely go in for a meal next time she passes by.
It was already dark when the father and daughter arrived home. Wu Chunmei and the children had long-awaited necks. When they saw the father and daughter coming back, they swarmed over.