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The next morning, the three friends set out happily together. In order to save time, they walked to a deserted place. Zhou Bingkun took out two eye masks and asked Tu Zhiqiang and Xiao Guoqing to wear them. Then he used the space-time router system's transportation function and went directly to the small courtyard of the black market last time.

Under the planned economy and rationing system in the 1950s and 1960s, there were so many different kinds of coupons that they could be roughly divided into three categories: "food, clothing, and daily necessities." For food, for example, grain coupons were used to buy rice and noodles, meat coupons were needed to buy chicken, duck, fish, pork, etc., salt coupons were used to buy salt, and there were also oil coupons, bean coupons, and various vegetable coupons. Cloth coupons were needed to buy cloth and clothes, in addition to cotton coupons, sweatshirt coupons, vest coupons, chemical fiber coupons, etc. In terms of daily necessities, people also had to use corresponding coupons to buy washing powder, handkerchiefs, soap, matches, paper, bicycles, watches, etc.

On the black market in Changchun, these rules don't apply. Even if there are no tickets or barter, as long as both parties agree, they can do whatever they want, just like a real free market.

In the 60s, the gap between urban and rural areas was still very large. Urban residents enjoyed various supplies from the state, which led to the fact that commercial grain households seemed to have a golden content, which lasted until the early 90s. Except for the three-year natural disaster period when people had to tighten their belts and repay the loan, they would not starve at other times, but they could not eat meat. Only during the Spring Festival could they eat fish and meat.

At that time, people's wages were generally low, and basically there was no extra money. Just like modern people saving money, people saved some food coupons to prepare for emergencies at home. At that time, various saved coupons could also be sold for money, such as eggs, tea oil, cloth coupons, etc. Therefore, various coupons also became "securities". Although it was illegal, people in every place were secretly trading, just like the existence of a black market.

In the 60s, people were hungry. When people met each other, they would ask each other: "Have you eaten? What did you eat?" This practice has continued to this day.

The dishes on the table were basically all vegetarian, and eggs and pork were only available during the Spring Festival. The staple food of northerners was only corn, sorghum rice, sweet potatoes and other grains. Cornmeal, steamed corn bread and sweet potatoes became the staple food of northerners. They could only eat a few dumplings during the Spring Festival, but they were still not full. Staple food plus pickled vegetables were the three meals a day for ordinary people in the city at that time.

At that time, the people could not buy whatever they wanted, but only what the grain stations supplied.

Although it was difficult to move without coupons in that era, some coupons were issued all year round, such as food coupons and oil coupons, to ensure the basic normal life of the people. Some coupons were only issued during the Spring Festival, and these supplies were only available. For example, when slaughtering the New Year pig, the people only had the opportunity to eat it during the Spring Festival. It was rarely available at other times. Even Chairman Mao only had a few pieces of braised pork on his birthday. It can be seen how poor life was at that time.

The three friends were wandering around the black market freely. When Zhou Bingkun saw something he wanted, he offered to exchange it for food, and then went to the small courtyard to barter. Food was the best hard currency in this era, and was more sought-after than coins.