The life of Lao Liu since 1944

Arriving at the vegetable market, Hou Jie went to an empty corner and took out a tricycle that he had intercepted from his personal space.

Hou Jie left a lot of miscellaneous things in the portable space. He was now a complete local tyrant. He put two large wooden boxes on top to fill up the truck bed and rode into the vegetable market.

After asking around and finally following the advice of an uncle who was setting up a stall, I paid the stall fee and chose a stall. I pushed the cart to the back and walked to the front of the stall to put out the flour, beef and mutton that I had prepared in advance.

Hou Jie had observed the entire market long ago. Most people were buying vegetables, and very few were selling beef and mutton. Although it was not a unique business, there was no competition either.

The supply of beef, mutton and grain in the 49 cities has become unstable since the Nationalist government took over.

This beef and mutton was the last order that Hou Jie intercepted from the Japanese military storage area in Dalian. It was several thousand tons. Because it was not easy to store, it could not be put in the temporary warehouse, so it had to be put in the space. Hou Jie planned to dispose of it first.

Inflation is rampant these days. Food sellers either limit sales or raise prices. The price of meat and food doubles every day. As long as you can keep your price low, it's the best time.

Hou Jie took out a cardboard that he had prepared in advance. It said that flour cost 20 kilograms, beef cost 1.5 kilogram, and mutton cost kilograms. It also said that he would not bargain and would not accept legal tender. This price was quite affordable in the current city, and it was even very cheap. You could buy a few more kilograms of food with the same price. As for beef and mutton, you might not be able to buy them even if you had money.

He put the price list away and pushed it in front of him. He leaned back on the car, crossed his legs, and closed his eyes to rest. He didn't look like a businessman waiting for business to come. He looked like Jiang Taigong fishing, and those who were willing to take the bait would take the bait.

Soon, an uncle who was passing by to buy vegetables was attracted by the beef and mutton on the stall and walked to Hou Jie's stall to ask if he could get a discount. If he bought a large amount of beef and mutton, he hoped to get some discount. However, Hou Jie replied indifferently: "Uncle, I'm really sorry, my beef and mutton are already the most affordable price in the market, and I can't bargain anymore."

The uncle was a little surprised, and he continued: "Little guy, you are pushing away business when it comes to your door? Go and have a look at the pork shop next door, their prices are more affordable." He smiled and replied: "I know, uncle, but our beef and mutton are of high quality, the most precious meat, and this price is worth it. If you think it is expensive, you can buy pork! I won't force you here."

When the uncle heard this, he knew that the price could not be negotiated, and said helplessly: "Okay, give me two dollars for flour and meat." He took out two dollars and handed them to Hou Jie.

The transaction was completed, and Hou Jie greeted politely, "Goodbye, uncle. Welcome to come again next time." The man waved and walked away.

There are always people who have money, but after the opening, many people turned around and left after seeing the prices. Meat is expensive after all, and not everyone can afford it. He didn't care, and didn't even shout.

Suddenly, a familiar and slightly reproachful voice came to my ears: "Hey, Chunsheng, is there anyone who does business like you? You don't solicit customers, and you don't shout."

This sound was like a breeze in spring, instantly breaking the hustle and bustle of the market and entering Hou Jie's ears. Hou Jie was concentrating on reading a book in his hand, and was interrupted by this sudden sound. He looked up and saw his classmate Zhang Dalong standing in front of him.

Zhang Dalong was dressed in ordinary clothes, with a sunny smile on his face, just like the one Hou Jie remembered. He shook his head and said jokingly, "It's you, Dalong, here to buy something? Do you want some?"

Seeing this, Hou Jie quickly waved his hand and refused, "I'm here to have fun. Meat? My family can't afford it. And why don't you study and come here to buy meat? You have a lot of connections."

Zhang Dalong laughed loudly after hearing this, and pointed at Hou Jie and said, "There's more! How can you get business if you don't even shout?"

Hou Jie was delighted when he heard this. He asked with a smile, "Then how should we sell it?"

Zhang Dalong stood aside and said, "Why don't you learn from the uncle next to you? Watch me." As he said that, he imitated the shouting of the uncle in the butcher shop next to him, his tone was ups and downs, and very contagious.

Zhang Dalong learned to shout, and it actually attracted a few customers. He was not angry, but watched quietly from the side. His business only picked up after the pork shop was almost closed. The grain was sold very quickly, and more than ten bags were sold in the blink of an eye, and nearly 10 kilograms of beef and mutton were sold. Seeing Hou Jie constantly taking flour from the wooden box, Ma Dalong looked at Hou Jie with strange eyes and considered the volume of the box. He calculated in his mind, but it was not right. Hou Jie stopped taking things out, and after selling the last grain and meat, he closed the stall and said to Zhang Dalong:

"Come on, I'll treat you to a meal when they're all sold out."

Ma Dalong did not refuse, and the two found a small stall on the roadside and ordered a few steamed buns and two bowls of meat soup, which only cost a few dimes.

"Are you still selling this afternoon? There are no classes today, Saturday."

The stalls in the vegetable market are open for one day, but many of them leave as soon as they sell out. In this era of material scarcity, it is rare for stalls to stay open for one day.

"Sell it. You help me hold the seat while I go and pull the things."

"Okay, Chunsheng, hurry up."

Hou Jie rode his bike around outside, took out some meat and food from the space when no one was around, and returned to the market. In the afternoon, he was the only one selling meat in the market, with no competitors at all.

Ma Dalong stopped shouting and turned to Hou Jie and said:

"Take a rest, I'll help you sell it."

Ma Dalong felt that since Hou Jie invited him to drink meat soup and eat white flour buns, he had to work hard to help him sell things. People in this era were very down-to-earth, and they were not as utilitarian as later generations.

"Okay, you sell first, I'll take a break. After you finish selling, I'll give you one pound of meat and two pounds of noodles. If you're free tomorrow, come and help me sell."

"Really?" Ma Dalong was surprised.

"Really? I, who buys food and meat, can't afford to be short of this."

People in this era were malnourished. There was not a single fat boy of twelve or thirteen, and most of them were thin. Ma Yong was the exception, because his family had a special physique and even drinking water would make him gain weight.

"Okay, I'll come back tomorrow."

……

After selling the things, the two of them packed up their stall and left.

Ma Dalong asked expectantly, "Chunsheng, after we sell out tomorrow, will you still sell?"

"Sell. I will come to the market every Saturday and Sunday. Come and help me, and I will give you one pound of meat and two pounds of flour each time. Don't tell others, lest someone gets jealous."

Zhang Dalong nodded solemnly, "Yes!"

The next day, early in the morning, Ma Dalong was selling goods. He collected money and went to pick up goods from time to time. By the evening, Ma Dalong was holding a bowl of meat noodles and grinning. Hou Jie earned 1500 yuan and a lot of copper coins in the past two days.

One month passed like this, inflation became very serious, and there were fewer and fewer good things on the market.

However, this has no impact on Hou Jie's business. Those who can afford beef and mutton can eat them at any time and don't care about the money. Those who can't afford it can never afford it.

At the beginning, it was a little quiet, but as time went on, more and more people came and it became more and more crazy. In the past month, Hou Jie made nearly 2 yuan. He bought a two-story yard next to the vegetable market, which was convenient for him to ship goods.

It was not a peaceful period. Occasionally, thugs came to cause trouble, but they were all beaten down by him. In desperation, they asked Zhang Dalong to recruit some reliable men to help.

The business was handed over to him and turned to the dark side. He was only responsible for shipping and supplying goods, while Ma Dalong was responsible for shipping and collecting debts.

After the Japanese retreated, they left behind many villas. Some rich people moved out of the courtyard houses and moved into villas. Why did Hou Jie not go? First, because later generations were used to living in buildings, and they preferred small courtyards like courtyard houses. Another reason was because he was afraid. If he hadn't known the madness 20 years later, he would definitely have gone to live there.

If you are a petty bourgeoisie, you can still be carefree. But if you live somewhere, you will have a headache. Countless big shots are watching there, and it is scary to think about it. When the time comes, even if there is nothing wrong, they will find something wrong with you.