Rebirth in Famine: She Thrives by Lucky Space

Chapter 14 - 14 Cognition

At the front to register, ”Comrade, I want to have a health checkup.”

”Referral letter.”

Jiang Xinyu took out the referral letter from the village and handed it to the nurse.

”What do you want to check?”

”Comrade, I suddenly fainted a couple of days ago, which department should I go to?”

”Fainted?”

Jiang Xinyu nodded.

”Young girl, in this current environment, fainting isn’t a big problem. You’re not getting enough nutrition, low blood sugar. Besides, you look so frail, nothing hurts? No injuries?”

Jiang Xinyu: Truly a divine insight!

”Today Doctor Wang is on duty, you should let her have a look at you.”

Jiang Xinyu asked for directions to Doctor Wang’s office, and went over, smelling the scent of traditional Chinese medicine from afar.

When Jiang Xinyu came out of the consulting room, she truly felt like crying but had no tears.

This body is already fifteen years old yet hasn’t had a period, how lacking in nutrition is that? Indeed, looking at the flat chest, it’s understandable.

Coming out of the consulting room, she counted silently in her heart and quickly ducked into the restroom. No one was inside, she endured the nausea, took out her electronic watch, matched the time, then brought out a wristwatch. Actually, this watch looks quite rustic, and she thought about checking the watch section at the department store later to see if she could use it.

It was already ten in the morning, she found the department store from memory, there weren’t many people inside, and Jiang Xinyu made one complete round. She bought a pound of kerosene for Wang Ailing’s family and another pound for herself.

She bought ten boxes of matches, two of which were for the Wang family. She looked at the soap, which cost thirty cents a bar but required industrial vouchers, which she hadn’t brought. She bought a pound of caustic soda.

This was still under purchase restrictions. Few people could afford soap and perfumed soap now, so they generally used this for washing hair and clothes.

She also bought two pounds of salt. After much persuasion, they sold her two pounds. She saw brown sugar, and Jiang Xinyu couldn’t move away. With low blood sugar, she should supplement it properly. She had sugar in her space, but no brown sugar. There was once a time when white sugar was only two and a half bucks, so she bought two hundred pounds. But she really missed the brown sugar on special offer.

”Comrade, does this brown sugar require tickets?”

”Yes, sugar tickets are needed.”

Jiang Xinyu thought for a moment; she really didn’t have sugar tickets. Seriously, even with money, she couldn’t spend it. According to the purchasing power of this era, this 400 plus yuan could really last a long time.

”Comrade, I want to see the watches. I wonder if there are any available?”

”No, only the building in the city center sells them.”

”Thank you, thanks very much.”

She then moved to the pastry counter. When she asked, she needed food tickets. Jiang Xinyu, who was used to living meticulously in her past life, genuinely didn’t want to part with them, so she resisted her craving and didn’t buy any.

Coming out of the department store, it was almost eleven. Going back now felt really unwilling, so she gritted her teeth and decided to go to the city to take a look.

She arrived at the bus station and got on the bus heading to the city, confirming that there would be a return bus in the evening at four o’clock.

Four o’clock it is. Taking this chance to look around, who knows when the next opportunity to come out would be?

There weren’t many people going to the city at this time, so Jiang Xinyu found a seat, and swayed along for an hour until she reached the city.

Thinking about the elders in the village from her past life, they said they used to ride bicycles to the outside; they didn’t have the money to take the bus at all.

But she didn’t have a bicycle either, standing out like a sore thumb. There wasn’t a single one in the village, so she certainly wouldn’t be the first to buy a bicycle. Besides, even if she had one, where could she go?

Getting off at the city bus station, it clearly felt much more prosperous than the county, at least seeing three-story buildings.

She had already inquired on the bus that the three-story building was the largest department store in the city.

Jiang Xinyu didn’t go in directly. It was already past twelve, she had to eat something, too hungry and feeling dizzy.

But being unfamiliar with the place, where could she go? She thought it over and turned into an alley. She put down her basket and leaned it against one side, squatting by the wall. This way, it conveniently blocked her. She didn’t dare to eat the meat buns. She had stored over a hundred in the past, and had eaten some before, needing to save them for later. Besides, eating those spring onion and meat-flavored buns might leave a smell. Being outside now, she better be honest.

So she took out a big steamed bun, one of her own handiwork. She hadn’t steamed sugar buns back then to avoid getting fat, which she regretted now because she needed sugar the most now.

She first drank a bag of milk, then ate the steamed bun in big bites. Who knew if anyone would pass by later?

After finishing, she squatted a while longer before getting up.

She carried her basket and wandered leisurely on the street. There weren’t many people out at this time, not sure if they were having lunch or at work.

She wandered to the building; there was no midday break. It was just the staff inside, and Jiang Xinyu, like Granny Liu visiting the Grand View Garden, had to look at every counter.

The first floor was for daily miscellaneous items. Jiang Xinyu satisfied her craving by just looking around; anyway, there was nothing she could buy. The second floor was for clothing and fabrics.

The building had quite a lot to offer, after all, the standard of living in the city was better. The main industry here was coal mining, started by the British back then and preserved up to now.

With many workers, money was more plentiful compared to rural areas, so supplies were correspondingly more ample.

On the second floor, she saw bright white cotton, so tempting to look at, but she couldn’t buy it even without asking; it definitely required tickets.

On the third floor were the counters for bicycles, clocks, hardware, and stationery.

Jiang Xinyu went straight to the wristwatch counter. Seeing Plum Blossom watches inside, and ones from Tianjin, hers compared to these was really quite nice.

How should she bring out this watch? Could it be she had to lie when going back?

Jiang Xinyu was frustrated, lying was truly not a good habit, but if not, her watch would have no origin.

She walked around without buying anything and went down to the first floor.

She had to sell two bags of milk powder and malted milk essence, as a guise for nurturing herself.

Neither required tickets, but they were certainly expensive. A pound of milk powder was thirteen yuan and two dimes, malted milk essence was seven yuan and eight dimes. There was no choice but to buy them.

She bought two bags of each, then saw soy sauce and vinegar but had no containers.

Sluggishly, she left the building. Even if she bought it now, she couldn’t use it. She didn’t have grain or the ability to cook.

There was still a lot of time. She couldn’t foolishly wait at the station, so she went to the grain station.

Jiang Xinyu was pleased this time. Although it was a disaster year, T City wasn’t too severely affected, and the grain station still had supplies, though no refined grains were available.

Grudgingly, she bought two pounds of cornmeal, two pounds of sweet potato flour, and two pounds of sorghum flour. Seeing peanuts available, thinking about planting peanuts in the yard, she bought another two pounds.