Reborn with a Space: Building a Fortune Amidst Famine

Chapter 24: Buy and sell 24

People usually come here with bamboo baskets to buy things.

Never mind, I’ll ask when they close later. If they’re still selling when I’m heading back, I’ll buy some more.

She forced herself to eat the two fried dough sticks and a bowl of tofu pudding. She thought to herself, I really can’t afford to let it all out now, it would be too embarrassing.

She felt like she couldn’t walk straight anymore. Carrying two bags of flour, she headed towards the train station. The most important thing now was to align with the time, as it felt unbearable not knowing it.

Although it looked close, it was actually quite far when walking. It took about fifteen minutes to get there. Along the way, she saw a general store, a grain store, a fabric shop, a blacksmith shop, and a post office.

It was quite comprehensive indeed, perhaps I could really window-shop later.

At the train station, Su Yuanyuan realized how silly she was. She could have checked the time at the post office instead of having to come to the train station. How could she be so single-minded?

It felt like my IQ ceased to exist since I arrived here.

Her appearance drew the attention of many people. A small and thin girl dressed in shabby clothes, carrying a bag in each hand.

She arrived just as the train was pulling in. So there were many people around.

”Little girl, how much for a flatbread?”

Su Yuanyuan was taken aback for a moment, looking puzzled at the middle-aged man who just asked her.

”Uncle, these flatbreads are eight cents each. They’re just out of the pan and smell wonderful, it’s a craft passed down through generations.”

”Eight cents? That’s too expensive, isn’t it?”

”Uncle, it’s really not expensive, that’s the usual price. I guarantee you won’t think it’s expensive at all after you’ve had one.”

”Alright, give me two then.”

”Uncle, I don’t have any wrapping paper here.”

”No worries, I have a lunchbox.”

Su Yuanyuan placed the two bags on the bench and didn’t directly grab the flatbreads with her hands. Instead, she used the edges of the bags to pick up two flatbreads and place them into the man’s lunchbox.

The middle-aged man was briefly surprised. This little girl, although shabbily dressed, had clean clothes. Watching her actions, he knew she was truly a clean person. He took out twenty cents and handed it to her.

”Uncle, these buns are five cents each. I don’t have small change; how about I give you a bun for the remaining four cents?”

”Sure, give me a bun then.”

The actions here attracted many onlookers, both those intending to board the train and those who had just disembarked. Drawn by the aroma of the food, quite a few gathered around.

She had forty flatbreads worth two dollars, and thirty buns; all were sold out in less than half an hour.

Su Yuanyuan was all smiles, not expecting to make money this way. Though she only earned a dollar and fifty cents, the time was short, and there was no investment needed. Even if they didn’t sell, she could still eat them herself. It was truly a good business.

All this time, no one came over to stop her, so it must be okay. It’s a pity home is so far from the county town. Otherwise, she would definitely come here every day to do business, as the money was quite easy to earn.

Feeling much lighter now, she folded her two bags of flour neatly and put them in her pocket. The waiting hall of the train station was bustling with people coming and going, really lively.

Seeing all sorts of people, the colors of their clothes were mostly black, gray, and blue, with some wearing octagonal hats and others wrapped in scarves. Men and women, young and old.

Listening to the loudspeaker urging people to board the train, it felt as if she had returned to the trains of the past.

Finally, she found the large clock, and just as a woman passed by, she asked, ”Sister, what time is it now?”

”Little girl, can’t you read it?”

Su Yuanyuan nodded, ”Yes, I can’t read it.”

”It’s just past ten o’clock,” she raised her wrist, ”The train station’s time is quite accurate.”

”Thank you, sister.”

”You’re welcome.”

Su Yuanyuan found a corner to squat down, took out a piece of watch, adjusted the time, and finally felt relieved.

The purpose of this trip to the county town was accomplished. Now she could go out and stroll around.

Walking down the street happily, she resolved to spend the one dollar and fifty cents she earned today.

So she went to the general store, bought ten candles at two cents each, and found kerosene lamps priced at a dollar and fifty cents, but she didn’t have a bottle to hold the diesel. So she let it go. Matches were one cent a box, and she bought ten boxes. She bought a pound of salt for twenty cents. Baking soda was also twenty cents a pound. The shopkeeper wrapped everything up in parcel paper. Brown sugar was eighty cents a pound. She also noticed soybean oil, but had no container for it.

”Little girl, I have cans and plastic buckets here, but these buckets are too expensive, costing two dollars each.”

Su Yuanyuan shook her head and decided not to buy them, as she had a lot of vegetable oil in her space. There was no need to spend money like this.

She saw soap, made from pig pancreas and lye. She could buy this, so she spent fifty cents on three pieces.

”Little girl, there are honeyed rice sticks here, want some?” What child doesn’t like these?

Su Yuanyuan shook her head. Although snacks now had no additives, she had too much in her space and still needed many things. She chose to spend less on food. She forgot that she had just spent three dollars on food before.

”Boss, I want to ask if there are any yoke sets for animals pulling plows?”

”I don’t have them here, but if you need one, do you see that house? They sell animals and make sets for them.”

”Thank you, boss. Do you have cotton shoes here? Ones I can wear, and waterproof ones.”

”Yes, let me show you. These are made of cowhide, no problem for snow.”

Su Yuanyuan took them and inspected them. They seemed okay, quite sturdy, and had high tops that reached the ankles. The soles were rubber. Nowadays, there’s no such thing as using shoddy cotton. Touching it felt like new cotton.

”Boss, how much are these shoes?”

”Six dollars. You’ve bought a lot from me; I can give you a discount of ten cents.”

Su Yuanyuan shook her head, ”Too expensive, I can’t afford them.”

”I also have ordinary cotton cloth shoes, two dollars a pair. Just think, a properly made sole alone costs fifty cents. Together with the upper and cotton, the cost itself is one dollar sixty-seven. Two dollars is really not expensive.”

”Boss, I still think they’re too expensive. Forget it, I don’t have that much money.”

Currently, Su Yuanyuan was thinking about getting a yoke for the smart sheep. By spring next year, the little sheep would be two or three months old. It would make farming easier if it could pull a set.

However, this should be custom-made, right? Ready-made ones might not fit.

An old man answered the door, ”What do you need?”

”Sir, I wanted to ask if you can custom-make yoke sets for animals?”

”We can, and we have ready-made ones.”

”Sir, ready-made ones won’t do. I want to make a set for a sheep. I’m the only one at home; the village gave me two acres of land, and I only have one sheep at home, so I want to try it.”