Reborn with a Space: Building a Fortune Amidst Famine

Chapter 82: 82 cities

She didn’t want to sell fish in large quantities right now; there were a few in the crate, just to test the waters. Today was all about scouting the spot so that tomorrow could be quicker.

In Su Yuanyuan’s mind, to sell anything, the factory gate, the building, and the supply store entrance were the places. Those places had a lot of people, surely bringing high volume.

Following behind the two people, she felt the crowd growing larger. It turned out today was the city’s big market day.

The previous idea was overturned; now she could sell fish in bulk.

Turning away, she walked a distance and found a secluded spot. Last year’s barrow was still in the space, and she loaded it with twenty bags of fish. Pulling it, she headed to the market.

At this moment, all stalls on the market were already full, so Su Yuanyuan simply parked right at the market’s entrance.

She took out two burlap sacks and spread them on the ground. Poured out two bags of fish. Before she could arrange them neatly, several people had already gathered around.

”Little girl, how are you selling the fish?”

”Aunt, these fish are three yuan each. If you buy early, you can choose the big ones.”

”Three yuan, huh. It’s not really cheap.” Though the woman who asked this said so, she still squatted down,

and from a bag of about seven fish, she picked out three.

”Girl, I’m buying quite a few. Can’t you make it a bit cheaper?”

”Aunt, you see, these fish are very large. Frankly speaking, going fishing on such a cold day, you can imagine how hard it is. Truly, I can’t give a cent less.”

Seeing Su Yuanyuan was firm in her words, this woman handed over the money — three fish for nine yuan. This was a good start.

Now several people were already picking fish, and in five minutes, fourteen fish were sold out.

Su Yuanyuan spread the burlap sacks on the ground, and this time poured out five bags of fish.

When only two fish were left, an elder-looking woman spoke, ”Little girl, pour out a few more bags; these two are too small.”

Su Yuanyuan had been observing this woman for a long time. She had been squatting down, fiddling over and over for a while.

”Ma’am, if you want to buy, it’s these two. Even if I pour out more, I won’t sell to you. You should know, you’ve been squatting here for almost twenty minutes.”

”Then I won’t buy.”

”As you wish.”

The woman left angrily, and Su Yuanyuan poured out five more bags of fish.

In a total of two hours, before the market ended, the cart with twenty bags of fish was completely sold out.

It seems the purchasing power here is really high.

Su Yuanyuan left with the cart. She didn’t want to sell any more today in the market, mainly because the two people she came with knew her.

It was just as well the market hadn’t ended, and she hadn’t seen those two people.

She pulled the barrow to a hidden place to put it away. Now a fifth of the fish in the space was gone.

Su Yuanyuan planned to stay in the city for three days no matter how much she sold, she would go home after three days.

She found a restaurant, ordered a cabbage dish and a steamed bun.

While eating, she overheard people discussing that large fish were being sold at the market, and when they got there, the seller had already left.

”At three yuan each, they aren’t really expensive; I saw them. The fish were really quite big.”

Su Yuanyuan chuckled. They were sold for two and a half yuan each in the county, so it’s natural to raise the price by fifty cents here.

After eating her fill, she went to attend the market, but after the twentieth day of the lunar calendar, the market wasn’t just a morning affair; it was an all-day event with sellers.

She bought twenty jin of cotton, needing to prepare more. Even if she didn’t go to replace them, a lot of cotton was still needed at home. Next year, everything would require ration tickets to buy, and it wouldn’t be something money could easily get you.

She found out where the coal mine and the textile factory were; they weren’t too far away, both reachable within half an hour.

She found an inn to rest, waiting for the right time. She planned to set off at three o’clock and sell at the gate of the textile factory this afternoon.

The textile factory employed many female workers, and they earned good wages. Women are mostly responsible for buying groceries and cooking. Going there seemed like the best choice.

This time, she loaded twenty bags of fish. She was right; selling here was not slower than in the market.

”Little girl, will you come again tomorrow? I’m telling you, if you come at around seven in the morning, you can still sell that much.”

Su Yuanyuan understood. The day shift workers bought fish now, so she’d go for the night shift workers tomorrow morning.

”Thank you, elder sister, I’ll be back here tomorrow morning.”

”Girl, where are these fish from? They all seem to be about the same size?”

”The small fish are kept by the villagers to eat.”

Su Yuanyuan brushed off the question; she genuinely didn’t know how to answer.

After selling out, it was already past seven, and she was too tired to go to a restaurant.

The next morning, the twenty bags of fish were again sold out. In the afternoon, she was set to go to the coal mine. There were even more workers here, and the wages were quite good. They should be willing to spend money.

Three days later, Su Yuanyuan left only two bags of fish before taking a carriage home.

Upon reaching the county town, she didn’t stop but went straight home.

These past few days, Hu Chunhua helped feed the sheep. However, the house was locked, and she didn’t ask for the key. Entering the house, it was so cold.

The first thing was to start a fire; probably, she would have to keep it burning all night to warm the place up.

Hu Chunhua came over in the evening to feed the sheep, ”Yuanyuan, you finally came back.”

”Aunt, thank you for these past few days.”

”No worries. Yuanyuan, your Uncle went to the reservoir while you were away, and after a whole night, he got nothing.”

”Maybe we’ve caught all the fish. Let Uncle try casting nets.”

”Today’s the 27th. You still going tomorrow night?”

”Sure, I’ll get a few more to give to the village chief uncle.”

”That’s what I thought. If it’s a New Year gift, it’ll look great.”

All night, Su Yuanyuan didn’t sleep in the house. Kicked out, she hurried back inside. It was too cold; it felt like her brain was slowing down.

The next day was still spent burning firewood, but the house was already quite warm now because she rolled up the bed mat, which sped up the heating process a lot.

Today was already the 28th of the twelfth lunar month. Only two days until New Year’s, and time seemed to be flying by.

No one would come by in the morning, so Su Yuanyuan sat on the edge of the brick bed and took out the bag of money from selling fish a few days ago. She hadn’t counted it yet.

Counting it now, she was astounded to find she made two thousand two hundred yuan.

Su Yuanyuan grinned foolishly. Now she didn’t have to worry about money issues in the future.

The whole day she was in a great mood. At night she went to the reservoir, adding just two diluted drops of Spiritual Spring Water, catching only over thirty fish.

”Aunt, it’s just me at home; ten fish will be enough.”