"This money, he spends it so quickly!"
Looking at his pocket that was half deflated, Chen Yang's initial excitement from earning fourteen yuan and ninety jiao had long since subsided.
Adding the horn comb he bought for Shen Xue, only seven yuan, three mao, and five jiao remained from the original sixteen yuan and ninety jiao.
"Xiangxiang, Tiantian."
"Baba, eat."
The little toddler tightly clutched the wrapper of the peeled White Rabbit toffee in one hand, and with the other, offered the candy to Chen Yang's mouth.
In those days, White Rabbit toffees were practically a killer for children. In an era when people couldn't even afford enough to eat, even during the New Year, few people were willing to buy White Rabbits at thirty cents a jin. At least, rural farmers certainly wouldn't.
"My little Xiangxiang is so thoughtful."
Chen Yang popped the candy into his mouth, and the rich milky flavor instantly melted on his tongue. It was nothing like the saccharine water of later generations. The White Rabbits of this era were truly full of milk flavor.
"Comrade, seeing as you're wearing a worker's uniform, where is the workers' residential area in our Liuhe County? I've brought my child to find her cousin and deliver some local specialties from the countryside, but I can't find the way."
"Also, where is the food station in Liuhe County? I've been looking for a long time and couldn't find it."
Chen Yang hadn't forgotten about the pheasant feather shuttles in his basket. He still planned to sell them for some money. Having spent so much just now, he needed to earn some back.
"Fellow villager, our Liuhe County's food station is two li further east on Qinggou Street. That place is easy to recognize; you can see the large iron gate of the food station from afar."
"As for the workers' residential area, our Liuhe County has a state-owned textile factory, and Qinghe City Steel Factory No. 4 is also in our Liuhe County, as well as a fertilizer plant. There are so many residential areas, which one are you going to?"
The big brother he stopped was very enthusiastic and immediately answered Chen Yang's questions. Most people in those days were simple and honest. If you said you were visiting relatives and were lost, they might even escort you all the way to your relatives' doorstep.
"The fertilizer plant. I heard my cousin works at the fertilizer plant."
Chen Yang chuckled immediately, while the little toddler looked confused. She didn't remember having any relatives in the city at all.
"You're in luck, it's just two streets ahead."
"Thank you, sir. If you hadn't shown me the way, I would have been completely lost."
Chen Yang thanked him profusely. In truth, he didn't have a cousin at all. Shen Xue had two daughters, the elder marrying him, and the younger only fifteen or sixteen. After the college entrance examination was reinstated, she was indeed studying at the county high school, but there was no such thing as a brother-in-law.
"You're too kind, fellow villager. It's no big deal. If I weren't in a hurry, I could even lead you there myself."
Chen Yang waved his hands with a smile. He wanted to go to the residential area to sell the pheasant feather shuttles. If someone led him there, not only would he not find his cousin, but he wouldn't be able to sell his shuttles either.
Two streets, just a few minutes, and Chen Yang arrived at the residential area of the Liuhe County State-Owned Fertilizer Plant. It could be said that most workers in state-owned factories in various places lived quite comfortably, but if one had to compare, the workers at the fertilizer plant and the food processing plant had the most comfortable lives.
After all, in those days, food was of paramount importance. Who wouldn't rack their brains to get more fertilizer from the fertilizer plant? And who wouldn't want to eat more meat without coupons?
Everyone naturally wanted to find connections at the fertilizer plant and the food processing plant. It was conceivable that workers and leaders in these two plants would receive various favors.
After all, China had always been a society of human relationships since ancient times. When seeking favors, who wouldn't bring a gift?
Chen Yang had assumed that the workers at the fertilizer plant, with their better living conditions, would be more willing to buy toys for their children, which was why he had directly asked for the fertilizer plant's residential area.
"Beautiful pheasant feather shuttles, made from the magnificent feathers of pheasants from the deep mountains. They are colorful and will help children grow tall when they play with them."
As soon as Chen Yang entered the courtyard, he saw a group of teenagers playing with spinning tops. The whips cracked loudly. There were boys playing with spinning tops, and also groups of girls clustered together playing elastic rope. Sudan Fiction Network.
Upon seeing so many children, Chen Yang immediately felt that his basket of pheasant feather shuttles had found its market.
"What pheasant feather shuttles? Let me see."
These teenagers were not shy. As soon as they heard Chen Yang's call, they gathered around. After all, few people dared to hawk their wares in those days; they did it stealthily, afraid of being discovered.
Chen Yang's loud announcement naturally attracted the attention of the children.
"Look, these are pheasant feather shuttles. Aren't they beautiful?"
"Yanyan, kick a shuttle for the brothers and sisters to see. How pretty it is."
Chen Yang unhesitatingly pushed his own little toddler forward. The little girl had been eager to show her father's new toy to Shen Xue when she got home yesterday.
Shen Xue, naturally, had played with the little girl extensively. Under her guidance, the toddler had already mastered fancy kicks with the shuttle. As Xiao Mengyan demonstrated, more than half of the children were mesmerized.
"Uncle, your pheasant feather shuttles look really nice. How much are they? My sister's birthday is tomorrow, and I want to buy one as a gift for her."
Just then, a half-grown boy wearing a Dacron shirt came over. Looking at the boy's clothes, Chen Yang thought that his family must not be short of money, as not everyone could afford Dacron clothes at that time.
"Ten cents each. You're such a good brother for buying a gift for your sister."
"My pheasant feather shuttles are colorful, and no girl dislikes them. Your sister will definitely love it when she receives it."
Chen Yang naturally wouldn't miss such a good sales opportunity and quickly spoke.
"Ten cents? Ten cents can buy five sugar-coated hawthorns! Are you robbing us!"
Just then, a snot-nosed boy exploded, "Ten cents! Ten cents can buy five sugar-coated hawthorns! Are you robbing us!" Ten cents was a huge sum for children back then.
You must know that an ice pop only cost one cent back then. In the summer, even if they begged relentlessly, their parents might not give them a cent to buy an ice pop for three to five days. Ten cents was quite a lot.
"Child, do you know that pheasants sell for one yuan and fifty cents a jin? Pheasant meat is more expensive than pork. My pheasant feathers are not cheap, and look how beautiful and durable this shuttle is. It can be kicked for several years. A sugar-coated hawthorn is gone in a few bites. How can you compare them!"
"Moreover, sugar-coated hawthorns can be bought anytime, but if you miss out on these pheasant feather shuttles from my village, you won't find them anywhere else. Do you really think pheasants are that easy to hunt? You don't know that their meat is more expensive than pork!"
Chen Yang was naturally not afraid of a child's questioning. If he couldn't even handle a little brat, what business would he be doing out here?
"This, this..."
After Chen Yang's explanation, the children were speechless. Pork was a rare delicacy in their eyes. Unless it was a festival, they rarely ate meat even once a month.
Since pheasant meat was more expensive than pork, the shuttles made from its feathers were naturally also expensive. The group of naughty children quickly accepted this, but having the money to buy was another matter.
"If you miss out on this village, you won't find it anywhere else. If you don't buy, I'll move on to another place to sell."
Chen Yang was not like those who had never done business. In business, playing hard to get was the best strategy. If you desperately begged people to buy, you would be at a disadvantage.
"I, I want one!"
Just as Chen Yang pretended to turn away, the Dacron-clad boy, who had been hesitating while staring at the pheasant feather shuttles in his hand, suddenly became anxious and blurted out.