“Xiaolan, how did you know how to sell things?”

Liu Fen clutched the money, amazed at her daughter’s cleverness.

Xiaolan countered confidently, “Does that need to be learned?”

The onlookers’ faces fell – if it didn’t need learning, they must have lived their many years as dogs.

Shortly after, the woman who bought eggs earlier returned with several others, “It’s her, she hasn’t left yet!”

Liu Fen turned pale, fearing something was wrong with the eggs. But the woman and her companions surrounded Xiaolan, asking, “Are the duck eggs still the same price?”

Xiaolan nodded, “Of course, buy more for better prices.”

The woman’s companions chattered away, trying to haggle for lower prices, complaining that wild duck eggs weren’t as good as chicken eggs, and criticizing their size. Xiaolan just smiled – choosy customers were still customers; she’d let them talk themselves out.

Sure enough, seeing Xiaolan’s unwavering pleasant demeanor, the three newcomers divided up the remaining duck eggs. Eighty-four eggs were sold to four people, each buying twenty-one… Xiaolan had calculated this, targeting customers’ desire for small bargains.

Of course, she didn’t collect the one-fen remainder from any of them.

Those who had been picky earlier were delighted after paying.

Xiaolan’s miscalculation was with the ducklings – city dwellers had limited space and no extra grain for ducks, making them hard to sell.

Eighty-four wild duck eggs brought in 9.20 yuan. Xiaolan handed the money to Liu Fen, who insisted Xiaolan keep it. Xiaolan wanted to explore the town for more opportunities. The sweet potato seller approached:

“Would you trade those ducklings for sweet potatoes?”

He’d envied Xiaolan’s egg sales – while city folks had no space for ducks, he did!

Xiaolan truly didn’t want more sweet potatoes – they caused bloating – but Liu Fen was willing to trade. Sweet potatoes yielded well and were in harvest season; one jin might not even trade for an egg, as eggs were precious in ’83.

After consideration, Xiaolan offered all eight ducklings for twenty jin flats.

The man objected:

“One jin per duck – I’d lose big if they fly away when grown!”

Wild ducks would naturally fly away, but Xiaolan earnestly advised him: “Clip their wings – where could they fly? If twenty jin is too much, I’ll take them back and raise them myself.”

Sweet potatoes were worthless, while ducks could be fed vegetable leaves, grass, and worms – troublesome but not grain-consuming. Of eight ducks, two might lay eggs, earning at least twenty-fen daily. That’s three yuan monthly, thirty-six yearly.

After Xiaolan explained the math, the man stopped haggling and traded twenty jin of sweet potatoes for the ducklings. Mother and daughter packed the sweet potatoes in their reed baskets and explored the county town.

Liu Fen had never known money could be earned so easily.

The duck egg money plus twenty jin of sweet potatoes totaled about ten yuan. Rural farmers toiled year-round for under 200 yuan, much going to seeds and fertilizer, leaving little savings… This money had to cover children’s education and hopefully no major illnesses.

Ten yuan in one day – wouldn’t that be 300 monthly?

Liu Fen couldn’t calculate a year’s earnings.

But wild duck eggs weren’t available daily. She still regretted the ducklings: “Mother could raise them, clip their wings for eggs – that’s long-term income.”

Xiaolan remained patient, understanding Liu Fen was a simple rural woman in the isolated 1980s, honest and accepting. To help Liu Fen escape Dahe Village, Xiaolan needed to gradually change her mindset.

“Ducklings might not survive, and we can’t wait that long. Better to trade for needed grain now – who knows how often they’d lay? They certainly wouldn’t lay 365 days yearly.”

Xiaolan’s detailed explanation helped Liu Fen understand.

They toured the county town, buying necessities like salt, candles, and matches at the supply cooperative. Liu Fen fretted about overspending, but they had nothing – the Xia family hadn’t even let them take bedding… Despite her worry, Liu Fen grew bolder: “I’ll get your clothes when we return.”

Summer wasn’t cold, but without changes of clothes or baths, they’d stink.

Xiaolan considered buying refined grain, but lacking ration coupons meant paying high prices. Thinking of their unlockable shack, she bought a padlock instead of grain.

In 1983, some regions were gradually abolishing various ration coupons, and loosening purchase restrictions. In Qing’an County, some daily necessities didn’t require coupons. However, grain, meat, and industrial coupons for electronics remained.

Xiaolan knew rapid social changes created business opportunities.

She knew the era of food-requiring ration coupons would end, so she’d avoid profiting there – trading ration coupons was asking for trouble.

Opportunities lay in information inequality and rapid social changes that left many people confused!

She didn’t need every opportunity – just one or two could launch her in the ’80s…

“Xiaolan, shall we head back?”

Liu Fen was uncomfortable among crowds, uneasy after too long in town.

Town dwellers’ clothes weren’t necessarily better, but they were clean, unlike her and Xiaolan’s patched garments that screamed “rural.” Image-conscious Xiaolan had owned some unpatched clothes, but after her injury, Third Brother’s wife Hongxia had taken them.

Liu Fen had been too focused on hoping Old Mrs. Xia would allow her daughter hospital treatment to care about clothes then.

With Liu Fen wanting to leave, hungry Xiaolan dreaded the two-hour walk.

“Let’s eat noodles before going!”

The roadside stall didn’t require ration coupons – a bowl of bone broth noodles cost just thirty fen.

The milky broth and white noodles – Liu Fen couldn’t remember when she’d last eaten such refined grain.

“Auntie, two bowls of noodles please!”

Xiaolan pulled Liu Fen onto a small stool, the bone broth’s aroma tantalizing. Liu Fen protested: “Just one bowl!”

How could she spend thirty fens on noodles?

Xiaolan ignored her, giving the stall owner sixty fens. The woman praised while cooking:

“Your daughter is filial – you’re blessed, sister.”

Liu Fen’s dark face showed a slight smile.

But thinking of Xiaolan’s ruined reputation throughout the area, she lost her appetite even as the fragrant noodles arrived.

“Putt-putt-putt-putt—”

A large vehicle stopped nearby. The passenger door opened, and a young man in military boots jumped out holding two large lunch boxes. Drawn by the bone broth’s aroma, he looked up, his eyes fixing on Xiaolan.