Even if a single eel noodle shop could use 20 jin of yellow eels in a day, Xia Xiaolan’s trip to the provincial city took over two hours each way.

Five hours round-trip... just to bring back 20 jin of eels?

It didn’t sound cost-effective.

In Anqing County, selling eggs could earn her around ten yuan a day. Traveling farther would actually cut her profit nearly in half. But if she could sell hundreds of jin of eels each time she went to the provincial city, even if she went once every two days, she could still make four to five hundred yuan a month.

Well, four to five hundred yuan wasn’t anything to boast about. Even saving for two months without spending, she still couldn’t afford a single Rolex like Zhou Cheng’s.

Xia Xiaolan looked at the bustling provincial city of 1983 with envy.

Opportunities were everywhere, but she lacked the capital. Not just in the provincial city, but all across China, the reforms of opening up had begun.

Bold people, like Zhou Cheng who dared to smuggle goods, had quietly built up considerable wealth. Xia Xiaolan knew she was behind, but her fighting spirit burned bright.

“Then I’ll just ask shop by shop. Is the provincial city really limited to one place selling eel noodles? If the noodle shops won’t buy, there are restaurants!”

The scar on her forehead had faded somewhat, now like a small pink flower bud set into her skin. Xia Xiaolan was exceptionally fair-skinned. Even running around under the blazing sun every day, she didn’t tan.

Her voice was delicate, and even when she spoke firmly, it sounded like a soft plea to Zhou Cheng. He couldn’t help but feel uplifted.

Though he normally looked down on these small, low-profit trades, Xia Xiaolan’s energy was infectious.

“Alright, let’s give it a try.”

With Xia Xiaolan’s determination, even without help, she would eventually escape the gossip-ridden confines of Dahe Village.

Walking the busy streets of the provincial city with such a bright, lively girl, Zhou Cheng felt a thrill he’d never experienced in his twenty years. His excitement practically spilling from his chest… and they hadn’t even held hands yet!

They walked together to the farmers’ market.

The provincial city was large, with major markets in both the south and north. They came to the southern market.

By now, it was 10 a.m. Early buyers had gone home, leaving the market mostly for people who had money and leisure, just the customers Xia Xiaolan wanted!

Setting up the stall together was easy. Zhou Cheng watched as Xia Xiaolan quickly scoped out the market.

The market sold not only food but clothing as well.

A few young women were picking through garments at a clothing stall, complaining that the clothes were old-fashioned.

The stall owner, eyes wide, protested, “These are all from Yangcheng! Cheaper and nicer than department stores, and you’re still picky!”

He pulled out a floral dress, but the women looked embarrassed and walked off, dropping the clothes.

As they left, they whispered to each other.

“The department store clothes are too expensive. Last time I wanted a coat… guess how much? 128 yuan!”

“This city’s so big. Apart from the department store, it’s all street stalls. One’s expensive, the other’s poor quality. No fashionable yet cheap options.”

“Let’s go. Who wants that junk anyway?”

They spoke casually but with intent.

Xia Xiaolan knew that clothing wholesale in Yangcheng was cheap. Her fashion sense didn’t have to be outstanding, just better than the local market sellers. If she brought some trendy clothes from Yangcheng to sell here, they would sell well.

Wholesale prices versus retail meant real profits, not just pennies. She made a mental note, then asked around the market about prices for various goods.

Once she had a good sense, she returned to her temporary stall with Zhou Cheng. The market allowed casual stalls, provided they didn’t block the aisles. Paying a small management fee was fair, larger stalls paid more, smaller ones less.

Xia Xiaolan wasn’t the type to argue over this. Paying was just part of doing business.

After paying the fee, Zhou Cheng had already set up their stall.

He somehow borrowed paper and pen and wrote:

Eggs 0.15 yuan each,

Yellow eel 12 yuan per jin.

His handwriting, like his appearance, looked neat and sharp.

A few women crowded around. It was unclear whether they wanted to buy eggs or just hassle Zhou Cheng.

“Everyone sells eggs by the jin, why do you charge by the piece?”

“The eels are too expensive! Today pork is only 1.4 yuan a jin. For just 0.2 more, I can buy a jin of fat pork!”

“Young man, you don’t sound like a local… got a girlfriend?”

Zhou Cheng was getting impatient with the crowd. Spotting Xia Xiaolan return, he pointed at her.

“My girlfriend’s back. She’s the seller, I’m just here to watch the stall.”

Xia Xiaolan shot him a look.

The woman trying to matchmake was disappointed.

“Young men these days like girls like this. Round faces bring good fortune!”

Xia Xiaolan, dubbed “unlucky,” replied coolly.

“Big sister, are you buying eggs or not? Look at these eggs top-quality! If you don’t want to pick by size, it’s 1.5 yuan per jin.”

A jin of large eggs would have fewer than ten.

The woman objected.

“Not fair! Some eggs are big, some small. If the big ones are gone, others get the small ones!”

Xia Xiaolan agreed: “That’s why the early buyers get the big ones!”

Before the woman could reply, others pushed her aside, they just wanted the big eggs.

Xia Xiaolan emphasized two rules.

Handle the eggs gently,

and don’t shake them violently.

Then she let them pick freely.

Xia Xiaolan had endured plenty of hardship to secure orders, but that didn’t make her a pushover.

Criticize the goods? Fine.

Attack her personally? Not tolerated.

She ignored the unlucky comment and warmly served genuine buyers.

“Big sister, want to buy some yellow eels too? They’re pricey, but very nutritious. Autumn is coming, make an eel hotpot to nourish your family. Pork is tasty, but it’s good to vary things, isn’t it?”

Xia Xiaolan didn’t kill eels herself.

At the market, everyone carried baskets or cloth bags. Plastic bags weren’t common yet. Eels spoil quickly if killed, those who understood food knew eels must go into the pot alive for maximum nutrition.

Zhou Cheng helped beside her.

Though Xia Xiaolan looked delicate, she had backbone. She dared to run her own business and even threaten ruffians with scissors. She wasn’t blindly friendly to customers, anyone challenging her principles found no leeway.

Though they missed the early market rush, Shangdu’s market was busy all day. Xia Xiaolan brought 500 eggs and 38 jin of yellow eel. After selling 15 jin to the eel noodle shop, the remaining stock sold out in under three hours. The 38 jin of eel earned more than the 500 eggs.

She realized this business could be profitable if she thought it through carefully.

“Brother Zhou, if you’re not busy, I want to explore Shangdu a bit more.”