Dedication to Alicia, A Triple bonus Week!

“Isn’t Colorful Butterfly produced by the Shangdu Cigarette Factory? How can it be out of stock?”

A carton cost only 35 yuan. Xia Xiaolan could certainly afford it.

Though she possessed insights thirty years ahead of her time, she knew virtually nothing about the cigarette market in 1983. Tobacco was a state monopoly. Take Colorful Butterfly for example, the Shangdu Cigarette Factory had a fixed annual production quota. But the cigarettes produced weren’t all sold locally within Shangdu or even the province.

They were distributed nationwide according to allocation plans. Ironically, cigarettes made in Shangdu were often difficult for Shangdu residents themselves to purchase.

It wasn’t impossible... but it required connections and paying above the listed price.

Ordinary people struggled to buy even a pack or two. Xia Xiaolan, however, had asked for an entire carton. In those days, cigarettes were rarely sold by the carton unless a government office was hosting a meeting and had obtained special approval from leadership to purchase scarce brands in bulk.

Daqianmen, produced in Shanghai, cost 0.35 yuan per pack. Liu Yong smoked this brand, and in Qijing Village that already carried some status. Daqianmen was well known nationwide after all, it was a popular Shanghai brand.

Yet Xia Xiaolan could buy Daqianmen in Shangdu, but not Colorful Butterfly.

Reselling tobacco would definitely make serious money. Once the idea surfaced, she couldn’t suppress it. Dozens of thousands of cases of cigarettes were produced annually, then dispersed across the country.

Tobacco was an industry with strong regional preferences. Aside from a few powerhouse national brands, most regions favored their own local cigarettes. Shangdu residents were loyal to three brands from the Shangdu factory, neighboring cities preferred their own local products.

If Colorful Butterfly was unavailable in Shangdu, it might very well be sitting unsold somewhere else. What if she brought back the cartons allocated to other regions and resold them in Shangdu?

The thought made her head spin.

“Are you buying or not?”

The sales clerk’s voice pulled her back to reality. Xia Xiaolan nodded.

“Then give me one carton of Daqianmen.” That, at least, was available.

But she didn’t have cigarette coupons. Though the listed price was 0.35 yuan per pack, she was charged 0.50 yuan per pack. Even so, it was only because Daqianmen had a high output, otherwise she wouldn’t have been able to buy it at all.

Carrying the cigarettes she had practically talked herself hoarse to obtain, Xia Xiaolan needed quite some time before her mood settled.

Yes, tobacco meant enormous profits, but she needed access. This wasn’t a private business, it required official channels. She couldn’t manage it in the short term, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t gradually build connections.

She would start with Hu Yongcai.

Originally, her purpose had been to find a buyer for her eels, but that didn’t mean she had to sell eels forever.

She mounted her bicycle and headed west. The western suburbs had once been barren land. After the 1950s, however, major factories like state-owned cotton mills, grinding wheel plants, coal machinery factories, printing and dyeing works were established there one after another.

The Shangdu Municipal Party Committee decided to relocate its offices to the western suburbs, and naturally, a Party Committee guesthouse was built alongside it. The guesthouse building was completed in 1963. Twenty years later, it still looked well maintained.

The five-story structure was surrounded by a colonnade. The overhanging eaves gave it layered dimension, and glazed roof tiles with carved detailing added refinement to its imposing presence.

Though people still called it the western suburbs, it was no longer desolate. The name simply distinguished it from the old city center.

Still, it lacked the bustle of snack streets or farmers’ markets.

Those who came to the Municipal Party Committee Guesthouse were either attending meetings or on official assignments. Proper employees of work units and government personnel.

Xia Xiaolan rode up on her bicycle without a letter of introduction. No matter how pretty she was, she was dressed like a rural girl. The guesthouse didn’t forbid farmers from entering, but without a letter of introduction, meals and lodging were out of the question.

She claimed she was visiting relatives, and staff told her to wait at the back entrance. Soon, a short, stout man in his thirties emerged. He looked much like other men she had seen in this era, except for his size.

In 1983, most people were lean from poor nutrition. Fat people were rare. As expected of someone responsible for procurement at the Municipal Party Committee Guesthouse, it was a cushy position.

A round face made his eyes appear small.

Hu Yongcai widened his bean-like eyes, unable to recall ever having a relative like Xia Xiaolan. With looks as striking as hers, even a distant relation would have been unforgettable. Xia Xiaolan didn’t give him time to think.

“My name is Xia Xiaolan. Uncle Zhuliang asked me to come see you.”

Hu Yongcai thought for a moment.

“Hu Zhuliang... the one who sells eel noodles?”

They were related, though their families weren’t especially close. Hu Yongcai held a bit of authority and was wary of people approaching him for favors.

Xia Xiaolan quickly handed him the bag she was carrying.

“I have a small matter to trouble Brother Hu with.”

Hu Yongcai glanced at the contents and his eyelid twitched. For such a small matter, she had brought an entire carton of Daqianmen? His first instinct was to refuse, but Xia Xiaolan didn’t let him speculate.

She straightforwardly explained that she hoped he could help connect her to the guesthouse to purchase her eels.

“If you think it’s feasible, I brought a small sample.”

A sample, indeed. It was simply what hadn’t sold at the farmers’ market.

Hu Yongcai understood immediately. Procuring some goods wasn’t a big deal, and a whole carton of cigarettes was far too generous.

Moreover, the eels she brought were sizable and met purchasing standards. But she hadn’t come all this way and offered such a heavy gift merely for twenty-some jin of eels. The profit from that alone wouldn’t justify a carton of Daqianmen just to establish a connection.

Out of respect for Hu Zhuliang and in light of the cigarettes, Hu Yongcai spoke candidly.

“Don’t be fooled by the size of this guesthouse. We don’t use much of ingredients like eels. Whether leaders or ordinary cadres, everyone attending meetings has a meal standard of one yuan per day. I can decide to purchase the eels you brought this time… but we couldn’t possibly consume this quantity every day.”

The guesthouse had fixed meal standards. Besides accommodating officials visiting Shangdu, it also hosted major conferences organized by the municipal government and Party Committee, including People’s Congress sessions.

Regardless of rank, each attendee had the same meal allowance, one yuan per day funded by the state. The diners themselves only needed to submit one jin of grain coupons.

One yuan was certainly enough to ensure full stomachs with staple foods, and there would be meat and vegetable dishes but they couldn’t possibly eat eel every day.

Xia Xiaolan wasn’t disappointed. Hu Yongcai’s words carried implications. If they couldn’t consume twenty-plus jin daily, what about every few days?

Business required investment. She wasn’t aiming for a one-time windfall. As long as she built a solid relationship with Hu Yongcai, she wouldn’t have to worry about selling her eels.

“I’ll follow your guidance.”

Seeing that she wasn’t pushy, was generous, and also quite beautiful, Hu Yongcai formed a favorable impression of her.

“Uncle Zhuliang is senior to me in generation, so there’s no need to address me so formally. Just call me by my name.”

Xia Xiaolan immediately seized the opportunity.

“Brother Hu!”

Hu Yongcai smiled so broadly his eyes became narrow slits.

“Wait here a moment. I’ll have someone come out and weigh the eels.”