Reborn with a Space: Building a Fortune Amidst Famine

After a round, I spotted the person with the most goods, and decided he was the one to find.

"Comrade, do you have any meat?"

"Meat? No? I wish I did. My daughter-in-law is postpartum, and I can't even get a pig's trotter."

"Comrade, how much is pork per pound now? I mean lard or fat?" There's still several thousand pounds of lard in the space. If I could, I'd sell some and clear the inventory.

"Lard? There's no lean meat, either. If there were, I'd be willing to pay two yuan."

"Heh. Comrade, I have a thousand pounds of fat. If you want it, I'll transfer it to you for two-fifty per pound."

"Really?"

Yuanyuan nodded.

"Comrade, let's talk over here."

It could definitely sell for three yuan. So, with a thousand pounds, you could earn five hundred yuan. Jiang Hongqi was thrilled.

Yuanyuan followed him, watching as he occasionally looked back to make sure she was still following, genuinely afraid she might not.

They reached a broad path where no one passed by.

"Comrade, you're not pulling my leg, right?"

"No. This isn't something to joke about."

"Comrade, I want it, all of it. Just don't know when you can give it to me?"

"Comrade, I don't want money, just goldfish, just like exchanging at the bank. Also, if the quality isn't good, I'm not swapping."

Yuanyuan simply preferred gold. She felt it was much better than money.

"Goldfish for a trade?"

"Yes, only goldfish. I don't need anything else."

This left Jiang Hongqi troubled. Assuming it's eight yuan per tael, it would still need over three hundred taels, which wasn't anywhere near twenty pounds.

There were some goldfish at home, but not nearly enough.

"Little comrade, can we negotiate? I really don't have that much."

Yuanyuan shook her head. "I'm just a messenger; they're insisting on goldfish."

Jiang Hongqi gritted his teeth. "Fine, I'll find a way. Where should we meet?"

"Let's meet here again at five in the afternoon. If you have enough goldfish by then, I'll arrange everything for you.

Don't worry, I've seen the fat, it's snow-white, very good quality."

"Alright, no matter what, I'll be here at five."

Yuanyuan watched him leave hastily, not returning to sell sweet potato chips, which weren't the type steamed but the kind that could be ground into sweet potato flour.

Yuanyuan wandered back into the alley. This time she observed those exchanging grain, rich folks by the look of their clothes and faces.

"Little girl, I overheard you have fat to sell. Could you let me have some? I'm not selling; it's just for home use."

"Heh, you heard wrong."

"No, I didn't hear wrong. Little comrade, sell me fifty pounds. Name your terms."

"That much? How much fat does a pig have?"

"Little comrade, I know you have it."

"Exchange for goldfish, one tael for three pounds of fat. Do you want to swap?"

"Goldfish, right? Fine, I want sixty pounds of fat. I'll give you twenty taels of goldfish.

I'll be back in half an hour."

Yuanyuan smiled and nodded. "Alright, let's not do it here, we'll move to that alley. However, I don't have scales, sort it yourself."

"Alright, I'll handle it."

Yuanyuan continued strolling, seeing everyone trading for grains, wanting good food required money. For ordinary folks without money, filling the belly was still the most practical.

Yuanyuan also left, assuming she must prepare for the sixty pounds of fat.

After half an hour, she saw someone waiting at the designated spot from a hidden place.

Yuanyuan carried a basket over.

Without a word, Yuanyuan set down the basket and accepted the goldfish he handed over. She'd already evaluated them, both the quality and quantity were satisfactory.

The person seemed slick, lifting the basket and leaving immediately.

In fact, Yuanyuan had given an extra pound or so.

The transaction went very smoothly.

It was nearing nightfall, almost five. Yuanyuan stayed put, waiting for Jiang Hongqi.

At five to five, Jiang Hongqi arrived. Yuanyuan knew he had a goldfish in his pocket.

Jiang Hongqi didn't make a fuss, meeting up directly, "Comrade, check the quality, is it good?"

Yuanyuan nodded, "It's good. How much fat do you want to trade?"

"With this quality goldfish, I have thirty pounds, all to trade for fat."

Yuanyuan nodded. "Alright, thirty pounds should get you fifteen hundred thirty-six pounds of fat, but I'll round it to fifteen hundred forty pounds. Let's meet here again at eight."

Jiang Hongqi smiled and nodded. They parted ways.

Yuanyuan returned to the inn, not going out, planning to sneak out later, making communication easier.

So by seven fifty, Yuanyuan wheeled the fat to the meeting place.

Jiang Hongqi was already waiting.

The two exchanged goods, the fat moved from Yuanyuan's wagon to Jiang Hongqi's vehicle.

Neither spoke, each pulling their wagon, going separate ways.

Yuanyuan felt this was a pleasant surprise. She hadn't expected to trade for so many goldfish. It seemed the folks really had some good stuff, just they didn't dare show it.

Back at the inn, chatting with two attendants, she brought out sweet potato chips and sunflower seeds, both grown herself in the courtyard with seeds given by Hu Chunhua.

"Xiao Su, weren't you cold wandering outside all afternoon?"

"Of course it was cold. Being cooped up sitting or lying down felt unbearable. Besides, I'm stuck here, might as well use this chance to get familiar with the city."

"Xiao Su, you really have a good attitude. If I were stranded in an unfamiliar place, I'd be freaking out."

The three were snacking on sunflower seeds, chatting.

"Xiao Su, how's your farm doing?"

"What do you mean by 'good'? I think it's okay, just exhausting.

But so long as the weather holds, work and rewards should balance out. You reap what you sow."

"I don't think I could manage, even imagining it feels tiring."

Yuanyuan nodded, "Yes, it's extremely tiring. Back then, there wasn't even time to eat."

The two girls kept asking Yuanyuan, and the three began discussing autumn harvests.

"The harvests are like this, the spring planting is also extremely tiring, needing to weed every day. I got lazy this year, didn't weed. Actually, this time I'm seeing if I can buy some herbicide."

"Xiao Su, you're really amazing, farming so much land on your own. You're just fourteen, right? That's incredible."