Chapter 20: Black Market 1

After leaving the supply and marketing cooperative, Zhao Xiulan found a secluded place and entered a space to look through some materials about the 1960s.

The 1960s was a period of planned economy in China, when there was a severe shortage of goods. In order to ensure a balance between supply and demand, the government implemented planned distribution of essential goods such as food and clothing for urban and rural residents, issuing these vouchers based on population quotas.

In the end, it was all because of poverty! The scarcity of goods was so severe, unlike the 21st century when goods are abundant and can be bought with money.

However, not all purchases required money and vouchers. In the black market, these items were not restricted and could be obtained with money alone.

Some rural people would exchange the grain they received at home for money in the black market when they needed it. Buyers did not need vouchers, only money. Similarly, grain could also be exchanged for various scarce vouchers. In short, people who came here could get what they needed.

However, because of the scarcity of goods, private trading was not allowed by the government and was strictly controlled. Those caught faced serious consequences. Goods in the black market were naturally much more expensive than those in the regular supply and marketing system.

Even so, in times of extreme scarcity, people still went to the black market to trade for grain. Even the most dangerous things were better than starving to death. When forced, who would care about so much? Being able to fill one's stomach was the most important thing!

After getting a rough understanding, Zhao Xiulan came out of the space.

Although she had everything in her space, it didn't quite match the things of this era and couldn't be easily taken out.

She wanted money and various vouchers, so she could try the black market! After all, she had plenty of grain in her space, and taking out a little would have no impact.

In this era, many people were short of grain and food!

If she took grain to the black market to exchange, she should be able to get some money and vouchers.

Thinking this way, Zhao Xiulan secretly took out ten kilograms of flour, ten kilograms of rice, and ten kilograms of noodles from her space.

The things in her space were bought directly from the source in order to stock up on supplies, and many of them were packaged in plain white bags without any brand labels.

Otherwise, if there were things with traces of the 21st century, Zhao Xiulan wouldn't dare to take them out.

After putting these things in her basket, Zhao Xiulan began to look for the black market in the county town.

She couldn't ask others about the black market, and she hadn't been here before, so she didn't know the location.

But based on her own judgment, she was sure that people wouldn't openly engage in such activities. So, by wandering around in secluded places, she was sure to find the black market and someone to trade with!

Sure enough, following Zhao Xiulan's judgment, she walked into a narrow alley and saw several people looking around.

Although the black market was prohibited, many people were desperate for grain and couldn't survive without it. Sometimes they had to take risks to exchange for some grain!

Seeing those emaciated, poorly dressed people, Zhao Xiulan didn't approach them.

She wanted money and vouchers, and feared that even if she took out grain, they might not have money or vouchers to give her!

Not everyone who came to trade in the black market could produce money! For those who were desperate and had neither money nor grain, it was very likely that they would just snatch the grain from others when it was produced!

Zhao Xiulan didn't discriminate against the poor, but she felt that when trading in the black market, it was best to be cautious!

After watching for a while, Zhao Xiulan finally saw a thin man wearing gold-rimmed glasses and black worker's clothes.

(Note: I will be able to sign a contract and change my status on Monday. I will update more then. For now, I will post two updates and ask for a ticket and a five-star review.)