I secretly sold grain at age 60

Chapter 11 Entering the Black Market

Gao Huaiyi stood quietly in the grass in the distance, watching wave after wave of villagers from neighboring villages cautiously enter the black market in the grove, and couldn't help but start to make plans in his mind.

He had been following them all along and already knew what was going on. This secluded grove was the most hidden underground black market in the surrounding area. These days, the crackdown was so strict, and speculation was being dealt with extremely severely, that ordinary people dared not show their faces easily. No wonder everyone along the way looked flustered and kept quiet about their whereabouts.

While others feared being caught and getting into trouble, Gao Huaiyi knew that with his personal space, he would never lack wild game or food, and would have no worries about supply. Finding such a good place for private transactions might be risky for others, but for him, it was a rare opportunity to understand the modern black market and make money in the future.

After a moment's thought, Gao Huaiyi no longer hesitated. He quietly took a few steps back and hid in a more secluded spot deep in the weeds. With no one around, he had a sudden thought and, without making a sound, took out the plump wild rabbit and brightly colored pheasant he had prepared earlier from his personal space.

The two wild animals had intact fur and firm meat, clearly indicating they had been hunted recently. In these famine years of scarcity, they were considered extremely rare and valuable. Gao Huaiyi casually plucked some dry wild grass from the side and layered it over the rabbits and pheasants, covering most of their bodies so that only their outlines were faintly visible, making it impossible for an outsider to tell what they were.

He carried the game wrapped in grass in one hand, unhurriedly and slowly walking towards the entrance of the black market in the grove.

As they approached the edge of the woods, they heard the guards behind the big tree whispering instructions to the villagers who were about to enter, reminding them of the rules. The words they were using were probably the same ones spoken by the group that Gao Huaiyi had come with.

"Everyone behave yourselves. No loud noises, no chatting in groups, and absolutely no looking around, lest you attract the patrol officers. Everyone who wants to enter to trade must pay a ten-cent entrance fee. No one is allowed to step inside without paying. If you get caught, don't implicate our people!"

The villagers dared not object and obediently took out a dime to pay the fee before they were allowed to enter the forest.

Gao Huaiyi saw this and instantly came up with a plan. Having spent many years observing people and dealing with affairs, he was calm and experienced. He immediately pretended to be a familiar face who frequented the black market, and walked forward calmly and unhurriedly, without showing any nervousness or awkwardness as a first-time visitor.

The gatekeeper looked warily at Gao Huaiyi, who had suddenly approached, his eyes scrutinizing him.

Gao Huaiyi didn't waste any words or hurriedly explain his origins. He simply said, "Brother, I'm a regular here to exchange things. I was in a rush today and didn't bring a single penny with me. It's really unfortunate. Could you make an exception and let me go in to make the transaction first, and then I'll pay you back the one-cent entrance fee when I'm done and leaving?"

After saying this, Gao Huaiyi deliberately lifted the outer layer of withered grass, slowly revealing a gap, and leisurely showed a corner of the wild rabbit and pheasant he was carrying to the other party.

With only a small portion of its fur showing, a rich, wild aroma subtly wafted out.

The gatekeeper, who had been guarding the black market entrance for years, had seen all sorts of goods. But these days, truly wild, fresh pheasants and rabbits were extremely rare, a sight to behold. His gaze suddenly sharpened, his eyes instantly lighting up as he stared intently at the wild animals Gao Huaiyi was concealing in his hands, his eyes filled with longing and envy.

In an era where food is scarce and even coarse grains are hard to come by, the allure of such high-quality, pure wild meat is simply too great.

The gatekeeper sized Gao Huaiyi up and down. Seeing his calm and composed demeanor, and recognizing the rare game Gao Huaiyi was carrying, the gatekeeper hesitated for a moment before finally relenting. He lowered his voice and said, "Alright, you don't look like you're here to cause trouble. I'll make an exception and let you in first. Remember the rules: keep quiet and avoid trouble inside. And don't try to renege on your debt when you come out; you'll need to pay an extra 15 cents." Gao Huaiyi considered for a moment before saying "Yes, sir."

"Don't worry, you'll get your share."

Gao Huaiyi responded simply, said no more, picked up the wild rabbit and pheasant half-hidden by withered grass, bent down and followed the hidden path straight into the deep grove.

After walking slowly for about forty or fifty meters, the surrounding trees became increasingly dense, blocking the view and sound from the outside world. Gao Huaiyi looked ahead and saw countless figures moving about in a wide, flat clearing in the middle of the woods. They were quiet and still, creating an atmosphere that was particularly oppressive and mysterious.

Taking a few more steps closer, the entire black market came into full view.

Every meter or two along the open space, a villager squatted down to trade, each with a simple display of their own goods in front of them. Some had a small basket of farm eggs, others had vegetables and wild greens grown in their own fields, and still others had a small amount of dried goods, handmade coarse cloth shoes and socks—scattered and varied.

The black market was bustling with people, almost filling the entire clearing in the woods. Strangely, no one spoke loudly. Everyone was tense and expressionless, their eyes wary and cautious as they walked slowly, carefully examining every item on the roadside, afraid of attracting attention or missing out on something suitable to trade.

Gao Huaiyi wasn't in a hurry to make a move. He slowly wandered around the black market with the wild game, observing everything around him silently.

As he read through the document, he gained a clearer understanding.

In this black market, the majority of items on display are old furniture, broken farm tools, pots and pans, needles and thread, and other household items that are no longer used by households. Next are a small quantity of free-range eggs, homemade pickled vegetables, and a small amount of coarse grains.

The market was packed with people looking to buy things, but very few were actually willing to sell their grain.

Occasionally, you might encounter one or two farmers willing to exchange some of their grain for food, but they are usually driven by desperation. Either an elderly person in the family is frail and in dire need of nutrition, or a pregnant woman is weak, or a hungry child is struggling to feed themselves. Only when all else fails do they reluctantly partake of a small amount of coarse grain from their meager reserves and take it to the black market, hoping to exchange it for more refined grains or some meat and oil to supplement the nutrition of their elderly relatives and children.

As Gao Huaiyi walked along, he could hear the hushed conversations of others around him from time to time.

A middle-aged woman squatted on the ground nearby, with more than a dozen eggs in front of her. She asked passersby in a low voice, "Is there anyone willing to exchange eggs for coarse grains? I'll trade my eggs for cornmeal. My children are so hungry and crying all the time. I really can't take it anymore."

The man passing by shook his head and whispered, "Who would be willing to give up their grain? We don't even have enough to eat for our own families, let alone have any left over to exchange for eggs. These days, grain is more precious than anything else."

Not far away, someone was furtively selling a few grain coupons in a low voice, also keeping their breath down and not daring to make a scene. Occasionally, you could also see someone secretly selling small amounts of black market pork, the prices of which were shockingly high, yet people still couldn't resist going up to inquire.

Gao Huaiyi secretly guessed that most of the few people who could secretly trade high-quality grains like flour and rice were public employees working in state-owned factories or government agencies in the city.

They received a fixed monthly ration of refined grains, but with a large family, the amount was far from enough to feed everyone. They had no choice but to risk being caught for speculation and profiteering by secretly selling their hard-earned refined grains on the black market for cheaper, more filling coarse grains, barely managing to feed their entire family and living frugally.

The deeper you go into the black market, the more unusual items you find.

He even saw people cautiously and secretly taking out old radios to sell in the shadows, as well as well-preserved old bicycles quietly waiting for buyers. There were also many rare old porcelain pieces, ancestral antiques, and bronze ornaments, all secretly traded.

However, the prices of these large items, such as appliances and bicycles, were all outrageously high, far exceeding what most people could imagine. An ordinary farmer might work hard for half a year and still not be able to save enough to buy just one of these items. Occasionally, someone would approach and quietly inquire about the price, but after hearing the quote, they would all silently shake their heads and sigh, turning away helplessly, unable to afford it at all.

"Comrade, what's that wrapped in straw in your hand? It looks heavy. Why don't you take it out and exchange it for some food?"

At this moment, a middle-aged man who had been watching from the side noticed the package that Gao Huaiyi was carrying and couldn't help but quietly step forward, lean closer, and tentatively ask in a low voice.

Gao Huaiyi glanced at the other person and replied calmly, "Some wild game I just caught in the mountains, wild rabbits and pheasants, all wild and fresh."

Upon hearing that it was wild game, the man's eyes lit up, and he quickly asked, "Wild game is a rare treat! How do you plan to exchange it? For coarse or refined grains, or for cloth and salt coupons? We can discuss the price."

Gao Huaiyi sneered inwardly. It seemed that what he had was indeed the most sought-after and valuable item in this famine-stricken black market. He wasn't in a hurry to offer a price, but continued to slowly move through the crowd to observe and figure out the true market prices.

While others were struggling to find food and taking risks, they were carefully bartering for goods.

Only Gao Huaiyi was truly confident, knowing he had a steady supply of grain and wild game. He knew very well that from the moment he stepped into this black market, his chance to quietly become rich and turn his life around had truly arrived. Now, all he had to do was exchange for more coarse grains to get through this month, and then he wouldn't have to worry about food anymore!