She Only Cares About Cultivation

Accustomed to the consequences of ’speculation,’ she didn’t dare to shout loudly. Instead, she carefully carried a basket on the street, and upon seeing well-dressed people, she’d approach them and ask, "Aunt, would you like some eggs, duck eggs, or goose eggs? They’re all fresh and quite big. Want to have a look?"

If someone was interested, they’d stop and follow her to a corner. Compared to her cautious attitude, they seemed much more straightforward. They’d stand tall and look at her suspiciously, saying, "Sis, why are you being so sneaky? These eggs aren’t stolen, are they?"

"Oh, Aunt, what are you saying? I raised them myself. It’s just my first time in the City and I’m afraid they won’t let me sell them."

"Oh my, you’re overthinking it. You’re not stealing, so why wouldn’t they let you sell? Okay, okay, tell me, how do you want to sell them?"

"Well... Aunt, it’s my first time, and I don’t know the market price. How about you decide?"

Upon hearing this, the aunt’s eyes lit up, "Okay, I won’t cheat you. Normally, when we buy, one thousand yuan gets you five eggs..."

"Five? For eggs this big?" An Yi frowned instantly, "No way, this price is too low. I won’t sell at that rate."

"Hey, why don’t you let me finish speaking? I said it was the normal price, but for the usual ones, do they come in this size? We’re honest folks, we don’t scam, but there can’t be too big a difference either. So, you should at least give four eggs. If not, I won’t buy."

It seemed the aunt appreciated her eggs. One thousand yuan for four should benefit them, but she wondered if the Cooperative Society sold them at the same rate without checking. They might sell them in packs of five, six, who knows? But crucially, could you even buy them?

In those times of scarcity, having money didn’t guarantee you’d get what you wanted. Often, you’d end up buying leftovers or rejected stock. Her eggs were fresh, large, clean, without any chicken droppings, pure white or red, really eye-catching. Selling four, would she lose out?

Indeed, as she hesitated, the aunt seemed to think she was being too pushy, claiming ignorance of local market trends while knowing perfectly well?

She gritted her teeth as if making a major decision, "Three then, I can’t go any lower. If it’s less, I won’t buy."

This time, An Yi smiled, "Aunt, how many do you want?"

"Just... ten thousand yuan worth. I don’t have more than that. However, if you could throw in three more for free, I’ll take you to our residential block. Many people would buy them since we hardly get any at the Cooperative Society. Most at best buy five thousand or ten thousand yuan’s worth."

She originally planned to sell four eggs, but now it’s three, giving three free, isn’t much different.

The aunt handed her cloth bag directly, "Here, count out thirty-three eggs for me, be gentle, and don’t break them, or you’ll have to pay for damages."

About thirty eggs were roughly four jin, and her basket carried about five jin. What remained was not enough for others.

The aunt carefully watched her place the eggs, counting clearly, which amused An Yi.

"Aunt, the shell is strong, as long as you don’t intentionally crack them, they rarely break and can stay fresh. The weather’s getting hotter, right? You might not know yet, but once you taste them, you’ll see how my eggs differ from others."

After counting thirty-three eggs, the aunt frowned at the leftovers.

"This won’t do; it’s nowhere near enough to sell. Many people live on our block!"

"Alright then, wait a bit. I’ll go home and get a larger bamboo basket. Just tell me where you live."

After completing the transaction, An Yi followed the aunt through various turns into an alley, pointing at a nearby residential compound.

"Look, that’s the residential block for the boiler factory. Give me a rough time; I’ll help gather people."

An Yi calculated the time, "Half an hour, I can make it in half an hour."

"Alright, then I’ll start gathering folks. Hurry up!"

Happy after buying eggs, the aunt carefully cradled them on her way home.

An Yi went to a secluded spot in space to pick eggs, since her estimate was lower, earning ten thousand yuan left her quite pleased.