Jiang Xinyu took out a handful of rice from her bag and handed it to the salesperson to see.
"This rice is really good. Even better than our first-class rice here."
"Comrade, do you think this rice can be exchanged for cotton?"
"How much cotton do you want? And how do you want to trade it?"
"How about this, can one pound of rice be exchanged for one pound of cotton?"
The salesperson frowned, "How much cotton do you want?"
"Give twenty-four pounds of cotton. I also need fabric, and it would be great if you have so extra industrial tickets. We have nothing and have to get everything new."
"For cotton, it takes one and a half pounds of rice to exchange for one pound, and whether it’s the outer or inner lining, you need two pounds of rice for one pound of cotton."
Jiang Xinyu frowned. These two quilts would need twenty ters of fabric. She wanted to make them 2.5 ters long, needing to piece together two pieces to about 2.4 ters wide. As for mattresses, she might as well make them 1.8 by 2 ters and also two sheets. After calculating, just the rice would need more than a hundred pounds.
"Comrade, don’t feel it’s not worth it. It’s only here you can exchange this; elsewhere, there’s no possibility at all."
"So thirty-six pounds of rice for cotton, I need fifteen ters of inner lining, needing thirty pounds of rice.
The outer layer needs twenty-five ters, which ans fifty pounds of rice, altogether that’s a hundred and sixteen pounds of rice, right?"
"Why do you need so much for the outer layer?"
"Two quilts need ten ters, mattresses need five ters, and two sheets need ten ters. Isn’t that twenty-five ters?"
"When will you give the rice?"
"Not now, definitely. How about this, I’ll give you the rice tonight; exchange the rice for cotton and fabric, but rest assured, I’ll give you a hundred yuan deposit first. Are you assured now?"
"Where shall we exchange it?"
"Is the alley behind the restaurant okay?"
"Okay, it’s settled then. You go choose the patterns first; when the ti cos, you give the rice, and I’ll return your hundred yuan."
"Comrade, I also need to buy pots and pans, do I need tickets?"
"Yes, I need twenty industrial tickets from you in exchange for twenty pounds of rice."
Jiang Xinyu gritted her teeth, "Do you have industrial tickets now?"
"Yes, you go choose the fabric first, I’ll go get them for you."
"Comrade, please give twenty-four industrial tickets; a hundred and forty pounds of rice, if there’s more, thirty-four tickets would be fine too, I’ll give you a hundred and fifty pounds of rice."
"Okay, I’ll go get them for you."
Both were straightforward people. After coming out of the small storeroom, this person went to get the industrial tickets, while Jiang Xinyu called Wei Kaiyun to choose the fabric.
After everything was chosen, this person returned. "Thirty-four industrial tickets."
"Great, thank you, comrade. Could you help cut the fabric?"
The salesperson cut all the needed fabric as chosen by Jiang Xinyu.
Then it was twenty-four pounds of cotton, all weighed out.
All bundled together, it was placed by the counter. Jiang Xinyu smiled and handed the salesperson a hundred yuan, "Comrade, let’s et at half-past seven in the alley."
"Okay, I’ll co to find you."
Wei Kaiyun followed Jiang Xinyu the whole ti, seeing his wife swiftly settle the bedding matter.
Only then did they have the mood to go to the first floor to buy supplies; they really needed many things.
They bought all the kitchen necessities, both carrying full loads. Only then did they breathe a sigh of relief.
They directly took a car ho, no need to bring things to the hotel.
It was already five o’clock, "Let’s tidy up a bit. Tomorrow you go to work, take leave for , I’ll make bedding at ho."
"Wife, let’s stay here tonight. We can clean up the house this evening."
"But it’s too uncomfortable, a hard bed and nothing else. How about you also take leave tomorrow afternoon, and the day after, we’ll use these two days to tidy the house. They’ll be here soon too."
"Okay."
They hurried out to take a car back; otherwise, they would have to walk.
Back at the hotel, Jiang Xinyu lay on the bed without moving. It had been quite a busy day.
"Husband, let’s have dinner at the restaurant from today. At half-past seven, you wait for there; it’s just our trade, you showing up might not be good."
Wei Kaiyun nodded, whatever his wife said.
Yet he hugged Jiang Xinyu tightly, "Wife, what did you just call ?"
"Husband? Am I not your wife?"
"Of course you are. I’m just excited hearing you call that."
"Hehe, I’ll call you that in private from now on."
They cuddled for a while, then got up and went to the restaurant, needing a fifteen-minute walk.
At twenty past seven, Jiang Xinyu headed out alone.
Outside, she untied three bags of rice; each was fifty pounds, all packed in white snakeskin bags with no giveaways.
Just as she placed the rice down, two bicycles rode into the alley.
"Comrade?"
"Are you here?"
"Hehe, I’ve been waiting here for you."
After trading, Jiang Xinyu carried two snakeskin bags away alone, not caring about them anymore.
Wei Kaiyun waited at the entrance the whole ti, seeing his wife coming from afar, he ran over to take them.
"Why don’t we take these ho? Bringing them to the hotel might not be great?"
"I’ll go myself, you go back to the hotel and rest."
"No, I’d rather go with you; that way, I’m more at ease."
Not until ten did they return to the hotel; Jiang Xinyu really felt exhausted, having not walked that far in a long ti.
Wei Kaiyun looked after his wife’s bath, thinking that tomorrow he could start living the life he wanted, but for today, he’d have to hold on.
The next morning, after breakfast, they parted ways. Jiang Xinyu carried all their luggage, and Wei Kaiyun checked out of the room.
Jiang Xinyu returned ho, washed all the fabric, and then started layering the cotton. Suddenly, she thought that six pounds of quilt wouldn’t be necessary for winter here; she might as well make thicker mattresses and two three-pound quilts, and with the remaining cotton, make a double quilt.
She worked until noon, and the mattress wasn’t finished. Since Wei Kaiyun would definitely return, she waited to eat with him. Even if a bit hungry, she continued working.
Wei Kaiyun bought so shaomai outside, so they made do with a simple lunch.
After eating, neither of them rested, Wei Kaiyun started tidying the house, knowing his wife liked cleanliness, he cleaned every nook and cranny.
He was busy the entire afternoon, finally managing to clean the upstairs thoroughly.
Jiang Xinyu also finished making the bedding, but thought it was still necessary to visit the building once more to make covers, even if extra things were needed, as long as they had them, it was fine.
Wei Kaiyun was happy to see the bedroom tidied, but they were still missing pillows, which they would have to make do without today.
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