This was blatant flaunting of wealth.
An utterly shameless display of riches right in front of a crowd of poor people!
[Disgust points +1]
[Disgust points +1]
[Disgust points +1]
...
Envy and jealousy can make people ugly.
Shen Nanchu knew full well that flaunting her wealth so openly would earn her a swarm of haters.
And just as she expected, it did.
Yu Lanhua snapped out of her daze and tugged at Shen Nanchu’s sleeve. "Nanchu, what are you doing?"
Shen Nanchu played dumb. "Shopping, of course!"
Yu Lanhua felt like Shen Nanchu had lost her mind today. "We are here to shop, but not to buy this much!"
Shen Nanchu blinked innocently. "Auntie, is the supply and marketing cooperative here not as well-stocked as the ones in the city?"
That was outright regional discrimination!
The salesclerks’ expressions instantly darkened as they glared at Shen Nanchu.
"Comrade, our cooperative is fully stocked. As long as you have money and ration coupons, you can buy whatever you need."
[Disgust points +1]
[Disgust points +1]
[Disgust points +1]
...
Yu Lanhua, being more reserved, had never been the center of so much attention before.
She lowered her voice to warn Shen Nanchu.
"Nanchu, we have purchase quotas. Even with money and coupons, we can’t buy this much at once."
Shen Nanchu gave her a reassuring look.
The Pei family had a lot of members, and these daily necessities were just enough for their household.
She wasn’t splurging recklessly.
[Disgust points +1]
"Comrade, do you even have enough quota to buy all this?"
A middle-aged woman in a floral dress stepped forward, her expression stern.
The salesclerk finally caught on.
"Comrade, I’ll need to see your commune membership certificate."
"What’s a commune membership certificate?" Shen Nanchu had never heard of such a thing.
Yu Lanhua hurriedly explained, "Comrade, she’s a newly arrived educated youth in Wang Family Village. She hasn’t gotten her membership certificate yet..."
Normally, no one checked for membership certificates as long as you had money and coupons.
So Yu Lanhua hadn’t even thought of it.
"No membership certificate? Then what are you buying?" The woman in the floral dress sneered.
"I don’t have a membership certificate, but I do have this."
Shen Nanchu placed a certificate issued by the Cultural Relics Bureau and her household register on the counter.
The document was something Shen Nanchu had Director Guo prepare.
It stated that she was an external staff member of the bureau, assisting rural development while also tasked with locating cultural relics.
Since she wasn’t drawing a salary, Director Guo was happy to do her this favor.
The salesclerk’s face turned red, then pale, as she read the certificate and household register.
This was proof of affiliation with the Beijing Cultural Relics Bureau!
This woman had connections in the capital.
"Comrade, can you help me get my things now? I’m in a hurry."
Shen Nanchu’s words snapped the salesclerk back to attention.
"Y-yes, of course!"
Her attitude had done a complete 180.
"Comrade, are you sure that certificate isn’t forged?"
The woman in the floral dress was livid, her face turning green when she realized Shen Nanchu had such a high purchase quota.
"Comrade, I know how to spot a fake."
The salesclerk was getting annoyed.
"Besides, it’s not like you can afford to buy as much as her anyway. Why are you in such a hurry?"
That shut the woman up but also earned Shen Nanchu even more resentment.
[Disgust points +1]
[Disgust points +1]
[Disgust points +1]
...
"Um, comrade, we don’t have two full bundles of plain cotton fabric left."
The salesclerk hadn’t expected to be proven wrong so quickly.
"Then wrap up the patterned one too."
"And the pink one as well."
Soon, the entire stock of cotton fabric was cleared out.
Those who’d have to wait for the next shipment weren’t happy.
"Comrade, how can you buy up all the fabric? What are the rest of us supposed to do?"
Mad that she bought too much? Should’ve come earlier then. Too slow—whose fault is that?
Trying to guilt-trip her?
Keep dreaming—better go home and lie down!
Shen Nanchu wasn’t about to indulge them.
"Thanks for the reminder. Next time, I’ll buy even more."
"You—!"
[Disgust points +1]
[Disgust points +1]
[Disgust points +1]
...
In the end, Shen Nanchu managed to sweep half the cooperative’s stock.
Staring at the mountain of goods beside her, Yu Lanhua felt like she was dreaming.
"Nanchu, how are we going to get all this back?"
"We’ll hire someone to transport it, of course!"
Shen Nanchu didn’t see it as a problem at all.
"Who can we hire?"
Yu Lanhua was already mentally listing potential helpers.
"Uncle Wang!"
Shen Nanchu’s answer nearly made Yu Lanhua’s jaw drop.
"You mean Wang Mazi?"
"Yep. Didn’t he bring his oxcart to town this morning?"
Shen Nanchu had it all planned out.
"I’ll just rent the whole cart."
As for the villagers and educated youth from Wang Family Village who’d have to walk back—well, Shen Nanchu could only apologize.
First come, first served!
Shen Nanchu stood guard over her purchases at the cooperative’s entrance while Yu Lanhua went to fetch Wang Mazi.
When Wang Mazi saw the sheer volume of goods, he nearly jumped out of his skin.
Good heavens!
This educated youth Shen really had money to burn!
Wang Mazi helped load everything onto the oxcart.
Just the items from the cooperative took up half the space.
Since they were heading the same way, Shen Nanchu pushed her bicycle alongside the oxcart, shopping as they went.
If a villager was selling sun-dried wood ear mushrooms, wild mushrooms, or bamboo shoots—Shen Nanchu bought them.
If someone had cured wild game or pork—Shen Nanchu bought it.
If there were handmade baskets or winnowing trays—Shen Nanchu bought those too.
By the time they reached the town’s entrance, Shen Nanchu’s spending power had filled the entire oxcart.
After walking just one street, Yu Lanhua had gone from shock to calm acceptance.
At this point, nothing Shen Nanchu did could surprise her anymore.
This girl was truly something else!
Once everything was loaded, Shen Nanchu rode her bicycle back to Wang Family Village with Yu Lanhua on the back.
Wang Mazi happily followed behind with the oxcart.
For this trip, Shen Nanchu had paid him two yuan—after deducting the ox’s share, he still made a yuan for himself!
What a great deal!
...
At the entrance of Ning'an Town.
Jiang Shuyi carried two enormous bundles of daily necessities sent from home. Li Mei and the others also held armfuls of goods, chatting excitedly.
But when they reached the usual spot, they paused in confusion.
Wasn’t Wang Mazi’s oxcart supposed to be parked here?
Where had he gone?
