With everyone agreeing, Song Wei was more than willing to trade.
Glancing at the pot of crayfish, she stated, “Four eggs for ten crayfish and a bowl of the broth.”
We will divide the things we get in exchange later.
Though the crayfish was delicious, the actual amount of meat was small, and trading four eggs for them felt a bit too much. As expected, Xu Laidi, known for her stinginess, was the first to protest.
“These crayfish are all over the river! Four eggs for just ten? That’s way too little!” she exclaimed.
Song Wei replied calmly, “Same as always—take it or leave it. You only see the crayfish but ignore how much oil and seasoning we added. If you don’t like it, go catch some and cook it yourself.”
They could hardly miss the shimmering oil in the broth. But if they cooked it themselves, they’d never be able to bring themselves to use that much oil—oil was a luxury these days.
With gritted teeth, Bai Yunjiao declared, “I’ll trade.”
Liu Linlin chimed in, “Me too. I don’t have eggs left, though; I’ll trade with something else.”
After her last exchange with Song Wei, Liu Linlin was much more at ease with trading, even without consulting Luo Yecheng. Right now, her mind was entirely on that fragrant crayfish.
The others, ready to trade, went to get their bowls. Xu Laidi hesitated, clutching her eggs possessively. She didn’t have four to spare, and even if she did, the thought of spending four eggs three cents each on 10 crayfish was just too much for her.
Most of the educated youth occasionally bought eggs to supplement their diet, but even they were careful, indulging in one every few days.
Xu Laidi, greedy and stingy, wanted it all without having to pay. Yet, after Song Wei had put her in her place a few times, she didn’t dare push her luck this time.
Song Wei was generous; the ten crayfish she portioned out were large, with a heaping ladle of broth and some vegetables included. One of the male youths dipped his cornbread into the savory broth, which immediately enhanced the flavor.
Seeing him, others followed suit, quickly getting lost in the deliciousness.
“This is amazing!”
“Is this really crayfish? It’s better than meat!”
How much good food had they missed out on?
Now, there was only one thing on their minds—tomorrow, they were going to catch crayfish, too.
In the end, only Luo Yecheng and Xu Laidi didn’t go to Song Wei to trade.
Luo Yecheng, his expression dark, threw a few glances in Liu Linlin’s direction. He couldn’t believe it—Liu Linlin, who used to think of him first whenever she had anything good, was now only focused on the food, completely ignoring him.
“Luo Yecheng,” Song Wei’s voice rang out suddenly. As everyone munched on their crayfish, they turned their curious gazes toward the two.
Luo Yecheng’s heart skipped a beat as he saw the smile on Song Wei’s face. Did… did she have feelings for him?
“You gathered my ration tickets yet? Your wedding to Comrade Jiang Xiaowan is in three days, you know,” she said sweetly, yet with an underlying hint of menace.
All eyes turned to him. Luo Yecheng, who prized his pride, didn’t want to return the tickets, but he also didn’t want Song Wei to cause a scene at his wedding.
Thanks to Jiang Xiaowan’s family connections, the village secretary had assigned him an easy role. Rumor had it that the village was about to open a school, and since kids would need teachers, educated youths like him were ideal candidates. But the competition was stiff, as some villagers were also qualified. With the support of Jiang Xiaowan’s family, he had a better chance, and he couldn’t risk ruining his reputation with his father-in-law over a petty ticket squabble with Song Wei.
“Song Wei, you’ve changed,” he said, his face a mask of disappointment. “You’re not the person I once knew.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Oh, you don’t like the new me? Well, that’s just fantastic news.”
Luo Yecheng: ……
“We’re even now; those tickets were just a loan.” He handed her a small stack of tickets, holding his head high. “I never expected you to be so materialistic. I must’ve been blind before.”
Song Wei rolled her eyes at him. “Are you serious? You talk like you were supporting me or something. You do realize these are tickets you’re paying back, right? You need a lesson in vocabulary, Luo ‘Scholar’ Yecheng. Need me to explain it to you word by word?”
She scoffed. “Materialistic? I am dying of laughter. You have no skills and rely on women to support you—your thick skin must be what holds you together.”
“Oh, and where’s my bicycle ticket?”
Luo Yecheng’s face was black from being scolded, and when asked about the bicycle ticket, he looked away mumbling, “It… it got lost.”
Song Wei snorted. “I don’t care if it’s lost. Either pay up or find me a new ticket. And don’t act all righteous about paying me back—don’t waste my time.”
Red-faced, Luo Yecheng was left floundering. Normally, Liu Linlin would have jumped in to defend him, but now she was too engrossed in her big bowl of crayfish and broth. The aroma was irresistible, and she couldn’t bring herself to step in. Besides… Song Wei’s points seemed valid.
Liu Linlin hesitated for a moment, but by then, Luo Yecheng was already humiliated beyond measure and stormed off.
“This is ridiculous! Women and fools are impossible to please!” he muttered.
Song Wei laughed, biting into her crayfish. “He thinks he’s a gentleman? If that’s the case, ancient scholars would’ve strangled themselves with their own sashes.”
Gao Le, Zhao Su, and Li Juan looked at her with admiration.
“Song Wei, you’re amazing! I wish I could speak like you.”
“Can you teach me how to roast someone like that?”
Song Wei smirked. “Calm down, will you? Let me eat in peace.”
Her sharp gaze was enough to silence them.
Just then, Heidan approached, holding a small bowl filled with shelled crayfish tail he’d prepared. He’d eaten the meat from the heads himself but saved the best for her.
Song Wei looked at him, genuinely moved.
“Eat it yourself. I’ve got my own hands,” she said.
Heidan grinned brightly. “But you’re tired from putting the bad guy in his place. Eat more so you can keep it up!”
She gave him a wink of approval, but after eating just two pieces, she encouraged him to enjoy the rest.
Then, rolling up her sleeves, she began peeling crayfish herself, her fingers nimble.
There was plenty of crayfish and broth, so she ladled two big bowls aside to save for later.
Meanwhile, Li Juan and the others were dipping their flatbread, steamed buns, and cornbread into the savory broth, savoring every last bite. By the time they were done, their bellies were round and content.
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