Men and women eating in the courtyard

Seeing that the old Biaozi was still crying, Li Xuewu said angrily: "Stop peeing, close the stall, and find a place to talk."

Lao Biaozi wiped his nose and said, "The second child is watching. Let's go to my third uncle's house."

Lao Biaozi led the way, followed by Shen Guodong and Wen Saner. They turned a corner into the alley and entered a small courtyard.

Lao Biaozi said: "My grandpa and grandma have been gone for the past two years. My third uncle lives by himself. We usually stay here."

Li Xuewu saw that the courtyard walls of the single-family courtyard were quite neat, and there were only three short rooms in the courtyard. He followed Lao Biaozi into the house and saw a pile of junk in the west room, with a kitchen and living room in the middle, and a kang across the east room.

The room was in a mess, and there were a few tattered books on the two low cabinets.

Turning back to Wen San'er who was following behind him, he said, "Third uncle, I can't tell, you still like literature?"

Wen San'er no longer looked like he was before, nor did he look like an elder. He said with a playful smile: "I know a little bit. I read some miscellaneous books and some sell antiques. We don't understand either. We just read the books and learn. This is like picking up horse manure." The old boss Ye gave it to me, and I learned a few tricks from him, but I couldn’t get on the stage.”

Li Xuewu flipped through the books on the cabinet. The titles of the books were a little blurry, but he could still see them clearly: "A Collection of Applied Patterns", Zhao Ruzhen's "Guide to Antiques", "Antique Discrimination", etc.

"This traitor is a bastard in his work, but his writing is not bad. You can learn from it. This bastard has handled a lot of good things."

Wen San'er said hurriedly: "Yes, yes, I am learning."

Wen San'er looked at him with a sly look and a wretched look, but this guy had received a serious education. His father went to a private school and was an educated man. Who would have thought that after a life of ups and downs, he would end up with such a thing.

Call him literate. He barely finished primary school. Call him uneducated. He studied the Four Books and Five Classics with his father. He knows classics about literature and history, but he just doesn’t use them in the right way. My mother and two older sisters dote on him and fool around. It's worse than my own, and there's just a small courtyard with a bunch of junk piled up.

Li Xuewu found a clean place to sit. The three of them stood or sat around. Li Xuewu took out the big front door and handed it to one by one. Except for Shen Guodong, the other two people took it. Wen Saner returned it to Li Xuewu. Xuewu lit a cigarette.

"I just came back and I don't know the situation. Is the coal collection job gone?"

Old Biaozi said: "After you leave, they won't take us to play anymore. The coal truck must have made a deal with them. We went there several times and didn't see anyone."

Previously, Li Xuewu and his gang of boys colluded with the coal truck drivers. Every time they loaded the coal trucks, they would unload more than a dozen large frames outside the city, and they would be sold as long as they were no less than the truck gangs. When I went to the residents' homes, I was able to feed a few people with this, and there were also a bunch of half-hearted followers who drank soup.

Relying on this method, although the few people did not say that they were popular and spicy, they were not hungry at that time. Those who were good at teasing even patted the mother-in-law. Li Xuewu's few sharp fruits were obtained from playing around at that time, and they were ugly. Like Zhu Bajie, Lao Biaozi also has secrets.

They were not the only gangsters here. Without Li Xuewu, who could come up with ideas, the few of them could not unite, and gradually lost their jobs. Finally, Wen Saner came up and led them. Only the black market survives.

Listening to Lao Biaozi's lonely story, Li Xuewu smoked a cigarette and said: "You guys do it first, and I'll think of a solution. Don't think about the coal truck anymore. Not to mention tired, and not making money yet. Now The wind is blowing hard, I'm afraid something will happen to a bunch of other guys, it's just a few of us, I want to get some books and see if I can do some safe work."

Lao Biaozi and Shen Guodong both said in unison: "Brother Wu, I listen to you."

Wen San'er became anxious and said: "Xue Wu, I also want to follow you."

Li Xuewu said: "What are you talking about? I call you third uncle, how can you follow me?"

Wen San thought that he had never seen someone treat his third uncle like this before, and he said very honestly: "If you see me like this, if you find it objectionable, just take it as such."

Li Xuewu interrupted: "It's not you who follows me, but you who help us. I have to go to work and set up the stall, and you have to take care of me, my third uncle. They are still young and lack of heart."

Wen San'er thought that he might not be able to do it, but he didn't dare to say it out loud. He said honestly: "Thank you very much. What about my place?"

Li Xuewu said: "It's good to still be doing it. Let's make it bigger and stronger and create greater glory."

Seeing that Wen San'er was so happy, Li Xuewu said again: "You still need to read this book. Find a chance to try that old leaf boss you mentioned. If you are really capable, invite someone to come and help you look after a house." , palm of my hand, enough for a pair of bowls and chopsticks.”

Wen San agreed hurriedly.

Wen San told Li Xuewu what a few people were doing now, and also talked about the methods of bulk cargo.

Li Xuewu roughly understood that it was nothing more than buying and selling. In later generations, it was called a second-hand dealer, but now it is called a speculator. If you catch it, you will be done with it for the rest of your life.

Wen San'er took Er Bao'er to the countryside to collect the goods and deliver them to the small courtyard. Lao Biaozi stayed at home to guard him. He was not afraid of losing his force if he was not strong enough. Er Baoer kept watch at night. Wen San'er went out to recruit people to work part-time to scalp votes. Lao Biaozi was there. Trading with people in the alley.

Li Xuewu said: "The risk of doing this is a bit high. Whether it is objects or bills, the supply of goods is unstable and it is easy to fall behind. Moreover, how many people can the small things sold at the stalls support?"

Wen San'er is also very anxious and is going crazy thinking about money now.

Li Xuewu asked: "What is the most valuable thing on the market now?"

Wen San'er said: "Meat, any kind of meat is fine. Nowadays, the rich don't have tickets. Those who have tickets are reluctant to eat it, and those who are willing to eat can't buy it."

Li Xuewu nodded and said: "Okay, I'll find a way. I've been assigned to the steel rolling mill. I have to go to work in the next few days. Let's wait until I find the channels and methods before we take action. Now you try your best to win over all the repeat customers. You need to know where people live, and try to deliver door-to-door transactions in the future. This way is stable, safe, and both sides are on guard."

Wen San'er asked: "It's not easy to handle. Nowadays, people who come to the black market are all wearing masks. They are afraid of being recognized, so they won't tell others when asked."

Li Xuewu said: "I didn't say all customers. I asked you to select those with potential, those who come often, and those who buy a lot. The more transactions you make, the more trust you will gain. Door-to-door delivery is safer. We will do this in the future." Establish our own sales network”

Wen Saner asked doubtfully: "What network?"

Li Xuewu explained: "Just like a spider web, thousands of threads are gathered into one thread in our hands. When delivering this shipment, we agree on the next shipment and rush one at a time. Whatever you want, you can get it." If you send it to the door, can they come out? If they don't come out, they don't know the price. Knowing the price is more preferable and safer."

Wen San'er said: "Really, hey, is this the only one?"

I have read an article on the China Social Science Network, "Analysis of the "Underground Economy" during China's Planned Economy Period", and I will unfold the storyline under this framework.