“Those ducklings might not survive, and we can’t afford to wait that long,” Scarlett explained patiently. “Trading for urgently needed food is the best choice right now. Even if they grow up, who knows how often they’ll lay eggs? Certainly not every day of the year.”
Elizabeth listened carefully and understood her daughter’s reasoning.
The two wandered around the county town for a while, stopping at the supply and marketing cooperative to buy salt, candles, matches, and other necessities.
Every penny spent made Elizabeth’s heartache, but they had nothing left at home. Even basic items like bedding hadn’t been allowed to leave with them when they were driven out of the Whitaker family home. Despite her reluctance to spend money, the shopping trip emboldened Elizabeth a bit. “When we get back, I’ll go and take your clothes back from them,” she muttered.
It was summer, so the lack of warm clothing wasn’t critical, but wearing the same unwashed clothes would soon make them feel miserable.
Scarlett had wanted to buy some refined grain at the grain store, but when they asked her for ration coupons, she couldn’t provide any and was forced to consider high-priced grain instead. Realizing their unsecured, broken-down house wasn’t suitable for storing food, Scarlett opted to buy a sturdy iron lock instead of grain.
In 1983, ration coupons were slowly being phased out in some regions, and restrictions on coupon-based purchases were loosening, at least for daily necessities. In Crescent County, many basic items didn’t require coupons anymore. However, food coupons, meat tickets, and industrial coupons for appliances were still essential.
Scarlett knew that the era of ration coupons would soon come to an end, marking a transformative period filled with opportunities.
She recognized that the chaos of rapid social change created countless business opportunities. Most people were still struggling to catch up with these changes, often unaware of the potential right in front of them.
She didn’t need to seize every opportunity—just one or two would be enough to propel her forward in the 1980s.
“Scarlett, should we head back now?” Elizabeth asked, feeling uneasy after spending so much time in the bustling town.
Elizabeth wasn’t used to being in crowded places. The sight of neatly dressed townsfolk, whose clean clothes stood in stark contrast to her and Scarlett’s patched outfits, only added to her discomfort. Scarlett, who had always cared about appearances, once owned a few presentable dresses. Unfortunately, after her injury, her cousin Rosalie had ransacked their home and taken them all.
At the time, Elizabeth hadn’t been able to focus on such matters; she’d been preoccupied with pleading for permission to take Scarlett to the hospital.
Elizabeth wanted to leave, but Scarlett’s growling stomach made her hesitate. The thought of walking two more hours home on an empty stomach felt unbearable.
“Let’s have some noodles before we go!” Scarlett suggested.
At a roadside stall, noodles with bone broth didn’t require food coupons, and a steaming bowl cost only 30 cents.
The broth was milky white, and the noodles looked smooth and fresh. Elizabeth couldn’t remember the last time she’d eaten something so refined.
“Auntie, two bowls of noodles, please!” Scarlett said, pulling Elizabeth to sit on a small stool. The rich aroma of the broth wafted into their noses, making their mouths water.
Elizabeth waved her hand. “Just one bowl. Just one!”
She couldn’t bear to spend 30 cents on a single meal.
Scarlett ignored her, handing the noodle vendor 60 cents for two bowls. The vendor, an older woman, smiled warmly as she cooked. “You’ve got a good daughter here. Someday, you’re going to live a blessed life, sister.”
Elizabeth’s face, weathered and darkened by years of hardship, lit up with a faint smile.
But as she thought about Scarlett’s tarnished reputation in the surrounding villages, her appetite dwindled. Even when the fragrant bone broth and noodles were placed before her, she couldn’t muster much interest in eating.
The quiet of the street was broken by the rumbling of an approaching truck.
“Vroom, vroom!”
The large vehicle pulled to a stop by the roadside. The passenger door swung open, and a young man in military boots jumped down, carrying two large lunchboxes. He seemed drawn by the aroma of the bone broth.
When he looked up, his gaze immediately locked onto Scarlett, his eyes practically glued to her.
