Chapter 4: Shopping at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, Shocking Everyone

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Jiang Cha swaggered confidently to the entrance of the village supply and marketing cooperative, accompanied by her younger sister Jiang Yun.

Jiang Yun nervously tugged at her sister’s sleeve. “Sis, maybe we should just go home. We don’t have money, nor any ration tickets, and besides...”

Jiang Yun hesitated to continue. The last time they came to the cooperative, they had finally managed to bring some ration tickets to buy a bit of meat, only to be humiliated by Zhong Wanwan from their village.

Zhong Wanwan was two years older than Jiang Cha. She hadn’t gotten into university, but was born with good fortune: her father was a senior technician, and her mother a former educated youth. Thanks to family connections, she secured a job at the supply and marketing cooperative.

This girl always looked down on others and flattered those above her. She especially despised someone like Jiang Cha, who came from a modest family.

Jiang Cha understood Jiang Yun’s worries and gave her a reassuring glance. With head held high and chest out, she strode inside.

“Oh, isn’t this the wealthy young lady from North City? What brings you down from your lofty heights to our humble cooperative? Ah, so you’ve been dumped here by your foster parents.”

Malicious laughter echoed around them, but Jiang Cha remained unfazed. She walked straight to the counter, holding Jiang Yun’s hand firmly.

“Little sister, just pick whatever you want. We’ve got money.”

With a commanding wave, Jiang Cha exuded an air of supreme confidence, as if the entire world was hers to choose from.

She took a quick look around. The cooperative was like a small supermarket, stocked with snacks and vegetables, and a section dedicated to meat, where a long queue had already formed.

The place was crowded, mostly near the meat and vegetable sections, while Zhong Wanwan mainly worked in the snack area.

Usually, very few people bought snacks—it was a luxury in this era when many struggled just to fill their stomachs. Only during the New Year could one enjoy milk candies.

Seeing herself being ignored, Zhong Wanwan’s face darkened. Observing the bustling crowd, she shifted her gaze with a calculating look.

“Some people, if they don’t have ration tickets, shouldn’t come here to beg. Everything here is rationed; if you take more, others get less. Besides, are you here to beg?”

She smiled triumphantly. As expected, her words stirred discontent among those waiting in line for meat.

“There’s barely any meat to go around. Even those with tickets can’t always get any. And you want to beg for some? Dream on!”

“Exactly! We can’t even buy enough, and she wants to freeload...”

The complaints grew louder and harsher. Jiang Cha smiled lightly.

“Are you blind? Which eye told you I’m here to buy meat? And you, as an employee of the cooperative, who gave you the nerve to insult customers? Liang Jingru?”

Zhong Wanwan’s smile froze. “W-What?”

Jiang Cha stepped forward two paces and locked eyes with her.

“What, you’re not just blind but deaf too? This box of milk candies, these preserved fruits, and those sunflower seeds—pack them up for me. Here’s five yuan. Open your eyes and see clearly.”

This little brat thinks she can fight me?

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She glanced at the prices: a box of milk candies was less than seventy cents, a bag of preserved fruits about eighty, and a pound of sunflower seeds fifty cents. Calculating quickly, she still had plenty of money left.

When she flashed the shiny five-yuan note, whispers rose again. Zhong Wanwan’s face turned as black as a pot bottom, unable to believe what she was seeing.

She knew well the Jiang family couldn’t have this kind of money, let alone spend it on snacks.

Besides, since Jiang Dazhu went to prison, the Jiang family consisted only of a few orphans and widows. Where would this money come from?

“Stealing! You stole this!” Zhong Wanwan shouted. She was convinced the money was stolen. Even her own family wouldn’t casually spend this much on snacks.

“What’s going on? What are you yelling about?”

A man entered from outside, followed by another person.

Jiang Cha recognized the leading middle-aged man—it was Dong Wei, the village chief, a man known for his integrity.

The person behind him... Song Bo? Here to buy meat? Jiang Cha glanced briefly, then quickly looked away.

“Director, Jiang Cha stole money!”

Jiang Cha wanted to laugh at Zhong Wanwan’s foolishness.

“Director, this is my money. Catch a thief or catch stolen goods—show me the evidence.”

Zhong Wanwan’s arrogance instantly deflated, her neck stiffening.

“The owner must not have noticed yet. Director, please broadcast through the village loudspeaker and ask whose money has gone missing.”

Before Jiang Cha could speak, a calm voice interrupted.

“Five yuan isn’t a trivial amount. A family might only earn twenty or thirty a month and would keep it carefully. Besides, if someone lost money, wouldn’t the whole village know already? Why wait for the director to ask?”

Unexpectedly, Song Bo spoke up in her defense—it was a surprise.

The village chief scolded sternly, “Song Bo has a point. Zhong Wanwan, I know you’ve always disliked Jiang Cha, but this kind of thing isn’t a joke. If it happens again, don’t expect to keep your job here!”

Jiang Cha laughed openly, repeating the list of snacks she wanted to buy, raising her voice deliberately.

Zhong Wanwan was a favored child in the village, working at the cooperative—a coveted and lucrative job in the 1970s, backed by her parents’ connections. She had never suffered such humiliation before.

Now, facing her enemy’s triumphant smile, tears welled up in her eyes.

“Hey, hey, make sure to weigh the sunflower seeds properly, don’t even think about cheating on the weight, or you’ll lose your job!”

The tears she had been holding back finally burst forth at Jiang Cha’s words.

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After leaving the cooperative with bags full of snacks, Jiang Cha couldn’t help but clutch her belly and laugh out loud.

“Sis, you’re amazing!”

Seeing Jiang Yun’s admiring gaze, Jiang Cha stuffed all the candy bags into her arms at once.

[Help... Is there anyone to rescue me...]

A small boy’s voice drifted clearly into Jiang Cha’s ears.

[Notification—Daily Task: Rescue a level-one protected animal, a tiger cub]

[Task Reward: 5 yuan]

Great! I still have money left from today, and now I get more!

A man wearing a black hat swiftly passed by Jiang Cha, carrying a huge bundle on his back.

That must be him. This village is small; everyone knows each other. No one here dresses so strangely. He’s obviously an outsider.

“Stop!”

Jiang Cha shouted loudly, and the man immediately took off running.

“Go find Song Bo and tell him someone’s stealing a tiger cub!”

Turning to Jiang Yun, she gave a quick instruction, then dashed after the man.

Jiang Yun was momentarily stunned, then blinked and realized what was happening.

At the cooperative, Song Bo heard Jiang Cha’s shout and came out, only to see Jiang Yun.

“What’s going on?”

Jiang Yun blinked and finally understood.

“Brother Song, my sister said someone’s stealing a tiger cub, and she went after him!”

Song Bo handed the meat he had bought to Jiang Yun and immediately took off in pursuit.

That woman was truly fearless, daring to chase a criminal alone.