Chapter 6 Pigeon Market News

The family had just finished their meal and were chatting idly when suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"Is Zhang's wife here?"

"At home"

Wang Xiulan went to open the door and saw the old deaf lady from next door walking in slowly with a cane. She looked around and said loudly:

"What good stuff did you make today? I can smell it all over the house."

"This time, Erya went to the countryside, and his grandmother brought him a pheasant, saying that it was for her grandson's health," Wang Xiulan paused and said:

"Old lady, I'll give you a bowl of chicken soup, please try it."

"No, I've already eaten the steamed buns made of two jins of flour that the lady gave me." The deaf old lady stared at Zhang Xingwang as she spoke, and was about to leave. Before leaving, she turned around and said:

"Xiulan, old lady, I'm going to go back first. I have something to talk to you about. When you are free, come over and we can chat." After saying that, she turned around and went back.

"Okay, ma'am, I'll finish packing and go over there in a moment."

Wang Xiulan replied and sent the old lady out the door.

Zhang Xingwang looked at the deaf old lady's sudden visit and thought it was no good. He remembered that in novels, the old lady was a spy, an officer's concubine and so on. He knew without a doubt that she was in the same group with Yi Zhonghai, the Lord of Morality.

I guess Yi Zhonghai is going to do something strange, and this is his advance. There are so many monsters in this yard, and my mother is in such a state that she can't handle them at all. I will ignore them for now and ask them tomorrow what they want to do, and then I will deal with them accordingly.

After a while, my mother packed up and went to look for the deaf old lady.

The eldest sister coaxed her younger sister to sleep and was about to go out with a pheasant wrapped in a worn cloth bag.

"Sister, I'll go with you, so we can have someone to look after each other."

After Zhang Xingwang finished speaking, he put on his shoes and went out without giving his elder sister a chance to refuse.

"Wait for me and let's go together. If you keep going like this, my mom will come back and punish me."

The eldest sister hurriedly caught up, grabbed Zhang Xingwang and said.

"That's fine, I'll go there secretly, you decide what to do."

Zhang Xingwang had no choice but to act like a rogue, but seeing that the elder sister looked simple-minded, she should be easy to fool.

"Okay, but you just wait for me outside the pigeon market and don't run around."

As expected, the elder sister was frightened, but how could she wait outside? As the old saying goes, "Since you're here, I can just push my way through the door - but I can't get in."

"Please take me in with you. I've never been there before, and I'd like to broaden my horizons."

"Okay, then you have to follow me closely, don't run around, and don't talk nonsense," the eldest sister said with a troubled look on her face.

It was not until he arrived at the pigeon market that he realized it was not that the elder sister did not want to take him, but that there was a 1 cent handling fee to enter. Zhang Xingwang felt a little embarrassed when he saw the elder sister reluctantly taking out the banknotes from her trouser pocket and handing them to the person guarding the place.

There weren't as many plots as one might imagine. These days, most people in the pigeon market are those who can't make a living and have to exchange their belongings for food. The eldest sister went in, found a place to squat, took out two chicken feathers and put them in front of her, and soon people gathered around her.

In just a few minutes, 15 kilograms of corn flour were exchanged. Zhang Xingwang, who was very fast, didn't react in time. Four or five groups of people came to ask about the price. They didn't look rich. When bargaining, they said that it was either for the nutrition of their wives during the postpartum period or for the elderly in their families who were hanging on to their lives.

At night, everyone's eyes seemed to glow green when they saw the meat, which made Zhang Xingwang nervous for a long time. Before he had time to go shopping, he was dragged home by the elder sister.

"Big sister, it looks like you come to Pigeon Market often?"

Zhang Xingwang, with a puzzled look on his face, asked his elder sister.

"Yes, there is not enough food at home, so I come here to exchange for it."

At this time, the eldest sister was happily carrying the corn flour on her back and talking nonchalantly.

"Have you ever encountered any danger?"

"In the past few years, the investigation was very strict, and those who were chased would jump over the wall and run away. Now basically no one cares, and few people cause trouble."

"Why? Don't the police and the police care? It seems to be as busy as a vegetable market."

"These days, everyone is suffering from stuttering. The detectives can't turn a blind eye to this, and they can't really force people into a desperate situation."

The eldest sister suddenly said with emotion.

"In the past few years, I was chased everywhere by the constables, but it's different now," the eldest sister said, her face full of nostalgia.

"The constables conducted an inspection once in the first half of the year. It was almost like beating drums and gongs. They shouted that the patrol was coming from two miles away. Even the gatekeepers organized everyone to take their belongings before leaving. Just hearing the constables' shouting, everyone was kind-hearted and understood what was going on."

That’s right, if there was no pigeon market, I don’t know how many people would not be able to survive.

"But the black market is different. They will really arrest people there, so you'd better not go there."

The eldest sister suddenly turned her head and looked at Zhang Xingwang seriously and said.

"I know, sister. I'm just curious. You've been lying at home when you were sick before. Thank you for your hard work."

"What's the big deal? I'm the boss, and it's the same in every company."

The eldest sister replied indifferently.

I returned home in the dark. As soon as I entered the house, I saw my mother, Wang Xiulan, still awake. She looked very worried. When she heard that the two sisters had returned, she stood up and looked at them, saying in a reproachful manner:

"Xingwang, you just recovered from your illness, you should rest more. Why did you go to the pigeon market? What should I do if something happens?"

Before Zhang Xingwang could answer, he went over and grabbed the eldest sister's ear and shouted:

"You are such a daredevil girl. You dare to take your brother with you. What if something goes wrong?"

The eldest sister grimaced in pain, but still said nonchalantly:

"The pigeon market is not dangerous right now. Besides, I am here, so what can go wrong?"

It seems that the eldest sister is not only careless, but also a little heartless. Seeing this, Zhang Xingwang quickly took off his clothes and went to bed, lest the war break out again.

The bedroom at home is only about 15 square meters. He sleeps alone on a wooden single bed, while Wang Xiulan and her sisters share a wooden bunk bed. Before going to bed, he can hear his eldest sister rubbing her ears and his mother Wang Xiulan muttering.

Zhang Xingwang woke up in the morning and saw that everyone in the family was gone except for his youngest sister who was still sleeping soundly. He went out to see Wang Xiulan and his fourth sister washing dishes in the kitchen. When they saw him coming out, Wang Xiulan said with a worried look on her face:

"Come over to eat after you wash up. After you eat, I have something to tell you."

"I know, Mom. I just wanted to talk to you too."

After saying that, he turned around and went to wash up.

After eating the corn porridge, Wang Xiulan pulled him to the wall of the courtyard and said earnestly:

"Yesterday the deaf old lady talked to mom for a long time. You are better now, and you understand the situation at home." Then he sighed.

"You are the only male in the family, and you are the only son in three generations. I think the old lady is right. I will transfer my job to you when you get better. I will also ask my uncle to find a partner for you to get married and leave a descendant for the Zhang family as soon as possible." As she said this, her eyes were moist, probably because she thought of her dead husband.

"mom-"

"Listen to what mom has to say first. The house is for you to use when you get married. Your dad's pension has been spent in the past two years. We are now starving every month and we have some foreign debts. We can't hold out for a few more days." She paused and lowered her head.

"Mom will take your older sister and younger sisters back to the village. Working in the brigade will inevitably involve stuttering, and they can also take care of your grandparents. The deaf old lady also said that you will have an old man to take care of you here in the future. Mom will come to see you if anything happens, and you can work here without worry..."

Wang Xiulan’s voice became smaller and smaller, and she finally burst into tears.

In fact, Zhang Xingwang couldn't listen any longer after halfway through. Needless to say, he started to plot.