The Abandoned Daughter's Second Chance

Chapter 113: Chapter 104: The Movie Theater

Buying two bamboo baskets came with a free carrying pole, so Xiao Man considered it a small win.

She carried the two baskets on the pole to a corner, then ducked into the Treasure Pearl Space. She instantly teleported to the rear peak and, with a thought, picked a pile of mountain grapes, placing them on the stone platform. After filling both baskets, she carried them back out. She still couldn’t pinpoint her destination precisely; she had to set a clear target to successfully link the outside world with the space.

The two baskets of mountain grapes weighed around seventy or eighty pounds. Xiao Man didn’t find them heavy, but she acted her age, hunching over with her head down, her pace alternating between fast and slow as she walked forward.

Crossing the concrete bridge marked the entrance to the city proper. Foot traffic gradually increased. People clucked their tongues in amazement when they saw a little girl by the roadside, carrying a pole with two baskets of incomparably fresh, plump, dark grapes. A man who looked like a cadre riding a bicycle stopped and called out to Xiao Man:

"Little girl, where did you get these grapes?"

Xiao Man really didn’t want to answer him. ’Does this guy even know how to ask a question? Where did I get them? Does he think I stole them?’

But a gentle approach was good for business, so she had no choice but to answer nicely, "I picked them in the mountains. This is the last batch of wild grapes for the season."

"Oh? They’re really wild mountain grapes? Wonderful! I thought I’d missed my chance this year, I can’t believe I ran into you. Come, come, little girl, sell me twenty pounds. I want to make wine!"

The cadre propped up his bicycle and pulled a cloth bag from a pocket of his four-pocket Zhongshan suit, unfolding it. "I was originally going to the grain and oil company to buy rice today and forgot. I guess this bag has another use!"

Xiao Man said, "Sir, I don’t have a scale. I sell my grapes by the bunch. They’re big bunches, too."

"Then how much for a bunch?"

"Thirty cents." ’That granny told me it’s a rare variety,’ she thought. ’It has to sell for at least thirty cents!’

"Thirty cents? Little girl, that’s too expensive!"

Xiao Man continued to ignore his poor phrasing. "Sir, look at my grapes. Don’t they look great? They’re from the deep mountains. It’s so much work for us country folk to climb the mountains. I’m just a kid, and I risked my life to pick these. This is also the last batch of wild grapes. My Grandpa says that after they’ve been through a frost, not only do they taste better, but they have medicinal properties!"

"What do you country folk know about medicinal properties?" the cadre’s tone was slightly contemptuous.

Just then, a few more people gathered around. A female cadre in her thirties, wearing a Lenin suit and carrying a black leather bag, shot the male cadre a displeased glance. "You look respectable enough, so why are the words coming out of your mouth so ugly? If you’re not buying, move aside. Don’t block the way! Come here, little girl, these grapes look amazing. I’ll take ten bunches!"

The male cadre was not happy. "Hey, what kind of attitude is that? You... you... don’t you understand first come, first served? Hey, you people, you have to form a line!"

The few who had arrived later were an interesting bunch. Aside from the female cadre, they were all the silent type. Each bought five or ten bunches, paid their money, and left, completely ignoring the male cadre.

Finally, it was the male cadre’s turn. He huffed and puffed as he picked through the selection, but the grapes were too good. Every bunch was so firm and perfect that he couldn’t bear to put down any he touched. The result of all his picking and choosing was that he bought forty bunches in one go. Fortunately, he had the money. He pulled out a thick wad of ten-yuan bills, tossed one down, then rummaged through his pockets to find two yuan in change for Xiao Man. Then he placed the jam-packed cloth bag on the rack of his bicycle and walked away, one hand steadying the bag and the other pushing the bike.

Xiao Man put the money in her satchel and hoisted the pole back onto her shoulder to continue on. The twilight was deepening, and the streetlights weren’t very bright. No one noticed that her half-empty baskets had quietly been refilled. Under the lights, the clusters of dark grapes, plump and glistening like Water Spirit gems, gleamed like jewels!

People on the street were all hurrying home, their steps rushed. Few paid her any mind now. Xiao Man’s goal was the movie theater.

But what she hadn’t expected was that the Wancheng Department Store was also open at night!

Looking at the brightly lit, four-story building, Xiao Man felt a baseless surge of happiness.

She carried her grapes to the entrance of the department store and was immediately surrounded by several well-dressed women coming out. They say three women are enough to start a drama, and here were four or five. Xiao Man let each of them try a grape. The women haggled for a bit, saying her wild grapes were more expensive than the apples and pears at the fruit company. Xiao Man didn’t say much; she just picked up her pole as if to leave. Of course, they wouldn’t let her get away. The women nearly bought out her entire stock, leaving only a few bunches at the bottom of the baskets.

Xiao Man had to find another dark spot to refill her empty baskets before continuing on—the movie theater that granny had mentioned still wasn’t in sight!

Grandpa had said the movie theater was inside the Cultural Palace. In reality, the movie theater was right next to the Cultural Palace. It had two entrances and exits; a small door faced the Cultural Palace, but the main entrance was open to the public. Xiao Man asked for directions and walked to the main entrance. She saw the large words "Wancheng Movie Theater" written above it. A crowd had already gathered, waiting to buy tickets and go inside. A movie poster was pasted on the wall: tonight’s showing was *The Black Triangle*.

Xiao Man discovered she wasn’t the only one selling snacks. There were several other vendors with baskets, including other young girls. They weren’t as brazen as she was, though. Their baskets were covered with a cloth, and from inside they ladled out things like melon seeds, peanuts, and eggs.

Xiao Man walked past the front of the movie theater with her pole and baskets, immediately drawing attention. In no time, a trail of people was following her. She walked to the mouth of a nearby alley, set down her load, and was instantly surrounded by a human wall. Just as that granny had said, most of the people who chased after her to buy grapes were young. They paid thirty cents a bunch without haggling, happily taking their fruit and leaving.

Xiao Man’s baskets emptied and refilled several times. Once she had taken out all the grapes she had picked from the stone platform in her space, she prepared to pack up. It was time to find an inn.

There were still five or six bunches left at the bottom of the basket. ’I’ll see who gets lucky,’ she thought, ’and sell three bunches for a yuan, then throw in the rest for free.’

As she was looking around, she suddenly heard a young man’s voice that sounded very familiar. Xiao Man followed the sound with her eyes and saw a fashionably dressed young man with a buzz cut—a gray, mid-length wool jacket was definitely fashionable for the era. He was smiling broadly as he accompanied a girl walking over from the other side of the street. She was wearing a lavender wool coat and a red scarf, her hair in two thick braids. They were probably on their way to see the movie.

The young man was sharp, the girl was pretty; they looked good together. But the girl’s attitude was reserved, while the young man wore an eager smile. It was obvious he hadn’t won her over yet.

Xiao Man called out in a low voice, "Grapes for sale here!"

Both of the young people heard her. The girl turned her head to look at the basket, her eyes lighting up with joy. "Ah, they’re really grapes! To think there are still grapes in this weather!"

The young man immediately walked over and asked, "Little girl, are these grapes for sale?"

Hearing his voice clearly again, Xiao Man was certain. This was one of the three people she had run into on the outskirts of town that night: Xiao Feng!

’It’s a small world!’

Xiao Man put one of the two baskets and the carrying pole into her space, holding the other in her hand. She remembered how brusquely Xiao Feng had questioned her Grandpa that night, and a feeling of annoyance welled up. She answered lazily, "Not for sale."