The couple, each with a basket on their back and hands intertwined, walked up to the stall selling large loaves of bread. The stall owner was a madam around forty years old. As the couple approached, they noticed that although there weren't many large loaves, those on display looked excellent. The bread was golden yellow, appearing hard, and through the slits, they could see dried fruits and walnuts inside, suggesting generous fillings.
Chen Lan and Xu Mingxuan were also delighted to find several large, child-arm-thick Russian sausages on the stall.
The couple exchanged a look and decided to buy everything from the stall.
Chen Lan couldn't speak Russian. To avoid revealing herself, she remained silent, leaving all negotiations with the madam entirely to Xu Mingxuan.
Xu Mingxuan began to chat with the madam in Russian. Before long, Chen Lan saw the madam cut open a large loaf, slice off two pieces, and offer one to each of them.
Chen Lan took her piece of bread and indeed found it filled with dried fruits and walnuts, confirming the generous ingredients. She took a bite and was met with a rich milky aroma and a wonderfully chewy texture. She hadn't expected authentic large loaves to be so delicious and took another bite. Although the bread looked similar to what she used to eat in her past life, after tasting it, Chen Lan realized how vast the difference was.
In her previous life, Chen Lan had been very interested in Russian staple bread, large loaves, and had learned about them. The actual production process of Russian large loaves differed significantly from traditional bread making. Large loaves were made with milk and eggs, without a single drop of water. They were not only nutritious but also very healthy. The crust was crisp and delicious, easy to eat, and incredibly filling, making them a very satiating food, especially suitable for all ages.
The stall owner seemed pleased as Chen Lan and Xu Mingxuan quickly finished their pieces of bread. She then cut a large sausage and offered a slice to each of them. Chen Lan looked at the sliced sausage, its pale pink exterior, uniform wrinkles, and elasticity. The sausage structure was dense, with a smooth and fine cut surface, packed with meat. The meat's grain was clear, with visible lean and fatty parts. Chen Lan thought this must be the most classic Russian sausage of that era, the Vika sausage. It was rumored to have a meat content of up to 95%, with chicken accounting for 70% and pork 25%.
Chen Lan took the sausage and took a gentle bite. It had a faint smoky aroma upon entering her mouth. The sausage, with its blend of lean and fatty meat, was firm and chewy, and its flavor instantly spread through her mouth, a pure meaty taste. A faint scent of fruitwood smoke lingered in the air, truly substantial. It was completely different from the sausages of her later life that always tasted of starch!
Chen Lan couldn't help but exclaim inwardly that the style of the "fighting nation" was indeed incomparably practical and generous!
After the couple finished the sausages, Xu Mingxuan struck up a conversation with the madam again. Before long, the madam became noticeably animated and laughed heartily. Chen Lan guessed that Xu Mingxuan had probably told her they wanted to buy everything on her stall.
Chen Lan's guess was correct. Not long after, she saw Xu Mingxuan hand the madam a cloth bag, and the madam began to pack the sausages and large loaves into it one by one.
While the madam was packing, Xu Mingxuan pulled Chen Lan aside and whispered, "Lan'er, the madam wants to trade us five catties of sugar and ten catties of salt. She also wants the colorful shawl you're wearing as a gift for her daughter, who is getting married next month. I've already agreed."
Chen Lan felt they had more than made up for it with just those few child-arm-length sausages. The Russian madam was very practical, so Chen Lan nodded without a word. She simply took down the basket from her back, ready to get the items for the trade.
Xu Mingxuan also put down his basket and began to take out the items, saying, "Lan'er, I asked the madam. She said the collective farm in their area has finished harvesting this year's corn and is waiting for a truck to come pick it up to fulfill this year's quota. She said her brother-in-law is the head of their collective farm. She mentioned that their farm had a great harvest of corn this year, and after fulfilling the quota, they'll have quite a bit left. She promised to ask her brother-in-law about it when she gets back. She thinks it shouldn't be a problem, especially since this is a border region. If they meet the quota, not many people care about how much surplus the farm has. She asked us to come back here tomorrow morning and wait for her good news. She'll be setting up her stall here again tomorrow."
Upon hearing Xu Mingxuan's words, Chen Lan couldn't help but laugh, feeling incredibly lucky. It was true what they say: "What comes easily is not earned."
They had just casually gone shopping, and they ran into an influential official's wife who could make decisions. It seemed their mission to buy grain here would be completed very quickly! Good luck was unstoppable! Chen Lan couldn't help but feel a sense of smugness.
As she was putting the five catties of sugar, ten catties of salt, and a brightly colored shawl into Xu Mingxuan's basket for the exchange, Chen Lan also specifically added a vibrant sash as a parting gift for the daughter, wishing her a happy and fulfilling life.
When Xu Mingxuan took out the exchange items one by one from the basket for the madam to see, the madam chattered excitedly again. The couple waved goodbye to the madam with the exchanged sausages and large loaves.
The couple walked to a secluded spot. Chen Lan quickly stored the exchanged items into the system warehouse. Then, each with a basket on their back, they turned back and visited several stalls selling frozen fish, buying out all of them.
The stall owners selling frozen fish were willing to trade for anything. Some wanted cotton coats, others wanted sugar and salt. The most eccentric stall owner was catching fish from the river just to trade for alcohol.
Chen Lan thought, no wonder she heard in her previous life that most Russian men were heavy drinkers, consuming as much as they could without much restraint. Many died accidentally each year due to excessive drinking.