Surprised? Didn't See That Coming?

Although Liang Xin didn't know how to tell good cigarettes from bad ones,

he did have a similar feeling.

He figured these had to be good cigarettes!

Even though they were in the same price range as economy cigarettes,

at just one mao a pack,

they were most likely priced at cost.

The markup on finished cigarettes was enormous.

Liang Xin lay down on the ox cart and, while the others weren't looking, swapped the export cigarette in his hand for a special-supply one.

These were much more satisfying to smoke!

Crack! The flavor capsule burst, and the rush hit him at once!

Even though he wasn't addicted to smoking, he was getting a little hooked!

But he wasn't worried.

These were Health-brand cigarettes produced by the system. According to its description, the capsules contained traditional Chinese medicinal ingredients.

Not only were they harmless to smoke, they were even good for his health!

Anyway, that was what the system said, so he chose to believe it!

Three packs of cigarettes for three mao had bought off three people, and Liang Xin had once again successfully dodged the work.

Though he felt an extraordinary pang of pain over his own behavior,

he couldn't help it!

After all, he was sick!

Ha ha!

This little job of his was so comfortable!

Now this was how a person ought to live!

When they reached the countryside, the others went to load the cart.

Liang Xin strolled off into the village again.

He spotted a naked child running over, his peanut-sized little pecker swinging, and his eyes immediately lit up. He called out to him.

"Hey, kid, stop! Come here! Come here! Come have some candy!"

"Hold on. Go call all the others over! Everyone can have candy together!"

"You're still little, but sooner or later you'll understand the joy of sharing! Go on!"

The little pecker—no, the child—was delighted.

He hadn't expected this uncle with the tasty treats to hand out candy to everyone again!

He ran so fast his little pecker nearly flew off.

That also went to show how important underpants were.

More than twenty children came again, and each received a piece of system-produced candy that was sweeter than the supply and marketing cooperative's.

Every one of them was smiling.

Only Liang Xin's smile was rather forced.

Because the experience had dropped from seven or eight points per child yesterday to five or six!

This batch of experience was actually only two-thirds of yesterday's!

Did that mean they weren't as pleasantly surprised as yesterday?

Their pleasant surprise had dropped by a third?

"Outrageous! This is too outrageous!"

"You bad children! You're getting a little carried away! What, is the candy not sweet anymore? Did the sugar content go down?"

"Of course not!"

"Tomorrow I'll talk to the team leader and see if Brother Li can switch villages!"

"I'm going to give candy to the children in another village! I'll make you regret this!"

"Hmph!"

[Enough experience accumulated. Level up?]

When he heard the notification, the slightly disgruntled Liang Xin immediately broke into a beaming smile.

Sure enough, judging by the curve, going from level four to level five didn't take much experience.

"Yes! Level up right now!"

"Oh, and don't mention making a wish to me! I don't like hearing those words!"

"Random! Just make it random!"

Liang Xin immediately checked the two new products.

Persimmons, four fen per jin.

Eggplants, five fen per jin.

One look was all Liang Xin needed to understand.

Most of the products here were actually sold at market price.

Well, or rather, cost price.

The firsthand cost price after the villagers picked them from the fields.

In that case, had Lao Zhou's eldest nephew Xiao Zhou sold everyone those persimmons at a high price yesterday?

Had the villagers charged more, or had he made a little profit?

Forget it, forget it. Why bother looking into that?

In times like these, anyone willing to sell you food was already doing you a kindness!

Besides, conditions really were poor. Maybe the system gave the market price for normal times.

It was understandable that things cost a little more than usual now.

There was no need to quibble over such a small difference.

"Eggplant's pretty good."

"I'm quite fond of pan-roasted eggplant, especially when the skin's fried black and charred in the pan. That's when the flesh really soaks up the flavor!"

"Mm, stuffed fried eggplant is good too."

"Cut the eggplant into sections, sandwich minced meat inside, and fry it in a pan. If it's done well, I think it's better than roujiamo!"

"Oh no, now I'm craving it!"

"I really want to go back and find my own sister right now!"

"How about I go find Brother Li and tell him my condition's gotten worse? That I need to go back and lie down?"

"Forget it. I'd better not push it too far."

"I'll bear with it and have another meal of pig feed at noon! Then I'll make up for it properly tonight!"

Good grief, how had their coarse-grain porridge turned into pig feed?

If they heard him, they might just beat him to death!

And he seemed to have forgotten something.

He called it pig feed,

but Brother Li only bought one bowl at a time.

He bought two!

If it was pig feed, why did he eat so much of it?

Well, at noon, Liang Xin still ate what he called pig feed in the canteen.

Then he wolfed down two big bowls...

After eating, he waited until Brother Li and the others had finished their work before heading back with the ox cart.

When he returned to the office, the team leader, Lao Zhou, called him over.

"Xiao Liang, you've been on the job for a while now. Are you familiar with the whole process?"

"Ah, team leader, I'm fine!"

"Good. Starting tomorrow, don't follow Xiao Li around anymore. You can start handling assignments on your own."

"There's no explicit rule, but our team is actually responsible for procurement nearby, leaving and returning on the same day."

"But to look after you, I put in a request with the director to put you in charge of procurement around your hometown!"

"Well? Surprised?"

Holy shit, I'm so fucking surprised!

I haven't even prepared myself to go home and meet the family, and you've already arranged it for me?

Oh, team leader, why couldn't you have discussed it with me first?

He was about to meet the family of the body he had inherited.

Liang Xin suddenly felt a little panicked!