It was just dawn when Qiao Jiuru quietly got up.
Dabao and Xiaobao were sleeping soundly, their complexions much better than before.
She gently moved Xiaobao, who had slept with her all night, to the adjacent bed, where Su Huaiyuan and Dabao were sleeping.
"Xiao Ru..."
"I'm going to buy breakfast. Keep an eye on Dabao and Xiaobao."
Before she could even place Xiaobao next to Su Huaiyuan, he immediately woke up. Just as he was about to ask what happened, his wife interrupted him.
"Don't worry, I'll watch them. I won't go anywhere."
Su Huaiyuan knew his wife was worried about their grandchildren, so he quickly nodded obediently and offered this assurance.
Qiao Jiuru nodded, tucked the two children in, and then quietly left.
She was indeed going to buy breakfast, but at this hour, she wasn't just buying breakfast. After exiting the Hospital's main gate, she walked a few dozen meters forward before turning into an alley.
From this alley to another, winding and turning, she walked for about ten minutes before entering a quiet alley where many people were either squatting or standing. In front of many of them, there was either a cloth, a basket, or a hamper on the ground.
That's right, this was a black market spot near the Hospital, and Qiao Jiuru had been here once before.
"How much are the eggs?!" she quietly asked a person with a basket in front of them. The basket contained about forty to fifty eggs.
"Six fen each, no ticket needed."
The other person had their head and face wrapped, only their eyes exposed, dressed similarly to Qiao Jiuru when she entered the alley. However, she was dressed better with brighter colored clothes, while the other person wore plain, patched-up gray clothes.
"Five fen five each, I'll take them all."
"I didn't bring a basket. Sell the basket to me too, I'll give you one jiao."
Qiao Jiuru didn't want to haggle with the other person, nor could she waste time on such small money. She had many more things to buy.
Seeing her so direct and decisive, the other person immediately agreed without a word.
Indeed, there were fifty eggs in that basket. Qiao Jiuru paid two yuan and eighty-five fen, picked up the basket of eggs, and turned to leave.
"How much is this millet?!"
There were really a lot of good things at this black market near the Hospital. Qiao Jiuru even found someone selling millet, so she didn't hesitate to ask for the price.
"Nine jiao per jin, plus two liang of grain tickets."
Every move Qiao Jiuru made while buying eggs was observed by the person selling millet, who witnessed the entire process from the side.
"Nine jiao is already very expensive, and it requires grain tickets?! Eight jiao, no ticket, I'll take it all."
Although she rarely came to the black market, she had secretly heard from her female colleagues and family members about the prices here. Rice at the black market was only seven jiao per jin. While millet was indeed nourishing, it wasn't much more expensive than rice.
"Sister, if you take it all, I'll give it to you for eight jiao five. I see you must have a patient, elderly person, or child at home, otherwise you wouldn't be buying both eggs and millet."
"Alright, how much do you have?!"
"Six jin."
"That's five yuan one."
When Qiao Jiuru came out, she not only brought a cloth bag but also the few lunchboxes from last night. She could just pour the millet directly into the cloth bag.
Finally, Qiao Jiuru bought five more jin of flour and quickly left the black market. It wasn't that she didn't want to buy more, but buying too much would be too conspicuous. Especially since it was a spontaneous decision, and she wasn't fully prepared. Otherwise, she would have bought at least ten-odd jin of flour and ten-odd jin of rice. She even saw someone selling chickens, but unfortunately, she didn't dare to make a move.
As soon as she left the black market area, with no one coming or going, she immediately put the basket of eggs, the six jin of millet, and five jin of flour into the kitchen of her Ink Bracelet Space.
Last night at the Hospital, she had tested it many times with lunchboxes and thermoses. Their Qiao family's Ink Bracelet Space could be entered by people, by consciousness, and could also be operated through consciousness, making it both convenient and safe.
When Qiao Jiuru arrived at the National Restaurant near the Hospital, those who were going to work had just woken up.
"Hello, Comrade, I'd like ten meat buns, ten steamed buns, one bowl of wontons, and one bowl of shredded pork noodles."
"Meat buns are one jiao each, steamed buns are five fen, wontons are one jiao five per bowl, shredded pork noodles are one jiao five per bowl, plus two liang of grain tickets."
Qiao Jiuru immediately counted out the money and tickets and gave them to the attendant, then took out her lunchboxes and waited on the side.
The food at the National Restaurant was plentiful and inexpensive, but it required grain tickets. Many people couldn't afford to eat, not because they lacked money, but because they lacked grain tickets.
Qiao Jiuru had inventoried the various money and tickets at home. As for money, in addition to the over five thousand yuan withdrawn from the bank yesterday, there was also thirty thousand yuan in cash secretly left by the Su and Qiao families previously, not to mention the money and tickets from their eldest son, Su Ze, and daughter-in-law, Zhou Wanwan.
As for tickets, she and Su Huaiyuan together had about eight jin of grain tickets, and fewer soap tickets, candy tickets, pastry tickets, oil tickets, etc. Additionally, there were seven industrial tickets.
So, she wasn't short on money, but she was short on tickets.
However, as long as she had money, tickets weren't a problem; she planned to buy them at the black market.
After a short while, the meat buns and steamed buns were packed in paper bags for her, and the wontons and shredded pork noodles were put into lunchboxes. Qiao Jiuru returned directly to the Hospital this time.
"You're back."
Su Huaiyuan hadn't dared to sleep after his wife left. He had been paying attention to the sounds outside and occasionally ran to the window to look out. It was only after his wife left that he belatedly guessed she was going to the black market.
"It's fine, it went smoothly."
As soon as Qiao Jiuru pushed open the ward door, she saw her worried husband and quickly closed the door while lowering her voice to comfort him.
Then, she took out the wontons and shredded pork noodles, and took out one meat bun and one steamed bun from the paper bags, before putting the remaining meat buns and steamed buns into the space in front of him.
Su Huaiyuan was already accustomed to seeing two large bags of items disappear into thin air before his eyes. He obediently ate his steamed bun and shredded pork noodles, leaving the wontons and meat buns for his wife.
After the couple finished breakfast and washed the lunchboxes, Dabao and Xiaobao slowly opened their eyes, yawning adorably. The two children saw their familiar Grandpa and Grandma, and not only did they not cry or fuss, but they also smiled.
"Grandpa, Grandma."
"Grandpa, Grandma."
They called out "Grandpa" and "Grandma" in their milky voices, while reaching out their small hands for hugs, behaving incredibly well.
How could Qiao Jiuru and Su Huaiyuan resist the adorable attack of the two little babies?! Their hearts ached with tenderness.
"Lao Su, go buy five more meat buns and five steamed buns, one portion of wontons, and one portion of shredded pork noodles."
After the couple finished helping Dabao and Xiaobao pee, Su Huaiyuan was instructed by his wife to go buy breakfast again.
Su Huaiyuan immediately understood his wife's thoughts and intentions. Without a word, he took the money and tickets she gave him, picked up the lunchboxes, and set off.
Qiao Jiuru then washed the children's faces, gave them warm water to drink, and waited for Su Huaiyuan to bring breakfast back.
As a result, after about twenty minutes, Su Huaiyuan returned, followed by their eldest son, Su Ze, and daughter-in-law, Zhou Wanwan.
