Chapter 263: Rubber Shoes

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

Yesterday, Jiang Xia was engrossed in her books, missing many details. Taking advantage of the moment, Jiang Chuan discussed with her.

“I spoke with the sales assistant at the shopping mall yesterday. They sell shoes and clothes on the second floor. Let’s go shopping there today. If we can find the right cloth shoes, then your mother won’t have to put in the effort to make them anymore. Get the mature fish, and well exchange them for tickets at the cooperative.”

Jiang Xia immediately packed two baskets of fish, a total of fifty, which was surely enough for the exchange.

And she was still thinking about the bookstore owner, planning to visit the second floor of the shopping mall to find a suitable gift for Wan Ping.

To have a price estimate, the four of them first went to the shopping mall, deciding to visit the cooperative after shopping.

They wasted no time and headed straight to the second floor. Only upon arriving did they realize there was a wider variety of goods, not only shoes and clothes but also milk cloth and cotton!

Jiang Xia had always wanted to exchange for cotton to make cotton quilts and padded jackets at home. Finally, the opportunity had come!

The group wasn’t in a rush and first checked out the shoes, their primary objective.

The shoes on display looked similar; unlike modern times where there’s a variety to choose from. Most here were cloth shoes, categorized into men’s and women’s. Women’s shoes had a slightly wider variety, both floral and plain.

Jiang Xia didn’t expect to find shoes as comfortable as sneakers, but seeing only cloth shoes was somewhat disappointing.

During her browsing, she spotted a unique pair of rubber shoes. They were army green with a rubber sole. Although it was the only style available, what mattered was its comfort!

The sole was softer than that of cloth shoes, perfect for hiking, while cloth shoes were better suited for regular walking.

Excited, Jiang Xia called over a sales assistant to inquire about the price.

The sales assistant sized Jiang Xia up, probably thinking she couldn’t afford it, but was still friendly, way more so than those they met in the county town.

“Rubber shoes are two coin a pair. Cloth shoes vary between men’s and women’s styles. Men’s are one coin a pair, women’s are eighty cents, and children’s shoes are sixty-five cents. However, you can’t purchase with just money; you need shoe tickets.”

The assistant kindly pointed out, “The co-op is out of shoe tickets. You might have to wait another two days.”

This was problematic.

Jiang Chuan planned to set off early the next morning. Seeing his daughter’s eagerness, he didn’t want to delay further.

So he thought it wasn’t urgent to get the shoes now. If needed, they could return after meeting his eldest daughter.

As they prepared to leave, a portly middle-aged man called out to them, “Hello, are those fish in your baskets?”

Jiang Xia observed him. He had a center-parted hairstyle, hair fixed with gel. His face wasn’t particularly large and except for his belly, he wasn’t fat. It looked like years of alcohol led to his protruding stomach.

She couldn’t help but compare him to her modern-day father. Though he drank for business engagements, he always had it in moderation and took care of his body, maintaining a muscular physique.

The man was dressed in a suit with a badge on his chest, likely the store’s manager.

Jiang Chuan, puzzled, responded, “Yes, what can 1 help you with?”

The man explained, “I’m the manager of this shopping mall. I see you want our shoes. I can let you exchange them for the fish, but I need to check their quality first.”

This suited Jiang Chuan perfectly as it would save a trip to the co-op, but the price would matter.

This man seemed too slick, with sharp eyes revealing his cunning, the kind Jiang Chuan disliked dealing with.

Calmly, Jiang Chuan opened the baskets, revealing the plump fish inside.

The manager’s eyes lit up.

He wanted the fish to build relationships. Business socials often required gifts, and given the current scarcity of fish, gifting fish was far more valuable. Especially these, weighing at least three to four pounds each, a rarity even in the city, let alone a small town.

The man tried to charm Jiang Chuan, “Brother, how many fish do you have? I’d like to buy them all.”

Jiang Chuan remained composed, “How much are you offering per pound?”

The cunning man quickly responded, “How about forty cents per pound?”

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