I can travel back and forth in 1986

Chapter 36 Punishment

After a three-day delay in 2026, Zhang Beichuan bought his first car.

Although it's a Wuling Rongguang, this car can carry people and earn money to support a family, so the money is well spent.

He took the newly arrived goods off the truck from the trunk, loaded the watch he had retrieved back onto the truck, and pulled the truck home.

Then, on a sudden impulse, he returned to 1986.

Three days have passed since 2026, and just over an hour has passed since 1986.

In the shop in front, Zhang Dequan was guarding the store, his eyes wide open, afraid of missing any potential customers who might pass by.

Taking advantage of the fact that there weren't many people around at noon, Lan Baojun rested in another room in the backyard.

Hearing footsteps behind him, Zhang Dequan turned around and looked back.

"Xiao Chuan, why don't you get some more sleep?"

"I'm awake." Zhang Beichuan pretended to yawn, pulled over a stool and sat down. "By the way, Third Brother, can we get eels and chickens in our village?"

"Chickens? There are people selling them, but very few. These days, it's not easy for anyone to raise a few chickens; they all rely on them for eggs."

"However, there are plenty of eels in the village. Especially around this time of year, they're everywhere in the fields. Why are you asking?"

Zhang Beichuan didn't seem too surprised by the answer.

If you don't sell many chickens, you can find several villages to buy them from, and you can still make a considerable amount.

Eels are everywhere these days, mainly because nobody wants them.

People are reluctant to use oil, and without enough oil to cook eels, they certainly won't taste good, so naturally no one will want to cook eels.

Otherwise, in 1986, eels would not have sold for only three cents a pound in the market, even fish were more expensive.

"Third Brother, when I went to the provincial capital to buy goods last time, a friend of mine told me that he has a friend who sells aquatic products in our Guocheng City. I heard that eels can sell for a good price. Free-range chickens also sell quite well in the city."

"What? Eels can be sold for money? Those things are so fishy, ​​do people really want them?" Zhang Dequan said in surprise.

Zhang Beichuan chuckled, "Just because nobody eats it here doesn't mean nobody eats it in the city, does it?"

"So, you're planning to get some eels and chickens to sell in the city?"

"Yes! I was thinking that with Third Brother and Baojun looking after the shop here, and you guys being familiar with the daily operations now, I can go to the city to try my luck. I can sell eels while scouting locations in advance."

Zhang Dequan thought about it and hesitated for a while.

"Xiao Chuan, aren't you taking too big a step? We seem to be in a stable situation now, but Zhao Xueming's mess is still unresolved."

"Third Brother, I know that. If I'm going to the city, I definitely need to stabilize the business in the county first."

"If that's the case, then there's no problem. Just pay me a little for the effort, and there are plenty of kids in the village willing to help you catch eels."

Zhang Beichuan was waiting for these words, so he handed his grandfather a cigarette and lit it.

"Third Brother, I'm not very familiar with this village. Could you help me figure out a reasonable price to buy eels and free-range chickens?"

Zhang Dequan took a satisfying puff and thought for a moment.

"As for the chickens, you can have your sister-in-law help you promote them at home. If you buy them at the market price, someone will be willing to sell them. After all, the villagers have to go to the town or city to sell them, which is a long way."

Zhang Beichuan nodded and patiently continued listening.

"Eels are rarely sold in the market, and they don't fetch a good price. If you can offer one cent per pound, some older kids should be able to help you get them."

"One cent?" Zhang Beichuan muttered to himself, recalling what he had seen at the market that day.

The stall where the kid was selling eels was deserted; it seemed that even at three cents a pound, they weren't selling well here.

"Then we'll buy it at two cents a pound!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dequan was slightly taken aback, coughing from the smoke.

"Two cents a pound? A kid who's only a teenager can easily make ten pounds a day, that's two yuan a day, almost as much as a factory worker! You've set the price way too high!"

Zhang Beichuan laughed, "She's a bit tall, but I definitely have requirements. I can't have just any kind; she has to be big and plump."

"If that's the case, then that's more like it." Zhang Dequan then thought about it and realized a problem, "But it's dozens of miles from the city, how are you going to get it over there?"

"That's easy. Once I'm done with these next few days, I'll ask around and see where I can buy a tricycle, and I'll buy one."

Zhang Dequan nodded, and then they chatted for a while about everyday things.

I learned from my grandfather that my grandmother had taken the fruit she bought to Shi Tiezhu to get approval for a house site when she went to the provincial capital to buy goods a while ago.

The land was right next to his grandparents' current homestead, and Zhang Beichuan felt a warmth in his heart.

"Well... that must have been really hard on you, sister-in-law."

"What's so hard about it? It's always more convenient to have it in your own hands," Zhang Dequan said with a smile.

.......

September 3, 1986, Beichuan Department Store.

Unlike their usual cheerful selves, Lan Baojun and Zhang Dequan were both a little nervous when they opened the door today.

It was just past 9:30, and unsurprisingly, Zhao Xueming didn't come, but his underlings did.

When Ah Qiang, with his slanted eyes, saw Zhang Beichuan, he paused for a moment, then laughed.

They had been looking for Zhang Beichuan for a long time, not knowing where he had hidden, but they unexpectedly ran into him here today.

It's true what they say, "You can search high and low without finding it, but then it comes to you effortlessly."

Ah Qiang turned his head slightly and said a few words to the underling beside him. The underling then turned and ran back to find Zhao Xueming.

Zhang Beichuan naturally noticed him as well, and couldn't help but feel happy. Perfect, he could settle both old and new scores at the same time.

The people that A-Qiang brought didn't make a fuss or shout. As soon as they entered, they ran up to the people buying things, and if they were men, they just glared at them.

If she's a lesbian, she'll stalk people with a lewd look on her face.

Within minutes, customers who had just entered the store to look at watches and nylon stockings were scared away by these thugs.

Lan Baojun and Zhang Dequan were so angry at the situation that the veins on their foreheads bulged.

"Are you fucking done yet?" Lan Baojun, who couldn't hold back any longer, stepped out from behind the counter and pointed at A-Qiang's nose, cursing.

Ah Qiang chuckled, "What's wrong? Beichuan Department Store is open for business but doesn't welcome customers? We can't even look around?"

Seeing his smug look, Lan Baojun grabbed the kid by the collar, ready to teach him a lesson!

Zhang Beichuan grabbed him and shook his head.

These people are deliberately causing trouble. If my great-uncle Lan Baojun strikes first and injures someone, he will be the one to be accused of assault.

"Go ahead and fight, why aren't you fighting?" A-Qiang glanced at Lan Baojun provocatively. If they really fought, it wouldn't just be a simple matter of management fees.

He glanced at Zhang Beichuan again and laughed even harder.

Zhang Beichuan grinned, walked over to him, took out his hand wrapped in a gauze from his pocket, and placed it on his waist.

"Say it to me again?"

"Oh ho...hehe...heh...you...you......."

Before A-Qiang could finish speaking, he felt a numbness in his body and his body began to fall uncontrollably to the side.

Zhang Beichuan stepped aside, and the kid fell straight down.

With a "plop," this startled not only the other group of hooligans but also Lan Baojun and Zhang Dequan.

Ah Qiang, who was lying on the ground, was convulsing as if he were being electrocuted.

The shop was quiet for a few seconds before the terrified young men ran over and shook Ah Qiang's body.

"Brother Qiang? Brother Qiang, what's wrong?"

I called out for a long time, but Ah Qiang, who was lying on the ground, didn't respond.

"You..." The young man pointed at Zhang Beichuan, who was smiling at him, and stammered, "What...what did you do to our Brother Qiang?"

Zhang Beichuan helplessly shrugged, indicating that it had nothing to do with him.

"How would I know what happened? Maybe you guys have done too many bad things, or maybe he has some health problem. Don't blame me."