Chapter 22: Can’t Even Afford Pork Anymore
Gu Mengyao didn’t doubt Gu Yu’s statement about the low prices.
Recently, the prices in Lian Town had indeed changed a lot, and it was very strange…
Just the price of grain remained high, causing some women in the village to cry out in regret, wishing they had saved their leftover grain until now to sell, as it would be more valuable.
Regarding these matters, Gu Mengyao also felt that the market had changed too much, and it was likely to become even more chaotic in the future.
However, with Gu Yu at home, Gu Mengyao didn’t have to worry about these things.
Her Ah Yu was so smart and good at making money, so naturally, he wouldn’t let her worry about anything.
And now, it was time to enjoy the happiness of their world for two!
“Mengyao, where do you want to go later?”
“We’ve almost visited all of Lian Town. Let’s go to the market to see flowers this time! Many of our flowers were damaged during the last earthquake!”
“Okay.”
Upon hearing Gu Mengyao wanting to look at flowers, Gu Yu immediately nodded, then took Gu Mengyao’s hand and went to the market, preparing to see if there were any good potted plants and buy a few more to take back.
Although Gu Yu had many flower seeds in his space, it wasn’t the right time to plant them now. It would be more troublesome than buying ready-made potted plants.
Coincidentally, he could also go to the market to see how high the prices really were, which had shocked his younger brother-in-law so much!
As for why Gu Mengyao didn’t buy flowers when she came to the market with Gu Qingheng in the morning, it was because the mood was different when she came to see flowers with Gu Yu. Therefore, strolling and shopping at this time felt very good.
“Come and see! Top-quality dates, sold cheap, two for one wen!”
“Fat pork, ninety wen per jin.”
“Fresh vegetables, ten wen per jin! You won’t be cheated or fooled, cheaper than other places!”
Walking on the street, listening to the shouts around, Gu Yu was also stunned. He thought, how could people sell things at these prices without robbing them!
Damn it, the civilians probably couldn’t even afford pork anymore!
“Mengyao, these vegetable and meat prices are too expensive! They’re not just a little more expensive than the original selling price!”
“Who says not! When I brought Qingheng here this morning, he was as surprised as you after hearing the prices of these vegetables and meat.”
Gu Mengyao shook her head helplessly upon hearing Gu Yu’s surprised words, thinking that if she hadn’t heard it with her own ears, no one would have imagined that the prices of these vegetables and meat would be so expensive.
However, it was true now.
“Can Magistrate Bai not manage it?”
“He can’t manage it. Because of the bad harvest caused by the earthquake, if the original prices are forcibly restored, some unscrupulous businessmen will take the opportunity to hoard goods and then sell them elsewhere, which will further strain the supply in Lian Town.”
“Alas, I was thinking too simply. However, if this continues, something will definitely happen.”
As they spoke, Gu Yu and Gu Mengyao arrived at the place where flowers were sold. Gu Mengyao stopped thinking too much and began to concentrate on selecting her favorite flowers.
However, Gu Mengyao originally thought she could buy a lot of flowers, but now, looking at the few potted plants available, after picking and choosing, she only found one light pink flower that was acceptable.
“Stall owner, why are there so few flowers today? When I come here usually, there are enough to fill the entire stall!”
“Alas, it’s all because of the Earth Dragon! It ruined the flowers I raised. It’s too late to replant them now. Besides… with the effort spent on growing flowers, I might as well grow more vegetables, which can be sold at a higher price and make more money than selling flowers.”
Gu Yu, standing beside Gu Mengyao, felt very strange seeing only these flowers. After chatting with the stall owner, he understood why.
How long has it been since the earthquake? The impact is really too great.
And now, it is indeed more profitable to grow vegetables than flowers.
After buying this pot of pink flowers, Gu Yu and Gu Mengyao did not stay in the market but went to visit other shops to see if the prices of other items, besides vegetables and meat, were also rising.
As a result, clothes and jewelry prices did not rise but fell, which made Gu Yu unable to resist buying quite a lot.
Although they were not necessary items, it would be a waste not to buy them at such beautiful prices… However, if this continues, they might become cheaper and cheaper.
At that time, many shops would probably close down.
…
“Sister, brother-in-law, why are you back so soon? Didn’t you play longer?”
After returning from town dejectedly, Gu Mengyao went to plant the potted plants she bought in the yard, while Gu Qingheng quickly slipped over and asked Gu Yu why he had returned so early!
According to his brother-in-law’s personality, he shouldn’t have returned until dark!
But how much time had passed?
“Don’t mention it. When we were shopping, we ran into the Chubby Chef from Chunlai Restaurant. As soon as he saw me, he started crying all sorts of things, saying that the prices of vegetables and meat were too high and it affected the restaurant’s business… I wrote a letter to ask Maoyuan Tang in the capital, and it turned out that even the prices in the capital had risen, leaving Maoyuan Tang helpless.”
“The restaurant business is also not good! Alas, it’s really tough for the Chubby Chef, these days are very difficult!”
“No matter how difficult it is, you shouldn’t have ruined my date with your sister! Really, after looking forward to it for so long, if I have to wait again, it will be several more days.”
“Wait, just running into the Chubby Chef wouldn’t make you come back so early, right? Did something else happen? Tell me quickly!”
After hearing Gu Yu’s explanation, Gu Qingheng nodded understandingly, but then he thought that if it was just the Chubby Chef blocking their way, it wouldn’t make Gu Yu and Gu Mengyao come back so early… His brother-in-law must have hidden something else!
Gu Qingheng, who smelled gossip sensitively, had his eyes shining as if flashing with light. Gu Yu saw it and immediately twitched his mouth speechlessly, thinking that his younger brother-in-law was only interested in this aspect.
“It’s nothing else. After the Chubby Chef cried to us, he insisted on taking us to see the restaurant… When we got there, we found that the place, which was originally crowded with people, had become deserted, with only one or two customers dining in the restaurant.”
“Why is that! After the earthquake in Lian Town, the prices of vegetables and meat all went up. Shouldn’t more people come to the restaurant to eat?”
Upon hearing what Gu Yu said later, Gu Qingheng frowned. He didn’t expect the restaurant business to be so bad.
If this continues, it won’t be long before it goes out of business. No wonder the Chubby Chef was so anxious.
However, Gu Qingheng couldn’t imagine that the situation in the restaurant would be so serious. So, he looked at Gu Yu with confusion, asking him to explain the reason why things had turned out this way!