Hearing Pan Meijia's words, Lin Meifeng shook her head and said, "Sister-in-law, how can I take your things for free? It's not easy for your family to grow these vegetables."
After a moment, she walked closer and asked, "Sister-in-law, how about I buy them from you? Just name a price."
Pan Meijia was used to selling things in the black market, but this was the first time someone had asked her to sell vegetables in the village. She looked at Lin Meifeng and said, "Sister Meifeng, personal transactions are a crime."
Lin Meifeng thought for a moment before saying, "How about this? I can exchange something with you for the vegetables."
"I found a batch of mushrooms at the foothills of the mountain. They are dried, but they are still fresh and of good quality. I can trade them for your vegetables."
Pan Meijia didn't lack money or mushrooms. But she knew that if she didn't accept the mushrooms, Lin Meifeng wouldn't accept the vegetables either. Since she couldn't accept money, bartering was a good alternative.
After considering the pros and cons, she finally nodded and said, "Okay then. Since mushrooms are more valuable, you can exchange half a pound of dried mushrooms for a kilogram of vegetables."
Unlike fresh mushrooms, dried mushrooms weighed less, so it was reasonable to give more vegetables in return.
Lin Meifeng nodded and said, "Then, I will go back and get the mushrooms first."
Before she left, Pan Meijia stopped her and said, "Sister Meifeng, you can pick the vegetables first and bring me the mushrooms another time."
Thinking about the round trip, Lin Meifeng nodded and said, "Then I will bring them over later."
"Okay."
Without hesitation, Lin Meifeng started selecting vegetables. She had expected to find some lower-quality ones, but to her surprise, all of them were fresh and of high quality. Even the vegetables sold at the state-owned grain and supply stores weren't as good as these.
Overjoyed to get such fresh and plump vegetables, she decided to exchange two and half pounds of dried mushrooms for five kilograms of vegetables.
She picked two kilograms of cucumbers, one kilogram of eggplants, one kilogram of pole beans, and one kilogram of lettuce.
When she was done, Pan Meijia said, "Sister Meifeng, you can borrow my bamboo basket."
Since Lin Meifeng had only brought a small basket, she didn't refuse and said, "Thank you, sister-in-law."
After packing the vegetables, Lin Meifeng took her leave and returned home in a good mood.
Not long after she left, Jiang Ziyu asked, "Sister-in-law, who was that?"
"Sister Meifeng is Aunt Lin's niece, the matchmaker in our village. Her father sent her to stay with her aunt not long ago," Pan Meijia replied.
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