𝖣𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗌𝖾𝖽 𝖠𝗌 𝖠 𝖢𝖺𝗇𝗇𝗈𝗇 𝖥𝗈𝖽𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝖥𝖾𝗆𝖺𝗅𝖾 𝖤𝖽𝗎𝖼𝖺𝗍𝖾𝖽

Black Market Meyhem

The house stood out in the neighborhood, not with the charm of age like its neighbors but with a stark, recent renovation.

The air was thick with the scent of paint and fresh wood, a stark contrast to the dilapidated buildings surrounding it.

Inside, Su Qingya faced the boss of the local black market, a man in his early twenties whose arrogance radiated from him like a palpable aura.

Not that it mattered to her much. She needed to sell the clothes, leather shoes, tote bags, cotton-padded jackets, and the radio she had taken from that family of snakes.

Among her items were a woman's watch found in Su An's cupboard and a man's watch that belonged to Father Su.

“I want to sell some things. I’m in a hurry, so I can’t do it myself,” she stated, her voice steady despite the uncertainty swirling inside her.

Chen Huaian had been running the black market in this city for three years, attracting numerous sellers from different regions.

He eyed her with a mix of curiosity and skepticism; this was the first time someone wanted to sell at a lower price simply because they were pressed for time.

In his world, urgency often meant weakness, and interference in others’ business was frowned upon.

Su Qingya quickly assessed her wares and made her pitch. “Five dresses at 15 yuan each, leather shoes for 20 yuan, bags at 10 yuan each, and cotton-padded jackets for 12 yuan each.”

She paused for effect. “The radio is new and well-functioning, so I’ll take 120 yuan for it. The two watches—125 and 115 yuan respectively.”

Chen's brow furrowed as he calculated. “You’re undervaluing these items. You could get more if you waited.”

“Time is not a luxury I have,” Su Qingya replied, her tone firm.

She didn’t want to waste more time arguing. All she needed was money; her space was overflowing with advanced materials that couldn’t be taken out, and she needed a medium to buy things suited to this era.

In total, she earned 511 yuan. After exchanging 61 yuan for various tickets, including grain, cotton, cloth, and a rare bicycle ticket that Chen had begrudgingly given her for the radio, Su Qingya left the black market with a newfound sense of purpose.

With 2450 yuan in her savings, she felt a surge of hope, a significant sum considering the situation in this era.

As she exited, Su Qingya kept a vigilant eye on her surroundings, ensuring no one was following her.

Once safely back in the dark alley, she quickly changed back into her original form.

The original owner looked strikingly similar to her, albeit a bit taller and more slender; malnourishment hadn’t restricted her development much.

Donning a long-sleeved turtleneck sweater and a simple jacket, Su Qingya opted for the most ordinary pair of Converse shoes in a muted color.

She wasn’t going to buy food for appearance's sake; she intended to purchase supplies after her trip to the countryside.

As morning dawned and she had used her powers, Su Qingya felt significantly weaker. The realization hit her hard: this current era was not suitable for her as a vampire.

She felt almost human—more agile, faster, and stronger than average, but still too weak.

She needed to find a way back to her era, either by creating a machine from her space or by adapting to her new life, which would require technical know-how.

A Queen of the vampire clan, Su Qingya was well-versed in the four arts, medicine, engineering, programming, and was a renowned scientist of her time with a high IQ.

She was confident in her ability to navigate this new world, but uncertainty still gnawed at her.

As she roamed through the departmental store, she began to stock up on dresses, mainly in black, to keep her body warm and mask the chill that coursed through her.

The turmoil of the era weighed heavily on her mind; it was now August of 1976.

The college entrance examination was set to begin in November of 1978, giving her enough time to figure out whether she could return to her own time or had to adapt here.

If she had to stay, she would take the exam and return to the city. But lingering too long in one place would draw suspicion to her abnormalities. She couldn’t risk it.

As for why she didn’t use her introduction letter for a job, she didn’t want to remain in the city and attract trouble.

She needed a quiet place to conduct her experiments, and what better place than the wild animal-filled forests of the mountains?

Su Qingya's thoughts turned to a gossiping girl she had overheard in the store. The daughter of a manager at the Education Youth Department had recently been enlisted as an educated youth. Unless the girl could find a job...

Selling the introduction letter could bring her some money, and given that the buyer was a manager, she figured choosing a suitable place in the countryside shouldn’t be too much of a stretch.

With those thoughts swirling in her mind, Su Qingya made her way to the state-owned hotel, treating herself to a plate of braised pork, stir-fried chicken shreds with potatoes, egg-tomato soup, and a bowl of egg noodles.

Each bite was a small indulgence, a reminder that even in this chaotic world, she had the power to take control of her fate..