Chapter 140

"Ugh—"

As soon as she stepped off the bus, Emily Johnson heard the sounds of people vomiting all around her. She covered her nose, her brows furrowing in disgust. The rickety bus had jolted along the entire journey, the cabin reeking of nauseating gasoline fumes.

"You okay?" Michael Stone asked, steadying her with concern.

"I'm fine," Emily replied, forcing down her discomfort as she quickly moved away from the filthy scene. She had deliberately worn a dark blue cotton coat today to avoid drawing attention.

Michael lowered his voice. "I’ll go sell the ginseng at the black market. You head to the department store and look around."

Emily’s eyes lit up. This was exactly what she wanted.

"Alright, I’ll wait for you."

The two parted ways at the street corner. Michael disappeared into a narrow alley with practiced ease, while Emily strode straight toward the department store.

At the watch counter, she pretended to browse casually. The "Plum Blossom" and "Shanghai" brands—these outdated watches looked downright tacky to her. Her fingers brushed against the two exquisite wristwatches hidden in her sleeve, and a faint smile curved her lips.

"Ah, you still need ration coupons to buy a watch these days. How’s my son supposed to get married like this?"

The complaints of two middle-aged women nearby caught her attention. Emily’s eyes gleamed—this was her chance.

"Auntie!" she chirped, sidling up to them warmly. "I’ve been looking for you!"

The two women stared at her in confusion.

Emily lowered her voice conspiratorially. "I’ve got something good here—no coupons needed..."

Ten minutes later, in a quiet alley.

"See? This is the latest model." Emily rolled up her sleeve, revealing the dazzling watch on her wrist. The metal band glinted coldly in the sunlight, its intricate dial leaving the two women wide-eyed.

"T-this is way better than anything in the department store!"

Emily smiled sweetly. "My cousin brought them back from the city. Only two left."

She mentally calculated—this watch could fetch at least...

"How much, girl?" One of the women had already pulled out a handkerchief-wrapped stack of bills, eager.

Emily blinked innocently. "What do you think is fair, Auntie?"

She needed to test the waters first. After all, in these times, she wasn’t entirely sure how much grain a single watch could trade for.