The man spoke quickly and quietly, his eyes constantly darting around as if he were afraid of being overheard.Ryan Williams knew that in this era, coupons were almost as valuable as cash. Sometimes, even if you had money, you still couldn't buy grain or meat. But with the right coupons, you could always make a purchase.At this stage of the country's development, resources were limited. The coupon system existed to maintain market stability, ensuring that scarce goods were distributed fairly and preventing extreme disparities between different regions.However, every solution created new problems.For example, grain produced in rural areas had to be handed over to the state, while urban workers could obtain grain without growing it themselves.As a result, when rural residents traveled to the city, they still needed grain coupons if they wanted to eat. And where did those coupons come from?Naturally, they had to buy them.But rural areas didn't issue grain coupons.Most of the time,

At the entrance of the alley, a figure slowly walked toward them.With the New Year approaching, every household was busy preparing. Some were thoroughly cleaning their homes from top to bottom, trying to sweep away dust and bad luck. Others were out buying necessities—food, daily supplies, anything they could get their hands on. Even though resources were scarce, the traditional customs still kept a faint festive atmosphere alive.Adults basked in the winter sun indoors, chatting, playing chess, and gossiping, enjoying a rare moment of rest after a year of hard work.Children gathered in groups, playing various games. Boys and girls alike ran freely without supervision, only going home when it was time to eat. No one worried about them or went looking on the streets.Walking along the road, Ryan Williams could clearly feel the unique human atmosphere of this era, while also sensing the strange gazes from those around him.Those gazes carried anger, pity, regret, and disdain.Ryan Will

In the front yard, Andrew Fletcher and an old man walked into the courtyard together.As the end of the year was approaching, many weddings were being held one after another.As a cook, Andrew Fletcher was naturally in high demand, and the old man, relying on his connections, helped him secure orders everywhere, gradually building up his reputation.They had just come from Factory Director Wagner’s house. The meal had greatly pleased Director Wagner, and his future job prospects were now firmly secured.Andrew Fletcher was not yet the influential figure in the steel mill’s kitchen. After entering the kitchen, he was still working as an assistant to the senior chefs.In those days, culinary skill alone was not enough to become a head chef. Factories and companies valued seniority, and newcomers needed not only patience but also mentorship to climb the ranks.In the original story, Jack Ryder apprenticed under Andrew Fletcher for three years. On the surface, it was for observation, but i

After everyone left, Ryan Williams carried the kitchen knife back into the house.Only Samantha Parker remained standing in the courtyard, finally beginning to process what had just happened.What exactly had happened?How had everyone disappeared in the blink of an eye?How could they just leave?Had they really abandoned her, an old woman?Hadn't those three old men stood up for her?Countless questions tangled together in her mind until they became a muddled mess.A cold gust of wind swept through the courtyard, making Samantha Parker shiver. Her stomach growled loudly. She spat a thick mouthful of phlegm toward the Williams family's house before turning around and heading home.As soon as she lifted the curtain and entered, she saw Elysia Smith patting Kevin Parker on the back. He had drunk too much and had already vomited all over the room. The sour smell still lingered in the air."Hurry up and bring the food. I'm starving."She had originally intended to complain about the two o

In Workshop Three, Director Thomas Harrington led the assessors into the workshop, his face serious.Upon seeing the director, the workshop immediately fell silent.Behind him followed two assessors, one of whom was the leader of the assessment team in charge of this evaluation.Seeing their strictly businesslike attitude, the participants felt somewhat intimidated.As assessors, although they were not well-liked in the factory, no one dared to offend them.They were disliked because assessors were extremely strict about quality, even rigidly adhering to data. The slightest defect would result in scrapping the part, making most of the hard work useless.But no one dared offend them either, because they wielded absolute authority over results. As long as the data met the requirements, they would pass.In terms of quality control, they were only accountable to the factory’s Party Secretary. Even the factory director’s words sometimes carried little weight.It was precisely this strict co