Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo' Chapter 1445: Human Market Couple

Shoe factories, clothing factories, pharmaceutical factories… The factories were lined up next to each other, and there were quite a few people crowded in front of each one.

Many of them were holding signs with the numbers “1” or “2” on them, indicating their asking price for a round of work.

Tan Jinxiao paid great attention to this: “From now on, we also need to get a sign and mark the price on ourselves. This makes it easier to find work, and later on, when it’s time to settle accounts, there will be fewer misunderstandings on both sides.”

Juanzi looked at Tan Jinxiao and said: “We’re not here to work for you, can you understand what I’m saying?”

Xiao Yeci glanced at his pocket watch, it was already eight in the evening: “At this hour, and there are still so many people waiting for work!”

Tan Jinxiao said: “In the Underground City, there’s no difference between day and night. As long as you have strength, you can work from morning till night, and keep doing it for days and nights without anyone bothering you.”

A shoe factory had its newly produced shoes displayed by the roadside, waiting for someone to collect them.

Li Banfeng picked up a shoe box and opened it to take a look.

Regardless of workmanship or material, whether in Puluo State or Outside Provinces, these shoes definitely counted as top-notch.

Moreover, Li Banfeng had seen this brand before; it was sold both in Puluo State and Outside Provinces.

As for the price, if we go by the store’s pricing, with Chen Changrui’s salary, he would have to save for half a year to afford such a pair.

The shoes here didn’t have a price tag, so Li Banfeng asked: “How much are these shoes per pair?”

The worker at the entrance, seeing Li Banfeng’s fine attire, politely replied: “Sir, we don’t sell shoes retail.”

Li Banfeng smiled and said: “I’m just asking the price, not really buying.”

The worker looked troubled: “If you want to buy shoes, you should check out the nearby shoe store, we really don’t sell retail here.”

Tan Jinxiao chimed in: “I’ve worked in a shoe factory before, but I don’t know what the current rate is. Back then, a pair sold for sixty.”

Li Banfeng didn’t catch it clearly: “Sixty what? Ocean Dollars?”

“What Ocean Dollars? How many people have actually seen Ocean Dollars?” Tan Jinxiao snorted, “Sixty Huan Country Banknotes, and that’s not little.”

Li Banfeng furrowed his brow and said: “That doesn’t seem right, is that enough to cover the cost?”

Tan Jinxiao said: “It’s enough and there’s profit! It just depends on how you work. Don’t mess around here; if someone notices you buying shoes, it could ruin the factory, and the boss would have to take a shovel out to find work, and the machines might not even be salvaged.”

“What does it mean, machines might not be salvaged?”

“If someone smashes the machines, wouldn’t that mean they’re gone?” Tan Jinxiao advised the crowd, “If you’re here for work, I can help negotiate the price, if not, don’t disrupt their business.”

In the meantime, a steam whistle sounded in the distance, and a little train slowly approached.

This little train was similar to the one in Black Stone Slope’s city area. When it reached the shoe factory entrance, it stopped, and the factory workers loaded goods onto the train, the conductors collected the items, counted them, recorded them, and the workers took back the receipts to the factory.

Li Banfeng said: “Don’t they get cash straight away?”

Tan Jinxiao said: “Once they gather enough receipts, they collect the money from the boss’s counter, and they usually don’t delay, but if unusual situations occur, then they might have to wait a little longer… I say, young lady, write down the useful stuff, but leave the unnecessary things aside; why are you noting down how the factory sells items? Isn’t it tiring to jot down so many words?”

He was speaking to Xiao Yeci.

Xiao Yeci said earnestly: “I don’t find it tiring, these things are very useful.”

Tan Jinxiao shook his head and said: “What’s the use in noting this down? Even if you don’t feel tired, at least save on ink and paper!”

Li Banfeng walked over, looking at clothes, hats, shoes, socks, pots, bowls, and also wanting to buy them. These things were genuinely well made, but every factory had the same rule: no retail.

Tan Jinxiao pointed to a grocery store ahead: “If you want to buy something, go there, that’s the proper retail place.”

Li Banfeng went into the shop, looking at clothes, shoes, pots, bowls, and tables, chairs, and benches; the items here couldn’t compare with those from the factories.

The shopkeeper was quite enthusiastic, offering a set of suits for Li Banfeng to try.

Li Banfeng’s first suit was bought at Feng’s Grocery Store, and he had a special affection for the items in the grocery store.

He bought the suit, but didn’t try it on, as the fabric scent was too pungent.

Juanzi also liked the clothing in the grocery store; the shopkeeper often did business with Three-Headed People, knowing what sizes fitted, and specifically picked out two shirts for Juanzi.

A shirt cost seven and nine, a suit twenty-eight and three.

Out of the grocery store, Juanzi was quite pleased holding the shirts, but Mengzi wasn’t happy: “Why buy such trash? Smell this scent yourself; how can these clothes be worn?”

Juanzi snorted and said: “You’re so arrogant! Back in the day when we were poor, it took years to buy a single piece of clothing. Have you forgotten?”

How many years it actually took to buy clothes, Mengzi couldn’t remember, but Li Banfeng could calculate.

According to the Underground City’s Human Market rates, a worker could barely earn two Huan Country Banknotes a day, after deducting food and expenses, there’d be only a few cents left; if there were kids and elders at home, even those few cents wouldn’t remain. How long would it take them to save for a new outfit?

Yet the Underground City didn’t lack clothes, a clothing factory was just ahead, loading boxes of clothes onto the train.

Not lacking clothes, but unable to afford them, what kind of reasoning is this?

In the Underground City, day and night were irrelevant. Li Banfeng glanced at his pocket watch, it was already twelve, time to find a place to stay.