Cecilia Adler finally felt a weight lift from her chest. She took out a pack of cigarettes and pressed it into the man's hand. "Thank you, sir. Please accept this small token of my appreciation."
The man accepted the cigarettes, his demeanor softening considerably. He instructed her, "Once you're inside, if you hear anyone outside yell 'Run!', it doesn't matter if you've bought anything or not—you have to run east."
"Okay," Cecilia Adler said, thanking him before heading into the market.
Rice, flour, grain, and oil; meat and non-staple food coupons; books and stationery; daily necessities—all could be bartered for items of equal value.
Cecilia Adler made a circuit of the market before finally stopping in front of a noodle stall.
Suddenly, someone bumped her arm, causing her to stumble several steps to the side.
"So sorry, so sorry."
Cecilia steadied herself and turned to see an older woman, head bowed in apology. On the ground lay an open stamp album.
They were vibrant and beautiful.
The buildings and scenery depicted on them looked just like the majestic landscapes the educated youths always talked about.
She remembered the educated youths saying that stamps were highly collectible, and that old ones were a rare, once-in-a-lifetime find.
If she could find the right buyer, they could be worth a fortune.
She was instantly captivated.
The older woman looked up, and seeing Cecilia staring at her stamps, she immediately said, "Dear, want to buy some stamps? These are old, from sixty or seventy years ago. The whole album has over a hundred, and it's only eight dollars."
"Something from sixty or seventy years ago? Is it even usable?" the neighboring stall owner chimed in. "And you have the nerve to ask for eight dollars? A scrap collector wouldn't even look twice at it for two cents."
The older woman retorted, "I'm not asking you. I'm asking the young lady here."
Cecilia really wanted them, but the woman's price was too high; she couldn't have scraped together eight dollars if she tried. "Can I take a look first?"
"Of course you can. This was my family's private collection. If things weren't so desperate, I couldn't bear to sell them."
Cecilia flipped through the pages one by one, confirming they were indeed old. "Would you part with it for three dollars? That's all I have on me."
To prove her point, Cecilia honestly pulled out all her change. It was all money she had secretly skimmed while doing the grocery shopping for May Sutton.
The middle-aged woman looked conflicted.
The noodle stall owner said, "Young lady, judging by your clothes, you're not from a wealthy family. If you go home after spending three dollars on something you can neither eat nor drink, aren't your parents going to kill you?"
His words made Cecilia waver. 'All my knowledge about this comes from the educated youths back in the village.'
'If I can't turn these stamps into cash, then they're no better than garbage.'
"I…"
Afraid Cecilia would back out, the older woman quickly shoved the stamp album into her arms. "Three dollars is three dollars! I'll just take the loss."
The noodle stall owner added, "Young lady, think this through! Don't let yourself get scammed."
After a moment of careful consideration, Cecilia said, "I've made up my mind." She handed the money to the woman.
The woman looked both pleased and wistful. "My family collected these for decades... To think they'd end up being worth only three dollars."
"Maybe we shouldn't..." Cecilia began, feeling her now-empty wallet. A sharp pang of regret hit her.
'How many times had she fought a battle of wits with May Sutton just to save up this little bit of money?'
'Now the principal is gone. What am I going to do now?'
"I've got other business, I'm off," the woman said, hurrying away.
What was done was done. Cecilia clutched the stamp album and started for home.
Before she knew it, she was back at the Lee family home.
The moment she stepped through the door, her father, Lucas Lee, who was already home from work, stopped her. His voice was cold as he interrogated her. "So, you decided to come back, did you? You went out with your mother and just disappeared without a word, leaving her and your sister to search for you half the day. Is that any way for a daughter and an older sister to behave?"
"I..."
Vivian Lee quickly cut in, "Dad, it's the New Year. Just let it go. I'm sure my sister didn't mean to."