(The author's research has determined the purchasing power of the ruble in 1990, but at that time there were official prices and black market prices, and the exchange rate changed frequently, so readers who have experienced it can give the author advice.) ）

Jia Lei sat on the back of the bicycle and returned to the free trade zone, Su Renfeng returned the bicycle to the shop owner and took Jia Lei back to his truck with the basket. Su Renfeng put the basket into the cab and turned his head to talk to the Russian man who was helping to load the car, and the two brothers named Livyi and Livel were helping him with the work.

"Lifuyi, how are my goods loaded?" asked Su Renfeng.

"Su, your goods and the last two baskets will be filled soon. Lifyi replied loudly, pointing in the direction of the pass.

Jia Lei followed his fingers and looked over, a man who looked very similar to him was carrying a big wicker basket behind his back, holding a big wicker basket in front of him, and slowly moving towards this side in the crowd of people passing through the customs.

"Since your brother is coming over soon, I'd better settle the bill with you first. Su Renfeng said in Chinese, and Jia Lei only found out that this Russian man could actually speak Chinese.

"Ten wicker baskets of eighty pounds each, a total of eight hundred pounds of goods and eight rubles. Lifuyi spread out his palms and said, Su Renfeng took out eight rubles and gave it to him, and he was the market price for manpower to pour the contractor here.

"Sue, can I buy you an apple for one ruble, at the store price?" asked Livyi.

"The store price? Then you can only buy 0.5 kilograms of apples, and the size of apples in our Northeast can only be three. Su Renfeng said in surprise.

"Oh my God, Su, you are willing to give me three apples for one ruble, you are such a good person!" Lifuyi said gratefully, and Jia Lei's jaw dropped when he heard this.

You must know that at this time, the official exchange rate of the ruble is still 0.6 rubles for 1 dollar, and the black market price of the ruble is also about 0.8~0.9 rubles for 1 dollar.

And this kind of ordinary red Fuji apples only cost one yuan a catty in the shops of ordinary cities in China, and only 0.45 yuan a catty if they received them directly from the orchard in their hometown.

"But there are only three apples, how should you divide the family of four?" Su Renfeng said with a frown.

"How can we adults be willing to eat such a precious fruit as apples, one of these three apples will be given to my parents, one will be given to my two children, and the last one will be left to Livre. Livre wants to surprise his girlfriend!" Livre said, if it weren't for the sake of his children and brother, he wouldn't have bought such expensive fruit.

"Lifuyi, you often help me go to the opposite side to get the goods, and you also know the price of the goods on the other side, this apple is not worth so much money in our Huaxia at all. The price of 2 rubles a pound was too expensive, and at that time I sold it to outsiders! If it were you, I could sell you 4 pounds of apples for 1 ruble, which is 2 kg of apples. Su Renfeng thought for a while and said.

Lifuyi was so moved that she almost cried when she heard the price, twelve apples, enough for their family to eat for a month.

"Su, you are a good person, all the people in this bazaar know that Su from Huaxia is the most righteous person, you used to take care of us when you were a soldier, and now you take more care of us after doing business. Don't use the Chinese boss and the Russian boss only use us like donkeys, only you treat us as friends. Lifyi said that at this time, his brother Livre passed through the pass and was running towards this side with a basket in his arms.

"Livre, I have good news for you!" Livre shouted to his brother.

"Brother, I have good news for you, too!" Livr said excitedly.

"Load the apples for Sue before you talk to me!" Lifyi said to his brother, and Livre obediently began to load the car.

"Levlsu said he was willing to sell us 2 kilograms of apples for one rouble, about 12 of them!

You must know that in Soviet stores, fruits are simply not available, and the price of fruits on the black market is at least 5 rubles and 1kg, and even at this price, the fruits bought are the most ordinary and speckled inferior fruits.

"Sue is such a nice person, but Lifuyi, we don't have to buy fruit with Sue anymore, because I just went to help Sue pick up the goods, and I used the binoculars on my body to exchange for apples. The boss gave me 8kg of apples. Livre took a cloth bag from the basket of apples and held it up.

"Why did they give you so many apples?

You must know that he bought these apples from the fruit market in the next city, and the price of the fruits here is so expensive, the boss will not sell the apples at such a cheap price.

"Sue is right, bring me the apple, don't be deceived when you're young. Lifyi hastened to say, and Livre was so unhappy that he handed the bag to his brother.

"I'm eighteen years old, I'm not a kid anymore! Livre said.

Eighteen years old! Jia Lei looked at Livre, who was more than 1.8 meters old, and was envious.

"It's okay, it's okay! These apples have only small scars, and they look like they've been broken on the road. Take it back and wash it, cut it with a knife, and eat it without a problem!

You must know that the fruits here are specially transported by merchants from other places, and most of them are powerful businessmen who directly transport them to the big cities of the Soviet Union, and few people will sell them alone to the working Soviets, and even if they can buy them, the price is very expensive, which is about the same as the price in Soviet stores! About 2 rubles a catty.

"Yes, these apples are okay? This is probably eliminated when they traded with me, this kind of bad apples is only a dime a pound on our side, and the apple seller exchanged these dozen pounds of apples for a telescope for you, and he made a lot of money. Su Renfeng explained to Lifuyi, and the Lifuyi brothers were very happy after hearing it.

"But you can't eat these apples, and you can take the bad apples back and leave them for a day or two at most, what are you going to do?" asked Su Renfeng.

"That's how many apples there are, we can eat them all in two days!" said Lifyi, patting his chest confidently.

"So, you say...... What if I take these apples and sell them?" Livr asked suddenly, and Jia Lei glanced at the big kid appreciatively.

"I think it's a good idea, since your apples are so expensive, it's a pity that you eat these apples all day! Jia Lei said.

"What is half cheaper! There are no apples in the store, and we can sell them even if we sell them at the store price of 2 rubles a pound. Livre said, and Livre nodded.

"Then what are you waiting for, just make a happy decision! I wish your apples a good price!" Jia Lei said.

"Lovely Chinese friend, you are right, I wish our apples a good price!" Livr said happily.

After Su Renfeng said goodbye to them, he took Jia Lei to drive back in the truck.

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"Why are apples so expensive in the Soviet Union?" asked Su Renfeng on the way.

"That's because the industrial distribution of the Soviet Union is unbalanced, the Soviet Union's heavy industry and its developed light industry and agriculture are almost non-existent, the domestic production is far from meeting the basic living requirements of the people, and the Soviet Union's grain, vegetables and fruits are completely dependent on imports. Su Renfeng told Jia Lei.

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