City's Best Divine Doctor-Chapter 1726 - 1686: Gifts

Here in Cuba, the US dollar is much more valuable than the Cuban Peso. Ye Qiu is going shopping now, preparing to go back tomorrow. When Luo Yang and the others, along with Miranda, are leading the way, they arrive at that state-owned store in the city.

This state-owned store sells a variety of daily necessities, looking quite similar to Huaxia in the seventies and eighties. Miranda brings Ye Qiu and the two others inside, and Ye Qiu notices the cigars here, indeed there are all kinds, just like the cigarettes back home.

Some cost one or two dollars apiece, others ten, dozens of dollars apiece. Of course, they are packaged, two cigars per box, or six, twelve, and twenty-five per box.

"Sir, the most expensive ones here are eight hundred US dollars per box, with six cigars." The salesperson said.

Eight hundred dollars, and it’s only six cigars?

That is indeed quite expensive; not to mention Cubans can’t afford it, many people abroad can’t either. One cigar costs over a hundred US dollars, almost eight or nine hundred Huaxia Yuan.

"Give me two boxes of this, and also two boxes of these," Ye Qiu said as he bought two boxes of the most expensive ones, and some mid-range too, enough for his father to enjoy.

Ye Qiu looked over at Luo Yang and Ning Yun, asking, "Do you want to bring some back for your parents?"

Luo Yang and Ning Yun didn’t bring much money, and of course, all expenses during this period were covered by Ye Qiu.

"Take two more boxes, one for each of you." Ye Qiu said, looking at the two of them.

After buying these cigars, Ye Qiu got into the car and asked Miranda, "What do your parents like?"

"Cigars!" Miranda said.

Cubans just love cigars and rum.

It’s like in Huaxia, although many people have encountered teas and liquors, for the majority, they don’t have access to fine wines or teas, or simply don’t have the money to spend on such luxuries.

Like the most expensive cigars Ye Qiu just purchased, having Miranda’s parents buy them would surely be impossible.

Thinking of this, Ye Qiu almost felt that he was mistaken. Originally wanting to buy some gifts from Huaxia for the couple, he found that the Chinatown there wasn’t authentic at all, selling only local goods, which made Ye Qiu very disappointed.

"Let’s return to that state-owned store later."

Ye Qiu turned the car around to head back to the state-owned store.

Upon parking and entering inside, clearly, the salesperson was very happy to see him return, as the dollar was extremely valuable as foreign currency.

"I’ll take two more boxes of the most expensive cigars."

"Do you have the finest rum here?"

"Yes, sir, our most expensive rum here is five hundred US dollars a bottle, how many bottles do you need?"

Five hundred dollars?

It doesn’t seem cheap, but compared to Ye Qiu’s Viscount Red Wine, it’s far from that, although its price appears similar to the high-end liquors back home.

"Two bottles will do!"

After packaging everything, Ye Qiu had Luo Yang take out the dollars to settle the bill.

Once loaded back into the car, Ye Qiu knew he had bought the gift for Miranda’s father. But as for what Miranda’s mother might like?

Ye Qiu thought a little, and then decided to buy some jewelry for her mother.

Clearly, that state-owned store didn’t have any, so Ye Qiu asked Miranda to lead them to a place selling jewelry, and with Miranda, they quickly picked out a bracelet, intended for Miranda’s mother.

Once all these were bought, Ye Qiu asked Luo Yang, "How much dollars do we have left?"

He had taken fifty thousand dollars in cash in Nassau, and after paying ten thousand to the taxi driver, the other expenses combined were less than ten thousand, leaving more than thirty thousand US dollars.

He intended to give the rest as pocket money for Miranda.

After all, once back home, these dollars wouldn’t be of much use.

Upon arriving at Martinez’s door, parking the car, the four got out, and when Ye Qiu brought out the gifts for Miranda’s parents, they hadn’t expected Ye Qiu to be so generous.

Although the Martinez family is considered middle class in Cuba, it is, in reality, very different from middle class elsewhere.

Wages in Cuba are low, yet prices aren’t cheap. Salespeople in the state-owned stores earn wages equivalent to only two to three hundred Huaxia Yuan.

Ye Qiu couldn’t fathom how those people managed living, highlighting why so many people yearn to sneak into the United States, given that staying in Cuba offers little future.

Regarding Miranda’s parents growing tobacco leaves sold to the state-owned company, they could only afford very ordinary cigars for consumption, akin to cheap cigarettes back home.

It’s just like how silkworm breeders can’t afford silk clothing, and now Miranda’s parents are exactly in that situation.

Upon hearing Ye Qiu had bought the most expensive cigars for him to taste, old Martinez almost felt like crying; also hearing eight hundred dollars a box for six cigars, he thought it was exorbitant, believing if negotiated, it wouldn’t require that much money.

"Dr. Ye, your gift is too expensive." Old Martinez said.

"No worries, I also bought two boxes for my father."

When old Martinez opened the shimmering box, seeing the finger-thick cigars inside, he took one out for a whiff and realized they were indeed the finest Havana cigars from Cuba.

Smoking these cigars almost made him reluctant, wanting to collect them instead.

Additionally, hearing about the bottle of rum being the most expensive, old Martinez didn’t know what to say.

Meanwhile, Miranda’s mother, noticing her daughter and Ye Qiu seemed to share an unclear relationship lately, and now seeing Ye Qiu giving such an expensive gift to her, seemed to have guessed something.

However, she did not oppose the two being together, knowing compared to other Cubans, this young man Ye Qiu had excellent conditions, although he was too far away.

If in the future Miranda marries far-away in Huaxia, visiting her would be quite a difficult task.

"Tonight I will go grocery shopping, make dinner myself, and then take a flight back home tomorrow, possibly to come again next year." Ye Qiu said.

Moreover, Ye Qiu had already assigned Martinez as his agent there, with a monthly salary of ten thousand dollars, undoubtedly a very high income for many Cubans.

Most importantly, Ye Qiu trusted the person, though the Coffee Mountain farm has someone managing it, surely someone has to be dispatched occasionally for supervision.

As Ye Qiu and Miranda drove to the nearby seafood market for groceries, then cooked personally, Miranda watched Ye Qiu with increasing fondness; however, Ye Qiu was returning soon, while she had to return to continue her studies. Ye Qiu encouraged her to finish college first, only then consider traveling to Huaxia.