"There are a lot of people at the market, so don't wander off. If you get kidnapped, you won't be able to get home," Ding Ermei said threateningly.

Zhou Jiaxiang remained silent, but thought to himself: If being kidnapped meant I could eat fried dough sticks every day, I'd rather be kidnapped.

"Kids these days are so hard to manage. They get upset if you say anything to them," Ding Ermei complained to Aunt Zhang, who had a stall next to her.

"That's how kids are. If you talk to them nicely, they'll listen," Aunt Zhang said dismissively.

Aunt Zhang is very annoyed.

Although she and Ding Ermei were neighbors, their relationship was just so-so.

Aunt Zhang was the first to set up her stall here today. She sells vegetables grown in her own private plot. Each bunch weighs about half a pound and is neatly tied with straw. She sells them for five cents a bunch.

Seeing that Aunt Zhang's business was doing well, Ding Ermei insisted on squeezing next to her.

From the moment she started setting up her stall, Ding Ermei kept chattering away.

Someone wanted to buy Aunt Zhang's vegetables, but was scared away by Ding Ermei's loud voice.

If it weren't for Zhao Zhenzhu's sake, Aunt Zhang would have turned on her.

"Grandma, can you give me five cents? I want to eat fried dough sticks," Zhou Jiaxiang said, mustering his courage.

Zhou Jiaxiang had been holding back for a long time, but he couldn't resist anymore. The craving was practically crawling to his lips; all he could think about now was the delicious aroma of fried dough sticks.

"Oh my, what are you eating fried dough sticks for? Didn't you promise not to buy anything today?" Ding Ermei said loudly.

A fried dough stick costs three cents, and Ding Ermei is a little reluctant to spend the money.

More importantly, Ding Ermei was afraid that if Zhou Jiaxiang ate the fried dough cakes and the villagers saw it, they would gossip about it to Zhou Fugui when they returned to the village.

Before leaving home today, Zhou Fugui repeatedly told him not to waste money.

If Ding Ermei disobeys Zhou Fugui's orders, she will get a beating when she gets home.

Unfortunately, Zhou Jiaxiang was completely unaware of Ding Ermei's predicament; his mind was entirely focused on the fragrant fried dough.

“Grandma, Third Aunt and Zhou Yunyun were eating fried dough sticks over there just now, and I want some too,” Zhou Jiaxiang said.

"Eat, eat, all you know is eating! Are you a reincarnated starving ghost? When you saw Zhao Zhenzhu eating fried dough, didn't you ask her to buy you one?" Ding Ermei scolded.

"I was afraid my third aunt wouldn't give it to me, so I didn't dare to ask," Zhou Jiaxiang said, head down.

"You don't dare ask Zhao Zhenzhu, but you dare ask me? I've been standing here for over half an hour, and I haven't sold a single vegetable. I have no money." Ding Ermei was even angrier.

Ding Ermei felt that she was having a bad day.

Ding Ermei also came to sell vegetables.

I don't know why, but there are a lot more farmers selling vegetables today.

Ding Ermei's vegetables weren't even washed properly; they were tied haphazardly and didn't look appealing. She was selling them for five cents a bunch. She'd been standing there for almost half an hour, and still hadn't made a sale.

Ding Ermei was feeling quite annoyed!

Zhou Jiaxiang was clamoring for fried dough sticks, which just happened to be what she was "firing at".

Zhou Jiaxiang was so angry he didn't know what to say.

Lately, Grandma has been going too far. Not only has she stopped giving him special treats like eggs, but she also frequently scolds him.

"Sister Ding, please stop scolding Jiaxiang. I think Jiaxiang has been quite well-behaved today. You tell him not to wander off, and he stands here obediently," Aunt Zhang advised.

If it weren't for Ding Ermei's constant nagging affecting her business, Aunt Zhang wouldn't have wanted to get involved in their family's mess at all.

"What are you being obedient about? You're like a reincarnated starving ghost." Ding Ermei glared fiercely at Zhou Jiaxiang.

“I also heard my third aunt say she took Zhou Yunyun to eat wontons! Zhou Yunyun is the one who was starving to death.” Zhou Jiaxiang retorted.

"Zhao Zhenzhu is going to eat wontons after finishing her fried dough? Oh my, she shouldn't spend her money like this." Ding Ermei slapped her thigh anxiously.

“I really heard it. Third Aunt said it herself, that she was going to eat wontons.” Zhou Jiaxiang thought Ding Ermei didn’t believe him, so he emphasized it again.

"Chunhua, you watch the stall for me. I'm taking Jiaxiang to find Zhao Zhenzhu. As an auntie, all you know is how to enjoy yourself, you don't even know to take Jiaxiang to eat a bowl of wontons." Ding Ermei didn't wait for Aunt Zhang's reply, grabbed Zhou Jiaxiang's hand, and left in a hurry.

"Hey! How could you be like this!" Aunt Zhang's face turned black with anger.

Aunt Zhang hasn't even sold all her own vegetables yet! How can Ding Ermei have the nerve to let her look after her stall?

Aunt Zhang was a kind person. Even if she was dissatisfied, she couldn't bring herself to abandon Ding Ermei's stall and leave.

Meanwhile, on Zhao Zhenzhu's side...

Zhao Zhenzhu and her daughter both heard Ding Ermei's shout for Zhou Jiaxiang.

"Mom, I heard Grandma's voice. Will Grandma let us go home?" Zhou Yunyun asked worriedly.

"Don't worry about her. Mom isn't going back to Zhoujia Village. You just need to stay with Mom," Zhao Zhenzhu comforted her.

"Mm." Zhou Yunyun nodded emphatically, a smile returning to her face.

The mother and daughter walked for about ten meters and arrived at the wonton stall.

"Uncle Jin, a small bowl of wontons." Zhao Zhenzhu led Zhou Yunyun to two empty seats and sat down.

"Alright!" Uncle Jin replied, and made sure to give him two extra wontons when he served them.

The wonton stall was run by Uncle Jin and his wife, and Zhao Zhenzhu used to be a regular customer of the wonton stall.

"Pearl! Is this your daughter? She's so cute." Aunt Jin praised as she brought over the cooked wontons.

"She's a mischievous girl, and she's very greedy," Zhao Zhenzhu said modestly.

After Aunt Jin left, Zhou Yunyun protested to Zhao Zhenzhu: "Mom, I'm not naughty, I'm just a little greedy."

"Okay, okay, Mom was wrong. You're a little glutton, alright?" Zhao Zhenzhu said with a smile.

"Mmm, I like being a glutton. Grandma says that gluttonous girls are lucky." Zhou Yunyun was satisfied.

Zhao Zhenzhu scooped up a wonton, blew on it to cool it down, and then fed it to Zhou Yunyun.

Uncle Jin's wontons are famous in town for their thin wrappers and generous fillings.

Zhou Yunyun ate with a satisfied expression.

Mom was right, wontons and fried dough sticks are just as delicious.

When Zhao Zhenzhu was feeding the second wonton, Zhou Yunyun nudged Zhao Zhenzhu's hand and said, "Mom, eat too."

"Mommy will feed you half first, and the rest is all Mommy's, okay?" Zhao Zhenzhu asked.

A bowl of wontons contains twenty wontons and costs two cents.

Zhou Yunyun definitely wouldn't be able to finish a bowl. Therefore, Zhao Zhenzhu only ordered one bowl, intending for the mother and daughter to share it.

Zhou Yunyun nodded before opening her mouth.

Zhao Zhenzhu fed Zhou Yunyun six, but she couldn't eat anymore.

"Mommy, my tummy says I'm full." Zhou Yunyun patted her belly and refused to open her mouth anymore.

"You said you were going to eat all the delicious food at the market today! You can't even finish this much?" Zhao Zhenzhu teased, then started eating herself.

Ding Ermei led Zhou Jiaxiang around, looking left and right, and finally spotted Zhao Zhenzhu and Zhou Yunyun at Uncle Jin's wonton stall.

Ding Ermei's temper flared up instantly.

She, as the mother-in-law, wouldn't even spend money on a bowl of wontons in town! Zhao Zhenzhu spends money so extravagantly, she's such a spendthrift!

Ding Ermei pulled Zhou Jiaxiang's hand and squeezed next to Zhao Zhenzhu.