That night, Xu Xinning went to the second room again as a night raider, because she had to summon back the little cutie on Xu Yaoyang's body.

To be honest, these two little cuties have improved a lot since they spent time with that couple. I don't know if it's just Xu Xinning's imagination, but she feels like these two little guys have become smarter.

Today is market day in Hongxing Commune, and oxcarts are busiest on this day.

Market days were particularly important to the members of the production brigade.

During this period, rural markets were not open for trading every day. They were often coordinated with markets within a radius of dozens of miles. Within a month, if one market opened on an odd-numbered day, another would open on an even-numbered day; if one market opened on the 3rd, 6th, or 9th, another would open on the 2nd, 4th, or 8th. This staggered opening schedule made it more convenient for people to go shopping. Therefore, market days were called "market days".

On market days in rural areas, people from surrounding villages flock to the streets, creating a sea of ​​people that are impossible to move. This is because the trading of livestock and poultry, as well as the purchase of daily necessities, all depend on the market, so the number of people at the market is truly extraordinary.

Although the market had designated opening dates, it didn't specify opening hours. When people gathered on the street, the market was open; when everyone left and there was no one left, it was "closed." "Popularity" played a decisive and crucial role in the prosperity of the market at that time, and rural people intuitively called this "lively atmosphere" "bustling."

Due to inconvenient transportation, most people walk to the market, while those with better conditions ride in oxcarts or tractors.

People from far away are afraid that if they arrive at the market late, they won't be able to buy the items they want. Therefore, when people from far away go to the market, they often set off very early, so they arrive at the market very early. As a result, a widely circulated saying was born at that time: "If you go far away, go to the market early."

Strictly speaking, the "early market" is not a "patent" of people who live far away. It should be "different with the times". During the busy farming season, the work in the fields is urging you on. At this time, people will not only go to the "early market", but also leave the market in a hurry after buying their goods so that they can go back to work in the fields. Therefore, the market often closes early at this time (for a brief introduction to the markets in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s).

Mu Jingheng had never been to a market before and was very curious about it. Xu Laosan was at home, and the two of them immediately agreed to go to the market together, not forgetting to bring Xu Xinning along.

Seeing how interested the children were, Old Mrs. Xu, at Wang Ying's invitation, also went along.

On market days, the oxcarts are the busiest vehicles; if you don't get there early, you might have to walk.

Xu Laosan and Chen Jianguo, two half-grown boys, were the most agile. Without even having breakfast, they grabbed a pancake and went to grab a spot on the oxcart.

When Xu Xinning and her group arrived, the oxcart was already filled with many people.

"Hey! Sister-in-law, are you going to the market today too?" Before they even reached the oxcart, the little grandmother's sarcastic voice rang out, and she shone her flashlight directly at Xu Xinning and the others.

Xu Xinning's eyes were blinded by the flashlight, and in a fit of anger, she retaliated in kind, shining the flashlight directly at her grandmother.

Grandma: "Oh dear! Why are you shining the light in my eyes?"

Xu Xinning: "Grandma, you can't shine the light like that! I thought that's how you use a flashlight when you shine it in our eyes."

The people on the oxcart burst into laughter upon hearing Xu Xinning's words.

Grandma: "This girl is usually so quiet, I never expected her to be so sharp-tongued."

Xu Laosan was displeased upon hearing this, "My sister just doesn't want to talk nonsense."

Grandma: "Alright, alright, Grandma's been talking nonsense. I'm in a good mood today, so I won't argue with you, you little brat."

At this moment, Xu Xinning and the others also arrived at the oxcart.

As soon as Grandma Xu sat down, she said, "Although my third son is a bit mischievous, he is the most reasonable person and would never make trouble like some people do."

When the young lady was young, she and the old lady Xu never got along. Back then, the young lady would often make veiled insults, and the neighbors could hear her cursing almost every day, but the old lady Xu was always quiet.

The young mistress knew that Old Madam Xu was referring to her, but given the current situation, she didn't want to fall out with Old Madam Xu, since the eldest son's family was indeed more successful than the second son's family.

To avoid embarrassment, the grandmother smiled and said to Xu Xinning, "My dear, it's fortunate that you found out Yaoyang's wife was pregnant, otherwise it's hard to say whether this child could have been saved."

Wang Ying: "Yaoyang's wife is pregnant?"

For the past ten days or so, every time Wang Ying ran into Xu Yaoyang, he looked listless, with frighteningly dark circles under his eyes. She never expected that his wife was pregnant.

Grandma: "Isn't that right? Ningning checked yesterday, and the pregnancy isn't very stable. So, I need to go to the market to buy her some meat to help her recover."

"Congratulations on your success!" all the commune members on the oxcart said.

Grandma: "Hahaha, congratulations to you too!"

Grandma laughed loudly, as if she wanted to announce it to the world.

Although it was dark and Xu Xinning couldn't see her grandmother's expression, she could imagine that her wrinkled face must look even more like a shoehorn now.

Xu Xinning thought that she had used up all the samples for the paternity test, and since her great-grandmother was right next to her, she might as well take some.

Just as the young lady was feeling smug, she suddenly felt someone tug at her hair. In pain, she cried out, "Who is it? Who pulled my hair?"

Grandpa Xu, who was driving the oxcart, probably couldn't stand the young lady either. When she started making a fuss, he suddenly cracked his whip, and the oxcart started moving.

The young lady lost her balance and almost fell off the oxcart.

Grandma: "You're going to die, old Xu! You almost made me fall to my death!"

Old Xu, the oxcart driver, said, "My mother died decades ago. Do you think she's sitting right next to you?"

As if in agreement with Grandpa Xu's words, a sudden gust of wind blew by, and many people on the bus got goosebumps, especially the young grandmother, who was so frightened that she moved to the side.

Mu Jingheng was sitting next to the young lady. She felt that the young man had a lot of yang energy, so it was definitely a good idea to stay close to him.

Mu Jingheng suddenly decided to play a prank and asked his great-grandmother with a smile, "Grandma, how did you know that Grandpa's deceased mother wasn't sitting near me?"

The young grandmother instinctively cried out, her movements so exaggerated that she nearly pushed the passengers in front of her off the oxcart.

Grandpa Xu scolded, "What are you shouting for? What if you scare the ox?"

Xu Laosan leaned closer to Mu Jingheng, and the two of them huddled together, covering their mouths and chuckling.

Actually, everyone else on the bus was also frightened, and they all nervously held onto their belongings.

To ease everyone's tension, Xu Xinning reassured them, "Ghosts and monsters aren't allowed to become spirits anymore, so there's no need to be nervous."

Mu Jingheng thought Xu Xinning was so cute that he couldn't help but burst into laughter again.