30 Night Market

"Mom, I want to eat this!" Liu Lele stood in front of the baked bun stall, tugged at her mother's clothes, and pointed to the baked buns that were golden brown with a charred crust.

Zhang Siqing bought two for everyone, and even the cameramen who were filming them ate them as they walked.

"Mmm, delicious! The combination of onions and lamb is so juicy, every bite is bursting with flavor!"

Watching them enjoy their meal on camera, the cameraman swallowed hard. He put the baked buns wrapped in parchment paper from the plastic bag into his pocket, planning to eat them later.

It smells so good! He sniffed and felt his mouth watering.

They saw baked buns, lamb skewers, honey jam yogurt, ice cream, naan bread, cantaloupe, grapes... They ate as they strolled along, their mouths glistening with oil and their faces full of satisfaction.

Gu Tingshen's hands were full of various bags, all containing different kinds of snacks that Ye Zhenzhen wanted to eat.

She's a foodie who loves meat, fruit, and dairy products. When she arrived here, she was like a mouse that had fallen into a rice bin, wanting to eat everything she saw.

"This lamb skewer smells so good! It's crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the seasoning is delicious too!!" Ye Zhenzhen took a bite, her eyes lit up, and she excitedly handed the skewer to the side.

Gu Tingshen didn't have the habit of eating while walking on the street, but Ye Zhenzhen, who was having a great time eating, forced him to eat it, and he ate it with an indulgent smile.

Gu Sinan was initially hesitant, but after Ye Zhenzhen strongly recommended it, she gradually accepted this casual way of eating. However, she ate very well, wiping her mouth after a few bites without spilling any on herself.

However, the portions here are large, and my stomach can only hold so much. After eating a few lamb skewers, I dared not eat any more freely, wanting to save room to try other things.

She and Gu Sinan bought a strawberry ice cream, but they couldn't finish it even though they took turns eating it.

Gu Tingshen saw her frowning, looking at the jam, honey, and yogurt in front of her, then at the ice cream in her hand, her face full of distress.

He shook his head and smiled, then stepped forward to take the strawberry ice cream from her hand and asked, "What flavor of yogurt would you like?"

"Blueberry jam!" Ye Zhenzhen answered, then looked at the leftover roasted lamb leg and lamb skewers, and hesitated, "Maybe I shouldn't buy them, I'm afraid I won't be able to finish them."

Gu Tingshen silently stepped forward, bought a cup, and handed it to her, saying, "Eat it, and give it to me if you can't finish it."

"Hehe, this is the last one, I promise!" Ye Zhenzhen smiled broadly as soon as she got it. The yogurt had naturally fermented milk curds in it, and it was thick and looked delicious.

They ate as they walked, originally intending to find a shop to sit down and have a proper meal, but before they even reached the end of the street, they were already stuffed and couldn't eat anymore.

"I can't eat anymore, I can't eat anymore." Wang Liqing quickly dissuaded Liu Wei's family when she heard them wanting to find a fried rice noodle shop to try.

"Even the best rice noodles are too much for me. I ate more meat today than I did in the past month!"

"You guys go ahead and eat. We'll take the kids for a walk. If we eat any more, they'll have indigestion tonight," Lan Nuo said, wiping Zhou Jingyi's mouth as she refused.

“Yeah, we’re going to be here for several more days. We don’t want to eat everything we want to eat in one night.” Zhang Siqing clicked her tongue. She had a big appetite and could actually eat more, but when she saw that it was almost ten o’clock, she was worried that she wouldn’t be able to enjoy the scenery in the morning, so she stopped.

Finally, everyone decided to leave this street full of tempting food and wander off somewhere else, otherwise the return trip would be another day of eating and shopping.

On their way back, they passed a place that resembled a farmers' market, where many local melon and fruit farmers were selling their produce. Large piles of watermelons, cantaloupes, and grapes of various colors were stacked there, and the air was filled with a sweet aroma.

People in the market stared at them curiously as they saw a group of people with children and a cameraman following behind.

Wherever the group stopped, there were always enthusiastic vendors who would cut off a large piece of melon or hand them a bunch of grapes.

Although some ethnic minorities don't speak the same language, their body language and facial expressions are understandable. Infected by their sincere and warm smiles, the group chatted and laughed all the way. By the time they left the area, everyone had several more bags filled with fruit.

The children carried grapes in their hands and ate them as they walked.

"Oh no, I think I need to go back and lose weight after this show is over." Wang Liqing looked at the large and small bags in Yan Feng's hands, then touched her own stomach, and sighed with a wry smile. "The lamb, beef, and fruit here are all so delicious, it's easy to overeat without realizing it."

Lanno nodded repeatedly, "I haven't eaten like this in a long time. Jingyi usually doesn't like to eat meat, but she ate quite a lot today."

"I'm going to practice some boxing when I get back tonight, hiccup," Zhang Siqing said, burping. "I'm so full, the food in Northern Xinjiang is so delicious!"

Ye Zhenzhen's stomach was also a little bloated. While walking, she silently raised her knees and did a simplified version of high knees to increase her exercise.

The group returned to their lodgings, and the ladies and children, led by Zhang Siqing, put on some upbeat music and did some simple exercises.

It's impossible to go to sleep after eating so much; I have to be on camera tomorrow. Anyway, it's not dark yet, so I might as well exercise!

The music attracted local residents, who are known for their hospitality, singing, and dancing. Soon, they joined in, and the compound became a sea of ​​joy.

The female guests all had some dance skills, and they soon started dancing quite well.

The male guests were also pulled off the stage, and the enthusiastic young men from northern Xinjiang taught them local dances.

Gu Tingshen stood to the side with his arms crossed, but his imposing presence prevented anyone from pulling him away. Gu Sinan stood in a similar posture, the two of them looking somewhat out of place among the crowd.

Ye Zhenzhen had just learned to move her neck and shake her shoulders from a little girl from northern Xinjiang when she turned around and saw the two standing outside the crowd. She turned around and came to their side.

She fluttered in with light, graceful steps, like a butterfly flitting among flowers, her dimples revealing a captivating smile.

She took Gu Tingshen's large hand and Gu Sinan's small hand and led them into the lively crowd.

Gu Tingshen was pulled along by her to join the dancing crowd. He felt as if all the music and laughter in the courtyard had faded away at that moment, leaving only the girl's bright, peach-blossom-like smile in his eyes and the sound of her sweet laughter in his ears.

"The days are too long here. It's already 11 o'clock, and it's still dark."

After the three of them finished washing up, they lay on the earthen bed in the bedroom, and Ye Zhenzhen looked at the starlight outside the window and sighed.

In their courtyard, there were several mud-brick houses, but only one large bedroom. Inside, against the wall, was a large earthen kang (heated brick bed) covered with a colorful felt rug.

Gu Sinan had never seen a bed like this before, and she had never slept with her parents before, so she was very excited. She blinked her big eyes and looked out the window at the night sky with Ye Zhenzhen.

"Are you cold?" Gu Tingshen closed his laptop and came over to cover the two children, one big and one small, who were wearing short-sleeved pajamas, with a blanket.

"Mom, why is it so cold here at night?" Gu Sinan wrapped herself tightly in the blanket, but still felt a bit chilly.

"Uh, Mom learned it when she was in school, but she's forgotten a bit now." Ye Zhenzhen scratched her head and admitted it honestly, then turned to Gu Tingshen, "Old Gu, do you remember?"

"Xinjiang has little water and a lot of sand. Sand and gravel have a low specific heat capacity, so they heat up quickly when exposed to the sun during the day and dissipate heat quickly at night when there is no sunlight. That's why it's hot during the day and cold at night." Gu Tingshen finished speaking and looked up to see Ye Zhenzhen nodding as if she had just realized something.

"Oh, I remember now, Nan Nan, did you understand?"

“I understand a little, but what is specific heat capacity?” Gu Sinan asked seriously.

"Specific heat capacity is the amount of heat a substance needs to absorb to raise its temperature slightly..." Ye Zhenzhen racked her brains, trying to explain this physical concept in a simpler and easier-to-understand way.

Then she discovered that Gu Sinan was a genius; he actually managed to grasp the key points from her rambling narration and, by analogy, asked even more questions.

She initially racked her brains for an answer, but later she took out her phone and searched on Baidu on the spot, and the two of them huddled together in front of the phone to see the answer.

They talked about everything from sand to wind, then to meteorites, craters on the moon, weightlessness, and aliens... The conversation became increasingly whimsical until Gu Tingshen manually shut them up, at which point they obediently closed their eyes.

After an exceptionally long day, the two had long since reached their limit. They fell asleep the moment they turned their heads to the side, and the sound of their heavy breathing soon filled the room.

Gu Tingshen was speechless for a few seconds at how quickly she fell asleep. He looked at Gu Sinan, who was sleeping in the middle, curled up with her arms and legs, leaning against Ye Zhenzhen's chest, with one little hand still clutching her pajamas.

The dim yellow light cast a hazy glow over the two of them, making them feel warm from the bottom of their hearts.

He watched for a long time before getting up, kissing their foreheads, turning off the light, and lying down to sleep.

I slept without any dreams.

Ye Zhenzhen, a dairy enthusiast, was very satisfied with her breakfast, which featured local specialties from northern Xinjiang. Whether it was savory milk tea, milk skin, or homemade yogurt, all of them were delicious and flavorful when paired with naan bread, baked buns, or thin-skinned buns.

After finishing their meal, they got into the car and, led by the guide, drove to a Kazakh settlement.

With the guide's reminder, they had prepared spring and autumn jackets in advance. The further they drove, the lower the outside temperature became. By the time the children could see the snow-capped mountains in the distance, the summer heat had completely left them.

Along the way, Ye Zhenzhen shared the unique sights she saw with the father and son. They might be clouds that looked like sheep, grass that looked like a carpet, unnamed wildflowers that looked like purple velvet, or flocks of sheep crossing the road. These ordinary sights in other people's eyes could bring her heartfelt joy.

Although she had a driver's license, she didn't dare to drive on such an unfamiliar road. Instead, she took charge of the water bottle and snacks in the passenger seat and fed Gu Tingshen, who was driving hard, from time to time.

While driving, Gu Tingshen's mouth was constantly busy; he was either drinking water or eating various snacks such as grapes, nuts, and potato chips from the passenger seat.

Every time he opens his mouth, it feels like opening a blind box, with different flavors and textures unfolding in his mouth, as lively as a journey.

When the snow-capped mountains came into view of the convoy, the walkie-talkies suddenly became lively.

Wow, it's a snow-capped mountain!

"What a high mountain! The snow on it looks so white and thick!"

The children leaned against the window, exchanging their awe-inspiring experiences of seeing the snow-capped mountains for the first time through walkie-talkies.

"It's so amazing! Seeing it in person is completely different from watching videos or looking at pictures..." Ye Zhenzhen stopped what she was doing and handed a grape to Gu Tingshen, letting out a murmur of amazement.

"What's different?" a magnetic male voice asked.

"It's magnificent and breathtaking. Looking at such a blue sky and such white clouds, I feel like my heart has opened up." Ye Zhenzhen thought for a moment after hearing this, trying to organize her thoughts to describe her feelings. "It's like all the worries and troubles I usually have don't matter anymore! It's like the sea is wide enough for fish to leap and the sky is high enough for birds to fly!"

Just as she was racking her brains for words, feeling that her description wasn't clear enough, she heard Gu Tingshen beside her say with a smile, "The feeling of freedom, isn't it?"

"Yes! It's freedom!" She turned her head sharply, looking at Gu Tingshen with delight. "In this wilderness, even the wind is free!"

Gu Tingshen gripped the steering wheel, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. A slight smile played on his lips, and a gentle breeze seemed to blow through his heart, carrying the scents of sunshine and flowers, leaving behind joy and contentment.

He didn't need to turn around to imagine the captivating brilliance in those peach-blossom-like eyes.

He has been to many places and has tried various extreme sports.

He had climbed the highest snow-capped peaks; the thin air made him dizzy, yet the biting cold brought him unparalleled clarity. As he slid down the mountain, the icy wind pierced his chest, leaving only a sharp and hollow sensation. He skillfully maneuvered his skis to a stop at the foot of the mountain, remaining silent amidst the howling crowd, utterly unmoved.

His emotionally expressive French roommate said he was like some kind of emotionless robot, his smiles were all factory-programmed and had no warmth whatsoever.

But now, for the first time, he experienced the joy of travel—no, it had nothing to do with travel.

He thought it was only related to the people around him.

She shared the scenery she saw with him, and then the world seemed different to him, as if a layer of gray gloom had been wiped away, becoming clear, bright, and colorful.