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After it was done, Qi Shuliang paid fifty US dollars directly.
Actually, a sugar figurine only costs one US dollar, and the rest is considered a tip.
The old man received the money and thanked them repeatedly, saying he couldn't earn this much money in a whole day!
Further on, there were even clay figurines being made.
"Shuliang, I want him to make one for us, a child and me, in our likeness," said Grandma Qi. These were things she remembered from the past.
Upon seeing it again, she wanted to have it!
Moreover, photos are flat, while this is three-dimensional, making it more interesting.
"Okay!" Qi Shuliang granted his mother's request, as long as she was happy.
The craftsman, seeing a customer arrive, quickly greeted them and sculpted two dough figurines according to Grandma Qi's request. The clothes on the figurines were the same ones they were wearing now, and they were even colored, making them incredibly lifelike.
Qi Zhengmin found it very interesting and insisted on having it too, so Qi Shuliang directly had the craftsmen make them all.
Anna was delighted to receive the small clay figurine that resembled her.
Qi Shuliang paid another fifty US dollars, even though the dough figurines were only worth one US dollar each at most.
When she saw other things, Grandma Qi only looked and didn't buy them, especially food. Although she really wanted to eat them, she wasn't hungry, and neither were the children, so she didn't buy the Tang Wenwang.
We walked all the way to Jixianglou!
The furnishings here are similar to those in theaters in China before liberation, and the waiters inside are also dressed in mandarin jackets, cloth shoes, and melon-shaped hats.
Qi Shuliang and his group were led directly to the best private room upon entering.
Soon, fragrant tea and four kinds of freshly cooked, steaming hot snacks were served.
The servants we brought distributed snacks to everyone.
Grandma Qi took a sip of tea and a bite of pastry. The fragrance of the tea perfectly cut off the greasiness of the pastry, and the taste was just right. It was a perfect match!
"It's rare to find a theater like this abroad," Grandma Qi exclaimed. "What opera are they putting on today?"
"A few excerpts from Kunqu Opera, 'The Peony Pavilion'," Qi Shuliang said with a smile, knowing his mother enjoyed listening to it.
"That's wonderful," Grandma Qi praised. "If you don't like listening, you can go out and have some fun!"
"We like it," Qi Zhengmin quickly replied. This was the first time he had accompanied his grandmother to a play, and he couldn't leave halfway through, otherwise his father wouldn't give him his allowance for next week.
Fortunately, the snacks here are delicious; I'll order more later.
More and more people came to listen to the opera, and soon the audience was full.
The actors backstage were getting their makeup done, changing clothes, and preparing to go on stage.
The stage has been rearranged, and we're just waiting for the time to go on stage.
The sounds of flutes, xiao (vertical flutes), suona (double-reed horns), pipa (lute), sanxian (three-stringed plucked instrument), yueqin (moon lute) and other musical instruments filled the air.
The sound of the flute is designed to be as delicate as a whisper, and with the addition of the clapper, it creates a "flowing and melodious" quality characteristic of Wuzhong folk songs, making Kunqu music known for its "graceful and charming, lingering charm".
The traditional Chinese musical instruments emitted familiar sounds, and Grandma Qi nodded slightly in sync with the melody.
The actors took to the stage. The actress playing the woman was charming and beautiful, while the actor playing Zhang Sheng was handsome and tall. Both of them sang melodiously, which was truly rare!
When Grandma Qi encountered a passage she was familiar with, she was even able to sing along for a couple of lines.
Her steps were graceful, she was helped home drunk, a dreamlike scene unfolded in the garden...
Anna listened intently, trying to discern the meaning conveyed in the gentle singing.
He Tiantian didn't know much about opera, so she listened while eating snacks. Qi Zhengmin was the same; when his mother wasn't looking, he kept eating like a groundhog.
Qi Shuliang smiled, glancing at the stage, then at his mother, then at his wife. When no one was looking, he placed a small orange in Anna's palm.
Anna smiled, because her favorite food was oranges, especially tangerines.
Sometimes Qi Shuliang would turn around to look at He Tiantian, Qi Zhenghan, and Qi Zhengmin, especially when he saw that his daughter had crumbs on the corners of her mouth from eating. He would take a handkerchief and wipe her mouth.
Watching Qi Shuliang's actions from the side, He Tiantian was certain that Qi Shuliang was a man who respected and loved his family, his wife, and his children.
Looking at this scene, He Tiantian couldn't help but imagine herself and Huo Yingjie getting married, watching movies and plays together as a family.
That kind of life must be very happy.
This is what she's pursuing now!
The play lasted about two hours, with a short break in between.
After watching the opera, we had lunch at a nearby restaurant.
There's even roast duck in here, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside!
He Tiantian ate half of it all by herself, and also ate a lot of other delicious food.
He Tiantian was the youngest, and she ate very well, but after a while, she ate the most!
Qi Zhenghan looked at the stunned man and whispered, "Next time I'll bring you here. You don't need to eat so much at once. Aren't you full?"
He Tiantian felt a little embarrassed when everyone was staring at her, but she remained open and honest, saying, "Grandma knows I'm strong and have a big appetite."
"Haha!" Grandma Qi laughed. "Yes, we won't overeat! Last year, the two of us could eat four or five pounds of wild rabbit at home!"
Upon hearing this, everyone smiled kindly.
"Sister Sweetie, are you very strong?" Qi Zhengmin asked curiously, tilting his head. "How strong?"
He Tiantian thought for a moment and said, "I don't know exactly how big it is, but I once carried a bag of wheat, each bag weighing forty kilograms, for a kilometer."
"Huh?" Qi Zhengmin exclaimed in surprise, "Doesn't that mean you could carry two of me for a kilometer?"
"I think it's possible," He Tiantian nodded, proving that she wasn't a glutton, but rather that she needed more energy because of her strength.
Anna and Qi Shuliang remained silent, listening attentively from the side.
Grandma Qi smiled and said, "I don't know if Tian Tian can carry such heavy wheat, but I do know that the year before last, your second uncle and I went to Tian Tian's house for the New Year. We brought a lot of luggage, probably weighing several dozen kilograms, and Tian Tian carried it all by herself."
"I see, Sister Tiantian, you're amazing, you're my idol," Qi Zhengmin said with a smile, her eyes sparkling.
This time, He Tiantian was curious and asked, "Why do you say that? Aren't you very strong?"
"I can't beat the black girl in my class!" Qi Zhengmin said, pouting. That little black girl didn't dare to bully the white girl, so she bullied her.
"Jung-min?" Anna was a little angry when she saw her daughter addressing her classmate so rudely.
That's so unladylike!
“Mom, you keep nagging me.” Now that Dad and Grandma are here, Qi Zhengmin has become bolder. “That Alice, she doesn’t dare to bully the white people in the class, so she bullies me because I’m Asian. I’m the same height as her, but I’m not as strong or powerful as her, so I often get the short end of the stick.”
...
I recommend my friend Lanlian Junzi's new book, "Fourth Prince, It's a Palace Intrigue!" The story follows a protagonist reborn into the Fourth Prince's harem, embarking on a fierce battle for his favor with a group of alluring and cunning women. (To be continued.)
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