Chapter 58: Going to the Market and Encountering Gangsters
After dinner, Zhong Qiao took out the letter under the light.
After being kept in his arms for a long time, the envelope still had a lingering fragrance on its surface, and Zhong Qiao leaned over to sniff it.
Mint, mixed with the scent of medicinal herbs.
Zhong Qiao didn't know much about pharmacology, so he just had some doubts but didn't think too deeply about it.
After undoing the tiny string and pulling out the letter paper, six lines of beautiful handwriting came into view. Each stroke was clear and powerful, undoubtedly the handwriting of the owner of those books.
The general content was that it was rare to meet someone who also liked reading. The other party politely said that if he still needed to borrow books, he could let him know and he had everything.
Zhong Qiao put down the letter and felt a little worried.
The borrowed books were carefully marked with key points, which provided her with a lot of help.
If I really need Miss He's help in the future, it wouldn't hurt to make friends with her.
But you can't accept favors for no reason. Once is politeness, twice is education, what about three or four times?
I always feel annoyed when someone has no relationship with me.
Thinking of the crabapple flowers in Miss He's book, Zhong Qiao wrote a reply and decided to get up early tomorrow to go to the market to buy some crabapple seeds and send them to her.
It can be considered as catering to his needs.
The next day, when the family was having dinner, Zhong Qiao asked her father to take her to the market to buy some groceries.
After hearing the whole story, Father Zhong praised: "Qiao Qiao, you are really different now. You know that reciprocity is the norm. Since we have received favors from others, we should naturally return the favor."
"Dad will take you, but the trees along the road we're crossing are all crushed by the snow. The neighborhood committee just put up a notice asking everyone to avoid going that way these days. How about we wait a few days?"
"The snow keeps falling. When can we go?" Zhong Qiao was worried.
"Your father is just talking nonsense."
Mother Zhong chuckled, peeled a plump, round egg and put it in Zhong Qiao's bowl.
"You can cross the bridge, it's just that it's frozen. You and your dad can push the cart across the bridge when the time comes, don't ride a bike, it will be fine."
Zhong Siqi ate his meal casually and nodded in agreement: "I ride my bike to school every day and nothing happens to me."
"OK."
It was rare to see Zhong Qiao interested in going out, and Zhong's mother and the others said it was no problem. Not to mention going to the market to buy things, even if it meant going through fire and water, Zhong's father was still very happy. He slapped his thigh and it was decided.
"Then wait until after lunch. The weather will be a little warmer then. Dad will take you there."
Zhong Qiao hummed and nodded with a smile.
After lunch, the two prepared to go out.
Forty minutes later, the father and daughter finally reached the small bridge.
The barge, emitting black smoke, slowly passed through the stone arch bridge.
On the mossy stone steps, women are washing clothes and vegetables, chatting about family matters in the soft Wu dialect. Through the window grilles on the river bank, you can hear the low and flowing tunes of Pingtan.
To be on the safe side, Mr. Zhong got out to push the cart, and Zhong Qiao was about to jump out with the wallet that Mrs. Zhong had given her before they left.
"Hey, hey." Zhong's father stopped him, "Don't get off. This bridge is covered in snow and water. Be careful not to get your shoes wet and catch a cold. Just sit on it and I'll push it. The slope isn't that high."
Zhong Qiao knew that he couldn't persuade him, so he could only hold on to the back seat and sit quietly.
This time, the anti-skid chain was specially reinforced, and Zhong's father held the front of the bicycle, and the two of them arrived at the market smoothly.
The unique vitality of that era came to mind.
Revolutionary songs were played from the telephone poles.
The fishy smell of raw meat, the salty and moist smell of fish, the earthy smell of vegetables, the burnt aroma of fried food, the smell of sweat, and the smell of coal smoke all mixed together into a kind of human smell that seemed real but not real.
The place was crowded and noisy.
The aunt selling vegetables on the roadside was shouting in a poor Suzhou accent. She stared at the father and daughter, quickly grabbed a handful of fresh vegetables, and walked towards them with a smile on her face.
"Hey, beautiful lady, these are soybean sprouts and dwarf radish freshly picked from the fields! And this radish, known as 'white ginseng', would you like to buy some to make soup at home?"
Zhong Qiao got out of the car with the help of his father's arm, picked it up and took a look.
Winter vegetables are limited, and we mainly rely on Suzhou's local cold-resistant varieties. Winter storage vegetables, soy products, bean sprouts, radish pickles can be found everywhere, but you can try some new flavors at home.
"Give me some water chestnuts, winter bamboo shoots, and black fungus." Zhong Qiao said.
The vegetable seller smiled brightly: "Hey, no problem, beautiful lady, water chestnuts are 12 yuan a pound, winter bamboo shoots are 1.5 yuan a pound... I'll also give you a few bunches of green onions."
"Why is it more expensive than other places?" Mr. Zhong suddenly interrupted.
The vegetable seller groaned, her face bitter: "We sell vegetables in the wind and in the cold weather, so the price is a bit higher, but ours are fresh, all grown in our fields at home."
Zhong Qiao thought for a moment.
The vegetable seller was not wrong. There was dirt on the roots of their vegetables, so she must not have lied.
If it's really fresh, it would take a lot of time to pull the cart back and forth in such a cold weather, so it's worth it.
Zhong Qiao took out the money and put it in her hand.
"Give me two pounds each."
"Hit, hit, hit."
The vegetable seller spoke fluent Henan dialect, collected the money, and packed the vegetables that Zhong Qiao specifically requested into bags.
Zhong Qiao gave the vegetables to his father, asked him to buy meat, and went to the nearby flower market alone.
The Cultural Revolution had not yet ended at this time, and the aftermath of "Destroying the Four Olds" was still there.
Zhong Qiao asked around for a long time but didn't see anyone selling flower seeds until an uncle carrying a load of rice led her to a small stall.
"This is a Xifu crabapple seed."
The owner of the jewelry stall carefully handed the small bag of flower seeds to Zhong Qiao, looking around from time to time, fearing that he would be spotted.
"Beautiful lady, if you like, I also have rose and jasmine seeds here."
He opened the bamboo basket covered with white cloth, which contained several bags of flower seeds and emerald green evergreens.
"But I only sell it, not grow it. Whether it survives depends on you."
The stall owner glanced at Zhong Qiao and thought she was the kind of young person who talked about love and romance and cultivated her sentiments.
This kind of female comrade is the most troublesome. If she grows flowers in such cold weather and they die, don't bother her.
"It's okay." Zhong Qiao paid promptly. "It's a gift for a friend. It's all good as long as the thought is there."
After buying the flower seeds, Zhong Qiao went to meet up with his father.
Mr. Zhong was still bargaining at the fish stall.
Zhong Qiao saw it, walked behind him, and was about to pat him on the shoulder, but before he could reach out his hand, a spoonful of fishy and smelly water was poured under his feet.
Zhong Qiao immediately retracted her feet, but the water still wet her trouser legs and shoe uppers. The water mixed with fish scales flowed to the ground, forming a small puddle with a fishy smell.
"Hey, what's wrong with you?"
Mr. Zhong protected Zhong Qiao behind him and looked at the fishmonger who was wearing a dark blue apron and a pair of greasy rain boots.
"If you don't want to sell it, then don't sell it. Don't you see there's anyone here?"
"If you're not buying anything, don't block the road. You deserve to be splashed." The fishmonger had a cigarette in his mouth and a scar on his face. His muscles twitched slightly as he smiled contemptuously.
His eyes suddenly focused on Zhong Qiao's face.
"Is this your daughter?"
The fishmonger caught a glimpse of Zhong Qiao being protected behind him, and gave a meaningful smile, revealing his yellow teeth.
"You are so beautiful. How about you become my father-in-law? I will give you this fish."
This made the men queuing around burst into laughter, and they all looked at Zhong Qiao with mischievous eyes.
"Bullshit!" Mr. Zhong was very angry.
He hasn't cursed for a long time, so he must be really angry now.
"You're committing hooliganism! Say something nonsense again!?"
He seldom went to the market to buy vegetables. He originally wanted to bargain like Zhong's mother and buy a fish to nourish Zhong Qiao. However, he never expected to meet this stall owner who was full of foul language. It was really a bad omen to go out.
Zhong Qiao frowned: "What are you barking at?"
The fishmonger smiled even more happily, his eyes full of malice.
"Don't scold me, I really like you. If you marry me, I will make sure you have endless fish to eat in the future."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
