Chapter 244 The Firecracker Experience of a Noble Lady in the Capital
Cheng Jiaojiao said with pride, "You've never seen this before, have you? This is something that can only be bought at my sister Jiang's shop."
Princess Chaoyang and Pei Xiaoxiao were immediately envious of Cheng Jiaojiao, envious of her relationship with Jiang Ling, and envious that her family could receive gifts from Jiang Ling during festivals.
Carrying a bunch of fresh grapes to visit relatives and friends in the dead of winter is much more impressive than those expensive cookies and pastries.
Soon, the plate of fruit was finished, but the other snacks remained untouched.
During their conversation, Cheng Jiaojiao chattered on about interesting anecdotes from the New Year celebrations in the capital, while Princess Chaoyang occasionally added a few words. Pei Xiaoxiao mostly listened quietly, asking questions from time to time.
Just then, the sound of sporadic firecrackers and children's laughter came from outside, and Xiao Yi couldn't sit still any longer:
"Sister Jiang, they're setting off firecrackers outside, can I go play?"
Jiang Ling nodded with a smile: "Go ahead, take those under the shelf and share them with the other children."
Jiang Ling bought a lot of firecrackers for children in the modern world, but she didn't intend to sell them. She mostly had Xiao Yi take them out and share them with the children.
Xiao Ran is past the age of playing around and is now sitting behind the counter reading a book.
Xiao Yi grabbed the firecrackers and ran out happily.
Hearing the sound of firecrackers outside, Cheng Jiaojiao was seized by a playful impulse.
He addressed Princess Chaoyang and Pei Xixi:
"They're setting off firecrackers outside, shall we go and see?"
Princess Chaoyang and Pei Xiaoxiao exchanged a glance, both hesitant.
In the capital, they naturally set off fireworks and firecrackers during the New Year, but these were things for boys to play with. They were so loud and they left everyone covered in ash.
But Cheng Jiaojiao didn't wait for their reply and ran out first.
The two women had no choice but to follow them out.
Standing at the shop entrance, I watched as four or five boys were distributing firecrackers in the open space in front of me.
The older children skillfully lit the firecrackers and quickly ran outside.
"Bang--!"
Princess Chaoyang and Pei Xiaoxiao were so frightened that their bodies trembled.
Cheng Jiaojiao was itching to try it, so she pulled Xiao Yi over and asked him for a few firecrackers.
"Jiaojiao, this is too dangerous!" Princess Chaoyang hurriedly stopped her when she saw the string of bright red firecrackers in Cheng Jiaojiao's hand.
"Jiaojiao, this... do you dare to release it?" Pei Xiaoxiao asked in a low voice, her eyes filled with a hint of fear.
Cheng Jiaojiao patted her chest, "It's okay, look, they're all setting them off, it's perfectly safe! It's just a small string of them, the sound is crisp and clear, it's the most fun to scare the Nian monster! I play with them all the time at home, let me show you!"
Jiang Ling didn't stop them. She bought the firecrackers herself; they were very safe and wouldn't explode immediately when lit, making them suitable for children.
He took out the incense he had prepared and distributed it to them. He also grabbed several handfuls of various kinds of firecrackers, snap pops, and confetti and put them in a basket. Then he led the group to the open space outside the courtyard.
Xiao Yi and Xiao Qi were already waiting there with a group of village children. When they saw Jiang Ling and the three elegantly dressed young ladies, their eyes were full of curiosity.
Cheng Jiaojiao, however, was very unpretentious. She took the incense from Jiang Ling and skillfully blew on the tip of the incense to make the sparks brighter.
She picked up a small string of firecrackers, found the fuse, and gestured with her chin towards Chaoyang and Pei Xixi:
"Watch closely!"
She turned slightly to the side, bringing the incense stick close to the fuse, and the fuse instantly sparked with a "sizzle".
Cheng Jiaojiao quickly threw the firecrackers into the open space in the distance, the action was done in one smooth motion.
"Crackling and popping—!"
A series of sharp, loud explosions rang out, and red paper scraps exploded on the snow, standing out conspicuously.
"Great!" the children clapped.
Pei Chichi shrank back in fright and instinctively grabbed the sleeve of Princess Chaoyang next to her.
They were all noble ladies from the capital, and rarely acted so recklessly.
Cheng Jiaojiao was different; her family practically raised her like a boy. She played everything from snowball fights and beanbag toss to firecrackers.
"How about that? Not scary, right?" Cheng Jiaojiao clapped her hands triumphantly, then picked up a few more firecrackers.
"This is even simpler, just throw it on the ground!"
As she spoke, she forcefully slammed the firecracker onto the ground with a crisp "smack".
The children followed suit and started setting off firecrackers and snap pops, instantly making the open space lively with the sounds of firecrackers, laughter, and screams.
The atmosphere was infectious, and even Pei Chichi, who was initially a little scared, was eager to try.
"Chichi, Princess, you should try it too, it's really fun," Cheng Jiaojiao encouraged from the side.
Princess Chaoyang watched Cheng Jiaojiao playing happily with the country children, and her girlish curiosity and competitive spirit were stirred.
She took a deep breath, took the incense and firecrackers, and, imitating Cheng Jiaojiao, tried to steady her slightly trembling hands to light the fuse. Once, twice… the fuse was finally lit!
She hurriedly threw the firecrackers away, listening to the crisp sound and watching the red paper scraps explode. An unprecedented sense of excitement and accomplishment welled up in her heart, making her pale cheeks flush with excitement.
"Wow...this is so exciting!" She turned to look at Jiang Ling and Pei Xixi, her eyes sparkling.
Seeing that Princess Chaoyang had succeeded, Pei Xiaoxiao also mustered up her courage, but she didn't dare to play with firecrackers, so she took the snap pops from the basket and threw them on the ground.
The moment the firecrackers exploded, she trembled with fright, followed by an unprecedented sense of excitement.
Once you take the first step, things go much more smoothly afterward.
The three noble ladies from the capital quickly joined in the children's games.
Cheng Jiaojiao led them in playing with firecrackers, competing to see who could throw them the farthest and loudest.
They even joined the village boys in sticking firecrackers into the snowdrifts, causing snowflakes to fly everywhere.
"Hahaha! Watch this!"
"Over here! Throw it now!"
The last few mischievous boys even suggested frying cow dung.
Princess Chaoyang and Pei Xiaoxiao politely declined.
Cheng Jiaojiao was itching to make a move, but was stopped by the guards.
As dusk fell and the basket of firecrackers dwindled, everyone, drenched in sweat and with disheveled hair, reluctantly stopped playing.
The three noble ladies' brocade jackets and skirts were inevitably stained with snow and cement, and even some cannon ash.
But that still couldn't dampen their excitement.
"It was so...so much fun!" Pei Chichi gasped for breath as her maid wiped her sweat.
"I never knew setting off firecrackers could be so much fun!"
Princess Chaoyang nodded slightly, her face still flushed from the playful moment.
This was the first time she had ever experienced such unrestrained and exhilarating play.
Cheng Jiaojiao wiped the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve and waved her hand with a hearty laugh: "This is what celebrating the New Year is all about! Being so proper in the capital is nothing compared to the joy of it here!"
The afterglow of the setting sun turned the snow-covered ground golden. After a day of playing, the three young ladies finally had to go home.
As they parted, Cheng Jiaojiao said with reluctance, "Sister Jiang, this place is so nice, I want to come back again next time!"
"You're welcome anytime." Jiang Ling escorted them to the carriage.
They also stuffed some New Year's gifts into each of their carriages, including fresh fruits and vegetables, some modern auspicious gifts, and a bottle of strong liquor.
Watching the carriage slowly drive away and disappear at the village entrance, Jiang Ling turned around and went back to the shop.
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