In the early morning, the first soft rays of sunlight filtered through the narrow gaps in the heavy curtains, quietly scattering into the hotel room like golden threads. Wang Hu rubbed his sleepy eyes, and groggily reached for the bedside table, picking up his phone. He squinted at the screen and realized it was almost seven o'clock.
Wang Hu yawned widely, then slowly stretched his arms, giving a long, comfortable yawn. He then got out of bed, slipped on his slippers, and sauntered into the bathroom. He turned on the tap, letting the cool water flow freely, and scooped up a handful to splash on his face, instantly feeling much more awake.
After washing up, Wang Hu tidied himself up and left his room. Reaching the lobby on the first floor, he went straight to the front desk to inquire about the gym. Receiving a negative answer, Wang Hu thought for a moment and decided to go for a run. So, he stepped out of the hotel and began jogging along the street.
At this time, the number of pedestrians on the street gradually increased. People were either rushing to work or strolling leisurely. Unlike the hurried and anxious people in big cities, the people here walked lightly and looked relaxed, as if the whole world had slowed down. Wang Hu admired the scenery along the street and felt the unique tranquility and peace of this small town. Before he knew it, he had run around the hotel more than a dozen times.
Wang Hu's forehead was slightly sweaty after his run, but he felt exceptionally refreshed. As he returned to the hotel, he suddenly noticed a small breakfast stall not far from the entrance. The stall owner was skillfully making fried dough sticks and eggs, and a fragrant aroma wafted through the air. Wang Hu was drawn over and walked to the stall, asking, "Boss, how much is your breakfast?"
The owner replied enthusiastically, "Hey young man! Our spicy soup is one yuan a bowl, soy milk is 50 cents a cup, and you can buy two steamed buns for one yuan. If you want fried dough sticks, it depends on how many you want; I'll weigh them for you by the pound. Eggs are one yuan each."
Wang Hu thought for a moment and said, "Then give me two servings of spicy soup, two servings of soy milk, and ten yuan's worth of steamed buns. As for fried dough... just give me five yuan's worth."
When the owner heard that he had ordered so much, he honestly advised, "Young man, these buns of mine are not small. One of them is as big as two outside. Two of them will fill you up. And these fried dough sticks are enough for three people for five yuan. Don't order too much, it will be a waste."
Wang Hu said, "Uncle, thank you for reminding me. I have a big appetite, so just give me whatever you order."
The shopkeeper was busy packing buns for Wang Hu while speaking in a Henan accent: "Young man, judging from your accent, you're not from around here, are you? Are you visiting relatives or something in Ningling County?"
Wang Hu replied with a smile, "I came here to visit my father-in-law and also to take a look around and see if there's anything interesting to do."
The shopkeeper nodded, flipping the fried dough sticks in the oil pan as he said, "That's perfect! There are plenty of fun places to visit in Ningling County. If you like historical sites, you can check out the East Street Mosque and the East Gate Mosque. Those two places are really charming, and the architecture is beautiful too."
"And there's Tonghua Temple, which is an ancient temple with a rich Buddhist culture and a quiet environment, perfect for calming your mind," the shopkeeper continued.
"The parks around here are also quite nice, such as Ningling People's Park and Yingbin Park. They have flowers and plants, which are perfect for a stroll. Ningling People's Park, in particular, has a lot of exciting rides that young people love."
"By the way, Moon Bay Ecological Resort is also a good place to go. The environment there is beautiful and the air is fresh, making it suitable for the whole family to visit together."
"If you are interested in history and culture, the former residence of Pan Congzheng and the cenotaph site of Taigong Mausoleum in Ningling County are also worth a visit. The former residence of Pan Congzheng is an old house from the Qing Dynasty, and the cenotaph site of Taigong Mausoleum has a long history."
"Finally, don't forget our 10,000-mu pear orchard scenic area. When the pear blossoms bloom in spring, it's absolutely beautiful. You can also experience our local agricultural culture."
The shop owner concluded with a smile, "There are many fun places in Ningling County. I hope you have a great time."
Wang Hu took the bag and said to the shop owner, "Thank you, boss. I hope you're happy every day too."
Wang Hu walked into the hotel, took a large pile of breakfast back to his room, and took a shower to wash away the sweat.
He went to the next room and knocked on the door. After a short while, the door opened, and Meng Zhiyu, with her messy hair, poked her head out and smiled happily when she saw Wang Hu.
She said, "Brother-in-law, why are you up so early? I wanted to sleep a little longer."
Just as she finished speaking, her sister's voice came from inside: "Still sleeping? What time is it? At your school, you should have already had a morning self-study session by now. Hurry up and get dressed, we need to pick up Mom and Dad from school soon."
After hearing her sister's scolding, Meng Zhiyu secretly made a face and glanced back before asking Wang Hu, "Brother-in-law, my sister is so fierce, why do you still like her?"
Meng Zhiyun happened to be walking to the door when she heard this. She grabbed her ear and dragged her inside.
What did you just say?
"I said, sis, you're gentle, beautiful, virtuous, and generous?"
"You think I didn't hear you? I was so good to you all this time." Then there was a loud slap.
"Sis, I'm already so old, why are you still spanking me? My brother-in-law is outside, if he hears you being so mean, he'll leave you."
"You still say that, right?" Then there were two more slaps.
Upon hearing the sound of slapping coming from inside, Wang Hu's heart skipped a beat, and he knew something was wrong. What if this turned into a family conflict? He rushed to the door, pounding on it and anxiously calling out, "Xiao Meng, stop hitting each other! Let's talk this out, don't ruin our relationship. I got up early to buy a big breakfast, please stop arguing and come eat while it's hot!"
However, Meng Zhiyun inside the room showed no appreciation and loudly replied, "You eat first, I'm going to teach this guy a lesson today!"
Upon hearing that she was about to be beaten again, her younger sister immediately put on a sweet and obedient expression, and said to her older sister in a coquettish tone, "Sister is the best, brother-in-law must love you the most. Oh dear, my stomach is growling with hunger, sister, let's stop fighting and go eat breakfast."
After a while, Wang Hu returned to his room and sat down, waiting quietly. Soon after, two figures appeared at the door; it was Meng Zhiyun and her younger sister. The younger sister had her hair neatly combed and was dressed appropriately, looking both cute and pretty—a miniature version of Meng Zhiyun.
As soon as the two entered the room, they saw a dazzling array of food laid out on the table. Meng Zhiyu asked in surprise, "Brother-in-law, why did you buy so much delicious food all at once? How can the three of us possibly finish it all! Are you going to take some back to Mom and Dad? But it's a bit far, and by the time it gets there, it'll probably be cold!"
Wang Hu smiled slightly and said mysteriously, "Don't worry, you'll find out soon enough. I just bought a few things randomly, so take whatever you like. But the weather in Shangqiu is really cold. These things were steaming hot when I bought them, but in just a short while, they've gone down to almost nothing."
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