The shopkeeper greeted her warmly and asked someone to bring her a variety of cotton-padded clothes for her to choose from.
In the end, she carefully selected two sets of cotton coats for each family member according to their size, and only then was she satisfied.
Buying cotton clothes was not the end of the story. She thought that quilts were essential to keep warm at night, so she bought six thick and warm quilts in the store.
Yao Qingshuang loves shopping on a daily basis. When she gets the items she likes, her heart is filled with joy and excitement.
But at this moment, looking at the piles of clothes and quilts in front of her, her joy was instantly replaced by helplessness.
There were so many things piled there like a mountain. How could she carry them out by herself?
Her eyes fell on the owner of the clothing store. The owner looked warm-hearted and always had a kind smile on his face.
Yao Qingshuang hesitated for a moment, but then slowly stepped forward and said to the shopkeeper with a hint of anticipation and trepidation, "Shopkeeper, look, I have so many things, it's hard for me to carry them all by myself. Could you do me a favor and deliver them to the city gate?"
Seeing the shopkeeper's hesitation, Yao Qingshuang immediately understood. She quickly took out 50 coins from her sleeve and handed it to the shopkeeper, saying softly, "Shopkeeper, these 50 coins will be the shipping fee. Thank you for your help."
As soon as the shopkeeper's eyes fell on the 50 coins, a light flashed in his eyes, and the words of refusal that were on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back in an instant.
The shopkeeper's face was filled with smiles, and he responded readily, "Sure, why not? Don't worry, young lady. I'll have my boy deliver it to you later and keep it safe."
Seeing that the matter was resolved smoothly, Yao Qingshuang breathed a sigh of relief and a grateful smile appeared on her face.
"Thank you very much, boss. I still have to buy some other things. I'll leave them with you for now. I'll take them out of the city together when I come back." Yao Qingshuang said.
The shopkeeper, still smiling, patted his chest and assured, "Okay, you can put your mind at ease. I will take good care of everything for you."
Yao Qingshuang walked out of the clothing store and hurriedly turned into a small alley.
She looked around cautiously, and after making sure that no one was paying attention, she quietly took out the needles and thread, candles, bacon, sausages, fruits, snacks, candies, and various condiments indispensable for cooking that she had prepared in the supermarket, and put them one by one into the newly bought backpack.
Only after she had purchased all the necessary items did she hurried back to the clothing store.
Standing at the door of the clothing store, she panted slightly and shouted loudly: "Boss, I'm back."
The shopkeeper's familiar and enthusiastic voice rang out instantly: "You're back! You must be exhausted after this trip. Don't worry, I've already packed everything."
As he spoke, the shopkeeper strode to the door with a smile on his face, stretched out his broad, calloused fingers, and pointed at an ox cart parked quietly at the door.
On the ox cart, the clothes she had just bought were carefully folded and piled in a corner, while the quilts were spread out flat, thick and soft, occupying almost half of the carriage, as if building a warm nest for this small "pile of cargo", quietly waiting for its owner to set off.
Yao Qingshuang looked up and saw that the things were arranged neatly on the ox cart. A satisfied smile appeared on her face, and she thought to herself that the 50 cents were really well spent.
The shopkeeper turned around and shouted into the room, "Xiaofu, quickly drive the ox cart and deliver the goods to the city gate for the customer!"
The voice was loud and powerful, echoing in the small shop.
"Mom, I'm here!" A crisp response came, followed by a boy of about eleven or twelve years old walking out of the house with brisk steps.
Xiaofu was born with delicate features, a pair of big eyes that showed cleverness, and a face that was a little childish and shy.
He nodded politely to Yao Qingshuang as a greeting, then climbed onto the ox cart nimbly, grasped the reins skillfully, and prepared to drive away.
"Thank you very much, shopkeeper." Yao Qingshuang bowed slightly, with a smile on her lips, and said goodbye to the shopkeeper in a friendly manner.
Then, she followed the ox cart slowly and walked towards the city gate.
Yao Qingshuang slowly moved forward on the ox cart and soon arrived at the city gate.
As soon as she found her footing in the bustling crowd, she saw Su Wencheng and Su Wenjun standing not far away, looking around anxiously.
They arrived just in time. Yao Qingshuang quickly raised her voice and called out to them, "Second brother, third brother, come quickly!"
Su Wenjun and Su Wencheng stood there, wondering when their mother's shopping trip would be over. Just when they were getting anxious, they suddenly heard a familiar and kind voice calling them.
They were stunned at first, then a look of surprise appeared on their faces. Without saying a word, they immediately spread their legs and ran towards where their mother was.
When they ran closer and their eyes inadvertently swept across the dazzling array of supplies on the ox cart, they couldn't help but widen their eyes and their faces were full of shock.
The mountains of clothes, thick and soft quilts, and various daily necessities, the richness of the categories and the considerable quantity, far exceeded their expectations.
Su Wenjun couldn't help but gasp in surprise, "Mom, are you bringing the entire market back?"
Su Wencheng also nodded repeatedly, his eyes full of curiosity and amazement about these supplies.
Yao Qingshuang looked at her two sons' shocked expressions, but without giving them any time to recover, she said hurriedly, "You're just in time. Don't just stand there like an idiot. Hurry and move your things back. Don't waste the young man's time."
Upon hearing this, Su Wenjun and Su Wencheng quickly put away the surprise on their faces, and without saying a word, tacitly acted as porters.
They rolled up their sleeves and shuttled between the ox cart and their own camp with great enthusiasm. Su Wenjun, who was a little stronger, picked up the heavy quilts and large pieces of clothing, gritted his teeth, and carried them steadily on his shoulders; Su Wencheng, on the other hand, moved relatively light items with nimble hands and feet, going back and forth without stopping.
After they finished moving all the things, Yao Qingshuang smiled amiably. She reached out and grabbed a handful of colorful candies and handed them to Xiaofu, who was still sitting on the ox cart. She said softly, "Little brother, thank you for helping me move the things. Here's some candy to sweeten your mouth."
Xiaofu was originally focused on driving and hadn't expected any extra rewards. Seeing this handful of tempting candies, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. He didn't shy away from refusing and happily accepted it with the cheerfulness of a teenager. With an innocent smile on his face, he quickly said, "Thank you, Auntie!"
On the other side, Lawrence Lu and Uncle Hu slowly walked into the teahouse lobby, where there was a lot of noise and the aroma of tea wafted in the air.
They found an empty seat by the window and sat down, then called the waiter and ordered a pot of tea.
When the tea was served on the table, steam rose from it. Lu Youan gently poured two cups, pushed one in front of Uncle Hu, and took the other cup and took a sip. He seemed leisurely and comfortable, but in fact, his ears had already perked up, silently paying attention to the voices of people around him.
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