Chapter 174

When the Han family arrived at the stall selling New Year’s goods, Fantuan felt he underestimated the number of people shopping in the stalls. Every stall was crowded with people, and their big family full of little kids couldn’t squeeze in.

In Xiao Doubao’s big rooster backpack, Fantuan found a pen and paper and handed them to Su Xiaoxiao. “Mom, there are too many people today. It’s difficult for us to squeeze through with so many people. Can you write down what we need to buy? You can take Xiao Roubao and Xiao Tangyuan to sit over there and wait while Xiao Doubao and I try to squeeze in and buy the things we need. Once we buy something, we’ll bring it out to you. This way, it’ll be faster.”

The New Year goods sold at the outdoor stalls are all essential items for the Chinese New Year and can be purchased without a ticket. However, they were limited in supply. For example, candies and biscuits were packed per gram, and each variety could only be bought for a certain amount. Each item was checked out separately, so it was inconvenient for Fantuan and Doubao to carry them while squeezing through. Bringing them out to Su Xiaoxiao to watch over was a great idea.

Su Xiaoxiao patted Fantuan’s head and handed him the wallet. “Our Fantuan has grown up. There’s no need for a list. You and Xiao Doubao can decide on your own. Today, you two are the procurement team. Mom appoints you as the captain of the procurement team. Buy whatever you think our family needs for the New Year. It’s okay if you can’t buy it all. We can get the rest from the nearby markets when we go back. Take the money, don’t let anyone pickpocket you, and Doubao, stick close to your brother. If you get separated, come back here to regroup. The most important thing is to pay attention to safety and be careful to not be stepped on.” 

The brothers had been trained and assigned various “missions” by Su Xiaoxiao since they were young, so these little missions were no trouble for them. Xiao Doubao saluted his mother with a smile: “Got it, Mom. We promise to complete the mission.”

Xiao Roubao actually really wanted to go with his brothers, but he knew his mother wouldn’t let him go. He tugged at Xiao Doubao’s sleeve and said, “Brother, I saw someone eating laughing sesame balls. Can you buy me some if you see that?”

Xiao Doubao pinched his younger brother’s meaty hand and said, “Okay, okay. I’ll definitely buy it for you when I see it.”

Fantuan also asked Xiao Tangyuan, “What does our younger sister want to eat the most? Big brother will buy it for you.”

Xiao Tangyuan tilted her head and thought for a moment, then shook her head. “Nothing. I like Mom’s fried sesame balls the most.”

Fantuan patted his sister’s head. “Alright, wait here. I’ll buy some for you. Let’s see if they taste better than Mom’s.”

Xiao Tangyuan shook her head and disagreed: “Mom’s fried sesame balls definitely taste better! ” 

Su Xiaoxiao held one child with each hand and said to the Big Brothers, “Okay, go ahead and do your shopping. Be quick.”

Fantuan and Doubao were both clever and agile. They held hands, and they quickly disappeared into the crowd.

Xiao Roubao sighed, “I really want to go too. If the aunt selling candies sees how cute I am, she’ll definitely give me some to eat.”

Su Xiaoxiao looked at his son’s chubby little face and felt a little worried. He was only a few minutes older than Xiao Tangyuan, but now, if you take a look at him, you will think he is one or two years older than Xiao Tangyuan. If she didn’t mention that they were twins, other people couldn’t tell they were twins. If he kept eating like this, he’d definitely become chubby, and then girls might not like him.

Su Xiaoxiao hugged her son and said, “Xiao Roubao, starting today, eat a little less rice and eat one less candy, okay?”

Xiao Roubao stared at Su Xiaoxiao with round eyes and shook his head. “Mommy, I can’t. Being hungry is very uncomfortable.” 

Xiao Roubao bit his finger and looked pitifully at his mother. “Mommy, is it because our family has to spend money opening a shop? That’s why you can’t afford to raise Xiao Roubao?”

Su Xiaoxiao: “…” 

Can he also relate this to opening a shop? Do children nowadays have such strong logical thinking?

Xiao Roubao rummaged through his chicken-shaped backpack, pulled out a crumpled stack of money from a hidden pocket, and handed it to Su Xiaoxiao. “Mom, this is my pocket money. Use it to buy groceries. Can this let Xiao Roubao eat enough?”

Xiao Tangyuan also picked up her small backpack and handed Su Xiaoxiao the pocket money she had saved. She looked at her with an expectant expression and said, “Mommy, I have also given you the money I have saved. Xiao Tangyuan will eat half a bowl of rice less in the future. Can you let the third brother eat enough?”

Su Xiaoxiao was at a loss for words. How did she become the evil stepmother who doesn’t let her children eat enough? 

She hugged the two children kissed them and said, “No, no, there is enough money at home to raise you. Mommy is just worried that Xiao Roubao eats too much and might become chubby. What should he do if no girls would like him in the future?”

Xiao Tangyuan tilted her head and looked at her mom. “Xiao Tangyuan is also a girl. Xiao Tangyuan has always liked his third brother.”

Xiao Roubao nodded heavily and said, “Mommy, I don’t want other girls to like me. They’ll only snatch candy from Xiao Roubao!”

Su Xiaoxiao: “…”

“Alright, alright. But if you eat sesame balls later, you can’t have candies today. Is that okay?”

Xiao Roubao bit his chubby finger and said, “But Mommy, fried laughing sesame ball is not a candy. We still need to eat candies.”

Su Xiaoxiao: “Are fried laughing sesame balls sweet?”

Xiao Roubao shook his head and said, “It’s not sweet; it’s a delicacy. If they were candies, they’d be called laughing sesame candy.”

Su Xiaoxiao: “…” 

Alright, alright, whatever you say. You’re cute, so everything you say is right. Kids are still young and don’t understand much. Let’s leave it at that for now; otherwise, you’re the only one who will worry.

In the short time they were gone, Fantuan and Xiao Doubao had already returned with their hands full of things.

Fantuan smiled and said, “Xiao Roubao and Xiao Tangyuan are really lucky. The first stall we went to was selling fried laughing sesame balls and fried sesame balls. I bought a bag of fried laughing sesame balls and fried sesame balls, another bag of twisted doughnuts, and a bag of beef jerky. Xiao Doubao and I could only choose two items each. They wouldn’t let us buy more.”

Su Xiaoxiao took out a large bag she had prepared in advance. “Put everything in here. Fantuan is already great to buy this amount.”

Xiao Doubao said: “The stall next to it has my mom’s favorite fruit. I bought a bag of oranges and a bag of tangerines.”

Su Xiaoxiao was very surprised. The supply of seasonal fruits was usually scarce and often sold out internally before even being put on display. You needed quite a bit of luck to come across them.

“Xiao Doubao, you did a great job. These fruits will be enough for our New Year celebration. Go and check out the children’s clothing section. I saw some big red coats there. If they fit, each of you can buy a set.”

Fantuan shook his head and said, “I checked and found out that Xiao Doubao and I can’t fit their size. However, Xiao Roubao and Xiao Tangyuan can buy a set each. Dressed in bright red, they can go around saying, ‘Gong Xi Fa Cai’ and I bet they’ll get a lot of red envelopes and candies.”

Xiao Roubao immediately became interested when he heard this: “Big brother, then I need to wear it!”

Xiao Doubao smiled and said, “When the time comes, Mom can help tie two little buns for my sister later. She’ll look exactly like the children in the New Year paintings.”

Su Xiaoxiao said, “Alright if you like it, go ahead and buy it.”

Su Xiaoxiao asked each of the cubs to eat a laughing sesame ball and said that the rest would be eaten during the Chinese New Year, and the cubs had no objection.

Xiao Roubao was so happy that his eyes narrowed into a slit as he ate the long-awaited laughing sesame balls.

The procurement team disappeared into the crowd again, and this time, it took them a lot of time.

When they returned, their hands were full.

Xiao Doubao held clothes, while Xiao Fantuan carried a pot. with kumquats?

Fantuan looked excited and said, “Mom, I bought this one, and if you hang a few red envelopes on it, it will definitely look good in our house.”

Su Xiaoxiao didn’t expect that this place would even sell Chinese New Year’s kumquats. When they were in Sujia Village, everyone loved planting kumquat trees in their yards. When the tree fully bloomed, it was just in time for the New Year. The kumquats were not only edible but also symbolized good fortune. Therefore, almost every household liked to plant them.

“Fantuan, can we buy another kumquat plant?” Su Xiaoxiao really liked kumquat. She wasn’t sure if the climate in the capital was suitable for planting, but if it was, she planned to plant it in the yard after the New Year. If the weather got too cold, they could build a small greenhouse for it.

Fantuan nodded and said, “It should be possible. It seems that people prefer to buy the fruit over this one, but there aren’t many people buying the kumquat either.”

Su Xiaoxiao was pleasantly surprised and said, “Where is the kumquat plant?”

Fantuan pointed to a stall in the far distance. “Yes, over there. However the seller said these potted plants were shipped from the south and are only for ornamental purposes. It’s too cold in the capital, and if they last till the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, it would be considered good. They wouldn’t survive if planted in the ground.”

Su Xiaoxiao thought the same way: “Forget it, then let’s just do the experiment with this pot. Let’s try planting it for a year and see if it will bloom or not. By the way, are there osmanthus and pomegranate?”

Fantuan thought carefully and said, “I didn’t see it, but it should be there. I think I can smell the fragrance of osmanthus.”

Su Xiaoxiao became even happier and said, “To be able to smell the fragrance of osmanthus when it’s not the osmanthus season means these were specially cultivated for the New Year. You guys watch your siblings. I’ll go and check.”

“How come you’re back so soon?” Su Xiaoxiao took the flowers from him, pleasantly surprised. “How did you know I wanted these?”

Han Cheng said, “I just knew you’d like them.”

Han Cheng said, “I knew you would like it.”

Su Xiaoxiao smiled at Han Cheng and looked at two pots of osmanthus, two pots of daffodils, and two pots of pomegranates. The kumquat bought by Fantuan was a large potted plant. Han Cheng bought these small potted plants, and the plant seller tied them together very well with water grass rope. With just one hand, he could carry several pots.

“Have you bought everything?” Han Cheng asked again.

Su Xiaoxiao looked at the things they had obtained and felt a little worried. “We couldn’t get everything, but we can’t buy more for now. We don’t have a car, and it’s already difficult to take all these things on the bus. Let’s just consider today as a stroll. But the TV and these flowers are our big gains. We’ll get the rest from the nearby public market and small markets when we go back.”

The cubs were particularly interested in the TV set brought back by Han Cheng and gathered around to watch it. Unfortunately, it had not been opened yet, and they couldn’t see anything except the cardboard box.

At this time, Su Xiaoxiao particularly missed her previous life and the days in Qingfeng Town. When going out with your family, a private car is really important. Fortunately, they made the decisive decision to buy the yard near the university; otherwise, it would be troublesome to always take the bus back and forth.

When Su Xiaoxiao went back, she asked Xiao Doubao to lead his younger brother and sister to the front. She and Han Cheng, along with Fantuan, tried their best to bring everything with them. Fortunately, they didn’t continue to buy more. They couldn’t even take an extra pot of flowers with them.

They squeezed onto the bus to go back home. It was almost six o’clock in the afternoon when they arrived. The cubs were thinking about the TV and kept saying they wanted to watch it.

Han Cheng removed the antenna from the box, unpacked it, and carried it out. The children looked at their new and heavy nine-inch black and white TV in amazement, making continuous excited noises.

The joy of children is so simple. Su Xiaoxiao remembered the 72-inch LCD TV and the wall-sized projection screen from her previous life. She didn’t know what to say. 

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twisted doughnuts

Beef jerky

Kumquat

Chinese New Year Posters