lcionline Chapter 27 Candied Hawthorn
Chapter 27 Candied Hawthorn
"Candied hawthorn berries! Sweet and sour candied hawthorn berries!"
At the entrance of the department store, an old man was loudly hawking his wares, carrying a bundle of straw covered with candied hawthorns.
Lin Shuyao loves this sweet and sour taste the most. Looking at the bright red hawthorns coated with glistening rock sugar, she unconsciously swallowed and couldn't move.
"Hey girl, wanna have a skewer? It's only three cents a skewer. Look at these hawthorns, every single one is plump, sweet and sour, I guarantee you'll want more after you try them!"
She could still afford it for three cents.
Lin Shuyao called out to the front, "Comrade Cheng Zheng, wait a minute. I'd like to buy a skewer of candied hawthorns, do you want some? It's on me."
"I won't eat." Cheng Zheng stopped, turned around, took a few steps back, and stopped beside her.
Lin Shuyao said "Oh," and took out money from her pocket. A hand with distinct knuckles reached over her and handed the money to the old man selling candied hawthorns.
The old man deftly took the money, then pulled off the biggest and reddest candied hawthorn skewer and handed it to Lin Shuyao, saying, "Girl, don't bother, your boyfriend already paid for it! Here you go!"
Lin Shuyao looked up and took it, glancing at Cheng Zheng, her lips curving into a smile.
Although it's only three cents, the attitude is what matters.
She has a better feeling about men who offer to pay.
The old man thought the same thing as her. Even though a candied hawthorn only costs three cents, there are plenty of men who are unwilling to pay. The girl was licking her lips with envy, standing in front of the stall looking and looking again, while the men just stood by and waited, as if they were blind.
Or they'd say, "Only kids eat this stuff."
Or you could say, "What's so good about this? Buy your own, I'm not eating it."
Or, to put it another way: "Three cents here, three cents there, that's how money is spent. Women should learn to be thrifty and manage the household well. You can't do that after you get married."
Some are willing to pay, but they'll nag for ages, acting like they've spent thirty just to pay three cents—they're so stingy.
On the contrary, the women who come to buy alone or in groups are generous and efficient, without being so fussy.
In short, the old man had been selling candied hawthorns in this area for several years and had seen all kinds of men.
This guy may look cold and aloof, but he's quick to pay, handsome, and generous—a top-notch breed of man, perfect for marriage!
However, this girl is also exceptionally beautiful, like a celestial being. Forget about candied hawthorns, she could probably even pluck the stars from the sky for you.
The old man grinned and said, "Young lady, your boyfriend is really something. He buys you whatever you want to eat, and he's not talkative at all. Not bad, not bad. I wish you a long and happy marriage and many children!"
Lin Shuyao explained with a smile, "Grandpa, you've misunderstood. We're not in a romantic relationship."
But who knows what will happen in the future.
Lin Shuyao added a sentence in her mind.
The old man, seemingly unconcerned, looked at Cheng Zheng with the anxious eunuch, waving his hands frantically: "Young man, this won't do! You can't just blindly pursue a woman; you have to say nice things! Look how pretty this girl is, there's probably a long line of suitors for her. If you keep this up, you'll suffer!"
puff.
Lin Shuyao curved her lips into a smile, a hint of amusement flashing in her eyes.
It had to be the old man; he actually dared to say that even three blows from the Demon God wouldn't make him fart.
"I'm gone."
Cheng Zheng glanced at her face as she suppressed a laugh, uttered two words, and turned away abruptly.
The bright autumn sunlight shone down, making his earlobes slightly red.
"Wait for me!"
Lin Shuyao followed closely behind, holding a candied hawthorn.
Walking beside him, she took a bite of a candied hawthorn. The crisp sweetness of the rock sugar and the tartness of the hawthorn spread across her tongue. After biting into two, the sweet and sour sensation wore off, and she felt a bit cloying. She held the rest in her hand and didn't touch them.
Cheng Zheng stopped in front of the bedding counter in the department store.
Looking at the pile of brand-new quilts and printed sheets in front of her, Lin Shuyao suddenly realized that he was taking her to buy bedding.
Sure enough, Cheng Zheng said to her, "Choose one."
Lin Shuyao didn't get along with him before and didn't want to owe him a favor, so she didn't spend his money.
But now, she wants to flirt with him and develop a romantic relationship with him, so of course she has no scruples.
It's only natural for a boyfriend to spend money on his girlfriend!
Lin Shuyao casually stuffed the remaining half of the candied hawthorn into his hand, then happily walked towards the counter, her fingertips brushing against the various patterned quilt covers.
In this era, soldiers held a particularly high status and were highly respected.
If Lin Shuyao came to buy things by herself, the sales clerk would definitely ignore her, but as soon as Cheng Zheng stood next to her, the sales clerk's attitude changed completely, and a warm smile immediately appeared on her face:
"Soldier, you've brought your partner to choose blankets? This is a big deal! Look at our newly arrived satin blankets, bright red with peony flowers, so festive! The cotton is freshly fluffed, soft and warm, I guarantee you two will be very comfortable!"
Everyone thought the two were a couple.
Lin Shuyao suddenly felt that when she went out today, it was as if all the CP fans in the world had kissed her.
Every NPC was helping her out.
Before Cheng Zheng could deny it, Lin Shuyao picked up a satin quilt with a pattern of mandarin ducks playing in the water, looked at him, and deliberately asked, "What do you think of this bed? I think it's quite suitable."
Cheng Zheng's gaze lingered on the pair of bright red mandarin ducks for a moment, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly. He looked away, his voice stiff: "You can decide for yourself."
"Oh—" Lin Shuyao drawled, sounding a little disappointed, then picked out another light blue one, "How about this one? The color is so clean and simple."
The sales clerk nodded in agreement: "I must say, this color actually suits your skin tone quite well."
Cheng Zheng's gaze fell silently on Lin Shuyao's profile.
The afternoon light streamed through the high windowpane, flowing across her porcelain-white, delicate cheeks, tracing her slender jawline, and sliding down to the gracefully curved, snow-white neck above her collar. The light cast a warm, glazed glow on her skin, making even the finest downy hairs clearly visible.
An image inexplicably flashed through his mind—she was wrapped in this light blue quilt, her soft, black hair spread out on the plain pillow, making her small face appear even whiter and brighter, her bright, cat-like eyes blinking at him…
His breath hitched almost imperceptibly. He quickly looked away and said to the sales clerk, "Bring me the matching sheets, pillowcases, and mattress."
"Okay," the sales clerk readily agreed, squatted down and went to the back of the counter to get a brand new set. "Total 45.3 yuan, plus 20 feet of cloth coupons and 7 jin of cotton coupons."
Cheng Zheng counted out the bills and handed them over.
The sales clerk tore off a two-part receipt, filled it out, folded the receipt and the money together, skillfully clipped the edge of the receipt with a wooden clip, then walked to the side of the counter, hung the clip holding the receipt on the wire, and gently pushed it with her fingers—
With a "whoosh," the wooden clip slid along the wire, flew precisely seven or eight meters, and came to a steady stop above the cash register.
The cashier reached out, took the receipt, checked it, stamped it, and then returned the change and the stamped receipt in the same way with a "whoosh".
The sales clerk took the receipt and handed it over along with the wrapped bedding: "All done! Take care, gentlemen, and may your lives be prosperous and successful!"
Neither Lin Shuyao nor Cheng Zheng offered an explanation.
After walking a few steps, Lin Shuyao said to Cheng Zheng, "Why don't you explain to them that we're not in a relationship?"