Chapter 1292 - 1164: Going to the Market

Chapter 1292: Chapter 1164: Going to the Market

After sending off the Old Captain and the clan elder uncles, the sky outside was already dark, and the northern wind howled incessantly, once again letting Zhou Jiao experience the chill of those years.

No matter how cold it was, early in the morning when the men and children got up for exercise, she had to brace herself, shrugging her neck forward when the wind hit.

Going from simple to luxurious is easy, but going from luxurious to simple is hard. She shouldn’t have refused Aunt Chen’s help!

This time, she didn’t bring a lot of things back; first, the annual gifts for her in-laws and siblings took up some luggage space, and second, she still preferred bringing tickets and money.

Her in-laws did send them some grain, but since she hadn’t been back for a few years, their stored grains were probably already consumed.

Poor two bags of coarse grains, even if they could eat it, it wouldn’t be enough for almost ten men for a few meals, not to mention she couldn’t bear to let her husband and children suffer.

Especially Ping’an and Liu Yi, they already have a hard time studying in military school, and to follow the trend, they can’t be treated specially. Only when they have a holiday and come home can they be well taken care of.

Buy! Definitely buy! Need to buy big and special big!

After breakfast, Zhou Jiao took out the national food tickets she prepared in advance, the provincial foreign exchange certificates, and money, and handed them to Xiao Zhu, telling him to drive to the provincial city for shopping.

At the same time, he could also take those people back, while her family stayed in the village without going out. Her husband and sons are all experts; didn’t you see they couldn’t even handle a few moves from her son this morning? Besides, these young soldiers want to celebrate the New Year too, why let them watch other families reunite and feel sad.

Later when her three sons sneaked up the mountain, Zhou Jiao didn’t say much. She and Zhang Guoqing, who changed into casual wear, took Mr. Liu and drove to the market.

Her silly sons eager to go hunting in such cold weather didn’t realize the market is where they should be heading now.

The market in their hometown is different from Jingjiao.

Local cotton cloth, shoe pads, headscarves, bamboo baskets, bamboo tubs, kang mats, etc... each is an artwork, highly appreciated for their artistic value.

Once the morning of New Year’s Eve is over, what stalls are left in the market?

As she imagined, the big market today had already restored its grand scene.

Zhou Jiao hadn’t even approached the market, but from getting out of the car, the people she met along the way, most of the young wives had changed into relatively good clothes, and many held coarse cloth-covered baskets in their hands.

Big men carried poles, held burlap sacks, or leisurely strolled while holding small children. All of them wore cheerful and happy smiles, as life became more promising.

If she were at home, Zhou Jiao might not have felt so much, but once out the door, she increasingly felt that the festive atmosphere was more lively than in the city, indescribably so, which made her who didn’t care much a bit excited.

Without the military uniform on, Zhang Guoqing wrapped up like a bear with only half his face showing, freely and happily dragged his wife’s hand, heading towards the target point.

Ordered to change into casual clothes, Xiao Liu could only silently watch the couple’s backs, carrying a bamboo basket closely behind, just worried he might lose them.

Isn’t celebrating the New Year all about having fun?

Zhang Guoqing felt genuinely happy seeing Zhou Jiao relaxed from the bottom of his heart. Without the constraints of Beijing, his wife’s smile became enchanting, making him unable to resist the urge to wrap her tightly with a scarf.

As New Year’s Eve drew closer, the taste of the New Year truly became increasingly rich.

There were stalls on the outskirts of the market, with various Spring Festival couplets, New Year paintings, lanterns hanging on bamboo poles, and all kinds of firecrackers in cardboard boxes on the ground.

Following this stall, a few steps away was the supply and marketing cooperative stall, crowded with customers, most of them young wives and girls.

Zhang Guoqing escorted his wife to avoid them, and after a few steps, his eyes lit up. Guess what? There were nuts and dried fruits for sale.

This is great~ his wife, constantly worrying about having nothing to entertain guests in the first month, probably made him hesitant. Of course, he wouldn’t reveal his wife’s hoarding nature.

Zhang Guoqing waved Xiao Liu over, whispered instructions when he approached, handed him a bunch of money, and made a couple of gestures.

Then he approached the stall and shielded Zhou Jiao as they moved to the next one. He finally understood Xiao Liu’s usefulness as a third wheel here.

"I’ve already told Xiao Liu to buy firecrackers and those and load them onto the car."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jiao covered her mouth to stifle her laughter. Using the word ’load’? Clearly, it’s quite a lot! Did he forget there is still an old lady at home who wouldn’t call him a spendthrift?

Nonetheless, she loves her husband like this!

"Auntie, you have good stuff here, I’ll take them all, can the price be reduced?"

"Old man, you have it tough too, it’s freezing in the winter, I’ll take it all, can you deliver it to the parking area? Yes, where the ox carts and horse carriages are parked."

"Buddy, I won’t haggle, it’s one yuan per pound, okay? Then just take a trip with my brother to deliver it outside. Money? My brother will give it to you once we’re there."

"Auntie, your salted fish and meat are expensive, who’d buy them? Doesn’t every household now buy in preparation for the New Year, with goods hanging everywhere inside and out?"

"Say no more, how about I take everything? ...What? Why am I buying so much? Haha... you don’t know how many brothers I have, one portion for each and it’s gone."

"..."

As soon as Zhou Jiao squatted by the stall, Zhang Guoqing went around snapping everything up, tiring Xiao Liu. The young fellow was sweating despite the cold winter weather.

Seeing the car almost filled up, with things tied on top too, Xiao Liu didn’t dare ruin the boss’s good mood, so he turned to the madam for help.

Zhou Jiao immediately burst out laughing.

"Wifey, what’s so funny?" Zhang Guoqing turned to look and pointed towards the spot selling candied hawthorn, "Should we buy some and stand them in the courtyard, giving each child one stick when they come?"

Zhou Jiao wasn’t surprised by this suggestion. In the past two years during the temple fair in the first month, her Ping An Brothers always brought back a few strings of candied hawthorns and stuck them in the snowman’s hand in the courtyard for visiting kids.

But how many can enter the courtyard from the Big Courtyard, compared to the village here?

But since he’s her husband, she can indulge him. Never mind the candied hawthorn, she’d even give every child a ten-yuan bill if her husband wished.

The last short sell deal at year end had a total foreign payment of over 70 million US dollars, even higher if carried on into the spring.

"Buy!"

Zhang Guoqing cheerfully raised his eyebrows at her, tilted his head towards Xiao Liu. This silly guy, does he not know how much he bought and whether it can fit in the car?

Forget it, seeing him work so hard, let’s spare him!

Zhang Guoqing turned around, holding Zhou Jiao’s hand, protecting her as they squeezed out, "Let’s go back first to see if the kids are back? Tomorrow we’ll have the big market at Ma Liutun, we’ll head over there."

Zhou Jiao eagerly nodded. She had just overheard her husband asking around for such news, probably planning to take her for a good time.

Hehe... just wondering if his mother would scold him when they get back!

After paying, Xiao Liu picked up a stick full of candied hawthorns and rushed to return in quick steps—thankfully, none of the surrounding kids cried!

However, how to bring these back intact became an issue.