My Taoist nun girlfriend is from the Republic of China era, 1942.

Chapter 119 A Gift on the Way Home
Chen Xiaomiao was so drunk that she was unconscious, and in the end, Lu Yuan had to half carry and half lift her back to her room.

I wiped her face and hands, fed her some warm water, and watched her fall into a deep sleep, still smelling of alcohol.

Lu Yuan sat on the edge of the bed, quietly watching the girl by the moonlight streaming in through the window.

He understood that the stories of the Chinese in Southeast Asia were just a trigger; what truly ignited her emotions were those deep-seated memories.

The villagers who starved to death on the way to escape famine, and the teachers and friends who disappeared in the flames of war.

Like the old man with the broken arm, all she could do was be grateful that she was still alive.

But just being alive had exhausted all her strength.

Lu Yuan bent down and gently brushed away the sweaty stray hairs from her forehead. His heart felt like it was blocked by something, a mixture of sourness and tenderness.

He thought he should treat this girl even better from now on, much better.

……

The two then stayed in Thailand for about a week.

On the last day, before dawn, Chen Xiaomiao quietly got up.

Lu Yuan was woken up by her noise. He squinted and picked up his phone to check the time. It was just past six o'clock.

Outside the window, the sea was just beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn.

"What are you doing up so early?"

Lu Yuan couldn't help but imitate her accent and complain.

Chen Xiaomiao was kneeling in front of her suitcase, writing and drawing in a small notebook, and didn't even look up when she heard this.

"I need to calculate how many gifts I need to buy."

She bit her pen, her brows furrowed tightly: "Grandpa and Grandma's, Sister Song Jia's, Zhao Qiang and his wife's... Oh right, and idiot's!"

Lu Yuan chuckled and propped himself up on his arms as he sat up: "What are you going to bring for that stupid dog?"

"You heartless bastard!" Chen Xiaomiao retorted righteously, "Last time you went on a business trip, that idiot was still thinking about you..."

The breakfast shop recommended by Dormai is hidden in a narrow alley. It has a small storefront, but it is full of locals.

Low plastic tables and stools, a large pot bubbling away, and a rich aroma of lemongrass, curry, and coconut milk filling the air.

Chen Xiaomiao followed Lu Yuan's example and ordered a bowl of the signature boat noodles.

The soup base is dark brown, the rice noodles are thin, and it is topped with tender bean sprouts, fried wontons and a few thin slices of pork.

"Huh? This smells really good!"

The sour, spicy, fresh, and sweet flavors create distinct layers that tantalize the taste buds, unlike any other noodle dish Chen Xiaomiao has ever eaten.

Lu Yuan picked up some fried wontons from his bowl and put them in her bowl: "Eat more if you like them. Shopping later will be hard work."

After breakfast, the tuk-tuk arranged by Dormai was already waiting at the entrance of the alley.

These three-wheeled motorcycles are decorated in a fancy way, making a "putt-putt" sound when they drive, and as they travel through the gradually bustling streets and alleys, the wind whistles against your face.

The market was bigger and more crowded than the one they had visited last time.

The rooftops connected to each other, shielding the increasingly scorching sun.

The stall was piled high with goods: spices like mountains, dried fruits in heaps, colorful fruits that looked fresh and juicy, and a dazzling array of handicrafts.

"Let's start from here!"

With a clear goal in mind, Chen Xiaomiao dragged Lu Yuan into the area selling food and local specialties.

For her grandparents, she chose soft, sweet dried mango and tempting golden durian candy, specifically opting for low-sugar options.

"The elderly have bad teeth and can't eat things that are too hard or too sweet."

She carefully looked at the packaging instructions; although she didn't recognize Thai, she could compare the patterns and the color.

Passing by a stall selling handmade soaps and aromatherapy products, she was drawn to the rustic packaging and natural fragrance.

The stall owner was a kind-looking old lady who tried her best to introduce the stall using simple English words and gestures.

Chen Xiaomiao picked up a bar of soap made with lavender and lemongrass, smelled it, and turned to ask Lu Yuan, "Would this be suitable for Sister Song Jia? It smells so elegant, it's a good match for her!"

Lu Yuan replied dismissively, "Yes, yes, yes! She'll definitely like your taste." Having received confirmation, Chen Xiaomiao immediately began to haggle.

She couldn't understand the old lady's words, and the old lady couldn't understand her Yuzhou dialect, but that didn't stop them from having a lively conversation.

Chen Xiaomiao pointed at the soap, gestured numbers, and made a "buy a lot" gesture, her expressions rich and persistent.

In the end, she bought several bars of soap with different scents at a satisfactory price and also received a small bottle of aromatherapy oil as a bonus.

The girl carefully placed the items into the cloth bag, her face beaming with pride.

"Next up, Zhao Qiang and his sister-in-law!"

For Zhao Qiang, she had her eye on an ashtray carved from a coconut shell, with a rugged yet unique design.

"Zhao Qiang smokes, this is useful!"

Qi Lili received a pair of exquisite seashell earrings, which shimmered with a warm luster in the sunlight.

"Lily is dressed so fashionably, she'll definitely like this!"

Finally, she didn't forget her idiot ways. Sure enough, she found a stall selling pet snacks in a corner and bought a big bag of Thai dog food for her to try.

After going around once, Lu Yuan was carrying several bags, and Chen Xiaomiao's own small cloth bag was also stuffed full.

Lu Yuan asked, "Is everything ready?"

Chen Xiaomiao took out her notebook again to check, and nodded solemnly: "All correct!"

"Go back then?"

"middle!"

It was already afternoon when we got back to the hotel.

Chen Xiaomiao took out her "spoils of war" one by one and laid them out on the living room carpet, starting to categorize them and figure out how to pack them.

Lu Yuan poured her a glass of ice water and handed it to her: "Take a break before you start."

"I'm not tired."

Chen Xiaomiao picked up the snack bag for her grandparents and put it in a sturdier bag to cover it up, afraid of crushing it.

Lu Yuan shook his head, letting her do as she pleased, and leaned back on the sofa to watch her busy herself.

As the sun set, Chen Xiaomiao finally began packing her things into her suitcase.

She didn't have many things, just a few changes of clothes, and she carefully folded the tube skirt and placed it on top.

She carefully arranged the gifts she bought in a corner, separating them with soft clothing.

Lu Yuan got up to help her, but his gaze inadvertently swept over a corner of the bottom of the box, and he stopped in his tracks.

Beneath those neatly folded everyday clothes, a glimpse of unfamiliar, smooth fabric edges, brightly colored, was faintly visible.

He subconsciously used his fingers to part the clothes on top and took a look—it was an unopened, neatly folded school swimsuit, with a hot model on the packaging.

There were also several small pieces of equally new, brightly colored thin cloth tucked in the side; judging from their shape, they looked like bikini tops and bottoms.

Lu Yuan was slightly taken aback, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but slowly curl upwards, revealing a very deep smile.

A girl who says one thing but means another...

He calmly covered himself with the clothes again, as if he hadn't seen anything.

Unaware of what was happening, Chen Xiaomiao was struggling to close the suitcase lid, muttering, "Make sure it's tight, or it'll come undone halfway..."

Lu Yuan stepped forward and helped her press down the lid of the box, locking it with a "click".

"Packed up?"

"Ok!"

Chen Xiaomiao straightened up, wiped the fine sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, and breathed a satisfied sigh of relief.

"go home!"

(End of this chapter)