The Fiery Era: Starting from Longxugou

Still craving it?

In the courtyard, Sun Cuilan was scolding her daughter and son with a stern face.

"I'm not craving it anymore!"

Zhao Xiaole and Zhao Shixiong quickly shook their heads.

"What if I still crave it?"

"If you're still craving it, I'll beat you to death!"

Zhao Xiaole said angrily.

"Are you being stubborn?"

Hearing her daughter's words, Sun Cuilan was furious and slapped her little girl's bottom twice.

Zhao Xiaole pouted and remained silent.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Shixiong looked at his younger sister in shock and quickly said:

"Mom, if you keep craving it, you'll get a beating!"

"What's going on? Little Le Shixiong, what's wrong with you two making your mother so angry? Auntie, what's wrong?"

As soon as Zhao Shi'an entered the courtyard, he saw his aunt scolding his younger cousins. He went straight to the east wing after entering the courtyard.

"Big brother, Mom says we're greedy! We're begging you to buy us candy and sesame cakes..."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xiaole's eyes lit up, and he ran to his older brother's side, hugging his leg and complaining.

"Auntie! This isn't Xiao Le's and Shi Xiong's fault, I bought it for them!"

Upon hearing this reason, Zhao Shi'an offered his explanation.

"Shi'an, you need to save up some money to buy notebooks and pens for your studies! You can't just spend it recklessly... You two too! If you weren't greedy, would your older brother spend money?"

Sun Cuilan realized she had wronged her children, so she told her nephew to study hard and not waste money, and then scolded her two children.

Zhao Xiaole and Zhao Shixiong thought they had been exonerated and hadn't even shown their smiles when their mother scolded them again, making them feel extremely wronged.

"Alright, alright, Auntie, stop talking. What's wrong with me, the older brother, buying some food for my younger brother and sister-in-law?"

"Don't cry, Xiao Le. Come on, let's go home with your big brother for dinner!"

Listening to his aunt's scolding, Zhao Shi'an shielded the two of them to his side and reached out to wipe away his little cousin's tears.

"Alright, alright, Auntie, stop talking. Children need to be taught slowly. I already mentioned Xiaoyue and Shijie earlier."

Hearing the commotion in the courtyard, Liu Guiying came out to smooth things over.

"Sister-in-law, you can't spoil the child..."

Sun Cuilan waved her hand upon hearing this.

"I know, okay, Xiao Le, don't cry. Come to my house for dinner today, okay?"

Liu Guiying approached her nephew and niece, took their hands, and asked.

"Come!"

Zhao Xiaoyue and Zhao Shixiong nodded.

"Guan, go wash your hands with your older brother. Auntie, you and the second brother can eat at home later! Xiaoyue and Xiaole are eating at my house today."

As Liu Guiying spoke, she pulled her nephew and niece toward home.

Sun Cuilan remained silent upon seeing this, and Zhao Shi'an greeted his aunt and went home.

Back home, Zhao Shijie attentively poured hot water for his older brother to wash his hands.

"Don't cry, Xiao Le. Come wash your hands, and your big brother will wash your face for you!"

As Zhao Shi'an spoke, he took his little cousin's hand and put her into the hot water. After soaking for a while, he first washed the little girl's face and hands, and finally applied clam oil.

"Big brother!"

When Zhao Xiaoyue saw her older brother approaching, his eyes were red, clearly indicating that he had just been scolded!

"Come on, Xiaoyue, let your big brother wash you too!"

Seeing his little sister's condition, Zhao Shi'an pulled the little one to wash her hands and face.

After washing my hands, my father and second uncle returned shortly afterward.

The family sat down to eat together. At the table, Liu Guiying gave her four little ones some instructions:

"Xiaoyue, Shijie, your older brother's money is all for his education! You can't do this again."

Xiao Le and Shi Xiong, you two too, understand?

"Mother, I understand!"

"Auntie, we know too!"

The four little ones nodded seriously after listening.

"What?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Youtian asked a question.

Liu Guiying immediately recounted what had happened at noon.

"Mom, it's not much money! I still have money; my student grant will be issued in a few days, don't be so stingy!"

Zhao Shi'an offered an explanation.

"Boss, keep your money for yourself. You'll need money to buy notebooks and pens. If you don't have enough, just tell me. Don't be too stingy!"

Your younger siblings are still small, don't spoil them too much!

Upon hearing her eldest son's words, Liu Guiying immediately changed her attitude.

"Yes, that's right! As long as they're not starving, we'll take care of them! Life is so much better now, unlike before when we couldn't even get enough to eat. Now we have plenty to eat and drink!"

After listening, Zhao Youtian habitually started talking about the past.

Hearing their father's words, Zhao Xiaoyue and Zhao Shijie nodded vigorously. They could argue with their mother, but arguing with their father would definitely get them a beating.

"Mom, I have money!"

Zhao Shi'an didn't explain much. Ultimately, it was because they were poor. It was nothing for a wealthy family to eat some snacks.

"Keep your money! Let's eat!"

"good!"

Zhao Shi'an nodded and began to eat his dinner.

After dinner, the family sat together and chatted for a while before going to bed early.

The next day, Zhao Shi'an went to school as usual. After lunch, he returned to school and did a few college entrance exam papers during his lunch break.

After school in the afternoon, the weekend arrived.

After breakfast on Sunday, Zhao Shi'an wanted to go to the flower market. The flower market is held every four days, and today was the opening day. Since it was also the weekend, he naturally wanted to have a good look around!

After hearing this, Zhao Xiaoyue and Zhao Xiaole, along with the other children, also clamored to go.

Liu Guiying and Sun Cuilan didn't stop them, they just kept giving them instructions:

"If you go with us and still have cravings, you'll get a beating! Understand?"

"Okay, Mom, Auntie, I promise I won't be greedy!"

Zhao Xiaoyue made a promise.

"Auntie, Mother, I'm not greedy!"

Zhao Xiaole and Zhao Shixiong quickly said.

"Go on, Shi'an, but don't waste money at the market!"

Sun Cuilan nodded, and still feeling uneasy, she gave her eldest nephew some more instructions.

"Auntie, I understand. You two go ahead with your work! I'm just going for a stroll and will be back around noon."

After Zhao Shi'an finished speaking, he called his younger siblings and they left the courtyard together.

Arriving at Flower Market Street, Zhao Xiaoyue and her three little ones skipped and hopped behind their eldest brother, curiously looking around. Today was the opening day, and Flower Market Street was in full bloom, with "hundreds of households and thousands of homes adorned with flowers, a sight to behold even in springtime."

Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, the flower market has been the largest production area of ​​silk flowers, velvet flowers and glass flowers in the capital. There is a saying that "all silk flowers in the world come from the capital, and all silk flowers in the capital come from the flower market!"

The entire flower market street is laid out with a "front shop, back factory" layout, and every household makes a living by making and selling flowers.

There are few real flowers on the street; they are all artificial flowers made of silk, pith paper, wire, and glass with exquisite craftsmanship. Peonies, roses, and pomegranate flowers are all lifelike, with bright colors like brocade.

Although it's not springtime, the flowers are in full bloom and open all year round, just as the saying goes: "It's intoxicating even though it's not springtime."

Zhao Shi'an led his younger siblings through the street. The entire street was lined with gray brick walls and gray tile eaves, and the wooden shops were crowded together. It stretched from the East Flower Market to the West Flower Market, and all the shops were made of silk, velvet, paper and pith paper.

The area in front of the Fire God Temple was the busiest, with a row of flower stalls along the street displaying red velvet flowers, pink silk plum blossoms, gold paper chrysanthemums, and pomegranate flowers made of glass, all dazzlingly bright in the sunlight.

Many artisans squatted on their stalls, with cut silk fabrics and dyed wires laid out in front of them. Their fingers flew, and in a moment they could create a peony that was indistinguishable from a real one.

The old plaques of "Dongshengyong" and "Ruiheyong" have faded but remain upright. The cabinets inside and outside are piled with velvet birds and velvet flowers. Both of these are decades-old brands.

Zhao Shi'an led his younger siblings through the sea of ​​flowers, the air filled with the slightly sour smell of paste, the faint fragrance of silk, and the sweet aroma of pastries from the street vendors.

The sound of hammering came from the workshop at the alley entrance, where craftsmen were making glass flower petals; deep in the alley, women sat on the doorsteps, gluing silk flowers together, their bamboo baskets piled with half-finished flowers and leaves.