Sky Curtain: My Happy Daily Life Exposed by Xiao Sizi

Chapter 66 Going to the Market!

Little Sizi, seeing Lu Chen recording with his phone, curiously leaned over and asked, "Brother, are you taking pictures again?"

Lu Chen smiled and pointed the camera at her: "My brother is posting on his WeChat Moments, recording us eating and sending it to the other family members."

"I want to see too!" Little Si leaned closer to the screen and saw a round-faced little girl chewing something with her cheeks puffed out. She immediately frowned, her eyes turning into panda eyes. "Ugh! My food is so ugly!"

Upon hearing this, the surrounding relatives burst into good-natured laughter.

Aunt Zhang pointed at the screen and said, "Little one, you're so cute eating! We all love watching you!"

"Yes! Our little Sizi is the prettiest!"

"Who says Little Sizi isn't pretty? Third Grandma will beat him!"

Everyone tried their best to protect Xiao Sizi.

"Hmm~~" The little boy nodded as if he understood, but his attention was quickly drawn to the cold watermelon salad on the table.

She picked up a piece of pink watermelon, which was covered with a few white sesame seeds, and carefully took a small bite.

"Sweet! Cool!" She shook her little head contentedly, a sesame seed stuck to the corner of her mouth.

Just then, Third Grandma came over carrying a plate of freshly fried milk, its golden-brown crust emitting an enticing aroma. "Here, try this while it's hot. It's crispy on the outside and soft as tofu on the inside!"

Little Sizi took a piece, blew on it gently, and bit off a corner. The milky aroma instantly filled her mouth, and her eyes lit up: "It's like—like a cloud melting in my mouth!"

The ancient people beneath the canopy watched intently. Li Tai, clinging to the edge of the canopy, wished he could stick his head inside: "Mother! What's that soft, white thing? I want to eat it too!"

Empress Zhangsun shook her head helplessly, but secretly remembered what fried milk looked like, thinking that perhaps she could ask the imperial kitchen to try making it in the future.

Inside the Ming Dynasty palace, Zhu Yuanzhang pointed to the plate of fried crab sticks and said to Empress Ma, "Look at those, the ones fried to a golden brown, they're the most substantial! To think crab meat can be eaten like this is truly an eye-opener!"

Empress Ma smiled and agreed, "Once the carpenter finishes making the rotating table, we'll set one up too, so the children can all have a taste."

Meanwhile, at the dinner table, Little Sizi's little belly was already round and full. She leaned against Lu Chen, touched her belly with her little hand, and let out a small burp.

"Honey, I'm so happy today!" She squinted her eyes, her voice soft and sweet. "I have so many good friends and so many wonderful people."

Lu Chen gently wiped the sugar stains from the corner of her mouth and said softly, "From now on, whatever Sizi wants to eat, your brother will bring you here to eat it."

The atmosphere inside the greenhouse was harmonious and joyful.

Dad was having a lively conversation with some of his friends, while Mom was spending time with the villagers.

Lu Chen and Xiao Sizi only need to focus on eating and drinking well.

The sounds of laughter and chatter from relatives and friends, the clinking of bowls and chopsticks, and the playful shouts of children mingled together, creating a lively and heartwarming pastoral symphony.

Xiao Sizi watched all this and quietly tightened her grip on Lu Chen's fingers.

She knew these people were there to welcome her, and she felt a surge of joy.

The banquet lasted for two and a half hours. Several tables of guests were particularly heavy drinkers, drinking leisurely and staying by the greenhouse the whole time.

The cars of passing passengers filled both streets.

Little Sizi was the happiest.

The little one not only enjoyed delicious food but also made a group of good friends. Her friends all invited her to come play with them every day, and of course, she agreed.

Lu Chen felt he needed to relax for a couple of days.

Li Shimin and his wife were also completely relieved.

"Guanyinbi, look how wonderful this village is! It's united and friendly, the people are prosperous, and everyone is happy."

"Yes, the family that Sizi settled in is the best in the village. Look at Father Lu, he's a prominent figure in the village and has many wealthy and influential friends. It seems Father Lu is destined for great things."

"Hmm. How can the father of the ox be an ordinary person?!" Li Shimin's gaze sharpened.

Although he was extremely unwilling to let someone else be his daughter's "father," he had no choice but to make do, since he was "under someone else's roof."

That evening, Lu Chen received a video call invitation, allowing his family members who were away to speak with him at home.

"Dad, Mom, it's Qingming Festival, which is the day after tomorrow. My second uncle's two uncles are coming back with their children, and my eldest brother is also coming back from Shanghai," Lu Chen reported happily.

"I know," Mom said dismissively. "They'll all be home tomorrow afternoon."

"Just one day short? They didn't even make it to the banquet." Lu Chen said with a hint of regret.

"That's where your third grandmother's brilliance lies. It doesn't matter whether our family eats first or last. There were so many leftover ingredients from the banquet, several whole raw fish, all sorts of other things—who's going to eat them all?"

"That's right, Third Grandma is truly the head of our family."

"Your third grandmother is the pillar of our Lu family," Dad said meaningfully.

"There's a big market tomorrow. Our whole family is going to the market to buy some things for our ancestral worship. Lu Cheng, are you free tomorrow?" Mom asked.

"It's alright. I'll take you there."

"Okay, I'll call my third aunt and the others." Mom immediately started preparing.

So the family began to look forward to tomorrow.

Early in the morning, after breakfast, the whole family got ready.

Dad drove to Grandma's house.

It just so happens that both Second Grandmother and Eldest Aunt are at Third Grandmother's house.

The group got into the car.

"I'm saying, we don't have anything else to buy, right?" Third Grandma said. "Besides incense and candles, there's wine, yellow paper, and gold ingots and such."

"I also want to buy a spool of white thread to sew quilts."

"Yes, we didn't need to buy anything to eat. Lu Chen's family had leftover fruit and drinks from their celebration, so we took a lot of them," Auntie said happily.

"Yes, we're just strolling around today!" Mom leisurely looked at the scenery, but actually, she remembered all the things she was supposed to bring back for Grandma and Auntie's house.

When they arrived at the market, Little Sizi's mind raced. He looked here and there, finding everything interesting.

"Flowers for sale! Newly blooming camellias! Cyclamens! Gardenias!"

"Fix the leak in the pot! One patch and it's done!"

"For fixing leaky roofs, asphalt is the perfect adhesive! It's easy to use!"

"Roast duck! 25 yuan each! Beggar's chicken! 30 yuan!"

The cries of vendors rose and fell in waves.

Di-

All kinds of voices are intertwined.

Nearby, there are stalls selling steel, timber, secondhand goods, and tiles; further away, clothing and fabric stalls; and even further still, fruit stalls—the vibrant atmosphere of everyday life is all within sight.

Little Sizi didn't know where to look.

The people living under the sky were truly amazed.

"This is what a modern market looks like!"

"The countryside is different from the city!"

"Their repair kits for leaky roofs and pots are really good!"

"I'd like to buy some too!"

"It's a pity we can't get up to the sky canopy!"

Li Shimin: "So even in modern times there are places so full of life and everyday life."

"It looks peaceful, lively, and prosperous. Everyone has a smile on their face, relaxed and at ease," Empress Zhangsun said with a slight smile.

"This is the prosperous era we've been pursuing."

Zhu Yuanzhang perked up: "Hehe! This place is great! This is the kind of place where ordinary people can buy and sell! They have everything!"

Empress Ma nodded: "If the common people's houses leak or their pots leak, they can fix them themselves. It's a pity we don't know how they do it."