vstars Chapter 125 The Simplest Happiness
Chapter 125 The Simplest Happiness
Xiao Yunqing was still dreaming when the doorbell rang.
She turned over and pulled the blanket over her head.
The doorbell rang again, three times, neither too long nor too short.
She squinted as she got out of bed, her hair a mess, rubbing her eyes as she walked, still clutching the teddy bear in her arms.
The door opened.
Song Huan stood at the door, carrying a bag of steamed buns in her left hand and two cups of soy milk in her right.
Water droplets condensed on the soy milk cup, and steam rose from the bag opening, creating a hazy white mist.
"Why are you here so early?" Her voice was still sleepy and hoarse.
Song Huan changed her shoes and went inside. "Go brush your teeth and have breakfast."
Xiao Yunqing placed the teddy bear on the sofa and walked towards the bathroom in her slippers.
Her ponytail wasn't tied up; her hair was draped over her shoulders, with several tufts sticking out.
The xiaolongbao were still hot, with thin skins; when you bit into them, the soup would splatter out.
The soy milk is sweet and the temperature is just right.
She ate three and drank two sips of soy milk, and her energy returned.
Song Huan was already standing in front of the refrigerator.
When you open it, the top layer is empty, with only a carton of eggs and half a bottle of milk remaining.
The lower level was even emptier, with a few scallions, a piece of ginger, and half a packet of pickled vegetables.
"There's nothing left." He closed the refrigerator door. "I'm going to the market to buy some groceries. You wait for me at home."
Xiao Yunqing swallowed the xiaolongbao, raised her hand, and said, "I want to go too."
Song Huan glanced at her.
She had already stuffed the last xiaolongbao into her mouth, her cheeks bulging, and was scooping the teddy bear off the sofa and heading towards the room.
When I came out, my hair was tied up, and I had changed my clothes: a white T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers.
"Let's go." She stood at the door, her hand already on the doorknob.
Song Huan nodded.
The farmers' market is on the east side of the community, a five-minute walk away.
The sound had already drifted over before I even reached the door.
The haggling, the shouting, the chopping of meat—all mingled together, buzzing around.
The ground was wet, and vegetable leaves clung to the cracks between the bricks, trampled on by people.
Xiao Yunqing walked beside Song Huan, looking around.
She had been to the market before, but she always went with Xu Wan and never bought anything on her own.
The stall was filled with all sorts of things: red peppers, green vegetables, and yellow pumpkins, all neatly arranged.
Everything she sees is new and exciting.
What would you like to eat?
"I want to eat this," she said, pointing to the chicken feet at the braised food stall.
"And this too." He pointed to the tofu puffs on the tofu stall.
"And this one too." He pointed to the tomatoes in the vegetable section.
Song Huan was both amused and exasperated. "Why do you want to eat everything?"
Xiao Yunqing said matter-of-factly, "Because everything you cook tastes good."
Song Huan touched her nose and didn't say anything.
I took the chicken feet from the vendor and put them in a bag.
The two of them walked and bought things along the way.
Xiao Yunqing was in charge of pointing, while Song Huan was in charge of picking, paying, and carrying the items.
Before long, he had three bags hanging in his hands: chicken feet, tofu puffs, tomatoes, a bunch of green vegetables, and a pound of pork belly.
When they reached the seafood section, Xiao Yunqing could no longer walk.
Large and small basins were placed on the ground. Shrimp bounced in the bubbles, fish swung their tails in the basins, and clams kept their mouths closed, occasionally squirting out a small stream of water.
She squatted down and stared at the pot of clams.
"I want to eat this."
She reached out to touch it, but stopped just before her fingers touched the shell, and turned to look at Song Huan.
Song Huan had taught her that when buying seafood, you should touch it with your hand; live seafood will shrink back, while dead seafood won't.
Song Huan grabbed her wrist. "Don't do it. Your hands will smell fishy."
Xiao Yunqing obediently withdrew her hand and stood quietly to the side.
Song Huan squatted down and asked the shopkeeper about the price.
The owner was a middle-aged woman with fish scales stuck to her apron and rubber gloves on her hands.
After the price was quoted, Song Huan nodded, took a plastic bag, and reached inside to pick through the items.
He picked them out very quickly, digging around in the clams with his fingers and picking out plump ones.
Keep the ones with smooth shells, put the ones with cracks back, and squeeze the ones with closed shells; only keep the ones that move when squeezed.
The boss looked at his hands, then at the girl standing next to him.
[These two look like students, don't they?]
[The woman is so beautiful, and the man is so tall; they look so well-matched standing together.]
[The man is so good at grocery shopping, picking out only the best items; he'll definitely be a family man in the future.]
Song Huan paused for a moment, but without looking up, she continued picking.
Xiao Yunqing stood to the side, unaware of what the boss was thinking, watching Song Huan's hands turning over in the basin.
The fingers were long with distinct knuckles, and when wet, they shone brightly under the light.
"Okay." Song Huan handed the bag over, and the shopkeeper took it and weighed it.
"Twelve pieces."
Song Huan paid the money, picked up the clams, and stood up.
Xiao Yunqing had already walked ahead and squatted in front of a shrimp stall, staring at the shrimp jumping around in the basin.
"Song Huan, I want to eat this too."
"next time."
"Oh." She stood up, patted her knees, and followed.
The two walked out of the market.
The sun peeked out from behind the clouds and shone on me, making me feel warm and cozy.
The wind was warm, carrying the sweet smell of roasted sweet potatoes from the street.
Xiao Yunqing walked ahead, her steps light and quick, her ponytail swaying back and forth.
He was carrying nothing in his hands, his hands were empty, and he was waving them around.
Song Huan followed behind, carrying bags in both hands. The plastic bags cut her fingers, leaving red marks.
She glanced back at him, smiled, and turned back to continue walking.
The sunlight shone on her, making her white T-shirt shine.
Her hair was blown by the wind, and a few strands of hair drifted down her face.
She reached out and gently touched it.
As Song Huan watched her retreating figure, something suddenly came to mind.
In her past life, Lin Yue always told him to leave work early so she could go grocery shopping with her.
She said that shopping at the supermarket together and cooking together at home is the happiest thing in the world.
We go to work separately during the week, then go grocery shopping and cook together after get off work. After dinner, we snuggle on the sofa to watch movies, and take a walk hand in hand on summer evenings.
Her eyes were bright when she said those words.
He was busy at that time.
Overtime work, socializing, business trips.
I'm back early, and all I want to do is lie down.
She suggested going to the supermarket, but he said he was too tired.
She suggested ordering takeout, and he agreed.
She never mentioned grocery shopping together again after that.
She left later.
He shopped at the supermarket alone, cooked alone, and ate alone.
Throw away any leftovers, and only wash one dish or chopstick.
The supermarket is still the same supermarket, and the vegetables are still the same vegetables, but walking down that street, the sidewalk is empty.
He thought to himself, "So this simple thing, like buying groceries together, can make me so sad."
The sunlight shone down from above, and the shadows on the ground shrank into tiny clumps.
Xiao Yunqing walked ahead, her ponytail swaying, humming some song.
Song Huan followed behind, carrying the bag. The plastic bag was digging into her fingers, causing a little pain.
He switched the bag to his other hand, quickened his pace, and walked to her side.
She turned her head and glanced at him, then smiled.
"Hurry up, go back and cook. I'm hungry."
"I just finished breakfast."
"Are you hungry again?"
Song Huan didn't say anything, and walked forward side by side with her.
The sun felt warm and cozy on my back.
The hustle and bustle of the market was left behind, growing ever more distant.
Ahead is the entrance to the residential area. The security guard is dozing off in a chair, while a cat is crouching by the flower bed, licking its paws.
Xiao Yunqing quickened her pace by half a step, her ponytail swung up and brushed against his arm.
It tickled.