wuxianovels18 Chapter 571 - 555: A City Full of Warmth (Part 2)
Chapter 571 - 555: A City Full of Warmth (Part 2)
The above are personally considered distinctive skewer shops from today’s outing, with fresh ingredients and good taste. If friends from outside come to visit, they can try them. Generally, there won’t be any disappointments, but since some stores are in old neighborhoods, there might be signs of cockroach activity in the shops."
Wang Fan indeed saw cockroaches in a few shops. It’s a helpless situation in those decades-old buildings; the tenacity of these creatures is frighteningly strong. The shops keep clean, but soon, cockroaches from other homes move in. It’s practically impossible to eradicate them completely.
It’s well-known that cockroaches in the Guangfu Region are terrifyingly fierce, but those in Wudu are not much better.
In the afternoon, neither of them ate anything. Somehow, he was recognized as soon as he entered a shop – whether it was the owner or the staff, they were incredibly enthusiastic. They not only insisted on a free meal but also wanted to top up his account, usually in five-digit sums, making Wang Fan feel that this shop-visiting journey was no longer feasible.
Even if he insisted on paying, what he ate would likely be different from what regular people ate.
Luckily, they had eaten enough, and in the afternoon, Zhuo Qianqian had to catch a flight back to Tianjin. The two strolled casually through the streets and alleys, experiencing the sensation of thinking you’re on the first floor when you’re actually on the 18th floor.
...
Early the next morning, Wang Fan got up, and it was just around 5 a.m. when he finished washing.
Today, he’s going to a special place, to see what the most magical rural-urban combination in Huaxia looks like.
This place is known as the Basket Line, the Metro Line 4.
By the time he reached the subway entrance, it was only 5:20 a.m. But there were already many grandparents with bamboo baskets running swiftly.
Wang Fan glanced at them roughly, estimating that these grandparents were probably over 70, yet despite carrying dozens of kilograms, they moved swiftly.
A grandmother with gray hair wearing a red coat was running with a bag of greens. Her foot suddenly stumbled, sending her straight forward, falling.
Wang Fan was startled and hurriedly wanted to help, but a young person stepped in before him, saying "Careful, careful" as he quickly rushed forward to help the elderly woman up.
Wang Fan paused, surprised at the young man.
In today’s society, people still dare to help a fallen elderly person?
The grandmother got up, said "Thank you," not caring if she was injured, tidied her basket, and continued jogging toward the subway entrance, worried she wouldn’t catch the early train.
Wang Fan looked around and saw many young people in clean shirts and suits helping these grandparents by either carrying or moving items, not caring if their clothes got dirty.
A seventy-something-looking elderly man jogged by, appearing quite sturdy but with a large bruise on his forehead.
Wang Fan quickly said, "Grandpa, let me carry that for you."
The elderly man said while running, "No, no, you youngsters have enough on your plate with work. I can carry it myself."
Wang Fan insisted and took over the bamboo basket, "It’s okay, I’m unemployed, so let me do it."
Wang Fan’s physical fitness is quite good, but once he carried the basket, he felt the weight – it was filled with freshly dug bamboo shoots from the elderly man.
They quickly entered the station and found a spot to place the basket. The first train hadn’t arrived yet, so Wang Fan started chatting with the elderly man.
The elderly man had the surname Jiang, asking Wang Fan to call him Lao Jiang, which Wang Fan naturally refused.
"Grandpa Jiang, how old are you? You look like you’re probably in your seventies, right?"
Grandpa Jiang laughed heartily: "No, no, I’m already eighty-nine this year, not seventy-plus."
Wang Fan looked at the old man’s physique, unable to imagine that he was nearly ninety years old.
"Your health is excellent."
Grandpa Jiang chuckled: "With better living conditions now, the body naturally becomes stronger."
Grandpa Jiang actually looked decent, with a particularly sunny and optimistic demeanor, except for that bruise, which was quite disrespectful, severely affecting his appearance.
"Grandpa Jiang, is that a birthmark? It’s grown quite disrespectfully."
Grandpa Jiang shook his head and explained: "No, this was from a bullet during the Korean War Cross-Assistance – medical conditions were limited back then, so it healed and left this scar. Did it scare you?"
Wang Fan felt his head buzzing, with a sense of shock; the elderly man selling vegetables was a veteran of the Korean War Cross-Assistance?
He immediately straightened up and said, "No, this is surely a medal of honor, how could it scare me?"
Grandpa Jiang laughed heartily: "You’re a good lad, you really know what to say, hahaha."
"Are you always like this?"
"Every day, it’s become a habit."
"To supplement household expenses?"
"Not entirely. The government gives me over 3,000 yuan of pension each month. My children think it’s too little and want to ask the government for an increase, but I don’t let them. The government has done enough already. We shouldn’t cause more trouble. My body is still sturdy enough, so I grow some vegetables, and climb the mountains to pick bamboo shoots to sell."
Now Wang Fan was thoroughly speechless.
In internet terms, could this be a case of mutual camaraderie?
The government understands the people’s difficulties, setting up the Basket Line despite complaints, focusing solely on enabling grandpas and grandmas to sell their produce more quickly and comfortably.
The people empathize with the government’s challenges and feel the government has done enough, striving to find their own solutions, not adding to the burden.
This perhaps showcases a harmonious government and society?
At this moment, the subway arrived, and Wang Fan carried the basket into the carriage, found a seat for Grandpa Jiang, while he stood holding the overhead grip.
This Basket Line, when Wang Fan looked again, seemed different.
Perhaps it’s figuratively carrying hopes for livelihood, transporting peace and prosperity?
The carriage mostly held grandparents with their baskets down. Scattered were neatly dressed commuters sitting quietly.
The grandparents seemed very lively, quietly discussing amongst each other what vegetables sold well, where prices were higher – all little daily matters.
Wang Fan listened quietly to their chatter until the subway arrived at Guanyin Bridge Station, when the entire carriage became lively again.
The grandparents hunched over, once more picked up their baskets, and jogged towards the escalator.
Not far from the subway exit was a vegetable market, where the grandparents soon found their stalls, putting out the vegetables they brought along. By now, their clothes were already soaked with sweat.
Wang Fan looked at the vegetables. From his experience, he could tell at a glance that they were freshly picked – probably this morning for freshness.
Considering the time to reach the subway station, they probably got up around 2 a.m. to pick the produce.
This market, according to Wang Fan, was truly warm and comforting.
The elderly couldn’t use mobile payments due to age, so young merchants nearby would proactively help exchange cash for them.
Buyers didn’t fuss over the produce, generally putting it in a plastic bag for weighing. The grandparents’ vegetables were also great – lush green without any dents; they were incredibly fresh.
The scenery in Wudu didn’t leave a deep impression on Wang Fan, but the cuisine was noteworthy. Yet, what truly moved him was the closeness in relationships between people here.
This truly is a city full of warmth.
"System, start the mission."
"Ding, mission released. Please set up a stall at Guanyin Bridge Vegetable Market for five consecutive days and sell at least 10 portions of food – any kind of food."
"Mission Reward: Chef Level +1, Chongqing Hot Pot Base Recipe (already issued, recipe and level will be retracted upon mission failure)."
"Special Mission: Set up a stall at Guanyin Bridge Vegetable Market for five consecutive days and sell at least 100 portions of food – any kind of food."
"Mission Reward: Chongqing Small Noodles Recipe (Golden Legend) (already issued, will be retracted upon failure)."
Looking at the bustling vegetable market, Wang Fan knew what kind of dish he wanted to make.
Wudu is a city filled with warmth, Northeast is also a place where people won’t starve; who knows what kind of spark would fly when Northeast lunchboxes meet Wudu?