Gu Chen didn't expect this old guy to be so loyal.
He actually felt a bit embarrassed himself.
But since things had already been said, he couldn't very well refuse to take it.
So he thanked him and accepted the goods.
Old Tang grinned, "By the way, everyone calls me Old Tang."
"Gu Chen," Gu Chen replied.
Old Tang patted his shoulder, "Alright, you take care, I still have to look after my stall."
With that, he turned and went back to his stall.
Gu Chen put away the wolfberries Old Tang gave him.
Then carefully tidied up the nylon bag he'd brought.
Finally, he took Tang Tang and headed out.
The little girl had been helping Gu Chen carry the bag the whole time, but she was only a child. Half an hour in, she was exhausted.
She looked at Gu Chen, her head drooping.
She mumbled, "Daddy, Tang Tang wants a hug."
Gu Chen scooped the little girl up in his arms.
"Alright, Daddy made some money today. What does Tang Tang want to eat? Daddy will buy you something tasty!"
As soon as she heard about food, Tang Tang's black eyes lit up instantly.
The fatigue vanished in a flash!
"Daddy, candied hawthorn! Tang Tang wants ice sugar gourd!"
A few days ago, Yan Yan from next door and her mom came to the city, and her mom bought her a sugar gourd.
Red and shiny, each one plump—a treat for the eyes.
Yan Yan treasured it, delicately licking it as she ate.
She told Tang Tang it's sweet and sour, so yummy.
They cost three yuan a stick.
Tang Tang was only two, she didn't understand about price, she just knew it tasted great!
She'd been craving it ever since.
Gu Chen affectionately rubbed her head.
"Alright, Daddy will take Tang Tang to get sugar gourd!"
He carried Tang Tang out of the market and walked onto the street.
The street before New Year was bustling.
Vendors everywhere—some pushing bikes selling sugar gourd, some selling cotton candy.
Next to them, people sold hair ties and clips.
The moment Tang Tang saw the sugar gourd, her eyes went wide.
"Daddy, over there!"
Gu Chen carried her over.
The sugar gourd seller was an elderly grandma.
Gu Chen asked, "Grandma, how much for the ice sugar gourd?"
The grandma smiled, "Three yuan each."
Gu Chen pulled three yuan from his pocket and handed it over.
"I'll take one."
The grandma, smiling, picked out a sugar gourd and handed it to Tang Tang.
"What a pretty little girl! You can tell at a glance that her mom is a real beauty."
Hearing the sugar gourd grandma praise her mom,
Tang Tang smiled, her eyes crinkling.
"My mom is the prettiest in the world!"
The little girl's adorable look made all the vendors around burst into laughter.
Gu Chen thought for a moment and pulled out another three yuan.
"Grandma, wrap another one for me."
Daughter got hers, but wife should have one too.
Tang Tang thought both were for herself. Being a sensible little thing, she shook her head at once.
"Daddy, Tang Tang only needs one. Mommy said one is enough."
Gu Chen took the sugar gourd wrapped in kraft paper from grandma.
Then gently flicked Tang Tang's nose.
"Little greedy kitten, this one is for Mommy."
Tang Tang took a lick of her sugar gourd, then licked her chubby lips.
Then shot Gu Chen a puzzled look.
"But Mommy said sugar gourd is for kids only."
Gu Chen chuckled.
"But to Daddy, Mommy is a kid too."
It was him who made Ji Pianran suffer for three years. He married her but never really treated her well.
Making amends isn't just lip service.
From the day he got a second chance at life, he swore to let both mother and daughter live happily!
Tang Tang blinked innocently.
"Then, am I Daddy's little kid too?"
Gu Chen nodded.
"Yes, both Tang Tang and Mommy are Daddy's little kids—people Daddy will protect all his life."
Father and daughter, chatting, walked over to the nearby shopping mall.
Back then, Ji Pianran had run away from home because he took the two hundred she'd saved up for milk powder and New Year stuff and spent it on mahjong.
That money was supposed to buy Tang Tang milk powder and stock up for New Year.
Gu Chen entered the mall. The sales clerk saw him buying milk powder for his child.
She quickly grabbed a can of Sanlu and came over.
"Hey, handsome guy, take a look at this milk powder. It's our best seller right now, easy to digest for children."
These sales clerks were sharp-eyed, able to gauge someone's situation at a glance.
Gu Chen wore a blue cotton jacket, jeans, and sneakers today.
However you look, he didn't seem rich.
So she recommended Sanlu—forty-one a can, cheap.
Gu Chen looked at the brand on the milk powder.
He instinctively thought of melamine and those babies in the future with swollen heads and kidney stones.
Even though it wasn't exposed until 2008, Gu Chen still felt uneasy.
He squinted, a bit resistant.
"No, no, no, do you have anything better?"
The sales clerk hadn't expected that this seemingly poor Gu Chen cared so much for his kid, willing to spend extra.
A flicker of surprise in her eyes.
After a moment, she hurriedly brought out Feihe and Wandashan brands.
Both cost over a hundred.
Gu Chen looked them over and chose a box of Feihe milk powder.
Since it was for his child, it had to be the best.
Had to be safe.
He paid.
With the milk powder bought, Gu Chen carried Tang Tang out of the mall.
Standing on the street, he felt so hungry he could barely stand.
But he resisted the urge to eat out.
After all, restaurant food is pricey.
With that money, better to buy some food and let all three of them eat at home!
Gu Chen held back his hunger.
Bought three pounds of pork and three pounds of beef.
Picked up some dried fruits, walnuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds—that sort of thing. Lastly, spent twenty yuan on a tub of Xufuji chocolate.
These days, you couldn't usually buy luxury brands like Dove or Ferrero.
Xufuji was already considered a treat.
After all this, Gu Chen felt his pocket—still had two hundred yuan left. A hundred could get him a bag each of rice and flour, plus some seasonings.
The remaining hundred, he'd pass to Ji Pianran.
Anyway, he'd saved a Huacai cabbage in his space, just for seed collecting.
Once he got home tonight and planted the seeds, he could earn more money tomorrow.
...
At four in the afternoon, Gu Chen arrived home.
Ji Pianran had gone to Aunt Li's house to help, just got back, and was washing bed sheets and duvet covers inside.
She'd barely started when Tang Tang came bouncing in.
Gu Chen followed behind, carrying big bags.
The little girl skipped gleefully up to Ji Pianran, carefully took out her unfinished sugar gourd from her arms,
and held it up in front of Ji Pianran.
Beaming at her, "Mommy, try a bite, it's so sweet and yummy!"
Last time, Yan Yan from next door got a sugar gourd, which made Tang Tang crave it so badly.
Ji Pianran had noticed it all.
But honestly, three yuan wasn't cheap, and getting to the city meant two yuan for the bus, one-way.
Going there and back was seven yuan gone.
That could buy a pound of meat.
So she'd never bought Tang Tang one before.
Didn't expect Gu Chen to buy one today.
She smiled at Tang Tang.
"Sweetie, sugar gourd is for kids, Tang Tang eat it yourself."
Upon hearing that, the little girl retorted in her soft voice,
"But Daddy said, Tang Tang and Mommy are Daddy's little kids. Daddy even bought Mommy a sugar gourd, too."
Tang Tang looked up, all innocence.
Ji Pianran's heart surged with waves.
Gu Chen said, she and Tang Tang are both little kids?