bayedsolid Chapter 337 First Encounter in the Dawn, Candied Hawthorn
Chapter 337 First Encounter in the Dawn, Candied Hawthorn
Shi Zi, who was listening nearby, deliberately said sourly, "Little rascal, you think your brother is so great, and I'm not, huh!"
Li Meng snorted and turned her head away: "Hmph, you won't even help me find Brother Lan, what's so great about you!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she took the lead and rode her horse toward the city gate, her ponytail swinging behind her with a touch of arrogance.
Shi Zi watched her retreating figure, feeling both annoyed and amused. He turned to Xiao Man and said, "What...what's wrong with me?!"
Has she forgotten who was teaching her how to ride a horse just a few days ago?! What an ungrateful little brat!
Xiaoman shook her head with a wry smile and urged, "Alright, alright, let's hurry up and catch up!"
"Don't let her get stopped by the city guards later. Knowing her temperament, who knows how much trouble those guards will suffer."
The two quickly spurred their horses and gave chase.
When the city gate guards saw Xiaoman and Shizi arrive, they obviously recognized them and quickly bowed in greeting.
They were then allowed to pass automatically, without even being stopped or questioned.
The three of them entered the city without any problems.
This was the first time Li Meng had ever seen such a bustling place. Shops lined both sides of the wide streets, their signs fluttering in the wind, and the sounds of hawking and bargaining rose and fell.
There were also street performers putting on shows, attracting passersby to stop and watch.
Her eyes widened in amazement, and she couldn't help but shout excitedly, "Wow! There are so many people here! And what's this? What's that?"
Xiaoman quickly grabbed her horse's reins and whispered, "Limeng, stop! Stop shouting like that!"
Shi Zi saw her looking like a country bumpkin coming to the city.
He couldn't help but slap his forehead and complain, "Little Taobao, can you tone it down a bit?"
People who don't know better might think we brought along a naive little girl who's never seen the world!
Upon hearing Shi Zi's complaint, Li Meng immediately snorted indignantly.
"The Miao region is teeming with poisonous insects and snakes, and you rarely see a soul on ordinary days. Where did this bustling city come from? What's wrong with me being a bit naive?"
Seeing that the two were about to argue again, Xiaoman quickly smoothed things over and asked curiously, "What? Don't you have cities like this in your Miao region?"
Li Meng shook her head, her voice filled with longing.
"No, there are mountains and trees everywhere, and insects and snakes too!"
When I was a child, I heard the elders in my clan say that there were big houses and many people outside, but it was really difficult to leave the mountains and come out into the world.
So this is the first time I've seen a scene like this, and it feels so much better here than where I live!
When Shi Zi heard her say that, his tone softened unconsciously.
"Since you like this place, then you can stay here and have some fun for a while."
Regarding your brother Lan, we'll speak to the Spirit King after we meet with him and ask him to issue a holy decree ordering all regions to help search for him. This way, we can find him much faster.
Upon hearing this, Li Meng's eyes lit up instantly, and her displeasure vanished as she nodded repeatedly.
"Great! As long as we can find Brother Lan quickly, then the Holy Maiden...!"
She seemed to realize she had almost said the wrong thing and quickly stopped.
Then she immediately changed the subject, pointing excitedly to an old man's stall not far away and asking, "Little brother, little tongue, what are those things?"
Aren't those red, stringy things fun?
Shi Zi looked in the direction she was pointing and couldn't help but laugh, "Please, that's for eating, not for playing with."
Li Meng exclaimed in surprise, "Ah! Food? Is it tasty?"
Shi Zi patiently explained, "That's called candied hawthorn, and it tastes sweet and sour."
And over there, those little figures made of sugar, also called sugar figurines, taste sweet.
The first time Xiaoman and I ate these things was when we were little, and our older sister Xiaoya would give them to us as gifts.
Li Meng asked in confusion, "You live here and you still can't get food? Why do you need someone to bring you food?"
Xiaoman replied, "We didn't live here when we were little; we lived in a remote mountain valley!"
This was the first time Li Meng had heard that Xiao Man did not live in such a large city.
"What was it like when you first tried this kind of candy?"
Xiaoman saw that Li Meng's eyes were practically glued to the candied hawthorns, and there even seemed to be something glistening on her lips, clearly she was drooling with envy.
He then said, "Let's go over there and buy a few skewers for you to try."
Li Meng nodded her head like a chick pecking at rice, repeatedly replying, "Yes, yes, okay!"
The three men rode up to the old man and dismounted.
When the old man saw the three of them arrive, he immediately put on a warm smile and greeted them, "Gentlemen, would you like a few skewers of candied hawthorn?"
These were all freshly coated this morning. Look at this sugar coating—it's so thin and crisp, and the inside is so fresh! It's sweet and sour, and adults and children alike will love it!
Li Meng moved closer and curiously examined the candied hawthorn sticks stuck in the haystack.
The clusters of bright red hawthorn berries, coated in a glistening sugar coating, gleamed enticingly in the sunlight.
It made her want to reach out and touch it, but she was afraid of breaking it, so she quickly pulled her finger back.
"Hmm... why does this fruit look so much like the hawthorn fruit from our mountains?"
She tilted her head, looking puzzled. "We also have this kind of fruit in our mountains, but they're not covered in this shiny stuff."
The old man was amused by her reaction and explained with a smile, "Is this the first time you've seen candied hawthorns, young lady?"
The outside is coated with sugar cubes, which, combined with the sweet and sour hawthorn fruit inside, makes it incredibly delicious!
Xiaoman reached out and took a candied hawthorn from the pile of sticks and grass, handing it to Limeng.
"Here, try it first. If you like it, we'll ask for a few more."
Li Meng took the candied hawthorn from Xiao Man and said sweetly to Xiao Man, "Thank you, big brother."
After saying that, he couldn't wait to take a bite.
The first bite releases a crisp sugar coating that bursts in your mouth, followed by a sweet taste that then bursts forth, and the tartness of the hawthorn hits you.
It made her frown, squint, and puff out her cheeks slightly, like a little squirrel that had been soured.
She had fruit in her mouth, and her speech was somewhat unclear.
"This is different from what we have back home!"
Shi Zi, amused by what he saw, teased her, "Do you think the hawthorns from your area are sweet?"
Li Meng quickly shook her head and mumbled, "No, no."
She lightly licked her lips with the tip of her tongue, tasting the lingering sweetness.
The sourness seemed to have subsided somewhat, and the expression on her face gradually relaxed, her eyes brightening.
"Wow...it really is both sour and sweet! Mmm, delicious, delicious!"