Green Plum IslandCh46 - Shopping

With only a few days left until college starts, rather than spend time in the bookstore, I stay at home getting ready for the start of the semester.

Grandpa wants me to bring everything; he even stuffs shower gel and shampoo into my bags. 7gJFQU

“It’s not like I’m going to school somewhere rural, I can buy all this stuff over there,” I protest, taking the items out one by one.

“Then bring sunscreen at least, military training lasts at least half a month. You can’t not wear sunscreen in this weather, your skin will boil off.” He stuffs a bottle of sunscreen into my bag and doesn’t let me take it back out.

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

I don’t make it a habit to wear sunscreen, but the sun has been blazing lately, and military training consists of lots of outdoor activities. Getting tan isn’t a big deal, but I don’t want to my skin to die, so after some thought, I leave the sunscreen in the bag.

After dinner, Yan Wanqiu comes over to ask the two of us if we want to join her on a trip to the grocery store. qT5LYH

The “grocery store” she’s referring to is the sole large shopping plaza on the island, where convenience stores are more commonly found. It’s located right at the centre of Nanpu Street, and consists of a movie theatre, KTV, children’s amusement park, and a plethora of restaurants. Spending time there is a favourite pastime for many of the locals.

“That sounds great, we’ll go! And just as well, I can see if Mian Mian has anything else he should buy, you don’t want to forget anything.” Grandpa goes into his room to grab his wallet and keys and quickly comes back out.

Yan Kongshan’s car is parked right outside the yard. Grandpa and Yan Wanqiu settle down in the back, leaving me to take the passenger seat. When I get in the car, my gaze inadvertently meets Yan Kongshan’s, but because we have an audience, all I do is smile and say, “Thanks.” Putting on air of formality.

Grandpa and Yan Wanqiu’s chatter fills the car. The furthest the little girl has gone from home is Hong City; she barrages Grandpa with questions about his travels, filled with curiousity about the world outside Green Plum Island.

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“Tea Egg Grandpa, do snowflakes really have six pointy ends?”

“No, it’s like cotton. It looks white, feels cold.” Grandpa purses his lips, trying to think of how else to describe it. “It tastes kind of like cotton ice.”

“That sounds tasty,” Yan Wanqiu replies with increasing interest.

The first thing we spot at the entrance of the shopping plaza is the children’s amusement park. Children zip chaotically all over the spacious area, some of their parents following behind them, and some waiting at the nearby rest area. m 6dSa

The vibrant and colourful playground draws Yan Wanqiu’s attention, her eyes flicking wistfully over the entire way as we walk through.

“Qiuqiu, do you want to go in and play?” Grandpa asks, sensing her unspoken longing. “Why don’t I take you?” he suggests.

Her eyes brighten. She turns to Yan Kongshan to ask for permission. “Can I, Ah Shan?”

I don’t think it would be reasonable for Yan Kongshan to ignore the obedient way she asks or the plea in her eyes, and as expected, he gives way immediately, although he warns her to be safe and not go anywhere too dangerous. s1V ad

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

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“Have you finished packing?” We reach the spices aisle; Yan Kongshan grabs a bottle of soy sauce, inspects it with a quick glance, then tosses it into the cart before moving on to find his next target.

I push the shopping cart, my upper body bent over the cart handle like someone with spinal issues, staggering forward awkwardly. “I have.” 9yBlFu

Yan Kongshan puts a bottle of cooking wine into the cart. “Why don’t I send you off that day?” he asks casually.

The shopping cart rolls to a stop, I straighten up. “My dad says he’s going to drive me.”

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Dad’s recently experienced some kind of enlightening — either that or Grandpa must’ve called him and lectured him — as all of a sudden, he’s going out of his way to improve our father-son relationship, and even texts me a lot more often than before.

To be honest, I don’t have any ill feelings towards him. Mum always says he doesn’t deserve to be a father, but in truth, he’s not really ever done anything to wrong us. And I don’t want Grandpa to always be stuck in the middle, always forced to call his own son an “unfilial son” and the like; it’s his own son after all, I’m sure he doesn’t like seeing our relationship suffer. n6wW5G

Yan Kongshan lets out a simple “oh” that doesn’t carry too much regret and heads over to the snacks aisle. As he walks down the row, all of Yan Wanqiu’s favourite snacks — cotton candy, chocolate cups, strawberry lollies, get tossed into the cart one by one without hesitation. Compared with my dad who doesn’t even remember my birthday, the two fathers are like night and day.

It must be so nice, I think so myself enviously. I suppose I do care after all; it’s just that I never had a reason to before.

Yan Kongshan happens to turn around and catches me staring at him. “What is it?” he asks, puzzled.

I shake my head, not intending to let him in on my thoughts. It would make me seem so petulant. “Nothing, I was wondering if there’s anything I’ve forgotten.” I reach out randomly and grab a box of liquor-filled chocolates from the shelf. After a moment’s inspection, I decide it probably won’t taste too good and in the end, place it back on the shelf, not bold enough to take the risk. Gg7l2D

I used to go shopping with Mum when I was a kid, but then I became a student and got busy, plus there are so many other ways to buy things now, so it’s been many years since I’ve walked around a shopping plaza. The variety of stock filling the shelves before me really confounds me.

Salt and vinegar flavoured crisps, lychee-flavoured biscuits, and when I get to the tea section, there’s even a local specialty: green plum oolong.

What is that supposed to taste like? Sour?

I’m like Granny Yu walking into the Grand View Gardens for the first time, everything I see is something new. But looking is just looking; after I view them, I put them back on the shelves respectively, not daring to try them. In the end, all I buy is a tube of toothpaste and two pairs of cotton socks that look super comfy. CcGHfZ

When it comes time to pay, Yan Kongshan sends me to get the other two ready to leave because Grandpa didn’t bring his phone. I reach the playground and find Yan Wanqiu at the centre of a crowd of children. Grandpa is nearby, chatting happily with some random people, the lot of them bursting out in laughter for whatever reason.

All the kids look cheerful; as I get closer, I can hear their excited chattering.

“So you’re like Hiccup then? So cool!”
“Will your fake leg grow with you?”
“My mum says they’re really expensive, not everyone can get them. Only the really special ones…”

Yan Wanqiu has a hand on her hip, chest puffed out proudly. One of her legs is propped up on a tree stump, putting her prosthetic leg out for display. “That’s right, I’m super cool.” Then she answers their questions: “My leg won’t grow with me, so I have to change it over time. And it’s really expensive, but my dad has money.” XOmpb2

The group of kids look up at her in awe. A nearby boy asks if he can touch her prosthetic, but another girl in the crowd quickly stops him.

“Of course not, it’s a girl’s leg, how can a boy just touch it like that?” The girl shoots a grin at Yan Wanqiu, “Can I touch it?”

Yan Wanqiu nods her head without hesitation, graciously permitting the action.

I watch them for a while. A strange feeling makes its way through me, a feeling resembling drinking a glass of sweet and sour hot lemon water. The kids are all so cute. It’s incredibly to think that everyone came from such cuteness. 3Zqd8w

Yan Wanqiu looks up and sees me and quickly removes her leg from the tree stump. “I have to go home now, I’ll play with you all next time! Bye bye!” She gives everyone a wave and comes running towards me.

Everyone calls out farewells and the crowd disperses, some kids going off to their parents, others staying behind to play. I walk hand in hand with Yan Wanqiu to find Grandpa.

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“That right there is my grandson, isn’t he handsome? He just finished his college entrance exams and got into a really good school. He’s going to be a diplomat in the future.” Grandpa’s voice can be heard from far away, introducing me loudly to those near him. He also asks if his new friends have any good girls to introduce me to.

I hurry up and go cut him off, afraid that he’s going to end up setting me up on a blind date. “Grandpa, it’s time to go home.” Hikd3e

He has no choice but to get up and bid them farewell, looking very obviously not please about having to do so. “Why did you guys finish shopping so fast?”

“You call an hour ‘fast’? If you keep chatting, the plaza is going to close.”

“How so?” He looks down at his watch. “It’s only eight.”

Yan Kongshan is already waiting for us at the exit, carrying a bunch of shopping bags. I reach for a bag, but he moves away. “There’s no need.” Ymc0uI

I shoot him a look, but he’s firm. All I can do is let go.

There are times he can act incredibly stubborn.

As we exit the plaza, there happens to be a shaved ice stand right outside. The couple running the stand split their tasks, one shaving ice, the other pouring fruit-flavoured syrup over it. The dish is packaged neatly into small plastic bowls, sold for 5 yuan apiece. Their business seems to be doing well considering the swathes of children surrounding them.

Yan Wanqiu, especially after hearing Grandpa’s description of snow, has stars in her eyes at the sight and entangles herself around Yan Kongshan, pleading for him to buy her a bowl. I notice Grandpa also staring at the stand, practically salivating, so I dig out some cash and decide to buy them both a bowl. g2DfPF

Two bowls of shaved ice, one with strawberry jam, the other with pineapple sauce, send shudders down the old man and the little girl’s bodies from the chill, but neither of them can stop. The way they look eating the ice is so iconic that I almost want to photograph the image into perpetuity.

Yan Kongshan drives the car directly to Grandpa’s house. I only bought two things, so I tell him to just open the trunk and that I’ll dig them out myself, but unexpectedly, he comes down as well.

He grabs one of the shopping bags from the trunk and hands it to me; I know it’s more than what I purchased myself from the weight of it. He shoves the bag into my hands before I even have a chance to react.

Grandpa, still shoving ice into his mouth, peeks inside. “That’s a lot of snacks,” he remarks questioningly. “Mian Mian, are you taking all that to school with you?” YOZvxl

I mean, I didn’t buy snacks…

I’m even more dumbfounded than him, looking inside at the salt and vinegar crisps, liquor-filled chocolates, green plum oolong… the more I look, the more familiar the items seem until I realise they’re all the items I inspected in the store but then put back down.

I did consider purchasing them for an instant, but then I thought to myself that it wasn’t really that necessary. Yan Kongshan purchased them all.

I move my lips, wanting to express a lot of things, but because Yan Wanqiu and Grandpa are present, I simply all the things I want to say into two words: “Thank you.” wp72Sd

Yan Kongshan smiles at me. He moves as if to ruffle my hair, but then seems to remember that we’re not alone, so he lets his hand fall back down.

“Are you coming over later?”

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I hadn’t planned to, but the way he’s asking me makes it hard for me to say no.

“Yeah.” I nod. “I’ll come over later.” EQ05Iu

I watch him get back into the car, then Grandpa and I go inside.

The first thing Grandpa does is make a beeline for the television. I take the items out of the shopping bag one by one, humming to myself.

The crisps are so sour and salty; a single bite and I’m done. The liquor-filled chocolate tastes too potent, not really my thing. The lychee-flavoured biscuits taste surprisingly good, sweet but not saccharine. As for the green plum oolong, it’s not too sour or too sweet, with a pleasant smell of plums; it’s quite delicious.

As I try the row of snacks lined up on the table one after another, their tastes mingle in my mouth chaotically, but my heart is sweet like honey, as if I’m swimming around in a jar of honey. WE32Jh

Translator's Note

Granny (Liu) is the original. This phrase comes from Dreams of a Red Chamber. Granny Liu is rustic and from the sticks, and she gets invited to a rich family’s manor for a meal, and when she looks around their house, she’s like an alien who’s never seen such wonderful things.

Translator's Note

From “How To Train Your Dragon.”

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20 comments

  1. I’m melting 😭💗💗💗 mian mian don’t leave !!! 🥺🥺

    next two chapters are going to kill me, i just know it 🙈

    thank you, as always, for everything you do 💚

  2. This is actually the first time that i like Yan Kongshan. Finally some real fluff from ML… a sign that he does pay attention to Mianmian… although his real feelings remain a mystery… will the romance finally pick up from here? instead of just having poor mianmian do all the chasing and wooing