23. Grocery Shopping and the Maid
When Jiang Zhi woke up in the morning, sunlight poured through the curtains covering the bed, and she felt something pressing down on her.
She opened her eyes a bit speechlessly and looked at Qian Qian, who was sprawled on her.
The little girl was wearing a light pink Hello Kitty pajamas, her small legs tightly wrapped around Jiang Zhi’s waist, and drool was glistening at the corner of her mouth.
Jiang Zhi felt numb.
In every sense of the word.
Who did Qian Qian inherit this sleeping posture from? It couldn’t possibly be her; she slept quite properly!
Struggling to reach for her phone charging on the nightstand, Jiang Zhi picked it up and saw that it was exactly seven forty-five in the morning.
The timing was just right.
Jiang Zhi didn’t want to wake Qian Qian, so she laboriously straightened her body, which felt like it was electrified, and carefully nudged Qian Qian’s legs apart.
After finally getting out of bed, she turned around.
She saw Qian Qian blinking her sleepy big eyes and hazily asking, “Mommy, what are you doing?”
Jiang Zhi: …
“You’re awake?”
Jiang Zhi took off her sleep dress, fumbled around in the closet for a piece of underwear, held it in front of her chest, and skillfully put it on. “Do you want to get up?”
“No.”
“Then keep sleeping,” Jiang Zhi said. “Mommy will go out to buy some things and will be back soon.”
“Mm～”
Qian Qian responded in a soft voice, yawned, changed to a comfortable position, and buried herself back under the covers.
Jiang Zhi quietly left the bedroom.
After a simple wash-up, she stood in front of the storage box in the living room rummaging through it until she finally found a large plastic bag.
She planned to cook a meal today.
After feeding Qian Qian takeout for more than half a month, even if Jiang Zhi didn’t want to cook, she felt she was somewhat neglecting her child.
But the problem was, she really didn’t know how to cook!
It wasn’t bragging; she had tried to cook before, and the result was not only nearly setting the kitchen on fire but the food turned out worse than coal.
Since then, she completely abandoned the thought of cooking, merely relying on takeout and instant noodles to survive.
However, if it were for her daughter… Jiang Zhi felt she could still give it a try.
Maybe she would catch on?
If she really learned how to cook, she could save a fortune on takeout money in the future—sounds like a very profitable deal!
Plus, she had watched several cooking tutorial videos last night, making her feel quite confident at the moment!
But before officially cooking, she needed to buy the ingredients first.
Jiang Zhi had already inquired in the community owners’ group and found out that there was a vegetable market just a couple of streets away from the entrance of the community.
They had the freshest vegetables and meat, and the prices were cheap, which was even more important.
Destination confirmed! Let’s go!
Jiang Zhi walked out of the community with her bag.
The sun at this time wasn’t glaring, and a cool breeze was blowing through the air, carrying the aroma from the roadside breakfast shops.
It was still a distance to the vegetable market, so she chatted with Simai Lu on QQ while walking.
To be honest, Simai Lu’s routine was probably the most bizarre she had ever seen.
This bizarre lifestyle wasn’t just about his ability to stay up, but more to do with his schedule resembling that of a girlfriend who just got her period—one moment he would be all cozy with you, the next moment he would flip out over a minor inconvenience and say, “Damn it, I’m breaking up with you!”
You say you don’t have a girlfriend and can’t understand?
You think the author has one?
Not bothering to find a girlfriend but still reading novels? Look at your own situation!
Cough, let’s get back to Simai Lu.
For example:
Sometimes you can’t reach him at noon for anything, and then come evening, he tells you he just woke up. At three in the morning, while you’re sleeping like a pig, Simai Lu is energetically calling you to wake up and play games with him.
You ask how he managed to wake you up?
With a QQ call!
The most annoying part is that the moment you answer, before you can say a word, Simai Lu instantly hangs up!
And right now.
He was actually online at six in the morning; luckily, Jiang Zhi woke up early, or she would have probably been woken up by this guy’s QQ call again.
I am a Pigeon: Was the movie good?
Simai Lu: Didn’t pay much attention, was too busy chatting with a girl.
Still pretending!
Jiang Zhi thought, if there really is a girl, I’ll just go for it. We’re all in the same situation, so cut the act, or it’ll just be embarrassing for you.
I am a Pigeon: You think I believe you?
Simai Lu: There really is a girl.
I am a Pigeon: Oh right, right, there really is a girl.
Simai Lu: I’d never lie to you; I can’t wake up even if I tried all my life!
Jiang Zhi: !!!
What a fierce vow, what’s going on? Dude, don’t tell me you’re serious?!
She suddenly felt unhappy.
It’s okay if her brother is struggling, but it’s painful if he has a luxury SUV. Just thinking that Simai Lu is close with a girl while she has to be cautious as a single mother feels worse than death.
Please no, please! I beg you to join me in this lifelong single alliance, okay?!
Simai Lu: Can’t chat anymore; she’s calling me.
I am a Pigeon: I $&*¥…!
So you woke up early just to flaunt your dog food to me? You better not let me catch you offline!
“Hey…”
Sweet romance is so nice.
Warm bodies.
Jiang Zhi couldn’t help but sigh in her heart, and while she was lost in thought, she realized she had unknowingly arrived at the vegetable market.
Looking at the bustling market ahead.
“(º﹃º).”
What the… are you serious?
Although she had already heard that the vegetable market was like a battlefield, this was a bit over the top, wasn’t it?
Jiang Zhi’s mouth twitched.
No matter, let’s go for it!
She tightened her grip on her bag, took a deep breath, and bravely stepped in.
“Hey hey hey? Why are you pushing?”
“I’m so sorry…”
“Can’t you see you’re a little girl? Are you blind? You stepped on my foot!”
“Sorry, sir…”
“……”
After much effort squeezing through, Jiang Zhi finally reached a stall and squatted down, picking up a potato. “How much are these potatoes?”
“What did you say?” The lady was busy checking out another customer.
“I said, how much are these potatoes?”
“Three dollars.”
“So expensive…”
Jiang Zhi whispered, handing the potato back to the lady while brushing off the dirt from her hands. “Can you give me one?”
“Girl…”
The lady took the potato, chuckling as she looked at Jiang Zhi. “I meant three dollars per pound. Besides, potatoes aren’t sold individually.”
“Ah?”
Jiang Zhi shrank her neck, her face a bit flushed. “Then please weigh me a pound…”
Two hours later.
Finally freed from the “battlefield,” Jiang Zhi wiped her sweat and looked down at the bag full of her spoils, suddenly feeling like she wasn’t grocery shopping, but rather preparing rations.
Not much, just a little.
Mainly because she wasn’t sure what to buy, and as the end of the month with some money approached, she bought a bit of everything that was commonly seen.
If she couldn’t finish, she would just put it in the fridge; eventually, she’d eat it all…
She should, right?
No matter what, the grocery shopping mission was a complete success, and Jiang Zhi couldn’t wait to get back to the kitchen and show off her skills.
Wait for me, daughter; mommy’s coming back to make you something delicious!
Excitedly retracing her steps, it was now fully bright outside, more pedestrians were on the road, and almost every shop along the way had opened for business.
Zaoc City had returned to its usual hustle and bustle.
As she passed a mall, Jiang Zhi casually glanced and suddenly caught sight of something, her eyes widening as she quietly exclaimed.
She was captivated.
Wonderful things naturally attract humans, like clear streams, towering mountains, and all kinds of stockings—black ones, white ones, skin-colored ones, knee-highs, footed stockings, tights…
At the entrance of the mall, there was a table with a stack of flyers, and surrounding the table were girls dressed in maid costumes, wearing cat ears and sweet smiles.
Without exception, they wore various colored stockings, perfectly outlining their slender, long legs, glimmering in the sunlight.
Jiang Zhi swore she was really just there to appreciate beauty, not because she had a fetish for stockings!
By the way, what were they doing? Handing out flyers? The organizers really had an interesting life.
Jiang Zhi watched for a moment, then decided she’d seen enough; looking again would be rude. Plus, checking the time reminded her that it was about time for Qian Qian to get up too.
However, just as she was about to leave, one of the maids suddenly looked her way as if sensing something.
The girl’s eyes lit up, and she energetically waved her hand. “Sister over there, yes, you! Hello! Wait a moment, sister!”
Jiang Zhi: ?
She looked left and right, realizing that she seemed to be the only woman around. After confirming that the girl was indeed calling her, she pointed to herself, somewhat dazed. “Me, me?”
