I, Sun Shan, and the Imperial Examination

Chapter 1583 Lantern Festival

After dinner, the chubby girl rushed to Sun Shan's thigh and urged, "Dad, it's getting dark, we should go out."

Sun Shan glanced at his impatient, chubby daughter and teased, "Xiaoxiao, are you full? There won't be anything to eat when we go out later. If you get hungry, we'll have to go home early."

Little Fatty looked at Sun Shan like he was an idiot: "Father, you're lying. Sister Wang and Sister Liang said there will be lots of delicious food at the lantern festival."

He licked his lips and added, "Xiaoxiao is going to eat pig's feet."

In Sunjia Village, chicken legs are Xiaofeimei's favorite; in Hejia Village, roast goose legs are Xiaofeimei's favorite; and in Yuanlu County, pig's feet have become her favorite.

Every few days, he would run to the kitchen and ask Granny Wang and Big Head Dog to make braised pig's feet.

That's not all; she also keeps nagging to eat pig's feet outside, thinking that Granny Wang's cooking isn't authentic.

Sun Shan pinched the little fat girl's chubby cheeks.

With a serious expression, he said, "Daughter, didn't we agree? We can only look at the lanterns when we go out, and we can't buy any food. If you buy food, your father won't go out with you."

Little Fatty really wants to say: Daddy, you don't need to come with me. Little Blackie's dad can come with me too.

However, these words must never be spoken aloud. Little Fatty is just little, not stupid, and she knows that Sun Shan is the head of the family.

The mother, who acts like a fox borrowing the tiger's power, the grandmother, who is sharp-tongued and mean, and the grandfather, who is honest and kind, all appear very powerful, but they have to obey whenever their father says no.

Grandma, in particular, always complained that Dad was the only one supporting the whole family who lived off others, and that without Dad there would be no chicken legs or pig's feet to eat.

Although Little Fatty didn't understand that the economic base determines the superstructure, she clearly understood that you can't do anything without money, and her father was the one who would provide the money.

Little Fatty jumped into Sun Shan's arms and said in a serious tone, "Father, Xiaoxiao has money, and Xiaoxiao can buy pig's feet by herself."

After saying that, he patted the small purse at his waist, which contained a full coin of silver.

Frowning, she reluctantly said, "Xiaoxiao, please treat your father to pig's feet."

Sun Shan laughed, but seeing his extremely unwilling expression, he said in a serious tone, "Oh dear, Father forgot that Xiaoxiao gave out lucky money. Great! Xiaoxiao is treating Father to pig's feet, that's wonderful!"

Little Fatty: .....

Her round face turned into a wrinkled loquat.

Having no other choice, she reluctantly said, "Alright, Xiaoxiao will treat her father to pig's feet."

Seeing that it was getting late, Sister Yun said, "Brother Shan, you should go and come back soon."

Then, holding up the strip of cloth, he said, "Brother Shan, tie this up with Little Mosquito, don't lose it."

Seeing the little chubby girl jumping around, he hesitated and asked, "Brother Shan, why don't you take Hu Ming and Xiao Hei Mei out? Xiao Xiao can stay home. I think she's a restless person; she'll get lost in no time if she goes out."

My little chubby girl is too much of a hassle to go out with; it's too much trouble for her. It's better for her to stay at home.

Sun Bomin and Su Shi agreed with this statement: "Shanzi, leave Xiaoxiao at home. Little girls can run fast, and they might get separated from each other while walking."

Uncle Sun, who was under house arrest, jumped out and said, "That's right, Shanzi's big fat daughter is strong and hard to manage, so it's better to keep her at home."

With a forced smile, this cunning kidnapper said to the chubby little girl, "Good girl, stay home and play with your third grandpa, okay?"

Little Fatty was shocked. She hugged Sun Shan tightly and cried out anxiously and hesitantly, "Father, Xiaoxiao, be good. Xiaoxiao wants to go out. Xiaoxiao won't stay at home."

One after another, they kept Little Fatty at home, driving her to the brink of collapse.

Crying and shouting, "Father, it's getting dark, let's get out quickly, let's get out quickly!"

Little Black Girl, a younger sister, also hurriedly said, "Uncle Shan, your sister should also go out to see the lanterns; don't stay at home."

Hu Ming was torn between wanting Little Fatty to go out with him and feeling it was safer to stay at home.

Finally, he said, "Godfather, I will also watch over my sister and make sure she doesn't get lost."

Putting himself in her shoes, Hu Ming understood Xiao Fei Mei's eagerness to go out and have fun.

Sun Shan saw that it was already dark and the event had begun.

He smiled and said, "Daughter, let's go out now, but you must be obedient and not untie the cloth strip, understand?"

The little chubby girl was overjoyed, saying she would do anything to get out.

He said cheerfully, "Father, Xiaoxiao is the most obedient."

After saying that, he stretched out his chubby little hands and asked Gui Ge'er to tie the cloth strips.

Gui Ge'er happily took the strip of cloth, tied his hand together with Xiao Feimei's hand, and said with a laugh, "Good girl, so obedient."

Sun Shan and Hu Ming are in one group, and Sun Dingnan and Xiao Heimei are in another group.

Sun Dali then led his two underlings, Sun Caohen and Sun Heitan, to act as his bodyguards.

As for the other guards, they went off to earn extra money and were reassigned to patrol duties.

Sun Shan and his group walked to the pedestrian street.

Tiger Roar's eyes darted around, his gaze fixed intently on the lanterns, one by one hanging in the middle of the street, a kaleidoscope of colors.

Hu Ming said happily, "Godfather, this is the first time I've seen so many lanterns, they're so beautiful."

Sun Shan was stunned for a moment, trying hard to recall Hu Ming's life. He had indeed never participated in any lantern festivals and usually only stayed in the village.

I couldn't help but feel guilty, and I took the little one's hand.

He said gently, "Good son, when we have the chance in the future, we will go to Hejia Village to see the lantern festival. It's more lively there, and there are more lanterns to see."

Hu Ming nodded hurriedly: "Okay. Godfather, if we were in Hejia Village, Godmother could come out too."

Hu Ming thought that Yun Jie'er didn't come out because, on the surface, she was taking care of Sun Bomin and Su Shi at home, but in reality, it was because she was a lady from a prominent family and the wife of an official, and it was not appropriate for her to show her face in public.

It's different in Hejia Village. Everyone around you is a relative, so there's no longer any reason to avoid showing your face.

Gui Ge'er, holding the little chubby girl, said happily, "Hu Ming, if you have the chance, go to the capital to see the lanterns. The lanterns there are even more beautiful. When we were in the capital, during the Lantern Festival, lanterns were everywhere, and there were crowds of people. Oh my, it was so lively."

Hu Ming nodded repeatedly: "Uncle Gui, Hu Ming will definitely go to the capital to see the lanterns, he definitely will."

He silently thought to himself: "My godfather is the smartest man in the world. The reason he's serving as an official in the local area is to gain experience at the grassroots level. Once he's finished gaining experience, he can go to the capital to become an official there."

Speaking of Beijing, Sun Dingnan said nostalgically, "Beijing is Beijing, and its lantern festival is bigger than others. We will definitely be able to return to Beijing to see the lantern festival again in the future."

With a beaming smile, he said to the little black girl in his arms, "Good girl, shall we go to the capital together?"

This is an expectation for the future, and even more so, a firm belief in Sun Shan.

The little black girl's bright, dark eyes seemed to take it all in. She wrapped her arms around Sun Dingnan's neck and said happily, "Okay, let's go to the capital. Let's see the lanterns."

Actually, Xiao Hei Mei thought the lanterns in Yuanlu County were also very beautiful; the little girl had never seen such dazzling lanterns before.

The chubby little girl's round eyes darted around and around until she spotted a rabbit lantern.

Little Fatty pointed and shouted, "Daddy, rabbits, Xiaoxiao likes them."

Sun Shan looked in the direction of the chubby little hand.

No wonder she's a chubby girl; her preferences are definitely in line with her body shape.

Not far away, there was a fat rabbit lantern hanging as tall as a chubby girl, which was the most eye-catching among all the lanterns.