King of Kings, start with a perfect record and strive for the top spot.

The pedestrian street is a well-known attraction in Jiangcheng. Both sides are built in the style of the 1980s, and there are even some European and American architectural styles mixed in.

The ground floor of the building is filled with shops and vendors, offering a wide variety of goods that attract many tourists to stop and browse.

Ancient and modern, Eastern and Western elements intertwine and blend here, forming a unique landscape.

As soon as Lin Xueyao arrived at the pedestrian street, she dragged Ye Lan through the various shops like a Japanese soldier entering a village.

It's clear that Lin Xueyao really enjoys shopping.

However, most of the shops on the pedestrian street sell flashy but impractical items.

But Lin Xueyao, a wealthy heiress, was absolutely smitten.

Ye Lan said she didn't understand, maybe rich people just have these strange quirks.

Wow, the golden lucky cat in this store is huge, bigger than the one I have at home!

"His lucky cat is fake, but yours is probably real!"

"Ye Lan, how do you get this beauty certificate? I want one too!"

"These are all fake; you can just buy one if you want."

"Ye Lan, why is there a seam in the middle of those underwear?"

"Don't look at things you shouldn't see, and don't ask questions you shouldn't ask."

Ye Lan reached out and covered Lin Xueyao's eyes, then glared at the shop sign.

Adult product store!

I wondered if the boss was crazy.

Opening a shop on such a busy street with so many people coming and going means that even customers who want to buy something might be too embarrassed to go in.

What's the difference between this behavior and opening a coffee shop in the countryside?

The two walked around for several hours, and Ye Lan felt like the soles of her shoes were about to smoke.

"Miss, let's find a tree stump to rest for a while. I really can't walk anymore."

Lin Xueyao looked at Ye Lan, who was panting heavily, and covered her mouth, mocking, "Say 'I love you' and I'll let you rest."

"Okay, okay, I love you, alright?"

Ye Lan was so exhausted that she had no choice but to give in to the evil forces.

Upon hearing this, Lin Xueyao was overjoyed, her face beaming with happiness.

She took Ye Lan's hand, found a recliner, and the two sat side by side, resting quietly.

A gentle breeze blew, and sunlight shone on them, creating a warm and beautiful scene.

But this beautiful scene was shattered when Ye Lan took out a pack of cigarettes from her pocket.

Lin Xueyao asked curiously, "Do you really like smoking?"

"Well, I smoke one whenever I'm free, tired, or busy. It's not that I like it, it's just a habit!"

Ye Lan answered Lin Xueyao's questions while lighting a cigarette.

In fact, most smokers don't understand why they smoke.

Sometimes it's just that the atmosphere is right, and you have to light one, otherwise it feels like something's missing.

Lin Xueyao did not stop her, but just silently watched Ye Lan.

Click, click, click.

Because of the wind, the flame that the lighter ignited was instantly extinguished by the wind every time it lit.

This made Ye Lan anxious.

Just then, a pair of fair, jade-like hands reached out, gently forming a hollow circle to carefully protect the lighter and cigarette, blocking out all the surrounding wind.

Ye Lan was taken aback at first, then felt a warmth in her heart.

He quickly lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and gave Lin Xueyao a grateful look.

Lin Xueyao smiled and nodded gently. Her smile was like a flower blooming in spring, bright and beautiful.

The two lay on the bench, the autumn breeze caressing their faces, neither arrogant nor impatient, the gentle sunlight shining on them, warm and cozy.

Ye Lan slowly closed her eyes, savoring this peaceful and beautiful moment.

After an unknown amount of time, Lin Xueyao suddenly tugged at Ye Lan's sleeve and pointed to a vendor in the distance, saying:

"Ye Lan, what's that sparkly thing? It looks delicious!"

Ye Lan looked in the direction Lin Xueyao was pointing.

All I could see was an old man carrying a straw frame on his back, which was filled with all sorts of candied hawthorns.

Hawthorn, strawberry, red date, orange...

The sugar coating on these fruits glittered in the sunlight, making them as beautiful as crystals.

"Isn't that just candied hawthorn? What, you've never had it before?"

"No."

Lin Xueyao shook her head blankly.

Seeing this, Ye Lan didn't ask any more questions and got up to walk towards the old man selling candied hawthorns.

"Hello, how much is a skewer of candied hawthorn?"

When the old man saw that it was a customer, he smiled kindly and began to introduce the product to the customer in a warm manner.

"Hawthorn berries are 10 yuan a bunch, orange berries are 15 yuan a bunch, and these strawberries are the most expensive, at 20 yuan a bunch."

"So expensive! I remember these candied hawthorns used to cost only two or three yuan a skewer!"

Ye Lan hadn't bought candied hawthorns in a long time, and was surprised by the almost skyrocketing prices, her eyes widening slightly.

"These days, besides workers' wages, what else isn't going up?"

"Besides, I've already removed the pits from these candied hawthorns, so charging a small service fee is perfectly reasonable!"

The old man was clearly not a stranger to being asked questions, and his answers were reasonable and well-founded.

Ye Lan stared at the candied hawthorn for a long time, "Then how about you put the pit in and sell it to me for two yuan?"

The old man's face instantly darkened, as if to say, "Young man, are you here to cause trouble?"

Actually, Ye Lan only said that to complain about prices, and didn't mean anything else.

Scan the code and pay.

I bought a ten-yuan candied hawthorn skewer.

It wasn't that Ye Lan was unwilling to buy Lin Xueyao more expensive strawberry candied hawthorns.

He felt that since it was Lin Xueyao's first time eating candied hawthorn, she should start with the most traditional flavor.

"Here you go, the candied hawthorn you wanted."

"Thank you."

Lin Xueyao smiled and took the candied hawthorn with both hands. She played with it carefully for a while before she started to taste it.

Take a gentle bite, and the sugar coating makes a crisp sound, instantly filling your mouth with a sweet taste. But as the hawthorn inside is bitten open, the sour taste stimulates your taste buds.

Lin Xueyao's face twitched from the sourness, her eyebrows furrowed, and her eyes were tightly closed.

Seeing this, Ye Lan couldn't help but laugh and said, "Eat slowly, be careful not to poke your teeth with the bamboo skewers."

The sour and sweet flavors gradually neutralized in her mouth, and slowly, Lin Xueyao got used to this wonderful taste.

She stuffed four hawthorn balls into her mouth like a hamster.

With his cheeks puffed out, he looked very cute and playful.

Immediately afterwards, she handed Ye Lan a bamboo skewer with four hawthorn balls still attached.

"For me to eat?"

"Mmm." Lin Xueyao nodded vigorously.

"alright."

Adhering to the principle of not wasting food, Ye Lan accepted the candied hawthorn handed to her by Lin Xueyao.

Take a gentle bite.

Sunima!

Get your money back!

The hawthorns here clearly have pits!

Ye Lan stood up, wanting to find the old man selling candied hawthorns and demand an explanation.

There were just too many people on the pedestrian street, and Ye Lan couldn't find the old man who had sold him candied hawthorns before no matter how hard she looked.

Reluctantly sitting down, looking at Lin Xueyao whose mouth was stuffed with hawthorn balls, he asked softly:

"By the way, did the hawthorns you ate have pits in them?"

Lin Xueyao's clear, watery eyes darted back and forth in their sockets, and after a moment, she shook her head.

At that moment, Ye Lan understood.