No need to dress up elaborately. Set your alarm an hour earlier. The weekend’s early market holds the most vivid excitement. Meet at the entrance of the vegetable market at seven. He’s carrying a canvas bag and holding two steaming hot meat buns in his hand. When he sees you running over, he quickly hands one to you, saying, “Just out of the oven. Be careful, it’s hot.”
First, squeeze into the narrow passage between the vegetable stalls. The green lettuce is still glistening with water droplets, and the red tomatoes are piled up like small mountains. He will squat down and bargain with the stall owner. You secretly pinch his arm from the side, but he turns around and holds your hand: “Let’s buy some small green vegetables. I’ll make soup for you at noon.” The selected vegetables are put into the canvas bag, which feels heavy, as if it’s filled with a bagful of the bustling atmosphere of life.
When you reached the aquatic products section, the crucian carps in the fish tanks were wagging their tails. He pointed at the largest one and asked you, “Steamed, okay?” You nodded. You watched him gesture with the boss about the size. Sunlight leaked through the gaps in the roof and fell on his earnest side face, even the tiny beads of sweat on his nose looked adorable. As you walked forward with the bag of fish, he suddenly switched the bag to the hand further away from you and said, “Don’t splash your clothes.”
As they were approaching the exit, they were drawn to a stand selling sugar-coated hawthorn on sticks. He bought one and held it to your lips, saying, “Take a bite. It’s sweet and tangy.” The sugar coating melted in your mouth, a blend of sour and sweet. You bit off a piece and handed it to him. He smiled and took a bite, even his fingertips getting a little sugar coating.
When we left the morning market, the canvas bag was already bulging. He said, “Let’s go home and cook.” You followed him, holding a sugar-coated hawthorn stick in your hand, still savoring the sweetness in your mouth. Suddenly, you felt that strolling through the morning market and buying ingredients with the one you like was more down-to-earth and heartwarming than any romantic date.