Chapter 1151: There's a Kind of Doting Father Called Lin Lang

Three days later, on Luoyang's Tianjie Street, as the morning light shone over the vermilion palace walls, the entrance of the "Shanghai Small Commodity Retail Supermarket" was already tinged with festive red.

Two strings of firecrackers, each ten feet long, were suspended from the branches of a green locust tree, carried on bamboo poles wrapped in red silk. The moment the fuse was lit by the shop assistant, a "crackling" sound resounded throughout the entire street.

Smoke and sulfurous fumes rose into the air, startling the sparrows perched on the eaves and completely waking the sleeping street.

Lin Lang stood at a distance, watching the joyous opening ceremony, holding Xiao Zhiling in his arms.

Fu Yuxue covered her daughter's ears with both hands, afraid that the little one would be scared because she had never seen firecrackers before.

The crackling sound of firecrackers frightened Xiao Zhiling, who clung tightly to Lin Lang's neck with both hands and closed her eyes timidly.

Standing beside her daughter, Fu Yu Xue, Eun was also quite frightened, as it was the first time she had ever seen such a rare thing as firecrackers.

Firecrackers didn't exist in the Tang Dynasty, so the firecrackers used at the opening ceremony were brought back from modern times by Lin Lang.

The drum team was already waiting on both sides of the store. Eight strong men were dressed in reddish-brown short jackets with copper bell belts around their waists. When the drumsticks fell, the cowhide drums vibrated so much that the ground trembled slightly.

The crisp sounds of gongs and cymbals mingled with the noise, drawing vendors from the street to peek out, and pedestrians to stop and flock towards the sound.

Before long, a human wall formed three or four deep in front of the shop.

The most eye-catching thing is the display stand set up outside the store. On the long table covered with red brocade, there are modern small commodities that people in the Tang Dynasty had never seen before.

Disposable lighters, lipsticks in various shades, eyebrow pencils, face creams in a myriad of colors, all kinds of glass cups, glass bottles, glass bracelets, glass marbles, stainless steel pots and pans...

In short, these are all cheap little items commonly found in modern two-dollar supermarkets, but in the eyes of the ancients, they were novel and interesting things.

The six brothers from Fuyu enthusiastically hawked their wares, drawing gasps of surprise from the onlookers.

Even an ordinary glass cup is seen as a crystal-clear glass cup by the people of Luoyang.

The palm-sized glass makeup mirror can clearly reflect a person's hair, which is simply a game-changer compared to the bronze mirrors used by the ancients.

"Open the doors to welcome guests!" With a loud shout from the second manager, Fu Yuxiao, the two carved wooden doors were slowly pulled open by the shop assistants, and the crowd surged in like a tide.

The people who squeezed through the door first circled the display cases, pointing at the glass mirrors and asking, "How much are these shiny items?"

Some customers picked up the glass bracelets and examined them repeatedly as if they were precious treasures, with inquiries about prices and exclamations of amazement rising and falling.

At this moment, Manager Liu, Fu Yuyong, stood behind the counter and raised his voice to shout, "Fellow villagers! Today we have a special opening offer—any unused porcelain bowls and plates from your home, as long as they are not broken and are in good condition, can be exchanged for new ones!"

"One porcelain bowl can be exchanged for three small commodities."

"A porcelain plate can be exchanged for five small items, and a porcelain bottle can be exchanged for twenty small items."

"Whether it's replacing a mirror, a lighter, a glass cup, or a glass bottle, we can do it!"

These words immediately caused an uproar among the crowd.

An elderly woman immediately asked, "Can I exchange my ordinary folk kiln porcelain bowls in the kitchen for new ones?"

The third manager, Fuyu Tai, replied with a smile, "Of course! Not only porcelain bowls and plates, but also calligraphy and paintings, lacquerware, jade, and pottery—anything unique to our Great Tang Dynasty can be appraised and exchanged for new."

"Oh...good, good, I'll go home and get it right away!" With that, the old woman squeezed through the crowd and ran home.

Others followed suit, immediately running home to get porcelain bowls and plates to exchange for them.

Some people were saying they wanted to reserve their favorite small items first, and then quickly go home to get a porcelain bowl to exchange for them, before turning around and heading into the depths of the streets and alleys.

The phenomenal success of the business was simply outrageous.

Before long, people from Luoyang rushed back carrying porcelain bowls and plates, and a long queue quickly formed in front of the counter.

The fourth manager, Fu Yuyan, was busy with his staff counting the porcelain, registering and redeeming stamped shopping vouchers. They were sweating profusely, but a smile always played on their lips.

Manager Fuyu Long weaved through the crowd, busy and happy.

The fifth manager, Fu Yufeng, held a megaphone and helped maintain order.

The eldest sister-in-law, Fu Dangshi, explained the use of the objects to the customers with a beaming smile, attracting many customers to watch and marvel.

Second sister-in-law Jin was busy directing the shop assistants to restock. Seeing how good the business was, she couldn't stop smiling.

The other four women were also busy, demonstrating and explaining to the female customers how to use lipstick, eyebrow pencil, eyelash curler, toothpaste, facial cleanser, shampoo, and various cosmetics such as Yu Meijing and Wa Ke You.

Every sister-in-law's face was beaming with joy. They were so busy they didn't even have time to drink water, but their voices as they explained and promoted their products were filled with happiness.

Looking at the bustling scene in the shop, Fu Yulong couldn't help but stroke his beard and exclaim, "The small commodity business in Shanghai is booming like this on its first day of business! We're going to make a fortune! We're going to make a fortune!"

Outside the shop, Xiao Zhiling looked at the bustling crowd at the entrance, grabbed Lin Lang's clothes with her little hand, and said curiously, "Father, Ling'er wants to join in the fun too."

Lin Lang carried Xiao Zhiling over and said with a smile, "There are too many people inside the store, baby. Let's just stand outside and look."

Fu Yuxue, holding her mother Enshi's arm, walked past Lin Lang, unable to hide her joy, and said, "Mother, look how good our business is. Before long, all my brothers will be rich."

En said gratefully, "Thanks to my son-in-law, he has provided your brothers with this way to make money."

After hearing this, Fu Yuxue looked at Lin Lang with even more tenderness.

Fu Yuxue saw and remembered Lin Lang's kindness to her family, which warmed her heart.

Looking at the bustling scene in front of the shop, Fu Yuxue's eyes were full of satisfaction. She said softly to Lin Lang, "Your Majesty, I didn't expect that the small commodities from Shanghai Kingdom would be so popular among the people of Luoyang City."

Lin Lang said with a smile, "It's no surprise that novel items from Shanghai are so popular in Luoyang. From now on, the Fuyu family will have a firm foothold in Luoyang."

"Your Majesty's kindness is beyond my ability to repay..."

Fu Yuxue wanted to say more words of gratitude, but Lin Lang interrupted her and said gently, "If my beloved concubine wants to repay me, then give Ling'er another younger brother with me."

Upon hearing this, Fu Yuxue's face flushed red, and she nodded shyly.

Little Zhiling clapped her hands and said in her childish voice, "Great! Ling'er is going to have a little brother!"

Fu Yuxue smiled and gently patted her daughter's head, saying tenderly, "Ling'er, do you really want a little brother?"

Little Zhiling tilted her head playfully and replied with a childlike expression, "Yes!"

Standing to the side, Mrs. En looked at her innocent and lovely granddaughter and smiled kindly: "Daughter, you are so young. Having another son is not enough. Having more sons will give you more support in the future."

Upon hearing this, Fuyu Xue blinked her large, wet eyes and looked shyly at Lin Lang, saying bashfully, "Alright then! How many sons I can bear depends on Your Majesty's abilities."

"Haha..." Lin Lang laughed loudly.

Looking at the crowd queuing up to exchange their old items for new ones at the counter, Fu Yuxue couldn't hide her delight and asked, "Your Majesty, will my brothers be this busy every day from now on?"

Lin Lang replied with a smile, "As long as you brothers stay true to your original intentions and run the business well, the business will only get better and better in the future. Once the Shanghai Small Commodities Wholesale Market in Luoyang's West Market and South Market opens, those six brothers will be rolling in money and will all be rich."

Upon hearing this, Fu Yuxue's smile grew even brighter, but she said with a hint of worry, "But Your Majesty, our business is so booming, won't it attract jealousy and bring about disaster?"

Lin Lang replied, "Don't worry, my dear consort. I have already spoken with the Prefect of Luoyang. As long as my brothers send some money every year to maintain our relationship, no one will dare to cause trouble for them in Luoyang."

Upon hearing this, Fu Yuxue smiled again, "Your Majesty is indeed very thoughtful, hehe..."

Little Zhiling touched Lin Lang's cheek with her small hand and said, "Father, when are we going back to Chang'an? Ling'er wants to play with Sisters Zhiqing and Zhiyue."

Lin Lang smiled gently after hearing this and pinched his daughter's little nose: "Father will take you to tour Luoyang City. After your uncles finish their business and close up shop in the evening, after you say goodbye to your uncles and aunts, Father will take you, your maternal grandmother, cousin Yun Yao, and cousin Yun Chen back to Chang'an."

"That's great!" Xiao Zhiling smiled sweetly, her eyes narrowed.

As the sunlight gradually rose higher, it filtered through the gaps in the sycamore leaves and dappled the ground, making the red silk in front of the shop even more vibrant.

The sound of gongs and drums continued, and the laughter of the crowd and the shouts of the shopkeepers mingled together, creating the most vibrant atmosphere of Luoyang Tianjie and foreshadowing the booming beginning of Shanghai's small commodity retail supermarket.

Enshi chose to stay and help out at the store.

Lin Lang, holding his daughter and accompanied by Fu Yuxue, strolled leisurely through Luoyang City as a family of three.

The maid Qingdai followed closely behind her mistress, Fuyu Xue.

Seeing a vendor selling rattles on the street, Xiao Zhiling's eyes were immediately drawn to it. She stretched out her little hand and said, "Father, I want that!"

Lin Lang bought more than twenty rattles and put them into his personal space, leaving one rattle for his daughter to play with.

Don't ask why Brother Lang bought so many rattles at once. The answer is that he has too many children and misses them all.

As soon as Lin Lang handed the rattle drum to Xiao Zhiling, her chubby little hands gripped the wooden handle tightly, and with a shake of her little arm, a crisp "dong dong, dong dong" sound rang out.

She first looked at the drumhead with her big, round eyes, then brought the drum close to her little face, gently rubbing the tip of her nose against the small tassels on the red silk, and then giggled.

That soft, sweet laughter drifted through the streets of Luoyang like a sprinkle of candy.

Little Zhiling held the rattle drum up to Lin Lang, nodding her little head as she said, "Father, listen! The rattle drum is so much fun!"

Lin Lang kissed his daughter's rosy cheek and said with doting eyes, "Ling'er is so good. What else do you want? Father will buy it for you."

Little Zhiling pointed to a street stall selling ceramic dolls and said in her childish voice, "Father, Ling'er wants that little puppy."

Fu Yuxue said with a smile, "Ling'er, that's a little tiger with the character 'king' on its head!"

"Oh!" Xiao Zhiling shook the rattle and smiled sweetly.

Lin Lang carried his daughter to the stall selling ceramic dolls, carefully placed Xiao Zhiling on the ground, and said gently, "Ling'er, look for yourself, which one do you want to buy?"

Little Zhiling squatted cutely in front of the stall, her rattle drum never stopping as she unconsciously shook it, her little body swaying gently to the beat.

"Father, Ling'er wants this too." Little Zhiling pointed to the tiger-shaped ceramic figurine with her left hand.

Lin Lang simply pulled out a gold bar and handed it to the stall owner, saying arrogantly, "Buy all the ceramic figurines on this stall."

The stall owner's face lit up with joy upon hearing this, but he said somewhat awkwardly, "Sir, I don't have that much silver to give as change!"

Lin Lang replied, "No need for change, the extra gold is your reward."

Upon hearing this, the stall owner could not contain his excitement and knelt down in front of Lin Lang with a thud, kowtowing and thanking him profusely, "Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir!"

Fu Yuxue said with a smile, "Get up quickly, pack up the pottery figurines on your stall, and you can go home earlier."

"Yes, madam." The stall owner chuckled, got up, and began packing up the ceramic figurines on his stall.

Little Zhiling picked up the ceramic tiger figurine from the stall and giggled sweetly, "Mommy, hug me!"

Fu Yuxue bent down and picked up her daughter, saying affectionately, "Ling'er, is the clay tiger puppet fun?"

Xiao Zhiling replied crisply, "It's fun."

Lin Lang put all the pottery figurines that the stall owner had packed into his personal space, intending to take them back to Chang'an to share with his other children. He then continued to stroll around Luoyang with his wife and children.

The stall owner thanked Lin Lang profusely as he saw him off, secretly exclaiming in his heart: "I haven't earned this much gold in all these years selling pottery figurines. I've really met the God of Wealth today!"