Chapter 428 - 418: Old Wang Becomes Famous

Chapter 428: Chapter 418: Old Wang Becomes Famous

At three in the morning, Jiang Xia quietly pushed open his sister-in-law’s door. Bright moonlight streamed in through the window, and he found her sleeping soundly, hugging a Pikachu plushie.

"Xiao Man, wake up. Time to get up," Jiang Xia said softly, walking to her bedside.

When she didn’t respond after he called a few times, he turned and looked helplessly at his wife. "Is she always such a heavy sleeper?"

"Xiao Man is ticklish. Why don’t you try tickling her?"

Jiang Xia nodded and reached out to tickle her under her arms and at her waist. His soundly-sleeping sister-in-law began to wriggle unconsciously, and it wasn’t long before she couldn’t take it anymore.

"AHAHA, HAHAHAHA, that tickles..."

"Xiao Man, hurry and wake up." Jiang Xia stopped and gently pinched her little cheek.

"Mmm..."

Xiao Man rubbed her eyes and looked at the figure in front of her bed. The gentle moonlight outlined her brother-in-law’s silhouette.

"Brother-in-law, why are you here..." she mumbled, still half-asleep.

Jiang Xia smiled. "Hurry and get up. I’m taking you to see something amazing."

"Mmm... Are we going to the Great Wall?" Xiao Man turned her head to look out the window and saw it was still dark out.

"We’ll go see the Great Wall after we get back."

"Oh."

His sister-in-law let out a deep yawn, but with unconditional trust in her brother-in-law and sister, she still managed to crawl out of bed.

After they quickly washed up, they left the villa with Xiao Man, tiptoeing so as not to wake her parents.

Jiang Xia drove in the direction of Tian’anmen, while Lin Yanwan sat in the back with her sister.

"Sister, where are we going? Aren’t Mom and Dad coming?" Xiao Man asked as she looked out the window, where pedestrians were gradually starting to appear on the chilly, quiet streets.

"Do you know Tian’anmen? I’m taking you to see the flag-raising ceremony," Lin Yanwan said, smiling as she stroked her sister’s head. "It’s on a strict schedule, you know. If we’re late, we won’t be able to see a thing."

"We have a flag-raising at school every Monday, too," Xiao Man said seriously.

"It’s not the same as the one at school. You get to see the magnificent soldiers! They protect our home and defend our country, filled with a righteous spirit. And they’re so, so handsome."

"More handsome than Brother-in-law?" Xiao Man asked innocently, blinking her big eyes.

Jiang Xia glanced at the rearview mirror and couldn’t help but laugh. "When it comes to being handsome, I can’t even compare to one of their fingers."

"Ehehe, ehehe? I love handsome guys the most!"

A little over twenty minutes later, Jiang Xia parked in the lot in front of the Forbidden City. They were about 1.5 kilometers away from Tian’anmen, which would be a walk of ten to fifteen minutes.

The three of them got out of the car and saw that there were already quite a few people around, most of whom were likely tourists. Many of the roadside eateries had opened early, and some were already bustling with customers, creating a lively, brightly-lit scene.

"Xiao Man, are you hungry?"

Jiang Xia glanced at "Fangzhuanchang No. 69 Zhajiangmian," which wasn’t far from them. He’d heard in his past life that this noodle shop had been consistent for over a decade, serving only old Imperial Capital-style zhajiangmian. The flavor was supposed to be excellent, and many celebrities had "checked in" there. During the daytime, you would even have to wait in line to get a bowl.

Xiao Man rubbed her tummy and nodded slightly. "A little hungry," she said in a crisp voice.

"Then let’s get something to eat first, so you don’t get uncomfortably hungry during the flag-raising," Jiang Xia said with a smile.

It wasn’t even four in the morning yet. Considering the sun rose early in July and August, the flag-raising ceremony was typically around five. If they ate their noodles now and walked over, the timing would be perfect.

The three of them walked into No. 69 Zhajiangmian and found that the shop was already full of people. Many of them spoke with out-of-town accents, and they were likely all there to see the flag-raising ceremony.

They sat in a corner and each ordered a bowl of zhajiangmian. The waiter brought over a bowl of plain noodles, a plate with shredded cabbage, shredded radish, shredded cucumber, and a dozen or so soybeans, and a small bowl of fragrant soybean paste sauce. Once mixed together, the aroma was delightful.

Jiang Xia picked up his chopsticks and took a big slurp. The noodles were perfectly chewy, and paired with the crisp, refreshing vegetables, the dish wasn’t the least bit greasy.

"Is it good, Xiao Man?"

"Mhm! It’s delicious! It’s completely different from the zhajiangmian we have at home." Xiao Man nodded emphatically, her words muffled by the noodles in her mouth.

Lin Yanwan nodded as well. "It really is delicious."

The three of them leisurely finished their noodles and then walked toward the nearby Tiananmen Square. Along the way, the number of pedestrians grew, and the sky began to grow faintly bright. By the time they reached the square, they found that the spots at the very front were already occupied.

’Still, I can just lift her up during the flag-raising, so it won’t affect her view.’

At five in the morning, the magnificent national flag honor guard marched out of Tian’anmen with powerful, resonant steps. They crossed the Jinshui Bridge and carried the Five-starred Red Flag to Tiananmen Square.

At that moment, the crowd was buzzing with excitement, and Xiao Man’s eyes were wide as she watched the entire procession.

’So, the flag-raising ceremony my sister told me about... is this solemn?’

As the national anthem echoed over the square, Xiao Man instinctively gave the Young Pioneers’ salute to the flag.

This was not the first time Jiang Xia and Lin Yanwan had seen the ceremony; the last time was on New Year’s Eve the year before last. Still, every time they came to Tiananmen Square to watch, they were moved by the solemn atmosphere.

Before long, the flag-raising ceremony concluded. The young couple took a photo of Xiao Man in front of the flag to commemorate the visit. In the picture, their sister-in-law was smiling sweetly.

"Xiao Man, was the flag-raising ceremony beautiful?" Jiang Xia asked with a smile on the drive home.

"Mhm! It was beautiful! The soldiers looked so majestic! I felt so safe watching them!" Xiao Man sat primly in her seat, mimicking the motion of unfurling the flag, her big eyes shining with excitement.