The three people still ended up at the hotel closer to the flea market. Since they had booked rooms in advance during their last visit, and Xiangxi hadn't come this time, Andre told the hotel staff to cancel one room. The staff didn't say much and promptly refunded Andre the money for one room, which Andre then handed over to Xu Mingxuan.
After a hasty dinner at the hotel, the three of them retired to their respective rooms to rest.
Seeing that Chen Lan hadn't eaten much during dinner, only having a glass of milk and a slice of bread, Xu Mingxuan worried about her health and said with concern, "Lan'er, let's finish shopping at the flea market tomorrow and head back to Pogranichny on the morning of the day after tomorrow!"
Chen Lan nodded and said nothing more. Having traveled all day, she felt quite tired. The couple quickly washed up and went to bed early.
The next morning, Xu Mingxuan and Chen Lan woke up early. The three of them had a simple breakfast at the hotel restaurant and prepared to depart. This time, Andre had other matters to attend to and wouldn't be accompanying the couple to the flea market.
After agreeing to meet Andre that evening, the couple left the hotel. They easily found their way to the flea market. It was unclear what day it was, but as soon as they entered, they noticed a stage had been set up in the center of the small square, and local artists were preparing for a performance.
On either side of the square stood two three-story buildings, typical of Russian architecture, with distinct colors and a strong sense of depth. The couple walked hand in hand, moving forward and through the narrow passage of the small square. What greeted them were all sorts of unique Russian handicrafts. Further inside, they found antiques, porcelain, pocket watches, oil paintings, and all sorts of other items.
They hadn't paid attention last time, but this time the couple discovered two small alleys specifically selling oil paintings. Mostly, the artists themselves were there selling their works. They were very proud of their creations and would meticulously wipe their paintings before showing them to customers.
Having bought quite a few oil paintings on their previous visit, the couple decided not to buy any more this time. They planned to buy some distinctive artworks as souvenirs for the children.
Speaking of souvenirs, Russian nesting dolls were naturally indispensable. As Russia's most famous cultural symbol, the matryoshka doll was a must-buy! So, Chen Lan selected twenty sets to give to the little girls in the valley around Jiahui's age.
Seeing Chen Lan's intention to buy so many nesting dolls, Xu Mingxuan suggested, "Lan'er, buying so many dolls doesn't have much commemorative value. They won't understand their true worth, and it might even encourage idleness. It would be more practical to give them something valuable that could be passed down as heirlooms."
Chen Lan thought about it and realized he had a point. Giving the girls something valuable could serve as part of their dowry when they got married, providing them with security.
Therefore, Chen Lan decided to give the girls some gold jewelry for their dowry and some jewelry made of purple gold, which was abundant in the Soviet Union, for everyday wear. In her previous life, Russian purple gold was very famous. Not only was it hard and lustrous, but it also became brighter with prolonged wear. Most importantly, Russian purple gold jewelry had novel and exquisite designs, and was reasonably priced. Especially the pink rose gold, which not only symbolized beautiful love but also embodied warm and everlasting sentiment, possessing absolute collectible value.
So, the couple first went to the state-run counter specializing in purple gold jewelry in the exhibition hall. Xu Mingxuan helped Chen Lan select many pieces of purple gold jewelry, mostly bracelets and earrings. After paying and packing the purchased purple gold jewelry, the couple went to the gold jewelry counter to look carefully for a while. Chen Lan seized the opportunity to scan with her system and found that the purity of the gold jewelry sold here was very low. Thus, she pulled Xu Mingxuan out of the exhibition hall.
Xu Mingxuan was very puzzled and asked in a low voice, "Lan'er, what's wrong? Why aren't we buying?"
Chen Lan looked around and replied softly, "Father-in-law said the gold jewelry sold here isn't very pure and isn't worth it. If we want to buy, he said he'll buy gold jewelry for the girls from where they are. He also said that the gold jewelry there is not only high in purity but also has beautiful designs, making it ideal for the girls to have for their future security!"
The couple wandered around for a while longer but found nothing else they wanted to buy. They decided to leave the flea market and return to the hotel.
Xu Mingxuan held Chen Lan's hand and suggested as they walked, "Lan'er, the food at the hotel is quite ordinary, and you haven't eaten much from last night to this morning. How about we go out to eat? I remember there's a rather upscale restaurant not far from the department store. When we ate there before, there were quite a few people queuing up. It's not quite mealtime yet, so let's go check it out beforehand, what do you think?"
Chen Lan nodded happily, and the couple arrived at the upscale restaurant next to the department store. It wasn't mealtime yet, so there were indeed very few customers. The diners were eating slowly and chatting softly.
Chen Lan and Xu Mingxuan ordered the cream-baked mixed grill, pan-fried perch with cream sauce, a portion of Su-style roast lamb chops, and a plate of pickled cucumbers, as recommended by the waiter.
Soon, the dishes the couple had ordered were served one after another. Chen Lan took a bite of the cream-baked mixed grill and found it a bit greasy, with a strong cream flavor and insufficient cheese.
The pan-fried perch with cream sauce was also quite a failure. It was unclear how it was prepared, but the perch was very fishy, and adding egg batter and butter made it even more greasy.
Fortunately, the most expensive Su-style roast lamb chops were not a disappointment. The lamb chops were pan-fried to perfection, tender and practically melting in the mouth. The two accompanying sauces were also quite flavorful.
Overall, the dishes at the restaurant tended to be oily. Chen Lan added a lot of black pepper to her food and ate several pickled cucumbers before she could barely cut through the greasiness. The prices at this restaurant weren't as expensive as she had imagined.
Xu Mingxuan, as usual, was not picky. He ate everything Chen Lan didn't, claiming it was "to avoid waste." Chen Lan was worried he would overeat, but what did he say? "This is nothing. Each dish is just a few bites, I'm not even full yet."
So, he wasn't full? Chen Lan prepared to order another dish for him, but Xu Mingxuan immediately waved his hand and said, "Lan'er, no need to order. It's not tasty! We might as well go back to the hotel and eat self-heating hot pot, which is more satisfying."