It was almost closing time when Grandpa suddenly remembered something. He quickly led Xiao Man down another street, saying they needed to stop by the local specialty store to buy a jar of sweet pickled vegetables, Grandma's favorite.
The sweet pickled vegetables were a specialty product from another province. They came in a small, patterned ceramic jar holding only about two pounds. It was sealed, and the jar itself was nestled inside a soft, woven rattan basket stuffed with straw to prevent it from being crushed during transport. Xiao Man loved the little jar the moment she saw it. 'I never knew they had such exquisite packaging for something like pickled vegetables in this era!' she thought.
The salesclerk said, "You're lucky. This shipment just arrived this afternoon. Most of it has already been distributed elsewhere, leaving only a dozen or so jars for the store shelves. You got here just in time. By tomorrow, a lot of people who want one won't be able to get it!"
