“I would probably still be abroad if it weren’t for the news that my grandfather was critically ill. The reasons why I ended up in Qinghe Town by accident are quite complicated.”
“In any case, when you go to J City in the future, stay away from my cousin’s family. They are not good people.”
Liu Yu’s eyes widened. “So, you were being hunted by your cousin’s family?”
Zhou Yu was silent for a moment before saying, “You are very smart.”
He didn’t seem like a child raised in the countryside at all, as he was clearly aware of the sordid affairs within wealthy families.
Liu Yu hummed proudly. What a joke. As an adult from the 21st century, he had read at least dozens, if not hundreds, of these cliché family-struggle novels. What plot of brothers turning against each other hadn’t he seen?
What other reason could there be for a young master from a wealthy family to leave his comfortable life to live in a small, rural town and dress like a beggar, other than his life being under threat? Was he here to experience the hardships of the people?
Liu Yu asked with slight concern, “Then, won’t you be in danger when you return this time?”
“Don’t worry, nothing will happen. I won’t be returning in a conspicuous manner; no one will know. I will write to you once I am settled.”
“You have always been physically weak. Do not overwork yourself back home; money can never be fully earned, and your body needs rest occasionally,” Zhou Yu said, patting his back gently.
“I will!”
The night was deep, and the world outside the window was like a massive black curtain, with not a glimmer of light to be seen.
As sleepiness washed over him, Liu Yu subconsciously leaned toward the heat source and closed his eyes as Zhou Yu continued to pat his back.
The next day, before the sun had even risen, Liu Yu opened his eyes. Zhou Yu was still sleeping soundly, showing no signs of waking up. Liu Yu did not want to disturb him; he got up, put on his clothes quietly, and went to the kitchen.
The beef, which had been soaking in the brine all night, was now full of flavor. Liu Yu fished out a piece, sliced it thick, and popped a slice into his mouth. It was perfectly tender and left a lingering fragrance on his palate.
He had not eaten beef for a long time. It was fine when he was holding back, but tasting the braised meat now directly triggered his appetite. However, remembering it was for Zhou Yu’s journey, he gulped down his saliva and arranged the meat neatly into an aluminum lunchbox.
On the large stove, the pot was steaming with the congee and steamed buns he had cooked.
After packing the necessary luggage, Liu Yu went to the main room to wake his Brother Zhou. Upon entering, he found that Zhou Yu had already dressed and was ready to go.
“Perfect,” Liu Yu smiled. “Brother, the congee is ready. Let us go eat.”
Zhou Yu nodded, went to the kitchen to ladle out two bowls of congee, and sat down to eat in silence.
Liu Yu couldn’t help but chatter. “Brother, I have braised a box of beef for you. You can have it with steamed buns or just as a snack. I also put a few jars of your favorite chili sauce and pickled long beans in your bag. Please be careful with your luggage so you do not break them.”
Zhou Yu’s lips curved slightly as he let the boy ramble on in his ear.
There was only one bus to the city from town every day, and the departure time was uncertain. The two of them rushed to the station while the sky was still dim to wait for the bus.
It was nearly noon by the time he sent Zhou Yu off. As the engine started, he stood by the bus window and waved vigorously at Zhou Yu.
Zhou Yu smiled and waved back, telling him to head home. Liu Yu ignored him and watched until the bus disappeared into the distance.
His smile gradually faded, and his emotions grew increasingly heavy.
“Heqing!”
As Liu Yu reached the edge of the village, he heard a voice calling him. As the figure came closer, he realized it was Liu Wenyu.
Liu Wenyu hurried up to him. “Why are you back so late today?” He glanced behind him, puzzled. “Where is the handcart? Did you not bring your Brother Zhou back?”
Liu Yu replied, “He went back to his hometown. He probably will not be coming back.”
Seeing the gloomy aura radiating from Liu Yu, Liu Wenyu couldn’t help but tease, “Tsk, how pathetic. You miss him the moment he leaves? I go to school in town every week, and I never see you missing me.”
Liu Yu feigned annoyance. “Stop teasing me. We see each other every weekend; it is different from Brother Zhou!”
Liu Wenyu flicked him on the forehead. “You fool! How is it different? He just went back home, it is not like he is gone forever. You two can write letters often. At the very least, you can take the bus to see him when you are older.”
“I know,” he muttered, rubbing his forehead. “It is just that he just left, and I have not adjusted yet! I will be fine in a few days. Brother Zhou and I promised to write to each other often.”
“That is more like it. I thought your soul had flown away with him!”
Liu Yu laughed. He wasn’t acting as distracted as it seemed; Liu Wenyu acted serious, but he was always spouting nonsense.
“By the way,” Liu Wenyu looked at him. “Since your Brother Zhou is gone, do you need to hire someone else for your breakfast stall?”
Liu Yu replied vaguely, “I will see. I can actually handle it by myself, even if it is a bit tiring. I will see if I find someone suitable later.”
In truth, he didn’t want to hire someone to replace Zhou Yu. He had been considering the situation after Zhou Yu’s departure for the past few days.
After much thought, he concluded that rather than rushing to hire someone, he should grit his teeth and rent a storefront in town.
It would be more expensive, but it was better than pulling a handcart through wind and rain every single day.
“Brother Wenyu, could you help me ask around which street in town has an empty storefront for rent? I want to rent one to sell breakfast.”
“You want to rent a storefront? There are definitely some, but they will not be cheap. You should think it over carefully. Don’t end up losing money.”
Liu Yu nodded. “Don’t worry. Hiring help is more expensive than rent. I have saved up some money recently, so renting a storefront shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Alright, I will keep an eye out, and you should watch out for openings too.”
The two chatted as they walked, eventually parting ways at the fork in the road to head home.
For the next two weeks, Liu Yu ran the stall by himself.
Having become accustomed to having someone help with the heavy lifting, the burden now suddenly fell entirely on his shoulders. After all these days, he was already starting to reach his breaking point.
If nothing else, his arms were repeatedly swelling due to muscle strain.
After enduring for two weeks, neither Liu Yu nor Liu Wenyu had found a suitable spot, nor had they seen a single vacant storefront for rent.
Just as Liu Yu was about to give up on the idea of renting a storefront, a turn of events occurred.
Coincidentally, it started to drizzle one morning. Liu Yu was busy frying you-tiao and quickly set up a plastic tarp to cover the stall.
While the tarp protected the stall, it did nothing for the customers waiting in line.
A man without an umbrella covered his head with his hands and complained, “Little Boss, your business is so good, why not consider spending money to rent a storefront? It would be more convenient for you, and easier for all of us to buy breakfast. It is better than being exposed to the elements here.”
Liu Yu sighed helplessly. “Uncle, you do not know how difficult it is to rent a storefront in Qinghe Town. I have been looking for ages and haven’t found a single one!”
When he said this, others in line started to chime in.
“That is true. My brother-in-law wanted to open a shop in town to do some business, but he couldn’t find a place either.”
“Don’t get me started. This lousy town… I don’t even like living here, yet there are so many people trying to do business. I don’t know if any of them can actually make money.”
Just then, a deep, middle-aged male voice spoke up. “Funny enough, I know of a storefront on Dongping Street, though I’m not sure if you would like it, Little Boss.”
After listening to the complaints, Liu Yu immediately looked up when he heard useful information.
He recognized the man; he was a regular customer who came to buy a dozen spring rolls every morning, rain or shine.
Apparently, his child loved them so much that they would throw a tantrum if they didn’t have one every day.
Liu Yu asked tentatively, “Uncle, I have been asking around Dongping Street these past few days. Is there really a storefront for rent there now?”
Seeing Liu Yu’s doubt, the middle-aged man explained, “Why would I lie to you? It is normal that you haven’t heard about it. The person renting out the place is a friend of mine. He is preparing to move to the provincial capital soon and mentioned wanting to rent out the shop a while ago. But he is a bit scatterbrained, so he hasn’t put up a sign even now.”
That was perfect! This was exactly what they meant by finding things easily when you stop searching. A problem he had spent days agonizing over had been solved by a regular customer so unexpectedly.
He used the greaseproof paper to hide his movements and quietly tucked a few extra spring rolls into the man’s bag.
Then, he said calmly, “Uncle, please do me a favor and tell me where your friend’s shop is. I want to go take a look after I close up.”
The middle-aged man weighed the paper bag and noticed it was noticeably heavier. He didn’t thank him publicly, but replied happily, “That is easy! It is just as you enter Dongping Street, next to the meat shop on the right. Just say you were sent by Li Xiangzhong.”
“Thank you, Uncle!” Liu Yu grinned. “If it works out, I will treat you to breakfast every day.”
“That won’t do. A big man like me can’t be taking advantage of a young kid every day. It was just a passing comment, and if it works out, my friend will be happy too.” With that, he waved his hand and left.
After closing the stall, Liu Yu headed straight for Dongping Street. He didn’t visit this street often, but upon closer observation, he realized the foot traffic was quite high.
At the entrance of the street, he saw the meat shop the man had mentioned, and there was indeed an unbranded storefront next to it.
An old woman was sitting inside the threshold. He approached and asked, “Hello, Grandma. I was sent by Uncle Li Xiangzhong. Is your storefront still for rent?”
“Li Xiangzhong?” The old woman seemed hard of hearing due to her age.
Liu Yu repeated, “Yes, Li Xiangzhong from Qianyuan Street. He told me you have a storefront available for rent and suggested I take a look.”
“Oh, I see. It is for rent. Have a seat and wait a moment; I will go get my son to talk to you.” The old woman stood up, leaned on her cane, and slowly walked to the back.
Less than a minute later, a shirtless middle-aged man walked straight out.
Seeing that he was just a kid, the man asked, “Little one, you are here to look at the shop alone? Where are your parents?”
Liu Yu sighed. “I am here to look at the shop alone. I don’t have parents here.”
What a nuisance, he thought. If only Zhou Yu were here, I wouldn’t be questioned as a minor every time I try to do anything.
“Uncle Li Xiangzhong sent me. My parents have passed away, and I sell breakfast on Qianyuan Street. Thanks to my customers, the business is doing well, and I want to rent a shop to make it a long-term business,” Liu Yu explained.
The man hadn’t expected the boy to be an orphan making his own way in life. Fearing he might touch a sore spot, he quickly changed the subject. “You are the kid who sells those rolls on that street, right? I have heard of you. Your breakfast is very good; even people on this street line up to buy them!”
Liu Yu smiled. “Yes, I sell spring rolls and you-tiao. If you are interested, I will bring some for you to try tomorrow.”
The man laughed and got down to business. “Come inside and see if you are satisfied with the shop. If you are, I will not ask for much—sixty yuan a year, and no rent increases for five years.”
Since it was a commercial shop rather than a residence, sixty yuan was indeed reasonable. Although the shop was only one floor, it was spacious and included a small backyard. It was bright, well-ventilated, located at the street corner, near a well, and had high foot traffic.
Liu Yu thought for a moment and decided decisively, “Sixty it is. I won’t haggle with you. But about the shop…”
Before he could finish, the man interrupted, “Don’t worry. Since you are sincere, let us skip the nonsense. Pay me one year’s rent plus a five-yuan deposit, and I will vacate the place for you immediately once the agreement is signed.”
“Deal! I don’t have enough money on me right now, so I will go get it. Let us sign the contract around three o’clock this afternoon.”
He liked dealing with straightforward people; he didn’t have to overthink things, and everything could be settled in a few words.