Jiang Liye clicked his tongue. “Tsk, those Zhang brothers are useless. All show, knocked down at the first touch.”
Huang Guoqing nodded with a smile. “You’re right, Brother Ye. I don’t think the two of them together are a match for you.”
Jiang Liye clenched his fists, the knuckles cracking. “I’m not boasting, but back in my youth, beating up those two would have been a trivial matter.”
Suddenly, a cough came from below. “Fourth Uncle, are you thinking about fighting again?” Jiang Qingning reminded him. “If you fight, I’ll tell Grandma when we get back.”
Jiang Liye patted her little head, amused. “Got it, Boss Jiang. With you here, how would I dare?”
He suddenly remembered Jiang Qingning telling him this morning that there’d be a good show. He’d been wondering what it was. Now it seemed this was indeed the show.
Heh. Jiang Liye looked down at his niece. This girl was really something.
The police officers didn’t ask many questions. After getting the basic situation, they took all four men involved in the fight to the police station. The stall on the ground was packed up too.
Jiang Liye was delighted. “Serves them right. People like that need to be taught a lesson, always doing disgusting things.”
Huang Guoqing also smiled and said, “Great, Brother Ye. Now they can’t compete with you for business anymore.”
Jiang Liye sighed. “They won’t come back this afternoon, but they’ll probably be back tomorrow.”
Nowadays, for a fight where injuries aren’t serious, it’s usually just a reprimand and some ‘education.’
Because of the fight, the afternoon foot traffic was still affected. Business was definitely not as good as yesterday afternoon.
After dropping Jiang Qingning off in the evening, Jiang Liye immediately took out all the money and placed it on the table. He didn’t even stay for dinner, ready to leave.
“Fourth Uncle, what’s the rush? I haven’t given you today’s pay yet.” Jiang Qingning grabbed him.
Jiang Liye waved his hand. “I really don’t have the face to take it today. I didn’t handle those two guys, and business dropped so much…”
“Handle what? Competitors showing up is normal. We’re not the mafia.” Jiang Qingning found it funny and tried to comfort him. “You saw they got taken to the station today. I think with the way they operate, what happened today is bound to happen again sooner or later.”
But Jiang Liye said, “Let’s talk about today’s pay another time. I still have to go pick up your Fourth Aunt. Gotta go.” He hurriedly left.
Jiang Lifeng had just brought the bowls and chopsticks. Watching Jiang Liye’s retreating back, he said curiously, “Why did Old Fourth leave so early today?”
Jiang Qingning said, “Fourth Uncle went to pick up Fourth Aunt.”
Jiang Lifeng nodded. “He should go pick her up. It’s been delayed for two days because of the stall. I wonder if his wife’s family has any complaints.”
Su Guiying happened to come in carrying the dishes. Hearing her husband, she smiled. “You’ve met Qingning’s Fourth Aunt’s family. They’re all very good-natured.”
Jiang Lifeng said, “No matter how good-natured, seeing their daughter come home and her husband not coming to get her for two days would make anyone upset.”
“Not necessarily. Didn’t Qingning’s Fourth Uncle say during dinner yesterday that they didn’t have a fight?” Su Guiying scooped a small bowl of rice for her daughter and reached for Jiang Lifeng’s bowl to fill it.
Jiang Lifeng said, “If they didn’t have a fight, why would she stay at her parents’ for several days? I remember they only have one room over there. It must be crowded for her to stay.”
Su Guiying sat down and picked up her bowl. “Who knows. They have their reasons, I guess.”
The couple didn’t continue the topic, turning their attention instead to their daughter, who was counting money with her head down.
“Qingning, eat first, then count.”
“Yeah,the food will get cold.”
Jiang Qingning said, “It’s fine, almost done.”
After she finished counting, Su Guiying took a damp cloth to wipe her hands. “Alright, now eat.”
Jiang Qingning picked up her chopsticks. “Dad, Mom, guess how much money I made today?”
Jiang Lifeng picked up a piece of scrambled egg for her bowl and asked with a smile, “How much?”
“Five hundred and thirty-one yuan. After deducting the two hundred yuan for Fourth Uncle’s unpaid wages, there’s three hundred and thirty-one yuan left.”
“Oh,that’s still a lot,” Jiang Lifeng said. “I saw Old Fourth come back looking downcast. I thought you’d lost money.”
Jiang Qingning scooped up some rice.”Fourth Uncle is just feeling the gap. We didn’t make as much as yesterday.”
Jiang Lifeng said, “That’s still a lot. If you went out and told anyone they could make over three hundred yuan in a day, they’d go crazy with joy.”
Jiang Qingning replied, “Dad, there’s a saying: ‘No pain without comparison.’ If there had been no yesterday or the day before, and we made over three hundred yuan right from the start today, Fourth Uncle would be just as thrilled as he was the first two days.”
Jiang Lifeng thought about it and nodded. “Makes sense. Everything looks worse when you compare it.”
Jiang Qingning still handed the money to Su Guiying. “Mom, remember to give Fourth Uncle his pay tomorrow morning.”
Su Guiying took the money and nodded. “Mm, got it.”
After dinner, she took out the account book she’d started for her daughter and began updating it.
January 31, 1990, Fifth day of the Lunar New Year: Earned 531 yuan, paid out 200 yuan in wages, remaining 331 yuan.
Total:1,174 yuan.
…
At two in the morning, Su Guiying got up to use the bathroom. Out of habit, she walked to her daughter’s room door, intending to quietly check if she’d kicked off the covers.
Pushing the door open, she saw the blankets were indeed pushed down to her legs. Su Guiying shook her head and walked in softly.
After tucking the covers back in, she instinctively reached out to touch her daughter’s face. The searing heat that met her palm startled her.
She felt her forehead—also burning hot.
“Lifeng! Lifeng! Qingning has a fever!” Su Guiying urgently called for her husband.
Jiang Lifeng scrambled out of bed and rushed to the next room in two steps. “How is she? Is it serious?”
He reached out to check her forehead—indeed, the temperature was very high. “Let’s go, take her to the hospital,” he said quickly.
A child having a fever in the middle of the night wasn’t usually a big deal. In the past, when Jiang Qingning had fevers, there had been times they didn’t take her to the hospital and just cared for her at home.
But ever since the first half of last year, when a child in the back tube-shaped apartment building got brain damage from a high fever, the couple had become terrified whenever this happened.
They quickly got dressed. Jiang Lifeng carried Jiang Qingning and hurried to the factory hospital. Su Guiying followed close behind, holding a flashlight.
Jiang Qingning felt something rocking back and forth. Her head hurt badly, and her throat was uncomfortable.
“Mmm… hurts…”
Jiang Lifeng looked down. “Be good, Qingning, hold on a little longer. We’re almost at the hospital.”
Drowsily, Jiang Qingning fell asleep again.
When she woke up again, it was already the next morning. She was lying in an unfamiliar place.
Staring at the IV drip hanging above her, she was momentarily stunned. Jiang Qingning lowered her gaze and saw Su Guiying asleep with her head resting on the bedside.
“Ma… Mom.” She opened her mouth; her voice was a bit hoarse.
Su Guiying jolted awake. She quickly looked towards the bed. Seeing her daughter was awake, she asked with concern, “Qingning, you’re awake? How do you feel? Does your head still hurt?”
Jiang Qingning gently shook her head. “It doesn’t hurt.”
Su Guiying reached out to feel her daughter’s forehead. Seeing it really wasn’t hot anymore, she finally let out a long sigh of relief. “The fever’s finally gone down.”
Jiang Qingning asked, “Mom, did I have a fever last night?”
Su Guiying nodded. “Yes. Your dad and I were so scared. It must be because of the cold wind these past two days. The wind over the lake is too cold. We won’t go anymore from now on, okay?”
Just then, Jiang Lifeng entered the room carrying a food container. “Qingning’s awake? Are you hungry? I got some congee from the cafeteria. Have a little.”
Su Guiying helped her daughter sit up and took out a spoon to feed her the congee, small sip by small sip.
“I was just saying, Qingning shouldn’t go to Shichahai anymore. This illness must have been caused by the wind.”
Jiang Lifeng nodded. “We won’t go. Health is most important.”
Jiang Qingning sighed inwardly. This body of mine is too unreliable. It starts protesting before I’ve even suffered a little hardship.
…
Jiang Liye came to the tube-shaped apartment building early in the morning to pick her up, only to find his older brother’s door locked. After hearing the explanation from the neighbor next door, he hurriedly ran to the hospital.
“Qingning, are you okay?”
Su Guiying had just finished feeding her daughter breakfast. Seeing Jiang Liye at the hospital room door, she said, “Old Fourth, what are you doing here? Come in, sit down.”
Jiang Liye walked to the bedside. “I just went to your place to pick up Qingning and heard from your hallway neighbor that she had a fever last night and was brought to the hospital.”
Su Guiying sighed. “Yes. I found out when I went to cover her up in the middle of the night. Luckily, they gave her an IV, and the fever’s gone down now.”
After a moment’s thought, she said, “Old Fourth, Qingning won’t be going to the stall anymore.”
Jiang Liye nodded. “Sister-in-law, I’m not stupid. With Qingning like this, how could I drag her out?”
“What your brother and I mean is… she won’t go anymore, ever.”
“Oh, not ever again.” Jiang Liye was momentarily taken aback, then said, “It’s fine. Health is the most important thing. And school’s starting soon anyway.”
“Fourth Uncle, I can’t go now, but the leftover items from yesterday should still be enough for today. You take them and set up the stall,” Jiang Qingning said softly. Her fever broke last night, and her mind was much clearer today, though her body still felt weak and limp.
Jiang Liye shook his head. “What’s the point of me going if you’re not there? You rest and recover. It’s fine. A friend actually asked me to help out with some work. I have a job.”
Jiang Qingning said seriously, “Fourth Uncle, I’ve had an idea for a while. I was planning to discuss it with you in a few days, but I guess I can mention it now.”
“What is it?”
“Sit down first.”Jiang Qingning pointed to a nearby stool.
Su Guiying also said,”Yes, sit down and talk.” She then poured Jiang Qingning a cup of warm water. “Qingning, here, have a sip of water first.”
Jiang Qingning took a small sip and slowly began, “After school starts, I definitely won’t be able to go to the stall anymore. So I was thinking, I could hand the business over to you then, Fourth Uncle. By that time, you’ll be familiar with it and should be able to handle it on your own.”
“Qingning, how can I take your business…” Jiang Liye immediately refused.
“Fourth Uncle,let me finish first,” Jiang Qingning slowly raised a hand to stop him and continued, “Business will definitely drop a lot after school starts, but I figure you should still be able to make around a hundred yuan a day. Isn’t that much better than a regular job?”
Su Guiying, listening nearby, nodded. “Absolutely. Even if it’s just fifty yuan a day, that’s still fifteen hundred a month. Working at the factory, you might not earn that much in half a year!”
But Jiang Liye said, “No matter how much money, it’s not right. Me, taking my own niece’s business? What kind of person would I be?”
Jiang Qingning said, “Fourth Uncle, don’t be hasty. Listen to me first.”
She knew his intentions were pure, but she couldn’t help inwardly shaking her head. He doesn’t want money handed to him on a silver platter? I don’t get it.
“This business can make money, so why should we give it up? Are you really willing to let the Zhang brothers take all the customers at Shichahai?”
Jiang Liye flared up at the thought. “Of course I’m not willing! But… but…”
Jiang Qingning smiled slightly. “How about this, Fourth Uncle. I know you feel awkward about taking over the stall for free. So consider it me investing in your business.”
“Investing?”
“Mm-hmm.I’ll invest the remaining toys from home. Later, I’ll figure out ways to keep supplying you. You, Fourth Uncle, handle the stall. When you make a profit, just give me a twenty percent cut.”
Jiang Qingning had already thought of this. After the New Year and once school started, the stall wouldn’t make much money anyway. She couldn’t go every day with school, so it was better to hand it over to Fourth Uncle.
Handing it to someone else wouldn’t work; she’d only be able to sell the remaining toys for a lump sum. If it were based on profit sharing, how much was earned each day would be entirely up to the other person.
Handing it to Fourth Uncle was the safest. She trusted his character.
Actually, she was taking advantage of him. He could easily go into business on his own.
But knowing Fourth Uncle’s personality, even if Jiang Qingning stopped running the stall, he probably wouldn’t use the same method to start one himself. He’d rather do odd jobs.
So, this proposal from Jiang Qingning was a win-win for both sides.