“Bang!”
Li Daguo slammed his hand heavily on the table. The enamel cup on it jumped from the impact, and tea splashed all over the surface.
“Useless! A bunch of useless fools! I spent a fortune taking over this stall, hired a chef from the state-run restaurant, renovated it brightly and cleanly yet we can’t even beat a roadside street vendor?!” he roared.
The worker standing nearby shrank his neck and said timidly, “Boss, it’s not that we’re not trying… it’s just that the girl across the street is too clever. She even set up some membership system first bowl free. Everyone just went for the novelty.”
Li Daguo gritted his teeth, his thick fingers tapping the table hard.
“So what if she’s just a little girl? I can’t deal with her? Go! Call Zhang San over!”
Soon, a thin, monkey-like man came over with a flattering smile.
“Boss, you called me?”
Li Daguo lowered his voice, a flash of malice in his eyes.
“Go. Buy a bowl of dumplings from the opposite stall. Remember when you pass the alley, sprinkle this powder inside. Once her customers get diarrhea, let’s see who still dares to eat there!”
Zhang San’s eyes lit up as he rubbed his hands.
“Boss, brilliant! With this move, her stall won’t survive!”
“Enough talk. Go now!” Li Daguo waved impatiently. “Keep it clean. Don’t let anyone see you.”
Zhang San nodded, hiding the packet of croton powder in his pocket, and slipped out furtively.
He squeezed into the long queue in front of Qiao Yuwei’s stall, thinking carefully about how to act without drawing attention.
After a long wait, it was finally his turn.
“One bowl of dumplings! To go!” he shouted.
After finally getting the dumplings and paying, Zhang San turned into the alley. He looked around no one was there.
Just as he was about to take out the powder, a rough, strong hand suddenly grabbed his wrist.
“What are you holding, kid?”
The deep voice carried a chilling pressure.
Zhang San turned sharply and saw a tall, muscular man behind him. A terrifying scar ran from his brow bone to his jaw. His eyes were cold as ice. Behind him stood two sturdy men, watching with faint smiles.
Zhang San nearly dropped the bowl in fright.
“N-nothing… Scar, Scar Brother, I just bought a bowl of dumplings…”
Scar Brother let out a cold snort and directly snatched the small paper packet from his chest. Opening it, he revealed white powder inside.
He weighed it slightly, then sneered.
“Croton powder? Planning to put this in Qiao girl’s dumplings?”
Zhang San’s face turned deathly pale. His legs trembled uncontrollably.
“N-no… it wasn’t me! It was Li Daguo from Li Ji who told me to do it! Scar Brother, please spare me, I’m just a runner…”
“Li Daguo?” Scar Brother’s eyes turned sharp. He tightened his grip, making Zhang San cry out in pain.
“He’s tired of living? Daring to touch someone under my protection?”
Zhang San froze, stammering.
“U-under your protection? Scar Brother, y-you’re protecting that dumpling girl?”
“So what?” Scar Brother released him and looked down coldly.
“Go tell Li Daguo this: Qiao Yuwei’s stall is under my protection. If he dares to mess with her again, I won’t just smash his shop I’ll break one of his legs. Now get lost!”
As the saying goes, the black fears the white, the white fears the reckless, and the reckless fear the one who doesn’t care about dying.
Scar Brother was once a notorious local gang leader who never backed down from trouble. After serving time, he later turned to legitimate business, but his former subordinates were still around no one dared provoke him.
Zhang San felt as if he had been granted amnesty. He scrambled away in panic, even forgetting the dumplings.
Meanwhile, Qiao Yuwei’s stall was still packed, the line stretching endlessly. Fortunately, she had prepared plenty of ingredients, or it wouldn’t have been enough.
But while the dumplings were sufficient, seating was not. Many regular customers, unable to wait for tables, simply squatted by the roadside and ate.
“Girl, your dumplings are good, but there’s nowhere to sit! Can you add more tables?”
“Yeah, I’ve got kids with me it’s too inconvenient to eat like this!”
Many people echoed the complaint.
“I’m really sorry, I’ll find a solution right away!” Qiao Yuwei said, thinking about borrowing stools from a nearby shop.
Just then, a cheerful voice came from outside the crowd.
“Sister-in-law!”
Qiao Yuwei looked up and saw a young man in a green shirt squeezing through the crowd, smiling honestly.
“Who are you…?” she looked at his upright posture and slightly tanned skin, then quickly realized. “Oh, you’re off duty today!”
Wang Jianjun scratched his head and smiled.
“My home is nearby. Seeing so many people here, I came closer and realized it’s your dumpling stall, sister-in-law! I just heard everyone saying there’s nowhere to sit. My dad runs a furniture shop in the west alley he rents tables and chairs for banquets. I’ll go bring some over for you!”
Qiao Yuwei’s eyes lit up perfect timing.
“Thank you so much! Would it trouble your father?”
“No trouble at all!” Wang Jianjun waved his hand. “My dad is very warm-hearted. If it’s to help you, he’ll definitely agree! I’ll go right now!”
He turned and ran off. Soon, he came back with a tricycle loaded with four square tables, more than ten long benches, and several large ceramic bowls for dumplings.
Qiao Yuwei was extremely grateful.
“Thank you so much! How much is the rent? I’ll pay you now.”
“What rent?” Wang Jianjun waved it off. “Use them first. I heard your dumplings are really good just make me a bowl when you’re free.”
“Alright, then wait a moment.”
Once the tables and chairs were set up, the customers cheered and quickly found seats, eating much more comfortably.
As the sun slowly set, the vendors in the market began packing up. Only then did the crowd at Qiao Yuwei’s stall begin to thin out.
The last customer was an elderly man. After finishing his dumplings, he smacked his lips and said, “Girl, your dumplings are even better than what I had in Beijing! I’ll come every day from now on!”
Qiao Yuwei smiled as she saw him off, then finally let out a breath of relief and collapsed into a chair, feeling her arms too tired to lift.
Zhao Guihua was already exhausted. Suddenly remembering something, she jumped up and grabbed the iron cash box, her voice trembling.
“Yuwei, quick… count how much we made today!”
Qiao Yuwei perked up again. Together, they poured the money onto the table coins, small bills, fives, ones… a thick stack of change, even several crisp ten-yuan notes.
Sweetie leaned over too, pointing curiously.
“Auntie, is all this money we earned?”
“Yes,” Qiao Yuwei said, gently patting her head with a fond smile. “It’s for buying our sweet Sweetie a new pair of shoes.”