Ah, right—things in this era required coupons to buy goods. Almost forgot.
“Y-yes, Uncle, just a moment.”
Jiang Yuyan carefully pulled a meat coupon from her small bag and handed it to the uncle.
“All right. Do you want anything besides fatty meat? Since you came early, you can choose first.”
Jiang Yuyan thought for a moment, then picked a few meat bones to make soup with radish—tasty and nutritious.
After buying the meat, she prepared to find her Second Brother.
Looking over, she noticed a crowd had gathered, and she could hear shouting from inside.
Jiang Yuyan ran over, pushing through the crowd of onlookers. Before she could figure out what was happening, she heard the counter staff, pointing at Jiang Muxi, sneer and verbally abuse him.
“…A beggar in a beggar’s place, and yet you dare come to the supply store? Do you even know what kind of place this is? You dare come here?”
“Damn it, go away. Don’t you realize you stink? What if you stink up our goods and we can’t sell them? Get lost!”
Jiang Murong’s face flushed with anger. “How can you speak to him like that? My Second Brother isn’t a beggar! Are you blind?”
Jiang Muxi’s eyes darkened as he glared at the female clerk. “Didn’t you hear me? I said I want the black—”
“You want—screw you! Get out, get out! No money and you dare point? I’ll have someone throw you out myself!” The clerk was arrogant and disdainful.
Suddenly, a shriek came from the clerk.
Jiang Yuyan grabbed the finger she was pointing with and twisted it hard. Crack! The finger dislocated.
She glared coldly at the shrieking clerk. “Who gave you the right to insult my Second Brother? Is this your store? Isn’t the supply store for everyone? Why can’t we come?”
She scanned her eyes and continued, “Or are you treating the supply store as your personal property, a dictator who decides who can come? Acting like the boss here?”
The crowd gasped, nearly startled out of their wits by her words.
Clerk: “!!!!!!”
“You’re talking nonsense. I could never—”
Jiang Yuyan interrupted her. “If not, then what right do you have to stop my Second Brother from buying things here? Who are you to call ordinary people beggars?”
“Or maybe, in your eyes, someone who scrimps and saves, sending their wages home, is a beggar?”
Suddenly, everyone understood why Jiang Muxi’s clothes were so tattered—it wasn’t because he was lazy; he just didn’t spend money on himself.
“Wow, this person is admirable! If you ask me, that clerk should apologize. She’s been rude to nearly everyone who comes here.”
“Who dares insult someone who saves and works hard? Even our leaders encourage thrift. She’s completely wrong!”
“Call the manager! We need an explanation today. This clerk clearly has serious issues.”
“Yes, call your manager!”
The clerk trembled. “Y-you, don’t say that. I didn’t mean anything, it’s all your misunderstanding.”
The manager ran out and, seeing the scene, felt his face go pale.
Damn it, how many times is this now? Still happening?
He hurriedly bowed. “Sorry, excuse me—”
Jiang Yuyan cut him off. “Manager, this clerk claimed the supply store is hers and decides who can come. She looks like she’s selecting high-end customers herself!”
The manager froze, shaking his head furiously. “Absolutely not—”
“Then why did she occupy her position and insult a customer as a beggar? Just because of worn clothes?”
“…forget it.”
She glared at the clerk. “What are you standing there for? Apologize, now!”
The clerk screamed, “Why should I apologize? I didn’t even say anything wrong! Manager, can’t you see her Second Brother’s clothes—”
Slap! Jiang Yuyan struck her across the face.
She lightly shook her hand, eyes cold. “If you insult my Second Brother again, even if your manager doesn’t handle it, I will report you to the city. Do you believe me?”
The clerk covered her face, trembling at Jiang Yuyan’s serious gaze.
The manager, seeing her frozen, nearly fainted. “Apologize now! Do you want trouble?”
“….”
Jiang Yuyan looked around. “Seems like she has powerful backing, even the manager can’t move her. But the supply store is for the people. If she keeps insulting customers, reporting her, and her backers too, won’t it be better to leave this position to someone who actually works?”
Someone in the crowd brightened and raised a hand. “Comrade, I have experience with this, and my family has some connections. Don’t worry, I can handle it!”
“Sorry, it was my bad attitude. Please don’t be angry,” the clerk saw reinforcements and immediately bowed, completely changing her tone.
Tears streamed down her face, as if she had suffered greatly.
But no one felt sympathy—in fact, her crying made them even angrier.
“How dare you cry? The person you insulted didn’t cry, how dare you?”
“Yes! Who cries to apologize? Still holding grudges? Might as well report her!”
“I agree, report her!”
The humiliated clerk fled, ignoring her workstation.
Jiang Yuyan raised an eyebrow. “So dumb!”
“Manager, that clerk ran off, what should we do now, coming here so early to buy things?”
The manager was sweating. “Comrade, we have other staff. Xiao Wu, quickly, cover her position.”
Jiang Yuyan looked at the middle-aged man in a Zhongshan suit who had spoken before—his demeanor was different from the workers.
“Comrade, thank you for helping. If you hadn’t pretended to speak up for us, that clerk wouldn’t have submitted so quickly.”
The middle-aged man, Li Zhong, nodded in appreciation at the young girl.
“Comrade, I was serious. We’ve heard about this clerk for a while, but no one dares to stand up. Are you the first?”
Before Jiang Yuyan could reply, Jiang Muxi pulled her behind him.
“I’m her Second Brother. Whatever needs to be done, I’ll handle it.”
Li Zhong sized him up—tall, muscular, solid. He stroked his chin, thinking.
Suddenly, he had an idea. “Can you drive? Our unit’s driver is injured and resting at home, we urgently need a driver.”
Jiang Muxi: “….”
Jiang Yuyan tugged at her brother’s clothes, but rip! The tattered garment tore like a rag, leaving his chest exposed.
Jiang Muxi looked down at the revealed chest, deadpan, staring at the culprit.
Jiang Yuyan laughed awkwardly, poking his exposed stomach. “Second Brother, I… said it was an accident. Do you believe me?”
Jiang Muxi gritted his teeth. This girl—always using innocent expressions to act cute.
Hmph. He wouldn’t fall for it.
He wrapped the rag around himself and nodded to Li Zhong. “I can drive, but if you know my situation, you probably wouldn’t agree.”