"That's a given. I didn't buy any wine today, but let's have a drink some other time."
Xie Yu Gui ushered him into the main hall and said, "Just say what you came for."
"I'm just concerned about your health…"
"You don't visit without a reason. A weasel paying respects to a rat, that's you. Don't you remember you took two of my chickens when you visited during the New Year?"
"Uncle, that's all in the past. Let's not talk about it. I've truly changed this time. Ask the villagers if you don't believe me?"
Xie Sui felt embarrassed. He had committed countless foolish acts since childhood, so many he couldn't even remember them himself.
"You're here about Zhao Tie Lin stealing your business, aren't you?"
Xie Yu Gui was no fool; on the contrary, he was quite shrewd. He knew exactly what Xie Sui was up to the moment he shifted his weight.
"Uncle, you're wise. And also not. Listen to me explain slowly…"
They talked until late into the night, and his sons, unable to stay awake, had gone to bed early.
…
The next day, Xie Sui loaded his cart as usual. There was more wild game, but fewer canned goods, only forty-odd bottles. He had no more peaches at home.
Wang Tie Zhu accompanied him today. He had caught over ten catties of fish, and they would sell it together to the state-run restaurant in town.
Their duo turned into a trio. Wang Tie Zhu was even more reserved than Zhang Wen Feng, a person who wouldn't speak even if prodded with three sticks. As they were leaving, Wang Da Niang kept giving him instructions, afraid Xie Sui would sell her son. Wang Tie Zhu felt embarrassed. Was he that useless?
"Tie Zhu, when you make money, what kind of wife do you want to marry?"
Xie Sui teased him. He loved liveliness and couldn't stand to be idle. It was only a thirty-minute journey, and being silent for so long was unbearable. He decided to initiate a conversation.
"As long as she's a woman, that's enough. Aren't they all the same when the lights are off?"
Xie Sui: "…"
"Hahaha…"
Zhang Wen Feng was the first to laugh. "That's not true at all. How can someone as thin as a bone compare to someone plump? How can skin as delicate as an egg compare to skin as rough as sandpaper?"
"And those who are gentle, a single soft plea from them can melt your heart. Isn't it better than finding a shrew who creates trouble and argues all day?"
Xie Sui chimed in, "Wen Feng makes sense. A good wife helps a family prosper; a bad wife ruins three generations. This is something to be cautious about."
"You married a woman as good as Sister Wan Wan, and I still haven't seen you prosper."
Xie Sui was infuriated. This Wang Tie Zhu was such an idiot. How could he talk like that?
In his past life, this guy's emotional intelligence would have been negative.
"Aren't I starting to prosper now? Of course, Wan Wan is a good wife who brings good fortune for prosperity. I never deny that."
"Alright, let's not talk about this. When a man has money in his pocket, he can stand taller. Any girl within three li and five villages, if you fancy her, your brother will help you win her over."
"Heh heh, I don't care. Your methods only bully Sister Wan Wan. I'll find a wife who will happily marry me."
Even Zhang Wen Feng was speechless. How could this guy be so stubborn?
Xie Sui also fell silent; this guy had killed the conversation.
At the same state-run restaurant, Xu Dong Lai looked at Xie Sui's wild game. He didn't rush to weigh it but lit a cigarette, looking hesitant to speak.
"Master Xu, is there a problem?"
Xie Sui still had to go to the county town and sell the scorpion cans. He had many things to do and no time to waste with him.
"It's like this. Business in the restaurant hasn't been good lately, and no one from upstairs is coming. We rely entirely on the people in town to eat. No one can afford to splurge on expensive meat and fish…"
"So, Master Xu means you don't want this wild game anymore?"
Xie Sui's voice turned cold. They had accepted it all before, but now they suddenly didn't want it, for the same amount of goods. Something was definitely up.
"Not exactly…"
Master Xu rubbed his fingers. "Someone is offering me more."
Xie Sui sneered. Well done, Zhao Tie Lin. He was desperately trying to poach his customers. What a sly old fox!
"Fine, then I wish Master Xu prosperity."
Without another word, Xie Sui waved for Zhang Wen Feng to take the cages away. He also decided not to sell Wang Tie Zhu's fish to him.
He turned the mule cart around and left, catching Xu Dong Lai completely off guard. It took him a long time to recover. "You little brat, you're throwing a tantrum? Without our sales channel, let's see where else you can sell it?"
Xu Dong Lai dropped his cigarette butt and turned back, only to see the head chef, Lin Zheng Xue, standing at the entrance. He didn't know how long he had been watching.
"Master Lin, are you done?"
Xu Dong Lai's heart sank. Lin Zheng Xue was the head chef and the highest-ranking person in the restaurant, managing all of them. His expression didn't look good.
"I was just seeing what you were busy with. Running out three or four times a day, have you forgotten your primary duty? From now on, I'll handle all the purchasing for the restaurant. You're no longer needed." Su Dan Novel Network
Xu Dong Lai panicked. "No, you're so busy. Don't trouble yourself with such small matters."
"Trouble you? You're trying to make things difficult for ordinary people? You're even taking kickbacks when a child sells some wild game. I haven't gone senile. This is a state-run restaurant, serving the people. Your actions are like undermining the country and taking advantage of the common people. A few years ago, you would have been jailed for this."
"This is your first and only verbal warning. If you repeat it, you will be fired immediately."
"Yes, I know I was wrong, Master Lin. Please don't be angry."
Xu Dong Lai broke out in a cold sweat, profusely apologizing. Losing his secure job for such petty profits was not worth it.
He inwardly resented Zhao Tie Lin, blaming him for igniting his greed. Otherwise, his cooperation with Xie Sui would have been stable.
People never reflect on their mistakes unless they are saints.
Meanwhile, Xie Sui left town, unaware of Chef Lin reprimanding Xu Dong Lai. He had no prior dealings with Chef Lin. It wasn't that he didn't consider approaching him, but he had heard that this Chef Lin had a bad temper, was upright and incorruptible, and a very rigid old man. Thus, he hadn't bothered.
Greedy people were easier to deal with. Xie Sui preferred mutually beneficial exchanges; dealing with such an old man was too difficult.
His main focus wasn't on the town anyway. If not for the lack of startup capital for his venture, he wouldn't have bothered with the meager consumption in town.
"Brother Xie, what do we do? Can't sell the wild game anymore?"
"What are you afraid of? He thinks he can control me, but he's miscalculated. A petty person getting ahead; I won't indulge his bad habits."
Wang Tie Zhu said, "What's the use of talking tough? Making money is the real business."
"Hey, Wang Tie Zhu, I suddenly regret bringing you along. Are you here specifically to undermine me?"
"Heh heh, you and Zhao Xue…"
Xie Sui quickly covered his mouth. "Brother Tie Zhu, you are my real brother. Brother knows you're doing this for my own good. You're right, brother made a mistake."
Damn it, he hadn't realized this Wang Tie Zhu had such a sharp tongue. He had found Xie Sui's weakness. If the matter between him and Zhao Xue Fei got out, who knew what the old women in the village would gossip about? He didn't fear it for himself, but he was afraid it would hurt Wan Wan.
After finally mending their relationship, it would revert to square one.
Zhang Wen Feng's eyes flickered. "Brother Xie, did you do something to wrong Sister Wan Wan?"