Two days later, the small market at the dock opened.
Li Xi and her group set off early for the dock to make preparations, and Chairman Wang and the members of the Chamber of Commerce also arrived early.
The market vendors and stall owners arrived early and were all busy. Some were directing the movement of goods, some were adjusting the displays, and others were communicating with the vendors to ensure everything went smoothly.
Li Xi was also busy, running around helping to organize goods and adjust stalls, trying her best to make the whole market look more neat and orderly.
Her gaze was sharp, and she demanded perfection in every detail. Although she was exhausted, seeing the market gradually getting back on track filled her with a sense of accomplishment.
President Wang also joined the busy crowd, directing the setup of the venue, chatting warmly with the vendors, and doing her best to make everyone feel comfortable and welcome.
As time went on, the docks grew larger and larger, with people flocking to see the newly built market. Members of the Chamber of Commerce organized various activities at the market, including performances, games, and free food and drinks, which everyone participated in with great enthusiasm.
Looking at the lively scene before her, Li Xi felt a sense of satisfaction.
This market is not only a platform for vendors to sell their goods, but also a place for everyone to communicate and build connections.
As the sun rose higher, the temperature gradually increased. Vendors began to set up their goods one after another, and the market reached its peak of activity. The sounds of hawking, bargaining, and greetings between friends mingled together, creating a symphony of life.
Standing behind her stall, Li Xi looked at everything before her, her heart filled with anticipation and hope. She knew that this market would become another starting point for their entrepreneurial team.
"Come on, pay your protection fee, five taels of silver per stall." A cold voice rang out in the bustling night market, breaking the lively atmosphere.
The speaker was a young man dressed in brocade robes, followed by several servants carrying sticks, their faces fierce.
The vendors in the small market didn't react at all and ignored the group.
"Hey, are you deaf? Five taels a stall, go ahead, if they don't pay, smash their stall!" the young man said arrogantly.
But still no one paid any attention to him, just as the security team that Chairman Wang had assembled passed by.
"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" The captain looked the noisy group up and down.
"I'm the boss here. Doing business here requires paying protection money." The young man remained arrogant.
People around whispered, "Captain Chen, this man is the nephew of the wife of the leader of the canal transport gang. He usually uses this relationship to swagger around here."
Li Xi and Chairman Wang were also invited to the front. "What's going on?"
"Chairman Wang, this group of people are demanding protection money," Captain Chen reported.
"Oh, I'd like to see just how arrogant they are." Li Xi crossed her arms, waiting to see the show.
This guy doesn't even bother to find out who's protecting this place. Trying to pull teeth from a tiger's mouth—he's asking for death.
"You're in charge here? Let me tell you, this dock is my territory. If you want to do business here, you'll have to pay us protection money. Otherwise, don't blame us for ignoring you if anything goes wrong!" The young man was aggressive.
"Get out!" Chairman Wang was ruthless and didn't say much.
"Such arrogance! You've probably never heard of me." The young man looked unconvinced.
People around him were also egging him on, saying, "Young man, you should leave now. This isn't a place for you to interfere."
“You, you all,” the young man said, clearly arrogant and thinking he was the best, “this is the rule of the Canal Gang.”
"You're so annoying! I told you to get lost, are you deaf?" Chairman Wang didn't want to waste any more breath on this hothead.
"You old woman, how dare you speak so arrogantly to me! You probably don't know how powerful my uncle is." The young man was so angry that his face turned red.
Before Li Xi could even reach the top of the mountain, she slapped him four times with both hands, saying, "With such a foul mouth, you're no longer welcome."
"You dare hit me? Quick, go and call my uncle over to flip their shirts." The young man was furious and wanted to fight back, but he was no match for Li Xi's strength.
His lackeys were kicked to the ground by Li Xi one by one. Hearing the young man shout, they quickly ran back to ask the gang leader for help.
"President, do you think he looks like a greyhound?" Li Xi asked, pointing at the man.
"Hmm, Xiaoxi, say a few more words." Chairman Wang looked at the red nail polish she had just dyed yesterday and was very satisfied.
"You two adulterers, you'd better kneel down and beg for forgiveness when my uncle arrives. Pay me a few thousand taels of silver and I'll forgive you." The young man had no idea what kind of person he had offended.
The head of the canal transport gang and his wife were having breakfast at home when they heard that their nephew had been bullied. The wife became anxious and dragged the head of the gang outside.
"Auntie, Uncle, they bullied Heng'er. Please help me get revenge!" The young man ran towards them with a wronged expression.
"Ugh, that's disgusting, that sissy." Li Xi got goosebumps all over. Meanwhile, Chairman Wang sat to the side, elegantly sipping his tea.
"Who did this? They slapped my nephew so hard his face is all red!" The gang leader's wife was heartbroken. This was her brother's only son, whom she had raised with all her heart.
"Aunt, Uncle, it's those two scoundrels. You must stand up for your nephew." The young man looked thin and frail.
Li Xi spat, "What bad luck! To run into this shit-grubber in broad daylight!"
The leader of the shipping gang didn't see Chairman Wang sitting in the back; he only saw Li Xi, who looked arrogant and as if he had swallowed a fly.
"You have quite the nerve, brat, daring to injure someone from my Canal Gang. Tell me, how do you intend to settle this matter?" The gang leader stood there imposingly, with a dignified appearance.
“You guys are really funny. We bought this market land from the government office, there are official documents. Doing business here has been approved by the Chamber of Commerce and the higher-ups, it’s all written down clearly.” It was rare for her to give them so much explanation.
"This isn't your place to collect protection money!" Li Xi thought, trying to find a broom to sweep these people away.
"You didn't inform me that I'm in charge of this dock," the gang leader started to act like a rogue.
"Haha, Yang Ming, you've got quite the big mouth." Chairman Wang stood up and walked over to Li Xi.
The gang leader turned pale with fright, as if he had seen a ghost.
"It's you, Wang Lianyi!"
President Wang looked at him with complete indifference, as if he were a dead dog.
"Over the years, your taste has gotten worse and worse. You bring home any cat or dog and treat them like treasures."
The gang leader's wife also spotted Chairman Wang, and instantly became as energetic as a fighting rooster. "Oh, I thought it was someone with such a big mouth? It's you! You've gotten worse and worse since you left the gang leader!"
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