Su Jianguo did not answer immediately.
He picked up the tickets and examined them carefully one by one. Suddenly, he noticed a common feature: all the tickets issued by the inspection teams were stamped with the approval seal of the same deputy district head.
"Liu...Deputy...District...Chief."
Su Jianguo pronounced the name slowly and deliberately, already convinced that the problem likely lay with this person.
"Deputy District Chief Liu?"
Wang Xiulan took a closer look.
"We have no grudge against him, so why is he targeting us?"
Su Jianguo stood up, walked to the door, and waved to the three employees who were tidying up the shop.
"Hongmei, Wang Li, Meili, come here for a moment."
The three girls put down their work and gathered around.
All three of them seemed a little nervous, clearly quite frightened by the inspectors that afternoon.
"You three, go out and find out who this Deputy District Chief Liu is, especially whether anyone in his family is in the vegetable business."
Su Jianguo counted out thirty yuan from the money box and distributed it to the three people.
"Go to a teahouse or a small restaurant, invite someone for a cup of tea, and have a chat."
Wang Li took the money, somewhat hesitant.
"Boss, it's so late..."
"The later it gets, the more idle people there are in the teahouse, and the more well-informed they become."
Su Jianguo patted her on the shoulder.
"Go ahead, be careful, and come back once you've found out what's going on."
The three girls nodded and went out together.
Su Jianguo turned to Wang Xiulan and said.
"Xiulan, you should go home first. I'll wait for news here."
"I'll wait with you."
Wang Xiulan stubbornly shook her head and sat down opposite Su Jianguo.
"Honey, have you guessed something?"
Su Jianguo poured himself a cup of tea and took a small sip.
"Our shop has only been open for a little over half a month, and business was just starting to pick up when we attracted so many 'inspections.' It must be because we've threatened someone's interests. I bet someone in this Deputy District Head Liu's family is also selling vegetables."
Time passed slowly, and about an hour later, the three girls returned one after another.
Zhang Meili was the first to return; she rushed into the store, panting.
"Boss! I found out! Deputy District Chief Liu's brother-in-law does indeed own a vegetable shop, right there in the West District!"
Then Wang Li returned, her eyes shining.
"Boss, several people in the teahouse are saying that Deputy District Chief Liu's brother-in-law is named Ma Sanbao, and his family's 'Sanbao Vegetable Shop' specializes in high-end winter vegetables. They say they have special channels to transport vegetables from the south."
Li Hongmei was the last to return, and she brought back the most detailed information.
"Boss, I asked a fellow villager who works as a cleaner at the district government. Ma Sanbao's family's vegetable shop has been open for three years, specializing in supplying government agencies and state-run restaurants. I heard... I heard their prices are several times higher than ours!"
After listening, Su Jianguo had a look of sudden realization on his face.
“That’s right. Compared to theirs, our store is definitely better value for money, stealing their business. No wonder Deputy District Chief Liu is making things difficult for us.”
Wang Xiulan was deeply worried.
"What can we do? He's the deputy district head; how can we ordinary folks possibly compete with him?"
Su Jianguo pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled.
"Xiulan, you all go back first. I'll wait here. If I'm not mistaken, we'll have distinguished guests arriving tonight."
"What distinguished guest?"
Wang Xiulan asked, puzzled.
"Deputy District Head Liu."
Su Jianguo said confidently.
"These waves of inspections today are just him flexing his muscles. Now it's time to negotiate."
Wang Xiulan wanted to say something more, but seeing her husband's determined eyes, she finally nodded.
"Then be careful, and call for help if anything happens."
Don't worry.
Su Jianguo comforted him.
"You can go back first, just close the door behind you."
After everyone left, Su Jianguo sat alone in the shop, lit a cigarette, and waited quietly.
As night deepened, the last few shops in the market closed one after another, and the surroundings gradually quieted down.
At around 7:30 p.m., a black sedan slowly drove into the market and stopped in front of "Su Ji Vegetable Shop".
The car door opened, and two men and one woman got out.
The leader was a middle-aged man in his early forties, dressed in a smart Zhongshan suit, with his hair slicked back, exuding an air of official authority in every gesture.
Behind him followed a woman in her thirties, heavily made up, with an arrogant look in her eyes.
Behind him was a short, fat man with a face full of menacing features; he was clearly not a good guy.
The three walked straight into the store, and Su Jianguo stood up and greeted them with neither arrogance nor servility.
"Mr. Su, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
The middle-aged man spoke, his voice deep and powerful.
Su Jianguo looked him over and asked tentatively.
"Deputy District Chief Liu?"
The middle-aged man nodded slightly, which was taken as an admission.
He pulled up a chair and sat down, with the woman and the short, stout man standing behind him like two bodyguards.
"Mr. Su is a smart man; he should know why I'm here."
Deputy District Head Liu got straight to the point, tapping his fingers lightly on the table.
Su Jianguo poured him a cup of tea, speaking calmly.
"It's truly an honor for District Chief Liu to personally visit. However, I really don't understand how my small business has offended you."
Deputy District Head Liu remained silent.
The man with a fierce face standing to the side sneered.
"Mr. Su, let's not beat around the bush. My 'Sanbao Vegetable Shop' has been open for three years, supplying winter vegetables to government agencies and state-run restaurants throughout Beijing. Your sudden appearance and the incredibly low prices—aren't you just trying to cause trouble?"
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