Chapter 44 "The Deliveryman" - The spendthrift man's younger brother comes to his rescue.
Despite the short distance of just one or two steps, Jian Dieda stood at the counter and broke out in a cold sweat.
It's normal for him to sweat a little on his way to work in the summer when it's not too hot, especially since there's a red freezer behind him, which makes it quite hot.
So he gave himself a mental suggestion, and Jian Dieda naturally began to feel his eyes burning with desire for the person in front of him.
In his eyes, Zhong Yinghuai was surprisingly well-dressed, his drab shirt and trousers making him look like a bureau-level official.
Wearing large, square-framed glasses that press down on the bridge of his nose, this down-to-earth adult man even tossed aside the toothpick he'd used to eat and fiddled with his messy hair, which smelled of shampoo.
The more I look at Jian Dieda, the longer I want to read it.
In this world, he is only seventeen years old. When he was in vocational school, he was told that he had never liked a girl, let alone a boy, and he knew nothing about adult films.
But he knew his heartbeat and hormones were off; could it be because he was having strange thoughts about a strange man?
A man who is thirty-one is old enough to be their uncle. They have never met each other before, so how can he have feelings for them?
Or perhaps the lack of shade from the trees and the excessive smoke caused him to hallucinate. Yes, that must be it.
A particularly conspicuous gaze pierced through the crowd and landed on him. This person was none other than the lazy, good-for-nothing good-for-nothing in Zhong Yinghuai's eyes. The man at the door would not fail to notice.
Just now, Sun Dali and the others called him Ninth Brother.
Jian Dieda also had to call him Ninth Brother.
This would have been impossible in the past.
You know, Jian Shixiao is unlikely to change her nature; she can only cause trouble. Uncle Zhong, at his age, only has a perfunctory attitude towards some bad kids. He just nods casually.
The next second, the dark-skinned boy's eyes, which were 'infatuated' with him, stared even more intently, and his sunburnt face even turned slightly red when facing Boss Zhong, a fact that even Jian Xiaoshi himself probably didn't notice.
Zhong Yinghuai: "..."
Was this kid beaten by his mother or possessed?
The noodle shop owner suddenly became confused and a little nervous. The new shop's business hadn't taken off yet, and he didn't want to hire someone with a screw loose.
Fortunately, amidst the awkward atmosphere, the two people in the shop recognized Zhong Yinghuai and called out to him, "Brother Jiu, where have you been this morning?"
Zhong Jiuge pretended to be nonchalant and looked up enthusiastically. He even removed his hands from his hips, his smile friendly but with a hint of fakery: "Oh, a client asked me to book a group meal. It's only a matter of five or six thousand yuan, but they insisted that I come all the way here to sign a contract."
The boast that Boss Zhong made is a bit too much for a small noodle shop that hasn't seen any improvement in its takeout orders yet.
The veteran business owners, however, all expressed their belief.
It's not that they're naive; it's that Boss Zhong is a good actor.
Jian Dieda believes that a successful businessman needs to be able to change his demeanor and boast.
Just then, Zhong Yinghuai put down the brown leather bag under his arm and stood still. He straightforwardly reached into his pocket and took out a cigarette with his right hand.
During this process, Zhong Yinghuai's true colors were revealed.
It's clear that the somewhat well-known noodle shop owner is trying to elevate his own reputation.
In Jian Dieda's eyes, Zhong Yinghuai, busy showing off his watch, continued to hand out the flattened red Zhonghua cigarette boxes to the people who frequented the noodle shop.
When others thanked him, they praised his swagger, unlike their group of losers.
The arrogant man kept laughing and saying it wasn't expensive, just a few tens of thousands. After wiping away some oil stains on the table with a rag, Zhong Yinghuai began his flamboyant performance: "Master Zhou, Master Liu, does the pickled mustard green noodles smell good?"
Master Zhou, the old taxi driver, squeezed out a face full of chrysanthemum patterns and said, "It smells good, Ninth Brother. I've been craving this, but I'm short on money at the end of the month, otherwise I would have eaten pork chop."
Mr. Liu, dressed in a blue work uniform, was eating a bowl of the signature braised pork chop noodles. He picked at the thin noodles and put them in his mouth. The alkaline noodles didn't get soggy when soaked, and each strand was coated with soup. The man looked extremely satisfied as he ate.
"The chef at Boss Zhong's restaurant makes an excellent pork chop. It's fragrant with scallions and has a hint of sweetness. The shredded pork doesn't get stuck in your teeth. It must have been coated in batter and fried. With this pork chop, you can eat a big bowl of noodles even after you're full."
Boss Zhong: "It's not Lao Ji who cooks, it's me. I'll be the chef at the third store."
Master Liu: "Good heavens! Brother Jiu is really paying attention to the third store. Is he eyeing the customer traffic in the neighborhood or does he have inside information?"
Master Zhou: "Brother Liu, can I tell you this? I'll tell you how they built such a large three-store operation."
Brother Liu nodded and smiled: "Speaking of which, the new store is close to the construction site. I'll bring my coworkers here for lunch next time. Little apprentice, please give me extra toppings!"
“Okay, okay,” Zhong Yinghuai said proudly, hands on his hips, “I’ll pack a large pork chop for Lao Zhou later. Brother Liu, this order is free.”
The middle-aged man and Brother Liu smiled and cupped their hands in greeting: "You're too kind, Ninth Brother. You've only just finished renovating the three stores. You should be more frugal."
Zhong Yinghuai patted them on the shoulder and said, “Yes, don’t be shy. We’ve known each other for a long time. I’m just a noodle shop owner. I don’t have any other reason to be friends with you. I can only treat you to a pork chop.”
Jian Xiaoshi squatted in a narrow corner of the store and witnessed everything the spendthrift man did.
About four or five minutes passed after that.
Two more workers came in from outside.
When they saw Zhou and Liu, they joked that they would be having braised pork ribs noodles again at the end of the month.
Old Zhou has a lisp; the first thing he says is that the boss gave it to him.
The workers were encouraged to ask Zhong Yinghuai for help as well.
Just as Jian Dieda was about to step forward to defend the noodle shop's revenue, Boss Zhong, putting on a brave face, agreed. He even gave them drinks when they left, prompting the group to say, "Brother Jiu, just let us know if you need anything for business."
The kind-faced Zhong Yinghuai: "Okay, okay."
Lao Ji and Sun Dali stood at the door watching Zhong Yinghuai bestow favors upon people. Only after Master Zhou and Master Liu had walked away did Sun Dali change his expression and spit on the ground.
Zhong Yinghuai gave Sun Dali a warning look, and Sun Dali quickly wiped his shoes on his face and pushed the door open in a fawning manner. "Ninth Brother, didn't I tell you that these two scoundrels went to the lottery station and told people that we sell leftover pork chops and braised pork? I can't stand some people who say one thing to your face and another behind your back."
Zhong Yinghuai was also annoyed and glared at Sun Dali: "Keep your voice down, too many people will talk too much. They are guests."
Sun Dali: "Damn it, with the cost of living in this crappy place, I can't even afford the air conditioning and refrigerator after a day's work. So what if it's lymph node meat? Poor people still want to eat dragon meat. Is there anyone in this neighborhood who makes a lot of money?"
So business wasn't very good at the third store in Fu'an Community?
Xiangxiang's words quickly proved this point.
"They're just ignorant when they say things like that. What restaurant can calculate how many pork chops they're serving each day? So what if they're leftovers? The braising liquid gets better the longer it's cooked."
Sun Dali: "Exactly, go eat their boxed lunches. Some people are just trying to steal our business. You can't get this flavor from pickling vegetables in a sauerkraut vat."
Xiangxiang: "Ninth Brother, don't worry, they will get their comeuppance. Cutting off someone's livelihood will be punished by heaven."
Lao Ji and Zhong Yinghuai remained silent. The new store had just opened, and running it was even more difficult. Everyone was getting angry about the topic, which was pointless. But when Lao Ji came in and asked the boss to help him scrape the bowl of noodles, he muttered, "Boss, the price of noodles needs to be raised."
Zhong Yinghuai wiped the grease off the table. Jian Dieda noticed the hygiene issue of getting his hands dirty. Zhong Yinghuai always liked to roll up his sleeves and do the work himself: "If it gets worse, just wait and see what people outside will say about me."
Old Ji: "Oil is expensive, and soy sauce is expensive too."
Zhong Yinghuai: "With me here, your salaries will be paid."
Xiangxiang said sweetly, "Ninth Brother, wherever you go, I'll follow you."
“Okay, my dear sister,” Boss Zhong took the several pounds of beef brisket, a bunch of garlic sprouts, and a bunch of soybeans that he brought back from outside into the kitchen. “An acquaintance gave me some beef brisket. I’ll make Dudu casserole on Friday when I’m free. You can go back after you eat.”
Jian Dieda confirmed this time that Zhong Yinghuai has obsessive-compulsive disorder, is also a good cook, and has a good character. His politeness to everyone is not just for show.
Zhong Yinghuai was handsome, tall, and had long legs. Wearing an apron while sweeping the floor, Xiao Heipi could hardly pretend not to see the extraordinary charm of a mature man.
Mr. Zhong, is this what you call the demeanor of a married man?
Zhong Yinghuai quickly led the cleaning up of the area, while Sun Dali and Lao Ji mopped the floor, and Xiangxiang and Jian Dieda sold cardboard boxes.
Zhong Yinghuai went into the kitchen and turned on his computer.
Jian Dieda had foresight.
I used to be disliked by others, firstly because of my criminal record, and secondly because I was bad at talking. After working for a month, I still hadn't managed to build a relationship with the three senior employees.
Jane decided to start by finding a topic to talk about.
Her colleagues weren't the kind of friends she could trust after just a few words, but Jane was determined to find out everything about a certain Boss Zhong.
Xiao Heipi and the Sichuan girl were making cardboard boxes together. The Sichuan girl didn't say anything, so Jian Dieda deliberately asked the two old men who had just left who they were, and whether they were spreading rumors about the noodle shop.
Xiangxiang found an outlet for her anger. She put one hand on her shoulder strap and said with a sidelong glance, "It's not just them. There are at least five or ten people who are jealous of Brother Jiu's business. People these days are really bad. You have to be careful to stay safe. For example, that Fu'an community next door is full of garbage."
Since the matter in the neighborhood was related to the search for the body, Jian Dieda needed to find out more: "What do you mean? What wronged you?"
The Sichuan girl, looking annoyed, recounted her recent story: "I always order things online and have them delivered to the third store, right? Every time, I open the boxes and give them to an auntie in my neighborhood because she's frugal, has no children, and can supplement her income by selling the cardboard boxes. But guess what? She secretly said I was a prostitute, that I had to support a dozen old men to buy so much stuff every week, and that I had syphilis."
"..."
The Sichuan girl also said, "The third store has only been open for a month at the entrance of Fu'an Community, and it has already received more complaints to the Industry and Commerce Bureau than the two old stores combined. Brother Jiu is here today to find someone to smooth things over."
In the end, Jian Dieda helped Xiangxiang sell all the trash.
He turned around, holding a mop head, and went into the store, kicking the table aside with his leg, continuing to ingratiate himself with his colleagues.
Seeing that the little black boy had become clever, Sun Dali and Lao Ji decided to hand over the task to the hourly worker, and the two continued to whisper among themselves.
Jane Dieda overheard their conversation.
Old Ji said, "Ninth Brother is really tired. The second store hasn't been doing too well lately either. In the summer, crayfish are in season, and we can't compete with the pre-made dishes from the food street across the street. A lot of dishes are left over, and we can only throw them away the next day. We can't ruin the store's reputation that we've built up over the years."
Then they talked about the lack of manpower in the three stores.
I heard that the previous cashier worked for three days before Zhong Yinghuai got angry and fired him.
Old Ji said that the man had body odor, and customers would run away as soon as they smelled it. He also lied about his age, saying he was under forty. Fortunately, no labor contract had been signed with him yet.
Jian Dieda glanced at Zhong Yinghuai, who was playing on the computer in the inner room, and felt a little guilty, remembering that he had also lied about his age.
Old Ji didn't notice, and took the opportunity to continue pulling Jian Dieda to identify the names of the dishes on the wall, muttering to himself.
It is said that the man with body odor, who had only worked for three days, brought his relatives and friends to make a scene, demanding that Boss Zhong pay him 20 yuan an hour, or else he would report them to the Industry and Commerce Bureau for hiring workers without contracts.
Old Ji summarized, looking at Jian Dieda: "Little Blackie, the business at the third store is just starting out, it's quite tough, don't let down Boss Zhong's kindness in keeping you here."
These words made Jian Dieda glance at Lao Ji.
According to the information, there was a reason why Lao Ji, who had worked in the catering industry all his life, came here. He had made shumai for a restaurant when he was a teenager, and worked as a cold dish apprentice in a big hotel when he was young. He saved up some money and thought he would open a franchise store in middle age. However, he was taken advantage of and lost all his money in management fees and training fees. Fortunately, he had the skills and was able to find this job at the age of fifty.
The reason why the third store was chosen to be located here is that Lao Ji's relative quit the restaurant business and returned to his hometown. Lao Ji, as the middleman, sold the store to Zhong Yinghuai.
I bought one item for the back kitchen and then added another.
“Hey, Xiangxiang’s back. We should go now,” Sun Dali said. “Brother Jiu has had people from the store come over every day to help out these past few days, but we also have to get off work, right, Jian Xiaoshi?”
Jane Dieda: "Hmm."
He thought for a moment and then added, "I will take good care of the boss and not let him squander money. If anyone refuses to pay again, I will throw him out with a mop and not even talk to him."
Unexpectedly, Xiao Heipi was quite humorous today; Lao Ji and Xiangxiang chuckled to themselves.
Old Ji said, "You little punk, you're making Ninth Brother sound like a child despite his age."
Sun Dali rolled his eyes: "Go wash the mop. It's good that you're aware of the situation. Tonight, it'll just be you and Ninth Brother in the shop. Keep an eye on things."
While washing the mop, Jian Dieda glanced at the freezer in the back kitchen.
Old Ji just told him that the gray, horizontally placed freezer behind the sink, covered in thick frost, is a Panasonic, an old Japanese brand. It would have been considered very trendy ten years ago. Zhong Yinghuai was willing to take this house just for the large freezer, so he wouldn't have to spend much more money.
Old Ji also told Jian Dieda not to just come in and open the refrigerator door randomly. If he wanted to take something, he should ask him first, preferably by phone, because there was a lot of beef and shrimp in the cabinet. If he forgot to close the refrigerator and the food rotted, Zhong Yinghuai would scold everyone to death.
Those investigating cases should always have one piece of common sense: the more an NPC in a case forbids you from doing something, the more you should try to sneak a peek.
The three employees of the noodle shop had been gone for a long time, and Jian Dieda overheard Zhong Yinghuai playing games through the door.
While the NPCs were away, he decided to open the dark, enclosed freezer and take a look.
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Author's note: This story will be the most sweet and heartwarming of the three worlds.
Because the young couple spends every night alone in one room, and Mr. Zhong is really virtuous, gentle, and easy to please, hahaha ( ).
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Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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