Chen Feng strode to the entrance of Ruyi Building and was immediately stunned by the scene before him.
What came into view was a group of people, a large group of people, or more precisely, a large group of beggars.
They were lying down, standing, or sitting; some were old, some were young, and some were chatting and laughing.
Some were carrying broken bowls, others were leaning on canes, making a racket and creating chaos, completely blocking the entrance to Ruyi Building, making it impassable.
The ground was littered with leftover food, broken shoes, and tattered socks.
Chen Feng frowned. Why were there so many beggars? Could it be that some county or prefecture had been hit by a disaster, causing a large influx of refugees?
In life, everyone encounters hardships and difficulties, and everyone needs a helping hand sometimes. When these pitiful people come to the door of his restaurant, he absolutely cannot stand by and watch them die.
Thinking it over, Chen Feng clasped his hands in a fist salute to the beggars and said, "Dear elders, elder brothers and sisters, younger brothers and sisters, please come with me to the back door of Ruyi Tower to rest. I will prepare some food for you all and do my bit to help."
The beggars glanced at each other, but none of them moved.
At this moment, a man with a pockmarked face shouted in dissatisfaction.
“We’re not going anywhere. If you want to be a good person, bring us the food and we’ll eat here.”
A man with a hooked nose and triangular eyes blinked, "That's right. If you want to be a living Buddha, don't try anything fancy. Just bring the food over here. What are we supposed to do in the back?"
Chen Feng was displeased that these people would refuse, but he still maintained a smile.
"Please, everyone, make an exception and move aside. My restaurant is about to start serving meals, and with so many of you blocking the way, customers can't get in. Thank you all."
The pockmarked man looked impatient. "Where do you want me to move to? I just think this place is smooth and comfortable to lie down in."
“That’s right, this is a blessed land. We’re not going anywhere else.” The hook-nosed man said, then lay down on the ground, sprawled out.
A man with a radish-like head scratched his chest and said, "You do your business, we'll sleep here, no interference, no disturbance."
Hearing them say that, Chen Feng had a vague feeling that something was wrong. Beggars had come to the shop before, and he had never neglected them, always giving them some food or something.
Those other people were all grateful and thankful, but these people in front of me were completely unresponsive.
He wrung his hands anxiously, then patiently and calmly said...
"Friends, I have never offended you. I don't know why you are making things difficult for me. You are blocking the entrance of my restaurant, preventing customers from entering to eat. I would be extremely grateful if you could make way for me."
The man with the hooked nose gave a lewd smile. "Thank us? How about we come in for a meal, get us a few guest rooms, and give each of us a few taels of silver?"
"This..." Chen Feng was speechless, not expecting him to say such a shameless thing.
The hook-nosed man persisted, "Kid, why are you so nosy? Believe me or not, I'll blow my snot in your face."
"That's right, we're not leaving, what can you do to us?" Radish Head put on a rogue-like act.
The waiter behind them couldn't stand it any longer and shouted sternly, "Get up right now, stop causing trouble, or we'll report you to the authorities and have you all arrested."
The pockmarked man chuckled dismissively, "You little brat, who are you trying to scare? We're just a bunch of poor beggars. We haven't stolen or robbed anyone. We're not afraid of anyone with nothing to lose. Do you think I'm afraid of you reporting us to the authorities? It was your dad who beat you up. Go ahead and report it. If you're going to be a coward, I'll be your dad."
"You, you, you're being unreasonable! This is our Ruyi Restaurant!" The waiter was so angry that his lips trembled.
Radish Head also adopted a "what's the worst that can happen?" attitude, saying, "You say this is your Ruyi Tower's place? Do you have any proof? If this is your family's ancestral graveyard, we'll leave immediately."
"You dare to swear? I'll beat you to death!" The waiter couldn't control his temper and was about to strike.
Chen Feng quickly stopped him, "Tiger, don't be impulsive, don't stoop to their level."
"What kind of people are these?!" The waiter was so angry that he stomped his feet.
Radish Head was still yelling, "Come on, grandson, try touching your grandpa with one finger. Your grandpa has nowhere to live in his old age. I'll sue you to death."
Seeing the scene before them, Liu Dashao, Wang Guotou, and the others were furious and stepped forward to drive away the beggars.
Seeing that everyone was about to resort to violence, Chen Feng quickly spoke up to stop them, "Everyone, please don't be impulsive. If we cause trouble, we'll fall into someone else's trap."
As he spoke, he approached, looked around, and shouted loudly,
"Dear uncles and aunts, we are in business, and in business, harmony is paramount. I don't know if you have been deceived, or if we have offended you in any way. Whatever the reason, if you have any difficulties, please tell us, and we will do our best to help you."
Upon hearing this, the beggars looked at each other in bewilderment.
An older man stood up shakily, about to speak, when he was met with a harsh curse from the man with the hooked nose beside him.
"What do you want, you old codger? If you don't want to go hungry, sit down now."
The old man trembled with fright and quickly squatted down, lowering his head and not daring to utter a sound.
At this moment, the pockmarked man winked at the radish-headed man.
Radish Head understood immediately and chuckled lewdly, "Kid, it's really tough for your beggar brother. You don't know, your brother is already over thirty and still single. Do you think you can help your brother find a wife and then help arrange a place to live? If you do, your brother won't be a beggar anymore."
“That’s right, I also need someone to warm my bed. If you could help us get married, we wouldn’t have to beg for food anymore,” the pockmarked man chimed in.
Now that things have come to this, even if Chen Feng were stupid, he would understand.
These beggars neither asked for food nor moved from their spot, and they spoke with a stubborn accent; they were clearly there to cause trouble.
Chen Feng was furious, and his tone became sharp, "Don't go too far. If you dare to cause trouble and block the entrance of my Ruyi Building again, don't blame us for being impolite."
The pockmarked man spat viciously at Chen Feng, "Pah! Stop trying to scare us. We'll say it again, this isn't your kang (heated brick bed) or your ancestral grave. We'll lie here, and even if the officials come, we won't be afraid!"
“That’s right. As the saying goes, ‘Those who have nothing to lose are not afraid of those who have something to lose.’ We’re just a bunch of poor bastards. We’re begging because we have no money or power. Don’t think that just because we’re dressed in rags, we can take you down with our lives if you really piss us off.” Radish Head tilted his head and squinted, looking unconvinced.
......
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