Chapter 273: Chapter 273: The Familiar City Management
Translator: 549690339
Just when she was feeling pleased, suddenly there was a commotion behind her.
Everyone was puzzled about what was happening, all of their gazes turned in that direction.
Upon a closer look, a few urban management officials were approaching their direction.
Some small vendors started packing their goods hurriedly and scurried away in various directions.
They didn’t want to pay any fines to urban management.
It’s likely that the fines they’d pay for a few hours of peddling would exceed their earnings.
Suri Drew and Yigol Novak were also utterly surprised to witness such a scene, these urban management officials were still on duty so late at night?
They noticed that these urban management officials were the same ones they encountered in the morning.
One of them was among those who threatened the old grandmother earlier today.
Well, talk about running into enemies on a narrow road.
There was also a small stall set up in the shop where they were now.
However, she showed no intention of leaving.
Not only that, but several other shop owners also appeared relaxed, showing no signs of fleeing like the others.
Upon seeing this, Suri felt a little perplexed and turned to ask the boss’s wife, cradling her doll in her arms.
“Why aren’t you all scared? The urban management officers are here, aren’t thew?”
Hearing this, the boss’s wife turned to look around, chuckled at the sight of people scurrying about, and replied.
“Well, it’s just a matter of paying some money.”
Upon hearing these words, Yigol felt something was wrong.
Even if they do pay, the urban management officials should not allow them to continue vending here.
So why did these people appear utterly unafraid?
The people lounging around painted a stark contrast to those who were clearly worried.
“So just by paying money, they can continue selling here?”
Yigol furrowed his brows and voiced his question.
Perhaps because they had been playing with her daughter in front of her earlier, the boss’s wife seemed to be less cautious with them and honestly replied, nodding her head.
“Yes, but…”
Here, she lowered her voice and leaned in to whisper,
“However, it’s more than the usual fee. It’s a bribe for these urban management officers.”
After concluding, she waved her hand and chuckled. “Oh dear, their job really isn’t easy, having to manage here and there.”
“Many things aren’t as simple as you might think.”
However, hearing this, Suri could only feel utter outrage.
These old women had already been having it tough, painstakingly making and selling their handicrafts, only to be driven away by the urban management officials.
Yet, these same officials would permit vendors to stay only if they paid extra bribes.
This was absolutely unacceptable.
She was aware that vending in some places was indeed prohibited and fines were justified for violations.
However, it was clear that these urban management officials were no decent people.
They did not abide by any laws.
They allowed people to vend here depending on who paid them, driving away and fining those who didn’t.
Should they have treated everyone fairly, things would be acceptable. But with this extent of their misdeeds, Suri was finding it hard to tolerate. “That’s too much! This morning they drove away a bunch of old ladies.” Upon hearing this, the boss’s wife next to them sighed and said,
“In fact, vending here is allowed, no one has ever objected. It’s only because these urban management officers wanted to line their own pockets that they patrol here every day.”
If she could make some money, she would never bribe these urban management officers.
But now that things had come to this, all she could do was vent her frustrations, unable to retrieve the money she had already given them.
Upon hearing this, Yigol was thoroughly disgusted. It was obvious that these officials didn’t regard the people here as human beings at all.
On top of that, they seemed to notice an urban management officer approaching a stall and casually pocketing a pack of the vendor’s cigarettes.
However, the vendor dared not utter a word, and could only watch them carry on with such abuses of power.
Wasn’t this blatant bullying?
Moreover, some other urban management officers immediately proceeded to another stall and started making conversation with the stall owner, appearing very friendly.
“Do they know each other? They seem unusually familiar?”
Upon hearing this, the boss’s wife looked up in the direction Yigol was pointing, took a careful look, raised her eyebrows slightly, and whispered,
“Don’t say a word, I think that stall owner is the brother of one of the officials.
Haven’t you noticed? That spot is the busiest one.”
Everyone looked closely and found that her observation held true.
The spot was indeed located next to the four-way junction, which commanded the heaviest footfall.
That explained everything.
The boss’s wife let out a deep sigh,
“People with connections like them, naturally, don’t need to pay, while the rest of us have to. Without paying, we cannot vend here.”
“We’re left with no good options. If we do not earn this little money, we really don’t know what we should do.”
Looking at the officials and the stall owners chatting away as if they were old pals, Suri and Yigol couldn’t help but feel miffed.
They really didn’t understand how these people managed to live with themselves.
No matter what, they couldn’t allow such a trend to continue unchecked.
The old women would definitely return to sell their wares. If these officials were to fine them every single time, how would they tolerate it?
She started concocting a plan in her mind. She couldn’t let these urban management officers continue wreaking havoc.
At that moment, she seemed to have gleaned a crucial piece of information and turned towards the boss’s wife,
“You said earlier that vending here from the beginning is not against the law, right?”
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