Chapter 12: Chapter 11: Little Padded Jacket
Beneath a brand-new yellow sign reading [The World’s Second-Best Restaurant].
Tongtong sat on a chair, her little feet dangling back and forth.
Just then, Zheng Qiang, the owner of the noodle shop next door, parked his car across the street and sauntered over, swinging his keys.
He was short and stout, dressed in a black suit and brand-new brown leather shoes. Paired with his shiny bald head, he cut a bizarre figure.
He rarely came by in the mornings. All he knew how to make was blade-cut noodles, so his shop was run by a few middle-aged women who made the noodles and a young waitress.
As soon as Zheng Qiang reached his doorstep, he noticed that a food shop had opened next door.
A sense of alarm surged through him.
A cute little girl, looking just like a porcelain doll, was sitting by the entrance.
He habitually narrowed his eyes to size her up, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Well now, whose little girl is this? Aren’t you a pretty thing. Why don’t you come with Uncle? I’ll treat you to all the best food."
His menacing expression was meant to intimidate her, like a hyena toying with a little rabbit before the kill.
Tongtong didn’t dare look at Zheng Qiang. She turned her little face away, trying to act brave.
"Hmph! I’m not gonna tell you, and I’m definitely not going with you!"
She could feel the malice in his eyes.
A flicker of fear ran through her.
"Who are you? Can I help you with something?"
When Jiang Liu saw someone approach his daughter, he hurried outside.
The moment Tongtong saw Jiang Liu, she felt completely safe. She quickly hid behind him, peeking out to stick her tongue out and make a face at the man.
"Heh heh, it’s nothing, nothing at all. Seeing such a cute girl just... reminded me of my own daughter, who passed away. Heh heh."
"Are you selling steamed buns?"
With his hands clasped behind his back, Zheng Qiang looked down to get a closer look at the steamers in the glass display case.
"Yes, steamed buns. Would you like to try one?"
"No, thanks. I’ve eaten steamed buns my whole life. I’m long past wanting any more."
Zheng Qiang glanced into the shop out of the corner of his eye. When he saw the price for the steamed buns on the wall, he froze for a second before bursting into a pig-like snort of laughter in his head.
’Hahahaha! This is gonna kill me.’
’Is this owner some kind of wet-behind-the-ears idiot?’
’It’s obvious he doesn’t understand the market. What customer these days doesn’t want something cheap and tasty? At these prices, not even his own mother would buy from him!’
’Even if he uses the best ingredients, that can’t compare to a few spoonfuls of artificial flavorings. That’s how you max out the taste!’
Zheng Qiang’s naturally shifty little eyes scanned the dining area again.
He relaxed only when he saw that the shop was completely empty.
Gloating, Zheng Qiang raised his thick eyebrows, a smug look on his face as he said sarcastically,
"Little brother, this shop of yours isn’t going to make it. Not a single customer all morning. If you ask me, I’d advise you to pack up and find a new spot, quick."
"Take it from me: as long as I’m here, you’ll never make any money in this spot. You can take that to the bank."
Listening to the man’s thinly veiled threats, Jiang Liu’s thick eyebrows knitted together in annoyance. ’This guy clearly takes me for a fool. Saying I should move because I have no customers on the first day? Claiming I can’t possibly succeed as long as he’s around?’
But he couldn’t be bothered to argue with the bald fatty.
’If someone else is a pile of crap, am I supposed to turn into one too just to see who stinks more?’
"Alright, thanks for the advice. You should get back to your own shop."
Jiang Liu waved him away.
"Hah! You youngsters. So laughable. You know what they say: don’t listen to your elders, and you’ll live to regret it!"
With his hands clasped behind his back, Zheng Qiang delivered his profound-sounding "prophecy" and returned to his own shop.
"Papa, he’s a bad guy! A super-duper bad guy! We don’t believe him!"
Tongtong protested, hugging Jiang Liu’s leg and conveniently wiping the grease from her mouth on his pants.
Jiang Liu tapped Tongtong lightly on the head. "My Tongtong is so smart," he praised. "Even smarter than Papa."
"Hehe, I know, right?"
Tongtong’s eyes curved into happy crescents.
"Papa, can I have another steamed bun? Tongtong’s hungry again."
"Of course. Eat your fill. Eat as many as you want. Papa will make as many as you can eat."
"Yay! Papa, you’re the best! From now on, Tongtong will be... will be your little warm jacket!"
"Papa, when you’re cold, you have to put me on, and when you’re hot, please take me off."
Tongtong covered her mouth and whispered as if sharing a secret.
Jiang Liu chuckled and leaned back in his chair to rest.
"Papa! You don’t believe me, do you?"
Tongtong put her hands on her hips, pouting as she glared at Jiang Liu.
She was just too cute for words.
"Of course I do. My Tongtong is the best."
"Right? Right?"
"That’s right."
"Hehe, Papa, I love you so much. Mwah!"
A greasy little lip print appeared on Jiang Liu’s cheek.
"Papa, how come no one’s here yet?"
"Don’t worry. You have to be patient when you’re running a business."
"Oh, okay then. Tongtong will help Papa make money! When I grow up, I’ll earn lots and lots of money to buy Papa lots of fried chicken and soda!"
"Yes, Tongtong is the best. Thank you."
At six-thirty, the streets began to fill with people.
Five construction workers in hard hats and high-visibility vests walked straight toward Mountain City Blade-cut Noodles.
Their black pants were speckled with bits of dried cement.
"This night shift is such fucking bullshit. They don’t even provide us with meal boxes."
"Tell me about it. If it weren’t for my wife and kids, there’s no way I’d put up with this crap."
The men complained as they walked.
"Old Huang, are we eating at the noodle shop again for breakfast?"
The man called Old Huang was a burly, dark-skinned, middle-aged man.
"Where else would we go? It’s the only breakfast place around here. There used to be three others, but they all moved away. We’ve got no choice. If you want a hot meal this early in the morning, where else is there?"
Huang Yunfeng’s voice was flat, devoid of any emotion.
He sounded completely numb to it all.
"But I’m so sick of this place I could puke. After what happened to Guang Yi last time—he was vomiting and had diarrhea all day—I’m honestly a little scared to eat there."
The young, hunchbacked man, Liu Xing, said with a shiver.
His more devil-may-care coworker, Guo Zhifei, tried to reassure him.
"So what are you gonna do? Not eat? Go back and chew on a dry bun? Besides, where can you eat these days without worrying? It’s all the same!"
"Even with the food on our own worksite, people get the runs."
"These days, if it tastes good, it’s probably bad for you. And if it doesn’t taste good, even if it’s safe, the shop will go out of business. Who’s gonna eat that stuff?"
"Fine, you’ve got a point," Liu Xing sighed in resignation.
Just then, Huang Yunfeng let out a curious "Huh?"
The others followed his gaze.
Next to the noodle shop, they saw a brand-new yellow sign that read, [The World’s Second-Best Restaurant].
"That’s a bold claim. ’The World’s Second-Best’?"
Guo Zhifei’s eyes went wide.
"Brother Huang, there’s steam coming from that place. It looks like it’s open. Should we go check it out?"
Liu Xing suggested with a hopeful look.
"Mm," Huang Yunfeng nodded. "Alright, let’s go in and see what they’ve got."
