Chapter 55 of 100

Chapter 55

12 min read3,055 words

In the afternoon, the carpentry work was basically finished, and the medicinal cuisine restaurant quickly entered the stage of laying the floor. Ruan Qingshuang couldn't stay idle either. After Qiu Yan sent Guoguo to school and left, she called Xu Yun to go to Shan Hongning's hot pot city to see how the chefs she had chosen were doing.

Over the next two days, Ruan Qingshuang stayed at Shan Hongning's hot pot city. The popularity of the medicinal cuisine was clearly far beyond everyone's expectations, and it did not affect the business of Shan Hongning's hot pot at all. Originally, fewer people ate hot pot in the summer, but now with the medicinal cuisine, it attracted even more customers.

Shan Hongning was delighted, both in his face and in his heart.

Xu Yun wasn't idle these two days either. With the 150,000 yuan from selling the car, he had Qiangzi rent a poorly managed fast-food restaurant in Hongnan District, which borders Wenhui District. The location was good, and no renovation was needed; they could just change the sign to a medicinal cuisine restaurant and start operating.

Ruan Qingshuang was completely unaware of this. Xu Yun didn't let Qiangzi mention it to her. Qiangzi had a junior named Zhao Peng, who graduated from the New Oriental Culinary School. Xu Yun directly had Qiangzi take Zhao Peng and Xiaofei to operate the branch in Hongnan District.

Zhao Peng was quite capable. Under Xu Yun's guidance, he could skillfully remember the recipes of the most popular medicinal dishes in half a day. The taste was good, and at least Xu Yun approved of it.

Hearing that Shan Hongning's hot pot city had started serving Sister Shuang's ancestral medicinal cuisine and had made a lot of money, Lü Feng and Kong Zhong were also eager to try. They all proposed the idea of opening chain stores. They would handle the storefronts themselves, but they needed Ruan Qingshuang's medicinal cuisine recipes and secrets. Like Shan Hongning, they were willing to split the profits 50-50, giving half of the earnings to Ruan Qingshuang and Xu Yun.

Xu Yun was naturally very happy about this. Without spending any money, he could enjoy the benefits. As soon as he agreed, they immediately started preparing.

Qin Wan'er was initially worried that Xu Yun was leading Ruan Qingshuang into a life of crime, but after observing for a while, she found that Xu Yun hadn't led Ruan Qingshuang to do anything illegal.

On the contrary, Lü Feng, who used to often fight and cause trouble over projects, no longer caused major disturbances. Kong Zhong at the sandpit no longer had to bail people out of the police station, and Shan Hongning looked completely like a businessman, never causing trouble at other hot pot places.

Therefore, Qin Wan'er didn't interfere. Perhaps the three tigers of Nancheng weren't inherently bad.

Of course, although the three tigers of Nancheng weren't bad, they weren't easy to deal with either. Following Brother Yun's instructions, they had taken care of many of the thugs from the Four Wolves Gang and the Axe Gang. Some were subdued and became obedient under Ruan Qingshuang's command, some were beaten and fled the city, and some still harbored deep resentment and joined other big gang leaders.

...

A week later, the medicinal cuisine restaurant was finally renovated. Neither Ruan Qingshuang nor Xu Yun cared about choosing an auspicious day, so they decided to open the restaurant that evening.

How could the three tigers of Nancheng not support Sister Shuang's opening? And with their connections, many influential people had already heard about Ruan Qingshuang's medicinal cuisine restaurant. With the three tigers of Nancheng all supporting her, the restaurant was bustling with people. Flower baskets almost blocked the door of the neighboring shop, but the owner of the neighboring shop didn't dare to say anything because the people who came didn't look like ordinary people.

Xu Yun really didn't expect the three tigers of Nancheng to make such a big fuss. He and Ruan Qingshuang had the same attitude: to use this opportunity for publicity and attract more people to notice the medicinal cuisine, so they could consider expanding the chain stores.

Qiu Yan wasn't interested in this. She didn't like noisy, crowded environments, but seeing the extensive network of informants, she felt much less anxious. At least these people could help her notice strangers. She had already instructed the three tigers of Nancheng to tell their subordinates to immediately notify her if they saw a man with dark red hair and a beard, even in the middle of the night.

Qin Wan'er almost called the police when she saw the bustling scene at the medicinal cuisine restaurant after work. It looked like a gang gathering. The people who came to support it didn't look like ordinary civilians; bald heads, tattoos, and gold necklaces were all signs of gangsters... But this was Sister Qingshuang's medicinal cuisine restaurant, so she held back, sighing.

The happiest person was Guoguo. She sat at the newly renovated, impressive front desk, and Shan Hongning immediately placed a red ledger book, followed by a 10,000 yuan gift. He also had his subordinates hang a deer head on the left side of the entrance, calling it "Prosperity through the Deer (Road)!"

Kong Zhong, of course, couldn't be left out. He also gave a 10,000 yuan gift, and the item he sent was impressive: a half-meter-wide pure copper toad with a large copper coin in its mouth, placed at the front desk, looking very majestic and auspicious!

Lü Feng, though usually a rough person, was also very thoughtful for the opening of the big sister. The gift was essential, and he also sent a large elephant with a jade cabbage on its back, symbolizing "Good Fortune and Wealth!"

Besides them, many people who had connections through them or even more distant relationships, as long as they were part of the underworld, didn't come empty-handed!

Guoguo's face lit up as she collected the money at the front desk, while Qin Wan'er kept rolling her eyes, thinking that all this money was dirty.

Hearing about the opening of the medicinal cuisine restaurant, Qiangzi had Xiaofei and Zhao Peng take care of the branch and hurried back. Seeing the bustling scene at the reborn medicinal cuisine restaurant, he was very excited. The business at the Hongnan District branch was good, and it would likely recoup the costs soon.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Guoguo, with her sharp eyes, shouted to stop Qiangzi, who was about to go in for a tour.

Qiangzi walked to the front desk with a smile, looking at Guoguo and Qin Wan'er. "Guoguo, Sister Qin, what are you two doing here?"

Guoguo tapped the ledger on the desk with her pen, cleared her throat, and extended her plump little hand, rubbing her fingers together. "What do you think I'm doing?"

Qiangzi suddenly understood and quickly took out his wallet. The 5,000 yuan from the Hongnan District branch's midday revenue hadn't been deposited yet, so he put it on the ledger right away!

"Ah, that's a bit too little, isn't it?" Guoguo clearly wasn't satisfied, pointing to the three tigers of Nancheng. "They all gave 10,000 yuan."

"Guoguo, have some mercy on your big brother." Qiangzi looked tragic. "Look at my car, and look at theirs..."

Guoguo waved her hand. "Forget it, forget it. Sigh, it's a shame they still call you Brother Qiang."

Just as Guoguo finished speaking, Lü Feng saw Qiangzi and waved him over. "Brother Qiang is here, ha ha, come, come, come, Xiao Bu, who helped you with that car, is here!"

Qiangzi's eyes lit up. With the Hongnan District branch doing so well and Brother Yun giving him 70% of the profits, he should get a new car. Meeting Xiao Bu was a good opportunity to chat and see if he could get a decent car at a good price.

Xu Yun was very open to these people. Since they were here, they were all friends. Shan Hongning brought his three medicinal cuisine chefs, and the small medicinal cuisine restaurant immediately started cooking, serving delicious dishes to everyone.

Guoguo happily counted the money, and everyone in the medicinal cuisine restaurant laughed heartily, praising the medicinal cuisine!

The medicinal cuisine restaurant reopened and was ready to fight again!

A slightly disdainful laugh came from the door, and Guoguo, being quick-witted, immediately looked up, staring at the old woman who clearly wasn't there to give a gift.

Ruan Qingshuang, guided by her sixth sense, looked toward the door and her eyes widened. "Auntie Weng, why are you here?"

"Turning my nice house into this mess, hmpf, and you still have the nerve to have such a grand opening?" The woman looked to be in her fifties, with slightly sagging skin but still heavily made up, wearing large crystal earrings, a delicate platinum necklace, and a green jade bracelet on her wrist. Her luxurious clothing made her look very imposing.

Ruan Qingshuang's face turned pale. "Auntie Weng, it's not like that. The store was vandalized a while ago, and I had no choice but to renovate it..."

The old woman, whom Ruan Qingshuang called Auntie Weng, remained calm. "I don't care about your reasons. The contract is clear. Without my permission, you can't change my house. I have the right to take it back."

What!? Take back the house?

Guoguo's eyes widened, and she stood up at the front desk. This landlord was really unreasonable!

Ruan Qingshuang continued to explain. "I really didn't mean to. I didn't want it to be like this..."

"Haha, even the floor tiles are changed? It looks like you really treat this place like your own home," Auntie Weng smiled. "Xiao Ruan, it's not that Auntie Weng is unreasonable. I'm just following the contract. I'm taking back the house, and you need to move out tomorrow."

Ruan Qingshuang felt as if she had been struck by lightning. Move out! Where to?

Before Ruan Qingshuang could say anything, Auntie Weng suddenly raised her voice and shouted to everyone in the room, "Everyone listen up! I, Weng Qing, am taking back this house today. If anyone damages anything inside, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

Weng Qing?!

The hundred or so people from Nancheng District, who were all chatting and laughing, suddenly fell silent. Everyone's eyes were drawn to the middle-aged woman at the door like they were being pulled by a magnet!

Xu Yun frowned and came out of the kitchen. Just when one problem was solved, another arose. Who was this woman?

Qiangzi's jaw almost hit the floor. Why was the wife of Jin Biao, the big boss of the eastern part of Hedong City, here, and saying she was taking back the house? He was surprised to learn that the owner of this storefront was Weng Qing.

This woman wasn't simple. Even at fifty, she still had the charm to keep Jin Biao in line. She could tolerate Jin Biao's affairs, but she absolutely wouldn't let him keep a mistress.

Jin Biao initially rose to power through his wife's family, so he basically followed her orders. As the big boss of the east, he didn't even dare to keep a mistress, unlike the big boss of the west, Ma Pinghai, who had multiple mistresses.

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