Chapter 6 Who Rules This Street
When I packed up for the day, Zhang Muzhe stood in front of my stall with his arms crossed.
"How about it, Heji Braised Duck Snacks? Now you know who runs this street, right?"
He kicked the box where I kept the leftovers.
"How about you sell me the rest cheap? I'll take it home to feed the dogs. Hahaha!"
I ignored him and walked straight up to Cheng Yanqiu.
She kept her head down, fingers flying over the calculator, her mouth stretched almost to her ears.
"Cheng Yanqiu,"
I said evenly, "Buy One Get Two Free—have you run the numbers? Are you sure you can make money like this?"
She wiped the smile off her face, dismissive. "Business is about skill. You can't even move your own stock. Don't come lecturing me. What are you showing off for?"
I held my temper and kept explaining. "Selling at a loss just to make noise will only drag you under in the end."
"He Qingwei, shut up!"
Zhang Muzhe strode over, threw an arm around Cheng Yanqiu's shoulders, and lifted his chin high.
"I like losing money for the noise. What's it to you? What, jealous because our business is good?"
He snorted. "He Qingwei, see that? That's what you get for clinging to that broken 'secret recipe'!"
"You treat that recipe like treasure. Won't even let anyone touch it. And now? Look—who's still buying from you?"
Cheng Yanqiu lifted her chin too, full of pride. "We were friends once. I can't bear to watch you go under."
"How about this—I'll be merciful and take your braising recipe off your hands. Better than guarding a stall nobody buys from..."
I looked at this Best Friend who used to be so close to me. Her eyes were full of calculation now. A sharp pain cut through me.
"The recipe? Didn't you already steal it?"
I pointed at her Braised Duck Snacks stall.
"Where else did this 'Zhangji Secret-Recipe Braised Duck Snacks' come from?"
Cheng Yanqiu's face stiffened.
Zhang Muzhe jumped in fury. "He Qingwei, stop slandering us! We figured out that recipe ourselves. It has nothing to do with you!"
"Whether I'm slandering you or not—you know best."
I turned away and packed up my stall.
Behind me came Zhang Muzhe's furious cursing.
"Pah! Acting so high and mighty! I'd like to see how many more days your business can last!"