W Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Coercion

Recently, a lot of cold noodles stalls have sprung up in Yunxia Town, almost one on every street.

Tu Hai is not short of money, and with a grand gesture, he directly monopolized the cold noodles market in Yunxia Town.

Even if the recipe is leaked later, no one will be able to compete with him.

The pricing is the same as Ling Xing’s before, focusing on small profits but quick turnover. Because his stalls are widespread, he earns much more than Ling Xing in a day.

Although it can’t compare with the profits from the gambling den, the combined profit of two taels of silver a day is enough.

The old, weak, and disabled brothers under his command finally look a bit more human, seemingly more alive than before.

Tu Hai also breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the recipe was given by Ling Xing, and he had been helping to find someone for these days, but there were no clues.

The recipe he gave worked, but the thing he asked for has made no progress.

This matter embarrasses him, Eighth Master Tu. So he called his men and sent more people out to find.

At this time, at the Shen family.

Some of the family members are setting up stalls in town, while others are digging at the foot of the mountain.

Xu Youfang sat in the courtyard, sighing at the embroidery piece for a long time.

Most of the embroidery pieces that she asked Shen Hui to send to the embroidery workshop last time were returned. It was said that they did not meet the previous requirements and were not embroidered well.

This time, the embroidery workshop didn’t give her much, only asking her to embroider three patterns.

With so few patterns, how could she earn any money? The cost of embroidery thread is barely enough, not to mention that nearly half of the embroidery pieces were returned before.

Her eyes were itchy from the sunlight, and Xu Youfang, with a heavy heart, rubbed them with her hand, turning her eyeballs red.

In the past, she could support the family and buy medicine to keep the eldest son alive by embroidering day and night.

Now she is really old and can’t embroider anymore.

But the family is still very poor, barely avoiding starvation. If she can’t embroider, how will they live in the future?

Their family has little land, and in autumn they have to use silver to buy grain to pay taxes.

The more Xu Youfang thought about it, the more worried she became, and the itchier her eyes became.

As she rubbed, she felt something, sticky and slimy. She slowly rubbed it with her fingers and felt the thing come out of her eye socket.

She pinched it with her fingertips, and it was a yellow, sticky foreign object.

Xu Youfang’s heart skipped a beat when she saw it, frightened.

She didn’t dare to tell her family about this, for fear of worrying them.

Moreover, she could also feel that Ling Xing had something weighing on his mind these past two days.

Not only that, but the second son’s face was also not good, probably because the steamed bun stall encountered some difficult problems.

Xu Youfang wiped the viscous foreign object on the ground, crushed it with her straw shoe until she couldn’t see it anymore, then went to wash her hands and continued to embroider.

As Xu Youfang thought, the steamed bun stall did encounter something.

The steamed bun stall’s business has been getting better and better recently. Its reputation has spread, and many people are willing to walk a little further to buy steamed buns.

Because only Ling Xing sells them, the supply is a little short of demand.

Privately, many people have taken a fancy to this skill and tried it out, but none of them could make the steamed buns as fluffy and soft as Ling Xing’s.

There were those who wanted to make trouble, but they didn’t really do it because they saw Shen Hui.

Ordinary tall and strong people would make people feel intimidated. But if there are more people, and the emotions are stirred up, they can also rush up.

But Shen Hui happened to have murderous aura. The moment he stood there, even his hair was saying that he was not to be trifled with.

What kind of good person cuts their hair like that?

Like a frizzy lion’s head.

In addition, Xu Qi occasionally came to the steamed bun stall, not only to buy steamed buns, but also to support Shen Hui and Ling Xing.

Some petty people also dispelled their thoughts and put away their dark minds. They would only watch from afar, secretly and furtively.

Those who play dirty tricks have not yet acted, but those who take the scholarly approach have emerged first.

In addition to the stall vendors staring at it, restaurants and taverns have also paid attention to the steamed bun stall.

They are not interested in the steamed buns themselves, but in the method of making the dough so soft.

The first to find Ling Xing was the manager of Yunxia Restaurant.

Accurately speaking, after sending people to stare for a few days, he finally chose to come forward.

Ling Xing and Shen Hui had noticed someone staring at them three days ago, and they were being followed.

These days, they have not taken the mountain road, for fear that these people would play dirty tricks.

After worrying for three days, they finally knew who was behind it.

Ling Xing, who had spent one tael of silver at Yunxia Restaurant before and hadn’t eaten much, was still thinking that he wouldn’t be able to appear at Yunxia Restaurant again in a short time.

Unexpectedly, before long, he sat in the elegant room of Yunxia Restaurant again.

Today, after the steamed bun stall closed, the manager of Yunxia Restaurant appeared in front of the stall, introducing himself with a gentle attitude, and then said that he wanted to invite Ling Xing and Shen Hui to the restaurant to talk.

Shen Hui blocked Ling Xing, not allowing the restaurant people to approach Ling Xing, and lowered his head to ask Ling Xing if he wanted to go.

If he didn’t want to go, he would fight his way out today and safely send Ling Xing home.

Ling Xing could guess the person’s intention. If he didn’t go today, he would have to go sooner or later.

So he nodded in agreement and followed them to the restaurant.

The manager of Yunxia Restaurant, named Zhao Chuping, is a somewhat chubby middle-aged man. He has a mustache, and because he often smiles, the laugh lines at the corners of his eyes are relatively deep.

He smiled and poured tea for Ling Xing and Shen Hui, with a good attitude, looking like everything was easy to discuss.

Ling Xing was indeed a little thirsty. He licked the corner of his mouth, picked up the teacup, and blew on it. The cup felt warm, and Ling Xing thought the tea was just the right temperature.

As a result, he felt pain in his tongue after taking a sip.

“—Ouch.”

So hot!

Ling Xing didn’t want to spit it out, so he swallowed it with difficulty, feeling his throat go numb.

He opened his mouth slightly, sucking in cold air to relieve the heat in his mouth.

Shen Hui frowned slightly and reached out to block Zhao Chuping’s probing gaze in front of Ling Xing’s face.

“Little stall owner, are you okay? I’ll ask someone to get some cold water.”

Zhao Chuping immediately called the waiter waiting at the door to get cold water, and then explained, “It’s my fault, I didn’t remind you in advance. This tea cup is made with a special process, so if you put hot tea in it, the temperature will feel lower than a normal cup.”

“Or should I ask someone to invite a doctor to take a look?”

Zhao Chuping was afraid that he had scalded someone badly, so he asked aloud.

Ling Xing waved his hand.

Fortunately, the tea was not too hot, and he only felt uncomfortable when it first entered his mouth. Now he feels much better, but his mouth and the tip of his tongue still feel numb.

“No need, I’ll just drink something cold later.”

Zhao Chuping sighed. He wanted the recipe after all. As a result, he scalded the person as soon as he came up, and they didn’t want to invite a doctor to see. He always wanted to do things properly, so he got up and said he would go get some cold water.

He prepared to bring it himself, even if it was an apology.

After the person left, Shen Hui approached Ling Xing, his eyes full of worry, “Open your mouth wider, let me see if the injury is serious.”

Then he reminded, “Don’t curl your tongue.”

Ling Xing obediently nodded and opened his mouth, intentionally pressing his tongue down.

The indoor light was a little dark, and Shen Hui couldn’t see clearly.

He reached out and pinched Ling Xing’s chin, lifting it up, and gently moved it from side to side, looking carefully.

Confirming that there were no blisters from the burn, he let go.

“It’s okay. Drink something cold later, hold it in your mouth for a while before swallowing.”

Zhao Chuping came back quickly. He carried a tray with cold water and mint leaves, which was very refreshing.

After drinking it, Ling Xing did feel much more comfortable.

After Ling Xing drank a cup of mint-flavored cold water, Zhao Chuping stared at the moment when Ling Xing finished drinking, and said his intention with a smile again.

“The steamed buns from the steamed bun stall are really delicious. I, Zhao, have eaten many delicacies and seen many ways to make food. But I have never seen anyone who can make dough so soft.”

Ling Xing smiled but said nothing, quietly waiting for Zhao Chuping to continue.

Not being answered, Zhao Chuping could continue the act himself.

The smile on his face did not change in any way, and his tone was even more enthusiastic.

“Little stall owner, it’s not that I, Lao Zhao, am saying this, but your method of kneading dough is really amazing. I see that you are busy every day before dawn, and the steamed buns are not expensive. Do you want to earn more money?”

Having been a manager for so many years, Zhao Chuping has seen all kinds of people.

At a glance, he knew that Ling Xing was very poor and lacked silver the most.

Before going to the steamed bun stall to find someone, Zhao Chuping had already found out.

He was just a poor and destitute household in Xiao Liucun, and still a widower.

No one in the Shen family protects him, only the Second Son of Shen, who is following him, knows some people.

But the most important person among them is Xu Qi, who manages the stalls.

Xu Qi is not to be feared.

Zhao Chuping was confident. Speaking in such a good-tempered way was already giving him a lot of face, and there was no reason for the other party not to agree.

As for the amount to buy the recipe…

“Five taels of silver.”

Zhao Chuping raised his hand, his five short and thick fingers spread apart, determined to get it.

“How about it? This price, besides my Yunxia Restaurant, no other family can surpass it, they can’t come up with more.”

These words implied some threat.

Things that Yunxia Restaurant took a fancy to, other restaurants and taverns would not dare to touch.

If he didn’t sell it to Yunxia Restaurant, he wouldn’t even think about selling it to others.

Ling Xing was not threatened. He had seen the world in his previous life, and he could still speak calmly at this time, “Manager Zhao, I don’t plan to sell the recipe.”

“Don’t, don’t plan to sell?” Zhao Chuping found it incredible, “You won’t sell even for five taels of silver?”

Rural households can’t save five taels of silver all year round.

He actually won’t sell!

“My business is doing well. If I continue to do it for a long time, I will definitely be able to save five taels of silver.”

Ling Xing spoke honestly and also felt that Zhao Chuping was a bit unreasonable.

His words meant that he originally planned to sell the recipe, but it was obviously because he was suddenly targeted and called over, okay.

He is not stupid. By relying on the steamed bun stall, he can save five taels of silver in a month.

As long as he works hard in the future, silver can always accumulate.

Zhao Chuping was still smiling, but his tone lacked the lighthearted enthusiasm he had at the beginning.

“Little stall owner, you are still young and inexperienced. You also died your husband and live in your husband’s family alone. This five taels of silver is your confidence. Otherwise, do you think your husband’s family can help you keep the recipe?”

“Manager Zhao, my family treats me very well. If you want to talk, talk properly.”

Ling Xing was unhappy listening to Zhao Chuping’s words, and his tone became much colder.

Zhao Chuping was also somewhat afraid of Shen Hui beside him. This man was too tall and strong, and if he angered him, he wouldn’t be able to bear a punch.

With Ling Xing’s words, Zhao Chuping went along with it.

“Look at my mouth, it’s my fault. But as the saying goes, the words are rough but the meaning is not wrong. Little stall owner, it’s better to consider and plan for yourself.”

“Some things should be resolved when they can be resolved with a smile. It’s always better than resolving them with bloodshed and tears later, don’t you think?”

Shen Hui heard this and looked up at Zhao Chuping, his eyes as cold as thorns, stabbing straight at the other party. Zhao Chuping was inexplicably nervous, swallowed defensively, and quickly looked away.

How could this person have such a strong aura? Had he killed someone?

Shen Hui had not killed anyone, but he had hunted ferocious beasts. At this moment, he really wanted to beat someone.

But his reason was still there, knowing that he couldn’t do it.

Smiling tigers are the most difficult to deal with, and they are also the most ruthless.

Ling Xing sighed. Listening to Zhao Chuping’s words, he was fully prepared and not afraid of forcing him to give the recipe.

With such a posture, Ling Xing felt that the recipe would probably not be kept.

He himself has no power or influence, and the Shen family has no power or influence.

And Zhao Chuping has some power in Yunxia Town.

Now he is being nice to ask for the recipe, but later he doesn’t know what dirty things he will do.

But if he gave it just like that, Ling Xing would not be able to swallow it.

Moreover…

Ling Xing glanced at the closed door from the corner of his eye, estimating the time in his mind, and said, “Selling is possible, but it can’t affect my setting up a stall later. What I mean is, the recipe is sold to Manager Zhao, but I will continue to open the steamed bun stall.”

Zhao Chuping opened his mouth to speak, but was directly stopped by Ling Xing raising his hand, “Manager Zhao doesn’t need to say more. If you don’t let me continue selling steamed buns, then I will directly spread the recipe all over the place. At worst, no one will make money.”

This was the first time Zhao Chuping had been threatened. He raised his hand to slap the table, but before he could, Shen Hui stood up and blocked Ling Xing.

His falcon-like eyes stared at Zhao Chuping, as if he wanted to gouge out a piece of his flesh.

Zhao Chuping’s hand was raised high, then gently lowered, stroking the table.

Although he had the ability to prevent these two from leaving, according to his many years of experience, he would definitely suffer a lot at Shen Hui’s hands before the two couldn’t leave.

A real man can bend and stretch. Doing business is about making money with harmony.

Zhao Chuping’s round face bloomed with a smile again, “Okay, everything will be done according to what the little stall owner says!”