"Sister, you’re as beautiful as a fairy."
"If only Xiaoxiao could grow up to be as beautiful as you."
"You’re so pretty, no wonder big brother abandoned my sister to have you as his new favorite."
Tang Xiaoxiao propped her chin with her hands and playfully blinked.
"Xiaoxiao, when you grow up, you’ll definitely be even prettier than your sister." Liu Tianyun said with a smile, pinching Tang Xiaoxiao’s rosy cheeks, though she was a bit embarrassed; this little girl’s thoughts were mature beyond her years.
Besides embarrassnt, there was a bit of indignation.
She was the original partner, not so new favorite!
But she didn’t bother to argue with a child.
"Xiaoxiao, are the dishes in your shop expensive?" Nearby, Ye Huan suddenly asked.
"Not expensive, our shop is very cost-effective." Tang Xiaoxiao replied.
Ye Huan looked at Liu Tianyun, saw her nodding, and pursued further, "Then why is there no business at your place?"
"It’s because of that bad uncle across the street."
Saying this, Tang Xiaoxiao puffed her cheeks in anger and pointed outside the window, toward the restaurant opposite them, where a man like a door guardian sat at the entrance, wearing a white vest, with crossed chubby legs, feet in flip-flops, smoking a cigarette, with a face full of fierceness.
Gangster!
Ye Huan followed her direction with his gaze.
At that ti, a man with blonde hair was next to the middle-aged man.
The blonde seed to be reporting sothing to the middle-aged man.
The more he listened, the angrier the middle-aged man’s face beca.
After retracting his gaze, Ye Huan thought for a mont and understood the cause of the situation.
"Xiaoxiao’s Canteen" had no custors, not because the environnt was poor or the al prices were too high.
On the contrary, "Xiaoxiao’s Canteen," with its cozy, spacious, and bright decor, had prices that could be considered affordable, even cheap, compared to other dining places in the CBD area.
There were no custors clearly because the restaurant across the street was up to no good.
Indeed, the actions of the blonde man amounted to mischief.
He stationed himself not far from "Xiaoxiao’s Canteen," stopping all potential custors from entering and slandering "Xiaoxiao’s Canteen" in conversations, trying to lure custors to the other restaurant.
If custors insisted on entering, the blonde man would use a "trump card," directly throwing out five hundred bucks to "invite" them to eat.
For the custors, it was like a windfall!
Five hundred bucks left them with over four hundred in surplus after a al, more than a day’s wages for many.
How could custors resist such temptation? They would all happily pocket the money and head to the opposite restaurant.
But Ye Huan knew, these gangsters were risking their lives, earning money by licking blood off the knife’s edge, so they valued money above all, and wouldn’t just give it away for free.
Giving away five hundred could only an they had other ways to earn it back multiple tis over.
"Xiaoxiao, big brother has a question for you."
"Is that bad uncle across the street the owner of that restaurant?"
Ye Huan temporarily withdrew his thoughts, smiling as he asked.
Tang Xiaoxiao sucked her fingers and thought for a mont before nodding, "That bad uncle seems to have acquired that restaurant, but the chef there is still the forr manager."
Upon hearing this, Ye Huan couldn’t help but frown, "When did they acquire it?"
"Half a month ago."
"The day after we opened, they bought it."
Tang Yao ca over holding two tal trays, her face looking upset as she spoke.
After saying that, she placed the two tal trays on the table, thoughtfully placing one in front of Liu Tianyun.
A plate of vegetable shredded pork noodles, two at buns, and a cup of soybean milk.
As for Ye Huan...
She pushed the tray towards him and left it at that.
With such force that the noodle soup and soybean milk splashed a few drops.
Ye Huan was about to open his mouth to argue with her.
Tang Yao interrupted, snapping, "If you don’t want to eat, then don’t..."
Before she finished speaking, a voice of rebuke ca from the kitchen.
"Yao Yao, how can you treat guests like this?" Tang Dongqiang and his wife erged from the kitchen, reprimanding Tang Yao.
Tang Yao let out a cold snort and turned her head away.
The Tang Dongqiang couple was about to reprimand her again when Ye Huan intervened with a smile, "Uncle and Auntie, it’s fine, I like eating from the tray."
"Tch, pretending to be a nice guy, scumbag." Tang Yao muttered under her breath, thinking Ye Huan was just sweet-talking his way into the hearts of won like Zhang Huimin.
Now he was using this tactic on her, but she wasn’t so easily fooled.
Though she spoke softly, in the sparsely-populated shop, everyone heard it clearly.
What a joke.
Even if Ye Huan was helping the Tang Family with the aim of winning "Tang Yao’s affection," he was still a great benefactor to them!
Moreover, this benefactor likely had a powerful background and identity that the Tang Family couldn’t afford to offend. Angering him would be unwise.
Hu Ping Tong knew she couldn’t persuade her daughter otherwise, so she apologized, "Mr. Ye, my daughter’s temper is quite bad, I’m really sorry."
It was clear that the couple still believed Ye Huan’s earlier assistance to the Tang Family was motivated by his attraction to Tang Yao.
If Brother Huan knew they thought like this, he might just die coughing up blood.
Ye Huan smiled and said:
"Auntie, it’s alright, I don’t mind at all."
"But you guys..."
At this point, Ye Huan changed the subject and asked, "What exactly is going on with this shop?"
"..."
This question made the Tang Family’s brows furrow with a tint of deep sorrow and anger, and they remained silent for a long ti.
Finally, it was Tang Yao who spoke up.
"This store can’t continue. We’re planning to close it in a while."
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