Chapter 4
Except when she is putting on a show, she is always smiling. When there are people around, she smiles at them, and when she is alone, she finds joy in her own company
"Rongxian Hutong," Meng Tianyi said, "No. 110 Courtyard"
Those individuals are not new to this kind of activity. They usually lure people into the small alley behind and run off after extorting money. I have encountered them before and have a rough idea of where they operate. " Gan Qing said softly, "I take a detour when I come across them, as I fear getting into trouble, and I haven't informed anyone else. Today, this child just left my shop, which is why I spoke up. We dare not get involved with people like them.
Gan Qing swiftly popped the last crayfish into her mouth, tidied up the utensils, and even wiped the table: "If the old lady needs anything from me, just let me know, I am always available, since I have nothing much to do anyway. I just paid six months' rent here, and they don't refund the money, so moving now would be a loss. If there's nothing else, I'm off work now!" I just paid six months' rent here, and they don't refund the money, so moving now would be a loss. If there's nothing else, I'm off work now!
Gan Qing and Meng Tianyi turned around together and saw a police officer standing at the entrance of Xingzhi Dream. He had a round buzz cut, a pair of smiling eyes, a fair complexion, and an overall cheerful appearance. Even in uniform, he lacked any intimidating presence, resembling the kind of officer that people from out of town would instinctively approach to ask for directions.
Hello, can skewers be considered a meal
The small shop "Dream of the Stars" is actually run by a relative of Meng Tianyi, with the storefront managed by their family members. The owner created a marketing account for an astrologer online, posting some mystical content and selling items like amulets and fortune beads on Taobao. Later, they discovered that online business was more lucrative, so they focused on becoming an internet celebrity, leaving the small shop unattended, which was managed haphazardly. They hired Gan Qing to look after the store.
At this moment, her voice and tone had completely changed; it was neither elusive nor distant, but rather languid.
Have they been active in this vicinity all along
However, Boss Meng instinctively stood up, intentionally or unintentionally using his plump body to block Gan Qing for a moment, and with a charming smile, asked: "This is my nephew's shop, he is not here right now, do you... have something to discuss? We have a license, if you want to see it, I can get it for you"
Boss Meng is afraid of the thug, but he is not an ordinary thug, right? At this moment, the car door at the intersection not far away made a sound, and Yu Lanchuan calmly got out of the car
Boss Meng: "The pole..."
Yan Yi was taken aback; it seemed that this girl knew what he was about to ask. In just a few words, she distanced herself quite clearly. He instinctively felt that if he were to press further, he might not be able to elicit any more information.
"You have the final say," Gan Qing said with a smile, her eyes curving playfully at him, "after all, it's your own family's business."
One could inexplicably sense a slight feeling of incongruity, though it is difficult to articulate
I just want to eat grilled chicken hearts, Ganqing turned off the lights and locked the door, I have been thinking about it all afternoon, when the guests came, I lost my words—please bring me another two jin of spicy shrimp.
Gan Qing: "Hmm"
I do not know
From a mysterious Gypsy-style "astrologer," she has transformed into a down-to-earth rural young woman
Meng Tianyi did not dare to respond, forcing a smile, and quickly glanced at the identification, oh, this police officer is named Yu Yan
Gan Qing smiled slightly, yet remained silent, her gaze shifting to the side, resembling someone who appears somewhat timid upon encountering a stranger
"Summer sells well, but I estimate winter will not be the same." Gan Qing pinched the tiny claws of the crayfish and bowed to Boss Meng, "You mentioned a bonus, and I took it seriously. I am in dire need of money; I recently heard that the rent is going to increase, and I have been anxious for half a month."
The honest people's police feel extremely ashamed, as they perceive their companions as if they were the stars of a nightclub
Meng Tianyi said: "I looked at your account book yesterday, and the business this month is quite good. You should ask your boss to give you a bonus."
Is it a house?
Every one to two months, Gan Qing would follow the boss's instructions to purchase goods at the small commodity wholesale market, selecting bags of small accessories priced at dozens of yuan per pound. She would return and pick out the attractive ones to display on the counter, enhancing them with lighting, waiting for unsuspecting customers to make a purchase
Gan Qing let out a chuckle and said, "It's not that cheap, just one bed."
Upon hearing this, Gan Qing said, "I definitely have no problem with that. Where does the old lady live?"
At around 9 o'clock in the evening, "Dream of the Stars" should be closing its doors for the night
What about the previous victim? Do you remember any characteristics?
"Do not be nervous," the police officer said with a gentle smile, extending his identification with both hands. "I have just been transferred to our district, and if you encounter any difficulties in the future, you can always come to me."
Boss Meng hurriedly said: "How could that be possible..."
"Where can I...?" Gan Qing came to her senses, avoiding Boss Meng's gaze, and smiled slightly as she said, "It's just... not very convenient. I know you mean well. Besides, I've heard that area has now become a school district, and renting a secondary bedroom starts at 3,000. That would be too much of a bargain for you."
Oh," Boss Meng awkwardly glanced at her, then at the police, "I... this... there were too many guests this afternoon, I didn't pay attention to the outside
Oh, what is this saying
You do not understand, things over there are different from before, especially in the past two years, housing prices have risen rapidly, many people have taken advantage of the high prices to sell their houses, and there are hardly any elderly people left there. Boss Meng quickly lowered his voice and said, "Moreover, even the elderly do not know who you are... What, you still do not trust your Uncle Meng?"
Boss Meng hurriedly said: "Oh, this is the cashier we hired. She is from out of town and has only been in Yan Ning for a few months, so she is not familiar with the area. If you have any questions, just ask me."
Where would one typically run to after climbing over a wall from an alley?
I want to eat grilled chicken hearts
"You are quite adaptable," Meng Tianyi said with a smirk, then continued, "Let me tell you something—my second aunt is seventy-three years old and has been widowed for over forty years. She used to be married to my elder brother, but now that he has passed away and my sister-in-law has remarried with the children, the old lady is left all alone.
Meng Tianyi watched her eat meat and drink wine, and the craving was stirred within him, prompting him to unconsciously take a large gulp as well. However, upon tasting it carefully, he found it still had the flavor of inferior beer, not transformed into fine liquor: "Gan'er, don't sell those broken necklaces tomorrow; just be my live advertisement. You sit here and drink, and I can sell thirty percent more of my beer."
The gaze of the police officer skipped over him and landed on Gan Qing
"You are insatiable, not eating proper meals, only snacking." Meng Tianyi sighed, "Alright, just wait!"
Gan Qing glanced around. Although it was already quite late, the people at the nearby stalls enjoying late-night snacks had not yet dispersed. A uniformed police officer approached, drawing the attention of onlookers from all directions. She seemed somewhat frustrated and murmured, "I truly know nothing. If I had known a phone call could bring you here, I wouldn't have meddled in this matter."
the kind that sells their body but not their smile
Meng Tianyi asked: "Are you still renting? How much is it?"
Gan Qing took the bottle, clinked it with his, and drank directly from it, downing nearly half a bottle in one go. The heat and sweat that emerged dissipated significantly, and she let out a sigh of relief, saying, "Hmm, there’s a lingering sweetness, it’s delicious"
Indeed, Ganqing began to feign ignorance, responding with three 'I don't know' answers
There were not so many people on the street anymore, and the warm evening breeze wrapped around the smoke from the large frying pan, enveloping her face. Ganqing took a breath, feeling quite comfortable, and a hint of a smile naturally appeared at the corners of her mouth
It is like this, this evening, an attempted extortion incident occurred nearby, and the victim was deceived in this vicinity. Yu Yan spoke to Gan Qing in a friendly manner, saying, "The victim himself said that the sister in this shop saw it and even tried to help him, but unfortunately, he did not heed the advice. Is that the case? I have no other intentions, just want to understand the situation from you."
Yuan: "... ..."
It was a matter of last year, life and death, nothing much. Meng Tianyi continued, "Everyone was originally discussing bringing her out, but she was unwilling, saying she had her own home and did not want to go to someone else's house. Although the old lady is still quite strong, she is, after all, of such an age. Her home is a small two-bedroom apartment; she occupies one room, and the other room is currently vacant. I just want to find a reliable person to keep her company. The old lady can take care of herself, and there is no need to worry about housework. During the day, you can do whatever you need to do, and in the evening, just come home to keep her company. If there are tasks like changing light bulbs that require climbing a ladder, you can lend a hand. If, by chance, she has a sudden illness at night, you can call 120 and notify her relatives. The rent is just a matter of that; it will be based on what you are paying now, and it won't increase in the future.
Meng Tianyi finished greeting the last group of guests, wiped his hands clean on his apron, and came over holding two bottles of chilled beer
"Six hundred in a month." Gan Qing's technique for peeling small lobsters is quite skillful. With a "crack, crack," she pinches twice, then pulls and tugs, and the entire lobster meat comes out of the shell intact. Holding the trembling lobster meat, she rolls it in the spicy broth on the plate, which is fragrant and spicy. Two pounds of small lobsters paired with beer, and soon the bottom of the plate is visible, indicating that she is a seasoned foodie
Gan Qing washed off her makeup, removed her light-colored contact lenses, blinked her eyes forcefully twice, and ran her fingers through her long hair, pulling down the waterfall-like wig, revealing a mass of hair that was neither long nor short, hanging near her chin, causing the wig to be pushed up awkwardly.
The owner of "Tianyi Crawfish", Meng Tianyi, responded: "What do you want to eat? Serve yourself some rice, and I will stir-fry a dish for you"
Gan Qing stood quietly in the corner like a mere decoration, the dim light from the oil-coated bulb at the roadside stall cast a faint glow upon her, revealing only half of her face, illuminating her complexion to resemble ancient white porcelain, with her head bowed and demeanor submissive
Gan Qing quickly glanced at him and explained in a low voice: "There aren't many people using public phones now, and once they check, they will know."
A young woman picked up the teapot, poured the old tea into a flower pot, filled the pot with cool water, took a couple of sips from the spout, and leaned over to call out to the neighboring "Tianyi Crawfish": "Uncle Meng, is there anything to eat?"
Then she took off her stiletto heels, tucked them under the counter, and slipped on a pair of plastic sandals with bare feet. She removed her long skirt, revealing a basketball tank top underneath, along with a pair of knee-length shorts. She stretched lazily, feeling her body liberated once again
On a sultry midsummer night, a gentle breeze suddenly arises, the thick skewers sizzle and release oil, the heavy canopy of the sky gradually reveals stars, and the crooked little alleys... In her eyes, it all seems to be an extraordinarily beautiful scene of the world, worthy of pause and appreciation
I apologize. At that moment, a man's voice suddenly interjected, "Excuse me, madam, are you from this store?"
The skewers and spicy crayfish were quickly prepared. Boss Meng, concerned that she might get overheated, also prepared a plate of cold dishes for her. Ganqing found a table to sit down at, sprinkling chili powder on her food. She seemed a bit clumsy, and when her hand trembled, she accidentally poured too much chili. She didn't mind, casually shook it off, and while puffing out her breath, she focused intently on eating, her posture resembling that of someone dining at a Michelin three-star restaurant.
"Fortunately, thanks to the timely report from the concerned citizens, we were able to arrive promptly," Yu Yan said, "I hope you don't mind me asking, was it you who reported the incident?"
Gan Qing said: "Please accept my condolences"
Because his shirt was torn, he simply ripped off a row of buttons, and the hem was pulled halfway out of his waistband, hanging down loosely on one side. In his movements, the line from his chest to his lower abdomen was faintly visible. To complement this wild look, he also took off his glasses, tousled his hair, and walked over with one hand in his pocket, wearing a cold expression.
The two spoke almost in unison, and the quick-tongued Boss Meng was left speechless, resembling a wooden stick.
Boss Meng interjected, "Indeed, Officer, for us small business owners, while we can run away, the temple cannot. These thugs commit their misdeeds and then flee, making it impossible to catch them. If they find out about this, they will frequently come to trouble us in the future. Who can endure that? Please let us off this time."
She opens for business every day at 10:00 AM, puts on a wig and fake eyes, dresses in her "work uniform," and begins her day's performance. In the evening, she closes based on her mood after dark. Meng Tianyi takes care of her meals. She is very satisfied with this job because Uncle Meng is skilled and allows her to choose her dishes.
I have no impression of it.
Gan Qing first let out a soft "oh," and after a few seconds, she remembered something. Losing her composure, she pulled off the tail of the crayfish: "Is it... that Rongxian Alley?"
Not very clear