Chef Hua
Chapter 156: Episode 102: Stole Someone’s Business

Chapter 156: Episode 102: Stole Someone’s Business

The riverbank suddenly burst into commotion, everyone was stretching their necks, constantly peering down the path, occasionally tossing out a remark or two.

Hua Xiaomai originally had no interest in nosing into other people’s affairs, but seeing how animated the conversations were, she became a bit curious and turned her head to take a look.

They were four middle-aged men, around thirty to forty, with the leader looking slightly portly. It was getting dark and his clothes were not clear, but under the light of the tung oil lanterns, one could still vaguely sense that his attire was quite luxurious.

As for the three trailing him, they were all burly with muscular builds, stern faces, and the look of men who were not to be trifled with.

As they walked, they were speaking loudly, their voices carried effortlessly to everyone’s ears by the river wind.

"Damn it, that lousy food stall’s dishes are only fit for pigs!" The well-off leader spat on the ground, cursing crudely, "I don’t know if those dishes were fried with tung oil, but if I end up with a stomachache tomorrow, I’ll turn that shop upside down!"

Hearing this, Hua Xiaomai thought to herself, Come on, cut it out—if it really were cooked with tung oil, you’d have thrown up everything you ate in the past two days right there and then. How could you still be standing here talking so calmly? Have some common sense, uncle, will you?

The burly man following him, though appearing fierce, replied in an exceedingly cautious and ingratiating manner with a smile, "It’s just a shabby stall in a village, not worth Shopkeeper Zhu getting angry over. We’re only staying for a day or two. Once our business is done, we’ll be heading straight back to the Provincial City, so please just bear with it for now."

People from the Provincial City?

For some reason, Hua Xiaomai felt a tinge of alertness stirring within her.

Pan Ping’an was conducting business in the Provincial City; could it be such a coincidence that these people were here for him?

But then again... on second thought, so that prosperous-looking man is just a shopkeeper? Tsk, tsk, with that attitude, if no one mentioned it, one would have thought some grand estate owner had graced us with his presence!

Shopkeeper Zhu glanced back at the talking man, rolled his eyes, and grumbled, "Have you guys made sure, that this stall really is by the riverbank? Are the dishes even palatable?"

"Yes, yes, yes." The man behind him became even more cautious, nodding and saying, "They say that in the whole Fire Knife Village, if you want to eat something decent, you can only come to the riverbank in the evening."

"Pah." Shopkeeper Zhu sneered mockingly and strode over this way.

Turned out... they were actually headed for her little stall? Hua Xiaomai bit her lip.

Having set up a stall to sell food, she understood that she couldn’t choose her customers, and with her cooking skills, dealing with these few should still be a cinch. So she stopped pondering and quietly pushed Luo Yuejiao towards the back of the stall, instructing her not to come out and speak randomly, while she herself went back to rolling dough and frying shrimp, busily enjoying the work.

Within moments, the four men approached the stall.

Shopkeeper Zhu, who seemed naturally to hold his nose high, scanned the stall disparagingly and said, "Is this the place? It looks so shabby, can there be anything decent to eat?"

Before he even commanded, a hulking man behind him stepped forward and lifted his chin at Hua Xiaomai, "Hey, what’s the best food here? Bah, a little stall like yours can’t be too fussy, I tell you, the price isn’t the problem, the most important thing is to keep the food clean and the taste, well, passable will do!"

Without waiting for him to finish, Qiao Xiong immediately "tsked" and showed an expression seemingly saying, "What a way to speak."

Hua Xiaomai hurriedly signaled him with her eyes and put on a smile, pointing to the wooden sign hanging in front of the stall: "We have noodles and wontons, various dishes can be made, just take a look yourself, sir, and if there’s anything you’d like, simply let me know."

True to form, Shopkeeper Zhu glanced at the signboard with impatience, "Ah, more of that greasy food, who can be bothered with that? It’s only you bumpkins who haven’t seen a glimmer of fat who crave a big lump of it in your bowls as the finest thing!"

Hua Xiaomai thought, If you don’t like it, thank you very much, and would you please leave quickly? Your loud hollering might be enjoyable for you, but I still have business to run!