Chapter 31: Borrow money?

As noon approached, the flow of people increased.

Around Jiang Cheng's stall, it was even more crowded with people.

Seeing two stoves set up on the cart, the crowd began to chatter.

Actually, this was expected, after all, many people hadn't been able to buy any in the past two days.

But seeing Jiang Cheng expand his scale, everyone still felt a bit envious.

The two batches of sweet potatoes sold out quickly, and the area around the stall gradually returned to calm.

Jiang Cheng quickly placed the raw sweet potatoes on, and then threw one or two pieces of charcoal into each bucket.

Next, he had to wait another forty to fifty minutes.

However, Jiang Cheng's face was filled with a smile.

Those two batches of sweet potatoes just sold for 120 yuan directly; if he can keep this momentum, making over a thousand a day is no dream.

However, he also noticed the envious glances from the nearby vendors.

Jiang Cheng didn't think much of it.

After all, he was selling roasted sweet potatoes, while those nearby vendors sold other things, so there was no conflict.

Moreover, the gathered crowd could also boost business for those around.

But what he didn't expect was that not long after, a middle-aged man in his forties, about 1.7 meters tall, walked over with a fawning smile, saying, "Little Jiang, your business has been good lately? You opened another stove today, made quite a bit of money, right?"

Jiang Cheng's smile froze.

He had a slight impression of the middle-aged man before him, who sold stinky tofu just over ten meters away.

He felt a hint of wariness and deliberately changed the subject: "Oh, it's Uncle Xu, would you like to try a roasted sweet potato? It's very sweet."

"Ah, Little Jiang, Uncle Xu also really wants to buy your roasted sweet potato, but I have no money on me." Xu Hai sighed.

Jiang Cheng realized something.

He didn't continue speaking.

Seeing this, Xu Hai put on a bitter face: "Little Jiang, Uncle Xu doesn't usually ask for help, but now I really have no choice—business is bad, the little money I earned was even stolen, and now I can barely afford tofu. Little Jiang, could you lend me a few hundred? Help Uncle Xu out in an emergency."

Toward the end, he deliberately lowered his voice and glanced around.

Although Jiang Cheng had anticipated this in his heart, hearing it spoken aloud still gave him a headache.

He and Uncle Xu were merely nodding acquaintances, after all, everyone set up stalls nearby, seeing each other without really seeing, over time you'd know each other's names.

How could such a relationship let him feel safe lending money? "Uncle Xu, I'd also like to lend you money, but I really don't have much on me."

"Impossible!"

Xu Hai widened his eyes; he had seen Jiang Cheng's stall situation these past two or three days, and today he even added another stove—any fool could tell Jiang Cheng was making money.

"Uncle Xu, you should also know that I had a high fever a few days ago, right?"

"Ah?"

Xu Hai first froze, then quickly nodded, "I know, and I was still wondering why your grandmother was manning the stall; after asking, I found out you had a high fever. Fortunately, good deeds are rewarded—Little Jiang, you're safe and sound."

When he said "good deeds are rewarded," he deliberately emphasized the tone.

Little did he know, when he uttered that "ah," Jiang Cheng's heart had already hardened.

This person didn't even know that the original body had a fever, yet he had the nerve to come borrow money, opening with a demand for a few hundred—truly treating himself as a fool with money to spare.

However, he also had no intention of exposing him publicly, which would make everyone lose face.

So he let out a heavy sigh: "Uncle Xu, you only know one side, not the other—during those three days of my high fever, I ran to the clinic every day; each visit cost over a thousand, totaling more than three thousand, and that was only after borrowing money from others to pay."

Moreover, in just a few days it'll be month-end, when the stall fee and management fee are due; together that's four or five thousand. Uncle Xu, frankly, if you borrow money from me, I still need to borrow from others myself.

Upon hearing this, Xu Hai chuckled: "Little Jiang, are you joking with Uncle Xu? How could a cold fever cost so much? Uncle Xu is older, he can't afford to joke like you young people." "Uncle Xu, I'm really not joking."

Jiang Cheng's face turned stern.

"A mere cold fever? Even the original body's visit to the clinic was useless."

Xu Hai looked around, then whispered, "Little Jiang, why not lend Uncle Xu two or three hundred for an emergency? You surely have that much on you—since you set up your stall, waves of people have come."

Jiang Cheng shook his head and stopped looking at him.

"Little Jiang, Uncle Xu begs you, just lend Uncle Xu two or three hundred."

"If that's really impossible, even a hundred would do; Uncle Xu guarantees he'll pay you back the moment he has money."

"Little Jiang, how can you be so heartless? We've known each other for years—you won't even help with this small favor?"

Seeing Jiang Cheng ignore him, Xu Hai stomped his foot hard, pointing at Jiang Cheng: "Fine, I've seen through you—you won't even lend a hundred; go ahead, you've got guts!"

Having said that, he stormed back angrily.

"Jiang Cheng, that guy came to borrow money from you?"

Lu Zicheng beside him asked quietly.

"No."

Jiang Cheng shook his head.

"?"

Lu Zicheng blinked.

But just now he heard it clearly—it was definitely to borrow money, right?

How could Jiang Cheng say no? "He came to steal money."

Jiang Cheng glanced at him and said calmly.

"Stealing money..."

Lu Zicheng was speechless.

Upon further thought, that possibility really does exist.

Jiang Cheng's business these past few days is obvious to all; even he feels envious, let alone others.

But after seeing Jiang Cheng's attitude, he silently put away the thought of borrowing money in his heart.

Not far away, Xu Hai gathered with a few stall owners, his face flushed, pointing here while spitting furiously.

The people beside him also wore looks of righteous anger, and one could vaguely hear them calling Jiang Cheng selfish and heartless.

Jiang Cheng pretended not to hear.

First, he indeed lacked money; it would be best to raise five thousand yuan at once and open a Senior Member at the Flying Eagle Martial Arts Hall.

If that's impossible, opening an Ordinary Member as an emergency would suffice, so he wouldn't have to worry about running into those thugs linked to the Wild Wolf Gang.

Second, the avenue for borrowing money must not be opened.

Once that avenue is opened, even if he lends only a hundred, then surely every few days someone will come asking to borrow.

If he doesn't lend, those people will say, "You lent to so‑and‑so, why not lend to us?"

Finally, and most importantly, they simply have no right to have him lend them money.

If it were Chen Sao in trouble, not even a hundred—let alone a thousand—he would guarantee to lend it without blinking an eye.

But these people are merely acquaintances; even if he sympathizes with the crowd's situation, prioritizing his own interests comes first.

The facts also show that after failing to get money, the other side's ugly side emerges, almost pointing at his nose and shouting profanities.

(End of chapter)