Chapter 973: Pork Rib Rice Cakes

Pork rib rice cakes are a rather old-school Shanghai snack, made by deep-frying and then braising pork ribs with small, thin rice cakes; they possess the rich aroma of the ribs alongside the soft, glutinous, yet crispy texture of the rice cakes, making them extremely delicious. The ribs boast a golden hue, a crispy surface, and tender meat. Upon entering the mouth, they are glutinous yet fragrant, with a slight sweet-and-spicy flavor, fresh and tender to the taste.

Miss Wang loved eating them; she often came to Xiang De Lai here on Yunnan Road, sitting by the window to enjoy a meal. Today, she had come again.

"Oh my, Miss Wang is here; didn't Boss Bao come along today?"

"We're both busy; I'm still the same as always, Boss."

At this time, Miss Wang already had permed hair, wore square-framed glasses, donned a woolen coat, and carried a crossbody bag; in this era, she was a person at the forefront of fashion. Having come here for many years, she was familiar with the boss, her attitude casual and natural yet revealing a sense of closeness.

After exchanging greetings, she noticed that someone was already seated at the window spot in the small shop, with a pile of pork ribs and a bottle of Moutai liquor before them. That person had long hair down their back, wore a pullover sweater, army-green trousers, and cloth shoes. Their entire outfit, paired with that bottle of Moutai, seemed extremely mismatched.

Seeing him smile and nod at her, Miss Wang smiled in return and sat down one seat away.

Wang Yan asked with a smile: "Just now I heard the boss mention Boss Bao; I wonder if you were talking about Ah Bao from Caojiadu?"

Miss Wang, who was wiping her eyes with a cloth, couldn't help but turn her head: "You know him?"

"I do; Stamp Li, Little Ningbo, Tao Tao, and the like—I know them all."

"How come he never mentioned you?"

"My name is Wang Yan; I've only been in Shanghai for a month and a half, living over on Jinxian Road..."

"Oh~" Before Wang Yan could continue, Miss Wang's face showed complete understanding, "Night Tokyo, right?"

"I've never seen you before; may I ask how to address you?"

"Wang Mingzhu; I work in the Garment Section at Bureau 27. There's quite a lot of work, so I've always wanted to visit but never had the time. Let me tell you, actually, it was because of me that Seeing Seeing Lingzi got to know Boss Bao. The year before last, Boss Bao had a foreign trade order, but the production machinery wasn't working, so he needed to buy some from Japan."

"I, with good intentions, messed things up; I wanted to compare prices among three suppliers to get it cheaper, but as a result, those damn Japanese refused to sell to us. Fortunately, Boss Bao knew someone named Yamamoto; he rushed to Tokyo to make contact, and that's how he met Seeing Seeing Lingzi."

Miss Wang was quite lively, talked a lot, and was rather self-centered. This was normal; at Bureau 27, those seeking favors were either wealthy individuals or factory directors from various state-owned enterprises, each wielding considerable authority in their own little domain, yet upon arriving at Bureau 27, they all had to put on smiling faces. After such a long time, combined with her inherent personality traits, being somewhat self-centered was perfectly normal.

"Oh, so Miss Wang is from the Foreign Trade Bureau; please give me your care and support in the future."

"You're also in foreign trade?" Miss Wang asked, very puzzled. Dressing relatively shabbily yet with permed hair, eating a huge pile of meat, and drinking Moutai was already contradictory enough; now claiming a connection to foreign trade made it impossible for her to understand.

Wang Yan shook his head with a smile: "I'm not, but I could be. A while ago, Boss Bao asked me what I planned to do next; I said it boils down to clothing, food, shelter, and transportation, though I haven't made up my mind yet. How about I open a garment factory and engage in foreign trade to earn US dollars? What do you think?"

"Not great. The competition in the garment factory sector is fierce, yet the investment required is not small; it's not something one can just start doing on a whim. I suggest you first walk around Bureau 27, take a look, and clear your head before saying anything else. Also, I work at Bureau 27 serving the state, not serving you; just because you come to me doesn't mean I'll handle things for you—I cannot provide special favors. Even knowing Boss Bao won't help; this is a matter of principle."

"Miss Wang is truly straightforward and speaks her mind."

"Didn't you say you live on Jinxian Road? How did you end up over here?"

"I am..."

"Wang Laoban naturally came here to do business; Miss Wang, you probably don't know yet, but nowadays the most popular trend in Shanghai is eating barbecue and roasted meat, and this wave was all started by Wang Laoban. Now, Miss Wang is a regular customer; our shop is launching a new product, Salt-and-Pepper Pork Rib Rice Cakes, and the seasoning for this is supplied by Wang Laoban."

Wang Yan offered a friendly smile to the shop owner; this boss understood human relations and worldly wisdom.

"So impressive?"

"Miss Wang judged by appearances; that's not good."

Miss Wang chuckled, expressing her apology, then picked up a rib and took a bite, immediately giving Wang Yan a thumbs-up: "Delicious."

"Have you eaten? Did your taste buds experience it? I don't blame you, Miss Wang." Wang Yan shook his head amusedly, "When eating meat, one must drink alcohol; would Miss Wang like some?"

"Just a little bit."

Miss Wang pinched her thumb and forefinger together; combined with her frizzy hair and large square-framed glasses, she possessed a kind of charming innocence.

Wang Yan asked for a cup and poured one liang of liquor for Miss Wang. At this moment, Miss Wang truly tasted the rib dipped in barbecue seasoning and asked in surprise: "The flavor is indeed quite good; did you make this?"

"It's a family recipe; is it acceptable?"

"More than acceptable." Miss Wang raised her wine glass, "Here's to you; I didn't mean it. It's just that people..."

"It's just that nowadays all the big bosses wear suits and leather shoes, carry briefcases under their arms, and hold big brother mobile phones in their hands."

"Yes, exactly; since you make it so delicious, you must be making a lot of money, right? So how come you..."

"Making money also requires work; this is my secret recipe, and I don't feel safe handing it over to others. If it leaks out, how can I continue to make money?"

"Hey, Miss Wang, I'll vouch for Wang Laoban. One packet of his seasoning sells for ten yuan; people say Wang Laoban can earn several million a year."

"It's not that exaggerated; if I really earned several million, that would be wonderful." Wang Yan clinked his glass with Miss Wang's and said with a smile, "By then, I'll ask Boss Bao to introduce me to his tailor, and I too will be a big boss in a suit and leather shoes."

Miss Wang smiled, took a sip with Wang Yan, and then began eating the pork rib rice cakes with relish.

"Do you love eating pork rib rice cakes?"

Wang Yan said with a smile: "The texture is quite nice, and the boss's craftsmanship is good too; occasionally having a meal like this should be very comfortable. Speaking of coincidences, Miss Wang, today is my first time eating them, and I happened to meet you right here."

Miss Wang nodded with a smile: "I really love eating pork rib rice cakes. Seven days a week, I eat them for three meals."

"No one takes better care of our business than Miss Wang," the boss beside them interjected at the right moment.

"Your family's craftsmanship is good."

Their exchange went well; mainly, Miss Wang was asking questions, learning about Wang Yan's family, how he came to Shanghai, and how he thought of making barbecue seasoning. The pork rib rice cake boss beside them, extremely sharp-witted, began boasting to Wang Yan about his famous battle on Huanghe Road.

The fight that happened earlier had not yet faded from memory. There was no way around it; as long as people ate barbecue or roasted meat, they needed the seasoning supplied by Wang Yan, inevitably recalling the previous incident.

Originally, it was merely that Wang Yan was somewhat skilled in fighting, taking down more than ten people single-handedly; the proprietress of Jin Jin Meilin paid ten thousand yuan and was the first to accept the barbecue seasoning as a settlement, so it wasn't a major issue. However, because the proprietress of Jin Jin Meilin had operated here for many years and possessed some influence, and Du Du Honggen was a rather notorious hooligan, Wang Yan stepping on them to rise to prominence made him appear highly capable.

Thus, combined with hearsay and rumors spreading falsehoods, an ordinary incident had, by today, transformed into a legend of Wang Yan as a fierce dragon crossing the river, becoming ever more legendary.

This pork rib rice cake boss claiming that Wang Laoban earned several million a year was clear proof of how the story grew larger with each telling. Actually, this was understandable; this was an era of turbulent changes, and also an exaggerated era. Whether the government or the people, relatively speaking, were all more unrestrained. That was the tide of the times, rolling up magnificent waves.

"Wang Laoban, goodbye." Miss Wang stood by the roadside, waving to Wang Yan. The neon lights along the road reflected upon her smiling face.

Wang Yan, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth and riding a tricycle, turned back and asked: "Do you need me to give you a ride back?"

"No need, no need; I'll just take a taxi."

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Wang Laoban."

Without looking back, Wang Yan waved with the hand holding his extinguished cigarette and headed back toward Jinxian Road.

Miss Wang also hailed a taxi; as the cab passed Wang Yan pedaling his tricycle, she couldn't help but glance at him, pedaling with such contentment, and shook her head with an amused smile...

Since adopting machinery, the shop's productivity had increased significantly; it was no longer like before, requiring work from around eight in the morning until nine or ten at night. The shop's limited space, due to the presence of two machines and the accumulation of various raw materials and finished products, now offered little room to even put one's feet down.

When Wang Yan returned, only Little Jinbao's mother remained in the shop; although it was night, business hadn't ceased, and there were still quite a few people rushing over to buy some. Borrowing the light, she sat on a small stool, reading a book to pass the time.

Hearing the commotion, she looked up and said, "You're back, Wang Laoban."

"Where's Little Fatty?"

"He's at home doing homework," she said. "Not long after you left, Boss Lady Jin Jin Meilin called, saying she'd like to invite you to dinner at Jin Jin Meilin tomorrow night at six-thirty."

Wang Yan smiled and nodded, pulled out a Huazi cigarette, lit it, and asked, "Do you think you're reliable?"

Jin Bao's mother didn't understand Wang Yan's sudden question, but after a moment's hesitation, she said, "I haven't secretly taken any of your money."

Seeing her nervous expression, Wang Yan laughed, pulled a piece of paper from his pocket, and handed it over: "Here's a chance to get rich. This is the recipe for the barbecue seasoning; the ratios are all clearly written."

"I won't be making it anymore; I'll leave the mixing to you. I know giving you too much might scare you, so I'll give you half a percent of the profits. That means if monthly sales hit a hundred thousand, you'll get five thousand. As for selling the recipe, you should be able to do the math on that yourself without me saying more."

"Once I have more spare cash, it'll be up to you how you want to develop. For instance, you could open a factory and produce things like soy sauce, vinegar, or MSG. At that point, you'd be the general manager, and I'd give you even more shares."

"To be honest, you can't make a fortune relying solely on this recipe. If you don't want others to know, the only way is to do what I've been doing: mix it yourself every single day. Now that I've handed it over to you, there's an added risk of leakage. And if you ever want to pull out later, you'll definitely have to tell someone else, which adds yet another layer of risk."

"If some smart person finds out from our ingredient suppliers what we bought and how much, then bribes the other two workers to weigh the remaining amounts of each item, they could gradually deduce the recipe. Keeping it secret long-term is basically impossible."

"Now I've given it to you; it depends on whether you have the vision, the boldness, and the fortune in your destiny."

"Wang Laoban, this... this..."

"This what? You're not good-looking, so do you think I'm after your Little Fatty? We just get along, and you're steady and hardworking, so I'm giving you a chance to turn your life around."

"If you can't turn it around, then you truly lack the fate for it; just take good care of Little Fatty. Reading and studying is good; read more in the future. Also, keep the accounts properly; we need to pay taxes. I'll find an accountant to come over later; the rest is up to you."

Wang Yan waved his hand, said no more to let her adapt on her own, turned around, and smiled as he watched Teacher Ge slowly approaching.

"You've already eaten outside?" Teacher Ge said as he drew near. "Since you weren't here, I didn't have the nerve to drink the wine you stored at Night Tokyo."

"What's the big deal? Go ahead and drink it."

"Well, since you said so, to be honest, I did drink two liang."

Wang Yan shook his head with amusement: "Then why tell me you didn't have the nerve?"

"I knew you wouldn't stop me; I was just checking if you had a conscience." Teacher Ge didn't dwell on the topic and changed the subject: "I heard Jin Jin Meilin is inviting you to dinner tomorrow night?"

Seeing Wang Yan look over, Jin Bao's mother said, "Teacher Ge was here helping collect money when the call came."

"Let me tell you, Little Northeast, this is a Hongmen Banquet. I don't even need to think to know: Du Du Honggen lost face and wants to get it back. By then, it'll be just you against dozens of them; you can't possibly win, can you? I advise you best not to go."

"The more people Du Du Honggen and Lu Jin Meilin gather to fight me, the more face they lose. Besides, if they really wanted to fight, they should ambush me halfway, not invite me to dinner at Jin Jin Meilin. Teacher Ge, you need to keep your brain turning often, or you might risk developing dementia."

"You're the one with dementia."

Wang Yan didn't argue with him and countered, "Are you going or not? Jin Jin Meilin is a major restaurant on Huanghe Road; only Golden Phoenix and Red Egret do better business than them. The food and wine should be quite good."

"They invited you, not me; what would I go there for? You're young and quick on your feet; if talk turns sour and a fight breaks out, you could run, but wouldn't I get beaten to death? I haven't spent my coffin money yet, and if I die, the old lady will scold me when I meet her down below."

Wang Yan shook his head with amusement, said no more, told Jin Bao's mother to close the shop early and go home, then returned to the house with Teacher Ge...

Du Du Honggen was, by any measure, a hooligan, but he was a smart one. He didn't actually attempt an ambush as Wang Yan had suggested. After all, the only ways to deal with Wang Yan were to kill him outright or cripple him. But Wang Yan's combat prowess was evident to all: he could easily take on more than ten men and still have energy left. How many people would Du Du Honggen need to gather to kill Wang Yan?

The public order of today certainly couldn't compare to that of several decades later, but the iron fist of the people's democratic dictatorship remained the same. This was a time for boosting the economy and development; while petty thieves snatching and stealing in such a vast city were indeed hard to handle, hooligan gangs were unacceptable, especially here in Shanghai.

Such a retaliatory action undoubtedly required secrecy; the fewer participants, the more elite and reliable they needed to be. If dozens gathered to trouble Wang Yan, strolling conspicuously down the street, the police would send them to tread sewing machines. If too few went, they couldn't overpower Wang Yan. Trying to run him over with a car might not even work. It was quite awkward.

However, because the previous incident had spread ever wider, making life very difficult for both Du Du Honggen and Lu Jin Meilin, this was precisely why they wanted to invite Wang Yan to dinner.

They needed to prove that everyone was reasonable, that grudges could be settled with a laugh. Although they had still lost face, they could at least preserve some dignity. As time passed, the matter would become nothing more than a laughing stock. Otherwise, if in the future people mentioned it and truly laughed at Du Du Honggen and Lu Jin Meilin, that would be a massive loss of face...

"Long time no see, Wang Dage," Liu Jingxiu said happily, poking his head out of the window to greet Wang Yan.

Wang Yan pedaled the tricycle over: "Business has been good lately, hasn't it?"

"Same old, so-so. But you, Wang Dage, it's not great for you to be delivering goods personally now; rumors say you've made several million selling seasoning."

"Several million is truly a rumor; several hundred thousand, however, is accurate."

"That still makes you a millionaire; pedaling a tricycle to deliver goods isn't proper. You should be like those big bosses: dressed in a Western suit and leather shoes, carrying a leather briefcase under one arm, holding a brick phone in the other hand, and buying a car. That's what a real boss looks like, Wang Dage."

"Then I'm still poor; I have a long way to go before becoming a big boss."

Liu Jingxiu laughed heartily; he greatly appreciated Wang Yan's natural demeanor. To put it bluntly, there were certainly many people on Huanghe Road richer than Wang Yan, but most were inferior to him; yet many of them trembled excessively, always looking down their noses at others.

He asked, "Wang Dage, since you're delivering goods today, are you mainly coming to eat at Jin Jin Meilin?"

"You've heard about it?"

"I knew long ago; a waiter at Jin Jin Meilin let it slip yesterday. But since we hadn't heard your response, many were waiting to see them make fools of themselves; we just didn't expect Wang Dage to actually show up."

"Do you think I should have come?"

Liu Jingxiu thought for a moment, then smiled: "You should! Better to avoid trouble than invite it; harmony breeds wealth. There's no deep-seated hatred here; by giving them face, people will say Wang Dage is magnanimous, which will make doing business easier in the future."

"My thinking is simpler: they gave me ten thousand yuan as a settlement fee, so that already means we're settled. Now they're treating me to a big meal for free, and I have goods to deliver anyway, so I might as well eat them out of house and home."

"Oh my, Wang Laoban, you really came!"

Wang Yan turned to look at Tao Tao, who had sidled over: "Tao Tao, what are you doing here?"

"Red Egret sold through its seafood quickly today; the morning delivery wasn't enough, so they sent me to bring more. I've heard that Du Du Honggen and Lu Jin Meilin are inviting you to dinner. Let me tell you, you shouldn't go. If you do, won't they be trampling on your face?"

"What face do I have?"

"Oh my, you're a boss worth several hundred thousand, aren't you? Of course you have face. Besides, they were the ones who bullied people first; they just didn't expect to run into someone as tough as you. If it were anyone else, they'd be bullied to death; the recipe wouldn't be safe, the person wouldn't be safe, and they'd inevitably suffer a severe beating."

"You speak beautifully; I might have to look at you with new respect, Tao Zong."

Tao Tao chuckled; he especially liked it when Wang Yan called him Tao Zong. Others couldn't do it because they weren't as rich as Wang Yan. He said, "So, are you still going?"

"Since I'm already here, how could I not go? Hearing you talk about Jin Jin Meilin, did they not order seafood from you?"

"They get it from another supplier; they're actually relatives."

Wang Yan nodded, then asked, "Have you eaten dinner?"

"Of course not; I was just planning to go to Night Tokyo when I saw you here, so I came over to persuade you."

"Then let's go; you can help me deliver the goods, and we'll go together to Jin Jin Meilin for a hearty meal. Who knows, after this meal, Jin Jin Meilin might have you deliver their seafood from now on."

"Ah? Um... Wang Laoban, I'd better not go; they invited you, not me; that wouldn't be proper."

"Scared?"

"Nonsense; I, Tao Tao, have the biggest courage of all."

"But earlier you said that you, Tao Tao, were the most righteous of all," Wang Yan said with a smile as he looked at him.

"Fine, I'll go; it's no big deal. Let's go deliver the goods now." Tao Tao turned to walk out beyond Huanghe Road, but after a few steps, he glanced back at the smiling Wang Yan, stopped, and walked back. "Aiya, look at me; I'm so hungry I've lost my senses. It's this way."

"Let's go, Liu Jingxiu."

"Take care, Wang Dage." Liu Jingxiu waved her hand, watching Wang Yan pedal his tricycle toward Jin Jin Meilin, with Tao Tao trailing alongside, chattering incessantly about something...

Of course, Tao Tao had been trying to dissuade Wang Yan from going so that he himself wouldn't have to act righteous. His earlier return had been prompted by the realization that if he went back and Wang Yan mentioned this incident, he, Tao Tao, would lose all face and be mocked to death.

Unfortunately, despite his silver tongue, Wang Yan did not change his mind...

"Wang Laoban, welcome to our Jin Jin Meilin. Let me introduce you: this is Du Du Honggen, and this is Wang Laoban."

Lu Jin Meilin and Du Du Honggen had stepped out of Jin Jin Meilin's entrance to greet them, lowering their posture and giving ample face. Of course, they had no real posture to lower; they came out to greet merely so that others would see harmony.

On the contrary, it was Wang Yan who was giving them face; he smiled warmly as he shook hands with Du Du Honggen, exchanging greetings.

Du Du Honggen wore the same Western-style suit and leather shoes, his hair slicked back neatly, looking very spirited. He already appeared exactly as he would in later scenes: one leg lame, supporting himself with a cane. Indeed, the lame-legged Du Du Honggen seemed more 'dangerous' than the able-bodied Du Du Honggen. After all, as a hooligan, a lame leg added a certain narrative weight.

Just like Tao Tao, who, based on a jumble of rumors and his immediate impressions, had fabricated an image of Du Du Honggen the petty hooligan as fierce and imposing, had now lost all the righteous indignation he showed when trying to dissuade Wang Yan; when shaking hands with Du Du Honggen, he bowed and scraped shamefully.

"You two, I hope it's no problem that I brought Tao Tao along?"

"Of course not; everyone knows Tao Tao. Welcome, welcome. Let's go inside and talk; please, come in. And make sure someone keeps an eye on Wang Laoban's tricycle." Lu Jin Meilin's fat face bloomed into a smile, yet she did not forget to instruct her staff to watch over Wang Yan's tricycle.

Thus they proceeded inside, ascending to a private room upstairs where they took their seats. Lu Jin Meilin called out for the waiters to serve dishes, personally poured tea for Wang Yan and Tao Tao, while Du Du Honggen offered Huazi cigarettes to both Wang Yan and Tao Tao.

"Thank you, Wang Laoban, for honoring us with your presence," Du Du Honggen said, smoking as he spoke cheerfully to Wang Yan.

"Not at all. I accepted the settlement fee, which means we've settled the matter. Today you kindly invited me to dinner; why would I refuse a free meal? Of course I came. Don't laugh, but in the nearly two months I've been in Shanghai, I've only ever eaten at small restaurants or cooked at home; this is my first time visiting Jin Jin Meilin, a restaurant famous throughout all of Shanghai."

"Eat whatever you like; help yourself to anything," Lu Jin Meilin said with a smile. "If you ask me, Wang Laoban is simply too low-key. Who in all of Shanghai doesn't know that Wang Laoban has made a fortune? Yet you still pedal a tricycle to make deliveries yourself; most people wouldn't be willing to do that."

Wang Yan waved his hand, declining to elaborate further, and turned to Du Du Honggen: "I'm rather curious; how did Boss Du break his leg? Would it be convenient to tell me?"

"Young and foolish; it was inevitable."

This sounded less like an explanation for his lame leg and more like a mockery of Wang Yan himself. Wang Yan laughed, glanced at Lu Jin Meilin, and then asked with a smile: "What business is Boss Du in now?"

"Nothing major; I just opened a karaoke bar."

"I've heard of those; they seem very common in Beijing, and probably numerous here as well. I believe they were introduced from Japan; the investment must be considerable, yes?"

"The equipment is indeed not cheap." After casually responding, Du Du Honggen turned to the main matter: "Wang Laoban, the reason we invited you today is to express our apologies."

"There's no need for that," Wang Yan said, taking a puff of his Huazi cigarette and smiling. "As I said earlier, once the settlement fee is accepted, the matter is settled. You inviting me to dinner is merely to show the outside world that we fought and thus became acquainted, that our relationship is quite good; I understand all of this."

"Wang Laoban is straightforward; let me apologize..."

"No need. Before I came, do you know what Tao Tao told me?"

With Tao Tao wearing an expression as if he were about to die, Wang Yan opened his mouth with a smile: "He said that you were the ones bullying others first, but unfortunately you ran into someone tough like me. If anyone else had come, wouldn't they have been bullied to death by you? The recipe certainly wouldn't have been protected, and the person might not even remain safe; they would undoubtedly suffer a severe beating. They might even end up like you, Boss Du, becoming a lame cripple. That phrase 'lame cripple' was my words, not Tao Tao's."

"Wang Laoban, I come with good intentions," Du Du Honggen said, narrowing his eyes and twitching his face slightly to appear more intimidating. Of course, his facial twitching was not under his own control; it was caused by Wang Yan's remark about a 'lame cripple'.

"I also come with good intentions, but I am a straightforward person who always speaks the truth. You wanted to snatch my recipe but failed, losing face instead. Having already done the deed, you now fear others' talk, so you invite me to dinner, hoping to borrow my face to recover your own. Do you think that appropriate?

Originally, I was unwilling to say these things, lest I disrupt this harmonious atmosphere. Everyone could have just muddled through, eaten, drunk, and let the matter pass. But since you insist on making everything explicit, and since all words must be spoken plainly, they will inevitably sound unpleasant. I actually admire the proprietress's approach; she paid money readily. It's normal for a man to care about face. But when operating in this world, one cannot care too much about face. Don't you agree, Boss Du?"

Tao Tao stood aside, his eyes wide with terror, his heart pounding wildly; he felt that everything was finished...

"Wang Laoban, Wang Laoban, ultimately this matter is my fault," Lu Jin Meilin said quickly, speaking soothing words as she saw Du Du Honggen grinding his teeth in fury. This was no longer normal business competition; if things escalated, it would be difficult to conclude properly.

She said: "It was I who wanted your barbecue seasoning recipe, but I failed to recognize Taishan, leading to a misunderstanding. Today, inviting you, Wang Laoban, here is solely to further resolve this misunderstanding. It is truly not as you described, that we trampled on your face to recover our own. Wang Laoban, please do not overthink it. Let us drink some old wine, and everything will be fine; harmony brings wealth, harmony brings wealth."

"In my opinion, when operating in this world, one has only one face and only one life. Don't you agree?"

Under Tao Tao's even more terrified gaze, Du Du Honggen slowly drew a black pistol, smiling cheerfully as he pointed it at Wang Yan.

Gun control had undergone several phases, with various measures implemented step by step; comprehensive prohibition was enacted in 1996. In fact, civilian firearm ownership remained substantial. Even decades later, tens of thousands of guns and hundreds of tons of explosives were confiscated annually. For a person with hooligan attributes, during this period of relatively lax gun control, it was not surprising that Du Du Honggen possessed a firearm.

Wang Yan also laughed, saying: "The safety isn't off."

Du Du Honggen paused for a moment; just as he was about to disengage the safety, Wang Yan threw the teacup in his hand, striking the gun directly and knocking it onto the rotating tray of the table. Before Du Du Honggen's cry of pain had even subsided, he panicked and rose, attempting to retrieve the pistol. However, the tray spun, and the gun slid right in front of Wang Yan.

Under Du Du Honggen's horrified gaze, amidst Tao Tao's cowering yet strangely relieved demeanor, and with Lu Jin Meilin suppressing her impulse to grab the gun while staring with wide eyes, Wang Yan flicked the cigarette butt in his hand onto Du Du Honggen's forehead, then slowly picked up the pistol.

The closed private room was utterly silent, save for the sound of Wang Yan handling the pistol. He removed the magazine, observed the fully loaded golden bullets, then checked that there was no round in the chamber; accordingly, he racked the slide to chamber a round, pointed it at the stunned Du Du Honggen, and slowly pulled the trigger.

"Click."

The crisp sound of the pistol was clearly audible in the silent private room, causing Du Du Honggen to flinch involuntarily.

"No courage, no magnanimity, bullying the weak and fearing the strong, yet pretending to be a hooligan and acting tough?"

"Wang Laoban, it's a misunderstanding; it's all a misunderstanding!" Lu Jin Meilin came to her senses and quickly spoke out, trembling.

"Ah, yes, yes, yes; Wang Laoban, please don't act impulsively," Tao Tao also reacted, his voice equally trembling.

"Just now when he pointed the gun at me, you didn't call it a misunderstanding. Now that the gun is in my hands, it suddenly becomes a misunderstanding?"

At this moment, Du Du Honggen had regained his composure; he said: "What do you want?"

"At least now you're acting like a man," Wang Yan said with a smile as he looked at him. "Decide: do you want money, or do you want your legs?"

"What do you mean?" Du Du Honggen took a deep breath and said in a low voice.

"If you choose money, I will break your already broken leg again, and break your good leg to match it. If you're lucky, you'll walk with two crutches. If you're unlucky, you'll be in a wheelchair."

At this point, Lu Jin Meilin interjected: "Wang Laoban, name your price."

"Just before coming here, I heard Liu Jingxiu say that big bosses nowadays carry a briefcase under one arm, hold a brick phone in the other hand, wear Western suits and leather shoes, and drive small sedans. Proprietress, you also said that I am now a boss, but I still lack certain things."

Du Du Honggen nodded: "No problem. A brand-new Santana, absolutely legitimate origin, all documentation complete. Once I've arranged it, I'll deliver it to you along with the brick phone."

"Now you're being much more straightforward; also, arrange a driver's license for me." Wang Yan nodded satisfactorily, then turned to Lu Jin Meilin: "From now on, let Manager Tao handle the seafood deliveries for your establishment."

"Agreed," Lu Jin Meilin answered without hesitation.

Wang Yan smiled cheerfully, snapped the magazine back into the pistol, and casually tossed it to Du Du Honggen.

The latter caught the pistol in panic, his hands trembling slightly—a sign of relief at having survived. He asked: "Aren't you afraid that I might again..."

"Then I will break all five of your limbs, and you will rot in bed." Glancing at him, Wang Yan stood up. "Proprietress, let's change to another room; since we agreed to come for a meal, we should at least eat one. Manager Tao has a very tight mouth; after this meal today, we will all be harmonious, and others won't mock you so much anymore. Everyone will be happy."

"Yes, yes, yes; who doesn't know that I, Tao Tao, have the tightest mouth?"

Lu Jin Meilin also smelled the urine odor that had begun to dissipate; she glanced at Tao Tao, then turned to Wang Yan with a brilliant smile, preparing to lead them to the adjacent private room.

"Wang Laoban, give me a hand; my legs have gone soft." Tao Tao forced a faint smile at Wang Yan.

"No need to trouble Wang Laoban; I'll do it."

It was Du Hong Zhixiang Genyi, limping over to prop up Tao Tao.

Tao Tao's smile grew even more forced...