PDLP Chapter 376 Hong Gang Plays Mischief Again
Chapter 376 Hong Gang Plays Mischief Again
The servant was somewhat uneasy.
"Tsk, can't you understand human language? Get over here right now."
Hong Gang stared wide-eyed, then let out a low, hoarse roar, and the servant hurriedly ran over.
"You're doing this..."
The servant leaned close to Hong Gang, thinking he was about to be scolded again.
Unexpectedly, as Hong Gang whispered, the servant's face grew paler and paler, his fingers unconsciously twisting the rag.
Hong Gang actually asked him to do such a treacherous thing.
However, he dared not offend her outwardly, saying, "This isn't quite right... Boss Xu, she..."
Using underhanded tricks behind people's backs will shorten your lifespan.
The servant hesitated, but Hong Gang didn't think so.
"Ok?"
Hong Gang let out a dangerous snort, and a greasy hand rose up and slapped the servant's cheek lightly, making an unpleasant "slap slap" sound.
"Are you the boss, or am I? You do exactly what I say! Do you understand?"
Hong Gang had a sinister look in his eyes; he didn't look like a good person at all.
"I...I understand."
The servant shrank back, not daring to argue any further, and responded softly before walking unsteadily out.
As he stepped out the door, he turned around to look at Afu, who was dozing off in the restaurant next door.
He silently prayed to himself: Mr. Xu, you... good luck to yourselves.
……
As the sun began to set and the clock struck late afternoon, the restaurant was brightly lit, and the lanterns were already lit one by one.
"Grandpa Lu, be careful, don't fall."
Sihai stood in the hall, looking up as Lao Lu's withered figure suddenly rose from the ground.
With a light touch of the pillars, he used the momentum to flip onto the roof, his tattered shirt fluttering in the twilight.
"Can't you wish me well for once?"
Old Lu snorted, "Even if you fall, I won't fall."
The man hung upside down under the eaves like an owl, his fingertips flicking a tinderbox that suddenly lit up.
The first lantern suddenly cast a warm glow, making the wrinkles on his face appear softer.
His figure flickered again, leaping three zhang across a narrow bracket set less than an inch wide. Wherever his sleeves swept, lanterns lit up one after another, like a red dragon awakening.
Aunt Zhao and Aunt Zhang, who were adding water to the teapot, gaped in astonishment, and Afu clapped his hands excitedly.
As the last lantern hanging atop the flagpole lit up, the old man landed gracefully, without even a ripped hem.
"Whose lanterns are so fancy and colorful?"
Aunt Zhao joked with a smile.
"How about it?"
Old Lu stroked his beard smugly, "Your master here has a whole host of skills!"
The old man coaxed, and Sihai, hands on his chubby hips, said in a childish voice, "Master is A-Yue, and you are my grandmaster!"
The child corrected him, and Lao Lu's eyebrows immediately furrowed.
"You silly girl, A-Yue, you're not my apprentice."
The old man muttered to himself.
"When I grow up, I can help my older sister light lanterns like this."
As soon as she finished speaking, Xu Yiyi lifted the curtain and came in, tossing out a piece of roasted meat: "It's hanging crookedly, hang it again."
He pointed with his finger.
The old man jumped up and down, cursing and swearing, but still managed to grab the meat and leap back onto the roof.
One of the lamps was indeed three inches to the right.
"It's a good thing the restaurant is always making money, otherwise you'd be lighting lanterns before dark every day, and we'd be struggling to afford the lamp oil every month."
Old Lu came down and joked with a smile.
Xu Yiyi placed the teapot on the table with both hands, saying, "I'll be too busy to do it later, so it doesn't matter if it's earlier or later."
The sea breeze, carrying cooking smoke, drifted over the dock. Fishermen finishing their work and boatmen unloading their cargo strolled in in twos and threes, familiarly pulling up stools to sit down.
"The usual, a spicy stir-fry, please."
Zhao Siming, the dark-faced fishing foreman, slammed the copper coins onto the table with his large hand. "Add an extra spoonful of chili oil today!"
Yesterday's was mildly spicy, which was delicious, but I felt it wasn't quite enough.
That's why I'm asking for extra chili oil today.
The waiter, Ah Fu, responded swiftly and placed the teapot on the table in a flash.
"Please have some tea first, sir. Please wait a moment while the dishes are ready."
Inside the kitchen, the fire roared, and the sound of Fatty Wang wielding his ladle made the food delivery chute creak. The spicy and fragrant aroma was so irresistible that not only the customers in the restaurant couldn't wait, but even passersby were tempted to swallow their saliva.
The neighboring Ruyi Residence was quite deserted, with only two or three guests sitting inside drinking.
Hong Gang stood at the door to greet guests as always, staring enviously at the packed lobby next door, his fingernails digging into his palms until they bled.
His jaw clenched so tightly it made a grinding sound.
[Xu Yiyi, I'll let you be smug for a few more days. Then we'll see how you're still laughing.]
"Big sister! I'm back."
A clear, crisp child's voice broke the noise.
San Chuan stepped over the threshold, his heavy book bag slung across his shoulder, and slipped through the crowd of diners like a little mudfish, with ink stains still on one corner of the bag.
Xu Yiyi was carrying out a plate of braised sea cucumber with scallions when she saw Sanchuan peeking in, so she casually stuffed a piece of fried fish bone into his mouth.
"School's out? How was your day?"
Xu Yiyi handed the vegetables to Xu Anyang and helped Sanchuan take off his book bag.
Goodness, it's getting heavier and heavier.
"I'm so happy! My husband even praised me today."
Sanchuan chattered on and on about what happened at school that day, and was then led back to the backyard by his older sister, who took his little hand in hers.
Wow! So much food!
Sanchuan's cat eyes widened as it stared at a stack of sieves covered in food.
Go wash your hands.
As Xu Yiyi spoke, she went to the kitchen and took out a wooden bowl, then put in some small silver fish, scallops, pork jerky, and some salted almonds.
"Eat something to fill your stomach first."
Xu Yiyi placed the wooden bowl on the stone table, and Sanchuan sat obediently in the chair.
As soon as she turned to leave, Lao Lu sneakily approached her.
"Sanchuan, give me a bite."
The old man had a hunched back, but his eyes were quite sharp.
His left eye was fixed on Xu Yiyi's back, but his right eye was glued to the bowl in Sanchuan's hand.
His throat bobbed up and down.
Sanchuan blinked, then suddenly grabbed the largest piece of pork jerky, stood up, and stuffed it into the old man's mouth.
The rich aroma of the juicy meat exploded on his teeth, and Lao Lu squinted his eyes in satisfaction, darting back to the food delivery area like a mouse that had stolen some oil.
Sanchuan covered his mouth and laughed as he watched this scene.
When Er'er returned from the clinic, she learned that all the food was prepared for her long trip.
"Second sister, you're so brave!"
Sanchuan held her small face, and all her words finally condensed into one sentence.
Er'er smiled and said, "If we're talking about bravery, the bravest person in our family is actually our eldest sister."
The little girl looked at the older woman cooking in the kitchen and felt a surge of gratitude.
Back then, if it weren't for the eldest sister standing up, these kids probably wouldn't be living the life they have today.
She learned medicine from her master, Sanchuan studied under Mr. Xiang, and Sihai even had two masters vying to take him as their disciple.
It's so beautiful, like a dream.
"I hope to learn more and more on this trip."
With that in mind, Er'er naturally forgot about being afraid of going on a long trip.
"You two hurry up and wash your hands and come eat."
Xu Yiyi, holding dishes in both hands, faced Er'er and Sanchuan, talking to them.
The restaurant is busy, so we eat dinner earlier.
The two children missed their chance to return.
"What are we eating today?"
Sanchuan shook the water off his hands and walked over, splashing water everywhere.
"Braised chicken with perilla and fermented black beans, pan-fried tofu, stewed pig's trotters, and stir-fried radish."
Although they live by the sea, Xu Yiyi doesn't let her children eat seafood every meal.
A monotonous diet is also bad for your health.
"Do you have porridge?"
Er'er brought over her bowl, but didn't really want to eat rice.
There's still some porridge left from lunch.
Xu Yiyi asked Sanchuan to get it, while she carried Wuyuan to the front.
As darkness fell, the restaurant closed early.