Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Successful Move. All Hail Mother. Uncle Niu Plays the Rogue.

He shook his head, pushing the strange thoughts away.

Jiang Liu stood at the door and announced the opening.

"The shop is now open! Everyone, please form an orderly queue. If you’re dining in, come on in. If you’re getting takeout, please hold your place in line and don’t crowd together."

"Yeah, yeah, we get it! Cut the chatter and get my takeout ready!"

"Fuck, it’s finally open! I’m so excited."

"Me too."

"This food is the only thing I look forward to every day now. When I get paid next month, I’m definitely getting a whole plate of wild tuna to try. My friend brought me a slice last time, and it was so fucking good!"

The customers chattered excitedly.

In the line, Zheng Qiang, with his shiny, bald head, was also among them.

After tasting Jiang Liu’s food, he had, unsurprisingly, become a fan.

There was no use being stubborn.

All his previous disdain vanished under the temptation of the food.

All that remained was admiration for Jiang Liu.

’To think I actually tried to compete with Jiang Liu.’ Zheng Qiang thought, finding himself laughable.

He had since changed careers and become a security guard. It was easy and stress-free.

Four thousand a month with room and board included was much better than selling a dozen or so bowls of knife-cut noodles a day just to work for his landlord.

"Boss Jiang, give me ten shrimp buns, five fennel buns, and a bottle of juice!"

"Alright, one moment."

"Brother Jiang, how many tuna portions today?"

"Thirty."

"That few? Think I still have a chance?"

Jiang Liu smiled. "If you don’t take me hiking, you might have a chance around noon."

"HAHAHA, Boss Jiang, are you trying to kill us with laughter?"

"That’s not a funny joke, Brother Jiang. My girlfriend’s dad just gave me a hard time."

A stylist from the barbershop glanced at him. "So you came to buy Brother Jiang’s food?"

"He’s definitely planning to win over his future father-in-law with Boss Jiang’s food. That’s way better than bringing some Maotai, right?"

The crowd chatted cheerfully.

The morning rush was as booming as ever.

The tuna sold out first.

Then the buns, and finally, all four hundred bottles of juice were gone.

By now, Jiang Liu’s food stall had built up quite a reputation.

Many people came all the way from the other side of South City, and some food enthusiasts would take a bus or a taxi just to have a meal.

Just as he finished the rush, the one thousand sets of high-end takeout containers Jiang Liu had custom-ordered arrived.

The containers were round, gold-colored, made of aluminum foil, and about the size of a person’s head. They were divided into two layers.

Jiang Liu planned to put ice packs in the bottom layer to keep the food fresh.

The top layer was for the fish slices and dipping sauce.

Each container cost four yuan.

One thousand sets. That would last Jiang Liu a long time.

This was because takeout orders were in the minority. Out of ninety portions of tuna a day, only about twenty or thirty were for takeout.

Most customers preferred to eat in the shop, where it was freshest.

"Brother Jiang, are you sold out?"

Jin Wei, with his messy red hair, poked his head in and asked.

Jiang Liu was counting his earnings, in a good mood. He looked up at him and said, "You’re a little late. We just sold out."

"Alright then. I came from so far and I’m starving. I don’t want to eat anything else right now, just your buns."

Jin Wei gave a wry smile. "Well, I’m off then, Brother Jiang."

Jiang Liu waved him to a stop. "Wait a minute. I have a few buns left that I was saving for myself. You can buy them."

He had saved fifteen buns, planning to eat them himself later when he got hungry.

But the guy was his very first customer, so he had a good impression of him.

Jin Wei was both surprised and delighted.

"Thanks, Brother Jiang! How much? I’ll pay you."

"Five buns, ten yuan."

"Great!"

Grinning, Jin Wei left with his five buns.

On his way out, he also helped pick up a few bottles that had been left near Jiang Liu’s door.

Jiang Liu finished counting his income.

He couldn’t hold back a smile.

The income was very high, and stable!

This morning, the net income from the juice was 11,970 yuan.

The buns brought in a little over two thousand, but he didn’t calculate it precisely. It was pocket change.

They were purely to attract customers.

The tuna income was much higher, with a net profit of around 31,000 yuan.

With the 160,000 yuan from yesterday, his own 100,000 in savings, and the 30,000 he had just made this morning...

Jiang Liu now had 290,000 yuan in savings!

He was one step closer to opening a new shop.

「On the other side.」

Guo Jia, accompanied by the landlord, looked at the apartment. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

The furniture inside was clean and not worn out, and the ventilation and lighting were excellent.

It was very spacious.

The two of them walked around the residential district for a bit.

Overall, Guo Jia was very satisfied.

Jiang Liu’s food was responsible for ninety percent of that satisfaction.

As for the price, the landlord had even knocked off another two hundred for her.

Plus, the property management fee for this apartment was a bit cheaper than in nearby districts.

She signed the contract, paying three months’ rent and a one-month deposit.

"Alright. If you have any problems while living here, just give me a call."

The landlord gave her the utility cards, keys, password access, and the WiFi password.

"Okay."

Guo Jia nodded, wandered around the apartment for a while longer, then stood on the balcony gazing into the distance.

From the direction of her balcony, she could vaguely see a small part of Yangzhai Street in the distance.

She could also just make out the tall, straight pine tree at the entrance of Phoenix District.

She found a moving team online.

Since both buildings had elevators, it only cost three hundred yuan.

They had a small truck, and the move was incredibly fast.

In just four hours, all of her things had been moved into the new apartment.

Guo Jia ordered some fried chicken online and ate her lunch with a bitter expression.

Ever since she’d had Jiang Liu’s food, nothing else tasted good.

She sent a WeChat message to Jun Qingmeng:

"The takeout is so gross. There’s nothing good to eat around here. Does Jiang Liu’s shop do delivery?"

"The move is done, btw. What delicious food are you going to bring to reward me?"

Jun Qingmeng was having lunch with Tongtong. She replied in surprise: "You’re done already?"

"Does that mean Jiang Liu and I can go home together tonight?"

Guo Jia: "Yep. I’m starving to death over here, and a certain someone is more concerned about whether she can go home with her sweetheart."

Jun Qingmeng: "Didn’t you order takeout?"

Guo Jia: "You call this stuff food for humans?"

"When you come back, remember to bring me some of Jiang Liu’s buns, juice, and tuna. The more the better, I’ll save it for tomorrow. Oh, and that stir-fried tuna with chili peppers you mentioned today, I really want to try it!"

Jun Qingmeng: "We’ll see. Jiang Liu gets very tired sometimes. I can bring you some buns, juice, and tuna. But as for asking Jiang Liu to cook you a special meal, forget it. I’m worried he’ll exhaust his arm."

...Guo Jia: "You lovesick fool!"

"Every sentence is about your precious Jiang Liu. This best friend of yours is getting more and more insignificant, isn’t she?"

"I moved for you today, my legs are about to break, and you don’t feel sorry for me even a little?"

Jun Qingmeng: "If I get the chance, I’ll take you over to visit. If you don’t behave, I won’t."

Guo Jia: "My lady mother, please accept this bow from your humble servant, Xiao Guo!!"

After they finished chatting,

Jun Qingmeng glanced at Tongtong, who was eating sullenly.

"What’s wrong? You don’t seem happy."

Tongtong shook her head helplessly. "Bai Bai, Jingjing, and the others want me to play house with them again. I don’t want to, but I’m afraid they’ll be unhappy."

Jun Qingmeng patted her head. "Well, you can tell them that. Sometimes you have to learn to say no."

"Okay!"

Tongtong was very dependent on Jun Qingmeng.

After lunch,

Jun Qingmeng took the photo Guo Jia had sent, paired it with a selfie of herself and Tongtong, and sent it to Jiang Liu.

"The house is moved. We can move in tonight. (sleepy emoji)"

"Let’s go home together tonight."

"The kindergarten served fish today, but it was so gross. I used to think it was okay, but after eating your food, I don’t want to eat it anymore. Are you going to take responsibility for this? (sunglasses emoji)"

"My best friend is craving the stir-fried tuna with chili peppers you make. Will you be making it tonight? If you’re tired, we can just have buns and juice together."

From 11:50 to 12:30,

Jiang Liu was too busy to check his phone.

Inside and outside the shop, it was packed with customers.

The sounds of arguing, urging, and praising filled Jiang Liu’s mind.

Soon, not a single bit of food was left.

Jiang Liu used a towel to wipe the sweat from his temples.

He stepped out the door and said:

"We’re sold out. Everyone, please disperse. You can come earlier this afternoon."

The customers’ eyes widened.

"Sold out again?"

"You’ve got to be kidding me!!"

"Hurry up and make more, or I’m not coming back."

"Yeah, make some more, Brother Jiang! With such a small quantity, how are you gonna make money? If you keep this up, I won’t come next time either!"

"I’m not coming back, I’m not coming back! I’ll eat somewhere else."

The customers were throwing a tantrum at Jiang Liu.

If they were really told they couldn’t eat, they’d be more anxious than anyone.

Jiang Liu simply said nothing.

’Whatever I say, the customers will just argue back. It’s my fault for not being able to satisfy them, after all.’

At 12:50,

Jiang Liu began to clean up.

The customers in the shop gradually dispersed.

An auntie picked her teeth and happily remarked to the other customers, "Xiao Jiang opening this shop right at our district’s entrance is truly a blessing for us. My only regret is not being young like Xiao Jiang."

A nearby shop owner agreed, "With Xiao Jiang’s skills, isn’t he much better than those so-called national-level master chefs?"

"Exactly! And it’s delicious, healthy, and affordable. So many of us come to eat, yet Xiao Jiang doesn’t raise prices and even gives us discounts. He’s a really good person. From now on, I’m only eating Xiao Jiang’s food."

Uncle Niu, holding a broom at the entrance and puffing on a cigarette, said to the auntie with a suggestive tone, "You want to be young again? Thinking of an old cow grazing on young grass, huh? Ha."

The auntie immediately got angry. With her left hand on her hip and her right finger pointing at Uncle Niu, she said with full-throated confidence:

"You old pervert! You’ve got one foot in the grave, how can your mind still be so filthy? I meant I want to be able to eat Xiao Jiang’s food until I’m old!"

"What were *you* thinking??"

Uncle Niu lowered his head and swept the floor in embarrassment.

He had just said it casually.

’Why is she so explosive, like she ate gunpowder?’