Chapter 269: You're Smart
Chapter 269: You're Smart
Southern City.
Compared to the Western District where Jiang Cheng resides and the Northern District he had visited before, this place was slightly more bustling.
Along the streets, numerous shops lined both sides, selling everything from clothing, cakes, to daily necessities.
However, as night fell, the pedestrian traffic significantly decreased. Aside from some restaurants and food stalls that remained open, most other stores had closed their doors.
With his hands in his pockets, Jiang Cheng strolled down the main street, his gaze searching for information about the task.
To gather information, he would undoubtedly have to ask around.
The deputy captain of the enforcement team, whom he had encountered earlier, was not someone he could easily approach. Without a connection, learning about the task would be challenging.
Therefore, Jiang Cheng's only option was to gather information from other members of the Southern City Enforcement Bureau.
Normally, no one would directly inquire at the enforcement bureau, so Jiang Cheng decided to wander around the area, seeking out a few uniformed officers to question.
After walking for a short while, he spotted two enforcement officers inside a noodle shop.
Upon entering, he saw the two officers sitting with a large bowl of beef in front of them. They were eating with great relish, completely oblivious to Jiang Cheng's presence.
The middle-aged man running the shop also didn't notice him, staring blankly at the large bowl of beef, his heart aching.
"Boss, give me a large bowl of beef noodles," Jiang Cheng said as he found a seat.
"Coming right up!" the man replied and hurried to prepare the order.
The two enforcement officers sitting nearby glanced at Jiang Cheng and then lowered their heads, continuing to enjoy their meal.
Before long, the large bowl of beef was nearly empty.
"Hey, we're out of beef, bring another bowl!" one of the officers yelled at the middle-aged man.
"Coming, coming!" the man hurriedly responded.
Despite the pain in his heart, he dared not show it on his face. If he upset the two officers outside, it would be questionable whether his shop could continue operating.
Soon, he brought over a large bowl of beef, placing it down while bowing and nodding.
As he passed by Jiang Cheng, he couldn't help but smile and say, "Sir, your noodles will be ready soon."
Jiang Cheng nodded.
Just then, one of the enforcement officers, the one facing the door, started grumbling, "Damn that Song guy, he's too much! He won't let us take this, and he won't let us take that, as if we joined the enforcement team just to do good deeds?"
"Alright, alright," his companion said, glancing at Jiang Cheng. "Let's talk about these things later."
The other officer immediately stopped talking upon hearing this.
"Beef noodles are ready!"
The middle-aged man brought over a large bowl of steaming hot beef noodles and placed it in front of Jiang Cheng.
Jiang Cheng took a look and had to admit that the portion of beef was quite generous, with over ten pieces, unlike some shops that only had a few slices.
Thus, the shop fell into an eerie calm.
After an unknown amount of time, the two officers beside him burped contentedly.
The middle-aged man immediately heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing this.
Finally, they had finished eating.
However, the next words from one of the officers made his face turn pale in an instant.
"Your beef is pretty good. Pack a few pounds for me."
"I'll take a few pounds too," the other officer said.
"Officers," the middle-aged man said, his smile looking more like he was crying.
This shop could barely afford it, so how about this: From now on, whenever you come to eat, you can have as much beef and noodles as you like."
That one bowl of beef had taken half a day's profit.
With two bowls, there was barely any profit for the day.
Even more outrageous was that they wanted to take a few pounds back with them...
If this happened a few times a month, he would go bankrupt.
(End of Chapter)"What do you mean?"
The two men's faces immediately darkened.
"We're eating here, and we're doing you a favor. Don't be ungrateful."
"Cut the crap. Each of us will take three pounds of beef, not a gram less."
"Officer..."
The man's face showed a pleading expression.
"Two pounds each, if it's not enough for one person, I'm also running a small business here, and everyone's depending on me for their livelihood."
"Four pounds."
Unexpectedly, the man's plea not only failed to evoke sympathy from the other but also provoked further harshness.
"If you say another word, it'll be five pounds. Don't dare speak up, or I'll keep adding more."
"You can keep it, but I can't guarantee the stability of this restaurant. It's uncertain." Another person smiled insincerely.
"Alright, three pounds for one person. I'll pay!"
The middle-aged man spoke, his eyes turning red.
"You're wrong, it's four pounds. Four pounds for one person."
Hearing this, the man was first taken aback, then obediently nodded.
Regret filled his heart.
If he had known it would turn out like this, he shouldn't have said those extra words.
A day's profit, gone in an instant.
Jiang Cheng quietly ate his noodles, seemingly unaware of the events around him.
Two law enforcement officers glanced at Jiang Cheng, their eyes devoid of any guilt, even carrying a hint of contempt.
In their minds, there was no significant difference between Jiang Cheng eating here and the middle-aged man inside.
If they wanted to bully someone, it was as easy as snapping their fingers.
After a while, the middle-aged man walked over, carrying two heavy bags.
Inside the bags, each contained a large piece of beef.
"Officers, your beef is ready, exactly four pounds per piece, not a gram more or less." The man said with a flattering smile.
"You're considerate."
One of them nodded in satisfaction, patting the man's shoulder, and swaggered towards the exit.
Watching the man leave, he rubbed his eyes and sighed heavily.
How much longer would this situation last?
"Boss, how much is it?"
At this moment, a voice sounded in his ear.
"Sir, the large portion is twenty-eight yuan."
"Here."
Jiang Cheng took out a one-hundred yuan note and handed it over.
The other person instinctively raised both hands to receive it, looked outside, confirmed it was genuine, then quickly smiled and said, "Alright, sir, keep the change. I'll get it for you right away."
"No need, consider it as a tip for you."
After saying this, Jiang Cheng strode out.
One of them mentioned the name 'Song'.
Combining this with the content of their conversation, it seemed the target of this mission was likely named Song.
Chasing after them, valuable information could be obtained from their mouths.
As for the tip given to the man, considering his situation, it was indeed pitiful. For Jiang Cheng, a hundred yuan was like a million, and he wouldn't even spare a glance for a mere tip.
"Hey, sir!"
Just as the middle-aged man was about to speak, he realized the figure before him had disappeared.
He hurried outside, the night had fallen, and there were several shadows, but he didn't know if they were real or if he dared not venture too far from the restaurant's entrance.
After a while, he looked at the hundred yuan bill in his hand, and his eyes reddened once more.
End of Chapter
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