Chapter 40: How Much More?
Chapter 40: How Much More?
"Chen Sao, you go first."
Jiang Cheng quickly spoke up.
"Alright."
Chen Sao smiled and said, "Last night, didn't you send over a pound of meat and a pound of eggs? Chen Sao cooked them last night, so come over for dinner tonight, alright? And Jiang Nainai, you should come too."
"I won't go."
The old woman smiled and shook her head, looking at Jiang Cheng, "Xiao Cheng, just go over there tonight."
Chen Sao wasn't surprised and looked at Jiang Cheng again.
"It's about this matter."
Jiang Cheng thought for a moment and still refused.
"Chen Sao, those things aren't much, I specifically bought them for you and Xiao Yue to eat. If I go over to eat, what's the point? Actually, I was planning to wait for some time, find an opportunity, and have our two families sit down together for a big meal."
Upon hearing this, Chen Sao immediately understood Jiang Cheng's intention.
A big feast.
For this feast, the cost would likely not be just a few dozen, maybe even a hundred or more, perhaps even two or three hundred.
"Xiao Cheng."
The smile on Chen Sao's face faded, and she said with concern, "I know you're making good money selling roasted sweet potatoes, but you can't be so extravagant. A big feast is something only the rich can afford. We're just ordinary people, and having a single meat dish on the table is enough."
"Chen Sao, I understand what you mean, but I'm not the kind of person who gets carried away as soon as I make money. These past few days, I've indeed made quite a lot, but the pressure is also increasing. This is why I want to discuss something with you and Jiang Nainai."
Jiang Cheng's expression turned serious.
"What... What is it?" Chen Sao's heart skipped a beat.
The old woman beside her also grew tense.
"It's like this. These past few days, many people have seen me setting up two stoves and know that I'm making money. They want to borrow money from me."
"Did you lend them money?" Chen Sao's heart rose to her throat.
Lending money is easy, but getting it back is difficult.
"How could I? Chen Sao specifically reminded me before, and I didn't lend a single penny." Jiang Cheng said, letting out a sigh, "But the trouble is yet to come. Because my business is doing so well, I've noticed that many thugs have been keeping an eye on me."
"These past few days, I've been lucky and managed to avoid them, but I don't know if I'll have such good luck in the coming days."
If they catch me, they'll definitely take all the money I have on me.
Upon hearing this, the room fell silent.
After a moment, Chen Sao advised, "Xiao Cheng, if they catch you, just give them the money. Don't get into a conflict with them."
"Yes, Xiao Cheng." The old woman's eyes showed deep concern.
When his business was average, she couldn't bear it when a few hundred were taken from him.
Now that Jiang Cheng was making four to five hundred a day, she would be even more heartbroken if such a large sum were taken.
But she worried more about her grandson's safety than the money.
Money can be earned again, but a life lost is truly gone.
"Chen Sao, I understand what you mean, but I'm worried that they won't just stop at blocking me once. Before, when my business was average, they'd come every few days.
"Now that it's doing well, they'll probably come every day, and not just one group. If they come to me every day, it's like I'm working for them. By the end of the month, I might not even be able to cover the stall fees."
Jiang Cheng felt helpless.
Chen Sao also fell silent.
This was one of her previous concerns.
When people become famous, they attract all sorts of trouble.
When business is average, it's fine, but when it's good, all kinds of people will take notice.
"How about we modify the tricycle again?" Chen Sao looked at the tricycle beside her.
"I'd rather earn less than have it all taken away by those people."
"I've thought about it too, but since they've already noticed me, I'm not sure if it'll be of any use."
Chen fell silent, her face filled with anxiety.
At this moment, Jiang Cheng realized the timing was right.
"Aunt Chen, Grandma, I have an idea that I think will work. I'd like to discuss it with you."
"What's the idea?"
"I heard that the martial arts gyms on the street are always recruiting members. If we become their members, we won't have to worry about being bullied by those thugs outside, and we won't even have to fear the Wild Wolf Gang."
"Really?"
The old man asked eagerly, like a drowning person grasping at a life-saving straw.
"I've heard my husband mention it before."
Chen Sao recalled, "According to him, the gym members are divided into two types: regular and premium. If you're a premium member, not only can you learn martial arts at the gym, but you also don't have to pay the Wild Wolf Gang. The only problem is the high cost. We couldn't afford it back then. Little Cheng, you want to join a martial arts gym, right?"
"Yes, I've been thinking about it."
Jiang Cheng nodded, recalling what Bai Wei had said in front of everyone the other day.
"Yes, that's right."
Chen Sao took a deep breath. To become a premium member, one needed to pay five thousand yuan, and it couldn't be interrupted unless absolutely necessary.
Because if it was interrupted, they would have to pay the Wild Wolf Gang again.
What would the Wild Wolf Gang do then?
Imagine someone has been paying you protection money, and suddenly, they start paying someone else. After a while, they come back to pay you again. Would you let them pay the same amount as before?
If it was a regular membership, it wouldn't make much difference.
They would have to pay both ways.
The benefit was that they wouldn't have to worry about being robbed by thugs on their way back, and if they didn't renew their membership one day, the Wild Wolf Gang wouldn't bother them.
"Little Cheng, do you want to become a member of that martial arts gym?" Chen Sao asked.
"Yes," Jiang Cheng nodded. "If we do this, we won't have to worry about being targeted by those thugs on our way back and having our money taken. If we become premium members, we won't have to pay the Wild Wolf Gang again. Aunt Chen, you might not know this, but the Wild Wolf Gang is currently in a turf war with the Iron Fist Gang. If the Wild Wolf Gang loses, the Iron Fist Gang will take over, and we might have to pay them instead. If we pay the gym directly, we won't have to pay the Wild Wolf Gang or any new gangs that come along."
Jiang Cheng looked at Chen Sao, unsure of how she would react.
"Yes," Chen Sao nodded after processing the information in her mind. "For others, becoming a regular member of the martial arts gym might not be very helpful and could even increase their burden. But it's different for you, Little Cheng. You earn enough every day, and making over ten thousand yuan a month isn't a problem. I support you in finding a martial arts gym to join and becoming a premium member. No matter which gang takes over, we won't have to pay them. But how much do you have now? Do you have five thousand yuan?"
(End of Chapter)
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