Chapter 32: Chapter 31: Zheng Qiang’s Even Worse Reputation

The three of them turned onto Yangzhai Street.

From a long way off, Jun Qingmeng saw a huge, dark mass of people queuing up ahead.

She was a little surprised.

"What are all those middle-aged women and workers doing? Do you know, Jiang Liu?"

"Looks like they’re buying buns," Jiang Liu said lightly.

Jun Qingmeng rolled her eyes elegantly.

"Buns? I see you’ve developed a sense of humor. It’s already evening. Even if it were morning, there wouldn’t be this many people lining up for buns, would there?"

’What kind of buns would sell this well late at night?’ She didn’t believe it for a second. ’Is Jiang Liu taking me for a fool, making such a lame joke?’

’It must be some internet-famous shop or one having a sale.’

Jiang Liu just shook his head without explaining.

"Oh yeah! We finally get to eat buns again!" Tongtong cheered, bouncing up and down while holding both their hands.

"So where exactly is your shop?"

Jun Qingmeng looked left and right, deliberately focusing on the deserted storefronts.

’In her mind, a new shop on its first day of business would definitely be empty.’

"You’ll see in a moment."

Jiang Liu gave a mysterious smile.

Just as the three of them reached Xue Guang’s doorway,

customers greeted him with broad smiles.

"Boss Jiang, are the buns ready yet? I’ve been waiting for an hour. Can you let me have one to try first?"

"Hurry up, hurry up! My kid at home is waiting for one of your buns and is so worked up he won’t even eat his dinner."

"Boss, I want to get forty buns to go! How long is the wait?"

Jiang Liu said with a smile,

"Right away, right away. The buns should be just about done. Please form an orderly line. I won’t sell to anyone who causes trouble."

"You got it, you got it." The crowd nodded eagerly.

"No problem, I’ll be good!" a slightly chubby beautician said with a grin.

Everyone was very obedient, terrified that Jiang Liu might refuse to sell them buns. They formed a neat line and even monitored the people ahead to make sure no one was acting up.

"Jiang Liu, this shop with the long line... it’s yours?!"

Jun Qingmeng asked, unable to believe it.

Her head was spinning.

’It just didn’t seem logical, but the facts were right in front of her.’

"Yeah. Not bad, right?" 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"Not bad? You call this ’not bad’? This is absolutely incredible!"

Jun Qingmeng was secretly astonished.

She had assumed Jiang Liu’s new shop would be empty. She had even prepared a little speech to encourage him.

But now, it seemed that wouldn’t be necessary.

In a daze, she was pulled into the shop by Tongtong.

Outside the door, a group of middle-aged women curiously sized up the tall, beautiful woman who had suddenly appeared.

Jun Qingmeng noticed their gazes and felt a little uncomfortable.

Jiang Liu went back to the kitchen to check on the buns. He tasted one and felt the flavor was just right.

Jun Qingmeng and Jiang Tongtong followed him like little shadows.

Even now, Jun Qingmeng couldn’t figure out why dozens of people would willingly queue up outside a new bun shop on a stuffy evening.

"Jiang Liu, your shop isn’t running some kind of super sale, is it?"

She thought that would make a lot of sense.

"A sale? What’s that? Never heard of it."

"?? You’re not having a sale?!"

Jun Qingmeng’s pretty little mouth fell open.

Her brain completely short-circuited.

She really couldn’t understand how a new shop, with no freebies or sales, could have fifty or sixty people lining up at the door, every single one of them so eager and polite.

Jiang Liu shook his head and carried a bamboo steamer basket outside to set it down.

"Daddy, I’ll help you!"

"Okay. Just put on these gloves so you don’t get burned."

"Mhm! I’ll be careful."

Tongtong wrapped her arms around a steamer of buns, leaning back as she HUFFED and PUFFED to carry it outside.

The workers, aunties, and uncles outside watched her, their faces breaking into fond, doting smiles.

"I’m so jealous of Boss Jiang’s daughter. She’s pretty and so sensible. Just for this little cutie, I’ll definitely have to support this shop from now on."

"Look at his daughter... Damn! Then I think of my bratty son, a total idiot who does nothing but cause trouble for me every day. Comparisons are infuriating!"

"I’ve got all kinds of belts and rattan canes at home. Want me to sell you a few?"

"Deal. Give me two sets later."

"Well hello, whose Little Fairy is this? Why are you working so hard? How about you come over to Grandma’s house to play?"

Tongtong asked in her sweet, childish voice, "Do you have ice cream at your house?"

Her big, clear eyes were overflowing with anticipation.

The woman’s heart was about to melt. She wished she could have a daughter right then and there.

"I do!"

"Do you have fried chicken?"

"I’ll buy some!"

"Do you have spicy strips and soda?"

"Grandma will buy you a whole case!"

"Then I’m not going!" Tongtong turned her head and refused haughtily.

"But why?"

"Daddy said those things are unhealthy."

The woman: ????

Jun Qingmeng also wanted to put on gloves and help Jiang Liu carry things.

But Tongtong immediately stopped her. "Teacher Qingmeng, you’re our guest. How could Daddy and Tongtong let you carry things?"

"You should sit down, Teacher Qingmeng. Daddy and I can handle it."

"It’s alright, I..."

Jun Qingmeng insisted on helping, but in the end, Tongtong pushed her by the legs until she sat down on a chair at the counter.

"Teacher Qingmeng, it might get very busy in a little while, but Tongtong will be right back to keep you company."

Tongtong said, mimicking the way adults speak.

"Ah. You, you’re so young but act so grown-up."

Jun Qingmeng gave a helpless look and gently poked Tongtong’s head with her slender finger.

"Hehe."

Jiang Liu pushed open the glass door, and a blast of cool air rushed out into the street.

He called out to the customers outside,

"Alright, everything is ready! Listen up! If you’re eating in, come inside in the order of the line. If you’re getting takeout, stay in line at the window to get your buns. Does that work for everyone??"

"Sounds good. No problem, Boss Jiang."

"The buns are finally out of the steamer! My hour-plus wait wasn’t for nothing."

A companion next to him suggested in a low voice,

"Buy as many as you can in a bit, you hear?"

"If I buy that many, can I even finish them all?"

"If you can’t finish them, can’t you just sell them?! These buns are so damn good, someone would probably buy them at an auction, you know?"

The customers entered the shop in an orderly fashion.

Just then, Xue Guang brought over three more tables and set them up by the entrance. For Jiang Liu, it was a godsend.

"Boss, thirty buns to go."

"I’ll take twenty. Five of each of the four fillings. I’m not in a hurry, Boss, take your time."

"Boss Jiang, about the buns I pre-ordered..."

"Mhm, they’re ready for you. Here you go."

"Wow, Boss Jiang, you really keep your word. You remembered such a small detail so clearly."

Ding Xinyu was overjoyed to get his buns. He quickly took one out and savored a hot, fresh bite, an expression of amazed delight on his face.

Jun Qingmeng watched Jiang Liu with a gentle smile. She found that the more she got to know him, the more good qualities she discovered.

Then, thinking of certain images, her exquisitely beautiful face turned red again.

As the customers poured in,

the twelve tables inside the shop were quickly filled to capacity.

The three large, long tables under the eaves by the door also filled up with customers.

Some customers who didn’t have a stool ran to other shops to borrow one themselves.

Someone tried to borrow one from Zheng Qiang’s bun shop but was angrily chased out.

After that, Zheng Qiang’s reputation got even worse.

The customers didn’t say anything, but they knew exactly what was what.

"Alipay payment received: one hundred twenty yuan."

"WeChat payment received: eighty-five yuan."

"Cash payment received: one hundred yuan even." ...

The Bluetooth speaker Jiang Liu had bought announced the payments nonstop.

The noise gave Jun Qingmeng, who was standing to the side, a headache.

Tongtong was also helping Jiang Liu pack buns, and she was the most enthusiastic of all.

One moment she was delivering buns, the next she was packing them, and the next she was wiping tables.

Her cute little face was lit up with an excited grin, showing off her neat little white teeth.

Jiang Liu was so busy he didn’t even have time to look at his Surprise Care Package.

Some of the middle-aged women sneakily sized up the well-behaved Jun Qingmeng, who was sitting quietly.

The buns couldn’t stop their mouths from talking; the shop was a chaotic BUZZ of conversation.

"This girl looks just like a fairy. She’s so pretty!"

"Do you guys think she’s Fellow Jiang’s wife? Look how pretty his daughter is. Without such good-looking parents, I don’t think you could have a kid like that."