Tang Xiaohu was quick on his feet. In a few minutes, he came up with a box of beer and a bag of braised beef in his other hand.
"I'll take a box first. I don't have any hands to carry it.”Tang Xiaohu put down his beer.
"Xiaohu, come and sit." Gao Qiqiang waved his hand.
They opened the beer and placed the braised beef on a plate. The four people who had been quarreling in the market in the morning actually sat together and ate and drank.
"Brother Wen, I heard about what happened yesterday. You even dared to throw a grenade at me. If you ask me, you're the most ruthless person in Old Factory Street.”Tang Xiaolong drank two mouthfuls of wine. He could no longer put on the airs of a 'big ruffian'. He kept calling him Brother Wen, and it was extremely smooth.
In fact, Tang Xiaolong and Tang Xiaohu were both older than Li Shuwen. Li Shuwen would be twenty-five this year, but Tang Xiaolong was already thirty. Tang Xiaohu was two years younger, twenty-eight.
However, Li Shuwen did not stand on ceremony. If you dared to call him brother, he would dare to acknowledge it!
Thinking back to the original story, it seemed quite reasonable for Xiaolan to be called Sister Lan.
For people like Tang Xiaolong, age was not the standard of seniority. Only the capable could be the elder brother!
Although it was inevitable to fight for courage and ruthlessness, the more one did it, the lower one's status would be.
It was only because Li Shuwen didn't have any other abilities now that he would do this.
However, there was no need to say these words to others. Tang Xiaolong flattered him a little, and Li Shuwen also responded with a smile.
"I just heard from Brother Qiang that the market is going to rearrange the stalls, right?”Li Shuwen took a bite of beef and asked softly.
Tang Xiaolong and Tang Xiaohu looked at each other. Then, Tang Xiaolong said with a smile,"Yes, there is such a thing. Every year, it will be disrupted and rearranged. This is the rules and regulations of the higher-ups. It just wants to make the market a little new…"
"Then what about Brother Qiang's fish stall?" Li Shuwen asked again.
Gao Qiqiang, who was at the side, also smiled. He reached out and picked up a piece of beef before looking at Tang Xiaolong and Tang Xiaohu.
Tang Xiaolong's reaction was very fast. He immediately clapped his hands and said,"It was also a redraw, but it was a coincidence that Brother Qiang wasn't around during the draw. I asked Xiao Hu to help him draw.”
These two brothers were really good at cooperating. Tang Xiaohu immediately added,"I'm very lucky. Brother Qiang, you know that I won 200 yuan in the lottery before. It's still the same file!"
"Yes, that's why, Brother Qiang, your fish stall doesn't need to be moved. It's still there.”As Tang Xiaolong said this, he picked up the bottle of wine and took a sip. Then, he continued,"Also, Brother Qiang, this year, the stall fee, management fee, these fees... You have to pay. This is something that the market must collect. However, you don't have to pay for the health fees in the future…"
"Actually, I don't plan to do it again this year.”Gao Qiqiang said with a smile.
"Not doing it? How could he not do it? Everyone in Jiuchang Street likes to eat your Brother Qiang's fish. Everyone knows that Brother Qiang's fish stall is full and fair. The fish are all fresh. If you quit, I'll be the first to disagree. Who else can I buy fish from in the future?？”Tang Xiaolong glared and said seriously.
"That's right, Brother Qiang. I've already helped you draw lots. Now that you're saying that you're quitting, we still have to find someone to mediate. If you don't finish this matter, it won't be easy to open the market. But the neighbors are waiting for the market to open. Even if you're thinking about them, Brother Qiang, you have to persist, right?”Tang Xiaohu also hurriedly persuaded.
Gao Qiqiang's heart was filled with joy, as if he was about to lose himself in the call of 'Brother Qiang'. However, on the surface, he was still very calm. He looked at Li Shuwen and said," Just now, Shuwen said that he wanted to partner with me to do something else. You guys are making things difficult for me…"
"That's the case, but of course I have to respect your wishes first.”Li Shuwen complimented.
Gao Qiqiang ate another mouthful of beef happily and then whispered to Li Shuwen,""How about... Why don't I work in Shuwen for another year?"
As soon as Gao Qiqiang relented, Tang Xiaolong immediately raised his hand and said,"Hey, Brother Qiang, although we're familiar with each other, this business still has to be done officially. Let's make this clear first. The market can't sign a contract every year now. If you want to work, we'll have to sign a contract for three to five years first. However, within the stipulated range, I'll definitely give you the best treatment. I, Tang Xiaolong, can still say a few words. Don't worry, as long as you sign a long-term contract with me, I will definitely get you the lowest price!”
"Hahahahaha, you can only sign long-term contracts now?”Gao Qiqiang laughed and asked.
"Yes, Brother Qiang, would my brother lie to you? Really, I can only sign a long-term contract!" Tang Xiaohu chimed in.
Gao Qiqiang's anger from being imprisoned for more than ten days had been licked clean by Tang Xiaolong and Tang Xiaohu. He was in a good mood. He completely forgot about the bad things from before. He patted Tang Xiaolong's shoulder and said,"Alright, I won't make things difficult for you. Since our market can only sign long-term contracts now, I'll sign you for five years.”
"That's good enough. That's definitely good enough! Come, Brother Qiang, let me toast you and Brother Wen!”Tang Xiaolong said happily.
After a few more sips of wine, the Tang brothers served Gao Qiqiang well. Li Shuwen naturally would not be idle and find trouble with them. They all grew up in the same neighborhood, and soon began to reminisce about the past.
As they talked about some of the old things in everyone's memories, it seemed that their relationship had become much closer.
"Xiaolong, does the market pay you? Or are you guys living off this health fee?”Li Shuwen suddenly asked curiously.
Tang Xiaolong smiled a little awkwardly when he heard that. Then, he said frankly," I'll pay you my salary. It's 700 yuan a month. But Brother Wen, you know that my brother and I are used to spending money extravagantly. How can this amount of money be enough to spend? So, I just have to collect some…Health fees."
"This is not a long-term matter…" "There's no future either," Li Shuwen said softly.”
"Brother Wen, we brothers aren't very cultured, so we can't do anything with a future. Moreover, to be honest, we didn't do anything about the hygiene fees. It's a continuation. If we don't collect them, there will naturally be others who will collect them. Brother Qiang, you can be fair to me. Although I, Tang Xiaolong, am not a good person, I am very polite when it comes to hygiene fees, right? When I didn't manage to take down the market, did Big Hong want more?”Tang Xiaolong patted his chest and said.
Gao Qiqiang thought for a moment as if he was recalling something. After a few seconds, he nodded seriously and said,"Yes, a few years ago, that fellow called Big Hong did indeed collect more. In this aspect, Little Dragon did better than him. Moreover, that fellow only collected money and did not manage the business…"
"That's right. No matter what, my brother takes money to settle things. If the bosses in the market have any difficulties, my brother will solve them.”Tang Xiaohu said hurriedly.
Health expenses were indeed as Tang Xiaolong had said. In this era, with the increase in the number of laid-off workers and the reduction of military personnel in 1997, 500,000 people would be laid off in one go.
At the end of 1999, which was not long ago, the TV said that this matter had been completed.
There were also other factors. In short, at this time, the world was not very peaceful. There were many idle people on the streets. When people gathered together, they would form groups of three to five. They liked to bully the market.
These messy small conflicts at the lowest level happened every two or three days. How could An Xin and the others be busy?
It was also because of the long-standing problems of these eras that people like Tang Xiaolong had room to survive. In theory, they could be considered to have emerged at the right time.
Although it didn't sound good, it was just as they said. The vendors didn't pay for nothing. The Tang brothers could indeed settle these trivial matters and cover the market. Moreover, if they didn't collect it, others would.
" If we don't collect it, we won't have the money to take care of our underlings. If our underlings can't eat, I, as the big brother, will have to step down. So, once we don't collect this hygiene fee, the team will immediately fall apart. Then, they will form groups of three to five and choose another boss, or they will be eaten by outsiders. At that time, they will still collect the money. I feel that this aspect is more appropriate. So, Brother Wen, if you really change someone else, the neighbors might suffer.”Tang Xiaolong pondered for a moment and explained.
"That's right. Big Hong is still squatting at the video street. That guy isn't from Jiuchang Street. He's an outsider. He's very shady with the neighbors. If my brother's place collapses, Brother Qiang's sanitary fees will double.”Tang Xiaohu said.
Li Shuwen looked at Gao Qiqiang. Gao Qiqiang nodded silently, confirming that the Tang brothers 'words were correct.
Upon hearing this, Li Shuwen also sighed with emotion."None of these are easy. I have thought too simply…"
When Tang Xiaolong heard this, his eyes lit up. He looked at Li Shuwen and said,"Brother Wen, from what I hear, you want to point out a bright path for our brothers?”
Li Shuwen didn't reply. Instead, he asked,""Do you have many brothers under you?"
"Cough…" Tang Xiaolong cleared his throat slightly and said embarrassedly,"Actually, there aren't many. There are only seven or eight who often follow us…"
"Seven or eight?" Li Shuwen was surprised.
He felt…Wasn't this number a little too little? If a fight broke out, any energetic young man on the street could call more people than Tang Xiaolong!
In the past, Li Shuwen felt that the Tang brothers did not have any future. Now that he heard it, he felt even more so.
"To be honest, Brother Wen, these seven or eight brothers rely on me for a living. I'm raising them. If there are any more, I really can't afford to raise them…" Tang Xiaolong explained.
Tang Xiaohu took a sip of wine and said,"However, my brother still has some reputation. If there's really a big occasion that requires people, seven or eight brothers can raise their arms and call for dozens or hundreds of people. However, those are indeed just to support the scene.”
Li Shuwen nodded. This made a lot of sense!
Thinking about it, if Tang Xiaolong could afford a team of a hundred people, then he wouldn't be the boss of the farmer's market anymore. He would become sworn brothers with Bai Jinhan's Xu Jiang.
"So actually, there are quite a lot of idle brothers, right? Even now, everyone couldn't find a way to make a living?”Li Shuwen asked.
"Yes, if you really put in the effort, you can still find hundreds of idlers on Old Factory Street.”Tang Xiaolong replied without hesitation.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。