Cousin Salted Fish Dressed as a Heroine

Chapter 22 Noodle House Siblings
Zhang Jiao quickly fled from the scene and ran to the back door to meet Brother Peng.It wasn't until she got into the car that she patted her chest with lingering fear. It was so scary. She had never felt that singing out of tune was so exciting.

Thinking about the judges sitting on the jury table and commenting on the singing level of the contestants with smiles on their faces, it is really admirable.

Zhang Jiao couldn't help but cast her envious eyes on Brother Peng, who was driving in front. She really wanted a pair of clean ears.

Brother Peng didn't know what she was thinking, so he quickly glanced at his watch while driving, "Miss, do you want to eat outside?"

It was already past twelve o'clock, and breakfast was early today. Brother Peng was worried that Zhang Jiao would be hungry.

Zhang Jiao had just eaten all the snacks in Zhou Bufan's bag to divert her attention at the scene, and she was not very hungry.But she thought that Brother Peng hadn't eaten anything and it would take a long time to get back to the villa, so she decided to find a restaurant to eat.

"Let's find a noodle shop on the roadside. I want to eat something with soup."

Brother Peng agreed, and then according to Zhang Jiao's wishes, he stopped in front of a noodle shop that seemed to be in good business.

Zhang Jiao was sitting in the car and saw the word "Chuan" written on his house's sign at a glance.

The full name of the noodle shop is Sichuan Flavor Renjia. The word "Sichuan" on the signboard is extremely large, several times larger than the other characters.

Zhang Jiao guessed that the shop owner might be from Sichuan City.

The street is narrow and difficult to park.Zhang Jiao asked Brother Peng to find a place to park first and meet her later.

After saying this, she got out of the car, walked to the door of the noodle shop and looked inside. Although it was past noon, there were still many customers eating in the shop.

A young girl was wiping away the oil stains caused by a table of guests. When she noticed a guest coming outside the door, she quickly cleaned the table and came over with a bright smile.

"Hello pretty girl, what would you like to eat?" She smiled sincerely, and her enthusiasm did not seem obsequious, which made people feel very comfortable.

The girl pointed to the menu on the wall and asked Zhang Jiao to see what she wanted to eat.

Zhang Jiao nodded, and under the guidance of the girl, she sat at the second table near the door. She raised her head and browsed the menu from beginning to end, but she couldn't choose what to eat.

The girl waited quietly without urging her. Seeing her troubled, she smiled and said, "Our spicy beef noodles sell very well. You can try it."

She pointed to the noodle bowls of the guests at the nearby table and said that it was spicy beef noodles, but it was a bit spicy.

He also asked Zhang Jiao if she could eat spicy food. If not, he could make clear soup for her.

The guests at that table were obviously familiar with the girl, and after listening to her, they didn't care about it, and leaned back generously so that Zhang Jiao could see clearly.

Zhang Jiao stretched out her head and saw a large white porcelain bowl filled with red noodle soup, with a lot of crushed chili peppers floating on it. You didn't need to taste it to know that it must be very spicy.

She hadn't eaten spicy food for a long time, and the color of this soup really aroused her greediness, which made her a little moved.

And the spicy beef noodles are on the first line of the menu, probably because they sell well.

Zhang Jiao didn't think much about it, "Then give me the next one. I want it to be spicy." She added specifically.

She looked out the door again, but Brother Peng hadn't come yet.

Zhang Jiao didn't know if he could eat beef or not, and he didn't know if he could eat spicy food, so he didn't make up his mind to help him order.

"Okay, do you want a big bowl or a small bowl?" The girl thoughtfully showed Zhang Jiao with her hands how big the big bowl was and how big the small bowl was.

"A small bowl is enough." Zhang Jiao wasn't very hungry and could just eat a few bites. She would definitely not be able to eat a large bowl of noodles.

Brother Peng also walked into Zhang Jiao's line of sight at this time.

She raised her hand and called Brother Peng to come over, and asked him what he wanted to eat, but she didn't give him any recommendations, she just asked him to order by himself.

Brother Peng was not as hesitant as Zhang Jiao, he would eat anything, and after looking at the menu, he ordered two large bowls of spicy beef noodles.His daily physical exertion is relatively heavy, and he eats more, two bowls can almost fill his stomach.

The girl took down their order and went into the back kitchen to prepare.

As soon as she left, Zhang Jiao's eyes could not help but wander around.

The size of this noodle shop is not very large, there is not much room for eight long tables.

But the store is very clean, especially the window facing the street, which I think is often cleaned.It is translucent as if it can reflect light, and so is the tabletop.

Zhang Jiao rubbed it hard with paper, but she didn't get much oil stains.

The owner of this shop is really diligent!

She threw the waste paper into the bamboo basket under the table for garbage, and nodded secretly. It's no wonder that the business in the store is good because of the good sanitation.

Brother Peng sat upright and saw the lady cleaning the table. He felt a little annoyed that he was slow and actually let the lady do it by herself.

Uncle Qi had already told him to be more careful in his work, but he didn't seem to do it at all.

Beef noodles came quickly.

Another male owner of the noodle shop held three bowls of noodles on a tray and delivered them to their table with steady steps.

He said, "Eat slowly!" and walked away carrying the tray with one hand.

Brother Peng was careful this time, and didn't wait for Zhang Jiao to do it himself.

First, he placed a small bowl of beef noodles in front of her, then took out two pairs of chopsticks from the chopstick cage, rinsed them with hot water on the table, and then handed the chopsticks over to Zhang Jiao.

Zhang Jiao was surprised. She didn't expect that Brother Peng, who was tall and strong, could be so careful when looking at rough branches and leaves.

She smiled and thanked him for taking the chopsticks, and even praised him a few words.

Brother Peng blushed in embarrassment and quickly lowered his head to concentrate on eating noodles.

Zhang Jiao leaned over and smelled the noodles, and the smell of pepper rushed to her forehead instantly, which was really exciting.

The portions of noodles and beef are generous, and each piece of beef is cut very thin, as if it has been braised.Coupled with the white noodles, red soup, and green onion leaves, Zhang Jiao's mouth watered just looking at it.

She couldn't wait to pick up a few noodles and took a bite. The most intuitive feeling was that it was spicy but delicious.

It made her take bite after bite.

At first, Zhang Jiao felt that she couldn't finish the meal, but now she only regretted why she didn't order a larger bowl of noodles.

The noodle soup was numb and spicy. After Zhang Jiao finished eating the noodles, she started to sip the soup in small sips.If she hadn't been paying attention to her own image, she would have been so satisfied that she couldn't help but sigh.

While she drank, she watched Brother Peng eating noodles with curiosity.

Zhang Jiao only ate a small portion of the bowl, and her lips were almost swollen from the spicy food, but Brother Peng ate without changing his expression, as if the chili peppers in the noodles were just decorations and did not affect him at all.

"Kang——" There was a sudden loud noise, which almost made Zhang Jiao, who was staring at Brother Peng intently, shake off the noodle bowl in his hand.

She frowned unhappily and looked towards the door.

I saw four youths who looked like punks led by a young man with a cockscomb head, making a lot of noise there.

"Hey, little boss, it's time to pay the protection fee!"

He didn't go in either, and sat directly on the table by the door, with one foot on the bench, shouting loudly towards the kitchen.

When the customers in the store saw them coming, their faces changed drastically, and they stopped eating noodles. They stood up quickly one by one, and ran away against the wall in groups.

The gangsters turned a blind eye to this and not only ignored them but even made way for them.

In the blink of an eye, the four or five tables of customers all disappeared from Zhang Jiao's side. Even the customers who were familiar with the shop owner also left.

Zhang Jiao glanced at Jiguantou expressionlessly, and continued to sit there and drink the soup without moving.

Brother Peng also followed her, and when he saw that she was unmoved, he picked up the bowl and ate the last few bites of noodles as if nothing had happened, but his spirit was tense, ready to protect Zhang Jiao's safety at any time.

Seeing that they hadn't left, Cock Guan Tou secretly said, "How brave!"
He has a lot of experience with the boss, and the clothes of these two people don't look cheap, so they must not be messed with.

He just wanted to collect protection money and didn't want to cause trouble, so he pretended not to see them and continued to call the boss.

The male shopkeeper heard the sound, frowned, opened the kitchen door curtain and walked out with a gloomy expression.

When he found that all the guests sitting at the table had left, his face became even more ugly, and the face money was still confiscated.

The male shopkeeper held his breath, and when he saw who was coming, he said in a slightly dissatisfied tone: "Didn't we pay it half a month ago? I remember that the protection fee for our street is paid once a month."

Ji Guantou became angry when he heard that, "Is it me who collects the protection fee, or you? What's the matter, you set the rules?"

The male shopkeeper was unconvinced and wanted to argue.

The protection fees in the area of ​​Crescent Bay have always been collected by the little Lala of the White Beard Gang, and the fees charged are not low.They can still make some money after deducting the cost of opening the store when it is handed in in January.

If it were changed to half-monthly payments, I'm afraid that my meager savings would be lost, and I wouldn't even be able to afford food.

The cockscomb head listened impatiently and kicked the bench he was standing on angrily.

He happened to fall at Brother Peng's feet.

Brother Peng is a martial arts practitioner, and he probably has some signs of chivalry and righteousness in his heart. He lowered his eyes and glanced at the bench not far away from his feet. He asked his lady for instructions with a straight face and his eyes, eager to stand up and give them to them. Kicked out.

Zhang Jiao shook his head slightly, telling him not to act rashly.

It's not that Zhang Jiao is hard-hearted and doesn't want to help the shop owner, but that it's useless for a while. Today she can ask Brother Peng to drive away the gangsters, but what about tomorrow?What about the day after tomorrow?
They couldn't keep watching here, and Zhang Jiao couldn't guarantee that these people wouldn't come back for revenge.

Coupled with the lessons learned from Aunt Feng, Zhang Jiao is no longer so impulsive in doing things, and she will think more carefully.

Brother Peng had no choice but to sit down and quietly wait for the opportunity.

The cockscomb head calmly glanced at Zhang Jiao and Brother Peng who were still sitting there calmly. When he found that there was no response to his test, he felt relieved.

"Don't force Lai Lai to me, quickly give me the money and don't force me to be rude to you." Ji Guantou crossed his arms and stared at the male shopkeeper with a fierce look in his eyes.

The male shopkeeper frowned, "I have no money."

Cockscomb looked at him maliciously and laughed angrily, "If you don't have money, it's easy. Just use your sister as payment. I won't charge you protection money for the next three months. How about that?"

He tilted his head and cast a flirtatious look at the girl who was peeking behind the curtain.

The girl didn't expect to meet his eyes, and immediately put down the curtain and retreated to the back kitchen angrily and disgustedly.

"What are you talking about! Get out of here now, we have already paid and we won't pay again."

When the male shopkeeper heard that the other party mentioned his sister, he immediately clenched his fists in anger, and looked directly at Jiguantou angrily.

He only wished that his eyes could turn into sharp knives, and teach this bastard who insulted his sister a lesson.

The rooster head sneered disdainfully and said arrogantly, "How dare you tell me to get out? Ha!"

He stepped forward and pushed the male shopkeeper down, shouting, "Brothers, bring your new sister-in-law back to me!"

"yes, Sir!"

The young man was caught off guard and fell heavily to the ground, as if he had hit his tailbone, and he cried out in pain.

But no one cares.

As soon as the gangsters received the order, they rushed around him eagerly.

The cockscomb man squatted down and patted the young man's face with his palms, leaving a red mark in a short while.

He reached out and grabbed the young man's neck, "Boy, the skin is quite tender! Let me tell you this, in this Crescent Bay, my words count. You! What are you?"

Ji Guantou slapped him again, "It's my kindness that didn't beat you to death, and you dare to fight with me, don't you think too much of your small body?"

At this time, two gangsters escorted the girl out of the back kitchen.

"Brother, someone caught it!"

Ji Guantou stood up with a smile, kicked the young man's side hard without changing his expression, "Let's go!"

After he achieved his goal, he turned around and prepared to leave.

"Let me go!" The girl struggled desperately, but she was weak and couldn't break free from the grasp of the two gangsters.He could only be forced to follow Cockscomb Head out.

The young man struggled to stand up to save his sister, but just as he sat up, he was kicked down again by the gangster behind him.

Zhang Jiao sighed and signaled Brother Peng to do it.

It is a good thing to have foresight, but now is the time to make a move. We can't really let this young girl be taken away, she can't do such a desperate thing.

Brother Peng got the order, jumped up like a tiger, and knocked down the four gangsters to the ground with three punches and two kicks.

Cockscomb found something was wrong, turned around and attacked Brother Peng.

He was indeed worthy of being the eldest brother among the gangsters, he was skilled in martial arts, and he had to survive a few tricks under Brother Peng before he was beaten back.

"Get out of here!" Brother Peng stopped his hand and stood still, speaking calmly.

Cockscomb clutched his chest when he was hit. It was considered that he was unlucky today, and met a hard stubble who likes to meddle in other people's business.

He glared at Brother Peng with hatred, "We, the Whitebeard Gang, have taken note of this matter today."

After speaking, he took the people and ran away.

Zhang Jiao raised her eyebrows after hearing this, "Whitebeard Gang?"

What a coincidence, she is quite familiar!
Seeing that she was safe, the girl scrambled and ran to help her younger brother up, and asked anxiously, "Are you alright? Where are you hurt?"

The male shopkeeper stood up with the help of his sister and shook his head, "I'm fine."

He staggered to Brother Peng and said, "Thank you, big brother. My name is Huang Qi, and this is my sister Huang Ying. Thank you for your help! If it weren't for you, my sister would have been taken away by them."

Brother Peng waved his hand, "You're welcome. I listened to our lady and will save you. If you want to thank you, just thank her."

Huang Qi glanced sideways at Zhang Jiao, and said solemnly, "You all should be thankful. Thank you brother, and thank you lady!"

Huang Ying also bowed gratefully, "Thank you, brother, thank you, miss."

Zhang Jiao politely gave him a hand, "You're welcome, Brother Peng originally wanted to make a move, but I stopped him."

Brother Peng frowned, seemingly dissatisfied with her statement.

Zhang Jiao pretended not to notice. She just wanted to highlight Brother Peng's original kindness and that he should be grateful.

"I was worried that they would hold a grudge and come back to take revenge on you, so I didn't let Brother Peng take action. But..."

But it's too late to say these things now, all the fights have been done.

Zhang Jiao was even more worried about their future, "What are you going to do now? When we leave, those gangsters will probably come to settle accounts with you if they can't find us."

At that time, the means may not be as "moderate" as they are today.

The siblings looked at each other and smiled wryly, both reluctant to part with the crystallization of this family's countless painstaking efforts.

"Maybe I will continue to stick to it. When...it's too bad, I can close the shop and find other jobs. As long as people are alive, there will always be a bowl of rice to eat."

Dad was still taking medicine, but their savings were empty. It was really difficult to find another place to pay the rent.

If I don't continue to insist, I'm afraid my father won't be able to pay for the medicine this week.

After hearing their plan, Zhang Jiao didn't comment much.

Even with the trouble ahead, they didn't choose to give up. It must be because of financial difficulties.

But the two siblings speak in an orderly manner. At a glance, they know that they have read books, can read and write, and they have cooking skills.

Zhang Jiao believes that sooner or later they will be able to rely on their own abilities to live a better life than they are now.

They are not the same as Aunt Feng.

But Zhang Jiao was also afraid that they would have no way out like Aunt Feng and Shasha, so she offered them some help.

Zhang Jiao asked Brother Peng to write down the phone number in the small building where they lived and hand it to Huang Qi.The reminder was more tactful, "If you want to open a noodle restaurant in another place in the future, you can call this person to rent a shop. His name is Qi Tianfu."

Qi Tianfu is Uncle Qi, and Zhang Jiao's real estate is under his control.

Zhang Jiao then joked, "Although the rent may not be very cheap, at least it doesn't have that many worries."

Although it is not stated explicitly, everyone understands the meaning.

The troublesome people naturally refer to those people who come to collect protection money under the guise of no reason.

(End of this chapter)