Chapter Sixteen: A Pleasant Surprise

The vegetable market.

Yang Qing carried little Dong’er in one arm and held a large bag of fresh vegetables in the other. Xiao Qiu’er clung tightly to his coat with one small hand, while the other gripped a string tied to a clucking chicken.

“Why are you leading a live chicken?” Yang Qing asked, helpless as he watched the lively child.

Xiao Qiu’er’s eyes sparkled. “Xiao Bai said so! Xiao Bai said you need a live chicken for bang-bang chicken!”

Yang Qing was speechless. Well, you’re the cutest—you call the shots.

Xiao Qiu’er led the chicken, its clucks echoing along the alley, and soon spotted Xiao Bai’s father unloading goods.

“Uncle Bai! Look at my chicken!” she called out excitedly.

Bai Zhijun staggered under the weight of a bag of flour and turned to look at Xiao Qiu’er in silence.

“Eh, Qiu’er, why did you bring a live chicken? Are you making bang-bang chicken?” Bai’s wife stepped out and asked curiously.

“Yes, yes!” Xiao Qiu’er nodded happily. “Xiao Bai told me so!”

Bai’s wife laughed. “That silly child. Here, have a little bear drink!”

“Thank you, Aunt Bai.”

Yang Qing had already set down Dong’er and the vegetables. He said to Xiao Qiu’er, “Qiu’er, you and Dong’er go play.”

With that, he began helping Bai Zhijun and his wife unload the goods. Despite his slender build, Yang Qing had surprising strength.

The Bai couple didn’t treat Yang Qing as an outsider, and soon the truckload of goods was unloaded. Bai’s wife brought out two bottles of beer.

“Gulp, gulp.”

Yang Qing took a big swig and laughed. “Brother Bai, your business is booming! It’s only been three days since your last restock.”

“Heh heh…” Bai Zhijun chuckled. “That’s my business secret—honesty above all, fair to young and old alike!”

He looked at his wife, who was cuddling little Dong’er, and said cheerfully, “After years running this shop, we’ve saved up a bit. Now your sister-in-law plans to open a porridge shop in the city. It’ll make picking up Xiao Bai much easier.”

“She’s opening a shop too?” Yang Qing was surprised. “Have you looked at any locations?”

“I have,” Bai Zhijun replied. “It’s right on the corner of May Day Street where you set up your stall. Great spot, lots of foot traffic, but the rent’s high, and the space is a bit big—feels wasteful. We’re torn.”

Bai Zhijun sighed, but Yang Qing’s eyes lit up. “Brother Bai, I’m planning to open a small shop myself. What do you think—”

“Beep beep! Yang Qing!”

Just as Yang Qing was about to discuss opening a shop, a voice called out.

“Eh, it’s you two. Is something up? Are the test results out?” Yang Qing recognized the two SJJ enforcement officers stepping out of the car.

“They’re out, all passed! Sir, last time was our mistake. Please come with us right away,” the officer said anxiously, his demeanor humble.

“Go with you? What’s going on?” Yang Qing was baffled.

“There’s no time to explain. Please get in the car, and I’ll explain on the way. Otherwise, something serious will happen.”

“Ah, but…” Yang Qing hesitated. “I need to pick up my sister from school later. Maybe—”

“Sir, I’m begging you!” the officer pleaded.

Yang Qing was speechless and looked to the Bai couple.

Bai’s wife understood instantly. “Go ahead, Qingzi. Old Bai will go with you. Leave the kids to me; I’ll pick up Chun’er and Xia’er.”

“Thank you, Aunt Bai.”

Yang Qing and Bai Zhijun got in the car, which sped toward SJJ.

“Blah blah blah…”

In the car, the officer explained in detail what had happened that day, leaving Yang Qing and Bai Zhijun utterly stunned.

After a while, Old Bai stammered, “You just said… said Qingzi’s customers surrounded the SJJ?”

“Yes!”

“And… and there were lots… lots of reporters?”

“Yes!”

Old Bai was speechless.

He turned to Yang Qing, who looked just as incredulous, but after a few minutes, Yang Qing’s eyes suddenly brightened. He asked in a trembling voice, “Reporters… so will they report on today’s events?”

“They will!” The officer’s eyes were somewhat resentful. “More than one media outlet came—four or five! So this can’t be kept under wraps.”

Upon hearing this, Yang Qing became excited.

This was a godsend!

Praise to Miss Ke’er!

Yang Qing sensed that this stroke of luck would help him reach his next achievement, which meant another round of the lottery!

Ten achievement points, ten draws!

The surprise was overwhelming!

When they arrived at SJJ, Bai Zhijun was startled by the crowd gathered at the entrance.

He doubted his own senses, repeatedly glancing at Yang Qing.

Our Qingzi really is something!

“The young boss is here!”

Yang Qing’s arrival caused a stir—the crowd cheered, calling out for the young boss.

“Thank you, everyone!” Yang Qing bowed to the crowd and smiled. “You can all disperse now. SJJ staff told me the inspection results are out. I’ll go sign and collect my cart, and then I’ll be back at the usual spot for business!”

No sooner had Yang Qing finished speaking than the crowd scattered, racing in the same direction.

“Hey! Wife, what are you doing? What? Washing cucumbers? Forget that! I’m sleeping in the room tonight! Hurry and get in line at the young boss’s old stall!”

“Xiao Mei! Are all the sisters there? Hurry, get in line at the young boss’s old stall!”

“Kid! Stop gaming and get in line for your old man! If I don’t get a pancake today, I’ll break your legs!”

Everyone was pulling out all the stops.

Listening to the shouts, Bai Zhijun was stunned, the two officers were speechless, and Yang Qing laughed.

In the leader’s office, Yang Qing secretly gave Wang Ke’er a thumbs-up, accepted a brief interview from Reporter Zhang, signed his name, and collected his payment.

“Thank you, sir. Goodbye.”

The leader: … Goodbye, and hopefully never again!

…

May Day Snack Street.

It was still before the rush hour, so the street looked rather deserted.

Rows of snack stalls stood empty, with barely any customers.

“Ever since Xiao Yang left, business has gotten worse every day.”

“Who isn’t saying so? That fool actually reported Xiao Yang! Such a pig—hurting others, but hurting himself more!”

“Exactly! When Xiao Yang was here, customers flocked to him, but at least we got some leftovers. Now? Damn it!”

A few stall owners were lamenting when suddenly a crowd poured into the snack street and began lining up in orderly queues.

“Whoa! What’s…”

The stall owners were stunned.

“That’s… Xiao Yang’s stall! Is he… but he’s not even here yet! They’re lining up at an empty stall—I’m really jealous!”

“…Me too. In just a few minutes, there are nearly a hundred people, and still more coming!”

“Ah, forget it. Tonight’s a spectacle, don’t bother prepping ingredients.”

The stall owners could only watch.

…

Hope Primary School, second grade, during a ten-minute break. Xiao Chun’er and Xiao Xia’er sat in the first row, studying diligently when their homeroom teacher, Ms. Zhang, walked in.

“Yang Chun, Yang Xia, come with me to the office.”

The two girls’ faces tensed, but they followed Ms. Zhang without a word.

“Don’t be nervous,” Ms. Zhang smiled at their silence. “How’s your studying lately? Any trouble understanding in class?”

“No,” Xiao Chun’er shook her head.

Xiao Xia’er bit her lip. “Teacher, are you calling our family?”

Ms. Zhang was taken aback. She looked at Xiao Xia’er and said, “If anything happens, just come to me, okay? You mustn’t hit other classmates—it’s not right.”

Tears welled up in Xiao Xia’er’s eyes, but she stubbornly said, “Ma Mingtao started it! He pulled my sister’s hair and broke my backpack—Grandma made it for me!”

Xiao Xia’er and Xiao Chun’er had new backpacks from Qin Xue, but they couldn’t bear to use them. They still carried the ones lovingly sewn by their grandmother.

Those backpacks held Grandma’s love and hope, and the girls cherished them deeply.

“Teacher…” Xiao Chun’er also had tears in her eyes. “I’ll apologize to Ma Mingtao. Please don’t scold Xia’er, and don’t call our family. Please?”

“My brother… he works so hard every day. He gets up so early and never rests. He has to earn money to support us, and… and…”

As she spoke, Xiao Chun’er broke down, her tears falling like rain.

Xiao Xia’er held her head high, refusing to let her tears fall.

“Don’t cry,”

Ms. Zhang gently wiped their tears and spoke softly, “I never said I’d call your family. Ma Mingtao has already been reprimanded by the teachers. He won’t bully you anymore.”

She took their hands kindly. “I called you here because I have a surprise for you.”

A surprise…

Sniffling, the girls looked at Ms. Zhang, who handed them two forms from her desk.

“This morning, your brother asked me to enroll you in the Young Artists’ Training Program. From now on, you’ll have classes every Saturday.”

Ms. Zhang encouraged them, “Do your best!”

Young Artists’ Training Program.

Staring at the filled-in forms, the two girls wept again.

Brother…

Those who love you will cherish every thought you have.