Li Hua and Liu Jiali, a married couple, had been selling tofu at the bridgehead for three years, practically considering that spot their own.
The three Li brothers ran three tofu stalls on this street, one in front, one behind, and one in the middle. They could sell thirty to forty jin (about 15-20 kg) of tofu a day and earn more in a month than the workers in the textile factory.
Besides the Li family's tofu, they had squeezed out all the other stalls.
Only Old Yang, who sold tofu under the banyan tree in front, had a son who was a police officer at the local station, so they dared not say anything.
But this little mute boy who came two days ago actually sold two slabs of tofu yesterday, at least twenty jin (about 10 kg).
There were only a few customers buying tofu. The little mute sold twenty jin, so they sold twenty jin less.
In their eyes, it was no different than the little mute boy taking money out of their pockets.
The three brothers and their parents discussed it all night, and this morning, the eldest brother, Li Hua, and his wife came early to take over the little mute boy's stall, preventing him from setting up a stall there.
A little mute boy, unable to hear or speak, with only an elderly woman with mobility issues at home so bullying him would be pointless.
If they really let him build up his reputation, would they still be able to make money?
But the little mute boy was a bit stubborn, he put the small table in the corner and insisted on staying there to set up his stall.
"Didn't you hear me telling you to leave?" Li Hua reached out to grab the boy's basket.
The boy was quick-witted, taking a step back and dodging Li Hua's large hand.
"You dare to dodge!" Li Hua was somewhat annoyed, grabbing the advertising paper on the small table, tearing it into pieces, and throwing it at the boy's face.
The boy caught a piece, staring blankly, his eyes instantly reddening, his left hand clenched into a fist, his body trembling slightly.
"Aiya, don't do it like that, it won't do, it won't do..." The auntie selling vegetables at the stall nearby waved her hands repeatedly.
The farmer at the nearby stall also frowned, his face showing some anger.
"He's not your relative, so mind your own business." Liu Jiali rolled her eyes. "He won't be able to set up his stall here today! Not even the Heaven King himself could do it! I'm telling you!"
"F**k your mo**er!"
Just then, accompanied by an angry curse, a figure suddenly rushed out from behind and kicked Li Hua in his large belly.
"Ouch!"
Li Hua yelled, and his stout body was kicked away, crashing onto a vegetable stall nearby and crushing four or five cabbages.
Liu Jiali's eyes widened, and she subconsciously took two steps back. Her legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground. She looked up at the tall young man carrying a wooden sign and two bunches of vegetables in his hand, her voice trembling slightly: "You...why did you hit my husband?"
"Who are you?! How dare you hit me!" Li Hua spat out the vegetable leaves from his mouth, glaring angrily at Zhou Yan.
"Who? I'm his brother!" Zhou Yan shielded Laifu behind him, coldly watching the two. "Overturning stalls, tearing down signs, and even trying to beat people up—what, just because someone is deaf and mute gives you the right to bully them to death? Don't you treat us brothers like human beings?"
Laifu, his both eyes red, looked up at the tall, familiar back, staring blankly, then his eyes lit up again.
The onlookers and vegetable farmers all looked at Zhou Yan. This young man was tall and handsome, with an upright air, unlike the Li brothers, whose faces were full of menace and didn't look like good people.
The actions of Li Hua and his wife were disgusting. Seeing someone stand up for the deaf-mute boy, the crowd applauded.
"That's right! That kid is already pitiful! He's just selling tofu at a stall and they still bully him!"
"They pick on the weak, doing all sorts of despicable things. Now they've kicked a hornet's nest!"
Someone in the crowd joined in with disgust and curses.
"Brother?" Li Hua's gaze swept over the wooden sign Zhou Yan was carrying. Seeing the familiar handwriting, he clenched his fists and got up with a cold face. "Then you'd better take your mute brother with you today, otherwise, every time he comes, I'll smash it!"
From behind the crowd, two burly young men, who looked six or seven parts like Li Hua, rushed over.
Laifu tugged at Zhou Yan's clothes from behind, shook his head at him, pointed to the tofu and basket on the table, indicating that he was leaving.
"Don't be afraid, just set it up here." Zhou Yan smiled and patted his head, then turned to Li Hua and sneered, "I'd like to see what you're capable of, managing to bully and dominate the market even when selling tofu."
Li Hua and Liu Jiali exchanged glances, not expecting to run into such a reckless and arrogant young man today.
On the other side, Zhou Miao was chatting with Zhang Laosan in front of the meat stall.
A thin man hurried up to Zhou Miao and said urgently, "Fourth Brother! Your Zhou Yan is fighting with someone up ahead! You'd better go and see!"
"Zhang Yan, who is Zhou Yan fighting with? How many people?" Zhou Miao's face turned cold as he walked forward and asked.
"Li Hua, who sells tofu, and his two brothers all sell tofu at the bridgehead. I was worried that Zhou Yan would suffer losses, so I quickly came to call you." Zhang Yan replied.
Zhou Miao nodded and added, "Could you please ride my bicycle to the dock and tell Zhou Jie and Zhou Hai to come over?"
"Okay!" Zhang Yan replied, turning to push his bicycle.
"Fourth brother, don't do anything reckless!" Zhang Laosan shouted at Zhou Miao's back. Seeing him walk forward with his head down, he sighed, grabbed a knife from the stall, and followed him.
The three Li brothers had already surrounded Zhou Yan. They were half a head shorter than him, but their burly build gave them a formidable presence.
However, for the moment, no one dared to make the first move.
Zhou Yan saw through the trio's bluster and realized they were actually weak. Instead of backing down, he took a step forward and said with a smile, "You've got your fists clenched, go ahead and hit me? By bullying and monopolizing the market, and committing violence in the street, according to Article 8 of the Criminal Law, you'll likely face several years in prison. If you escalate the situation, you'll be facing endless bullets."
The three Li brothers instinctively took a step back, exchanging glances, all somewhat flustered.
They are not afraid of the other party being fierce, but they are afraid of the other party being fierce and educated, who will talk to you about criminal law.
"You...you're talking nonsense! The three of us brothers didn't lay a hand on anyone, everyone can testify, we didn't lay a hand on anyone!" Li Hua said hurriedly, his hands instinctively going behind his back.
"Yes...we didn't lay a hand on anyone!"
Li Hao and Li Fan also quickly followed suit, putting their hands behind their backs.
The trio's imposing manner immediately diminished, standing in front Zhou Yan with their hands behind their backs like a homeroom teacher lecturing students who had done something wrong.
"If you didn't lay a hand on anyone, then what's going on with my brother's signboard?" Zhou Yan slammed the signboard in his hand on the ground. "You tore down the signboard I wrote for him yesterday. Come on, hurry up and smash this signboard too.
Oh, by the way, just a heads up, I had this sign designed by a master advertiser and hand-painted by a famous calligrapher. It cost me a hundred yuan, just enough for you guys to get shot."
"What kind of sign costs a hundred yuan?!"
Li Hua and the others took two steps back, keeping a safe distance from the signboard next to Zhou Yan.
"Brother, is he lying to us?"
"Why isn't this bastard afraid of us at all?"
Li Fan and Li Hao whispered. In the past, when people came to sell tofu and steal their business, the three brothers only needed to stand there, say a few threatening words, and the other party would immediately pack up and leave without daring to utter a sound.
But this guy today, his mere presence overwhelmed them all.
Li Hua's eyes flickered, his fist clenching and unclenching. He wasn't afraid of encountering a brute; a brawl wouldn't get him locked up for more than two days. The three brothers had been fighting since they were young and weren't afraid of trouble.
But this kid keeps talking about bullying and monopolizing the market, criminal law, and getting shot, and he's also talking about an advertising master and a calligraphy master. It's really intimidating.
"Fourth brother, your son is quite something, both scholarly and martial, he didn't suffer any losses." Zhang Laosan slung the butcher knife behind his back and couldn't help but laugh.
Zhou Miao's expression softened slightly, and he also pulled down his shirt to cover the handle of the boning knife at his waist.
"Don't act rashly, but don't lose in terms of imposing manner." Li Hua whispered to his two younger brothers, coughed, and stepped forward, looking at Zhou Yan, ready to utter a few harsh words.
Ding-a-ling! Ding-a-ling!
A bicycle bell rang, and four bicycles stopped in front of the tofu stall.
Zhou Jie, Zhou Hai, Zhou Fei, and Zhou Hongwei got out of their bicycles at the same time, pushed through the crowd, and walked in, angrily saying, "Let me see who it is! Who wants to hit our little brother?"
"Zhou Yan, are you alright?" Zhou Jie looked at Zhou Yan first, asking with concern.
Zhou Hai stepped forward, blocking Li Hua's path like a giant bear. Compared to him, the stout Li Hua looked two sizes smaller.
Zhou Hongwei, wearing a vest that revealed his muscular physique, held a stick in his hand, coldly staring at the three.
Zhou Fei stood to the side and behind, blocking their escape route.
The three on one situation was instantly reversed.
Fear finally appeared in the eyes of the three Li brothers.
"Brother, they're from Zhou Village, the cattle slaughterer!" Li Hao whispered.
"That's Zhou Hai. He can kill a cow with one punch!" Li Fan's voice trembled slightly.
Li Hua's face darkened, his eyes filled with panic: "Wasn't that little mute boy supposed to be from Shangshui Village? How is he connected to Zhou Village?"
Zhou Village is known for its unity in Suji Town. Cattle slaughtering used to be incredibly lucrative, but throughout Suji, and even Jiazhou, it was practically monopolized by Zhou Village.
They could slaughter cattle, but no one else could.
The cattle slaughterers exuded a menacing aura, always carrying a boning knife at their waist.
Everyone in Suji knows that they should never easily mess with the people of Zhou Village.
Look at these guys, each one burly and strong, the kind who could take on several people at once.
"I'm fine. This is my aunt's grandson, Laifu. He sells tofu here. These three Li brothers are bullying him and trying to smash his stall and kick him out. We brothers have to stand up for him." Zhou Yan was a little surprised that Zhou Jie and the others arrived so quickly, but he still explained the situation briefly.
"Laifu? You've grown so much!" Zhou Jie finally noticed the thin boy huddled behind Zhou Yan. Seeing his reddened eyes and remembering his situation, his anger flared. He reached out and patted the boy's head, saying, "Laifu, don't be afraid. Your brothers are all here. Anyone who bullies you is just shitting on our heads."
Zhou Hai and Zhou Fei, hearing this, also glared angrily at the three Li brothers.
The chilling aura emanating from them made Li Hua and the other two tremble.
How can you compare someone who grinds tofu to someone who slaughters a cow?
The force that held the power to manipulate soft tofu crumbled at the slightest touch.
Compared to this group of ruthless bandits, Zhou Yan appeared to be a refined and cultured man.
After understanding the situation, Zhou Jie turned his attention to the three Li brothers and said coldly, "The Li brothers, right? Our little brother Laifu is selling tofu here, and you have a big problem with that? A sixteen years old kid, deaf and mute, you want to overturn his stall? And even hit him?"
"Well... we were here first. We were just trying to scare him, we didn't lay a hand on him. But your little brother came over and kicked me flying." Li Hua's voice was weaker, lacking his previous arrogance.
"My little brother kicked you for your own good. If you were to resort to violence, we wouldn't be standing here talking anymore." Zhou Jie said coldly. "Besides, this is such a big market. Everyone can sell what they want. Business is about skill. You came first and then wouldn't let others come, what kind of logic is that? Are you trying to see who has the bigger fist?"
Li Hua stammered, wanting to argue further.
"I'm trying to reason with you now. If you don't understand reason, then we brothers also know a little bit about martial arts." Zhou Jie continued:
"If you think we can't win, we have two brothers in the army and one brother practicing martial arts in Mount Ermei. We can call them back to train with you all."
The three Li brothers immediately fell silent, shrinking back.
"I'm sorry, I was rash just now." Li Hua immediately backed down and sincerely apologized to Zhou Yan.
Zhou Yan raised an eyebrow slightly. This kind of thing really had to be solved by Brother Jie.
He ultimately lacked some of the chivalrous spirit of the martial arts world.
"You're wrong. You and your wife should apologize to Laifu." Zhou Yan reached out and pulled Laifu in front of him, gently placing one hand on his shoulder.
Li Hua hesitated for a moment, then pulled Liu Jiali over and bowed to Laifu in apology.
Laifu was a little flustered, but with Zhou Yan standing behind him and a warm, strong hand on his shoulder, he stood up straight.
"My younger brother is honest and hardworking. He sets up a stall here to sell tofu. I hope you uncles and brothers won't make things difficult for him." Zhou Jie raised his voice a few decibels and glanced at the onlookers and the stall vendors: "He has nothing at home, but he has many brothers. His brothers would never stand idly by."
Wherever his gaze fell, the crowd nodded in agreement.
They weren't afraid; rather, they envied this brotherhood.
Everyone already pitied the little mute boy and deeply resented the three Li brothers. Now, seeing them being punished, they felt a surge of satisfaction.
Ding-a-ling!
Another bell rang out.
Seven or eight bicycles arrived, carrying more than a dozen burly men.
"Brother Jie? Who are we going to take down?" one of the men jumped out of the bicycle and asked.
The others also stopped their bicycle and swarmed around.
The three Li brothers huddled together, trembling.
Was it really necessary for so many people to come when they were just three tofu makers?
"It's alright, everything's settled. Go back now, I'll treat you to drinks after two days." Zhou Jie waved his hand. "Don't obstruct traffic."
"Okay." The group greeted Zhou Yan and others, glanced at the three Li brothers, and rode off on their bicycles.
They're all young people from Zhou Village, they'll come right away if you call them.
Zhou Yan watched this scene, somewhat dazed, experiencing for the first time the genuine unity of the people of Zhou Village.
The three Li brothers breathed a sigh of relief, not daring to linger any longer. They slunk away, carrying their tofu and small table.
The crowd dispersed as well.
Zhou Miao and Zhang Laosan walked towards the meat stall.
Zhang Laosan said with a touch of nostalgia, "When we were young, your Zhou Village was just as united. No one dared to mess with you all outside, unlike those cowards in my village who only know how to fight amongst themselves; they're all cowards once they leave the village."
"Thanks, Brother San." Zhou Miao said, glancing at the pig-slaughtering knife he was carrying.
"Aiya, I was in such a rush, I forgot to put the knife away." Zhang Laosan chuckled, scratching his head.
Zhou Hai and the others pushed their bicycles aside.
Zhou Yan helped Laifu set up the tofu stall back in the same spot as yesterday and erected the new signboard next to it.
Laifu's face lit up with a smile again, and he bowed to Zhou Yan and Zhou Jie.
"This little brother is really well-behaved and sensible. He's the same age as Huihui. Last time I saw him, he was only eight years old. He's grown up so fast." Zhou Fei said, his eyes filled with pity and heartache.
"The new signboard I made for you, take it back with you when you leave. Tomorrow, tie it to your basket with rope and carry it back here." Zhou Yan wrote on a piece of paper and showed it to Laifu.
Laifu read it, nodded, took the paper and pen, wrote two words, and looked up at him with a smile.
Thank you.
Zhou Yan reached out and patted his head, smiling as he said, "You're welcome."
"Xiba tofu? Is that from the tofu beauty stall from before?"
"Haven't I seen that auntie selling tofu for two years? Her tofu tastes amazing."
As soon as the sign was put up, customers came to buy tofu, many of whom were vendors and farmers who had set up stalls nearby.
Xiba Tofu was famous, and Grandma Sun had built a good reputation after selling tofu for decades; this sign attracted many customers.
Laifu immediately got busy, cutting and weighing the tofu, and collecting money and giving change.
Zhou Yan bought all four crushed cabbages from the vendor next door, along with the remaining two, and tossed them into the basket on the back of Zhou Jie's bicycle, saying, "Take them back for Grandma to feed the pigs."
"Come on, let's not block his business." Zhou Yan called out with a smile, and Zhou Jie and the others pushed their bicycles and followed.
"If there's nothing else, I'll head back to the dock to get the loads. I'll get yelled at by the foreman if I'm late." Zhou Hongwei said, then got on his bicycle and rode off.
Zhou Jie said to Zhou Hai, "Zhou Hai, you should go back and check the fire first. Your sister in law probably won't be able to keep it under control."
"Okay, Zhou Yan, I'm off now." Zhou Hai nodded, hopped on his bicycle, and left as well.
"Brother Jie, how did you all get here so fast?" Zhou Yan finally had a chance to ask.
"Fourth Uncle called someone to notify us, and Zhou Hai and I rode over on our bicycles. We also called Hongwei when we passed the dock. The other brothers just shouted and they notified each other to come over, so they were a few minutes late." Zhou Jie said with a smile, "When brothers are in trouble, we definitely have to come quickly to be of any use."
"My Dad?" Zhou Yan had just spotted Comrade Old Zhou in the crowd, with Zhang Laosan carrying a pig-slaughtering knife by his side.
"The older generation usually doesn't get involved in matters concerning the younger generation." Zhou Jie explained to him, adding, "I was originally planning to come and see you today as well."
"What's up? How's the cross-legged beef business lately?" Zhou Yan asked, looking at him.
"Selling very well, we're selling over eighty bowls a day now. When the weather gets colder, I estimate we can easily sell over a hundred." Zhou Jie grinned. "Zhou Hai and I are earning more than before, and we're not as tired."
"That's great." Zhou Yan smiled upon hearing this.
"I originally came to ask you today if you needed me to help you sell braised meat." Zhou Jie said. "Now your two sisters in law come to help during lunch and dinner hours, so I'm actually quite free."
"I can come over everyday and get a few jin of braised meat to help you sell. The foot traffic at the dock is pretty good, and our customers are willing to spend money on it."
"Of course, don't misunderstand, I'm just helping you sell it. If I sell a lot, I'll give you all the money."
Zhou Yan's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and he immediately said, "That's a great idea. If you all can manage, I'll give you all some pig's head meat to sell everyday. Selling pig's head meat is easy to cut and easy to calculate. It sells for 2.5 yuan per jin, but I'll give you a 2 yuan per jin price. If you sell it well, you can earn some extra income."
"No need! Just charge me 2.5 yuan per jin." Zhou Jie shook his head firmly. "You taught us how to make cross-legged beef and helped us make money. It's only right that we help you sell some braised meat. Do you think I'd make money off you?"
"Then I won't sell it for you." Zhou Yan laughed.
"Why?" Zhou Jie glared.
Zhou Yan's smile faded, and he said seriously, "If you earn 50 cents per jin, I can also earn 50 cents. You'll be more motivated to sell, and you'll be more energetic when you shout out to attract customers. The more you sell, the more you earn.
If you don't earn a penny and waste a person's labor selling braised pig's head for me, the two sisters in law will be a little unhappy. I definitely won't do that.
Brother Jie, I think your idea is excellent. The dock is far enough from my restaurant that customers there won't usually come to my restaurant to buy braised meat. If you sell well, it'll be free advertising for my restaurant.
In business, mutual benefit is essential for long term success. Even close brothers need to be clear about finances. If you're interested, come pick up your braised meat tomorrow morning at ten o'clock."
Zhou Jie stopped, seeing Zhou Yan's serious expression, thought for a moment, and nodded, "Okay, I'll do as you say. I'll come tomorrow, and take five jin of braised pig's head meat first."
"Okay, it's settled then." Zhou Yan nodded, and the two went their separate ways.
"Dad, let's go." Zhou Yan walked to Zhang Laosan's meat stall, greeted Comrade Old Zhou, and rode his bicycle towards the restaurant.
This little incident this morning caused him some delay; he still had to get back and cook the toppings.
But the result was actually quite good.
With Zhou Jie and Zhou Hai backing up Laifu, no one would dare to bully him when he sold tofu at the stone bridge, reducing his worries.
These kinds of dirty tricks are common among small vendors.
That's why they say competitors are enemies.
If you show weakness and back down, the other party will dare to take advantage of you.
Zhao Minghui was almost forced out of his job back then, but he managed to regain his footing thanks to his sweet-skinned duck.
Zhou Yan's kick today was aimed at escalating the situation.
If a little mute boy doesn't want to be bullied, he has to let everyone know that he's not someone to mess with and that he has someone protecting him.
The great man was right: a single punch can prevent a hundred more.
"Dad, you came here too?" Zhou Yan asked, looking at Comrade Old Zhou walking beside him.
"I figured I didn't need to do anything, so I went back." Comrade Old Zhou nodded.
Zhou Yan smiled: Comrade Old Zhou does have the air of a master.
Back at the restaurant, Zhou Yan first rinsed the soaking kelp, then added more water to soak it again.
Besides soaking, salted kelp needs constant water changes to remove the saltiness; otherwise, it will be too salty to eat after braising.
Then he soaked three jin (approximately 1.5 kg) of dried bean curd sticks in cold water. After soaking, they should weigh about eight jin (approximately 4 kg).
He also bought twenty jin (approximately 10 kg) of lotus root. The uncle selling the lotus root said that it was nearing the end of the lotus root season, and he could only sell it for another ten days or so at most.
This was terrible; it seemed that overwintering lotus root didn't exist in this era.
He also bought twenty jin of potatoes. These things keep well, and if his basket wasn't too full, he would have bought a hundred jin to store.
After finishing the morning rush hour, Zhou Yan was braising meat when a message suddenly popped up in his eyes:
[Side Quest: The Battle to Protect the Heritage of Xiba Tofu! Progress: 30%]