Chapter 52: Lin Xiangyi Injured, Xie Qingxiao Worried

“Zhang Pengfei is a good guy, very diligent, just a bit too fond of joking, especially about us two,” Lin Xiangyi looked at Zhang Pengfei’s retreating figure, a little annoyed and amused, “He doesn’t have a girlfriend, right? If he starts dating someone, don’t let me catch him, or I’ll let him know what it means to get what you deserve!”

“…”

Not hearing Xie Qingxiao’s response, Lin Xiangyi looked up at him, his expression was rather strange. Meeting her gaze, he asked, “How do you know he was joking?”

“Could he have been serious?” She looked at Xie Qingxiao, her tone also strange, “Are you jealous?”

“Can’t I be?” Xie Qingxiao snorted, then a little embarrassed, he got on his bicycle and rode ahead.

Lin Xiangyi looked at his back, confused.

It wasn’t a big deal, she just reminded Zhang Pengfei a few times because he was helping them make money. Was it really reaching the point of jealousy?

Was Xie Qingxiao so possessive?

Their task for the day was to sell almost eighty pounds of braised meat. This little incident was quickly forgotten.

At this time of day, many workers hadn’t gotten off work yet. Xie Qingxiao and Lin Xiangyi discussed and decided to go to the train station first, then to the family housing area.

The county train station wasn’t big, but there were quite a few travelers.

Xie Qingxiao and Lin Xiangyi found a spot with a lot of foot traffic, placed the pot of braised meat against the wall on the ground, and put up two cardboard signs they had made at home with “Selling Braised Meat” and “Free Tasting” written on them.

Just like yesterday, Xie Qingxiao and Lin Xiangyi took out some duck intestines and duck hearts, cutting them into small pieces with scissors.

As they said, good-looking people attract attention. Xie Qingxiao and Lin Xiangyi were handsome, and people passing by couldn’t help but take a look. When they saw the “Free Tasting” sign, many people came forward to ask.

“What is this braised meat called? What is braised meat? It’s free tasting, right?”

“Yes, it’s free tasting. Would you like to try a piece, auntie?” Lin Xiangyi said enthusiastically.

“Then give me a piece, I’ve never eaten this before. Is it good?”

“Everyone’s taste is different. You try it, if you like it, then buy it. Here you go.”

“This taste is really good. How much is it?”

“Duck innards are eighty cents a pound, pig intestines are a dollar.”

“What? That’s too expensive!”

“The price does sound expensive, but we use good ingredients, the spices for braising aren’t cheap, and the intestines and duck hearts lose weight after processing. The cost is really not low. Auntie, look, a pound of braised pork at a state-owned restaurant costs two or three dollars. Our braised meat might not be as good as braised pork, but the taste is not bad.”

The auntie didn’t believe her, and continued, “Can you make it cheaper? I don’t have that much money on me, I only have a dollar! Just give me fifty cents a pound, I want two pounds!”

Lin Xiangyi smiled awkwardly, “It’s really not possible, auntie. I want to give you a discount, but our cost is here, if I give you a discount, I wouldn’t be able to give the other brothers and sisters a discount. We’re out here in the hot sun doing business, we have to make some profit, right?”

While they were arguing, several people passing by stopped to watch.

Some were just watching the fun, but hearing Lin Xiangyi say this, their sense of justice arose.

A kind person spoke up, “Auntie, look at the girl’s embarrassed look, she probably isn’t making much money. She’s doing small business, earning hard-earned money, don’t make things difficult for her. We’re all waiting behind, if you get a discount and we don’t, we won’t be happy.”

“This thing smells really good. Girl, let me try it. If it’s good, I’ll buy five ounces.”

“Let me try it too. I’m going to my father-in-law’s house, I’m worried about buying something to take as a gift. This thing looks good, they’ve probably never eaten it!”

“Okay, okay,” Lin Xiangyi said with a smile, and got busy with Xie Qingxiao.

The auntie who had bargained with Lin Xiangyi earlier liked the braised meat after trying it. It just so happened that she was also going to visit relatives, and thought about buying some to take to her relatives’ house, otherwise she wouldn’t be willing to buy so much. Of course, she had more than a dollar on her, she just wanted to take advantage. Now that she couldn’t bargain, but with so many people watching, she couldn’t back down, so she bought a pound.

“Nana, my Nana!”

“Stop! Put the child down!”

“Ah! There’s a human trafficker!”

At this moment, a commotion came from ahead.

The customers around Xie Qingxiao and Lin Xiangyi all turned their heads to look at the source of the sound. They couldn’t help but be shocked when they saw a man with a scar on his face holding a little girl hostage and running towards them, and he had a sharp knife in his hand.

Everyone hurriedly dodged and gave way.

Xie Qingxiao grabbed Lin Xiangyi’s arm and pulled her towards him.

However, everyone was in a panic, and someone was blocking Lin Xiangyi and Xie Qingxiao. Because Xie Qingxiao’s hand was blocking Lin Xiangyi, he wanted to duck under her and run past.

Lin Xiangyi was afraid he would bump into her belly, so she forcefully pulled Xie Qingxiao away to dodge, but in the chaos, there were too many people and she couldn’t dodge. The scarred man had already passed by and pushed her from behind.

Xie Qingxiao rushed over and held Lin Xiangyi. Before he could ask if she was hurt, he felt a sticky feeling on his hand.

Looking down, Lin Xiangyi’s arm had been cut by the knife in the scarred man’s hand, about two centimeters long.

“Damn it!” Xie Qingxiao cursed, and turned to run in the direction the scarred man had escaped.

He was agile and swift, weaving through the crowd, chasing after the scarred man.

The scarred man noticed Xie Qingxiao’s aggressive approach and wanted to dodge him, but he was holding a five or six-year-old girl in his arms, making it difficult to outrun Xie Qingxiao.

He immediately changed his strategy, intending to stop and use the little girl as a hostage.

Xie Qingxiao saw his plan and quickly picked up a stone from the ground, smashing it hard at the scarred man’s wrist. He winced in pain and instinctively loosened his grip on the knife.

Xie Qingxiao got close to him, pulled the little girl from his arms, pushed her to the side, and kicked the scarred man in the groin with a swift and violent kick.

The scarred man’s face turned purple with pain. Before he could recover and fight back, a slightly overweight but agile middle-aged man rushed out from behind and kicked him several times with Xie Qingxiao, then pinned him to the ground.

A cheer erupted from the crowd.

“Xie Qingxiao!” Lin Xiangyi pushed through the crowd, calling anxiously.

Xie Qingxiao handed the scarred man to the middle-aged man and walked towards Lin Xiangyi, nervously grabbing her arm and saying, “I’m fine, how is your arm?”