Chapter 46: A Drastic Change in the Old Street

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Though it was past two in the morning and most residents were already fast asleep, the shrill sound of police sirens still roused a few from their slumber.

Thus, as dawn crept in and the old street gradually regained its usual bustle, whispers and rumors began to circulate among the locals.

Some claimed a robbery had taken place in the old street the previous night, with the victim gravely wounded and forced to call the police for help.

Others insisted that two gangs had gotten drunk and started a violent brawl, with all involved hauled away by the officers who arrived on the scene.

A few even whispered of a murder, saying the victim was a resident of the old street.

Speculation ran rampant, but no one could provide a definitive answer.

Despite this, the old street was especially lively that day, as if anyone who failed to make a public appearance would instantly become a suspect in the previous night's affair.

Inside the teahouse on the old street, several restaurant owners, including Mr. Ma and Mr. Zhu, had gathered together, each looking preoccupied and troubled.

"Gentlemen, I take it none of you slept well last night?" Mr. Ma distributed a cigarette to each person, lowering his voice as he spoke.

The others nodded, still shaken.

"I was summoned to the police station past three in the morning. It scared me half to death."

"Same here. When I was taken away, my wife burst into tears, asking what crime I’d committed—I didn’t even know how to answer her."

"I knew that guy called Hawk would eventually come after Li Can for revenge. I just didn’t expect it to happen so soon!"

They each lit their cigarettes, then shared a bitter laugh.

"Thank goodness Li Can warned us in advance about what had happened. Otherwise, we might have said something wrong during the police questioning and found ourselves unable to explain. After all, we really did sit at the same table with Hawk, eating and drinking together," Mr. Ma said, flicking his ash.

"By the way, did they ask you to identify anyone?" Mr. Zhu asked suddenly.

"They did," Mr. Liu nodded, then seemed to recall something and burst out laughing.

The others joined in, the tense atmosphere easing considerably.

"I almost didn’t recognize him at first."

"Remember our first dinner with him? He acted like he owned the place, nose in the air. Look at him now—beaten so badly he was unrecognizable."

"I was startled when I walked in and saw him—thought it was some kind of pig-headed monster sitting there."

"I heard from one of the officers on duty: when they arrived at the scene, Hawk clung to their legs and wouldn’t let go, kept insisting he was a fugitive, and begged them to take him back to the station. The officer said he’d never seen anything like it in all his years on the force—wasn’t sure what to do himself!"

As their laughter faded, a heavy silence settled over them again. They exchanged uneasy glances, each seeing a flash of lingering fear in the other’s eyes.

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"What do you think would have happened if we’d listened to Zhao Gang back then and gone after Li Can?" Mr. Ma asked, his voice trembling.

Bang, bang—

There was a knock at the door, and a shy, honest-looking young man entered.

"Well? Did you find out anything?" Mr. Zhu was first to speak.

"I asked around. The staff at Spicy Kitchen said nobody’s seen Zhao Gang today. His phone’s off, too. Old Shen even went to his apartment, but the security guard said some cops took Zhao Gang away last night, and he hasn’t come back since."

"I doubt he’s coming back," Mr. Zhu said, waving his hand. The young man, understanding the cue, quietly left and closed the door behind him.

"Gentlemen, there’s your answer," Mr. Liu sighed. "If we’d crossed Li Can back then, what happened to Hawk and Zhao Gang would’ve been our fate, too."

"So what now? With Zhao Gang gone, Spicy Kitchen is bound to collapse. That’ll affect business for the whole old street," Mr. Yang said, worry etched on his face.

"Yang, haven’t you realized what’s going on? Ever since Li Can arrived, our business hasn’t depended on Zhao Gang at all. Spicy Kitchen’s downfall is simply because Zhao Gang messed with the wrong man, nothing more," Old Ma said, stubbing out his cigarette. "You’ve all seen what Li Can can do—his cooking skills and his methods both inspire awe. With him around, the old street will become famous. All we have to do is follow his lead and work honestly, and we’ll get our share of the profits. This is a blessing!"

"Should we go ask him for some cooking tips while we have the chance? We’re not open yet, might as well make use of our time," Mr. Ji suggested.

"No time like the present—let’s go!"

The group set off at once. Passing by a liquor store, they pooled their money to buy two cartons of fine cigarettes.

Yet when they arrived at Neighborhood Kitchen, Su Rui informed them that Li Can had gone out early on business and wouldn’t be back until evening.

Though disappointed, the bosses didn’t dare press for details. They presented their cigarettes with a smile and left content.

……

At noon, Neighborhood Kitchen opened right on schedule.

Since Li Can wasn’t there, only two dishes were on offer: the signature Meat Bone Soup and the Unorthodox Beef Sauce.

Su Rui had expected fewer customers due to the lack of specials, but she was completely mistaken.

The number of customers that day was nothing short of astonishing. From opening to closing, there wasn’t a single empty stool. Many patrons didn’t even care about the setting; they simply grabbed two stools and ate squatting outside on the sidewalk.

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The scene bordered on chaos.

Of course, such sights weren’t unheard of; plenty of popular noodle shops and snack stalls faced the same.

But anyone who took note of the prices would be left dumbfounded—these dishes cost several hundred yuan each! The restaurant couldn’t even provide a comfortable place to eat, yet not a single customer complained.

Moreover, the small shops near Neighborhood Kitchen were hit hard as well. Drinks that usually took weeks to sell out vanished in just three hours as frenzied customers swept through, not even sparing soon-to-expire yogurt.

A few of the elderly shopkeepers gathered together and decided to send Li Can two bottles of fine liquor in gratitude.

The old street had changed.

……

While everyone else was grinning from ear to ear, Li Can himself was struggling.

After handing things over to Su Rui that morning, he took the subway to Huadian District on the far north side of Canglan City. Following his GPS, he found the district’s bus station.

But to his surprise, there were far too many renovation companies near the station—at least a dozen, some with their own storefronts, others tucked away in apartment buildings.

Li Can visited them one by one, his legs aching by the end, but still couldn’t find his cousin, Xu Yang.

As for his phone number...

Liu Huadong hadn’t saved it at all!

"Could my luck really be this bad..." Li Can muttered, standing at the door of the last renovation company, hoping fate would be kinder to him.

(To be continued...)