Madness of the Heart

Nancheng District, Section [-] of Longcheng Road, "Baby Shrimp" food stall.

Perhaps because autumn has come, the production of crayfish has dropped sharply and they are no longer fat. "Baby Shrimp" is not as overcrowded as Mingshu saw it last time, but the business of a nearby restaurant of the same level is even more prosperous.

With the mentality of "everyone is here", Ming Shu parked the car outside the Jiangnan Theater after a few laps, and walked to "Baby Shrimp" with Xiao Yu'an.

"The crayfish here is very famous. In July and August, the queue can line up a whole street, and the car can't stop, but can only park a few kilometers away." None.

Xiao Yu'an just laughed, "Can you stop a few kilometers away for me to try?"

"Isn't this an exaggeration?" Mingshu said, "It's just talking about running a train, don't take it seriously."

The two walked into the store talking and laughing. It was past eight o'clock, which was the peak time of business, and there was still room for a seat in the store.

After Mingshu sat down, he looked casually, but he didn't see the boss he met during the investigation last time.

A waitress came running and placed a greasy menu on the table.

Mingshu didn't ask Xiao Yuan what he wanted to eat, so Ma Liu ordered a spicy crayfish, a garlic crayfish, a stir-fried eel section, a cold crucian carp with chopped pepper, and finally added a plate of salted edamame.

Before the food was served, an old woman came in with a warm water bottle and asked from the table if she wanted iced mung bean soup and iced soy milk.

Many food stalls in Dongye City are like this. Although the store provides drinks, many people who live nearby still rush in to sell drinks. It used to be three yuan a glass, but now it has risen to five yuan. I earned it.

Xiao Yu'an stopped him and ordered two cups of mung bean soup and two cups of soy milk.

The money has already been paid, but when the auntie poured the soy milk, she said "hey", "I'm sorry, this bottle is gone, please wait, I'll go back and get it!"

Mingshu smiled and asked, "Go home and get it?"

"No, no, it's next to me, I'm in the car!" The aunt said, "3 minutes, just wait for me for 3 minutes!"

Mingshu was not in a hurry, took a sip of the poured mung bean soup, "It's not ice enough."

"It's been a few months, and you still don't think it's cold?" Xiao Yu'an said.

The store was noisy, and the two sat in the corner again, no one looked in this direction.Mingshu extended the hand holding the cup to Xiao Yuan's, "Then you give me Nuannuan?"

Xiao Yu'an held the handed paw and squeezed it hard.

It was very heavy now, Mingshu felt pain from being pinched, so he quickly retracted, "I want you to warm me up, what are you pinching?"

At this time, the salted edamame was served, and the aunt came back with a warm water bottle, "Here, come, fresh sweet soy milk!"

Mingshu said "thank you".

The aunt is very talkative. She poured the soy milk and said that the soy milk and mung bean soup that I prepared (tricycle) was almost sold out. The Jianghu restaurant next to me had a lot of customers. Buy her sweet soup one after another.

"You guys try it next time." The aunt said in a low voice: "It's newly opened, and the boss is very kind to customers, unlike here, it has been open for too many years, and it has become an 'old fritter'. It tastes good, but ..."

Seeing someone coming to serve food, the aunt quickly stopped and walked to other tables.

The crayfish has to be cut open and the process is complicated. The first main dish is stir-fried eel.

Ming Shu tasted it, "General."

Xiao Yu'an smiled: "Just now I said that you have to line up for a whole street."

"Let's see how the crayfish are. The specialty here is crayfish." Mingshu put down his chopsticks and began to peel the salted edamame.

When he was a child, he especially liked to eat this stuff, and he would go to Xiao's kitchen to wait in the afternoon in summer.

The salted edamame and salted peanuts taste good after being boiled and cooled, but Xiao Yu'an's cousin Xiao Jincheng always likes to snatch them from him.As soon as the pot of salted edamame was picked up, the two children stretched out their hands to grab it. Xiao Jincheng was so hot that he cried and looked for his brother—only at such unlucky moments, Xiao Jincheng would remember that he was also hurt by his brother, and he was holding the quilt With hot red fingers, he went to find Xiao Yu'an.

It was so many years ago, and it's still interesting to think about it now.

Not long after, two servings of crayfish came to the table. Xiao Yuan took off the gloves and handed them to Mingshu, "Put them on."

Mingshu said: "I'll peel it off, don't move. This thing is too oily, gloves can't stop it at all."

Xiao Yu'an said, "I'm so precious? Can't even peel shrimp?"

"Aren't I serving you?" Mingshu smiled, and his eyebrows twitched twice, "How can I let go of this important moment to show my boyfriend's strength?"

Xiao Yuan let him go, "Then I will wait for you to serve."

Mingshu peeled one in a few strokes and put it in Xiao Yu'an's bowl, "Come, try the shrimp your man peeled for you."

Xiao Yu'an picked it up slowly, and before he could eat it, he heard Ming Shu's reminder: "Hurry up!"

"You carefully peeled the shrimp. I ate it without admiring it. Don't you feel sorry for your boyfriend Li?" Xiao Yuan said.

Mingshu said generously: "You just eat it, your man will continue to peel it for you!"

After tasting it, Xiao Yu'an said, "Ten."

"This is highly rated!" Ming Shu had already started peeling the second one, saying that it was for Xiao Yu'an, but after peeling it, he put it in his mouth.

Xiao Yuan looked at him and smiled.

Ming Shu said: "It's just average, isn't Ma Xiao's taste like this, why is it very good here?"

Xiao Yu'an said: "Out of five points, this shrimp can score three points, and the remaining seven points are for your boyfriend's strength."

Mingshu was happy, "I like to hear that."

The two chatted and ate, and it was past ten o'clock when they checked out and left.

At this time, there were fewer customers in the store, but the Jianghu restaurant next to it was more lively than it was after eight o'clock, and the plastic benches outside were full of equal customers.

"The business is so good, the taste should be good." Xiao Yu'an said, "Come try it later?"

Mingshu shook his head: "No, I won't come anymore. Didn't the 'Shrimp Baby' line up before? I thought the taste was different, but it turned out to be just ordinary delicious."

"In fact, most of the restaurants are ordinary delicious, or ordinary bad." Xiao Yu'an said: "But if the publicity work is done well, and some people praise it, it means 'better and better'. On the contrary, those ordinary and bad restaurants shop, if people swarm to step on it, it will be 'more and more unpalatable'. This is the group effect."

Mingshu said: "Most people will choose to follow the trend, look, we followed the trend today."

Encountering a red light, Xiao Yu'an stopped in his tracks, stretched out his hand to block it, and stopped Ming Shu by his side, "It's okay to follow the wind once in a while, as long as it doesn't taste bad."

Ming Shu took advantage of the situation and held Xiao Yu'an's hand, and when the green light came on, they walked across the street together.

The hands of both of them can't be said to be delicate. Xiao Yu'an has a lot of gun calluses on his palms, which were honed out in the special operations team for so many years. Ming Shu is not much better. .

"Where are you going tonight?" Mingshu asked.

"Anything is fine." Xiao Yu'an said, "It depends on where you want to go back."

"Did sister bring good things again?" Ming Shu said, "Then I'll go back to your place."

Xiao Yu'an scratched his palm, "Where do you do your homework?"

Ming Shu was choked by the oncoming wind, "Xiao Ju, in the public..."

"Someone's homework has piled up." Xiao Yu'an said.

Mingshu: "cough cough——"

Xiao Yu'an gently patted him on the back, "If you don't make it up, Ming will fail the final exam."

The third section of Longcheng Road was full of traffic, and the figures of the two quickly disappeared into the crowd.

Just after they left "Baby Shrimp", the guests at one of the tables on the second floor suddenly quarreled with the waiter. The reason was that the ordered crayfish never came. After waiting for more than an hour, two of them did not arrive. open back.

"I'm really sorry." The waiter apologized one after another, "I'll pay you two."

"Am I missing these two from you?" The customer slapped the table, getting more and more angry, "You say that, as if I blackmailed you for two crayfish. I have eaten at your restaurant many times, I come here every year. In the past, your business was very good. You waited for an hour for a serving of crayfish, okay, I will wait. Are you also busy today? Why do you still have to wait for an hour? No, I have to doubt your attitude!"

The waiter was a little impatient, "I said I will compensate you..."

"What's your attitude?" The guest became even angrier, "No wonder your business is not good now, you can't compare to the next door! Have you made enough money in the past few years, don't you take customers seriously? Okay, I'll see what you do Time to be crushed by the next door!"

"Why are you arguing?" A woman in her forties rushed over, pulled the waiter aside, and looked at the customer with an unfriendly expression, "If you have a grievance, please speak up, is there a need to make such a fuss?"

"I'm making trouble?" The customer said, "It's your store that bullies you!"

The woman is Huang Hui, the proprietress of "Baby Shrimp". She has a hot personality, and she can't afford it the most. "If you open your mouth, you can talk nonsense, right? Why are we bullying you? There are two shrimps in your dish without opening their backs." , we have already promised to make two more for you. If you are not satisfied with two, how about the other four? You are making trouble here, do you want me to waive the order for you?"

The guest blushed with anger, and suddenly lifted the tablecloth, and all the dishes on the table that had hardly been touched fell to the ground with a "crash".

All over the place.

The guests at the neighboring table also stood up, and many of them picked up their mobile phones to take pictures and videos.

Huang Hui didn't expect this guest to be so angry, he was dumbfounded for a moment, and after realizing it, he quickly shouted: "Call the police! Call the police!"

"Call the police!" The guest shouted: "I'm still afraid of you? I'll tell you clearly today that you are being praised! Where do you think your home tastes so good? Without us old customers, you can do what you are today Where?"

The police arrived shortly after, and took the guest, Huang Hui, and several waiters to the police station.

Huang Hui cried loudly at the police station, and insisted on asking the police to comment.

When this matter is investigated, the customer is the first to act, and the customer is also the one who is wronged.

But in the catering industry, things are often not based on whether there is a loss or not.

The worst case for the guests is to compensate the loss of "Baby Shrimp", which is only a hundred dollars anyway.

But the real loss of "Baby Shrimp" is definitely more than the hundred dollars.

In the future, customers can post on the Internet, or tell their relatives, friends, neighbors and colleagues, saying that the "Baby Shrimp" shop is a big bully, and the villain will file a complaint first.

After spreading the word, the word-of-mouth of "Baby Shrimp" was ruined.

Moreover, there were many guests on the second floor at that time, and all of them took pictures.

Customers are always prone to stand in the team of customers, and few customers will think from the perspective of the store, who is at fault in this matter.

The police mediated at both ends, but the customer refused to apologize, but Huang Hui's attitude gradually softened.

There is no way, the business of "Baby Shrimp" has been impacted by the Jianghu dishes next door recently, and the number of customers is decreasing every day. The dishes of "Baby Shrimp" have many overlaps with Jianghu dishes. People are tired of eating "Baby Shrimp" and go to the side to try something new.In the past, most of the people who came to the third section of Longcheng Road to eat came for the "Shrimp Baby", but now more and more people go for the Jianghu cuisine.

Huang Hui has been very anxious for a while, and it suddenly broke out today, and there is also a reason for this.

Around eleven o'clock, Huang Hui's husband, Qin Xiong, the owner of "Baby Shrimp", arrived and scolded Huang Hui in front of the guests.The guest's anger subsided a lot, and with some mediation by the police, the two sides reconciled before twelve o'clock and left the police station one after another.

After all the trouble at night, there were only a few tables of guests left in "Baby Shrimp". At two o'clock in the morning, the last table of guests left. Huang Hui silently cleaned up with the waiter, while Qin Xiong sat outside and smoked.

There were still bursts of cheers in the Jianghu restaurant, and it seemed to be open until four or five o'clock.

At this time, a group of guests left, and a man in his thirties sent them outside the door, smiled and waved, "Come again next time."

Qin Xiong's eyes suddenly became vicious, and he cursed: "Damn you!"

The man is the owner of Jianghu Cuisine. His surname is Cheng. He is an outsider.

"Baby face!" Qin Xiong gritted his teeth with hatred.

The man turned around after seeing off the guests, and his eyes met Qin Xiong.

Qin Xiong didn't have time to put away the annoyance on his face, the man was stunned for a moment, then he bowed his lips in a friendly manner and nodded to Qin Xiong.

Qin Xiong could only squeeze out a stiff smile.

When the man returned to the shop, Qin Xiong's smile disappeared completely.

In business, the source of customers is money. If Jianghu Cuisine robs "Baby Shrimp" of customers, it is tantamount to robbing the Qin family of money.

As the saying goes, cutting off one's wealth is equal to killing one's parents, Qin Xiong has now experienced it personally.

In fact, that Jianghu restaurant has existed for a long time, but it has been run by another family before, and it was only transferred to the boss surnamed Cheng two months ago. At first, Qin Xiong didn't take it seriously, thinking that no matter how powerful the other party was, it would be impossible for him to be in his restaurant. There was a storm on the ground.

Because of people's word of mouth and the praise of the media, "Baby Shrimp" has long been a famous food stall in Dongye City. Qin Xiong is a local, born in Nancheng District and grew up in Nancheng District. He relies on the catering industry on Longcheng Road Yiba, privately said several times that this is his Qin family's territory.

Unexpectedly, the surname Cheng had only taken over Jianghucai for two months, and he threatened his own business.

Qin Xiong hated and was impatient. Seeing the loss of customers, he couldn't think of a good solution, so he had to vent his anger on his wife Huang Hui.

Huang Hui is not the kind of woman who beats and scolds and doesn't fight back. If Qin Xiong wants to quarrel, she will accompany him. The store has not yet closed, and the two directly yell at each other on the first floor. The waiters are relatives of their hometown. "Baby" has been working for many years, and their business has declined. Although their wages have not been affected for the time being, Qin Xiong used to give everyone a big red envelope at the end of the year. Looking at the situation this year, there may be no red envelopes at the end of the year. up.Everyone had resentment and dissatisfaction in their hearts, but in the end, no one persuaded them to fight, and Qin and Huang couples were allowed to throw bowls and stools.

"Are you so funny?" A thin boy of sixteen or seventeen stood at the door of the store with a gloomy expression, "Is it a joke for people to see?"

"Xiao Xu, why are you here?" Huang Hui wiped away tears, "What time is it?"

Qin Xu is the son of Qin Xiong and Huang Hui, and there is also a sister Qin Ke who is two years older.Relying on the booming business in these years, the Qin family has a very prosperous life. Qin Xu is a high school student, and his whole body is full of famous brands in the eyes of children of his age.

"If I don't come, are you going to quarrel until dawn? Make it known to everyone?" Qin Xu said two words coldly: "Shame."

Qin Xiong rushed forward immediately, and raised his right hand, "Do you dare to scold your father?"

Qin Xu didn't dodge, "Hit if you have the ability."

Huang Hui hurriedly protected his son behind him, glaring at Qin Xiong like a tigress, "Get lost!"

Qin Xiong didn't slap him with that slap, he just shouted angrily: "It's turned upside down, it's turned upside down!"

Just when the Qin family was in a mess, Ming Shu and Xiao Yu'an made up the long-lost homework.

When it was almost dawn, an autumn rain suddenly fell, and the wind poured in through the half-opened windows, making the heavy curtains bulge.

Mingshu slept deeply, his whole body was naked, most of his face was buried under the quilt.

He didn't have the habit of sleeping naked. When he was alone at home, he would at least put on his underwear, not to mention that he would dress tightly. But every time he finished making out with Xiao Yuan, he didn't want to wear clothes, and wanted to sleep naked next to Xiao Yuan. Fortunately, when he woke up, he found himself in Xiao Yu'an's arms.

Xiao Yu'an carefully pushed away the people who were tired of him, didn't turn on the light, looked at it for a while with the dim light, then got up from the bed lightly, walked to the window, and closed the window.

When he returned to the bed, Xiao Yu'an was about to pull the quilt, Ming Shu seemed to have discovered a heat source, and leaned over half asleep.

Xiao Yu'an pulled out the quilt and hugged him.

Mingshu didn't even open his eyes, "Is it dawn?"

"Not yet." Xiao Yu'an said, "Go to sleep."

"Oh." Mingshu replied in a daze, and really fell asleep again.

Before dawn, the night was especially thick. His long and tall figure cast a black shadow on the ground. He opened his eyes, looked at everything in front of him with compassion, and then showed a compassionate smile.

In the morning, Xiao Yu'an woke up very early and was thinking about frying two eggs when Ming Shu surrounded him from behind.

"What?" Xiao Yuan asked gently.

Mingshu's legs were already hanging up, "Don't go."

Xiao Yuan coaxed, "I'll make you breakfast."

Mingshu puffed his cheeks, "I don't want breakfast, I want you."

Xiao Yuan smiled, "Are you sure?"

Mingshu had already been pushed into the quilt room, and said vaguely: "It's sure."

Half an hour later, Xiao Yuan went to the bathroom to take a shower, came back and leaned over to kiss Mingshu's forehead, "There's no time to make breakfast."

Mingshu covered his head, pretending that the diligent student who got up early in the morning and had to make up his homework just now was not himself.

Xiao Yuan patted his waist through the quilt, and set off to the bureau.

Autumn rainy days seem to be suitable for snuggling up under the quilt, Ming Shu listened to the pattering rain outside, turned over several times and didn't want to get up.

At ten o'clock the doorbell rang.

Mingshu sat up and looked at his phone. Xiao Yuan didn't send a message saying he ordered takeaway.

This house is Xiao Yuan's private house, few people know about it, who will come to the house at this time?

The doorbell rang again, Mingshu put on his clothes and clicked on the video, unlocked it and said, "Tsk, my friend is here."