Chapter 287 - 170: I Deserve to Die...

Chapter 287: Chapter 170: I Deserve to Die...

"Finished with the books? How about a couple of games?" Comrade Zhou asked, taking out his well-worn chessboard and looking at Zhou Yan.

"Bring it on! It’s not like I’m scared of you!" Zhou Yan tossed the last roll of cash into the box and shut the ledger.

The two terrible chess players battled it out for three games. Zhou Yan narrowly won the third game with a risky move, taking the match two to one.

"Wait, wait, that was a mistake. I’m not making that move."

"Hey, old man, a true gentleman never takes back a move!"

"Don’t get cocky. I was only off by one move. We’ll have a rematch tomorrow night!" Comrade Zhou grumbled, putting away the chess pieces and heading upstairs with a look of regret on his face.

Zhou Yan was in high spirits. He took some stationery from a cabinet, picked up a fountain pen, and wrote a letter to Xia Yao, sharing the news about being featured in *Sichuan Cuisine* magazine and some other amusing things that had happened lately.

Three sprawling pages later, as he signed his name, Zhou Yan realized the corners of his mouth were sore from smiling the whole time.

’Sharing your happiness with someone really does make you happier.’

’The interview today went quite smoothly. He Zhiyuan seemed very satisfied, so the chances of it getting published should be pretty high. It all went according to plan.’

’My goal is to make a name for Zhang Shufen in the braised food world.’

’If Zhang’s Braised Shop becomes famous, it’ll benefit me too. After all, I’m the rightful heir to Zhang’s Braised Shop.’

Zhou Yan thought it was a great idea for He Zhiyuan to interview Granny Sun, which is why he’d written them a note.

’Granny Sun has been making tofu for most of her life. If she could be featured in the magazine along with Zhang Shufen, even for just a small part, it would be a way for her to leave her mark.’

He had already decided. After the lunch rush tomorrow, he would make a trip to Shangshui Village and take Granny Sun to have her eyes and legs checked out.

’Poor Lai Fu. If Granny Sun can be with him for a few more years, until he’s able to live on his own, his situation will be much better.’

...

In the middle of the night, Comrade Zhou rolled over and muttered, "What if I had made that move instead? I would have won, wouldn’t I...?"

...

「Early the next morning, at Stone Bridge Head.」

He Zhiyuan brought Li to the morning market, something he loved to do whenever he arrived in a new place.

The morning market was where you could experience the purest, most authentic hustle and bustle of local life.

The cries of vendors, the haggling battles between customers and stall owners, and the unique local delicacies all combined to create a fascinating morning tapestry.

"Keep an eye out for a tofu stall. It’s for Zhou Yan’s cousin; he shouldn’t be very old," He Zhiyuan said to Li, scanning the area.

"’Silent Tofu Stall’... Why would anyone pick a name like that?" Li wondered aloud, looking around in confusion.

"Zhou Yan probably came up with it. The stranger the name, the easier it is to attract customers. It’s a marketing tactic," He Zhiyuan said with a laugh.

He Zhiyuan planned to return to Rongcheng that afternoon, with a transfer in Jiazhou, so he had brought Li to Stone Bridge Head first thing in the morning. His intention was to interview Zhou Yan’s grandaunt and then leave immediately.

They passed two tofu stalls—one run by an old man, the other by a woman. Neither fit the description.

"Chief! Look at that sign," Li suddenly said, pointing to a red sign standing up ahead.

He Zhiyuan followed his finger and saw an eye-catching sign propped up in front of a small tofu stall.

Written in red ink: West Bank Tofu! 2 Dimes per Catty!

And underneath, in yellow paint: Silent Tofu Stall.

He Zhiyuan recognized Zhou Yan’s handwriting at a glance.

"That’s it. Let’s go take a look," He Zhiyuan said, motioning for Li to follow as he walked ahead.

As they drew closer, they saw a boy of about fifteen or sixteen sitting behind a small table. He had delicate features but was exceptionally thin. The tunic suit he wore was clearly a size too big, hanging on his frame like clothes on a scarecrow.

A woman with a perm bought the last three blocks of tofu, handing him six dimes. "You should pack up early," she said kindly. "I’ll be back in a couple of days to buy more."

The boy took the money in his left hand. With his right, he bent his thumb twice in a gesture of thanks, his smile pure and open.

He Zhiyuan and Li watched the exchange, then their eyes fell on the small black text at the bottom of the sign. They both went silent.

"I’m such a fool..." He Zhiyuan muttered.

"You... you couldn’t have known," Li tried to reassure him.

The woman with the perm left with her tofu, leaving only He Zhiyuan and Li at the stall.

The boy was starting to pack up when he noticed the two of them were still there. He smiled and gestured to his empty table, as if to say he was sold out.

"We..." He Zhiyuan started, but then he remembered the boy was deaf and mute. He quickly pulled out the note Zhou Yan had given him and handed it over.

The day before, he had wondered why Zhou Yan’s note was so detailed. It was written like a formal letter of introduction, clearly stating who they were and what their purpose was.

Now he understood. Zhou Yan had been worried about the communication barrier with the boy, Lai Fu, and had explained everything in advance to make it easier.

Lai Fu took the paper and read it for a moment, then nodded with a smile. He reached into the chest pocket of his tunic suit and pulled out a finger-length pencil stub. On the back of the note, he wrote a line: "Brother Yan told me this morning. Do you want to come home with me?"

The boy’s handwriting was neat and clear.

He Zhiyuan took the pen and paper from Li and wrote, "Would that be convenient?"

Lai Fu nodded with a smile and wrote back, "It’s just a little far, about a thirty-minute walk."

He Zhiyuan wrote: "No problem."

"Okay, please wait a moment while I pack up," Lai Fu wrote with a smile, then bent down to gather his things.

He folded the small table and tucked it into a large back-basket along with the empty tofu trays. He tied the sign to the outside with a rope, then hoisted the entire load onto his back.

On the boy’s slender shoulders, the enormous basket looked even more immense.