Chapter 118: Only the Wicked Live Forever

The small restaurant where Zhou Can took them to eat was located just across the street to the right of the blacksmith shop, perhaps a hundred meters away. Situated in the busiest part of the black market, it occupied a small plot of land and was housed in an old-fashioned, single-story bungalow with earthen tiles. It had likely only been open for a few days, as the remnants of red firecracker paper still littered the ground.

The exterior had no decoration, no sign, and even the cedar wood door was broken. Yet, diners flowed in and out in an endless stream. Liu Xing was curious about this phenomenon, but once he stepped inside, he understood. The chef was a master of Sichuan cuisine; the vibrant colors and enticing aromas of the dishes on the wooden tables made that clear.

The interior decor carried a distinct early 1980s aesthetic: traditional Eight Immortals tables, long pine benches, and enamel cups and bowls. On a few of the tables, one could even see boiled fish served in large enamel washbasins. It was a vivid, authentic portrait of how ordinary people dined in the seventies and eighties.

However, a comical scene unfolded. When the diners sitting at the tables saw Zhou Can bring in Liu Xing and Ding Lan, they stopped eating altogether, holding their breath as they watched. Even the children playing in the aisle froze in their tracks, afraid to move. The reason was obvious: Ding Lan’s white uniform from the Bureau of Industry and Commerce. In the seventies, law enforcement officers from the bureau were particularly ruthless in cracking down on "speculation and profiteering," and many offenders had even been executed. The shadows cast by that era still lingered in the minds of those living in the early eighties.

The short young woman serving food was so terrified she didn't know what to do. It was only when Zhou Can told her not to be afraid that she snapped out of it, wiping cold sweat from her forehead. "The three of you... what would you like to eat?"

"Bring us one of everything on your specialty menu," Liu Xing said with a smile. "What are you afraid of? We’re just here for a meal. By the way, he’s paying," he added, gesturing toward Zhou Can.

"Oh! Oh!" Seeing that they weren't there to arrest her or the owner, the young woman let out a sigh of relief and scurried into the kitchen. The other diners, witnessing this, also began to relax.

Liu Xing sat down at a window-side table with Ding Lan. "You see how poor the reputation of your Bureau of Industry and Commerce is? We nearly scared these people to death just by coming in for a meal."

"It's not like that," Ding Lan replied, feeling somewhat helpless. During the years of the crackdown on profiteering, she had still been a student and hadn't participated at all. It felt unfair to have those past grievances projected onto her.

Seeing that Liu Xing hadn't invited him to sit, Zhou Can said a quick word and headed to the kitchen. Inside, the burly owner, Wang, was debating with the young woman about what to cook. To them, these two were formidable figures they couldn't afford to offend. More importantly, this newly opened restaurant didn't yet have an individual business license, unlike the state-run establishments that had full backing.

Zhou Can walked in with a light cough, which startled the owner and the waitress. "Why on earth would you bring an officer from the Bureau of Industry and Commerce to my place?" Wang demanded once he regained his composure. "Do you think my life is too long?"

The young woman also glared at him. They were all business owners in the black market who knew each other well, so they spoke without reserve.

"You’re overreacting. I’m bringing you business, and you’re complaining?" Zhou Can rolled his eyes. "Listen, you need to serve this meal well. If you do, getting your individual business license will be a piece of cake."

"Are you saying your license is actually happening?" Wang asked, intrigued. The young woman was also interested; with a license, they wouldn't have to live in constant fear.

"It's not just happening—my master sorted it out with a few words. If all goes well, I’ll have the blacksmith shop's license in half a month," Zhou Can replied, his eyes bright with joy.

"Really?" Wang was stunned, feeling a surge of envy. He had spent a fortune last year trying to pull strings for his restaurant license to no avail. Who was this master of Zhou Can's, to be able to resolve such a thing so easily?

"Of course it's real. My master is that young man sitting by the window. Get to cooking! If you impress him, he might just help you with your license next," Zhou Can teased.

"Alright then!" Wang rolled up his sleeves, energized, and began to cook himself. The young woman even brought out some long-preserved cured meat for the owner to slice. Zhou Can smiled and left the kitchen.

Back at the table, Liu Xing and Ding Lan chatted over tea, laughing occasionally. When Zhou Can returned, Liu Xing stopped smiling and handed him a small notebook. "I’m here at the black market to buy glass for shoe cabinets. The measurements in this book are already adjusted. If you have time, ask the glass master to cut them according to these sizes. Remember, do not adjust the measurements yourself." He added the warning to ensure they wouldn't have to make another trip.

"Don't worry, Master!" Zhou Can promised. As a blacksmith, he understood the trade secrets behind glass measurements.

"Also, help me buy twenty sets of shoe-making tools—the kind you helped me get before. I'll pay you back when you return," Liu Xing said, pausing to think. "And if you can find those electric grinding wheels, get me a few. If not, don't worry about it."

Ding Lan teased, "Liu Xing, isn't Zhou Can quite a bit older than you? Are you really going to order him around like an apprentice?"

"You don't understand," Zhou Can interjected with a grin. "The more my master orders me around, the happier I am. Otherwise, how could I have the nerve to ask him to teach me the technique for the new iron plow later?"

"I like the sound of that," Liu Xing said, patting Zhou Can on the shoulder.

"Enough, stop sucking up to him," Ding Lan chided. Liu Xing burst into laughter.

After Zhou Can left, Ding Lan’s expression turned serious. "Liu Xing, I need to tell you something. Prepare yourself."

"Go ahead," Liu Xing said dismissively, believing nothing could truly rattle him.

"I heard from Niu Lianfang that three days ago, the police car transporting the cattle thief 'Zhu Dachang' broke down. During the confusion, he injured the guard and escaped. No one knows where he is." Ding Lan looked around cautiously before whispering. This information was supposed to come from Niu Lianfang, but her superiors felt it was inappropriate for a city police officer to disclose such details, so they had asked Ding Lan to act as a proxy.

Liu Xing was stunned. It was inconceivable that someone like Zhu Dachang could escape.

"Don't worry, Zhu Dachang isn't targeting you," Ding Lan said, sipping her tea. "But I heard that while he was in custody, he kept shouting about killing the cow that humiliated him at the Old House Village—the black calf you're raising. You need to keep a close eye on it until he's captured. I shudder to think what he might do."

"I have to go back now," Liu Xing said, heart racing as he prepared to leave.

Ding Lan held him back. "Don't be so rash. Bureau Chief Wu has deployed officers all over Nitre Village and placed informants in Old House Village. It’s broad daylight; he wouldn't dare strike now."

"That's true," Liu Xing calmed down slightly. With many people coming to help with shoe-making at his home during the day, it was unlikely. But at night, things were less certain.

"Actually, Chief Wu has been planning this for your safety. You must have guessed that Xie Zhong giving you the market management rights was a way for the Chief to have people like Zhao Gou and Zhao Liang protect you," Ding Lan said, falling silent as the waitress brought the boiled fish.

Once the waitress left, she continued, "I told you all this so you’d be careful. We can't afford to tangle with a desperate criminal like Zhu Dachang, but we can stay out of his way."

"Heh, I thought Xie Zhong gave me the management rights because I paid to save Zhao Gou's mother," Liu Xing said with a bitter smile.

"That was part of it, too," Ding Lan said, picking up her chopsticks. "But enough of this headache. Let's eat the fish and talk about something happier."

"Agreed," Liu Xing nodded.