stjorthotic Chapter 99 The cheapest thing is money.
Chapter 99 The cheapest thing is money.
"What's wrong?" Chen Feng noticed Su Chen's unusual behavior and asked in a low voice.
"Brother Chen, do you feel... there seems to be some noise outside?" Su Chen gripped the carving knife tightly in his hand.
Chen Feng didn't speak, but held his breath and listened.
At that moment, outside the heavy wooden door, there seemed to be a faint sound of footsteps.
The sound was intermittent and faint, as if someone was lingering outside the door.
Su Chen stood up, tiptoed towards the door.
His heart was pounding; he knew that the person standing outside was definitely not a neighbor who had come to bother him.
"Who?" Chen Feng suddenly asked.
The sounds outside the door vanished instantly.
A night breeze blew by, and the door latch made a slight creaking sound.
Su Chen stopped three steps away from the door and stared intently through the crack in the door.
In that instant, Su Chen glimpsed a black hem through the shadows of the door crack, but it vanished in the blink of an eye.
"Brother Chen..." Su Chen turned around and looked at Chen Feng for help.
Chen Feng strode forward and grabbed the door bolt.
With a "click," the bolt was suddenly pulled open.
Su Chen held his breath, his muscles tensed, ready to deal with any uninvited guests rushing in.
Chen Feng suddenly pulled open half of the door, and a gust of damp night wind rushed in.
However, the bluestone path outside the door was empty.
Only the streetlights swayed slightly in the night breeze, casting dappled and distorted shadows.
A wild cat's scream came from afar.
"Nobody here?" Su Chen rushed out the door and looked around.
There was nothing but silent tiles and darkness.
But the feeling of being stared at by a venomous snake never dissipated.
"Stop looking, come back." Chen Feng stood at the door, but his eyes were fixed on the dark corner.
Just now, he vaguely heard the sound of an engine starting.
It was an extremely deep, steady hum, the kind of hum only found in luxury cars.
Su Chen returned to the store, and Chen Feng re-hung the door bolt, adding an extra layer of security.
"Who is it?" Su Chen asked somewhat uneasily.
Chen Feng shook his head.
"Whoever it is, we'll find out tomorrow. Go to sleep, Su Chen."
Su Chen nodded, picked up the carving knife and went upstairs. As he went up the steps, he subconsciously looked back at the closed door.
What kind of eyes are hidden outside that door, in that thick, impenetrable darkness?
The morning mist hadn't yet dissipated when a screeching sound of brakes shattered the tranquility in front of "Human Fireworks".
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
A heavy knocking sounded on the door.
Su Chen, who was catching up on sleep on the small bed on the second floor, was startled by the noise and jumped out of bed.
He didn't even bother to put on his shoes properly before stumbling downstairs, where he saw Chen Feng standing expressionlessly at the door.
"Brother Chen, why are those customers here so early today?" Su Chen asked, rubbing his eyes.
Chen Feng didn't say anything, he just reached out and opened the door.
Outside the door, a tall man wearing a long black overcoat stood quietly.
A pair of gleaming leather shoes stood out starkly against the muddy and waterlogged cobblestones.
He held a metal lighter in his hand, tapping it repeatedly, making a crisp sound.
"Su Ang?"
Su Chen's voice became hoarse in an instant, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor.
He unconsciously tightened his grip on the stair railing.
Su Ang raised his head, and on his face, which bore some resemblance to Su Chen but was even colder and more rigid, there was not a trace of joy at the reunion of brothers.
His eyes, sharp as ice blades, fell on Su Chen's wrinkled hoodie, and finally settled on Su Chen's still sleepy face.
"Is this the place you've been looking for?" Su Ang asked, his voice cold.
"Why didn't you stay at the Su family's house? Why did you come to this place that even flies wouldn't want to be, to work as a cook's handyman?"
Su Ang strode into the shop, glanced at the "rough" tables and chairs with disgust, and finally his gaze fell on the wooden plaques that Su Chen had carved last night.
"Smack."
Su Ang reached out and patted the piece of wood that was carved with "Curly Pig".
"Su Chen, I used to think you were just a hopeless case."
But I never imagined you'd stoop to this level.
"You're willing to sacrifice the Su family's dignity just to carve this kind of wood?"
"Dignity?" Su Chen thought as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.
He strode down the stairs and stood in front of Su Ang. Although he was shorter, his presence was in no way inferior.
"Su Ang, must the Su family's dignity be won at the negotiating table?"
He pointed to the tables and chairs behind him, towards the kitchen, and said, word by word:
"Every penny I earn here is clean!"
Everything I do makes me feel like a human being!
Instead of being a cold, money-making machine!
"Like a human being?" Su Ang sneered, slamming the wooden plaque heavily on the table with a loud "bang."
"Like a beggar handing out sweet water at the entrance of a construction site?"
He turned his head and looked coldly at Chen Feng, who had remained silent.
"Mr. Chen, right?" Su Ang pulled out a checkbook from his pocket, elegantly unscrewed the pen, and casually scribbled down a dizzying number.
"Here's five million. Get him out of here."
Or, to put it another way, name your price and sell me this run-down shop. I'll have it razed to the ground tomorrow, so the Su family won't embarrass themselves here.
The air in the store seemed to freeze instantly.
Xingruo pulled Mengmeng to hide at the corner of the stairs, her face pale.
Zhang Qiang rushed in from outside and, seeing this scene, was about to start cursing when Chen Feng stopped him with a look. He hadn't even put down the wrench in his hand.
Chen Feng walked forward slowly and deliberately.
He glanced down at the check filled with zeros, then at the arrogant Su Ang.
"Five hundred thousand," Chen Feng said calmly. "That's quite a lot."
Su Ang's lips curled into a confident smile:
"Since you know so much, just take the money and do the job."
"Let Su Chen leave here, and I can guarantee that no one will bother you again."
"Snapped!"
Chen Feng suddenly reached out and picked up the check, then, to Su Ang's astonishment, neatly tore it in half and casually threw it into the nearby trash can.
"Mr. Chen, do you know what you're doing?" Su Ang's face instantly turned horribly gloomy.
"I know," Chen Feng replied, his tone remarkably steady.
"Young Master Su, you may have misunderstood something."
In the mundane world, the least valuable thing is money.
He pointed at Su Chen, then at the wooden plaque on the table that Su Ang had slammed down.
"He's here, not carving wood, but carving his ideals."
What you're giving me here isn't money, it's an insult.
My shop may be run-down, but it hasn't gone out of business yet.
Chen Feng took a step forward, and his aura instantly spread out, causing Su Ang to involuntarily take a half step back.
"If you're not planning to eat, please leave."
The door is over there, don't block anyone's way.
"You!" Su Ang trembled with rage. He looked at Su Chen, his voice carrying a final ultimatum.
"Su Chen, are you sure you want to completely sever ties with the Su family for this cook?"
Looking at his biological brother, Su Chen suddenly felt utterly bored.
"A complete break?" Su Chen laughed, a very bright laugh.
"Su Ang, from the first day I pushed open this door, I broke ties with the Su family."
Please give my regards to my father and tell him that I am eating well, sleeping soundly, and everyone likes the broken pieces of wood I carve."
"Fine, very well," Su Ang spat out through gritted teeth.
He put his sunglasses back on, concealing his fiery eyes. "Su Chen, you'll regret this. This run-down shop can't save you."
Su Ang turned around and angrily walked out of the store.
The black luxury car let out an angry roar and sped away in an instant.
The shop returned to silence.
Su Chen stood there blankly, staring at the check lying in the trash can, her body still trembling slightly.
"Smack."
A warm, large hand pressed heavily on his shoulder.
"What are you shaking for?" Zhang Qiang's voice rang in his ear, still as rude as ever.
"That bastard dresses all high and mighty, but he's not even as strong as me. If he dares to come back, I'll wrench him until he bleeds!"
"That's right, Brother Su, don't be afraid, Mengmeng will protect you!" Mengmeng rushed down the stairs and buried her head in Su Chen's arms, patting his back frantically with her little hands.
Xingruo also came over, silently picked up the wooden plaque that Su Ang had knocked away, carefully wiped it with her sleeve, and put it back in the most conspicuous position.
Su Chen raised his head and looked at the people in the room.
The chill that had been frozen in place vanished instantly in the face of those caring, smiling faces.
"Brother Chen." Su Chen looked at Chen Feng.
"Go put up your sign," he ordered without turning his head. "Next, we need to go get the goods."
Su Chen took a deep breath and revealed a bright smile.
"Alright! Today, not only are we going to put up the sign, but I'm also going to carve that bastard's face into a toad and stick it on the toilet door!"
"Hahaha! That's a great idea!"
The sunlight finally pierced through the clouds and slanted across the signboard that read "Human Fireworks".
Su Chen strode to the door and hung the wooden plaque engraved with "Curly Pig" steadily up.