OBS Chapter 1510 Guo Dapao is out!
Chapter 1510 Guo Dapao is out!
Chapter 1510 Guo Dapao is out!
Time flies, and the end of the year is just around the corner.
Winter comes early to Northeast China; snow begins to fall in November, and by December, the whole world is covered in a blanket of silver. Icicles hang from the branches of trees along the streets, sparkling in the sunlight. Pedestrians, bundled up in thick cotton-padded coats, hurry along, their breath forming a white mist in the air.
The third branch of "Exquisite Cake" finally opened before the end of the year.
This shop is located on Jiefang Road, the most bustling street in the city center. It's right across from a department store and next to a cinema, with high foot traffic and an excellent location. When Qin Hao gritted his teeth and rented this shop, Huo Dongfeng and Hongwei both thought he was crazy—the rent for this location was shockingly high, two thousand yuan a month, more than the previous two shops combined.
But Qin Hao insisted on opening the shop here.
"If we want to build a brand, we need to put it in the most prominent place. Even if we don't make money for the time being, we still need to put up the sign."
He proved to be right. On opening day, long queues formed outside, and the 500 samples prepared were distributed within half an hour. In the days that followed, business was booming, with daily revenue exceeding 1,000 yuan.
However, this caused great trouble for Huo Dongfeng and Hongwei.
To supply the three stores, the two of them would arrive at the kitchen before dawn every day and work until late at night before they could go home to rest. Kneading dough, dividing it into portions, shaping it, fermenting it, baking it... they had to make thousands of breads and cakes a day, and their arms were practically smoking from all the swinging.
In addition to the daily supply, Qin Hao also customized a batch of gift boxes. The red cardboard boxes were printed with the words "Exquisite Cake" in gold and festive patterns, and contained all kinds of pastries - peach shortbread, shortbread, mung bean cake, peanut brittle, sesame strips, all of which are essential holiday gifts for every family during the Chinese New Year.
If this market is managed well, not only can you make a fortune, but you can also take the opportunity to boost the reputation of "Wonderful Cake," which is a win-win situation.
As a result, the workload in the kitchen doubled. Huo Dongfeng and Hongwei could only sleep four or five hours a day, and they ate their meals right at the worktable. The two of them were so tired that they could hardly straighten their backs, but looking at the mountains of gift boxes, they were filled with a sense of accomplishment.
Huo Dongfeng, in particular, hardly rested except when he went to attend Erpang's parent-teacher conference.
He needed to earn money as soon as possible to rent a decent house and bring Erpang back from Grandpa Cui's house. Although Grandpa Cui's family treated Erpang very well, as a father, he still wanted to take care of his son himself and watch him grow up.
This requires a decent home. It can't be a run-down house; it needs a separate bedroom, a desk, a kitchen, and heating.
Therefore, he had to work incredibly hard.
That afternoon, Qin Hao, Huo Dongfeng, and Hongwei were busy making gift box pastries in the kitchen. The worktable was filled with dough, fillings, and molds, and the oven was humming, filling the room with a rich milky aroma.
The door was suddenly pushed open with a bang, and a chubby figure burst in, panting heavily.
"Dad! Uncle Ji! Uncle Hongwei!" Erpang called out breathlessly, his little face red from the cold, and snowflakes still clinging to his eyebrows.
Huo Dongfeng quickly put down what he was doing and went over to wipe the snow off his son's face: "What happened? Why did you run so fast? What happened?"
Erpang took a deep breath, grinned, and his eyes narrowed into slits as he laughed: "I have good news for you! Guo Xiaoxue's father has been released!"
"Guo Xiaoxue's father?" Huo Dongfeng was stunned for a moment, not quite understanding. "Who?"
"It's that...that Guo Dapao!" Erpang said, "Xiaoxue's dad! Wasn't he arrested? He was released today! Xiaoxue told me this at the school gate just now!"
Huo Dongfeng then remembered that it was the pork seller.
Hongwei continued kneading the dough, but there was no reaction.
Only Qin Hao let out a soft sigh of relief.
To be honest, he and Guo Dapao weren't that close. Guo Dapao had only helped out a few times when they were renovating the cake shop, and they'd had drinks together a few times.
He felt sorry for Guo Xiaoxue.
A little girl in her early teens, at the age when she needs the most care, not only has to take care of her bedridden grandfather, but also has to face exclusion and disdain from her peers at all times.
……
Three days later, Qin Hao finally met Guo Dapao.
That afternoon, he was tidying up the shelves in the store when he suddenly heard a "thump" at the door. Turning around, he was startled to see Guo Dapao kneeling on the ground.
"Hey! What's going on!" Qin Hao quickly ran over and tried to pull Guo Dapao up.
Several customers who were selecting bread in the shop were stunned, glancing sideways and whispering among themselves.
Ignoring everything else, Guo Dapao remained kneeling on the ground, his eyes red and his voice hoarse: "Ji Qiang, Xiaoxue told me everything. These past few days, thanks to you and Guomin for running around for me, finding fortune tellers and police, otherwise... otherwise I would really be a murderer! You are my savior!"
Qin Hao quickly helped him up: "Alright, alright, get up! People will laugh at us! We've known each other for a while, I can't just stand by and watch you be wrongly accused. Get up!"
Guo Dapao then stood up, wiped his eyes, and took a deep breath.
Qin Hao sized him up—he'd lost a lot of weight, his face was gaunt, his eyes were sunken, he had a stubble beard, and his hair was a mess, like he'd just come from a refugee camp. It seemed he'd suffered a lot in there over the past two months.
"Your daughter has suffered these past few days," Qin Hao said earnestly. "Be nicer to Xiaoxue when you get back. This child has had a tough time."
Guo Dapao nodded emphatically, his voice choked with emotion again: "I know, I know. This time I'll definitely work hard and give Xiaoxue a good life. I'll never let her suffer again."
Qin Hao patted him on the shoulder and said nothing more.
To be honest, Guo Dapao was indeed a bit unreliable before. He had an elderly father who was paralyzed in bed and a daughter who was still in elementary school. Although selling pork wasn't a highly profitable business, it was enough to support his family in the 90s. But as soon as he went to jail, his family ran out of food. This shows that he never had the habit of saving money. If he had any, he would either eat and drink or go to a hair salon.
His release this time can be seen as God giving him a chance to turn over a new leaf.
The reason he was released so quickly was actually due to good luck.
The real murderer who killed the shampoo girl had committed other crimes and was caught by the police. After interrogation, the man, with the mindset that "he's going to die anyway," confessed to the previous crimes as well.
Now that the real culprit has been caught, Guo Dapao has naturally been cleared of suspicion.
Imagine if the real culprit hadn't been caught; based on current laws and evidence, Guo Dapao could very well have served over a decade in prison. After all, the fortune teller could only prove that he had a legitimate motive for going to the riverbank, but couldn't completely rule out his suspicion.
It's truly a miracle that Guo Wengui was able to get out of this situation.
Qin Hao saw Guo Dapao to the door, watching his receding figure, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
Just then, he suddenly saw Old Master Cui and a middle-aged man walk out of Dingqing Tower and stand at the door talking about something.
The middle-aged man was around fifty years old, with a large belly, wearing a suit, his hair slicked back and shiny, and a smile plastered on his face. But the smile looked fake no matter how you looked at it, and his eyes revealed a cunning and shrewdness.
The two exchanged a few words, and the middle-aged man smiled even more broadly before getting into a black Santana sedan and driving away.
Grandpa Cui stood there, watching the car drive away, his face expressionless. After a while, he turned and slowly walked back to Dingqing Tower.
Qin Hao stopped Zhou Jie, the cleaning lady at the door, and asked in a low voice, "Zhou Jie, who was that fat guy just now?"
Sister Zhou looked around, leaned closer, and whispered, "Isn't this because Grandpa Cui has reached retirement age? So the higher-ups sent a new manager, surnamed Tang, to take over Grandpa Cui's job."
Qin Hao thought to himself, "Just as I expected."
This Manager Tang is no pushover. Ostensibly, he took over as manager from Old Master Cui, but in reality, he had his sights set on Dingqinglou. When Old Master Cui was in charge, Dingqinglou was a renowned century-old establishment, thriving and with an excellent reputation. However, in less than six months after Tang took over, he turned Dingqinglou into a mess, causing huge losses that the higher-ups couldn't bear. They had no choice but to contract it out to get rid of this burden.
Dingqinglou was the culmination of Mr. Cui's life's work. He started as an apprentice at sixteen and worked his way up to general manager, a job he held for over forty years. Every brick, tile, table, and chair here was imbued with his sweat and passion. When Dingqinglou collapsed, it became a deep sorrow for Mr. Cui. He passed away lying on the old plaque of Dingqinglou, taking his last breath.
Qin Hao naturally couldn't just stand by and watch Old Master Cui die with his eyes wide open in dismay.
He thought for a moment and said to Sister Zhou, "Sister Zhou, if there is anything important at Dingqinglou in the future, please let me know as soon as possible. Your grandson likes to eat the bread from our shop, right? I'll let you know, and he can put it on my tab when he comes to get bread."
Upon hearing this, Sister Zhou shook her head repeatedly: "How can that be! Ji Qiang, this also has its costs, how can we let you spend so much money..."
"Sister Zhou," Qin Hao interrupted her, his tone sincere, "If it weren't for your and Grandpa Cui's care back then, I wouldn't be where I am today. Please accept this as a small token of my appreciation."
"Then...then I'll come find you as soon as I hear anything."
Qin Hao nodded and watched Sister Zhou return to Dingqing Tower.
……
At the same time, Cui Guomin finally bought back the imported machine tool he had been longing for.
To buy this machine tool, he not only emptied his savings but also borrowed from all his relatives and friends. He even mortgaged his house, and now he has to pay thousands of yuan in interest every month.
According to Li Xiaozhen, if they lose money, her whole family will have to sleep on the street.
For this reason, Li Xiaozhen hasn't slept in the same bed with Cui Guomin for half a month. She moved to her daughter Cui Meng's room and squeezed into a bed with her daughter. When she sees Cui Guomin, she acts as if she doesn't see him and doesn't bother to say a word.
Cui Meng was the same; she hadn't spoken a single word to him for half a month. Every time Cui Guomin tried to get closer to his daughter, Cui Meng would lower her head and walk away, not even glancing at him.
Cui Guomin was bitter, but he did not regret it.
Despite immense pressure, the imported machine tools were finally delivered to his small factory.
Cui Guomin immediately began debugging. Installation, calibration, testing... He lived and worked in the factory for several days in a row, only taking short naps on the floor when he was tired, and continuing to work when he woke up.
After several rounds of testing to confirm that the machine tool was working properly, he immediately started working on it.
It must be said that Cui Guomin has quite a bit of ability and connections in the machinery field. He has secured several batches of foreign trade orders for precision parts, and his monthly turnover has exceeded 100,000 yuan, with a profit of more than 30,000 yuan.
Now, Choi Kookmin can finally hold his head high.
He went to the bank to withdraw 30,000 yuan in cash, neatly stacked it in his bag, and then went home.
When he got home, Li Xiaozhen was cooking in the kitchen. She ignored him when she saw him come back.
Cui Guomin didn't care. He went into the bedroom, opened his bag, took out 30,000 yuan in cash, and spread it out under the bed sheet, one bill at a time. He covered the entire bed.
Then he walked out of the bedroom and called to the kitchen, "Wife, come here for a second."
Li Xiaozhen reluctantly put down the spatula, wiped her hands, and went into the bedroom. She froze as soon as she entered.
The bed was covered in money!
“These are…” Li Xiaozhen’s eyes lit up, and her voice trembled.
Cui Guomin crossed his legs smugly and swung his feet: "It's all thanks to that imported machine tool. Thirty thousand a month! Hmph, some people were saying I was unreliable before? They said I'd be sleeping on the street?"
Li Xiaozhen didn't have time to argue. She rushed to the bedside and started rummaging through the money. She counted it stack by stack, her eyes crinkling with laughter.
"You're so reliable, honey, you're the most reliable!" Li Xiaozhen said as she counted, her face beaming with smiles.
Cui Guomin curled his lip: "You guys are all short-sighted. What business doesn't involve risks? Only Ji Qiang has some vision. After I explained the plan in detail, he immediately stopped trying to dissuade me and even lent me 20,000 yuan. If it weren't for his 20,000 yuan, I wouldn't even have money to buy raw materials after buying the machine tools."
Li Xiaozhen was somewhat surprised: "Is that so? Ji Qiang lent you money? When did that happen?"
“It was during those few days when we argued,” Choi Kookmin said. “I didn’t tell you because I was afraid you’d get even angrier.”
Li Xiaozhen nodded repeatedly: "Yes, you're right. We'll treat him to a good meal another day. Ji Qiang is a really nice guy."
"Let's not postpone it, let's do it today." Cui Guomin looked out the window: "If we postpone it any longer, it will be New Year's. I'll go call him, and I'll also invite Huo Dongfeng and Hongwei, so we can all have a good time together."
As he spoke, he grabbed a handful of money from the pile, more than twenty bills in total, and stuffed them into his pocket.
Li Xiaozhen's heart ached and she sobbed: "Does a single drink really cost this much?"
“Last time Ji Qiang treated us to drinks at Nightclub, it cost quite a bit,” Cui Guomin said. “I can’t just refuse, can I? Besides, we have money now, we should spend it when we need to.”
Considering that Cui Guomin earned all this money, Li Xiaozhen didn't say anything more. She just reminded him, "Drink less, don't get drunk. It's cold lately, so if you drink too much, call home and I'll come pick you up."
"Alright, alright, I got it." Choi Kookmin waved his hand impatiently, put on his coat, and went out the door.
……
In the bakery's kitchen, Qin Hao, Huo Dongfeng, and Hongwei had just finished making a thousand gift boxes of pastries. Exhausted, they sat at the worktable, panting.
"Finally finished." Hongwei rubbed his shoulder and said, "I probably won't be able to lift my arm tomorrow."
"We have to lift it even if we can't," Huo Dongfeng said. "We'll have work to do tomorrow. We'll be busy for the next two weeks before the New Year."
Just then, the door was pushed open. Cui Guomin burst in, waving his hand dismissively: "Come on! Let's go drink! It's on me!"
The three exchanged glances, and Huo Dongfeng asked, "What's going on? Did you strike it rich?"
"That's right!" Cui Guomin proudly raised his chin. "I imported machine tools, and made 30,000 a month! We're drinking until we drop tonight!"
Without a word, the three of them immediately got up and followed Choi Kookmin outside. They'd worked so hard for so long, and they didn't even have to spend their own money—where else could they find such a good deal?
Once outside, Choi Kookmin hailed a taxi and told the driver, "To Nightclub!"
Upon hearing this, Qin Hao quickly stopped him: "No, no, no, let's change our route! Let's go to Lao Wang's BBQ!"
"What?" Cui Guomin asked, puzzled. "The night is so beautiful, the environment is so nice, and there's even a pretty proprietress..."
"Alright, alright," Qin Hao interrupted him. "I know you've made money, but there's no need to be so smug. Old Wang's BBQ is fine, cheap and affordable, and the atmosphere is great. Why would a bunch of grown men go to a bar?"
Cui Guomin thought about it and agreed: "I'm not as charming as Ji Qiang, who could get Miss Yang to pay for the meal for free."
"Oh? Is that so?" Huo Dongfeng and Hongwei perked up as soon as they heard this.
Qin Hao adopted a nonchalant attitude, saying, "It's just a gift from God, there's nothing I can do about it."
"Ugh~~~" Huo Dongfeng and Hongwei simultaneously made a vomiting motion.
"How about we just throw this thing out?" Hongwei said. "The people can save some money that way."
"That's a good idea," Huo Dongfeng nodded.
Amidst their laughter and banter, the taxi pulled up in front of Lao Wang's BBQ restaurant.
This is an old shop that has been open for over ten years. The storefront isn't big, but business has always been good. The owner, surnamed Wang, is a man in his fifties, and his grilling skills are top-notch. There are more than a dozen tables in the shop, and the charcoal fire on the stove is burning brightly, wafting the aroma of grilled skewers from afar.
Cui Guomin waved his hand and said, "Boss, give me two hundred skewers of lamb! Fifty skewers with extra fat! And five jin of loose meat!"
"Okay!" the boss replied and began to get to work.
"Five pounds of loose liquor?" Qin Hao joked, "Are you trying to get yourself drunk? Can the four of us even drink that much?"
Cui Guomin, unconvinced, patted his chest and said, "Although I can't drink as much as you, this isn't an individual battle! There are three of us here! If you're all alone, it's a piece of cake to beat you!"
Qin Hao looked at him with a half-smile: "Are you so sure they're in cahoots with you?"
Cui Guomin was taken aback and looked at Huo Dongfeng.
Huo Dongfeng patted him on the shoulder and said seriously, "It's not that your brother-in-law doesn't want to help you, it's just that we still need to make a living. If we offend the boss, we won't have any food to eat tomorrow."
Hongwei just smiled and didn't say anything, but Cui Guomin could tell from his sly smile that this guy definitely wouldn't be on his side.
"Is it too late for me to take back what I just said?" Choi Kookmin asked sullenly.
Qin Hao poured him a full glass of loose liquor, the aroma of which was irresistible: "Drink yours! The liquor's already been poured, are you trying to back out?"
Sanlouzi is a locally produced bulk liquor, costing five yuan per jin (500g). It has a high alcohol content and is very strong. Northeastern men love to drink this in winter to warm themselves up.
Soon, the skewers arrived. The sizzling lamb skewers, with their perfect balance of lean and fat, were sprinkled with cumin and chili powder, emitting an irresistible aroma. The fatty ribs were pork heart meat, grilled to a golden brown and crispy perfection; one bite and your mouth would be filled with juicy goodness.
The four of them drank and chatted, and the atmosphere gradually warmed up.
Cui Guomin spoke animatedly about his imported machine tool, gesturing wildly. Huo Dongfeng recounted amusing anecdotes about baking cakes, eliciting laughter from everyone. Hongwei occasionally chimed in, saying little but always hitting the nail on the head. Qin Hao listened while drinking, a faint smile on his face.
After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,
Cui Guomin was already slightly tipsy, his face flushed, and his speech was becoming slurred. He suddenly blurted out, "My sister is coming back for the New Year."
The atmosphere at the table changed instantly after those words were spoken.
Huo Dongfeng's hand holding the wine glass suddenly trembled, spilling some wine. He looked up at Cui Guomin with a complicated expression, his voice somewhat hoarse: "You mean..."
"My sister, Cui Xiaohong!" Cui Guomin shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice tinged with alcohol and emotion.
Huo Dongfeng fell silent.
A figure in red immediately flashed into his mind. Actually, he didn't blame Cui Xiaohong for not waiting for him. In those days, he knew how much scorn a young girl who was pregnant out of wedlock had to endure.
"Huo Dongfeng." Emboldened by alcohol, Cui Guomin punched Huo Dongfeng hard in the chest. "Actually, sometimes I really hate you! If it weren't for you, my sister wouldn't have had to bear all that infamy! She wouldn't have had to leave her hometown and not be able to go home for so many years!"
Huo Dongfeng's eyes were red, and he nodded silently. His voice was very low, as if squeezed from the depths of his chest: "This is my fault. I'm a bastard."
Cui Guomin punched him again, but this time much lighter: "Do you know how my mother has been all these years? Every time someone asks about my sister, she lowers her head and doesn't say a word. During the New Year, watching other families reunite, she secretly wipes away tears. My father doesn't say it, but I can tell he misses my sister terribly! He just won't admit it!"
Huo Dongfeng gripped the wine glass tightly, his knuckles turning white.
“I’ve never dared to bring Erpang over.” His voice was a little hoarse. “I really don’t have the face to see your parents.”
Choi Kookmin looked at him, his eyes also reddening.
The two just stared at each other without saying a word.
The table was completely quiet, save for the crackling of the charcoal fire and the chatter from other tables in the distance.
Qin Hao suddenly tapped on the table, making a "thump-thump" sound.
"That's enough, you guys. If you're going to drink, then drink. But don't make it sound like a tantrum. You're all grown men, what have you got to complain about? If you have something to complain about, just swallow it down and drink it in. The sun will still rise tomorrow."
"Come on, come on, let's have some skewers!" Cui Guomin perked up again, grabbing a handful of lamb skewers and handing them out to everyone. "I was just drunk and talking nonsense earlier. Don't take it to heart. We're having a great time today, let's drink until we drop!"
Huo Dongfeng took the skewer, took a big bite, and chewed it vigorously.
Yes, what's past is past.
Live well from now on.
After several rounds of drinks and several dishes, snowflakes began to fall outside the window, fluttering and swirling.
Inside, the charcoal fire was burning brightly, the aroma of grilled skewers filled the air, and the clinking of wine glasses was crisp and pleasant.