Chapter 34 - 33: Absolutely No Gay Stuff

Tongtong asked from the side, "So, is there anyone you like?"

Jun Qingmeng shook her head. "No, there never has been."

The person she liked was Jiang Liu, but she couldn’t bring herself to say those words right now.

Tongtong looked up at Jiang Liu, her eyes shining.

’Dad, are you listening!’

’You definitely heard that, right!’

Jiang Liu completely ignored a certain someone’s eager expression.

Tongtong’s smile grew wider and wider.

’Yes, Dad totally heard her!’

’He must be shy. I’m the best!’

Hearing the middle-aged women gossiping about the two of them, Jun Qingmeng felt a little restless.

She pulled out her phone to hide her shyness.

As soon as she opened WeChat, she saw messages from Guo Jia.

Guo Jia: "How’s it going? How far have you two gotten?"

Guo Jia: "Did you confess? Did that guy accept?"

Guo Jia: "Wait, holy shit, you didn’t sleep with him, did you? It’s your first time, have a little self-respect, will you?"

Jun Qingmeng pursed her lips. ’What is she even talking about?’

’Am I that kind of easy woman?’

Jun Qingmeng: "Shut up! I just got to the shop. Jiang Liu is busy right now, and I’m just sitting on the side."

Guo Jia replied instantly: "Busy? Isn’t it a new shop? What could he be so busy with that he can’t even pay attention to a great beauty like you? Hah."

Jun Qingmeng: "You have no idea. The line outside his shop is huge. I watched him make over a thousand yuan in just a little while. It’s amazing."

Guo Jia sent a confused-black-guy-meme emoji.

Jun Qingmeng hesitated for a moment, then decided to take a picture as proof.

She didn’t want anyone to look down on Jiang Liu. He was her pride!

Just as Jun Qingmeng raised her phone, a cute little face blocked the camera.

Tongtong was very interested. "Teacher Qingmeng, are you trying to take a picture of me?"

"No..."

"Oh, then why are you pointing the camera thingy at me?"

Jun Qingmeng rolled her eyes. ’If you want a picture, just say so. No need to beat around the bush.’

"Come on, Tongtong, let’s take a selfie together. Just don’t stand right in front of me."

"Yay! We’re taking a selfie!"

Tongtong burrowed into Jun Qingmeng’s fragrant embrace, wrapping her arms around her neck.

Her little cheek pressed tightly against Jun Qingmeng’s.

CLICK, CLICK. No filter needed. The photo of the two beauties, one big and one small, was ready.

After taking the picture, Jun Qingmeng was a little reluctant to let the little one go.

The little girl’s cheek was warm, soft, and incredibly comfortable.

Jun Qingmeng took another picture of the long line, then sent it along with the selfie to her best friend, Guo Jia.

Guo Jia, who had just received the photos, shot bolt upright on her sofa.

She completely ignored the picture of the line outside.

Guo Jia: "HOLY FUCK! Where’s my cannon?! Where did you steal this little girl from? How is she so CUTE???"

Guo Jia: "I can’t take it, bring her back here right now and let me have a feel! I just want a little squeeze, nothing weird, I swear."

Jun Qingmeng was rendered speechless.

She replied: "Can you please filter what comes out of your brain? What are you even saying? This is Tongtong, my student. I didn’t steal her!"

"She’s... she’s Jiang Liu’s daughter, okay?"

Guo Jia: "WHAT? I’m so pissed! How can his daughter be so pretty? Where is the justice in this world!"

Guo Jia: "What’s even more infuriating is that you get to skip childbirth and get such a beautiful daughter! I’m so jealous!!"

Guo Jia: "I’m giving you a direct order: kidnap that little one and bring her home tonight. I wanna hug her and kiss her!"

Guo Jia: "I still haven’t seen what he looks like. Send me a picture!"

Hearing her phone go DING DING DING, Jun Qingmeng opened it.

Jun Qingmeng: "In your dreams. I’m not bringing Tongtong home, and I’m not taking a picture of Jiang Liu for you. Only I get to look!"

After sending the message, Jun Qingmeng glanced guiltily at Jiang Liu as he walked into the back kitchen.

’Secretly gossiping about your crush behind his back is so thrilling.’

By now, the buns had run out again.

The line outside the shop was getting longer and longer.

There were students after school, residents from the local community, doctors starting or ending their shifts, and even other nearby shop owners who had heard the commotion.

"Boss, are they ready yet? When can we eat?"

"I’m already late for work! Can you hurry up, please? I’m begging you!"

"Fuck, which shameless bastard is cutting in line up there?"

"I was wondering why I kept moving backward. So it’s because some low-life scum is cutting in!"

A few more minutes passed.

Jiang Liu came out carrying more buns. This batch of about six hundred was almost ready.

"They’re ready, they’re ready!"

"I’ve waited so long for this bite. It’s finally my turn."

"Don’t push me, I’m first!"

Jiang Liu said, "Everyone, please line up in an orderly fashion. Just so you know, this is the last batch of buns for today. There are five hundred and forty of them. First come, first served. If you think you’re not going to get any, please come back another day."

As soon as he said that,

a commotion went through the line.

"Damn, Boss, look at me, I’m lined up all the way to New York. Do I still have a chance?"

A stranger at the front of the line joked smugly, "The boss will say, ’If you take me hiking, maybe I’ll give you a chance.’"

The whole line erupted in laughter.

Those at the front breathed a sigh of relief, looking back at the anxious crowd behind them with smug superiority on their faces.

"Boss, I’ll take one hundred buns, to-go, thanks."

a shifty-eyed young man with flickering eyes said.

Him buying a hundred buns would send the entire line into an uproar, wouldn’t it?

"Damn, are you kidding me? A hundred? Is the next guy going to buy two hundred?"

"How is that okay? Boss, I’ve been waiting for almost an hour. Don’t tell me I won’t get any."

"Boss Jiang, do something! There are so many of us. You can’t let malicious capital create a monopoly!!"

Jiang Liu put down the take-out box in his hands and frowned. "Are you going to eat that many yourself?"

The shifty-eyed man nodded hastily. "Yeah, I can finish them. Besides, how many I buy is my own business, right?"

His words made the entire line explode again.

Jiang Liu raised an eyebrow. "However, my not selling you any buns is, according to the law, my right and my freedom as well."

The shifty-eyed young man: ??? What kind of reverse uno bullshit is this?!

The customers in line burst out laughing.

"HAHAHA, Boss Jiang is hilarious."

"That’s how you should deal with bad guys."

"Yeah, you can tell this kid is up to no good just by looking at him. Trying to buy a hundred, and with that attitude."

"We support you, Boss Jiang!"

Just as the shifty-eyed man was getting nervous,

terrified he wouldn’t be able to buy any buns,

Jiang Liu had already seen through his ill intentions. He was probably trying to be a middleman.

That was something he wouldn’t allow, as middlemen would indirectly tarnish his reputation.

It would cause resentment among his customers.

Just like with concert tickets that are snatched up by bots the moment they’re released, only to be resold at ten times the price.

Besides, if he let this happen, wouldn’t he just be working for scalpers?

He said curtly, "Alright, this is the first and last time. From now on, you can buy a maximum of ten buns from me each day."

"If you behave, I’ll consider loosening the restriction."

As he spoke, Jiang Liu pointed to the security camera overhead, signaling, ’I’ve already recorded your face.’

The shifty-eyed young man’s name was Wang Dongxu.

At that moment, he wanted to cry but had no tears.

’What kind of mess is this?’

But at the same time, he was won over by Jiang Liu’s character. Most shop owners would have blacklisted him immediately, but this boss was giving him a chance to turn over a new leaf.

’This is a man with real principles!’

"Thank you, Boss! My name is Wang Dongxu. I’ll come every day to buy buns and support you from now on. Also, I know some people. If I find out they’re trying to ruin your reputation, I’ll tell you."

Jiang Liu nodded. "That would be for the best."

"Here are your ten buns."

He had already been packing the buns while they were talking.

"Thanks! Oh, by the way, Boss Jiang, if I do something meritorious, will I get a reduction on my punishment?"

"Of course."

"Okay, I get it!"

Wang Dongxu’s eyes lit up as he scanned the line.

Sitting nearby, Jun Qingmeng nodded with satisfaction.

’If I inherit a major stake in my dad’s company in the future, I can entrust it to Jiang Liu to manage without any worries.’

Jiang Liu’s series of moves—from spotting the scalper to effortlessly handling him with a carrot-and-stick approach—was impressive.

It had all taken less than a minute.

It looked simple, but not everyone could pull it off so casually.

Jiang Liu turned to the line behind him and shouted,

"Because it’s so crowded, a lot of people at the back might wait for a long time and still not get any. From now on, there’s a limit of twenty buns per person."

He wasn’t just selling buns; he was cultivating the trust and loyalty of his customers.

For Jiang Liu, whether he controlled the quantity or not, the speed of sales was about the same, with only a few minutes’ difference.

Either way, he’d just be packing buns nonstop until they were all gone.

Another stir went through the line.

The dozen or so people at the front looked troubled, while the customers at the back were both surprised and delighted.

"Boss Jiang, I don’t think that’s right. I want to buy thirty."

"Yeah, Boss Jiang, can’t you get rid of the limit?"

People are selfish by nature.

Hearing this, the customers at the back stared pleadingly at Jiang Liu.

They had been waiting for a long time and were desperate to get their buns and go home.

One young man looked utterly desperate; if he went home without buns, his grandparents and parents would string him up and give him a four-way beating from men, women, young, and old.

Jiang Liu calmly addressed the people at the front, "That’s fine. After all, you’ve waited for so long. But if you think you’ll be able to get to the front of the line and buy fresh, hot buns every single time, then I have no objections."

His words struck a chord with everyone.

’That’s right, it’s not like we can be at the front every time.’

’If we’re at the back someday and the people in front buy too many, aren’t we just shooting ourselves in the foot?’

"Boss Jiang, let’s do it your way! We trust you!"

"I agree, too. Boss Jiang has the best character of anyone I’ve ever seen."

"Yeah, the ingredients in these buns are top-notch, and they’re so cheap, he’s basically selling them at a loss. Those who know, know. Anyway, I’ve always trusted Boss Jiang."

"I was being selfish. I just wanted to eat more buns..."

Someone shouted, "When Boss Jiang does something, everyone is always completely convinced! From now on, just do what you think is best. Don’t worry about us, we all trust you!"

"Right."

"Right, right..."