After confirming that the new teacher at his son's school was none other than Ou Jinhua's daughter, Ma Xiaowei made up his mind. He decided that he must attend the next parent-teacher conference in person—or better yet, find a chance to meet her sooner. How she lived, ate, and dealt with daily life in Jiangwei—these were all opportunities for him.
His household registration grandfather lived in a standalone villa within the same neighborhood. The elderly couple occupied a 600-square-meter villa with a nanny, and they never thought it was too spacious. The point was to show off their status.
Now, Ma Xiaowei picked up his son and drove to the villa. Once there, he pulled out a bottle of Moutai liquor and a box of Panda cigarettes, saying, "Dad, I didn't have much time to prepare, so I brought some of the complimentary cigarettes and liquor from work for you to use when hosting guests."
The retired Secretary Feng gladly accepted the gifts from his son-in-law and took out two bottles of Luzhou Laojiao, saying, "Let's drink this today. I remember your dad likes strong-flavored spirits."
Ma Xiaowei smiled and pulled his son forward. "Xiao Xiao, what should you say?"
Feng Xiaoxiao said, "Happy birthday, Grandpa! Wishing you health and a long life!"
Secretary Feng was overjoyed.
Ma Xiaowei then drove the elderly couple to the prestigious East Sea Hall at the VIP building, while his biological parents, who lived in the Shipyard New Village, walked there on foot.
Feng Li came directly from the beauty salon. Today was her father's birthday, but as a retired individual, he didn't care much about pomp. A simple family dinner was all that was needed. They booked a private dining room, and aside from the Feng family, Ma Xiaowei's parents were also invited.
Interestingly, none of Secretary Feng's former mentees or subordinates showed up. Instead, Ma Xiaowei's direct superior, the current Chief Engineer of the group, Gao Ming, attended uninvited.
Gao Ming's presence delighted Secretary Feng. It gave him a sense of dignity and pride, as if his status was reaffirmed. He chatted enthusiastically with Gao Ming, who had even thoughtfully arranged for a cake, which deeply moved the Feng family.
Only Ma Xiaowei knew the truth. Gao Ming was there purely to save face for him. It was a coincidence that Gao was attending another banquet in the same location, and after running into Ma Xiaowei in the restroom and learning about the birthday, he decided to stop by. The cake? That was a last-minute arrangement.
Still, Ma Xiaowei took the gesture in stride.
In front of their parents, Ma Xiaowei and Feng Li maintained a peaceful and harmonious facade, exchanging polite words throughout dinner. Feng Xiaoxiao also wished his grandfather continued success, and the family shared a warm, joyful evening celebrating the birthday.
Family dinners, unlike social drinking gatherings, progressed quickly. Within an hour, the meal was over, leaving many dishes untouched. Ma Xiaowei's mother pulled out a plastic bag and said, "It's such a waste to leave all this food. I'll take it home for Mao Mao."
Ma Xiaowei's father also pocketed the half-empty bottle of Luzhou Laojiao, saying he'd use it for cooking at home.
Mao Mao was their family dog, but whether the leftovers would actually end up in the dog's stomach was anyone's guess. Everyone understood but pretended not to notice. Secretary Feng and his wife, long accustomed to their in-laws' frugal habits, didn't bother to comment.
The family dinner concluded smoothly. Ma Xiaowei had other plans for the evening, so he let Feng Li drive the family home. Having had a few drinks, he didn't drive himself but instead hailed a cab to Fengmanlou Restaurant on Meigang Road.
While passing by Yumei Restaurant, he noticed the sign had been changed—it was now called Huangpi Tiger. The place was still bustling, with people lining up to eat their famous Da Hong Pao (spicy sesame chicken).
Perhaps emboldened by the alcohol, Ma Xiaowei impulsively asked the driver to stop in front of Huangpi Tiger. He wanted to take a look at what was going on.
To his astonishment, he spotted Ou Jinhua's daughter working as a waitress in the restaurant!
The only daughter of Singapore's shipping tycoon, serving tables in a small private restaurant!
For a moment, Ma Xiaowei thought he must have mistaken her for someone else—maybe a twin sister? But upon closer inspection, he felt certain it was her. Looks could be similar, but her elegance and demeanor were impossible to imitate.
Ma Xiaowei immediately took out his phone and called Rou Mingrui, inviting him to meet at Huangpi Tiger for Da Hong Pao chicken.
Rou Mingrui, who was already drinking elsewhere, dropped everything to answer Ma Xiaowei's call.
Meanwhile, next door at the dry cleaners, the staff worked quickly. Motivated by a stack of cash from Wu Yumei, they cleared out the shop to set up four additional tables, increasing the restaurant's capacity and profits.
Wu Yumei bustled between taking orders and handling payments, her face beaming with joy.
Despite expanding into a second storefront, Huangpi Tiger remained a small eatery. Wu Yumei and a helper named A Li ran the front, while Xiao Hong worked clumsily in the kitchen, assisting Lao Huang, who handled the cooking. With just four people, the operation ran like a well-oiled machine.
The sounds of sizzling, frying, and clinking dishes filled the air, blending into what Wu Yumei considered the most delightful symphony in the world.
When Ma Xiaowei entered the restaurant, a table had just been vacated. A Li approached with a trash can to clean up.
Being the daughter of a shipping tycoon, she clearly wasn't used to this type of work and moved awkwardly. Wu Yumei quickly stepped in to take over, instructing A Li to greet the next customer.
A Li, who was slightly face-blind, didn't recognize Ma Xiaowei. But that wasn't surprising—among the many high-ranking executives at the shipyard, most dressed similarly in black cashmere coats. The only real difference between them was the density of their hair—thinner hair typically meant a higher rank.
As a mid-level manager constantly running errands, Ma Xiaowei hadn't left much of an impression. Even though he had once chatted amicably with Ou Jinhua and her daughter, A Li didn't recognize him now.
"Sir, we only have two main dishes: Da Hong Pao and a side dish for pairing with alcohol. Da Hong Pao is limited, but we still have some available. Shall I place an order for you? What kind of drink would you like? How about starting with a case of beer?"
This sales pitch was clearly taught by Wu Yumei, but coming from A Li, it sounded completely different.
Where Wu Yumei's delivery was bold and hearty, A Li's tone was polite to a fault. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't replicate Wu Yumei's style. Her demeanor clashed with the rugged, industrial vibe of the area.
Logically, someone as refined as A Li shouldn't thrive in a heavy industry district like the shipyard, where the men typically preferred bold, straightforward personalities like Wu Yumei's or even carefree, less-attractive types like Xiao Hong.
But reality often defied expectations.
For example, someone like Li Yunlong—a rough-and-tumble man—might seem destined to pair with a fiery, strong-willed woman like Xiuqin. But Li Yunlong loved the gentle and intellectual Tian Yu instead.
Similarly, the shipyard workers, accustomed to seeing tough, no-nonsense women, were completely captivated by the refined and elegant A Li.
Today, the normally spicy Da Hong Pao chicken seemed to lose its flavor as the workers found themselves distracted by her presence.
Ma Xiaowei, however, wasn't about to ogle like the others. Since Ou Jinhua's daughter didn't recognize him, he pretended not to know her either. Casually glancing at the simple menu—essentially just two fixed dishes—he decided to play along.
This minimalist menu was a result of Huangpi Tiger's insistence. According to him, most of their customers came to drink, not to eat. These two dishes were sufficient for pairing with alcohol and casual conversation.
Beer held a special place in the hearts of the shipyard workers. Back in the 1980s, large state-owned enterprises like the shipyard had their own facilities for everything: kindergartens, schools, hospitals, post offices, and police stations.
To prevent heatstroke during high-temperature work, the workshops even had their own soda production lines, providing free salted soda water in the summer. Eventually, they upgraded to a brewery that produced "Shipyard Beer", affectionately nicknamed "Chuanpi."
Due to outdated brewing techniques, Chuanpi (Shipyard Beer) had high levels of fusel alcohols, making it notoriously strong and quick to intoxicate. Most people would feel dizzy after just one bottle, and anyone who could drink ten bottles was considered a legend. It was in a completely different league compared to the bland, flashy beers like Yanjing, Snow, Tsingtao, or Harbin. Only beers like Da Wusu and Tangshan Beer could compete with its potency.
Within the shipyard district, no matter how hard outside beer brands tried to break in, the workers remained loyal to their locally brewed Chuanpi. Even after Chuanpi was acquired by the Tsingtao Beer Group, its reputation remained untarnished.
So even in winter, most workers still ordered beer, and they ordered it by the case.
Each case came in a plastic crate holding twelve 600ml bottles of Chuanpi. And true to the workers' sense of pride, the entire case had to be opened all at once. Only opening three or five bottles at a time? That didn't count as being a real man.
Two workers ordered a case of beer, and A Li walked over with a bottle opener, asking, "How many bottles should I open?"
"All of them," one of the workers said, not even blinking.
"Can you finish it all?" A Li asked. "Don't waste it."
The two workers burst into hearty laughter, and the other customers at nearby tables joined in. They found her naive curiosity amusing—it was clear she wasn't used to this kind of scene.
Taking her job seriously, A Li began opening the bottles. She had barely opened a few bottles in her life, and her lack of strength made her movements clumsy. One of the workers couldn't bear to watch any longer and pulled out a lighter, preparing to show off his bottle-opening skills. Another worker grabbed a pair of chopsticks, ready to demonstrate as well.
Just then, Xiao Hong walked out of the kitchen carrying a dish. Seeing the commotion, she grabbed the ordering clipboard in her hand, swung it with precision, and used the edge of the hardwood board to strike upward at the bottle caps with force.
With a series of "pop, pop, pop" sounds, bottle caps flew into the air like fireworks, and the entire case of beer was opened in the blink of an eye.
Xiao Hong turned around and walked back to the kitchen, leaving behind nothing but her silent triumph.
Ma Xiaowei and Rou Mingrui sat at a table, waiting for their food. At a nearby table, two slightly drunk men were getting rowdy. Fueled by alcohol, one of them started teasing A Li, asking which university she came from and whether she was working there to "experience life."
"Did your family run into financial difficulties? Tell me, and I'll arrange something for you," the man said arrogantly.
His words made Ma Xiaowei frown in displeasure.
A Li, however, replied earnestly, "Thank you, but I'm here to work, not to experience life."
Her accent revealed that she wasn't local. Picking up on this, the drunk man continued, "How much does your boss pay you each month? Do they provide you with accommodation? If not, you can stay at my place—I have a big bed~"
This was crossing the line. Before Wu Yumei could intervene, Rou Mingrui slammed his hand on the table and shouted, "Watch your mouth!"
The drunk man, embarrassed and angry, didn't lash out immediately. Instead, he pulled out his phone and called for backup.
A Li, startled by the escalating tension, appeared flustered and unsure of what to do.
Ma Xiaowei, unfazed, stood up and reassured her, "Don't worry. We're here."
A Li thanked him softly and retreated to the kitchen.
Meanwhile, the drunk man glanced at Ma Xiaowei and his group, deliberately raising his voice to his companion, "Has Qiangzi been sentenced yet?"
His companion, not catching on at first, replied, "Oh, I think Qiangzi was awarded custody by his mom."
The drunk man clarified, "Not that Qiangzi."
Finally understanding, the companion exaggeratedly said, "Oh, you mean Wang Qiang? He got sentenced the other day—life without parole."
Ma Xiaowei couldn't hold back his laughter. "Sentenced? Brother, you're hilarious. Why don't you perform at Liu Laogen's comedy theater?"
Rou Mingrui laughed so hard he had tears streaming down his face. The other customers joined in, and the two drunk men, embarrassed, grabbed empty beer bottles and prepared to start a fight.
From behind the counter, Wu Yumei didn't even look up as she punched numbers into the calculator. She said coolly, "The table is 600 yuan, the plates and bowls are 21 pieces total. There's surveillance in the store—feel free to smash things. We've been meaning to replace them anyway."
Meanwhile, Xiao Hong slipped into the kitchen, her face lit up with excitement. "It's about to start—they're gonna fight!"
A Li peeked out from behind the curtain, her heart racing. She'd never witnessed anything like this before, but her curiosity outweighed her fear.
In her mind, she thought with excitement, "So this is what it's like to live in the underworld!"
As for Huang Pi Hu, the cook, he remained steady as ever, flipping his wok with one hand while keeping the cigarette in his mouth perfectly intact.
Fights weren't as simple as they used to be. These days, a fight could cost you dearly. Minor injuries could rack up thousands in compensation, while serious injuries could lead to criminal charges and tens of thousands in fines. Winning meant jail, and losing meant the hospital.
Ma Xiaowei stayed seated, calm and collected, while Rou Mingrui stood up and confronted the drunk men, nose to nose, glaring at them. "Go ahead. Touch me. See if I don't sue you for everything you've got."
The other customers paused their eating, watching the scene with interest. There was nothing more entertaining to accompany their drinks than a lively confrontation.
At that moment, Huang Pi Hu emerged from the kitchen, carrying a large basin of Da Hong Pao chicken. He walked through the tension-filled atmosphere without a care and placed the dish on Ma Xiaowei's table. Tossing his cigarette butt aside, he said, "Seriously, how much did you drink to make such a fuss?"
The confrontational atmosphere immediately cooled. Huang Pi Hu exuded a calm yet commanding presence, his demeanor embodying the effortless authority of a seasoned veteran of the underworld. His attitude complemented Wu Yumei's unflappable style perfectly.
From behind the curtain, A Li watched with wide eyes. She'd never noticed before, but Huang Pi Hu suddenly radiated the aura of a boss who could handle anything.
The incident seemed resolved—until four more men entered the restaurant, reigniting the tension. Leading them was Yin Bingsong, flanked by three lackeys. They had rushed over from a barbecue stall just 200 meters away after receiving the drunk man's call.
"Who dares mess with my brother?!" Yin Bingsong shouted. Though he recognized Ma Xiaowei, he pretended not to. After all, this was a moment to assert his dominance and maintain his authority.
"No one touched him," Rou Mingrui replied. "The beer bottle is in his hand, not mine. Open your eyes before you speak."
Yin Bingsong's lackey snapped, "Watch your tone! Do you even know who my boss is? Without him, this neighborhood would've burned down long ago!"
Rou Mingrui smirked. "Oh, really? I don't recall hearing about that."
The lackey continued, "Didn't you see it on TV? Remember the internet cafe fire? My boss saved everyone!"
Rou Mingrui burst out laughing. "Oh, that? Let me tell you the truth. I have a video on my phone. It was Huang Pi Hu, me, and the local shopkeepers who helped. Your boss? Nowhere to be seen."
Yin Bingsong's face darkened. This wasn't how he wanted the conversation to go, and now he was caught in an awkward position. His attempts to shut down Yumei Restaurant had already backfired, and their business was thriving more than ever.
Frustrated and humiliated, Yin Bingsong grabbed a beer bottle and swung it at Rou Mingrui.
Rou, accustomed to brawls, instinctively dodged. The bottle shattered against the wall next to Ma Xiaowei, leaving two shallow cuts on his face.
A Li let out a scream but kept her eyes wide open, as though anticipating something exciting.
A full-blown fight was now inevitable. Yin Bingsong's group outnumbered Ma Xiaowei and Rou Mingrui six to two, giving them a clear advantage. With everyone drunk, there was no guarantee the blows would be controlled.
Though Wu Yumei had already called the police, it was unlikely they'd arrive in time to prevent injuries.
Huang Pi Hu, who had initially planned to stay out of it, realized he had no choice. For one, this was happening in his restaurant, and he couldn't escape responsibility. Moreover, the fight had started because someone harassed his employee. As the head chef, he couldn't just stand by.
Grabbing Yin Bingsong by the shoulder, Huang Pi Hu twisted and pulled, dislocating the man's arm with practiced ease.
Behind the counter, Wu Yumei's first move was to turn off the surveillance cameras.
[--------------------------------------------]
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