Chapter 20: A Conflict

Proofread by Claire.KK

At that moment, Xiao Baoshan regained his usual composure, “As the eldest brother, I should be responsible for Baofeng’s private school tuition, but now it is little Ye who… I feel very ashamed when little Ye brought it up. I can’t just let you to pay for Baofeng’s tuition fee. I should also make a contribution. ”

“Then, it’s a deal. Let’s arrange Baofeng to go to private school next month,” said Li Hongmei excitedly.

She then turned to Xiao Baofeng, “Baofeng, you have seen it all tonight that you have such a brilliant brother and a brilliant sister-in-law. When you go to private school, you have to work really, really hard. When you make a living on yourself in the future, you have to repay your brother and your sister-in-law.”

Xiao Baofeng was a kid after all and he couldn’t hold back his happiness when he knew that he could go to private school. He then looked at Ye Xiaoxian and Xiao Baoshan with gratification. “Thank you, brother. Thank you, sister-in-law. I…I’ll wash all the dishes today. No one is allowed to fight with me over them!”

Everyone laughed heartily seeing Baofeng’s dramatic behaviour.

Only Xiao Baozhu’s laugh was kind of forced.

…

Ye Xiaoxian and Li Hongmei continued to sell cold jelly in the town.

The business went even smoother than before. On the first day the cold jelly were sold out by the evening, and the next day they were sold out just by afternoon. On the third day, someone bought half a bucket directly. The man said that he was the housekeeper of an eminent family, and he needed the cold jelly to entertain the guests.

Ye Xiaoxian and Li Hongmei were more and more excited. Seeing the copper coins in their purse was piling up, Baofeng’s tuition should be settled. But on the fourth day, the place where they put their cold jelly stand was occupied by others!

The one who occupied their place was also a cold jelly seller and a board was hung up in the front of his stand, written with “Bridgehead Cold Jelly” on it.

The seller was actually the one who sold cold jelly at the bridgehead.

There was an old man standing at the stall. In front of him stood a cold jelly bucket, and beside it placed a basin of spoons and bowls. Once a man passed by, he immediately shouted, “Come here, bridgehead time-honoured brand cold jelly. Come and buy some. One copper coin for one bowl of cold jelly. One copper coin for one bowl of cold jelly.”

Seeing this, Li Hongmei was so angry that she went forward and said, “Uncle, didn’t you sell it at the bridgehead? Why are you here today? Did you hear that we sell well here and want to occupy our position? This is not the way to do business. Should the world only buy your cold jelly just because you started to sell it ahead of us? And now you even lower the price. Are you trying to be a hustler? If you do this, none of us will end up making money and we’ll all work for nothing!”

That old man was a cocky person. He stood akimbo and said, “I’ve been selling cold jelly at bridgehead for more than a decade and who doesn’t know we are a time-honoured brand? And now what? You guys started to sell cold jelly as well. You can sell cold jelly and I can occupy this place. This place doesn’t have your name on it and first come, first served.

“You…if you weren’t old, I’ll punch your face,” scolded Li Hongmei.

That old man didn’t care at all and went on crying out his wares, “Cheapy-cheap cold jelly, one coin a bowl! Two coins yesterday but it only costs one now…”

“Hey you…you’re being so unreasonable!” Li Hongmei tried to go up and reason with him again but was pulled back by Ye Xiaoxian.

“Ma, don’t reason with such people. It’s not going to work,” said Ye Xiaoxian.

“What are we going to do now? Just letting him occupying our place? Where shall we set our stand then?” asked Li Hongmei.

“Isn’t it another place beside? Let’s set our stand here.” Ye Xiaoxian pointed at the place beside.

“But there’s no shade here. We’ll get burnt by the scorching sun!” said Li Hongmei at rage.