Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation Chapter 1804 - 992: Toll Money (Part 2)

Tongtong declared: "From this moment on, justice shall swiftly arrive!"

"But what if there's no profit involved?"

Feigning ignorance, Tongtong replied: "Without money, how can justice be served?"

Jiang Ning chastised her: "You're far too hypocritical."

Hugging the 'Xiao Hai' and acting like a child, Tongtong insisted: "I don't care, I won't have you working for nothing."

...

Meanwhile, at the River Dam Bungalow.

After taking a tumble, Yin Yu's mood soured. The electric bike's throttle was broken, leaving her no choice but to resume her rural tourism trip with her girlfriends.

As they passed the bungalow, she suddenly heard a cacophony of chickens.

Approaching the cage, she spotted a cluster of fluffy, yellow chicks.

These chicks were incredibly adorable, and Yin Yu turned to Butcher Zhang, who was nearby, and asked: "I'll give you ten yuan, may I take two chicks?"

Butcher Zhang, mid-way through his porridge, paused upon hearing her question. Then, with a generous wave of his hand, he said: "Just take them, by all means!"

Yin Yu placed ten yuan on the counter, scooped up two little yellow chicks, and departed.

Butcher Zhang pocketed the ten yuan, his expression softening considerably.

A short while after Yin Yu's departure, Mr. Qian arrived, eager to admire his little yellow chicks, only to discover something was amiss.

Mr. Qian exclaimed in alarm: "How can one of my babies be missing?"

His suspicion immediately fell upon Butcher Zhang.

Butcher Zhang continued eating his porridge and responded: "I didn't lay a finger on your chicks. Just now, two young ladies took two chicks without a word. You should go find them."

Mr. Qian, in a state of panic, rushed off to the rural tourism site to search.

Upon her return to the rural tourism area, Yin Yu found Zhuang Jianhui and the others already there, having breakfast. This locale seemed to have become their central meeting point.

"Oh my, these chicks are so cute," Xu Wenyi exclaimed in admiration.

Yin Yu chuckled: "Cute, aren't they? They should taste delicious too."

Xu Wenyi looked taken aback. These were adorable little chicks!

"Where did you get them? Are you planning to eat them? Isn't that a bit unsettling?" Lin Zida inquired.

Yin Yu smiled mysteriously: "I 'borrowed' them. I'm planning to release them."

Lin Zida let out a laugh: "You do love to joke."

Yin Yu beamed: "It's no joke. Last time, I saw you release fish, and I planned to follow your example."

Lin Zida was left speechless, thinking: 'She's genuinely petty.'

Yin Yu placed the chicks into a basin and gazed at the captive creatures. A flicker in her eyes suggested she was contemplating something deep.

Lin Zida observed the girl closely. Recently, they had delved into her family background and unearthed some rather secretive information.

Lin Zida inwardly gloated: 'You're attracted to ambiguous individuals, aren't you? Is your father preparing to adopt a new identity?'

While Yin Yu was engrossed in watching the chicks, a voice suddenly boomed from outside: "Who stole my chicks? Step forward now!"

Yin Yu's eyes widened: "?"

Lin Zida and Zhuang Jianhui exchanged glances, their expressions shifting: "No way, did you actually steal them?"

...

After Jiang Ning had ordered the fish and taken Tongtong shopping, they returned to learn of a minor commotion.

Mr. Qian's chicks had been pilfered, leading to a rather heated argument between him and the culprit. Ultimately, he emerged victorious, securing one hundred yuan in compensation.

Yin Yu attempted to confront Butcher Zhang for an explanation but was promptly intimidated by Xiao Ben and retreated.

Following this, Yin Yu enlisted her girlfriends to leverage their family connections, calling for backup. Coincidentally, Captain Zhou, whom they had encountered previously, arrived.

Captain Zhou glanced at Overlord Dog, his face grim, and declared: "This is beyond my jurisdiction."

With that, he drove away from the river dam.

Butcher Zhang boasted that Overlord Dog possessed supreme Qinggong.

Butcher Zhang and Mr. Qian celebrated their gains for the day, casting disdainful glances towards Jiang Ning.

Tongtong proudly displayed a cigarette.

Butcher Zhang's expression froze.

Mr. Qian inquired: "Did you two actually manage to achieve something as well?"

Butcher Zhang remarked: "Their skills are likely comparable to ours."

Tongtong arrogantly surveyed the crowd, pouting before swaggering back to her little courtyard, dismissing any notion of comparison with the Tongning group.

Meanwhile, at the rural tourism site.

Yin Yu, usually cheerful, was forced to maintain a strained smile.

Lin Zida, observing the unfolding scene, remarked lightly: "The world is vast; there's always someone better, somewhere even greater."

He mused that one who perpetually relies on deceit and trickery would not achieve much.

Yin Yu appeared undeterred by this observation. Her smile widened, her eyes large, her nose high: "Do they even count as people? People worth a mere one hundred yuan?"

Lin Zida frowned: "Are you relying on your parents' influence?"

Yin Yu calmly replied: "Yes, my parents always said that the nurture of the land breeds the people, and they were quite right."

Lin Zida chuckled: "According to your logic, Xue Yuantong grew up in the same environment. Why is she so different?"

Yin Yu stated: "In my eyes, there is absolutely no difference."

Perhaps attempting to shield himself from Mr. Qian's incessant taunts, Yin Yu offered a veiled smile: "Their upbringing in such harmonious surroundings is truly something to be envied."

...

The afternoon sun cast its glow, precisely four-thirty.

Amidst the lively ambiance of the river dam, Jiang Ning's fried fish stand materialized punctually in its usual corner spot.

"Setting up shop for snacks?" a young woman nearby inquired. Possessing fair skin and the appearance of a recent college graduate, she exuded a comforting presence.

"Indeed, just frying up some small fish to earn a little extra cash," Xue Yuantong responded with humility.

The young woman was engaged in selling handmade sushi, each piece priced at one yuan.

As Jiang Ning began heating oil in his pan, customers approached the adjacent sushi stall. The young proprietor quickly explained, "Sister, these are filled with cheese and mango, enhanced with meat floss and crab sticks... they're quite delectable."

A somewhat stout auntie took a moment to observe before declining with a wave of her hand, "No, thank you," and turned to depart.

The young woman, maintaining a polite and gentle smile, picked up a disposable plastic fork and offered a small sample of sushi: "Sister, no worries if you don't wish to purchase, this is just a free taste, please do try."

It was an unprecedented level of service for the stout auntie. She accepted the plastic fork and sampled the sushi—the blend of sweet and savory was palatable, though not entirely to her accustomed taste.

The young woman elaborated, "My own children absolutely adore this sushi; my younger brother is particularly fond of it."

The stout auntie reconsidered, responding, "Very well, give me five yuan's worth then."

"Certainly, I'll have it packaged for you straight away," the young woman agreed, swiftly completing the transaction.

As the stout auntie departed with her purchase, the young woman watched her go, a radiant smile gracing her features. She mused that while quality might not always win over customers, exceptional service certainly could.

With such unwavering dedication to service, her business was bound to flourish.

Xue Yuantong, amidst her fish-frying, cast a glance towards the neighboring sushi stall.

The young woman beamed a smile in her direction, offering unsolicited advice: "Little sister, even with a humble stall, excellent service paves the way for prosperous business."

Just then, a retired gentleman, his hands clasped behind his back in a manner reminiscent of a seasoned official, approached.

He ambled towards the fried fish stall and peered closely, inquiring, "Is your fish genuinely fresh?"

Xue Yuantong affirmed, "Absolutely fresh."

The old man scoffed, "It certainly looks like dead fish."

Xue Yuantong stated firmly, "Kindly don't obstruct the path if you're not making a purchase."

The old man bristled with indignation but then noticed Jiang Ning raising a polished bone-cutting knife, fixing him with an unreadable expression.

Considering his modest monthly retirement pension of a few thousand yuan, the old man realized he hadn't lived long enough to risk such a confrontation!

Deciding it was not worth the trouble, he quietly retreated.

The young sushi vendor watched this exchange with wide eyes, exclaiming, "Do you… do you really conduct business in such a manner?"

Xue Yuantong, continuing to fry fish, replied, "As long as the fish tastes good, customers will find their way here."

The young woman countered, "Service is the most crucial element!"

And so, a debate on entrepreneurial philosophies commenced.

Xue Yuantong offered no verbal retort; instead, she tossed a handful of a special type of sesame seeds into the sizzling oil. Instantly, an intoxicating aroma permeated the air, extending for hundreds of meters.

Numerous patrons paused, inhaling deeply. Previous customers who had enjoyed the fried fish the week prior surged forward, creating a dense crowd around the stall.

"A large portion for me, a large portion!"

"Me, pick me!"

Xue Yuantong surveyed the eager throng and announced, "Ahem, please form a line!"

When one customer attempted to push ahead, Xue Yuantong promptly informed him, "I'm not serving you."

A batch of fried fish was swiftly sold out, generating 150 yuan in revenue.

Even before the next batch began cooking, a queue had already formed, with people crowding the stall.

This overwhelming display of demand delivered a significant jolt to the sensibilities of the young proprietor of the sushi stall.