novelraw Chapter 991 - 1006: The Arrogant Red Hair
Chapter 991 - 1006: The Arrogant Red Hair
Sure, here is the translation for the provided text:There are quite a few Huaxia People in Russia, but street vendors are not common, especially for someone in their forties or fifties. It must be quite challenging.
Boss Zhang came out and glanced at Lin Mu, "Two of you brought another brother, huh?"
"Yeah, he came here for tourism, so he got in touch with us," Da Hai nodded and said.
"Oh, I see, three fellow countrymen, huh? It's cold today, come inside to eat?" Boss Zhang gestured and said.
"No need, we'll stay outside. There's an awning, so it's not too cold," Lin Mu said.
"Alright then, what would you three like to eat?" Boss Zhang nodded and asked.
"We'll have a clay pot dish, pig kidney, lamb kidney, lamb skewers, pork belly, beef tendon. Just keep them coming. We've got a good brother here today, must drink a few extra glasses. Also, bring some vodka, the strong kind," Da Hai said.
Boss Zhang nodded, "Alright, I'll get it ready."
With that greeting, Boss Zhang went back into the little house. Lin Mu took a look around; Boss Zhang's stall was not big. There were several tables outside but no customers. Inside the small house, there were quite a few patrons. The small house was about thirty square meters; business seemed good, after all, Huaxia specialties were popular in Russia.
Just like how KFC from the United States became popular when it entered Huaxia, Boss Zhang's efficiency was high; within ten minutes, the barbecued meat, lamb kidneys, and such were served.
"You three fellow countrymen take your time eating; I'm still grilling the rest," Boss Zhang said and then went back inside to work.
"Brother Lin, though it's not fine wine and food, it's still the sentiment of us brothers welcoming you," Da Hai chuckled and filled Lin Mu's glass.
"We're all brothers; no need to be so formal," Lin Mu smiled and said.
"Brother Lin, we brothers toast to you, cheers."
Da Hai and Da Shan picked up their glasses, clinked them with Lin Mu's, and downed their drinks in one go.
"Damn," Lin Mu cursed under his breath, watching Da Hai and Da Shan's drinking style—it must be an enormous tolerance. An ordinary person would surely be dizzy after downing such a glass, which was about a hundred grams, and the killer part was drinking it in one go; mind you, this is vodka.
With two friends being so straightforward, Lin Mu did not want to spoil the fun; he picked up the glass and gulped it down as well. After the vodka went down, a fiery sensation surged in his heart. Initially, he felt a bit cold, but immediately he felt warm all over, great!
"Come on, Brother Lin, eat!" Da Shan and Da Hai smiled, and the three of them heartily began to eat, drinking liquor and eating piping hot barbecued meat and lamb kidneys—such bliss!
After another glass downed, the three of them felt warm, so Lin Mu and the others simply took off their coats, devouring the meat and gulping down the alcohol. A bold and free-spirited style of Huaxia men, Da Shan and Da Hai were straightforward people—true men, fitting Lin Mu's friendship style very well. Before they knew it, a pound of liquor was gone, and Boss Zhang was efficient, always bringing more when they were almost done, not delaying their eating and drinking.
"Boss Zhang."
While Lin Mu and the others were happily drinking, a few Russian men walked into the tent.
The Russian men were all Red Hair, dressed in a style that looked like gangsters; their kind was no different from Huaxia's Lanzai.
"Boss Zhang."
A leading young Red Hair shouted a word in clumsy Chinese and then walked straight to Lin Mu's side, snorting disdainfully, then casually grabbed a grilled lamb kidney from Lin Mu's table.
Da Hai's face darkened and was about to get up but was signaled by Lin Mu.
The young Red Hair arrogantly started eating, while Boss Zhang came out with a smiling face from the inside.
"Oh, Brother Hongmao is here, please sit inside." Old Zhang smiled, and his tone suggested being very polite to Red Hair, and of course, very afraid too. The young Red Hair finished the kidney in his hand, arrogantly tapping Old Zhang's face with the wooden skewer, speaking in an aggressive tone, "Boss Zhang, business is good, huh."
"Hehe, thanks to Brother Hongmao's care; otherwise, there wouldn't be such a good business," Boss Zhang replied.
Red Hair was not modest at all and kept tapping Old Zhang's face with the little wooden stick, "Hmm, glad you know your place."
"Brother Hongmao, please sit inside; it's cold outside. Have a drink to warm up!" Old Zhang nervously invited.
"Forget the drink; I'm here today to collect next month's protection fee, two thousand," Red Hair said.
Boss Zhang was stunned, looking puzzled at Red Hair, "Brother Hongmao, didn't I just pay the protection fee a few days ago? Why do we have to pay again? Did you mistakenly remember?"
"Of course, I didn't forget. You paid indeed a few days ago, but our boss said prices are rising, and it's not easy for so many brothers to watch your stall. Everyone needs to eat and drink, so that money is not enough. From this month forward, it goes up to four thousand monthly. You've paid two thousand, so pay another two thousand, and we're good. We have rules; we won't ask you for a penny more," Red Hair said, as if his extortion was quite ethical!
"Ah?" Boss Zhang was shocked, eyes wide open, "Four thousand? I make barely over four thousand a month. When business is not good, I can't even make four thousand. Asking four thousand at once, how do I live?"
Red Hair glanced at Boss Zhang, his face looking displeased, obviously annoyed by his words, speaking with a threatening undertone, "What's the matter, Boss Zhang, don't we deserve some hardship fees for looking after your stall?"
"Brother Hongmao, I, this stall doesn't need to be watched, can I just pay you two thousand?" Boss Zhang pleaded.
These young Red Hair were real gangsters. Saying they were watching the stall was nonsense since no one else around would cause trouble except them. It was clearly gangsters collecting protection money.
"Hmm? No need to watch? You said it, Boss Zhang. If someone smashes your stall after I leave, don't blame me for not warning you," Red Hair threatened, clearly implying that if Boss Zhang didn't pay, his stall would get smashed.
"This... Brother Hongmao, I really can't come up with that much money," Boss Zhang was nearly crying.
"Heh!" Red Hair chuckled, standing by Lin Mu's table, not feeling out of place at all, grabbing a few more kidneys and said while eating, "Boss Zhang, I don't want to waste words anymore. It's your choice to pay or not!"
"I, this..." Boss Zhang clearly didn't want to pay so much. If he paid over four thousand monthly, there would be no point in keeping the stall. He couldn't guarantee making enough to pay the protection fee monthly, let alone profit.