Chapter 13: Sister Ya

“Five Lakes Restaurant?”

Chen Dabao packed up his things and followed Li Zhuang to the Five Lakes Restaurant in the town center. It was the largest tavern in Qingshan Town and carried a bit of a legendary aura.

Originally, the Five Lakes Restaurant was run by a man named Zhang Wenqing, who had once been the town’s big shot. He managed a sand quarry and secretly brought wealthy city bosses there for gambling.

But a couple of years ago, Zhang Wenqing suddenly died in a car accident. His former underling, Zhang Biao, seized control of the quarry. Word was that Zhang Biao had been doing well these past two years and had even started a company in the city.

As for the Five Lakes Restaurant, it was now managed by Zhang Wenqing’s wife, Chen Ya. Because Zhang Wenqing had been honorable and never abused his power, he was well respected in Qingshan Town. Though he was gone, the restaurant’s business remained steady.

“Sis, do you like strawberries? This is my classmate Chen Dabao. He grows strawberries at home; they taste really good!” Li Zhuang led Chen Dabao into the restaurant just as a stunning figure gracefully descended from the upper floor.

Following Li Zhuang’s gaze, Chen Dabao’s eyes momentarily glazed over, struck by an overwhelming sense of beauty.

A breathtakingly beautiful woman approached, her features perfect—delicate nose, sparkling eyes, rosy lips, and gleaming white teeth. She looked to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with long, voluminous waves of hair and an astonishingly attractive figure, both fashionable and elegant.

Standing around 1.7 meters tall, her slender legs were hidden beneath a dress that revealed no hint of her charm but conveyed a heavy, substantial presence beneath the fabric.

Chen Dabao’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he suppressed the urge to swallow loudly, knowing such a reaction would be rude.

“Li Zhuang, don’t you have land yourself? Don’t you know strawberries these days are all sprayed with chemicals?” Chen Ya’s red lips parted in a gentle smile as she glanced at Chen Dabao.

Then her eyes brightened slightly.

What a commanding and handsome young man! There were a few handsome men in Qingshan Town, but none with such extraordinary presence that Chen Ya had ever seen before.

“Boss Chen, my strawberries haven’t been sprayed with anything. You can taste for yourself!” Chen Dabao picked up two strawberries and handed them over. If it were just any ordinary strawberries, Chen Ya wouldn’t be interested, but since she liked Chen Dabao, she accepted them casually.

Their hands brushed lightly, and Chen Dabao felt a cool, silky finger touch his palm, sending a warm flush through his heart.

Chen Ya’s exquisite face flickered with a trace of unease; she sensed Chen Dabao’s palm was burning with an astonishing heat, as if it could melt her.

It had been two or three years since she last touched a man—was she... longing for one?

---

“Dabao, I’ll know immediately if these strawberries have been sprayed or not, so don’t lie!” Chen Ya laughed openly to hide her awkwardness, then took a bite. Her eyes lit up instantly.

“These strawberries are delicious—naturally sweet, with a pure strawberry fragrance even better than imported ones. How much per jin?” (Note: Jin is roughly half a kilogram.)

“Fifty-one yuan per jin!” Chen Dabao glanced at Chen Ya’s alluring red lips before quickly looking away. This woman was truly captivating.

“Fifty-one yuan per jin—quite pricey, but the quality surpasses imported strawberries, so it’s worth it. I’ll buy them. Li Zhuang, take Dabao brother to the kitchen to weigh them and settle the bill!” Chen Ya raised an eyebrow, her demeanor that of a dignified elder sister-in-law. She was about to say a few more words to Chen Dabao when a car stopped at the entrance, and three imposing middle-aged men walked in.

“Boss Chen, reserve a private room for us!”

“Director Li, the private rooms on the second floor are all free. Please, follow me!” Chen Ya smiled warmly and personally led the guests upstairs. Chen Dabao’s gaze followed her until she disappeared.

“Dabao, stop staring. Sister Chen has high standards. Since the boss passed away, she hasn’t been with any men!” Li Zhuang shook his head, breaking Chen Dabao’s reverie.

Though Sister Chen was extremely charming and many men coveted her, none had caught her eye these past two or three years. Even though Chen Dabao was tall and handsome, he probably didn’t stand a chance.

“I didn’t mean anything like that, Zhuangzi. You’re overthinking!” Chen Dabao quickly shook his head and followed Li Zhuang to the kitchen.

“Manager Gao, Sister Chen wants to buy strawberries. We’re here to weigh them!” Li Zhuang said to a man with slicked-back hair in the kitchen.

“Rotten strawberries, what’s so good about them? Weigh them yourselves!” Manager Gao said impatiently, barely glancing their way.

Strawberries sold for just over ten yuan per jin in Qingshan Town. This small amount—at most a dozen jins, worth just over a hundred yuan—was nothing to him.

“Dabao, that’s ten jins total, five hundred yuan. Once Sister Chen finishes eating them, I’ll call you if she wants more!” Li Zhuang sighed in relief and quickly weighed the strawberries.

Manager Gao was a notorious profiteer who skimmed off every bit of meat, vegetables, eggs, rice, oil, and seasoning that came into Five Lakes Restaurant. He expected a cut of everything.

Today, seeing the strawberries were few and that Sister Chen wanted them, he dared not make a move.

---

Just as Li Zhuang thought this, Manager Gao’s skeptical voice rose.

“Fifty-one yuan per jin? Li Zhuang, are you treating Five Lakes Restaurant like a fool?”

“Brother Gao, no, try them yourself. These strawberries are really delicious!” Li Zhuang tried to please him, offering two strawberries.

Manager Gao waved his hand dismissively and knocked the strawberries to the ground, then stomped on them with force, crushing them into a mess.

Chen Dabao’s eyes flashed with anger.

“Enough, stop talking nonsense. Fifty-one yuan per jin is fine, but do you even know the rules of Five Lakes Restaurant?” Manager Gao waved his hand impatiently, then glared at Chen Dabao.

“What rules?” Chen Dabao was surprised that selling strawberries could involve so much trouble.

“The rules are simple. If you want to sell strawberries here at fifty-one yuan per jin, you have to give me a thirty-yuan cut per jin,” Manager Gao said, rolling his eyes.

He was responsible for purchasing at Five Lakes Restaurant and demanded a bribe on everything brought in.

Strawberries outside sold for around ten yuan per jin, but he didn’t understand what dumb luck made Chen Ya pay fifty-one. Fifty-one was fine, as long as he got his cut.

Thirty yuan per jin could easily earn him some pocket money for cigarettes and alcohol every month.

“Brother Gao, how can you ask for so much?” Li Zhuang couldn’t help but object.

“Keep dreaming if you think I’ll take thirty per jin. I’m not selling these strawberries!” Chen Dabao snapped, grabbing the strawberries and starting to leave. At worst, he’d go buy from the city. He refused to believe that such high-quality strawberries wouldn’t find a buyer who appreciated them.

“Dabao! Dabao!” Li Zhuang hurried after him.

Just as they reached the front, Chen Ya came down the stairs.

“Brother Dabao, what’s going on? Why are you taking the strawberries away?” Chen Ya asked, her delicate face full of surprise.