Chapter Thirty-Four: Offense

"Xu Fei, what do you mean by this?" Aunt Zhang glared at Xu Fei, her face shifting rapidly between blue and white with anger.

"Aunt Zhang, I’m here to buy meat. Isn’t this provisions store supposed to sell it to me as I ask?"

Aunt Zhang, fuming, threw her knife onto the chopping block. "I won’t sell this meat!"

Xu Fei only sneered at her. "Aunt Zhang, aren’t you in the wrong here?"

"Xu Fei, don’t think you can show off just because you have a little money. What’s with buying meat? I’ve never seen anyone buy it by splitting it into a pound of fat and a pound of lean. Are you just trying to make things hard for me?"

Xu Fei paid no heed to her shouting. He merely smiled faintly. "If you can’t sell it, I’ll have to talk to your manager about it. I don’t see how my request is unreasonable."

In truth, this was precisely his intention. This provisions store was the only place that sold the millet he intended to buy. He could use this opportunity to get acquainted with the person in charge.

"Xu Fei, don’t overstep. What are you playing at?"

Xu Fei only grinned wickedly. "Either you cut the meat as I ask, or I’ll get your manager to settle this. How is that going too far?"

Aunt Zhang was shaking all over with rage.

"You, you, you..."

"What’s going on here?"

At that moment, a chubby man with a square face emerged from behind the counter. He wore glasses and looked every bit the authority.

"Director Shen, you’re just in time. This Xu Fei is buying meat and insists on one pound of fat, one pound of lean, and won’t let me mix them. How am I supposed to do that?"

Director Shen glanced at Xu Fei, frowned, and said, "Zhang, is his request unreasonable? What’s going on with you? Can’t you handle such a simple matter?"

"I..."

Aunt Zhang was silenced by Director Shen’s words. She hung her head, seething inwardly—she was simply annoyed at Xu Fei and didn’t want to serve him.

His request only made her feel more put upon, which was why she had made a scene.

Director Shen knew her character well. Normally, Aunt Zhang, emboldened by her seniority, sometimes didn’t even respect him as her manager.

Xu Fei’s interference gave Director Shen a perfect excuse to teach her a lesson.

Aunt Zhang had no words for Director Shen.

"If you can’t handle it, I can have you transferred to the warehouse. How would you like that?"

Director Shen’s question frightened Aunt Zhang into hurriedly waving her hands. The warehouse work was all heavy lifting, and unlike selling meat, there was no opportunity for side benefits. Over the years, her family had eaten meat she’d pilfered from here.

"I can do it," she said, pinching her nose and splitting the meat as requested—one pound of lean, one of fat—wrapping them in paper and handing them to Xu Fei with forced courtesy.

Xu Fei weighed the meat in his hands and gave Director Shen inside a friendly nod.

Director Shen smiled and nodded back before returning to his office, hands clasped behind his back, evidently satisfied.

Xu Fei finished getting his cured meat.

By now, closing time had come for the provisions store. Aunt Zhang muttered under her breath, feeling wronged and cursing Xu Fei.

But Xu Fei stood by the back door, waiting as the employees filed out one by one.

When most had left, Xu Fei finally spotted Director Shen pushing his bicycle out.

"Director Shen," Xu Fei called.

"Yes?" Director Shen saw it was Xu Fei and nodded with a smile. "Is there something you need?"

"I wanted to thank you for handling things so fairly just now. That Aunt Zhang usually acts as if she owns the place, making us endure her temper whenever we shop. Today, you really stood up for us."

Director Shen frowned. "I’ve thought her attitude was overbearing for some time. If it's as you say, it seems she’s indeed the problem."

"Exactly."

"It seems our provisions store still needs the guidance of customers like you. I’ll call a meeting soon to improve their service."

Xu Fei smiled and nodded.

"Was there anything else?"

"Well, it’s rare to meet a manager like you. This is the first time I, Xu Fei, have encountered someone like you..." As he spoke, Xu Fei handed his package of lean meat to Director Shen.

"What’s this?"

"It’s just a token of my appreciation for your fairness earlier. I know you’re a good leader—the best I’ve met. If only I’d had a leader like you at the steel mill before, my parents..."

Director Shen had heard about Xu Fei’s family situation.

"You’re a hard-luck child."

"That’s why, as a hard-luck child, nothing means more to me than meeting someone like you. Please, take this meat. Think of it as fulfilling the wish of an unfortunate kid like me."

Seeing Xu Fei’s emotional words, Director Shen was touched. More importantly, all his praise for being a good leader greatly pleased Director Shen.

"Alright then, young man, just this once—we won’t make a habit of it."

Xu Fei, seeing Director Shen accept the meat, smiled and nodded. "Don’t worry, Director Shen, just this once—it won’t happen again."

Watching Director Shen take the package, Xu Fei knew he’d succeeded in making his acquaintance. Familiarity would only grow with future visits.

He chatted a while longer, walking Director Shen to the street corner before heading home himself.

By then, Du Man had finished preparing the dough.

Xu Fei hurried to bring out the meat.

"Why is it all fat?" Du Man asked.

Xu Fei told her the story about Aunt Zhang.

Du Man laughed as she listened. "Honestly, you’re something else—why go out of your way to offend her?"

"Shouldn’t she be taught a lesson?"

Du Man thought for a moment, then nodded. "Still, Aunt Zhang is never friendly with me either. I have to admit, it was satisfying."

Xu Fei shook his head with a smile. "First you tell me not to offend her, then you say it was satisfying. So, which is it—right or wrong?"

Du Man glared at him. "Right, because she won’t dare treat us poorly again. Wrong, because she’ll probably gossip about us behind our backs."

"Gossip?" Xu Fei said with a wry smile. "As if I, Xu Fei, am worried about a bit of gossip now?"

Du Man burst out laughing. "I suppose not."

Just then, Xu Yun came out of the house, clutching his stomach. "Sister-in-law, I’m hungry."

"Right, yes, look at us, chatting away. The dumplings are ready to go in the pot. Xu Yun, you’ll be eating piping hot dumplings in no time."

As she talked, Du Man placed the dumplings into the boiling water. Xu Fei brought the mashed garlic out, poured soy sauce into a bowl, and set the vinegar bottle on the table.

Soon, Du Man brought the steaming dumplings to the table, and Xu Fei set out the bowls and chopsticks.

Xu Yun, drawn by the aroma, dashed over.

"It smells amazing!"

He was already exclaiming over the fragrance before even tasting a bite.