Wan Yunting was driving, taking Fang Yanxi to the food street opposite the entrance of Huadu University. After finding a parking spot and parking the car, the two of them got out. It was lunchtime, and they saw many students looking for food in the food street.
"Zhenzhen Claypot Rice!"
Soon, the two of them were standing in front of a shop with a sign hanging above the entrance that read "Zhenzhen Claypot Rice." The shop was not large, with ten tables that could accommodate over thirty people.
On the iron stove at the shop entrance, there were twelve small stoves, each with a sandpot of the same size, all bubbling and emitting a rich aroma, which involuntarily brought smiles to Wan Yunting and Fang Yanxi's faces.
It felt like returning to seven years ago when they used to come to eat this claypot rice together during their university days. Although time had passed and Huadu University no longer belonged to their era, this Zhenzhen Claypot Rice shop was still thriving, with more customers than they could serve.
"Handsome guy, beautiful girl, what would you like to eat?"
Controlling these twelve stoves was a plump middle-aged woman. Her hands moved quickly, constantly watching the rice in the twelve sandpots on the stove, adjusting the heat, and adding ingredients. It was a task that required excellent time management.
"Sister Zhen, don't you remember us?"
Wan Yunting looked at the woman, whose real name was Chen Cuizhen and was affectionately called Sister Zhen by everyone. She looked up at Wan Yunting and Fang Yanxi, and her flushed face showed a look of surprise. "You... aren't you Xiao Wan? And you, you're Xiao Fang, right?"
"Sister Zhen, you still remember me."
Seeing that Sister Zhen remembered them, Fang Yanxi felt happy and smiled politely.
"Oh my, it really is you."
Seeing that it was indeed them, Sister Zhen excitedly turned to the middle-aged man inside who was tidying tables and attending to students, shouting, "Old Lin, come out quickly and see who's here..."
Old Lin was Sister Zhen's husband. The couple had been running the shop here for over ten years. When he came out, he also recognized Wan Yunting and Fang Yanxi and exclaimed, "Xiao Wan, Xiao Fang, it's been a long time since you've come to eat here."
"Yes, it's been over seven years."
Wan Yunting and Fang Yanxi exchanged glances and nodded at them with smiles.
"Xiao Wan, we saw the news these past few days."
Sister Zhen, while tending to the sandpots on the stove, said excitedly to Wan Yunting, "I said back then that you must have been framed. Indeed, heaven rewards the persistent. Your name has finally been cleared, but it's a shame you spent seven years in prison."
"That's right."
Old Lin wiped his hands. They still remembered when Wan Yunting was taken away by the police from school and was eventually sentenced to seven years in prison, which deeply moved the couple.
Back then, Wan Yunting and Fang Yanxi were quite the figures at Huadu University. Although they were from wealthy families, they were very approachable. Especially since they came to Sister Zhen's place every day to eat claypot rice, they had become very familiar with Sister Zhen and her husband.
Moreover, with what happened to Wan Yunting back then, Sister Zhen and Old Lin had an even deeper impression of him.
"But it's all good now, Xiao Wan was innocent," Old Lin said, waving his hand. The matter was in the past.
Sister Zhen nodded and then asked them, "Xiao Wan, Xiao Fang, what would you like to eat? Sister Zhen will make it for you now."
Wan Yunting and Fang Yanxi exchanged glances and said to Sister Zhen in unison with a smile, "Preserved meat claypot rice!"
"Oh, I knew you'd order this. You ate it every day back then and never got tired of it."
Sister Zhen said with a laugh. Old Lin immediately beckoned them inside and found them a vacant seat, chatting with them about the changes in Huadu University...
Soon, Sister Zhen brought out the claypot rice. Wan Yunting and Fang Yanxi took a bite, and the same expression appeared on their faces after a long time. They said to Sister Zhen in unison with a smile, "It's still the same taste."
"Haha, you should come here often together from now on," Sister Zhen said with a smile, winking at Wan Yunting meaningfully.
This made Wan Yunting smile inwardly. He glanced at Fang Yanxi sitting opposite him and saw that she was still as elegant, eating her meal slowly. He nodded at Sister Zhen's words, "Okay, we'll come often from now on..."
These words made Fang Yanxi's ears turn red, and she tried hard to control herself, maintaining a calm expression...
Since they had arrived late, the students had already finished their lunch and returned to school. Sister Zhen had some free time to sit down and rest, chatting with Wan Yunting and Fang Yanxi while Old Lin quietly tidied up.
Just then, five young men swaggered in. The leader was a punk with dyed red hair. Old Lin's expression changed slightly upon seeing him.
"Time to pay the management fee!"
The punk, nicknamed Brother Lang, sat boldly on a stool by the door. Sister Zhen, who was chatting with Wan Yunting and the others inside, turned her head. As soon as she saw him, she got up and went out. "Didn't we just pay this month's fee the day before yesterday? Why are you asking for it again today?"
Brother Lang, swinging his legs, looked at Sister Zhen with a slovenly demeanor. "The day before yesterday was the regular management fee. But we're asking for it today because Brother Pao is having a birthday tonight, and I, Brother Lang, am short on cash. So today, I'm asking you to pay next month's management fee!"
These words angered Sister Zhen. She put her hands on her hips. "No, if you don't have money, you come to me? Do you think this is an ATM machine?"
*Bang!*
The punk slammed the table and stood up angrily. His four followers also stepped forward. Brother Lang pointed at Sister Zhen's nose. "You old hag, do you not want to do business here anymore? If you don't, I'll tear down your shop right now and let someone else take over!"
"Don't, don't, Brother Lang, calm down..."
Old Lin quickly pulled Sister Zhen. After all, this punk was a local hoodlum, and his boss, Brother Pao, knew people in high places, which was why they were so arrogant.
At this scene, Wan Yunting and Fang Yanxi, sitting inside, raised their eyebrows. Although they already knew that someone was collecting management fees, also known as protection money, in the food street, this punk in front of them was too overbearing.
"Brother Lang, this is next month's management fee."
Old Lin took out five thousand yuan and handed it to the punk, but he shook his head. "It's not enough, it should be ten thousand!"
"Ten thousand? Are you robbing us?"
Sister Zhen, with her fiery temper, exploded as soon as she heard that she had to pay ten thousand.
*Bang!*
The punk and his gang became even more arrogant, directly flipping over a nearby table. "So what if I'm robbing you? If you don't pay ten thousand management fees today, I'll smash your shop!"
"Go ahead and smash it if you dare! I'm calling the police now. I don't believe that the law can't deal with you thugs!" Sister Zhen, furious, took out her phone to call the police. The punk rushed forward, snatched it from her hand, and smashed it directly on the ground...
"Ah, what are you doing..." Sister Zhen cried out in anger.
"Smash it! If you don't teach this old hag a lesson, she won't know who is in charge of this street!"
With a loud shout from the punk, his four followers immediately flipped over another table. The sandpots that hadn't been cleared fell to the ground and shattered. Such commotion also attracted the attention of other shop owners and passersby, who pointed and gossiped.
"You scoundrel, I'll fight you to the death..."
Sister Zhen, furious, grabbed the punk, but she was no match for Brother Lang's strength. He roughly pushed Sister Zhen away, and she was about to fall towards the corner of the table behind her.
Suddenly, a figure flashed past, and a large hand steadily supported Sister Zhen's back, preventing her from hitting the table corner with the back of her head. "Sister Zhen, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Xiao Wan, quickly call the police for me." Sister Zhen, supported and steadied, immediately shouted.
However, Wan Yunting did not do as she asked. Instead, he sternly ordered those who were vandalizing Sister Zhen's shop, "Stop!"