EBE Chapter 112 Keep it secret
Chapter 112 Keep it secret
"They're like haunting ghosts, appearing out of nowhere. Whenever they see someone setting up a stall, they immediately surround them and demand exorbitant fees without a second thought."
"We ordinary people work hard from dawn to dusk to earn a few cents. Many people can't even afford that."
"If they can't produce what they want, they'll be ruthless. The worst they can do is confiscate all the goods you've worked so hard to display, leaving you with nothing. If they displease you, they'll be ruthless. Breaking arms and legs isn't uncommon."
Suddenly, her eyes became dimmer.
"At first, everyone was so angry that they all went to the government to file a complaint, hoping that the judge would come to their rescue."
"But who knows? Those officials are so perfunctory, they just send people away with a few casual words. No one is willing to really deal with these difficult matters."
"After a long time, everyone understood that the water behind this is too deep. The forces those people secretly rely on are very powerful. We are just ordinary people and we can't fight them at all."
As Dou Qiaohui explained, Cheng Yuntao and Jiang Yu's expressions became more and more solemn. They had not expected that such a small Nanfang Night Market could actually harbor many hidden talents and corrupt officials.
"How abominable!" Jiang Yu was extremely angry. He clenched his fist and smashed it hard on his side.
"Junhua City is renowned for its prosperity. Every time I walk down the street, seeing the bustling crowds and numerous shops, I sincerely believe that the people here can live and work in peace and contentment, enjoying the blessings of this peaceful and prosperous era."
"Who would have thought that those good-for-nothings, so preoccupied with their own carefree lives, were oblivious to the suffering of the people. Could it be that their hearts are blinded by greed?"
Jiang Yu was so angry that he stood up and paced back and forth in the pavilion, his clothes fluttering.
Since the situation at the Nanfang Night Market is so dangerous, why continue to take such a risk? Cheng Yuntao continued to ask with some confusion: "Sister Qiaohui, according to what you said, the Gold-Collecting Alliance is so abominable and creates chaos wherever it goes. So why do people still insist on setting up stalls at the Nanfang Night Market?"
Dou Qiaohui shook her head helplessly, and said with a wry smile, "The Gold Collecting Alliance doesn't show up very often. Sometimes they don't show up for a month or two. We're all so tired of living on the streets that we can't bear to give up our livelihood. We have no choice but to bravely continue setting up stalls. We just hope for good luck and don't run into them. If we do, we'll just run away. Saving our lives is the most important thing."
"So that's how it is..." Cheng Yuntao lowered her eyes and muttered to herself.
Compared with the fear of the unknown, the reality of embarrassment is the sharp sword hanging over our heads.
The hungry baby at home, the bedridden parents, and the daily necessities of life...all of these things urgently need to be covered by the few taels of silver earned from the stall every day.
Even though the shadow of the Gold-Collecting Alliance follows them everywhere, in order to survive and to ensure their families have enough to eat, the small vendors can only grit their teeth and struggle to survive between fireworks and danger.
"By the way, Sister Qiaohui, do you know why there aren't any vendors around the theater? It's much quieter than the entrance."
Cheng Yuntao's intuition told her that the theater was definitely not simple, or rather, the boss behind it was not simple.
"This... this happened even earlier than the Lianjin League." Dou Qiaohui showed a hint of hesitation on her face. She raised her eyes and glanced at Cheng Yuntao and Jiang Yu quietly. Her fingers subconsciously twisted the corners of her clothes, as if she was considering whether she should say this out loud.
After a moment, she told Cheng Yuntao everything she knew about the past.
"That theater wasn't as grand as it is now," Dou Qiaohui said, a hint of nostalgia in her eyes as she looked in a certain direction. "The repertoire was very monotonous, with the same few plays played over and over again. There weren't any famous actors to carry the show, so tickets were naturally cheap. Almost everyone could afford it."
"But this kind of business is not enough to cover its expenses, and the profits are so poor that it's on the verge of bankruptcy. Once I passed by and saw with my own eyes the resident opera troupe, covered in dust and dirt, packing up their things and disbanding in front of the theater with sighs. It was a very sad scene."
"Then, for some reason, the theater was bought by a boss from out of town. He was wealthy, and as soon as he took over, he immediately carried out drastic renovations, transforming the old theater into a magnificent place, as if it had been relocated."
"Then they spent a fortune hiring a new troupe, filled with fresh faces, singing, reciting, acting, and fighting. It was truly spectacular. Naturally, ticket prices also went up, catering exclusively to the wealthy. Unexpectedly, this tactic actually worked. After producing famous actors, the theater's business improved, sometimes even selling tickets. It was a resurgence."
As Dou Qiaohui narrated, Cheng Yuntao recalled the theater she had just visited. It was indeed decorated in a very grand style. Without enough money in her pocket, she would not have dared to step into the theater.
"The theater entrance was bustling with people, all of them wealthy and generous, so it naturally became a lucrative market. Many vendors, seeing the business opportunity, were willing to engage in violent fights for even a fraction of the space in front of the theater, their faces reddening with anger."
"But before they could even decide the winner, the theater sent out thugs, all of them ferocious-looking, who, without a word, overturned all the stalls in front of the theater. Not only that, they also established an extremely overbearing rule, saying that no one was allowed to set up stalls around the theater, and that offenders would be beaten with fists."
"Some people were stubborn and unwilling to accept defeat, so they deliberately provoked others and ended up being beaten to death. The rest of the people were so frightened by the scene that their legs went weak. They dared not act rashly and retreated far away, fearing that they would get into trouble. From then on, the area around the theater became deserted."
After Dou Qiaohui finished speaking, she sighed softly, her eyes filled with regrets about the past and indignation at injustice.
"Those people are very overbearing. We usually don't dare to discuss them, for fear that they might overhear us and get us into trouble. If we hadn't already left the Nanfang Night Market, I wouldn't dare say this either."
Looking at Dou Qiaohui's secretive look, you can tell how deep the psychological trauma that happened in the past has left on her.
There was a glimmer of inquiry in Cheng Yuntao's eyes, and she became more and more curious about the mysterious boss behind the theater.
She couldn't help but secretly wonder who this person was who had the ability to turn things around so drastically that he could revive a theater on the verge of bankruptcy, clear out the surrounding area with lightning speed, and establish such overbearing rules.
Unfortunately, Dou Qiaohui was just an outsider. She never had the opportunity to see the true face of this powerful new boss. All she knew and witnessed was limited to the chaotic and noisy farce outside the theater.