I stared at the bankbook—between supplies and rent, the shop was losing six thousand yuan a month. Back then, I thought, Fuck it, I'm closing this place. But if I did, how would I explain it to the old folks? I couldn't exactly tell them Meng Wei was ruining me. They were straight-talking people; they'd probably start a fight. And someone like Meng Wei? You didn't cross him. If something happened to them because of this, how could I ever face Li Fang?
After turning it over in my head, I decided to fake being sick for a few days. Maybe if I shut the shop, Meng Wei would see it closed and forget about me.
But I was wrong.
I was lying in bed when there was a knock at the door. My mother-in-law, holding Huang Cheng, went to answer it. Then I heard that voice—too familiar to mistake. "Is this where the owner of Huang's Snacks lives? Why's the shop closed today?"
My mother-in-law, thinking it was a regular customer, smiled warmly. "Oh, what bad luck—my son-in-law's taken ill."
I jumped up and rushed out of the room. "Meng Wei! What do you want?"
Meng Wei eyed me up and down. "Ain't lookin' sick to me. Why's the shop closed?"
I didn't dare tell him the truth, just pulled on my shoes. "I'll open it. Whatever you want, I'll go to the shop and make it for you."
Meng Wei's face lit up with malice. "Well, that's perfect. I get all antsy if I don't sit in your shop for a day."
My mother-in-law, still in the dark, chipped in, "Oh, is that right? My son-in-law's got such a knack for cooking—his food's really something. We sure appreciate your patronage!"
I forced a smile at her, then shut the door, turning to glare at Meng Wei. "What do you really want?"
"Nothin' much. I just like watchin' you bleed money. This shop stays open every day—miss one day, and I'll come here."
"You're not leaving me a shred of hope. I can't keep this up. Losing six thousand a month—you'd work half a year at a regular job to earn that!"
"Does that make up for seven years of hell I've lived?" he shot back.
"Then what do you want? My kidney?!"
"Works for me! But surgery, hospital stays—kidneys don't just transplant themselves. I would've done it already if they did."
With that, Meng Wei stalked off south. And I? I went back to the shop, to keep it open.