Chapter 15: Today Might Be Different
Huayang Road, HuHu Baozi Shop.
It was past ten o’clock, almost noon. Han Dahai, who had been busy for most of the day, could finally relax.
Unlike before, when he greeted customers with a smile, Han Dahai’s face now showed a clear look of worry.
Cui He, his wife, who had finished working in the kitchen, also came out and said:
“Old Han, big sister just sent us twenty thousand yuan, saying it’s a token of her affection to help Wenwen with her medical treatment.”
Han Dahai sighed and said:
“It’s not easy for big sister’s family either. This twenty thousand yuan must have been squeezed out from their savings. But Wenwen is about to have surgery, so we’ll accept the money. Remember to write an IOU.”
“Big sister said she doesn’t want us to write an IOU.”
“Forget it, let’s not write it then. Big sister is stubborn, it won’t look good if we make a fuss. We’ll just remember this.”
Cui He asked again:
“How’s the house sale going?”
Han Dahai frowned:
“The real estate agents have brought a few groups of potential buyers, but they all bargain very hard. At the rate they’re bargaining, we won’t even have enough money for the surgery.”
“I remember the house next door sold for seventy thousand yuan the year before last. Why is no one buying ours now, even though we’ve lowered the price to sixty thousand?”
“The housing market has been bad these past two years, and houses aren’t selling for much. Especially for us, who are in urgent need of money, it’s even harder to sell the house. According to the agents, if we sell slowly, we might be able to get a more reasonable price. But now, many people who want to buy houses are waiting and watching. If we’re in a hurry to sell, they’ll all try to cut the price to thirty or forty thousand, without batting an eye.”
Cui He’s eyes turned red with worry:
“How can they do this? We only have this one house, and we’re not deliberately trying to make a profit by selling at a high price. They’re all cutting the price so low. What about Wenwen? She can’t wait much longer.”
After a moment of silence, Han Dahai slowly said:
“If it doesn’t work, shall we sell the shop?”
“Sell the shop?”
Cui He’s expression was slightly stunned:
“We’ve been running this shop for over a decade, it practically grew up with Wenwen. We’ve spent half our lives in this shop. Are you really planning to sell it?”
“I understand your feelings for it. Who doesn’t have feelings?”
Han Dahai couldn’t help but look around with a lingering fondness:
“I made all the steamers in this shop myself, and the layout of the shop is also based on my habits. If we hadn’t encountered this problem, I would have hoped to keep running it until I’m old. Even if I’m too old to work in the future, I’d rather sell fewer buns than transfer it.”
“But Wenwen urgently needs surgery, and the house isn’t selling for a good price. Unless we sell the shop too, where will we get so much money?”
Cui He hesitated:
“If we sell the house, we can rent a house to live in. But if we sell the shop too, what will we live on in the future? After Wenwen’s surgery, the follow-up care will also cost a lot of money, and she’ll also have to go to school and get married in the future. All of these will cost money.”
“Have you forgotten? Didn’t our baozi shop also start from a roadside stall, step by step? Now it’s just going back to the beginning. I still have the food cart. After cleaning it, it won’t take much effort to push it out and sell baozi. And without this fixed shop, we can go to more and farther places to sell baozi, maybe the business will be even better than it is now.”
“Business outside isn’t good either. If you suddenly want to sell the shop, can you sell it in a short time?”
“You don’t have to worry about this.”
Han Dahai glanced to the right and said:
“Old Wei next door has the idea of expanding his business. I’m planning to sell the shop to him. We’re quite familiar with each other, so the transaction will be more reassuring.”
Cui He was immediately a little dissatisfied:
“Old Wei’s character isn’t good. I won’t mention what kind of meat he used to make the baozi, but he now puts leavening agents in the fried dough sticks he makes. You should sell the shop to someone else, don’t sell it to him. I can’t stand him harming people.”
“Sell it to someone else?”
Han Dahai smiled wryly:
“Who can you sell it to in a short time?”
“And even if we find a buyer, they’ll definitely bargain hard like they do when buying a house. We can’t sell the house and the shop together just to cover the surgery costs. We should at least prepare some money for Wenwen’s post-operative care. In case we encounter any problems, we won’t be so desperate.”
Cui He’s expression immediately became hesitant:
“How much are you planning to sell it to him for?”
“We chatted a while ago, and he said thirty thousand. This price is still fair.”
“Then you have to hurry up and let him transfer the money. Wenwen is waiting for it.”
“Okay, I’ll go talk to him.”
With that, Han Dahai walked out of the shop and saw Wei Songlin next door just getting out of a Mercedes.
“Old Wei, are you done with your business?”
“Yeah, the naughty kid doesn’t want to go to school. It took me a lot of effort to get her into school.”
After a few pleasantries, Han Dahai directly stated his intention:
“You said last month that you planned to expand your business and were going to buy a shop nearby. You also know that our Wenwen is now in the hospital, waiting for money for surgery, so I plan to sell this shop to you. Do you have any thoughts?”
“Sell it to me?”
Wei Songlin widened his eyes in surprise:
“Didn’t you already sell your house? Isn’t that money enough?”
Han Dahai sighed:
“The house isn’t selling well. What can we do when we need money urgently?”
“You’re really unlucky.”
Wei Songlin looked at him with some sympathy:
“We’re old acquaintances. Since you’re in trouble, I definitely have to help out. I’ll take the shop.”
Han Dahai was immediately full of gratitude:
“Old Wei, thank you so much. In the end, I still have to rely on you old friends to help.”
After saying that, he was a little embarrassed:
“But can we make this transaction faster? Wenwen is still in the hospital, and we have to spend money every day. Once I get the thirty thousand, I’ll immediately transfer it to the hospital card.”
“Wait, what thirty thousand?”
Wei Songlin asked in surprise.
“That’s the transaction price.”
Han Dahai said strangely:
“Didn’t you say thirty thousand?”
“When did I say thirty thousand?”
Wei Songlin laughed:
“Old Han, I’m not saying this to you, but how can your old shop sell for thirty thousand? Twenty thousand at most, that’s it. Considering our past friendship, I’ll offer twenty-one thousand, just to take care of you.”
Han Dahai’s face immediately turned pale with anger:
“Twenty-one thousand? Why don’t you just rob me?!”
“Old Han, that’s not right.”
Wei Songlin said earnestly:
“You’re the one who took the initiative to sell the shop, how can you say I’m robbing you? The business environment is bad now, and it’s hard to sell shops. I’m already very considerate of you by accepting it directly without any complaints. But instead of being grateful, you say I’m robbing you? Where can I find someone to reason with?”
Han Dahai clenched his fist, and his whole body was filled with grievance.
But it was indeed difficult to sell the shop in a short time.
He suppressed the anger in his heart and, with a sense of grievance, said:
“The shop across the street is a little smaller than mine, and it sold for twenty-eight thousand last month. You’re only offering twenty-one thousand now. This price is too low, it doesn’t meet the market price at all!”
“Market price? What is market price? No matter how high you set the price, you need a fool to take over. It’s the other shop’s ability to find a fool. Anyway, I can’t be that fool.”
“Wenwen often calls you uncle and plays with your daughter. Even for Wenwen’s sake, you can’t offer such a low price.”
“Alright, for Wenwen’s sake, I’ll add another five thousand.”
“Five thousand……”
“Isn’t five thousand money? How many baozi do I have to sell to earn it back? Don’t tell me your daughter is lying in bed, you have a daughter to save, don’t I have to support my family?”
Han Dahai’s lips were almost bleeding.
Just then, an old man in an old man’s T-shirt led a Middle School student over.
“Boss, thirty mushroom and bok choy buns, please.”
Han Dahai took a deep breath, suppressed the anger in his heart, and turned to walk behind the counter.
He lifted the steamer and looked, and said apologetically:
“There are five mushroom and bok choy buns left inside. The rest need to be made now. If you’re in a hurry, you can take a look at our other buns, they’re all delicious.”
“Forget it, we just want mushroom and bok choy buns, this kid only wants to eat mushroom and bok choy buns.”
“Can you eat thirty?”
“He has several classmates.”
“Then you may have to wait a little while,” Han Dahai apologized, “I still have to make them.”
“I suggest you make more.”
Han Dahai looked at him in surprise:
“If I make more, they won’t sell. It’s noon, and no one comes to eat baozi.”
The old man smiled and said:
“Maybe it’s different today.”
