Chapter 6740
The Last Guest
He now has tight skin and a handsome face, looking like a teenager, about the same age as the boss's wife's son, so it's normal that the boss's wife didn't recognize him.
The proprietress walked up to him in a flustered manner, glancing around uneasily as if afraid of being discovered, and then lowered her voice and said, "Young man, we're closed for the day. We're packing up. You'll have to go somewhere else."
Her voice was soft and trembling slightly, as if she had something difficult to say.
Upon hearing the proprietress's words, Xiao Chen was stunned for a moment, his face full of doubt. He couldn't help but ask, "Proprietress, it's only six o'clock. At this time, the shop is usually bustling with customers, with waves of diners coming and going. Why are you suddenly closing?"
As he spoke, he glanced around and saw that the shop was indeed deserted, a stark contrast to the bustling scene he remembered.
When the proprietress heard Xiao Chen's question, she forced a smile, which looked stiff and as if it had been pulled out of nowhere.
She pointed to the relocation notice posted on the wall and said, "We're opening at our new location tomorrow, and everything will be 50% off. If you want to eat, bring your friends to support us tomorrow!"
Her voice was soft, her eyes flickered, and her gaze kept wandering around, as if she was deliberately avoiding Xiao Chen's gaze, as if she was hiding some unspeakable secret.
Who is Xiao Chen? He has seen countless people and is very perceptive. He immediately noticed that something was wrong with the landlady.
He couldn't help but wonder: what could possibly be the reason that a once-thriving barbecue restaurant would suddenly have to move to a remote alley?
And judging from the way they're closing up shop so hastily, there must be some hidden reason behind it.
A strong desire to investigate arose in his heart, and he secretly made up his mind to find out the truth behind it.
A gentle summer night breeze blew by, carrying a hint of sultry heat and the smoky smell of grilled skewers, which clung to the faded signboard of "Dapeng Barbecue Restaurant".
The lettering on the sign was already somewhat blurred, and it looked particularly old under the dim yellow light.
Inside the tent outside the shop, the light bulbs flickered and made a "buzzing" sound, making the red spray paint of "Authentic Lamb Kidneys" look old, with the lettering at the corners curled and peeling, as if telling the story of the vicissitudes of time.
Xiao Chen sat at the innermost folding table, where some oil stains remained.
He extended his fingernail and gently pried open the cap of the ice-cold beer bottle. With a "sizzle," beer foam instantly splashed out and landed on his wrist.
The cool sensation, mixed with the unique heat of the night market, gave him a strange feeling.
He subconsciously looked up and saw the proprietress bending down to pick up the colander that had fallen to the ground.
The proprietress was wearing a navy blue apron with slightly loose sleeves.
When she bent over, her sleeve slipped up three inches, and Xiao Chen could clearly see the bluish-purple bruise on the inside of her forearm.
The bruise looked like a twisted earthworm, gleaming eerily under the pale skin, with knuckle-like indentations along the edges, making it a horrifying sight.
Xiao Chen's brows furrowed instantly, and an ominous premonition welled up in his heart. He increasingly felt that there was a secret hidden behind this barbecue restaurant.
"Boss, another ten skewers of chicken and bone, extra chili powder, please." Xiao Chen said, tapping the greasy tabletop heavily with his chopsticks, making a "thump-thump" sound.
But his gaze never left the proprietress's hands.
Those hands, which should have been skillfully kneading dough and skewering meat, deftly flying across the grill, were now trembling slightly, their knuckles an unnatural white, as if they were trying their best to restrain something.
Zhang Peng's son, who was intently flipping meat skewers in front of the grill, was startled by Xiao Chen's shout and turned around abruptly.
He had a cigarette between his fingers, and with this movement, the cigarette trembled, and grayish-white ash fell in a flurry onto his greasy apron, looking particularly glaring in the dim light. He seemed to have a problem with his left leg, and he limped towards Xiao Chen.
His kneecaps wobbled unnaturally beneath his faded jeans, and with each step, the sole of his right shoe dragged on the ground with a soft rustling sound, as if telling of his physical discomfort.
“Brother,” he walked up to Xiao Chen, lowering his voice, which carried a hint of tension and unease.
Smoke rings wafted from the corner of his mouth, where he had a missing front tooth, mingling with the aroma of burnt meat, and filled the air.
"That's enough. This meal is on me. Can you finish it in five minutes?"
His eyes kept glancing towards the darkness at the alley entrance, as if something terrifying was lurking there, making him uneasy.
His Adam's apple bobbed heavily beneath the loose skin, as if some words were stuck in his throat, unable to be spit out or swallowed.
"I'm not kicking you out, I really have to pack up and leave now..."
He swallowed the rest of his sentence, turning it into a short sigh filled with anxiety and helplessness, as if a big problem would come knocking if he didn't leave soon.
Xiao Chen didn't respond to him, but just sat there quietly, her gaze slowly falling on Zhang Peng's son's leather shoes.
The heel of the right shoe was almost worn flat, revealing a dark yellow rubber sole, as if it had undergone countless frictions and wear.
However, the left foot has clear anti-slip treads, which is obviously caused by uneven pressure over a long period of time.
Xiao Chen knew in his heart that there must be an untold story behind these shoes, which strengthened his determination to find out the truth.
Xiao Chen knew perfectly well that this was no simple sprained ankle.
Zhang Peng's son felt extremely uncomfortable under his sharp and probing gaze, as if all his secrets had been seen through.
His eyes darted around, and he turned around somewhat flustered, rummaging through a styrofoam cooler in the corner and pulling out a bottle of chilled cola.
The aluminum cans clanged against the greasy tabletop with a sharp "clang," a sound that was particularly jarring in the quiet shop.
"You're our last guest tonight, so let's be friends. This Coke is free."
He forced a smile, but it looked worse than a grimace.
Fine droplets of water condensed on the walls of the Coca-Cola bottle, slowly trickling down the bottle and spreading out in a small patch on the greasy table, like a quietly blooming dark flower.
Xiao Chen didn't say anything, but slowly picked up his chopsticks and took out a piece of roasted eggplant.
The eggplant was roasted to perfection, its surface golden and glistening with an enticing sheen, but Xiao Chen had no appetite for it at the moment.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of leather shoes scraping against the cement ground coming from the direction of the alley entrance. The sound was clear and distinct in the quiet night.
Immediately following was a few rough, hoarse laughs and curses, the voices vulgar and utterly offensive.
"coming."
Xiao Chen lightly pressed his tongue against his back teeth, a slow, cold smile curving his lips—a smile full of mockery and icy indignation. (End of Chapter)