Republic of China, 1928: Starting from a Wonton Shop

Ya Ya, her little belly round and full from eating, sat on a small stool, licking the grease from the corner of her mouth with lingering satisfaction.

"Chunsheng," Yunniang said, clearing away the dishes, then turned and asked as if she remembered something, "Are you setting up your stall at the same time tomorrow? Or should I get up an hour or two earlier to clean these pig offal for you? And shouldn't the noodles be prepared in advance too?"

Li Chunsheng, who was holding a bamboo toothpick, waved his hand and said, "Sister-in-law, I won't be setting up my stall tomorrow."

"Huh? You're not setting up your stall anymore? What happened?" In her opinion, this wonton stall is a goldmine right now. If it doesn't open for business for a day, it's a huge loss of money. Moreover, she had just made up her mind to work with Li Chunsheng, and she was afraid that the business would suddenly stop when it was booming.

"Sister-in-law, that's not true," Li Chunsheng stood up. "I just think that if we're going to take over the shop, we should do it properly. Although the open-air stall does good business, it's ultimately limited by the weather. It's getting colder and colder these days, and it's a hardship for customers to eat noodles while squatting in the wind. Besides, I also want to take advantage of these few days to get things done."

He turned around and said, "When I closed up shop today, I wrote a red notice and posted it in front of the stall, saying that we would be closed for a few days."

"Chunsheng, you have guts. If it were me, I would never be willing to give up the income of the past few days."

"Sharpening your axe won't delay your woodcutting," Li Chunsheng said with a smile. "Besides, I don't plan to be idle these next few days. Sister-in-law, you should rest well at home tomorrow. You should also work on your braised pork skills. I'll go check on the shop."

The following morning, Beiping was still shrouded in a gray, chilly atmosphere.

Li Chunsheng got up very early and specially changed into a long gown, though old, but clean, over which he wore a thick cotton robe left by his father.

After washing his face, he took the money bag he had prepared the night before and headed straight for Longxing Teahouse.

At this time, it's the time when old Beijingers drink morning tea. Longxing Teahouse is bustling with people, old men carrying birdcages, schoolteachers discussing national affairs, and waiters—it's quite lively.

Li Chunsheng walked to the window seat with practiced ease.

Ma San looked quite well today, with two baskets of hot dumplings in front of him, and he was boasting to his men about his romantic escapades in the Eight Great Hutongs last night.

"Good morning, Third Master." Li Chunsheng walked over and bowed.

"Hey! Isn't this Manager Li? What brings you here today? Not setting up your stall?" Ma San stopped talking as soon as he saw Li Chunsheng, his eyes narrowing into slits.

"Thanks to Third Master, business is good. I'm planning to take a couple of days off to take care of some important business." Li Chunsheng didn't stand on ceremony, pulling out a chair and sitting down. "Waiter! Add two baskets of meat buns to this table, it's on me!"

"Alright! Mr. Li, please wait a moment!" The waiter, quick to adapt to the situation, immediately upgraded his address from "manager" to "master" when he saw how familiar Li Chunsheng was with Ma San.

Ma San looked at Li Chunsheng with great interest: "Manager Li, you wouldn't come here without a reason, would you? You must have something to discuss with me today?"

Li Chunsheng chuckled and didn't mince words: "I can't hide it from you, Third Master. I'm thinking of taking over a shop, so I need your help in making an assessment."

"Oh?" Ma San became interested and popped a peanut into his mouth. "Which shop have you got your eye on? Shops on the main street of Qianmen are not cheap. If you want to settle down there, the transfer fee alone will be this much."

Ma San stretched out a hand, flipped it over, and saw five hundred silver dollars.

Li Chunsheng shook his head: "Third Master, you know I run a small business and can't handle such a large portion. What I've got my eye on is Old Liu's Steamed Bun Shop at the entrance of the alley on Xiheyan Street."

Upon hearing the words "Old Liu's Steamed Bun Shop," Ma San paused in his peanut-chewing, and his subordinates beside him also changed their expressions, exchanging glances.

"Manager Li," Ma San put down his teacup, moved closer to Li Chunsheng, and lowered his voice, "You're not joking with me, are you? You don't know that place?"

"I know a little," Li Chunsheng said calmly. "I heard it's a bit strange, that it's been empty for almost half a year."

"You knew that, yet you still dared to touch it?" Ma San's eyes widened. "Old Liu scrambled out in the middle of the night, saying he always heard a woman crying in the well in the backyard and saw a white shadow floating around. Later, it was rented to two different places, one a pawnshop and the other a general store, but neither lasted more than a month. They both said it was haunted! That place is now a haunted house!"

Li Chunsheng smiled faintly, picked up the teapot and refilled Ma San's cup of tea: "Third Master, in this world, the living are more terrifying than the dead. I, Li Chunsheng, am not afraid of life or death, so why would I be afraid of ghosts? I just like its good location, close to the theater, and most importantly, it's cheap."

Ma San stared at Li Chunsheng for a long time, then suddenly laughed. "Alright, since you, Manager Li, aren't afraid, then I, Ma San, won't say anything. The landlord of that shop is an old scholar, a coward, and he's just worried about the property being stuck with him. Come on! I'll take you to get this sorted out!"

The landlord of Lao Liu's steamed bun shop is surnamed Zhao.

When Ma San, accompanied by Li Chunsheng and two thugs with dark faces, knocked on Zhao Xiucai's door, the over-sixty-year-old scholar was so frightened that he almost dropped the book he was holding.

"Oh dear! Third Master! What brings you here?" Zhao Xiucai trembled as he ushered the man into the house.

Ma San didn't go inside, but stood in the courtyard and pointed to Li Chunsheng beside him: "Old Zhao, this Manager Li has his eye on your steamed bun shop and wants to rent it."

"A steamed bun shop?" Zhao Xiucai was taken aback, then a look of joy appeared on his face, followed by some hesitation. "This, Third Master, Manager Li, you know about that shop. What if something happens to it later..."

"Stop talking nonsense!" Ma San glared at him. "Just tell me if you're renting it or not!"

"Rent! Of course I'll rent!" Zhao Xiucai nodded hurriedly. "Since Manager Li doesn't mind, the rent is originally five silver dollars a month, but if you really want it, four dollars will do!"

Ma San sneered, "Four silver dollars? Old Zhao, you're really ruthless! That dump has been empty for half a year. Who else but Manager Li would dare to take it over? Don't try to play games with me. One price, two silver dollars! If you agree, we'll sign a contract right now!"

"Two, two pieces?" Zhao Xiucai looked pained; the price had been halved.

He looked at Li Chunsheng, hoping that this shopkeeper, who looked like a scholar, could give him a raise.

Li Chunsheng simply smiled and looked at him: "Mr. Zhao, the price is indeed a bit low, but after I take it over, I will have to renovate and decorate it, which will cost money inside and out; moreover, if I don't accept it, I'm afraid your shop won't be rented out for a year or two. These two silver dollars are better than nothing, right?"

After thinking about it, Zhao Xiucai realized that it made sense. If the house remained empty, he probably wouldn't even get two silver dollars, and he would have to pay for repairs instead.

"Fine! Two yuan it is!" Zhao Xiucai gritted his teeth. "But I have one condition: the lease must be for at least a year. If I cause trouble halfway through... well, if I terminate the lease early, the deposit will not be refunded!"

"Deal." Li Chunsheng readily agreed.