Jiang Zhou set down the noodle bowl, wiped his hands, and approached to mediate the situation, asking, “What’s going on?”

He observed the three individuals in front of his stall, each bearing menacing expressions and sporting arm tattoos. They were dressed minimally, and the man behind them was bent over, clutching his stomach, his expression obscured from view.

The apparent leader displayed arrogance as he threw a bamboo bowl onto the stall, demanding, “What have you cooked here? My brother has a stomachache after eating your oden! Did you include something that shouldn’t be there?”

Food vendors dread accusations of serving unclean or unsafe food, and Jiang Zhou’s bustling stall had attracted a crowd of curious onlookers. Even in the cold weather, people were reluctant to disperse, keenly listening and watching.

These newcomers approached aggressively, assuming that the stall owner might be easily intimidated. However, Jiang Zhou possessed natural courage, so he confronted the situation calmly, stating, “Did your younger brother genuinely experience stomach discomfort after eating?”

The man shot back, “Look at him, clutching his stomach like this. What else could it be if not a stomachache? Do you think I’m making this up?”

His assertion carried an air of certainty, and indeed, his brother was visibly suffering, holding his stomach and perspiring profusely. This sight convinced most of the onlookers, who began discussing the matter.

Before Jiang Zhou could respond, Wen Yan stepped forward, half-crouching to examine the man’s condition.

“What are you doing?” Niu Ding, the leader, questioned with suspicion.

Wen Yan gazed at him and replied calmly, “I have some knowledge of medical practices. Since your brother is in significant pain, it would be wise to let me take a look. What if his condition worsens and he faints from the pain?”

Niu Ding remained skeptical, retorting, “I saw you two earlier, holding hands and talking closely, and I don’t believe you. I won’t let you touch my brother!”

Under normal circumstances, Wen Yan would have blushed with embarrassment, but now he stood firm, asserting, “If we don’t examine him, how will you determine if he’s truly suffering from a stomachache? What do the others think?”

Some people in the crowd found his argument reasonable and began to support his viewpoint.

One person from the crowd even shouted, “He’s right, Niu Ding. Let him examine what’s wrong.” It was evident that they recognized him.

Niu Ding turned around, his irritation directed at the man who had spoken, and then shifted his wary gaze back to Wen Yan, reluctantly conceding, “Fine, we’ve already sent someone to Jishi Hall to fetch a doctor when we arrived. We’ll wait.”

Wen Yan had no choice but to step back, looking at Jiang Zhou, shaking his head, and whispering, “He’s keeping his head down; I can’t get a good look.”

Jiang Zhou’s eyes flickered as he spotted Fengtai House and Lu Dexing from the teahouse in the crowd. Lu Dexing nodded in his direction, offering a silent acknowledgment.

Lu Dexing hesitated briefly before approaching and advising, “Niu Ding is a notorious local troublemaker. He’s constantly causing problems, displaying dominance, and has offended many people. You need to be cautious.”

The warning was well-intentioned, and Jiang Zhou appreciated the concern, replying, “No worries, the food I sell is clean and safe. Even if Jishi Hall arrives, there shouldn’t be any issues. We’ll just wait patiently.”

.

While they waited for the arrival of the medical team, Jiang Zhou couldn’t ignore the hunger pangs gnawing at his stomach. He sat on a small bench and slurped his noodles, relishing the delicious taste. The simmering oden in the pot intensified the cravings of many bystanders, making their mouths water.

Even if they had eaten recently, the allure of the savory new cuisine had their stomachs rumbling, tempting them to approach the stall.

However, despite their longing gazes, they hesitated to make a move, sensing that something unusual was unfolding. They could only endure the cold wind and suppress their appetite, awaiting the doctor from Jishi Hall.

Jishi Hall was the sole medical clinic in the town, staffed by an elderly doctor and two young apprentices. The senior doctor was skilled, and it didn’t take long for him to appear before the expectant crowd, carrying his medical kit.

The onlookers parted to create space. The elderly doctor crouched down in front of the man clutching his stomach, conducting an examination of his eyes, tongue coating, pulse, and asking relevant questions.

After his assessment, he concluded, “It’s a case of gastritis, which can be treated with an injection and a dose of medicine.”

The doctor’s diagnosis caused quite a commotion. It implied that there might be something wrong with Jiang Zhou’s oden!

All eyes turned to Jiang Zhou, who calmly set down his bowl and inquired, “Have you consumed only my oden since morning?”

The man on the ground nodded, his face pale.

Niu Ding, who was known for his loyalty to his gang and his protective nature over his brothers, was already fuming. When his brother approached him with a troubled expression, he was seething with anger and wanted to make things right.

After he brought others with him and witnessed Jiang Zhou’s leisurely demeanor, his anger grew. Now, with the doctor from Jishi Hall confirming that his brother had ingested something troublesome, his rage reached its peak.

He aimed to seize Jiang Zhou the moment he opened his mouth, exclaiming, “You scoundrel, making such harmful food! If I don’t teach you a lesson today, I’ll write Niu Ding’s name backward!”

Jiang Zhou, slipping out of the way, deftly avoided Niu Ding’s hand and retorted, “You’re too hasty. I haven’t finished asking yet!”

Niu Ding huffed, “What else do you need to ask? You, this unscrupulous businessman, only cares about money.”

In the midst of dodging Niu Ding’s grasp, Jiang Zhou took a moment to protect Wen Yan. He raised his eyebrows, challenging Niu Ding, and questioned, “When it comes to a court trial and the defendant seeks justice, why are you in such a hurry?”

Niu Ding, glancing back at Wen Yan, put down his hand and lifted his chin. He inquired, “Seriously?”

Jiang Zhou nodded and added, “We can discuss it after I finish asking. If the issue is indeed with the oden I serve at my stall, I’ll let you handle it.”

Niu Ding, intrigued, asked, “Is that a promise?”

Jiang Zhou confirmed, “Yes, it is.”

Niu Ding lowered his raised hand and quipped, “Then go ahead, ask your questions.”

Jiang Zhou comforted Wen Yan, who appeared concerned, and then approached the man with his head lowered, instructing, “Raise your head.”

The man coughed, raised his head slightly, and then lowered it again.

The man’s actions were swift, but Jiang Zhou managed to catch a clear glimpse. In that brief moment, he realized that his memory had significantly improved after his recent awakening.

With deliberate effort, he could even recall the faces of those who frequented his stall. Every customer’s face was etched into his memory, and this man, who kept his head lowered, stood out as unfamiliar.

Jiang Zhou chuckled inwardly, realizing he had encountered a fraud for the first time.

However, if he were to claim that he had never served oden to this person, it was unlikely the onlookers would believe him. Given the constant flow of people in and out of his stall, it would be challenging to prove his impeccable memory. He feared that people might accuse him of using memory as a way to absolve himself of any wrongdoing.

He had to admit that this people had a shrewd plan. If he were just an ordinary vendor with no remarkable memory, it might have been possible for this individual to deceive him. Under those circumstances, Jiang Zhou might have had no choice but to accept his misfortune.

But the man was dealing with Jiang Zhou now.

Glancing back at the enraged Niu Ding, Jiang Zhou wondered if this man was aware of the unfolding situation. It seemed that Niu Ding was genuinely furious.

Suddenly, Jiang Zhou remembered the bamboo bowl that Niu Ding had thrown on the table, and a spark of insight illuminated his eyes. He retrieved the bamboo bowl, holding it up, and inquired, “I recall this as the bamboo bowl you brought with you, right?”

Niu Ding glanced at it and couldn’t discern any notable differences, but he likely recognized it, so he nodded.

Jiang Zhou chuckled, “Well, this is a bit awkward.”

“Why is it awkward?”

Jiang Zhou turned the bamboo bowl over, simultaneously picking up one of the bamboo bowls from his stall and flipping it over. He pointed to the bottom of the casually chosen bamboo bowl, revealing the small word “yan” carved into it.

In contrast, the bamboo bowl that Niu Ding had brought was blank.