Chapter 8: Chinatown
"So.... Happy working together! ”
"Happy working together!"
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Saying goodbye to the smiling Edward, Dior and Will got back into the second-hand Chevrolet and left, without saying a word along the way.
It wasn't until he entered the city of New York that Will regained his chatter and asked, "Where to go?" Back to the restaurant or? ”
Dio was silent for a moment, then said in a slightly low tone: "Go home!" ”
The Dior family's home of three is also in Chinatown, only two blocks away from their small restaurant, and since it is in Manhattan with the infamous 'Hell's Kitchen', of course, the security is not good, but Chinatown is in the south end of the downtown, while the 'Hell's Kitchen' is in West Midtown.
Recalling the memories he had gotten, Dior knew that his English dad had fallen in love at first sight at the restaurant that his mother and family had run by chance.
Then in order to be together, Dior's father gave up his good future, and also broke with his family in England, willing to stay in the mixed Chinatown and run a small restaurant with Dior's mother.
In my memory, Dior's father is a very funny and humorous gentleman, but he still has the stubbornness and pride of the British in his bones, and he can't rub sand in his eyes, so that he has made many enemies.
And don't think that in Chinatown, the Chinese are really a big family that loves each other, what about dreams?
What you can't do at home, you can do abroad?
Perhaps at first, it was really to help each other and encourage survival in this foreign land, but as Chinatown has expanded and expanded, to the present day, including 45 streets, with a total area of more than 4 square kilometers, and a total of more than 800,000 Chinese people, the so-called 'huddle' has also changed its nature.
Not to mention the gangs, stabbing in the back, fighting in the nest has become commonplace, maybe the Chinese who just came here are not deeply touched, but Dior, who has inherited the memory of living here for more than 20 years, knows how terrible these 'fellows' are to play ruthlessly.
In fact, just think about why the expansion is so rapid, it's really not okay not to annex other districts, there are more and more Chinese coming to the United States, and when they come, they will come to the name of Chinatown, plus there are a large number of black households here every year, what should I do?
There are more and more people, and there are Chinese-owned restaurants and convenience stores everywhere, who can make a few dollars under the competition with each other?
Let's just say the most real thing, there is a fellow who first arrived in New York, he was ready to open a convenience store in Chinatown, and the store was opened, but every day a large number of gangs came to collect protection money, and if one was given, there would be a second, and there were at least dozens of famous gangs in Chinatown, and there were countless small gangs, who could give it?
And it's all a bunch of guys who don't do anything with money, and the fellow was finally forced to be anxious and said, I paid money to the XX gang, why do I have to pay it?
People said, you paid money to the XX gang but didn't give it to us, you look down on us, right?
The fellow was angry and didn't give it, but the next day there were gang people with guns to rob him, okay, don't give it, then we'll get it ourselves!
In the end, the store couldn't be opened, and the fellow returned to China in disgrace.
This matter seems to be a problem of law and order in the United States, but these 'old people' in Chinatown are all clear in their hearts, this is offending people, someone is behind the scenes, otherwise if everyone is so messy, Chinatown's business would have collapsed long ago.
Later, someone inquired and found out that it was the owner of a convenience store next to him who made a small move behind the scenes, and it is said that he returned to China with a fellow countryman, and he sent a flower basket with a smile on the opening day......
Therefore, Chinatown is not as good as Chinese people think, there are warm-hearted good people, and naturally there is no shortage of bad people. (Lao Wumian is talking about real people and real things, there are relatives in the United States at home, and the water in it is very deep, just give everyone a reminder.) )
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Just when Dior fell into his memories, Will turned left and right and came to an old building, which is said to be the grandfather of Dior's grandfather who lived here, and to this day, I don't know if it's true or not.
"Go up?"
"Wait, wait until I'm done with this cigarette."
When the car window came down, Dior threw one at Will, then lit one for himself, and just looked out in a daze.
Although the soul in the body has changed, the memory of 'Dior' itself for more than 20 years is not false, and there is no need to distinguish it so clearly, so at this time, Dior is a little hesitant.
The time for a cigarette is fast approaching.
"Let's go."
Pushing open the door and extinguishing the cigarette butt, Dior and Will went upstairs.
During this period, many people greeted Dior, and the meaning of the words made him mourn and look away, as for how many of these people are sincere, and how many of them are pretending to be lively.
I took out the key and opened the door, there seemed to be a smell of gas inside, and there was a layer of dust on the ground and the table, which looked extremely dilapidated.
How could such a small nest not perceive the smell of gas and fall asleep?
Not to mention that Dior's parents still run restaurants, so they should pay more attention to the hidden dangers in this regard.
However, this can only be suspected, and the police have also come, but the case is closed with the phrase 'illegal modification of gas pipes'.
Without him, the characteristics of Chinatown are just that, because Lao Mei generally does not use gas to stir-fry, many Chinese will make a lot of jokes when they first come to the United States, such as stir-frying a fire truck, which is not an exaggerated joke.
In the house, after a circle alone, Dio came out.
"Not staying here?"
"Well, after a round trip, the only thing worth taking away is this album, and the rest of the things are left here." Dior chuckled and raised the photo album in his hand, which recorded the bits and pieces of their family of three over the years, so he was ready to take it away.
Will nodded indifferently, and then asked, "Then where are you going to live?" Rent a house? I still have land there......"
"Thank you, but I'm going to stay in a hotel during this time, and by the way, it's time to prepare for the opening." Dio immediately rejected Will's proposal, but the place where this guy lived was a pig's nest, and from time to time someone from the gang would run over, even if he didn't have a habit of cleanliness, he didn't despise him as a gangster, but after all, it wasn't like that.
And after burying his parents, he is ready to start his money-making plan, and there is nothing wrong with living in a restaurant during this time.