The line was even longer than yesterday.
Today, they had added another grill, with a new item laid out on it.
Heartbreak Chicken Wings.
The two Tang Heihus grilled separately, each man in charge of one grill.
Among the first few people in line was a young man clutching his phone, occasionally glancing toward Li Le's fruit stand.
He was Li Le's helper.
Li Le had called him ahead of time. "Go get in line at Tang Heihu's first. Buy me two skewers of chicken wings."
The helper hadn't asked why. If the boss said to buy them, he would buy them.
These past few days, whenever Ma Yuanyuan passed that stand after closing up, her steps slowed a little, and her eyes drifted toward it. Even after reaching their stand, she would occasionally glance toward the grilled-wing stand. Li Le had noticed. They had a grudge with Wang Xiaoliang and couldn't swallow their pride enough to line up, especially with such a long line.
Today, he would let her try some.
The helper's turn came.
Li Shumei's voice was as ear-splitting as ever. "Which kind? We added Heartbreak Chicken Wings today. Spicy—the extra-spicy kind! If you can't handle spice, don't buy them! Fifteen a skewer. We have original too."
After a one-second pause, she added the usual line. "Two skewers per person. No more."
"Then I'll take one of each." The helper was quick on his feet.
Li Shumei deftly picked up two skewers with her tongs and handed them over. The helper paid, turned, and ran.
He ran back to the stand and held them out to Li Le as though presenting a treasure.
"Here they are! One original, and one of those Soul-something Wings, the super-spicy ones."
Li Le took them and glanced at the bright-red skewer.