At the Milk Tea Shop, Ke Youmu was delighted to see Li Long.
"One nang, a bowl of milk tea, a saucer of honey, and a small plate of cream," Li Long said.
Ke Youmu said with a smile:
"Sure, sure, coming right up!"
He went inside and soon emerged with a tray holding the nang, milk tea, honey, and the rest, along with a complimentary little plate of dried fruit and nuts.
After setting everything down, Ke Youmu did not leave. Instead, he sat opposite Li Long and said:
"Haven't seen you in ages. Where have you been making your fortune?"
"Nowhere, just Ma County. I opened a Purchasing Station, you know. It's busy over there, with lots to do, so I haven't been coming over much. How's business here?" Li Long tore off a piece of nang, dipped it in cream, and popped it into his mouth.
Ke Youmu's unmistakably Uyghur looks paired with his fluent Eastern Henan dialect felt so incongruous to Li Long that he decided to fill his mouth with food first, lest he laugh.
"A Purchasing Station? Must make plenty of money, right?" Without waiting for Li Long to answer, Ke Youmu sighed. "Look at this place. Everyone who comes is an old customer. There are so many places selling food on Old Street now. There used to be fewer choices, so everyone liked coming here for milk tea.
"Now there's every kind of food imaginable. Who's going to come here anymore? Hardly anyone does... My wife's younger brother still works here. When business was good, I could pay him a hundred a month. Now even fifty is a struggle..."
"That doesn't sound right. Old Street's so crowded now..." Li Long glanced outside. "Even with more places selling food, there are more people too.