The Tai'an Metropolitan Area saying "East is poor, West is expensive, South is rich, North is chaotic" is widely spread.
The "East is poor" part refers to the Old Factory Street located in the Dangyang East Suburb.
As industries migrated away and factories shut down one after another, this seemingly forgotten Old Town District struggled to breathe like a patient suffering from excessive blood loss, barely surviving.
But just like weeds growing in the cracks of rocks, the harsher the environment, the more it stimulates a strong Life Force.
Old Factory Street didn't become desolate and silent; instead, it nurtured an even denser atmosphere of everyday life.
At ten past seven in the evening, the streets and alleys gradually became lively.
Elderly uncles and aunties in slippers fanning themselves with palm-leaf fans stroll around, while street vendors selling fried skewers and spicy snacks push their carts out, and loudspeakers constantly repeat the catchy tune "Bucket Chicken~ Buck Buck Bucket Chicken~ One yuan per skewer of Bucket Chicken!"
"Qin Shi, let me treat you to a grilled chicken rack! This place has the best taste, I used to pester my mom to buy it every day!"
Li Yuan stopped in front of a cart with a wire mesh grill and charcoal underneath.
Seven or eight chicken racks were being turned over, grilled to a slightly charred golden yellow, smelling so delicious that it made people's mouths water.
"Thanks, Yuan Bro. I'm just hungry, haven't been to Beiguan Street for so long that I forgot what grilled chicken racks taste like!"
Qin Shi didn't hold back and directly told the vendor:
"Give me a spicy one, no vinegar, more cumin."
Li Yuan initially seemed quite aloof and difficult to get along with, but only when you got closer to him would you discover that he had a straightforward character.
He reminded Qin Shi somewhat of the streetwise characters he used to encounter in his past life, who followed the principles of loyalty from old movies.
"Yuan Bro, I also want to eat chicken..."
Xie Yucheng chuckled and leaned closer.
"Get lost! With half a box of Nutritional Paste in your stomach, you think you can still chew down a chicken rack? What a glutton!"
Li Yuan cursed but paid for three servings.
Xie Yucheng stepped further, deliberately saying:
"At this moment, having a bottle of Hongbao soda would be even better."
Li Yuan pulled out a few small bills:
"Stop whining, go buy it yourself! Remember to give me the bottle cap if you win a prize, don't hide it!"
Xie Yucheng looked innocent:
"Yuan Bro, how could I possibly do such a despicable thing?"
Not long after, Qin Shi received a bottle of orange-flavored Hongbao soda, took a long drink through the straw with ice-cold freshness rushing to his brain, and bit into the piping hot grilled chicken rack in his hand—an incredible match!
"My mom used to work at the slaughterhouse and would bring home frozen chicken racks for me and my sister to fry every now and then."
With a smile on his lips, Xie Yucheng fondly reminisced:
"After the factory went downhill, my mom lost her job and had to sweep buildings, do laundry, making it hard to eat that again."
Li Yuan coldly laughed:
"My dad worked at the steel factory back in the day, was a production model every month! The factory issued welfare, apples and hairtail fish were brought home in boxes, and during New Year, there were soaps, towels, big calendars... Eventually, after New Star University's development finished, everything moved to Tai'an New City, building a large Urban Circle, with Dangyang forgotten by everyone!"
Qin Shi was deeply moved as he stood nearby. Back then, large-scale production in Dangyang East Suburb was in full swing, with workers teaming up and massive crowds gathering at every clock-off.
Factory machines ran non-stop 24 hours a day, and every corner had banners with slogans like "Keep up with production pace, progress orderly", "Quality first, pursue excellence", "Strive hard, increase production and efficiency".
Chicken racks became the number one common food in Old Factory Street simply because Heng Province's largest chicken farm and slaughterhouse were set up here.
Workers and machines separated and packed chicken meat and other parts, sending them to the Urban Circle.
The leftover chicken racks were incredibly cheap, and after frying, they tasted particularly good and became popular as snacks to accompany drinks.
"Those both fervent and glorious unforgettable times can now only be heard from the older generation with a drink in hand at roadside restaurants."
Qin Shi sighed inwardly and followed the two ahead in their conversation.
They walked into the most bustling Beiguan Street under the deep night sky.
...
...
The planning and construction of Dangyang Old Town District were very complex.
Various factories, tube buildings, and family quarters densely packed, forming narrow alleys and cramped passages, creating a winding, spider-web-like layout.
Usually, Old Factory Street elders refer to north and south as "street" and east and west as "road".
Beiguan Street is quite special, its original name was Xingshun Road, and it lay precisely at the intersection of north-south and east-west, separated by a pedestrian overpass.
Due to the massive crowds, many shops and storefronts were established, attracting the fun-loving young men and women of Old Factory Street with fashionable clothes, the latest electronic products, and various entertainment venues.
Qin Shi sucked on the straw and shook the empty bottle, gently inquiring:
"How did you guys meet Ze Bro?"
Being well-known as Baogong Street's top student, he certainly wouldn't have time to stroll the night market at this hour.
Arriving at Beiguan Street for the first time, everything around seemed quite unfamiliar.
Qin Shi scanned around and saw many young people wearing sailor-striped shirts and carrying small green bags in the bustling crowd.
They gathered in small groups, or leaned against the curb smoking and drinking, or stood at the entrance of karaoke halls and nightclubs, handing out small cards to passersby.
Before he started school, his parents always warned him to stay away from these people.
Later on, hearing neighborhood gossip, Qin Shi learned they were called "Cleaver Gang," street thugs mingling around.
Those green military bags were often stuffed with bricks or cleavers, ready for fights.
Compared to the family quarters' area with connected roadside stalls and convenience stores, the elderly listening to radios while cooling off, this place exuded an intoxicating feeling similar to alcoholic beverages, resembling another kind of urban lower-class scene.
"How did we meet Ze Bro? Of course, by getting into a fight."
Li Yuan didn't hide anything, explaining slowly:
"When Ah Cheng and I just started high school, we went to Beiguan Street during the summer to look for part-time jobs. A labor recruiter bullied us for being young, introducing us to work as servers in karaoke halls, promising a daily wage of fifty with additional commissions for selling drinks."
"But the labor recruiter not only took twenty from each of us but also withheld our drink commissions. I couldn't hold in my anger and smashed a bottle on his head."
Xie Yucheng continued, showing a bitter smile:
"Labor recruiters arrange jobs everywhere and are quite experienced. As soon as Yuan Bro made a move, I knew things had gone wrong. I pulled him to run, but we got caught by the thugs at the entrance and were dragged into a private room and beaten like dogs."
"That old rogue demanded twenty thousand yuan in medical expenses from us, threatening to cripple one of our hands if we didn't pay."
Li Yuan shrugged:
"Later, Ze Bro stepped in. He learned that we were studying at No. 9 High School and let us work at his protected venue. We used to work at Banana Karaoke Hall, but lately, we've switched to the Midnight Imperial Palace next to Hongxia Hotel."
Qin Shi threw his soda bottle into the trash can:
"Ze Bro seems quite righteous."
Li Yuan nodded:
"Ze Bro used to study at No. 9 High School for a year. Later, his family faced difficulties, and he followed his relatives to work on a sand-digging ship, earning tens of thousands per night! Now, he looks after the venue for a big boss!"
"Ze Bro really takes care of his little brothers. Everyone wants to work for him; after all, they say 'West of Beiguan Street, Ze Bro is number one'."
"He's truly the 'Causeway Bay Chen Haonan'."
Qin Shi chuckled, wondering if Ze Bro also had long flowing hair and a group of brothers playing with lighters.
"We're here, Qin Shi. Just ahead is the Midnight Imperial Palace, the most lavish nightclub in Beiguan Street. I've heard many rich people from the Urban Circle sneak over to play."
Leading the way, Li Yuan took Xie Yucheng and Qin Shi into a dark alley filled with black garbage bags, raising his hand to knock on the locked iron door.