342: Chapter 342 Witnessing the Entire Process

He looked completely like an ordinary person; he wasn't even wearing his administrative jacket, but rather a down jacket that Zhu Qingxi had helped him buy. He looked more like an average young man than an official.

Deputy Party Secretary Fu and the others had all been drunk last night, and he had no intention of asking them to join him for breakfast. A short while later, Qin Chuan arrived at the noodle shop.

However...

The situation was a little different from what he had imagined. Apart from the clanging sounds, many shops were closed, with only a few still operating.

Every shop that was still open had people in uniform at its entrance. In particular, "Old Liu's Noodle Shop" had the most, with at least seven or eight men wearing black security uniforms.

Unlike the bustling scenes of the past where people lined up at the door, business at Old Liu's Noodle Shop was only average. The shop wasn't even full, with at least half the seats empty—something completely unimaginable in normal times.

Qin Chuan had sharp eyesight and could see everything clearly from a distance. He felt a bit puzzled, but since he was already there and the noodle shop was open, he decided to go in and have a bowl.

Just as he was about to enter, one of the men in the black security uniform raised his hand and said, "Move along, move along. Don't go in. This shop is closing immediately, and don't come back here again."

Qin Chuan was slightly puzzled, but he stepped inside anyway, found a seat, and ordered a bowl of beef noodles.

He felt that the atmosphere seemed a bit off.

Everyone eating noodles kept their heads down, eating hurriedly. There was very little conversation, and they left quickly once they were done—completely different from the lively, relaxed atmosphere of the past.

What was going on?

Qin Chuan's confusion deepened. A young man happened to be eating at the same table, so he couldn't help but ask.

"Friend, what's going on? There are so many people in uniform standing at the door, blocking people from coming in to eat."

The young man glanced at the men in the black security uniforms outside the shop. Seeing that they were at a distance, he figured they wouldn't hear him if he kept his voice down.

Lowering his voice, the young man whispered, "Friend, you aren't a local, are you?"

"Yeah, I worked in Sanjiang County for a while in the past, and I just happened to come back to take a look."

The young man said, "That explains it. Let me tell you, this place is slated for demolition. The entire street is going to be torn down, but the compensation is extremely low—only 1,800 yuan per square meter for all the shops. Everyone feels the compensation is too low and refuses to agree to the demolition."

"See those people in security uniforms? They're from a professional demolition company. They come here every day to block customers, ruining business for everyone, so many shops have just closed down..."

So that was it!

Qin Chuan thought to himself. 1,800 yuan per square meter was indeed too low; it was basically no different from daylight robbery. Sanjiang County had developed quite well over the last few years, and the price of commercial housing in the county town had already exceeded 3,000 yuan.

Street-front shops were certainly more expensive, likely seven or eight thousand per square meter, or even ten thousand, yet they were only offering 1,800 yuan in compensation.

Qin Chuan shook his head. "With a compensation rate like that, I wouldn't agree to it either. It's far too low."

The young man said indignantly, "Exactly, it's ridiculously low. That's why no one wants to agree, but what can we do? Clearly, the arm can't twist the thigh."

As they were talking in low voices, a few men in security uniforms suddenly came in from outside. The leader waved his hand to clear the room.

"Everyone eating, hurry up and leave! Demolition is starting here very soon!"

Some people were likely afraid, standing up to leave without even finishing their noodles, while others simply sped up their pace.

The shop owner, Old Liu, wearing an apron, came out from the kitchen and said indignantly, "We are operating normally. What right do you have to come into my shop and drive away my customers?"

The lead security guard didn't care at all. He glanced at him with disdain and waved his hand. "Move the stuff. Get it all out of here! We already issued a written notice in black and white requiring you to stop operations and wait for demolition. You shop owners just won't listen, forcing us to take action!"

Following his order, seven or eight security guards in black uniforms came in and started moving things, such as the tables and chairs in the shop.

Seeing this, many customers who hadn't finished eating had no choice but to get up and leave, fearing they might get caught in the crossfire.

Qin Chuan hadn't finished his meal either; he was about halfway through. He couldn't help but frown. This group of people was acting lawlessly. He said with dissatisfaction, "Which department are you from? Do you have any law enforcement authority? On what grounds are you moving people's things?"

The lead security guard glanced at Qin Chuan. He felt that, aside from being quite handsome, he looked very ordinary, and he was even more certain that this man was not someone from within the Sanjiang County government system.

"Kid, this is a written notice. Look closely. It required voluntary relocation to be completed three days ago. We've already granted a three-day grace period."

Qin Chuan glanced at the relocation notice he presented and sneered inwardly. This was not a document issued by a government department, but a notice from a demolition company.

What kind of demolition company was so arrogant that if they demanded you move by a deadline, you had to move?

Seeing that Qin Chuan was about to say something, the young man at the table quickly tugged on his sleeve. "Brother, don't. Definitely don't. Just finish eating quickly, and let's go."

He was worried that Qin Chuan would get hot-headed and say something, so he gave him a well-intentioned reminder. As a local, he knew all too well what kind of people they were.

Just yesterday, on this very same street, they had publicly ganged up on a shop owner who refused to move. Over a dozen of them had beaten the man, leaving him covered in blood, and he was still lying in the hospital.

Qin Chuan glanced at the security guards in black uniforms. He no longer had any appetite for the noodles. He had originally just wanted to come over for breakfast, but had ended up running into something like this.

He had already decided that he would ask Ma Zhengnan later. It was necessary to investigate what was going on, and to find out who exactly this so-called demolition company was to be acting so arrogantly.

He stood up and left the shop.

The men in black security uniforms were moving the items from inside the shop and tossing them outside in a very rough manner.

The shop owner, Old Liu, was furious. He ran out to argue with them. Perhaps because he was so angry, his voice was a bit loud, which provoked these men.

In Sanjiang County, who would dare to talk to them like that? Consequently, a conflict erupted. Qin Chuan saw it clearly: the lead security guard slapped the shop owner, Old Liu, across the face.

"Damn it, stand straight when you talk to me! Who gave you the guts to raise your voice at me?"

Another security guard standing nearby, clearly a lackey, kicked him directly. "You old geezer, is that how you talk to our captain? You want us to smash this crappy shop of yours to pieces?"

Even a clay figurine has a temper, let alone a man whose shop items were being tossed on the ground, who had just been slapped across the face and kicked.

Old Liu, furious, fought back. He grabbed a strainer and swung it at the security captain.