"I'm telling you, this is the price for our restaurant. If you want to sell, sell. If not, get out. We're not begging you!"
The thug arrogantly pointed his stick at them, acting like he was the king of the world.
Seeing this, Zhao Jiaqi didn't waste any more words. She picked up the bamboo basket from the ground and pulled Fan Zehao away. "They're offering too little here, we'll sell elsewhere!"
A strong dragon can't suppress a local snake, let alone two ordinary people like them.
Before they could even reach the door, it was shut. Three men sneered and surrounded them. Xiao Liuzi stood a short distance away, arms crossed, watching them with a smirk. "Do you really think my Tianxiang Restaurant is a place you can just walk in and out of as you please?"
"I'm telling you, you will sell, whether you want to or not. It's not up to you!"
Zhao Jiaqi: "This is coercion and price gouging. What's the difference between this and a black shop? I want to see your manager."
Xiao Liuzi spat on the ground and sneered, "Our manager is not someone a village shrew like you can see. Don't you even pee and look at yourself to see what you are!"
Fan Zehao remembered Zhao Jiaqi's words: a wife is to be cherished, not scolded. So he said, "You're the shrew! Curse my wife again, and I'll beat you!"
Xiao Liuzi acted as if he had heard the greatest joke in the world, laughing so hard he nearly fell over, tears streaming down his face. He beckoned to Fan Zehao with a finger. "Today, not only will I curse, I will also hit you. What are you going to do about it?"
With a swoosh, he moved with lightning speed, grabbing Xiao Liuzi by the collar, lifting him high, and then slamming him heavily onto the ground. Xiao Liuzi's weight felt like a rag in his hands, insignificant. He was dealt with so easily.
It wasn't just Xiao Liuzi on the ground who was stunned, but even the three thugs in the courtyard were dumbfounded.
At that moment, Xiao Liuzi was in agony from the fall, curled up on the ground, howling in pain. His screams alerted the owner and the manager of Tianxiang Restaurant, who were in the small building tallying accounts.
A crack appeared in the window on the third floor, revealing half of the owner's face. He looked down at the scene, seeing how a group was bullying the few, yet still ended up at a disadvantage.
Murong Sheng withdrew his gaze, his sword-like eyebrows arching imperceptibly. "Shopkeeper Song, go and see what's happening. Our restaurant is an honest business, not some low-class establishment."
Song Mingliang understood the owner's warning and immediately bowed. "Yes, I'll go and see."
He left the study and went downstairs. After inquiring, he learned that his nephew had bought the goods at a very low price and was selling them to Tianxiang Restaurant at a high price, profiting from the difference.
Song Mingliang's face turned a shade of liver-red with anger, but he dared not speak out. The owner was upstairs, and if he found out about this, he would be implicated.
"You useless disgrace, get inside! I'll deal with you later!" Song Mingliang hissed in a low voice, his eyes glancing towards the room on the third floor where the window was open.
Xiao Liuzi felt wronged by the shouting. He wanted to get up, but his ribs were probably broken, leaving him powerless. He could only yell at the three motionless thugs, "Are you blind? Aren't you coming to help me?"
Once the courtyard quieted down, Song Mingliang stepped forward to examine the two of them. Their clothes were patched, but they were washed clean. He smiled and said, "I am the manager here. This young man was ignorant. Please don't take it to heart."
One shouldn't hit a smiling face, and besides, he had provided a way out. She took the opportunity to dismount the donkey, shaking her head slightly. "We're fine. It's just that your young man was rude just now and was thrown down by my husband. I believe he's learned his lesson and will know to be a person before acting next time!"
In her words, Zhao Jiaqi subtly lectured Song Mingliang.