"My money, you can’t take my money, my..."
Facing death, all Mu Tou could think about was the loss of his silver.
The burly man slapped Mu Tou again, swelling half of his face.
"You’re quite greedy, but did you even bother to find out about my reputation as Mr. Leopard? Soone like you, dare to battle ?"
Mr. Leopard gave a signal to his underlings, who imdiately pinned Mu Tou against the wall and started beating him up.
In a mont, the alley was filled with the anguished cries of Mu Tou.
Mu Tou was beaten beyond recognition, and suddenly, the answer flashed in his mind.
"You’re Ma Jun’s n!"
Among everyone Mu Tou knew, only Ma Jun would associate with these scoundrels. More importantly, the whole thing was too coincidental!
"Haha, you’re not stupid, actually guessed it right!" Mr. Leopard laughed heartily.
"Why? Are you with Ma Jun or Xia Guagua?" Mu Tou really wanted to curse Xia Guagua, but a trace of hope inside told him that Xia Guagua might not be involved, and everything was Ma Jun’s fault!
Unfortunately—
"Did you say so? Without orders from above, would Ma Jun do this?"
Upon hearing this, Mu Tou’s face turned ashen.
"Why, I... I’m the chef at the restaurant, all those dishes require to prepare, I..."
"Oh, co on, you were needed when there was no recipe, now that there’s a recipe, does it matter who the chef is?"
Mr. Leopard told Mu Tou the truth, and Mu Tou’s last shred of hope vanished!
"Xia Guagua, Ma Jun, I, Mu Tou, will never let you go, never..."
Mu Tou knelt on the ground, swearing his vengeance, but what could it achieve?
With the money bag in hand, Mr. Leopard led his gang out of the alley. At the alley entrance, Ma Jun was waiting for Mr. Leopard’s silver note.
"Returning what’s yours!" Mr. Leopard said.
Ma Jun took out five taels of silver from his pocket and handed it to Mr. Leopard, "Good brother! You’ve earned this, use it to treat the brothers to so drinks!"
Mr. Leopard gladly accepted the silver and quickly left with his gang.
As for Ma Jun, he pocketed the silver note and happily returned to Xia Guagua Restaurant.
What he didn’t know was, after Xia Guagua brought back the fake recipe, she studied it for a long ti.
The more she analyzed it, the more discrepancies she found, and finally, after consulting a nearby cook, she realized she had been deceived.
The so-called recipe was nothing but a few common dishes, Xia Guagua had been tricked.
Fortunately, Xia Guagua rembered her silver note had been recovered, so she refrained from getting angry.
Returning to the restaurant, Ma Jun presented the silver note to Xia Guagua as if offering a treasure.
Xia Guagua was thrilled, although she missed out on the recipe, her silver note was back.
At most, she didn’t profit or lose this ti!
However, when Xia Guagua opened the money bag and saw two pieces of paper inside.
Xia Guagua went crazy, "Where’s the money, my money?"
Xia Guagua loudly questioned Ma Jun, who was equally perplexed.
"I... I don’t know, owner, this money bag was snatched back from Mu Tou, Mu Tou... Oh no!"
Ma Jun shouted, he didn’t care about anything else, called out the restaurant’s workers, and went to the alley to catch soone, but there was no trace of Mu Tou!
Mu Tou... was gone!
Realizing the severity of the problem, Ma Jun nearly fainted.
It’s over, all over—
Mu Tou ran off with the silver, and now he couldn’t even be the restaurant steward!
Without alerting anyone, Ma Jun discreetly took so valuable items from the restaurant.
Even big items like screens were quietly transported out!
Xia Guagua waited in the restaurant all day, but Mu Tou didn’t co back, and even Ma Jun was nowhere to be found!
Realizing she’d been played, Xia Guagua had no idea where to find them!
anwhile, other restaurant workers, wary because of Ma Jun’s disappearance, were having second thoughts.
They all refused to continue working, demanding Xia Guagua pay their wages!
Xia Guagua had no money for wages; her last six hundred taels were taken by Mu Tou!
The workers thought Xia Guagua was unwilling to pay, so they stord into her room and took her gold and silver items.
Even the restaurant’s tables and chairs were moved out.
Last to leave was Mr. Zhao, the storyteller.
He had been there for ten to fifteen days, besides food, hadn’t received a single penny.
Unlike the workers, he didn’t ask Xia Guagua for wages but instead earnestly advised her.
"Owner, I’ve heard about your situation with the restaurant across the street.
Honestly, people prefer the atmosphere of the restaurant across the street over ours.
Moreover... moreover, over there, they live with dignity, while here, they might have initially taken so money, but no one has dignity in front of you!
There are many things money can’t buy, you, as a young lady, should think about your future. This restaurant likely won’t be able to continue, better sell it for a sum of silver!"
Having said his piece, Mr. Zhao carried his worn-out baggage and walked out of Xia Guagua Restaurant’s door.
Like a madwoman, Xia Guagua sat on the stage in the center of the restaurant!
She looked at the bustling restaurant across the street, then at her own pathetic restaurant.
The money was gone, the people were gone!
The restaurant was empty, missing many tables and chairs!
The restaurant across from Chengfeng Restaurant had closed—
That was the biggest scoop of the day; people around were watching for fun.
Laughing heartily, and so even brought items to Chengfeng Restaurant for congratulations!
Mu Shuangshuang rely smiled, but didn’t accept the gifts!
Because among these people were many who initially pressured her to lower prices!
Like flies, clustering wherever there’s action!
Taking advantage of the crowd, Mu Shuangshuang announced her decision.
"Everyone, due to our restaurant’s chef being unwell and needing to recuperate at ho, Chengfeng Restaurant will be closed for three days!
After three days, we’ll introduce more new dishes! Welco new and returning custors to taste them!"
Though curious, upon hearing Mu Shuangshuang’s ntion of new dishes, excitent grew again!
Mu Shuangshuang stood at the doorway, glanced at the disheveled Xia Guagua.
A cold smile curled at her lips, she understood Xia Guagua too well.
Like a cockroach you can’t kill, after this, Xia Guagua would surely make a coback!
However, she was also curious about what low tricks Xia Guagua would resort to next!
At dusk, Mu Shuangshuang drove her carriage back to Er Gui Village!
As fate would have it, Xia Guagua also packed up so valuables and returned to Er Gui Village!
Her final assets were just the land and property deeds of the restaurant!
Xia Guagua consoled herself that after selling them, she could surely make a coback!
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