Chef Hua
Chapter 545: Episode 292: A Courteous Thank-You_2

Chapter 545: Episode 292: A Courteous Thank-You_2

As the saying goes, she was the owner of two shops and really didn’t have to do everything herself, did she?

She disdained to stoop to the level of engaging in schemes and battles against someone like Sun Zhengkuan, but she wasn’t willing to let him off the hook either. After much thought, "suing at the Government Office" seemed to be the best and most reliable course of action.

...

The next day, Meng Yuhuai went to the county early, but didn’t rush back to Lianshun Escort Agency. Instead, he headed straight to the County Government and met with Magistrate Tao to discuss the events of the past few days.

At the third quarter of the chen hour, Fuzhe County suddenly erupted into commotion.

A group of people entered majestically from outside the city gates, each holding a sauce jar marked with no pattern except for the small characters "Zhenwei Garden" near the base. Led by Pan Ping’an, the group walked while weeping and wiping away tears, as if they were the victims of a great injustice.

People are the same everywhere, firmly believing that missing out on excitement is like inviting a lightning strike. Seeing this spectacle, who could wait? They swarmed around in an instant.

Pan Ping’an, walking at the forefront, lamented to anyone they met, with a look of deep resentment and melancholy, "Folks, tell me, is running a business easy? The owner of Gui Lin Inn, Mr. Sun, envious and resentful of Daoxiang Garden for expanding its business, resorted to dirty tricks to frame us—if he had the ability, he should have dealt with them directly. Why attack our innocent Sauce Garden? Where’s his competence in that? He falsely accused our sauce of causing illness... I’m just a manager; I can’t make decisions. When the owner found out, he was furious, saying that if I didn’t resolve the matter completely, I’d be out on the streets! I have no choice but to fight for justice from the County Magistrate today!"

Following behind him, the employees of Zhenwei Garden also voiced their grievances, incessantly pulling people aside to tell their woes. They caused an uproar from the east city gate all the way to the front street of the County Government. Pan Ping’an then rushed to the side corridor of the main gate and beat the drum to appeal for justice.

By this time, many townspeople had followed them to the entrance of the Government Office, clustering together excitedly and chattering. If any passersby wondered what had happened they didn’t even need to ask, as bystanders would eagerly provide an exaggerated account, making everything crystal clear.

Magistrate Tao had already been informed by Meng Yuhuai that morning, so the uproar didn’t surprise him in the slightest. He calmly had Pan Ping’an brought before the court and examined the jars of sauce, and then...

When dozens of tampered-with jars of sauce lay before everyone, what more was there to say? Problems with sauces were not new, but the manner in which these issues arose, so varied and bizarre, made the truth self-evident.

Moreover, there was Zhuzi, a live witness, who blurted out like pouring beans from a bamboo tube, recounting how Sun Zhengkuan had originally instructed them and how much money he had given – he didn’t forget to bitterly scold himself for being blinded by greed, expressing regret that it was too late for remorse.

Hua Xiaomai hadn’t witnessed the event herself, but according to what Pan Ping’an later said, Magistrate Tao was furious and immediately ordered for Sun Zhengkuan to be brought before the court.

As for what punishment Sun Zhengkuan would receive, she didn’t care and wasn’t interested; she merely prepared a large basket of the freshest autumn fruits quietly afterwards and respectfully delivered it to the Sun Family to thank them for inadvertently promoting her "small business" and making "Daoxiang Garden" a household name across the county, known to all.

Feeling annoyed, right? That was the whole point! Mr. Sun had schemed enough behind the scenes, causing the people of Daoxiang Garden and Zhenwei Garden considerable distress. Was it not fair for them to retaliate with some discomfort of their own?

With the matter resolved, Hua Xiaomai felt refreshed, as if the world had become broader. This incident also brought a surge of activity to the usually quiet garden.

Everyone was curious to see the eatery that even the renowned Gui Lin Inn was wary of. The traffic past Fire Knife Village’s east side never ceased. It wasn’t just commoners; the curiosity of the wealthy in Fuzhe County was piqued upon hearing of the garden’s merits, leading them to visit in droves—some dined there the same day, while others placed orders for banquets. In no time at all, Hua Xiaomai was not only making a handsome profit but compared to the early days, the situation was as different as heaven and earth.

Hua Xiaomai was quite satisfied with the outcome and naturally sought to take credit for it in front of Meng Yuhuai.

"Didn’t I tell you?" she gloated, tugging at his arm and entwining him tirelessly, "Did I handle this situation well? You were always worrying about this and that for me. After this incident, don’t you feel instantly relieved?"

Finding it difficult to deal with her thick-skinned quest for praise, Meng Yuhuai, weary from her pestering, offered a few commendations and finally, with a smile, said, "Now that you’ve finished dealing with this, a heavy burden is lifted from your shoulders. I also have an important matter I’d like to discuss with you; are you free?"

"Yes," Hua Xiaomai responded succinctly and energetically, releasing his hand and slumping into her chair, "Come on, tell me about it. Let your clever and ingenious wife help you ponder it, and you’ll find a solution in no time!"

Meng Yuhuai laughed, helplessly shaking his head, "I’ve been thinking about it for a while; it’s time for our family to build a new house."

(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote with your recommendation ticket, monthly ticket at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)