Transmigration: The Little Chef Calls The Shots
Chapter 1228 - 137 Livestock (Second Update)

Chapter 1228: 137 Livestock (Second Update)

"I never expected my elder brother to hand Yi Ran Residence over to someone else to manage, especially someone so astute," Xia Zheng sneered, not bothering to conceal the disdain in his eyes.

Shopkeeper Xiao nodded with difficulty, his voice strained, "As the young master said, on the Lantern Festival day, when I saw the young master bring a young girl along, I guessed that she would be our new boss. Initially, seeing that the boss was just a delicate, naive girl, I was put at ease. Little did I expect that the boss, with just a casual glance, would spot the problems in the accounting books. I, I really am..."

At this point, Shopkeeper Xiao was so full of regret that he felt as if his guts were turning green. If he had known that this seemingly innocent and cute young girl would be so sharp, he wouldn’t have been slack about fixing the books.

Nevertheless, looking into Lin Yuan’s eyes, deep as secluded wells, Shopkeeper Xiao knew that even if he had made the accounts flawless, they would still be fraudulent.

Now that everything was out in the open, both Lin Yuan and Xia Zheng had anticipated how things had unfolded, but Liang Shiyou was shocked as he stared at his brother-in-law. Indeed, he really wasn’t talented; his cooking was so poor that he had barely ever cooked in Yi Ran Residence over the years. Although the other master chefs had complaints, they refrained from speaking out due to the respect they held for his brother-in-law, the shopkeeper.

Unexpectedly, his seemingly honest and good-natured brother-in-law had been engaging in such activities behind their backs. Embezzling silver! It must have been going on for a while, how much could it be? Ten taels? Twenty taels? Surely not more than one hundred taels, otherwise his temperamental and vain sister would have been flaunting gold and silver jewelry everywhere by now!

However, the numbers Lin Yuan disclosed made Liang Shiyou’s jaw drop.

Lin Yuan took the abacus handed to her by Shui Xian, her slender, fair fingers skillfully manipulated the beads. Managing Rice Flower Fragrance, Fuman Building, and several other branches, her skill in accounting had only improved by the day.

In the silent room, only the click-clack of Lin Yuan manipulating the abacus beads and her softly muttering could be heard, "Let’s not count the grains and oils, but the missing liquors and expensive ingredients from the storehouse, plus the ten taels of silver embezzled each month, adds up to one hundred twenty taels of silver per year, totaling three hundred sixty taels over three years. If we convert the missing liquors into silver, at five taels per jar, that adds up to fifty jars, which is two hundred fifty taels. Expensive ingredients like two pieces of ginseng, three catties of abalone, shark fins, and bird’s nests vary but are roughly worth one hundred taels of silver. The total is..."

The dark beads on the abacus rolled, and Lin Yuan bent and straightened her fingers until she reached the final tally.

With a snap, her fingers stopped moving, and gazing at the numbers on the abacus, she nodded and declared, "The total is seven hundred and ten taels of silver."

She looked up, facing the pale Shopkeeper Xiao, and said, "This doesn’t even include the missing pottery and furnishings, as well as tables and dishes from Yi Ran Residence. Shopkeeper Xiao, one thing puzzles me. I heard your son and daughter are very successful, and your family doesn’t lack silver. Additionally, they provide quite a sum each month for your expenses. Logically, you shouldn’t need more silver, yet you embezzled so much. As for these—abalone, shark fins, and sea cucumbers—I might understand you using them as supplements in your old age. However, what about these tables and dishes? What use do you have for them at home? Don’t you already have these items?"

There were other things Lin Yuan didn’t factor in—the produce and meat that Shopkeeper Xiao habitually checked for in the kitchen to take home. These trivial items were hard to quantify, so she didn’t mention them.

Yet, not mentioning them didn’t mean she was unaware. Shopkeeper Xiao’s family wasn’t lacking in silver, so why should they also consume food from Yi Ran Residence? It was utterly unreasonable.

Meanwhile, Liang Shiyou was already so shaken he could barely compose himself. Seven hundred taels of silver, seven hundred! To think there was so much silver! He had assumed it was only one hundred taels, but how could it suddenly become seven hundred taels?

"Xiao Zhanhe! You beast! Where did you stash those seven hundred taels of silver, huh?" Liang Shiyou suddenly seized Shopkeeper Xiao’s collar, shaking him violently. His eyes bulged almost to the point of popping out, and the room resounded only with his furious questioning.

"Xiao Zhanhe! Have you been keeping another woman on the side again? Don’t tell me you gave it to my sister, when I borrowed money from you last month, my sister said there were only fifty taels. She loves me so much, she would have given me half of it early on if there were seven hundred taels! Tell me, have you been keeping another woman? Is it that little slut? Is it her?"

Lin Yuan and Xia Zheng exchanged glances, unable to believe that the seemingly honest and simple Shopkeeper Xiao would actually embezzle public funds to keep a mistress!

Shopkeeper Xiao’s silence completely infuriated Liang Shiyou, who threw a punch right into Shopkeeper Xiao’s eye socket. Instantly, Shopkeeper Xiao saw stars as he reeled from the blow.

Fearing that the older Shopkeeper Xiao might be seriously hurt, Lin Yuan quickly had Lin Yi pull Liang Shiyou aside, while Dong Qing, showing great tact, helped Shopkeeper Xiao up and had him sit on a stool nearby.

Having thrown a punch, Liang Shiyou was still not satisfied. If Lin Yi hadn’t grabbed him, making him unable to move, he would have undoubtedly beaten Shopkeeper Xiao half to death.

However, he could still use his mouth, and the whole room was filled with his furious cursing.

"Xiao Zhanhe, you are worthless! My sister has been with you since she was fourteen, spent half her life with you, and she hasn’t enjoyed any blessings. Yet you got her a sister! Oh, you are something, aren’t you! So daring now, are you? You better not come home, believe me, if you do, I’ll cut you down!"

"You are nothing, and that little slut is even less than nothing! A worn shoe that’s been touched and slept with by who knows how many men, and you treat her like treasure, you’re not even a man!"

Liang Shiyou’s swearing grew more and more offensive, and Lin Yuan couldn’t bear to listen anymore, turning her head away.

Seeing her reaction, Xia Zheng signaled to Lin Yi to get Liang Shiyou to shut up.

Understanding the cue, Lin Yi slightly increased his grip on Liang Shiyou’s arm, causing him to sweat from the pain. Yet this brute just wouldn’t stop, continuing his relentless tirade.

Lin Yi frowned, then raised his hand and pressed his mute point.

Silence suddenly filled the room.

Unable to help herself, Lin Yuan pinched the slightly throbbing spot between her eyebrows, wanting to ask Shopkeeper Xiao what he planned to do.

Before she could speak, Shopkeeper Xiao, who was sitting on the stool, suddenly raised his head, his eyes red as he stared at Liang Shiyou, and harshly said, "Don’t talk about her like that, she gave me a son, you can’t insult her like this!"