Cao Xin's face darkened, and he once again pushed Steward Wei's head into the water.
Steward Wei struggled desperately, but his hands and feet were tightly bound by ropes, so he had no ability to resist Cao Xin.
Nearby, a middle-aged woman who was also bound shouted angrily, "Cao Xin, you will surely be punished by heaven for treating us like this!"
Cao Xin sneered contemptuously, "Butler Wei, no need to rush, you're next. Let her have some peace and quiet first."
Before she finished speaking, two burly servants stepped forward and unleashed a barrage of punches and kicks on the female steward.
Cao Xin's expression gradually showed some anxiety, and her voice carried a hint of coldness: "You lot are as stubborn as rocks. Even with a raise and generous offer, you won't reveal a single bit of the formula. What kind of bewitching drug did Cao Shuwan give you to make you so loyal?"
After catching his breath, Steward Wei's eyes revealed deep despair, and his voice was low and trembling: "It's not that I'm unwilling to reveal it, but we truly don't know the whole story. Only Miss Cao possesses the complete formula for Luo'er Yin; we subordinates only know a tiny fraction of it. And..."
"And what?" Cao Xin's voice held an unquestionable tone.
Manager Wei forced a bitter smile and replied, "We managers all signed contracts with the employer before joining the company. If we breach the contract or leak information, we will have to pay off our entire fortune. How could we dare to reveal it so easily?"
"I see!"
A sharp glint flashed in Cao Xin's eyes, followed by a smile spreading across her face.
"You should have said so earlier. I have all those contracts in my hands. If you're willing to reveal the formula, I'll burn them all to ashes immediately, how about it?"
Manager Wei remained hesitant: "Are you telling the truth?"
"Of course it's true. Cao Shuwan has committed a capital offense, so I should rightfully take over this workshop. I naturally have the right to dispose of those tattered contracts. However—"
Cao Xin's tone shifted, becoming more stern, "If you don't know what's good for you, then I won't hold back. You all know I enjoy gambling, but you don't know that I've also learned quite a few methods of punishing people in the workshop. Manager Wei, choking on water isn't a pleasant experience; are you really willing to try it again?"
Manager Wei's body trembled involuntarily, then he seemed to have made up his mind.
"I'm willing to tell you... but you have to promise me you'll return those contracts to me!"
A satisfied smile appeared on Cao Xin's face.
However, Steward Wei, who was being beaten nearby, shouted urgently, "Brother Wei, you can't say it! The master and Miss Cao have been so kind to us, how can we betray them? Besides, if he really had those contracts, why didn't he show them before? He's lying to you, don't fall for it!"
The two managers of the workshop were well aware that Cao Shuwan was not the true owner of the workshop; they had initially signed a contract with Bai Jinxiao.
Naturally, the strategies of controlling the secret formula and drafting the contract were all proposed by Jiang Huaiyu.
"You wretched woman! Still not settling down after suffering a setback?"
A savage glint flashed in Cao Xin's eyes. She roughly threw Steward Wei aside, then grabbed Steward Wei and shoved her hard into the water.
"You damned old hag, who gave you the right to speak here? You two must hand over the secret recipes you have, word for word, or you won't be stepping out of this door!"
Cao Xin's face was frantic, yet he seemed completely unaware of his loss of control.
His luck had been terrible for days, and he suffered repeated defeats. The casino's demands for repayment were becoming increasingly urgent.
Cao Shuwan has pawned all his belongings and now has nothing of value left. The casino is pressing him hard, and if he is unable to repay the debt, he may lose another finger.
Thinking of this, a ruthless glint flashed in Cao Xin's eyes, and she tightened her grip on Steward Wei's neck.
"How dare you oppose me!"
"It's just a secret recipe. You've been unwilling to hand it over for so many days, so don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Cao Shuwan possesses the complete secret recipe, while the two stewards are each responsible for a portion of it. If their recipes are combined, the result should be nearly identical.
He must obtain the secret recipe as soon as possible to get the workshop running again.
Only in this way can he use the profits to gamble again. As long as he has capital, Cao Xin is convinced that he will be able to turn things around and regain everything he has lost!
Before long, Steward Wei's struggling strength gradually weakened, and his hands fell limply to his sides.
Manager Wei's heart skipped a beat, and he said urgently, "Master Cao, I confess! I'll tell you the secret recipe right now! However, I can only know half of it on my own. If Sister-in-law Wei suffers any misfortune..."
Cao Xin waved her hand, her expression calm, "I know what I'm doing."
Before mastering the secret recipe, he naturally wouldn't let this troublesome woman die easily.
He released the woman who was barely breathing from his arms and turned his gaze to Steward Wei. "Alright, go and write down the secret recipe."
The servant quickly brought over paper and pen, and Steward Wei's hands trembled as he slowly began to write on the white paper.
Manager Wei was left aside. She lay on the ground coughing for a long time before finally trying to stop them in a weak voice.
"We must not give away the secret recipe!"
Manager Wei glanced at Cao Xin and, still shaken, comforted her, "Sister-in-law Wei, life is precious. Even though our master has been very kind to us, he is too far away to help us now!"
"Wait patiently a little longer. Qi Xi has already sent a message to Wanfu County by galloping horse. Our master will definitely come to our rescue as soon as possible!"
"Send a message?"
Cao Xin sneered and said sarcastically, "The master you speak of is thousands of miles away. If he really wanted to come, he would have arrived long ago. Yet we haven't heard from him at all. It's clear he doesn't care about your safety."
"Once I take control of the workshop, I will never be as foolish as Cao Shuwan, readily believing the words of outsiders. If this rouge is truly profitable, it should be sold widely, not just supplied to one company."
"As for the messenger..."
He smiled sinisterly, "You should think about your own fate first."
Feeling the sharp threat in the other party's tone, Manager Wei trembled involuntarily, and the pen in his hand almost slipped from his grasp. "I'll write, I'll write... it'll be done right away!"
Cao Xin's gaze shifted to Steward Wei, who was curled up on the ground. "And what about you?"
Manager Wei glanced at him sideways, then turned his head and spat hard onto the ground.
“I am forty-eight years old this year, practically one foot in the grave. Last year, my son unfortunately fell ill, and our family was too poor to afford medical treatment. It was Miss Cao who extended a helping hand, taking me in and giving me a chance to earn money for my family in the workshop. Later, the master saw that I was hardworking and diligent, and promoted me to manager. With this income, I not only cured my son's illness but also helped him build a business and get married. Miss Cao and the master have been so kind to me; how could I betray them?”
(End of this chapter)
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