The troublemaker angrily said, "I got sick from eating here, is that my fault? If you ask me, she's just a woman, she can't do anything right, what kind of shop is she running! It's a rip-off!"
Even the usually good-tempered Liu Yuanyuan frowned upon hearing this: "Women can't do things properly? Without women, you wouldn't even have the chance to stand here!"
"What they said isn't wrong. You guys got sick from the food. What excuse are you making? And you're blaming them for being wrong?"
Some people still believe what the troublemakers said.
Pei Yuezhi was certain that there was nothing wrong with what she had made, and this person had been saying that the problem lay with her shop the moment he came in, but something still seemed off.
"Guest, please think about it carefully. Which of the mushrooms, chicken, lamb, chives, and potatoes I made yesterday is something you can't eat, or something that makes you feel unwell after eating it before?"
"Bullshit! I can eat all this stuff without any problems. Don't deny it. It's just that the food in your shop isn't clean. Maybe the meat is just cheap, spoiled leftovers from the butcher shop!"
"Did you all see that? This proprietress is still finding fault with me and shifting the blame onto the victim. Don't eat here anymore!"
After he finished speaking, he didn't receive the approval he expected. He looked around in confusion.
The expressions of the people around him were not quite right, but most of them looked puzzled.
"Why are you all so quiet? Do you even dare to eat here anymore?"
At this point, Pei Yuezhi knew everything completely. Although she had some doubts earlier, she now had a perfect breakthrough.
“Let me tell you why they’re all silent now,” Pei Yuezhi said, looking at him. “None of the dishes I mentioned were in yesterday’s meal.”
"If there's really a problem with the food in my shop, how come you don't even know what you ate?"
Pei Yuezhi stared at him intently, waiting to see what else he would say.
Sure enough, upon hearing this, the troublemaker's face showed panic.
"I... I certainly remember not eating it, but I was too weak and forgot a bit."
"You definitely remember the braised pork ribs and cold dishes I made yesterday, right?"
"Of course I remember! I got sick from eating this. Your food isn't fresh!"
Pei Yuezhi was speechless upon hearing this.
The people next to him also sensed something was wrong: "Brother, these two dishes weren't available yesterday. Did you actually eat here?"
"Are you trying to scam me?"
Liu Yuanyuan was furious: "You liar! You're just here to cause trouble! The food we made is very clean, and everyone is eating well!"
Pei Yuezhi patted her back and patted her back, then said, "You started complaining as soon as you came in that you got sick from eating here, and you kept saying it was my restaurant's problem. I said I would take responsibility, but you didn't mention compensation or medical expenses. Instead, you kept advising everyone not to eat here."
"I have a question for everyone: if you get food poisoning, don't ask the restaurant for money, and can't even remember what you ate, is that normal?"
Upon hearing this, everyone began to discuss it amongst themselves. The troublemaker, losing face, shouted angrily.
"I was completely exhausted. I vomited and had diarrhea for most of the day and all night. I was so weak that my mind was naturally confused. I kept trying to persuade everyone without asking for money because I didn't want them to be scammed by you!"
Liu Yuanyuan said with a look of disgust, "I'm too weak! You're yelling so loudly, how come I don't see how weak you are!"
Now everyone understands the situation: this person not only didn't get sick from the food, but didn't even eat here.
"You've been talking for so long, and we've been speaking up for you. Do you think we're fools?"
At first, everyone listened to him, but now the situation has reversed. People who were afraid to continue queuing and walked away are now approaching. Some of them recognized the troublemakers as soon as they got closer.
"You looked familiar as soon as I heard you speak, and when I got closer, I realized you're the deliveryman from that shop over there? You're not a worker at our docks, are you?"
"It really is true. Aren't you trying to scam me? I actually believed you."
The troublemaker was now surrounded by a crowd and had no way to defend himself.
Pei Yuezhi delivered a final blow: "No matter what, if a customer gets sick from the food, our restaurant has to take responsibility. Which clinic did you go to yesterday? I'll find out the consultation fee and reimburse you. Then we'll go to the yamen and ask the magistrate how the compensation is calculated."
Liu Yuanyuan, hands on her hips, said, "Don't be shy with us, our shop values integrity the most!"
The troublemaker stammered for a long time, and when he realized he had been exposed, he stubbornly said, "You're slandering me like this, I don't know what to say."
"If you don't know what to say, then don't say anything. You're maliciously spreading rumors and causing trouble. We're going to the yamen to sue you now," Liu Yuanyuan interrupted him fiercely.
"No...it's not my fault! It's not my fault at all!"
While talking, he bumped into the person forcefully, and when the person wasn't paying attention, he squeezed him out.
The troublemakers all ran away, and the onlookers also dispersed.
After all that commotion, the food had gone cold. Pei Yuezhi looked at everyone in the room, all of whom looked embarrassed, especially those who had joined in the cursing earlier.
Everyone looked at each other, and remained somewhat silent.
But more so because of the awkward atmosphere.
Fortunately, the few people who had spoken up for Pei Yuezhi earlier eased the tense atmosphere.
“We’ve been eating here for so long, since the proprietress started selling pancakes, it’s been about a month now. The food is always different, it’s both hearty and delicious. The meat is of good quality, and the big chunks are right there, we can all see it.”
"Yes! I went to that shop on the street the other day, and the taste was just so-so, not to mention the portion was small. I even found eggshells in the egg. The owner's place is definitely the best."
Pei Yuezhi then spoke up, saying, "While some people are causing trouble, our Yueyuan Restaurant would like to assure everyone that the ingredients in our restaurant are absolutely fresh and clean, and there is no such thing as leftovers. If our problems have caused harm to our customers, we will not shirk our responsibility."
"Boss lady, does gaining weight count as a health hazard?"
Hahaha, you're so greedy!
"Hurry up and join the queue, it was almost my turn."
After a while, Pei Yuezhi suggested reheating the food, but everyone said it wasn't necessary and that they should hurry up and finish eating so they could get back to work.
Those who had just put down their chopsticks silently picked up their plates again, grabbed their chopsticks, and began picking at their food without a word.
Those who had spoken up for the troublemakers were especially embarrassed. They ate a few mouthfuls of food haphazardly, got up, and left.
Actually, it wasn't that we didn't intend to arrest this troublemaker, but judging from his words and what he said when he escaped, he was definitely sent by some store to cause trouble.
In this situation, being taken to the yamen (government office) would only result in a reprimand and education, without any punishment.
It's a waste of time to deal with him; we need to figure out who's causing trouble.
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