Liang Shuyan glanced at Su Qiaoqiao and said indifferently, "It's Mr. Su's daughter, Su Qiaoqiao!"
Su Qiaoqiao glanced at Steward Xiao and nodded: "Yes, my name is Su Qiaoqiao, it's nice to meet you!"
Su Qiaoqiao's personality was straightforward and unpretentious, which immediately delighted Steward Xiao: "Could it be that there really is someone in the world who shares my temperament?"
Liang Shuyan coughed softly: "Alright, go and find Chunyan for me, I'll wait here!"
Manager Xiao glanced at Su Qiaoqiao with some reluctance before turning and leaving.
Liang Shuyan stood to one side, but in her heart she was plotting: "It would be fate if Steward Xiao could take a liking to Su Qiaoqiao, but Su Qiaoqiao's two children..."
In no time at all, Chunyan arrived.
Chunyan, dressed in a white work uniform, glanced at Liang Shuyan and said sadly, "Auntie, I... I was only thinking of my third brother. How could that woman deceive my third brother? I'm indignant on his behalf."
"What did Ruyan lie to your third brother about? What does their business have to do with you? What, is your third brother some kind of fool who can't tell right from wrong?"
"Auntie, Ruyan said that Fatty Egg bought her a bracelet before!"
"Shut up! You're all grown up, don't you know what you can and can't say? You're so stupid. I really misjudged you. Your third brother finally got together with Ruyan, and you're here stirring up trouble. Now, Ruyan is nowhere to be found, how can you still not realize your mistake?"
Chunyan thought she would be praised, but she didn't expect Liang Shuyan to be so angry. She was so frightened that she knelt down on the ground and kept kowtowing: "Auntie, I was wrong, please don't be angry!"
Liang Shuyan's purpose was very clear: this matter absolutely could not be allowed to develop like this, otherwise, how would she manage the people in the restaurant and the teahouse in the future?
"Pack your things and go back right now. Reflect on your mistakes and don't come back until Ruyan does!"
Chunyan wanted to explain something, but Liang Shuyan instructed Manager Xiao: "Manager Xiao, the affairs of the restaurant are in your hands. If this happens again, not only will you have to compensate for the losses, but you will also have to deduct all wages and fire the person, no matter who it is!"
Steward Xiao nodded: "Yes, Madam!"
Chunyan cried bitterly, packing her belongings as she sobbed, "What did I do wrong? I did it all for my third brother. That woman is deceiving him. Even if we're married, is she going to cuckold my third brother?"
Liang Shuyan was not unaware of Chunyan's complaints, but she had to do this now: keep public and private matters separate, and respect the restaurant's rules. Only in this way could the restaurant have a future development.
With Chunyan gone, there really isn't anyone in the restaurant who can take charge on their own. We need to get that Zhang woman to come and manage everything, and we need to recruit people quickly—people with good character, good manners, and preferably some culinary skills!
After giving instructions about the restaurant, Liang Shuyan left with Su Qiaoqiao.
Zhao Heng somehow got the news that a beautiful girl had been captured in a nearby bandit stronghold. Zhao Heng insisted, "It must be Ruyan. Brother Dashan, let's have my father take the officials to rescue Ruyan. These bandits are numerous and strong; we are no match for them."
Liang Shuyan stopped her donkey cart and looked at Jin Dashan, saying, "Dashan, are you saying Ruyan was captured by bandits? Where did these bandits come from?"
"Mother, we can't be sure yet, we only suspect it. We suspect that Ruyan was taken away by bandits. Zhao Heng wants to ask the county magistrate for help, but that's probably not a good idea. The county magistrate is so busy, how could he have time to deal with such trivial matters?"
Liang Shuyan agreed and nodded heavily: "That's right. Although it's not a big deal, the magistrate is already very busy. Fine, you take us there, and I'll ask the bandit leader for the people!"
Upon hearing this, Jin Dashan hurriedly exclaimed, "Mother, how can this be allowed? These bandits are capable of anything. They kill and set fires, and they even dare to openly rob government silver. What chance do they have against ordinary people like us?"
Zhao Heng panicked and grabbed Liang Shuyan's sleeve: "Auntie, you mustn't! These people are inhuman! If you anger them, they might kill you! That won't do!"
Seeing that the two children were very worried, Jin Dashan said, "It's okay, don't worry, I'm fine."
Su Qiaoqiao said, "Auntie, let Qiaoqiao go with you."
Su Qiaoqiao is a girl and Mr. Su's only relative. If something really happens to her in the bandit's den, how will she explain it to Mr. Su?
"Qiaoqiao, you stay here with Dashan and wait for me. I'll be right back!"
Su Qiaoqiao said, "No matter what, we are not comfortable letting you go on the adventure alone. Otherwise, we would go back and invite Li Zheng to come with us. It would be much better than you going on the adventure alone."
Liang Shuyan, however, said firmly with a stern face, "Why is no one listening to me?"
Liang Shuyan left those words behind and headed towards Tiger Head Mountain.
Zhao Heng's mind worked quickly. He said firmly, "No, it's wrong to let Auntie go risking her life alone. We would all be guilty. What should we do?"
"Why don't we go back to the village and get some help? After all, many hands make light work. How can we let Auntie go alone?"
Zhao Heng thought for a moment: "No! This matter requires a large-scale operation. I should go back and ask my father to bring those yamen runners. At least they will be armed. We can't let that aunt go on the risk alone."
This time, Jin Dashan didn't hesitate and nodded in agreement!
Zhao Heng was then sent to the county magistrate's office in Furong Town. Upon learning this news, the magistrate immediately ordered his men to set off in a grand procession toward Tiger Head Mountain.
"Dad, are you wearing your golden armor? Please be careful. Grandma and I are waiting for Mom to come back. Ideally, we should move Aunt Jin's heart and get her a stepmother. Dad, good luck!"
The magistrate was speechless with anger at his son. He wanted to say something, but he shook his head and sighed, "Oh dear, my son has finally learned to care about his old father. He really is a good boy."
The magistrate turned to leave, but Zhao Heng, thinking his father hadn't heard, grabbed him and asked, "Father, what did I say? Did you hear me?"
The county magistrate blushed with embarrassment at his son's words and pushed Zhao Heng away: "Alright, Father, I know. Go back and take good care of your grandmother. Wait for Father's good news."
Not far away, stood an old lady in a purple dress, her silver hair disheveled in the wind, leaning on a cane: "Oh, it's Hengheng! Come here quickly, let that grandma give you a kiss!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com