Shopkeeper Wu's eyes darted around, and finally he lowered his head, blushing, and said, "I have no way to deal with this. Well then, I'll handle this properly so that people won't laugh at us."
"This is your family's business and has little to do with others, but you know a thing or two about my eldest daughter's temper. If something like what happened today were to happen, I might not be able to guarantee her safety."
Upon hearing this, Manager Wu immediately turned his gaze to Madam Wu and asked in a deep voice, "What's wrong? What just happened?"
Madam Wu trembled, her eyes filled with terror. Recalling that horrific night, her voice was weak and trembling. "At that time," she said, "Aunt Zhao, wielding a stick, her face contorted with malice, approached us, mother and son, step by step. We had nowhere to retreat; we could only watch helplessly as she raised her stick, ready to kill us. Just then, the door was suddenly kicked open, and a tall figure rushed in. Aunt Zhao was startled; her stick missed its mark and hit the ground. Through the window, I heard Aunt Zhao's voice."
Wu Dazhu nodded: "That's right, it's Aunt Zhao. I heard her say with my own ears that she wanted to kill me, and that my mother was a slut. She said that once my wife marries into the family, she will have another servant!"
"Dazhu, did Aunt Zhao say that?" Jin Daya grabbed Wu Dazhu's hands and asked tremblingly.
Although Wu Dazhu was simple-minded, he wouldn't lie, and Manager Wu knew this very well. Liang Shuyan smiled faintly: "It seems that Aunt Zhao still holds the reins in your family!"
Liang Shuyan's words startled Manager Wu. He chuckled dryly and secretly sized up Wu Dazhu.
Wu Dazhu was intently munching on the steamed bun in his hand, a look of satisfaction and happiness on his face. Shopkeeper Wu felt a mix of emotions; he never imagined that his usually simple-minded son would reveal the truth at such a crucial moment.
Liang Shuyan looked at Wu Dazhu and smiled faintly. Her smile was like the spring sunshine, warm and bright. She gently stroked Wu Dazhu's head, her eyes full of doting and affection. At that moment, Manager Wu seemed to see two different worlds: one the cruelty of reality, the other the warmth of maternal love. He felt a strange sense of emotion, and also a deep sense of helplessness.
The reason why Manager Wu wanted to establish a relationship with Liang Shuyan was mainly because he valued Liang Shuyan's current relationship with the tea lady and her relationship with the county magistrate in Jing'an County. If this matter reached the ears of the county magistrate, not only would it be difficult for Manager Wu to continue his business, but his business in Jing'an County might also be put on hold.
Manager Wu sat calmly on a mahogany chair in the shop, his sharp eyes seeming to see through all the fog. The shop assistants held their breath, afraid to make a sound, lest they break the tense silence.
Soon, Aunt Zhao hurried into the shop, her face pale and her eyes filled with panic. She walked up to Manager Wu, bowed her head, and said, "Sir, you wanted to see me?"
Shopkeeper Wu picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then put it down. He looked directly at Aunt Zhao and said in a deep voice, "Aunt Zhao, I've recently discovered that my shop's silk inventory is incorrect; there's a significant shortage. I remember you mentioned the other day that you wanted to get some silk to make new clothes for your nephew, is that right?"
Aunt Zhao's face turned deathly pale instantly. She said in a trembling voice, "Master, are you saying I stole your silk? I'm your concubine, how could I do such a thing!"
Manager Wu said coldly, "I just want to know if you really gave the silk to your nephew."
Aunt Zhao's lips twitched slightly; she knew she couldn't deny it. She lowered her head and said, "I took it, but I really didn't mean to. I'll find a way to compensate you for your loss."
Manager Wu frowned slightly; he was not satisfied with the answer. He knew that Aunt Zhao was a shrewd woman and would never make such a mistake easily.
He said in a deep voice, "I expect your compensation. Remember, don't let me find out about this again."
"From now on, this silk and cloth shop will be handed over to Dazhu. You always said that Dazhu was not clever, but now that Daya is helping out, I believe the business will do very well. Dazhu is the only heir of our Wu family, and these things will be handed over to Dazhu sooner or later. Go and get the account books of the silk and cloth shop."
Aunt Zhao's eyes darted around twice: "This, how is this possible? Da Zhu isn't married yet, and we don't even know what this Daya's motives are. How can we entrust such a large silk shop to such a stranger?"
Upon hearing Aunt Zhao's doubts, Daya smiled slightly and stepped forward: "Aunt, you don't need to worry. Although I am an outsider, I am not unreasonable. Brother Dazhu is an upright, diligent and eager-to-learn person. I believe he will run the silk shop very well. Moreover, I am not here to collect wages for nothing. I have the confidence and ability to bring more business to the silk shop."
Looking at the confident girl before her, Aunt Zhao couldn't help but waver. She knew Da Zhu was a good child, but after all, he hadn't experienced the ups and downs of the business world. Now that Da Ya had joined, perhaps the silk shop could really reach new heights.
So Aunt Zhao nodded and turned to walk towards the study. A moment later, she came out with a thick account book and handed it to the assistant.
Jin Daya snatched the ledger and handed it to Liang Shuyan: "Sister-in-law, can you take a look at this ledger? Is there anything gurgling about it? Some women have ulterior motives, and I'm worried there might be something wrong with this ledger."
"You shameless woman, you're not even married into the family yet, how dare you speak such vile words?"
Seeing Aunt Zhao's hesitation, Da Ya secretly chuckled to herself.
She knew that to gain Aunt Zhao's trust, she had to demonstrate her abilities and sincerity. So, she stepped forward and said loudly, "Aunt, you don't need to worry. Although I'm an outsider, I'm not unreasonable. Brother Dazhu is upright, diligent, and eager to learn. I believe he will manage the silk shop very well. Besides, I'm not here to collect a salary for nothing. I have the confidence and ability to bring more business to the silk shop."
Looking at the confident girl before her, Aunt Zhao couldn't help but waver. She knew Da Zhu was a good child, but after all, he hadn't experienced the ups and downs of the business world. Now that Da Ya had joined, perhaps the silk shop could truly reach new heights.
Manager Wu made up his mind: "Alright, if that's the case, then so be it. Let Dazhu and his wife manage this silk shop. If they can revive the silk shop's business, I will hand over all the other shops to Dazhu and his wife."
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