Everyone present knew who the "sly fox" was referring to.
Some of the bolder ones even turned to look at Jian Yang.
Jian Yang's smile immediately vanished.
Manager Liao was humiliated by his wife's public insults and scolded her, "What nonsense are you talking about? I just came over for dinner because I was tired from playing cards. Don't cause trouble outside!"
He had always been subservient to Li, but this was the first time he had spoken so boldly, which completely ignited Li's powder keg.
She pointed at Manager Liao and started cursing: "So you are, saying you have nothing to do with that vixen. I only said a few words to you, and you started defending that vixen. Don't you know how to look at yourself in the mirror? You have no money and no people. Do you really think that vixen would be interested in you?"
Manager Liao's face turned bright red. Seeing that everyone around them was staring at them, he was so ashamed that he wished he could hide in the ground.
"Stop talking. I just came here because I was hungry. I'm not the only one eating here."
“Heh,” Li sneered, “These men are probably her lovers, otherwise why would they be rushing here?”
This statement caused an uproar among the diners in the restaurant.
Jian Yang's forbearance doesn't mean she's easy to bully; it's just that in business, harmony brings wealth.
Now that people are coming to her door to insult her, calling her "slut" and "vixen" repeatedly, she has decided she can't take it anymore.
She grabbed the kitchen knife from the cutting board, and was about to confront Li when she saw a burly man suddenly stand up, raise his arm, and slap Li hard across the face.
The big man was strong and immediately slapped Li's mouth so hard that it split open, and blood flowed down her chin.
Li was stunned by the sudden slap, and Jian Yang was also stunned, holding a kitchen knife, unsure whether to go over.
However, she did recognize that the big man was her first customer on the day of the trial opening.
These days, the man brings his dockworkers to eat with him every day, and he's become a familiar face to her.
Seeing how hard they were carrying heavy loads, Jian Yang would always give these men who did heavy work extra pieces of meat.
She also learned from his coworkers that his name was Da Shun.
"I advise you, you crazy woman, to watch your mouth. If I ever hear you spewing filth and making baseless accusations again, I'll beat you until your teeth are falling out!" Da Shun threatened, glaring at him.
He was already a big guy, and just his presence alone was intimidating, let alone the fact that he was openly threatening people.
Although Li was beaten, her legs trembled, and she no longer had the same fierce manner she had when she scolded her husband.
However, she couldn't help but glance at her man, hoping he would stand up for her. But her man was afraid of even her, let alone those real thugs outside.
Overwhelmed with shame and indignation, the couple ran out of the restaurant as fast as they could.
Although she wasn't sure if Shunzi was actually standing up for her, Jian Yang was very happy and immediately decided to give all the unsold braised chicken pieces to Shunzi and his coworkers.
However, the rumors in the town did not stop because Li was beaten.
Wherever Jian Yang goes, people point and whisper about her, which she finds extremely bothersome.
During this time, Yang Shichang came to ask her several times if she needed help. Jian Yang smiled bitterly and said, "No, if you show up, it will only make things worse."
Yang Shichang hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but ask, "Manager Jian, will your distant relative come back?"
Jian Yang asked in confusion, "Why are you asking this?"
Yang Shichang scratched his head and said, "If, if he doesn't come back, then marry me!"
Jian Yang: "???"
Seeing Jian Yang looking at him with fear in his eyes, Yang Shichang quickly explained, "The reason why those women in town gossip is mainly because you are all alone and have no one to rely on. If they knew that you were one of my people, no one would dare to bully you anymore."
"I understand, Manager Yang wants to help me."
Yang Shichang nodded.
Jian Yang: "You truly are my good brother, but we shouldn't go this far. I'll think of another way myself. Thank you for your kindness, Brother Yang."
Yang Shichang had already used up all his courage, and now that Jian Yang had rejected him, he could no longer speak.
A month later, Jian Yang decided to close down the business.
The original purpose of opening this shop was to provide convenience for the townspeople, allowing them to eat and drink well for the least amount of money, even though all expenses were reimbursed by the emperor.
Another reason is that she really likes this small town with its pleasant climate and fragrant flowers, and she would like to live here for a long time if nothing unexpected happens.
But now the malice the townspeople are showing her is making her increasingly disheartened.
So she set the closing date for tomorrow.
Today is the last day of business, so naturally we must stand firm at our post until the very end.
Jian Yang originally planned to finish making lunch, then inform the dockworkers that they no longer needed to come, and then distribute severance pay to the shop's employees.
So she went to the market early in the morning and ordered a lot of chicken, duck, fish, meat and vegetables.
When she returned to the restaurant, she found a large crowd gathered at the entrance.
Jian Yang was very surprised. Her family didn't buy breakfast, so why were these people gathered here so early in the morning?
As she got closer, she could hear a middle-aged woman's voice coming from the center of the crowd.
"Fellow villagers, I am guilty!"
The middle-aged woman said with a sob in her voice, "Actually, the owner of Limin Restaurant is completely innocent. I was the one who spread those rumors about her having affairs. I'm guilty!"
Jian Yang was taken aback. What was going on now?
"Mrs. Lu, why are you framing someone?" someone in the crowd asked.
The woman, called Lu, cried and said, "Ever since she opened this Limin Restaurant, which offers delicious food at low prices, our Yunxiang Restaurant's business has plummeted. Just that day, I saw a stranger eating at her restaurant, so I thought that by smearing her name, our restaurant's business would recover."
Jian Yang and the others looked like they suddenly understood.
Jian Yang knew about Yunxiang Restaurant; it was the best restaurant in town, and Yang Shichang had invited her there twice before.
As for the taste, to be honest, it was just so-so.
Now, upon hearing Lu introduce herself, Jian Yang finally remembered that the proprietress of Yunxiang Restaurant was surnamed Lu.
But how could her small eatery, which focused on cheap and affordable food, compete with Yunxiang Restaurant?
Naturally, some people in the crowd also asked the same question.
Madam Lu stammered, "To be honest, ever since my husband ate at this Limin Restaurant, he's been coming here all the time. We own a restaurant ourselves, how can I swallow this? Who knows if he's doing this for the food or for..."
Someone protested, "So you think your man is after the boss's wife's beauty? You're really lacking in virtue, woman."
The crowd burst into laughter.
Just then, someone spotted Jian Yang and immediately shouted, "The proprietress of Limin Restaurant is back!"
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