Just as I was about to exit, I suddenly noticed the message was sent at 4:16 PM! Law enforcement officers arrived at the store at 4:50 PM! Could it be that my brother-in-law knows something?
Without the slightest hesitation, Zhang Dezhen dialed his brother-in-law's phone number. The first time it rang halfway before being hung up, but Zhang Dezhen persevered and dialed a second, a third... until the fifth time, when finally the other end answered the computer.
"How did you know someone was going to report you? Do you know who the reporter is? Or did you report it yourself? What is your reason for reporting it?"
As soon as the call connected, Zhang Dezhen launched into a barrage of questions.
"Don't worry about how I know, just know that I wasn't the one who reported you!"
The brother-in-law's voice was very low, and after saying that sentence, his voice was even lower, almost as if he were speaking in a breath. This forced Zhang Dezhen to hold the phone tightly to his ear, hold his breath, and listen carefully.
"Tell me the truth, did you add anything you shouldn't have to your braised food? I've tried several times, and I can't get the spicy flavor out of it! Are you crazy?! Tampering with the ingredients like that, it'll be exposed immediately! Before the results come out, you'd better pack your things and leave, go back to your hometown and hide..."
Before his brother-in-law could finish speaking, Zhang Dezhen heard a somewhat high-pitched middle-aged male voice on the other end of the phone, seemingly saying, "Master Yao, is your stomach feeling any better? Should I buy you some medicine...?"
"Master Zhang, Master Zhang? Master Zhang Dezhen!"
As Xu An entered the shop, he saw Zhang Dezhen, who was holding a bunch of trays and staring blankly. Because he was not paying attention, one side of the tray was higher than the other, and the remaining braising liquid dripped down the edge of the tray onto Zhang Dezhen's apron, then slid down the apron to the ground, forming a small puddle of braising liquid.
"Hey, hey! Boss, what brings you here!" Zhang Dezhen was jolted awake from his reverie by Xu An's shout, his soul returning to his body.
"Come and see how the braised food business is doing today. It looks pretty good. It's only a little past six o'clock, and it's already sold out. Looks like we can prepare more for tomorrow." Xu An nodded in satisfaction as he looked at the two empty freezers.
"Master Zhang, you should go home and get some rest tonight. Taobao Shop starts selling braised food tonight, and you'll have a lot to do tomorrow. Get some rest and recharge!" Xu An reminded him.
"Okay, okay!"
For some reason, the message from his brother-in-law kept replaying in Zhang Dezhen's mind. The word "report" in the message grew larger and larger until it occupied his entire mind. He also unconsciously avoided Xu An's gaze, and his hands became more and more flustered. He even accidentally dropped a tray on the ground.
"Master Zhang, are you feeling unwell? If not, you should go back first. I'll take care of the rest."
Xu An noticed Zhang Dezhen's strange reaction, but didn't think too much about it, assuming he was just feeling unwell.
"Hey hey!"
Zhang Dezhen quickly responded and squatted down to pick up the tray, but before his fingers could even touch it, he saw a rough, deformed young hand pick it up. He could only rub his hands together sheepishly and stand up.
Watching Xu An deftly pack up the insulated box, Zhang Dezhen felt a strong sense of guilt, which made him rub his hands together more and more rapidly. If you put two small wooden sticks in his palms, they would probably spark.
"Boss!" Zhang Dezhen suddenly shouted, startling Xu An, who was focused on tidying up. "Boss! I think I know who reported our store!"
"Who?!" Xu An suddenly turned his head to look at Zhang Dezhen.
"He might be the owner of Jinlong Fast Food Restaurant. I went to his house for an interview when I was looking for a job before, and I'm very familiar with his voice..." Zhang Dezhen told everything he knew in detail, and felt relieved after he finished.
They invited a chef from Zhang Dezhen's hometown to make braised dishes; the menu features the name "Jinlong Braised Dishes" and "Jinlong Fast Food Restaurant"...
All the clues have come together! It was you, the owner of Jinlong Fast Food Restaurant! So you also wanted to enter the braised food industry! What a coincidence!
At Yu Liang's home.
If someone were to enter his bedroom at this moment, they would be greeted by an incredibly strong, spicy aroma, see the empty takeout boxes on the coffee table, and witness the various cool, scattered jars and bottles on the floor...
Yu Liang ignored it, sitting steadily at his computer desk, his hands hovering over the keyboard and mouse, almost moving in blurs. The footage in the software vanished at a visible speed, transforming into a complete video. His full, thick lips mumbled, repeating, "It must be released before 6:30! It must be released before 6:30..."
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