Looking across at each other, both women were furious and embarrassed. Third Sister frowned, "Ah Yue, how can you still eat? They're bullying us like this."
"Why can't I eat?" Xu Yuehuai said, "He does his business, we do ours, we don't interfere with each other."
Xu Yuehuai's optimism is unbelievable.
Chun San Niang stood up. "Look at them. Their decor is just like ours, even their tableware is the same."
Before Xu Yuehuai arrived, the tableware that San Niang had prepared for the guests was all colorful ceramic.
Xu Yuehuai advocates minimalism and understated luxury.
Therefore, the previous tableware was removed and replaced with plain white bone china. Goodness, they really copied them exactly; the tableware was exactly the same as theirs.
The more San Niang thought about it, the angrier she became, and she wished she could argue with the other party.
Xu Yuehuai, on the other hand, chatted happily with the shopkeeper after eating and drinking her fill, and even gave Li Feng a large red envelope before leaving.
"We're neighbors, so we'll have to look out for each other in the future."
"That's exactly what I mean. We must all work together."
After returning home, Chun San Niang became inflamed and developed a huge pimple on her mouth, causing her to suffer greatly.
As for Zhou Wan, she was already distracted and kept glancing at the person opposite her.
Li Feng hired about a dozen beautiful maids. Every mealtime, these stunningly beautiful maids would squirm and tug at the door.
Those in the know will recognize it as a hotel, while those unaware might mistake it for a brothel.
Most importantly, they blatantly stole their customers. A few days ago, their place was extremely popular, and you had to make a reservation in advance if you wanted to eat hot food.
But now it's all empty every day.
The next morning, Zhou Wan painfully threw the dead fish out of the basin. "These are finless porpoises, so rare! They all died in the backyard, Grandma. They're too arrogant. Now we have no business to do."
"Are they blatantly stealing our business?"
Xu Yuehuai was also observing.
She never expected that the other person would be so shameless.
"Let's try diplomacy first, then force. Let's just watch for now." Xu Yuehuai was preparing a big move.
I will not offend others unless they offend me.
If anyone offends me, I will eliminate them completely.
"I'll go talk to them."
Third Sister has a fiery temper, so negotiations are unlikely to go smoothly. Xu Yuehuai wanted to downplay the situation, so she glanced at Zhou Wan and said, "You're going too? What kind of temper does Third Sister have? If you let her go, she'll definitely cause a huge commotion and make us a laughingstock for the neighbors."
"I understand. I'll definitely be more subtle and tactful in my approach."
To their surprise, the two were turned away.
Third Sister flew into a rage and began to hurl insults like a shrew.
"Hey everyone coming and going, stop and take a look! That bastard Li Feng is absolutely outrageous! We business people know the rules of the trade, but what are they doing? They just had to open a restaurant right across from our house! What are they doing?"
The onlookers also whispered among themselves.
Someone covered their mouth and chuckled, their sarcastic remarks ringing out, "Hey, Third Sister, your business isn't as good as theirs, so instead of figuring out why you're not as skilled, you're making a scene here, making a fool of yourself."
"Did I embarrass myself?" Third Sister put her hands on her hips, like a boiling teapot, and a bellyful of foul language poured out, shocking everyone.
Li Feng, however, refused to leave his room.
They've made a scene and argued, but the other party still ignores them.
Qi Guze arrived in the afternoon.
"A shop opened across the street?"
"Yes." Xu Yuehuai looked worried. "We haven't had any business lately, and I'm thinking of trying to coordinate something."
"Swallowed them?" Qi Guze seemed to know Xu Yuehuai very well, but Xu Yuehuai herself shook her head, "The capital is so expensive, it's best to make money together, why fight to the death and get bloodied?"
Qi Guze sneered, "It's not necessarily true that they value peace."
"That seems to be true."
The next day, Xu Yuehuai's business remained deserted.
San Niang and Zhou Wan looked at each other, both extremely anxious.
"Ah Yue, say something! If this keeps up, we'll have to close down."
"I have a plan. Didn't I say? First, be polite, then use force. Since they are the ones who are unjust and unethical, don't blame me for being ruthless."
In the business world, Xu Yuehuai is not a lamb that sits and waits to be slaughtered.
She smiled at them and said, "Today, all the food is free, and the drinks cost one tael of silver per table. As long as you enter, you can watch the performance for free."
"A performance?" Zhou Wan exclaimed in surprise.
Third Sister was taken aback, her lips twitching. "Free?"
Xu Yuehuai looked at Third Sister and said, "You do the math. What's our average revenue? What's our daily turnover? How much food waste do we have, and how much manpower do we need?"
Third Sister quickly realized what was going on and smiled sweetly, "Mother, you are so wise."
"But where are we going to recruit actors? These days, the appearance fees for well-known figures in Chang'an are not low."
"Who needs to be a big shot?" Xu Yuehuai laughed. "I found a few singers and dancers from the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment institution). They are good at playing musical instruments and singing, but their sales performance is not good, so I had them sell alcohol."
Zhou Wan and San Niang asked in unison, "How much money should we give them?"
"I won't pay them. They're here to sell drinks. I'll give them a commission."
"Such a good thing?"
Dusk is approaching.
Xu Yuehuai remained unmoved.
Li Feng, sitting opposite him, laughed heartily.
“Everyone says I bully these orphans and widows,” Li Feng spat out a toothpick. “So what if I did? They deserve to be humiliated by me. First, they’re not from the capital, and second, they have no family background. They should just close down their businesses.”
He was still immersed in a joyful mood and couldn't pull himself out.
But soon a waiter rushed in.
"Shopkeeper, please take a look at the other side."
"What?"
Li Feng opened the window on the second floor and looked closely. He saw a large group of women of all shapes and sizes walking down the street. The women were dressed in cool clothes, their faces were covered by gauze curtains, and they wore heavy makeup and dusty stockings.
Soon, men of all ages gathered over there.
People were pointing and whispering about the girl.
"Oh dear, Bodhisattva Man."
"How beautiful she is! I wish I could marry such a beauty."
"The girl across the street, look over here..." someone began humming a nursery rhyme.
Everyone was overjoyed.
Just as everyone was wondering where these beautiful girls from the brothel were going, a man who had been following at the front of the group ran up to the back and patted his companion on the shoulder.
“My good buddy,” the man said, beaming, “there’s a big show at Tianxiang Restaurant tonight. The show is free, and the food is free too. Order whatever you want and get it for free.”
"really?"
Everyone got anxious as soon as they heard it was free.
Everyone thought it was just a baseless rumor, but soon, three girls in red came out from inside. Xu Yuehuai coughed and waved gracefully.
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