Chapter Seventeen: The Angry Woman

  But what makes one want to insert both fists into the ribcage is that before I could even think of a good strategy, the originally calm situation had already developed in an out-of-control direction.

  It all started with that thin receipt——

  "Mo Yu, don't think that just because the boss didn't say anything today, this store got off cheap. The bill is split among everyone! It was you who insisted on having our company dinner here, and yet we had to wait for such a long time just for dessert - that's a serious service issue. We're already being nice by not filing a complaint, and now you're asking us to pay? What kind of logic is that?! Are you helping your friend embezzle our company's money?" The wife stood with her arms crossed, her thick eyebrows furrowed in anger.

  Xiao Yu also got angry: "He Qiuling, I think you are intentionally picking a fight. Originally, I said that eating here would be 20% off, and we could even eat desserts made by the boss's wife. Today, although we waited for a long time, at first you ate desserts made by other people, and later you ate Yaoyao's. Now Yaoyao said that her desserts are free, only charging for what you ate before, and it's 15% off, what more do you want?"

  Yun Jie, who was holding the bill on the side, chimed in with a serious tone: "Exactly, our boss's handmade desserts aren't something that just anyone can eat. It all depends on luck. You guys today not only got to eat them all but also didn't pay for them, what more do you want?"

  The talented woman stood elegantly by the glass window, pulled her wife's hem: "Autumn Bell, it's a small matter, don't argue with them, just don't come to this room in the future, why make yourself uncomfortable."

  The wife suddenly let go of her hand, and her voice was sharp as fingernails on glass: "We are customers! We come to enjoy high-quality service, not to be deceived. How can we not fight for this matter of principle? It's clear that they colluded to put on this show. They're all the same kind of people - one steals men and the other steals money. They have no quality at all, except for relying on their looks, what else do they have?"

  Xiao Yu's face suddenly turned white, and she quickly approached her daughter-in-law, raising her right hand as if to strike: "You, surnamed He, you think I'm just a pushover, but you actually dare..." I immediately rushed over and grabbed her shoulder, turning her around: "Calm down... calm down... you can't cause trouble here, breaking things will cost you money." She still struggled to turn back, almost shouting, "You're ugly yourself, yet you resent others for being beautiful. You're just a toad jealous of a swan. Even if you go to Korea for plastic surgery, you'll only end up looking like a green frog!"

  "Wow, so experienced? You're actually the one who's had plastic surgery! No wonder you're always taking care of your face and even get angry when someone touches it for a second. It turns out you're afraid people will find out you've been under the knife!"

  I took a deep breath, and together with Yun Jie, we managed to subdue Xiao Yu, who was on the verge of another outburst, and sat her down at one side. I pressed down on her shoulder, shaking my head, before turning to look at He Qiulian. Seeing the undisguised disdain on her face, I couldn't help but laugh softly: "This... guest, have you been poisoned by ancient Chinese history for too long, or did you really come back from the dead from some dynasty? You truly think of yourself as a first-rate literati, looking down on people who do business as being coarse and shallow?"

  She snorted, not even looking at me: "Someone who hasn't even attended college is also learning to nitpick and split hairs, it's really laughable. If you have something to say, just say it straight out, don't beat around the bush."

  "Now that you've said so, I won't be polite. First of all, let me declare that my dessert shop is neither a branch of the Red Cross to help build a socialist society nor some kind of spontaneous charity organization to show off its kindness to society. You're someone who's eloquent and has a pretty face, from physical appearance to mental state..." I suddenly let out an "ah" sound, and my eyes scanned her body with embarrassment, "Sorry, maybe it's been too long since I've encountered this type, and I made a slip of the tongue, it should be 'only physically normal' instead."

  She suddenly turned her head and glared at me: "You're the one who's mentally abnormal!" The next second, she immediately raised her chin, "You can only boast about your eloquence, I won't bother with you, a businessman."

  I chuckled: "Well, you're really brave, knowing the owner of this store is not normal and still daring to come in and eat. You're not afraid of walking in and lying down on the way out." As I looked at her face turning greenish, I continued smiling, "But from any angle, you are a normal person with no disabilities, right? So, for no reason, how can you, as a customer, ask to be exempt from paying your consumption fees in my private enterprise that operates for profit? Am I related to you or have a deep friendship with you? But I'm quite sure this is our first meeting. You're being rude and asking for free food on our first encounter. Your face must be quite thick." I paused, looking at her darkening complexion with interest, "Or perhaps you're actually facing some financial difficulties, so you need to get some dessert subsidies from my small private enterprise? In that case, you should have said so from the start. I often give desserts to homeless old people under the bridge, let alone someone brought by Xiaoyu."

  "You! You're great!" Her face turned beet red, ferocious and frightening, shaking her hand she pulled out a hundred yuan and slammed it on the table, pushing aside the people next to her and storming out.

  "Qiuling!" The talented woman shouted loudly and stomped her foot, also rushing out.

  Her gaze shifted to the counter, where her mother and aunt were watching the commotion with their chins in their hands. They both smiled at me simultaneously, and then my mother, under my shocked gaze, pulled out a loudspeaker from who-knows-where and broke the silence: "Today's special performance of 'A Man's Smoke' has come to an end here. Please continue eating and drinking as you were, and I wish everyone a happy Saturday!"

  After another three seconds of silence, the hall finally returned to its previous harmonious scene where people were chatting and laughing while discussing current events, romance and love.

  The head of the Literature Society rubbed his forehead, took out money to pay the bill: "It's finally today, from now on the society can finally be quiet." Others also nodded in agreement with lingering fear.

  Yun Jie picked up the money on the table and asked me: "Boss's wife, what about this..."

  I smiled and said to Lao Da: "Let's just say that the generous customer from earlier is treating us, you guys can just make up for the difference."

  The boss's tiger eyes immediately shone brightly: "Boss lady, you're really good at doing business, and from now on, I'll definitely find more people to help support you."

  "That's really... great." Today, for the first time, I laughed from the bottom of my heart.

  After the literary society people left, I also helped my mom dig a small bucket of chestnut flavored ice cream for her to take with her husband on their date. When I returned to the counter, Auntie was seriously calculating the bill and saw me again, saying with emotion: "Indeed, young people are full of energy and vitality, they have all kinds of grudges and grievances, and when they get angry, they can do anything."

  "What's wrong with me? Didn't I just fight a war between women?"

  "I didn't say you're young." Seeing me silent, she continued to add, "What I mean is, Yaoyao, you've already grown old."

  I remained silent for a long time before squeezing out a sentence from between my teeth: "Is this something a dear aunt should say?"

  "Look at your reaction, it doesn't seem like it." Auntie stopped pressing the calculator and looked at me with a sorrowful gaze that made me shudder. "But I've already said it out loud, Yaoyao, don't you recognize me as your aunt?"

  "I...dare not," I said with a throbbing headache, "I'm afraid Auntie won't recognize me, her already...aged niece."

  "How could that be? This way, her aunt will think she's still very young." She patted my head and continued to do the accounts.

  Looking at her still gentle profile, I sadly turned away, this is why I never doubted whether Aunt and Mom were biological sisters.

  Xiaoyu went to the bathroom and came back with a big nosebleed, immediately collapsing on me: "Yao Yao, it turns out that you're still the most reliable when it comes to cutting off the weeds at their roots."

  I forced myself to sit still: "Thank you for the compliment."

  "What you just did is called cutting the grass and eliminating the roots?" The aunt suddenly came up with another sentence.

  Xiaoyu and I fell silent.

  She looked at us in confusion: "Why do I feel like I'm adding fuel to the fire?"

  "Actually," I sighed, rubbing my temples weakly, "I think... it's just adding fuel to the fire." After today's commotion, that woman and the talented girl might not make any more open moves in the future, but there will definitely be no shortage of underhanded tricks.

  "Yao Yao, it seems I can no longer deceive myself." Xiao Yu also sighed: "It's like cutting grass without pulling out the roots, and with the spring breeze, it grows again."

  I exchanged a glance with Xiao Yu, and we both let out a sorrowful sigh.

  "Boss's wife, someone is looking for you over there." Ah Xiu suddenly stood in front of me with a bright red face.

  I looked at her suspiciously: "Who?"

  "You'll know when you get there."

  As I saw her ears turn bright red in an instant, I thought I knew who it was. Who else could make the little chili pepper-like shop flower here lose her composure, besides that Xiao Qiao brother who is full of natural beauty and almost worthy of serving others?