pertwk Chapter 233 Never Compromise!
Chapter 233 Never Compromise!
"My god, you still dare to ask us for money?"
The old woman's gaze was like a knife; she looked at Chen Yuan as if he were her enemy.
"A few bites of rotten cucumber and watermelon rind and you dare charge 20 yuan! Why don't you just rob a bank? You heartless bastard, making money off students isn't enough, you even try to take advantage of us old folks!"
"With your stingy nature, your wife will definitely run off with someone else, your shop will definitely burn down, you'll go bankrupt sooner or later, and you'll lose all your savings for your funeral!"
Chen Yuan raised an eyebrow.
The old man chimed in, spitting far and wide, and his insults became even more offensive.
"You little rascal, you're so dishonest in business. This lousy bun is worth at most a dollar, but you're selling it for three. Aren't you satisfied with making enough money through dishonest means? You think you're a human being just because you're dressed up?"
"You want money for just a few bites of your pickled vegetables? Didn't your mother teach you to be kind? Bah! With your attitude, no wonder your business won't last!"
That was a really harsh insult.
The expressions of the students queuing around them also changed.
After all, I haven't entered the workforce yet, so my understanding of these people in society might not be enough. I never expected that a few bites of pickled vegetables could cause such a big uproar.
A few suppressed coughs and hushed whispers broke out in the previously quiet line.
Chen Yuan glanced around and noticed that someone was recording a video. As the shop owner, if he got into a fight with these two old men, and the video was edited and cut out, the impact would be even worse.
He tried hard to suppress his anger and only repeated it once.
"This is our rule here. If you two want to take it to go, you have to pay the price. Otherwise, you have to leave it here, and we can't let you take it with you, no matter how valuable it is."
The air seemed to freeze for a few seconds.
The old man and woman never expected Chen Yuan to be so outspoken. Usually, as soon as they started cursing, the shop owners would turn a blind eye in order to keep the peace.
The old lady's eyes darted around, and she was about to say something even harsher, or simply throw a tantrum and prevent Chen Yuan from doing business.
Unexpectedly, at this moment, several girls in line became unhappy.
"Why are all the elderly like this these days? We've already told them to be respectful, that we'll provide food but not dress up, so why are they still so shameless?"
"Exactly! And they used such awful language, calling it a coffin and saying it would go bankrupt. Anyone who didn't know better would think they had some deep-seated grudge. Aren't they ashamed?"
"That's right, you've all eaten it all, what are we going to eat? You won't spend any money to buy anything. If you're really short of money, put a bowl in front of you two, and I promise to donate a dollar."
When someone speaks up, others will respond enthusiastically.
Several men nearby also joined in, criticizing the unreasonable elderly couple.
"Exactly! Do you think it's easy for Boss Chen to pickle vegetables? It's already generous of him to eat them for free, and now he wants to take some home? If you take some, and I take some, how many people can this one jar possibly take?"
"Exactly! If you eat, what are we supposed to eat? Are we, the ones at the back of the line, just destined to get nothing?"
The old lady finally lost her nerve.
Enraged by the group of young people's words, she took a step forward and launched into a tirade of insults.
"Look at you students! Why are you interrupting your elders? No respect for elders! Have you wasted your education? Are you taking advantage of our age? Don't you have parents? Don't you have elderly relatives?!"
The old man also exploded: "Exactly! We're just taking some pickled vegetables, is that bothering you to eat or drink? Young people these days are so petty! We're just taking what we want, what's it to you?!"
Immediately, some young, spirited, and vigorous students stepped forward from the group.
"Who's being unreasonable here? You guys put plastic bags inside your own jars, and half a jar of pickled vegetables is gone, and you're still cursing at us? Do you even have any sense of reason?"
"Exactly! You think you're so right? Let me tell you, I've recorded it all, and I'm posting it online right now! Let your relatives and friends see what kind of faces you have!"
Even the most shameless person still has their own social connections.
It would be embarrassing if this video were posted online and seen by relatives, neighbors, and children.
The old lady blushed and pulled out a 10-yuan note from her bag, throwing it in Chen Yuan's direction.
"Pah! Shameless! It's just 10 yuan, take it or leave it!"
After saying that, the old lady grabbed the old man's arm and slunk away.
Chen Yuan didn't care about the 10 yuan, but he couldn't set this precedent. If he did, he wouldn't be able to control the situation later.
These two obediently paid up, no matter how much or how little, setting an example for others who wanted to get something for free.
The students were quite satisfied with the final result.
They were not only protecting Chen Yuan's interests, but also protecting their own.
Chen Yuan addressed the group.
"Thank you everyone. With all that spittle flying around, this pickled vegetable is inedible. I'll get a fresh one right away. Thank you for defending me and my shop."
Chen Yuan's method was very effective.
While the elderly couple was making a scene, there were actually some people in the line, their eyes darting around, waiting for the outcome.
If they succeed, the rest of the people will follow suit.
Most people still care about their reputation. Imagine being surrounded by a group of young people trying to reason with you, even being confronted and blocked, and then having the video filmed and posted online—you'd lose all face.
So one by one they backed down and withdrew their clandestine reach.
At this moment, Chen Yuan took the jars outside back and wiped the countertop clean. Aunt Li then handed out a new jar full of pickled vegetables.
To ensure everyone could eat with peace of mind, Chen Yuan dumped all the salted vegetables that had been poured out into the trash can.
This one action is more convincing than anything else said or done.
The team moved very quickly.
The steam from the steamer never stopped coming out in wisps.
The notification sound for scanning the QR code kept ringing.
Just as Chen Yuan had expected, the free pickled vegetables and chili oil significantly boosted his revenue.
Break the meat sandwich in half, and a thick layer of chili oil is spread on the thick meat. Take a bite, and you'll be hit with a spicy and fragrant flavor that goes straight to your head.
Add a bite of crisp cucumber for a refreshing and palate-cleansing experience.
Girls tend to prefer watermelon rind. Pickled vegetables, soaked in sweet and sour sauce, make a satisfying crunch when you bite into them; they're cool and refreshing, and paired with other steamed buns and porridge, they're absolutely delicious.
The news spread incredibly fast; messages kept pouring into the campus group chat from the morning onwards.
[The breakfast at Xinghui Night Market today was amazing! They had free pickled vegetables and their secret-recipe chili oil. The owner really listened to advice! He just mentioned it yesterday, and it was all arranged today!]
[If you want to eat here, be sure to come early tomorrow to line up! If you come late, there really won't be anything left!]