Rebirth: She is Ready for a Counterattack!-Chapter 252 - 251: Pleading (Second Update)

Gu Xiaoqing stood at the door, opened it, "Please."

Polite yet undeniable.

Shang’s mother still wanted to say something, but looking at Gu Xiaoying, Gu Xiaoqing, and Li Xuemei’s expressions, she knew today wasn’t going to happen.

The mistake was bringing Shang Wenhua here with her.

Shang Wenhua, still unwilling, said, "You hit me for nothing. I’m going to the police station to report you. I want to see you in jail. Just wait, all of you wait."

That aggressive demeanor had a bit of grit to it.

Gu Xiaoying only gave one word, "Scram!"

Shang’s mother and Shang Wenhua left the Gu Family with their tails between their legs.

Gu Xiaoqing closed the door, walked over, and hugged her sister.

Gu Xiaoying leaned on Gu Xiaoqing’s shoulder, suddenly bursting into tears. This embrace was originally supposed to be something she provided to her sister, safe and warm to rely on.

But now, it was the opposite; her sister was supporting her.

Li Xuemei came over and hugged her two daughters, her eyes red.

"It’s all over."

Of course, it couldn’t be considered over yet. Shang’s mother wasn’t someone who knew when to back down. The next visit could be anytime, but as long as Shang Wenming wasn’t sentenced by the public security bureau, Shang’s mother would certainly come again.

However, Jiang Xiulan’s visit the next day surprised Gu Xiaoqing.

Jiang Xiulan went directly to the Gu Family Spicy Hot Pot, because the two shops were directly opposite each other. As long as Gu Ruhai and Li Xuemei’s car was parked at the entrance, Jiang Xiulan over there could clearly see it, there was no avoiding it.

Gu Xiaoqing had been helping in the store these few days, mainly afraid that some situations like facing interviews from reporters would be difficult to handle, so she temporarily stationed there.

Jiang Xiulan arrived looking haggard. The Gu Family Spicy Old Hot Pot had been closed for a long time; not to mention reopening, it was fortunate it hadn’t been smashed.

These days, Jiang Xiulan was genuinely anxious. Gu Rushan had been arrested, leaving a big mess. The Gu Family Spicy Old Hot Pot was closed, but the debts owed to suppliers were still there, and almost all suppliers had been hounding Jiang Xiulan.

Gu Rushan wasn’t there, but Jiang Xiulan was still nominally the boss lady. If they didn’t ask her for money, who would?

And the employees’ wages.

In the past, when the end of the month came, a cashier would naturally handle these things without Gu Rushan and Jiang Xiulan needing to worry. But now those former management team of the Gu Family Spicy Old Hot Pot, including the cashier, accountant, and many personnel, had all disappeared.

Jiang Xiulan really wanted to find that person from before, but the problem was, it was always Gu Rushan who contacted them. Jiang Xiulan didn’t even have their address, let alone a phone number. Now trying to find them, Jiang Xiulan simply couldn’t do it.

At this point, Jiang Xiulan felt a little regretful. If it weren’t for the greed for a wealthy life in the city, to compete with Gu Ruhai, for the villagers to see them differently, for those fancy clothes and houses and cars, they wouldn’t have ended up like this.

If Gu Rushan really ended up in jail, it would be one thing, but the accounts of the Gu Family Spicy Old Hot Pot were frozen, and Gu Rushan’s own accounts were also frozen, and the ten thousand yuan they originally had couldn’t be withdrawn.

The Gu Family Spicy Old Hot Pot still had a pile of debts and compensation waiting for them, leaving Jiang Xiulan feeling truly cornered.

Jiang Xiulan had been to this local police station several times. The officers said the case was big, not just a simple food poisoning incident, but also involved theft of business secrets and false accusations against the Gu Family Spicy Hot Pot.

The poisoning incident could be settled with an agreement with victims on compensation, basically absolving Gu Rushan of legal responsibility. But reopening the Gu Family Spicy Old Hot Pot was out of the question, as the health and safety authorities wouldn’t agree.

Pay the fines, and the person might get out.

But the fatal issue was the theft of business secrets, which was already publicized by the media and couldn’t be resolved privately.

This was because Shang Wenming also admitted that the base material formula of the Gu Family Spicy Hot Pot was sold to Gu Rushan, and adding these up, it wasn’t an easy matter. If pursued, a sentence of at least three years was possible.

Of course, the kind-hearted police informed Jiang Xiulan that if the Gu Family Spicy Hot Pot didn’t pursue the matter, then it could be settled with money.

But if the Gu Family Spicy Hot Pot didn’t ease its stance, this side wouldn’t let go; they would pursue it to the end.

So you see, Jiang Xiulan came to the door.

Originally, Jiang Xiulan thought of selling the Gu Family Spicy Old Hot Pot and just leaving, but as soon as people heard it was here, no one was willing to take over, and those who were interested offered prices so low it was practically giving it away.

With no other choice, Jiang Xiulan thickened her skin and came to Gu Ruhai.

Gu Ruhai and Li Xuemei saw Jiang Xiulan and had nothing to say.

What was there to say? Their own brother was unreliable, and their families had cut ties. There really wasn’t anything left to say.

Jiang Xiulan didn’t see it that way. She immediately started crying to Li Xuemei and Gu Ruhai.

Sitting in a chair in the hall, not caring if it was mealtime, Gu Family Spicy Hot Pot, being the victim in the poisoning incident, gained favorable public perception through media reports, sacrificing their secret recipe to take responsibility, won public sympathy. Many came specifically to witness the integrity of Gu Family Spicy Hot Pot, supporting honest businesses.

The hall happened to have quite a few customers at this moment.

To avoid making a scene, Li Xuemei had to bring Jiang Xiulan to a private room.

The three of them sat down.

In the private room, only Jiang Xiulan’s sobs could be heard. Gu Ruhai frowned, "Crying during the festival will only bring bad luck to others."

"Alright, speak quickly, finish and leave. We’re busy, no time to waste on you."

Jiang Xiulan’s crying stopped abruptly.

Sympathy seemed not so easily earned.

At least now, Gu Ruhai and his wife wouldn’t have such sympathy for Jiang Xiulan.

"Big brother, sister-in-law, please save Gu Rushan. If you don’t save him, he’ll have to go to jail. If he goes to jail, how will the village see our Gu Family, what about Gu Xiaocheng? The wedding was planned for spring; if this happens at home, won’t others laugh at us?

Then the marriage will be off. Big brother, sister-in-law, please be kind, forgive Gu Rushan. After all, he is your blood brother."