The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 112: Calling to Account

The sign for Taohua Dessert is now up.

Thanks to Tong Huaqiong’s publicity, the whole town knows that Taohua Dessert is opening a shop.

The shop is located in Rouge Alley, in the original liquor shop of the old Ma Family, which has now officially exited the stage of Yan Guan Town.

Even so, the old Ma Family’s liquor shop was once a sensation in town, and everyone knew its exact location.

Every day when Tong Huaqiong set out her stall, she would tell every customer about her shop’s upcoming opening, and not only announce the store’s launch but also promote a grand opening offer with purchases and giveaways for all pastries on the first day.

Thus, even while Taohua Dessert was still preparing to open, it had already captured the attention of the whole town, truly receiving a star debut treatment.

Such a loud commotion, naturally, Crispy Food Garden also received the buzz of Taohua Dessert opening a shop.

Previously, people in town have opened pastry shops, but basically, none lasted more than a few months before closing down.

To be precise, they were all defeated by Crispy Food Garden in market competition.

It was Manager Feng’s credit that Crispy Food Garden stood strong all this time.

With Manager Feng around, no one needed to worry about competitors; they just had to focus on their own business.

But now things are different.

Now that Manager Feng is ill, Crispy Food Garden suddenly fell into a leaderless state, not knowing how to deal with Taohua Dessert.

"...We need the manager to come up with a strategy."

The bakers and clerks of Crispy Food Garden couldn’t handle the increasingly arrogant vigor of Taohua Dessert.

It’s just a small stall now, and it’s already taking much of Crispy Food Garden’s business; once they open a shop, will there still be a path for Crispy Food Garden?

Everyone gathered to discuss how to defend against the aggressive advance of Taohua Dessert and secure Crispy Food Garden’s position. The master bakers in the back kitchen unanimously suggested that this matter should be handled by Manager Feng’s expertise.

"What strategy do we need? All we need to do is our own job well, right? It’s not like the town can’t accommodate two dessert shops. I say we’ve made too much out of Taohua Dessert, which led to this situation. If only we hadn’t poorly managed our signature products in this period and instead tried to imitate Taohua Dessert’s taro mochi and meat floss little cakes, we wouldn’t have lost so many customers."

It was Hong Xiaoxi who said this, the clerk who was once caught by Tong Huaqiong while disguising to buy pastries from Taohua Dessert.

"What do you know? Can one shop and two shops earn the same amount of silver?" The baker angrily rebuked Hong Xiaoxi.

"Then what do we do? When Taohua Dessert was just a stall, they could already take away our customers. Once they open a shop, they might attract even more away from us." Hong Xiaoxi had little confidence in Crispy Food Garden’s plan to squeeze out Taohua Dessert.

Besides, Taohua Dessert’s pastries are indeed delicious, and even as a clerk of Crispy Food Garden, he felt compelled to speak the truth.

"Taohua Dessert focuses on new styles, and we focus on old traditions. We’ve been around for so many years with so many regular customers. The two shops could coexist." Hong Xiaoxi kept chattering away.

The older clerks and bakers didn’t agree. Business in one place naturally works best when one dominates alone, providing comfort for everyone.

"You haven’t even grown your whiskers completely, kid. What nonsense are you spouting? Whose side are you on? Taohua Dessert opens in three days, so quickly get Manager Feng over here." One of the clerks reprimanded Hong Xiaoxi.

Hong Xiaoxi didn’t dare to speak anymore.

If Tong Huaqiong knew about Hong Xiaoxi’s insight, she would definitely try to poach him for her own shop.

Manager Feng felt slightly better after taking medicine.

He was never sick; it was purely being enraged by Feng Chuan to the point of vomiting blood. After a few days of rest, not only could he get out of bed, but his mind was also clear.

When the store clerk came to discuss how to deal with Taohua Dessert, he was already thinking about how to deal with Tong Huaqiong.

This widow is practically a lingering ghost, the greatest stumbling block in his career. Holding a knife in the woods didn’t even make her flinch.

He should have killed her back then.

Counting on the Zheng Family is unlikely; after all, this matter cannot wait for a long deliberation, as Taohua Dessert opens officially in three days.

He must kill Taohua Dessert’s shop in the cradle before its opening.

Feng Chuan couldn’t just let go, and he planned to temporarily divert Crispy Food Garden’s silver from the past few months.

Even though the risk is high, if the owner found out, he could only leave.

To transfer the silver, he would have to drive Tong Huaqiong out of Yan Guan Town. If the transfer was discovered, maybe the owner would forgive him for eliminating the biggest competitor.

After all, only he could ensure that Yan Guan Town had only one pastry shop, Crispy Food Garden.

How to deal with Taohua Dessert?

Manager Feng really had no good ideas, resorting to sinister and brutal methods, planning to hire people to spread rumors that Taohua Dessert caused food poisoning the day before opening, and then have them cause a scene outside the shop on the day of the opening.

"...You handle this matter..."

Manager Feng called over his most trusted clerk, whispered a few words into his ear, planning and strategizing together, finally smiling with satisfaction at their plot.

After the clerk left, another group barged into Manager Feng’s dwelling.

These were Feng Chuan’s elder brother and sister-in-law.

Feng Chuan was being hounded by Gu Dashu for the silver, and at the sight of Gu Dashu, he would scurry like a mouse before a cat.

He’d been coming to Manager Feng every day for the past few days for silver, starting with pitiful pleas and ending with shameless antics.

Manager Feng didn’t easily relent. He wanted Feng Chuan to experience the helplessness of hitting rock bottom, then give him a flicker of hope, maybe making Feng Chuan change for the better.

He was even planning to wait until the last day to help Feng Chuan fill the gap, forcing Feng Chuan to write a guarantee and an IOU, giving him leverage over Feng Chuan.

In any case, he couldn’t just let Feng Chuan be. The clan wouldn’t agree either, but he wouldn’t support him without principles like before.

Conveniently, Feng Chuan’s last deadline for his gambling debt was the same day as Taohua Dessert’s opening.

As soon as Feng Chuan came in, it gave him a headache.

Seeing Feng Chuan accompanied by his big brother and sister-in-law, his blood pressure rose even more. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Second brother, I gave my son over to you, and this is how you treat him? He was perfectly fine in our home, but as soon as he was over to you, he picked up bad habits? My perfect son was led astray by you."

Feng Chuan’s big brother strode in, not caring about Manager Feng’s health, and punched him.

"You and your wife couldn’t produce an heir, and I gave you my egg to continue your lineage. Are you not grateful? Now my son owes money, and you’re unwilling to pay. There’s no such good deal!" Feng Chuan’s sister-in-law retorted angrily, supporting her husband.

"Big brother, sister-in-law, why are you here?" Manager Feng, suppressing his anger, offered seats to his brother and sister-in-law.

He had no choice, having taken in someone else’s son. Manager Feng always felt a head lower than his big brother and sister-in-law.

"Why are we here? If we didn’t come, our son wouldn’t even have a life."

"He’s not your biological child, you don’t feel for him, letting others harm him. Oh, what sin have I committed, to have carried a son for ten months just to give him to you, only for his life to be at risk."

Feng Chuan’s sister-in-law spat at Manager Feng, clapping and stamping her feet in dramatic performance.

"My poor child, you extended the lineage for them, and they treat you as a tool."

"His second uncle, my son has had a son. Your lineage is steadily continued, and now you turn your back on us. You enjoy good life as the manager in town, while we toil ourselves to death farming at home and are screwed over losing a son to you. Oh, why is my life so hard?"

Feng Chuan’s sister-in-law wailed and cursed.

Feng Chuan’s big brother dragged a chair with a somber face, sitting with a posture demanding justice.