Chapter 354: Use Your Brain Even When Hurting Others
The man slammed the table abruptly, startling several customers nearby. Lifting his spoon from the soup bowl, he revealed a brown insect. This sight made the other customers drop their spoons, losing their appetite instantly.
"Goodness, there really is a bug! This is utterly disgusting!" A woman nearby gasped, clutching her chest.
The man who found the bug snorted coldly, shouting, "Everybody judge for yourselves! This place’s food is unclean, bugs are coming out from it. If someone gets sick, what then? I will never dare to eat here again!"
At his accusation, there were nods of agreement, and some customers stood up from their tables, no longer wanting to eat at the Bai Family’s stall.
Lin Ping rushed over, saying, "This...this is impossible. We eat the same food ourselves. How could we neglect hygiene?"
"Who knows if you care about sanitation? Maybe you’re used to filth, which is why there are bugs!" The man exclaimed as he lifted the bug-ridden spoon again, as if afraid others might not see it.
Bai Ruozhu, having set down the hand-grasped pancakes she was preparing, strode over. She held her mother’s hand and whispered, "Mother, let me handle this."
Lin Ping nodded, turning to her daughter with relieved eyes. She was not as nervous as before.
Bai Ruozhu addressed the customers, declaring loudly, "Ladies and Gentleman, please hold on, don’t leave just yet. As someone has accused our food of being unclean and bug-infested, let’s clarify the matter today. We wouldn’t want any misunderstanding to damage our reputation."
She then turned to the onlookers and bowed slightly, saying, "I ask you, fellow villagers, to help judge the situation. Let’s see if the issue really lies with us."
Perhaps Bai Ruozhu’s composure quieted the murmurs. People looked at her, eager to hear her explanation.
The man who found the bug glared at Bai Ruozhu, asserting, "You can’t deny it. This bug is the evidence. You can’t escape this."
Bai Ruozhu chuckled coldly, "You’re correct. This bug is evidence. However, this applies to you as well, you can’t escape either!"
Bai Ruozhu raised her voice, drawing all attention, and pointed at the man, saying aloud, "When I was making pancakes, I saw you sneak something out of your sleeve – so you were setting this bug up!"
"Everyone, look! This man must have come to cause trouble. The Bai family has operated this stall for a long time. When did such an incident ever occur? Everyone eats here daily with no issue, so how come the moment he eats here, a bug appears?" Fusa chimed in from the side, "I am willing to testify for the Bai family. Their food is clean. My husband and I eat here often too, we’ve never had any stomach trouble."
Bai Ruozhu smiled gratefully at Fusa and continued speaking, "Those of you who are regulars here can reflect on all the meals you’ve had. Did anything happen? As to the client’s accusation of us being unhygienic, everyone can see our clothes. We also live nearby... Do we seem like an unhygienic family?"
"So now you’re trying to deny your responsibility and claim I planted the bug? The bug was found in your soup. If you won’t admit it, we could always ask the county magistrate to judge," the man who discovered the bug bellowed, looking defiant. However, Bai Ruozhu caught a flicker of panic in his eyes.
Bai Ruozhu laughed again, but her smile was not as cold as before. It barely concealed her contemptuous expression.
"So, you want to go to the government office? That’s convenient, it’ll save me from having to take you there myself," Bai Ruozhu retorted.
"What? You’re thinking of using your influence in the government office to confine me?" The man slammed his hand on the table again and shouted, "You found a bug in your soup and you’re still not allowing people to speak up. Which rule does this follow?"
Bai Ruozhu didn’t respond to his words but calmly pointed at the bug in his spoon, saying loudly to the villagers nearby, "Can those of you close by take a look? This bug should be what we call a watermelon bug, right? It appears in damp places. When you touch it, it curls up into a small ball. It also doesn’t have wings and can’t fly."
The old woman at the table was the first to respond, "Correct, indeed! That’s the bug."
Several other people at the table also agreed. Those close by nodded, even though they were still unsure about what Bai Ruozhu was getting at.
"This bug doesn’t have wings, so it couldn’t have been flying and accidentally fallen into our pot. It also couldn’t have crawled into the pot for a swim. Isn’t that correct?" Bai Ruozhu quipped, prompting laughter from the onlookers.
"So, you mean to say that the bug fell in while you were cooking and it’s your kitchen’s fault," the man declared loudly.
Bai Ruozhu raised an eyebrow, looking at him as if he were a fool, asking, "Really?" There was a clear hint of mockery in her voice, which everyone could perceive. But what was there to ridicule?
Seeing everyone’s gaze on her, Bai Ruozhu did not delay further. Pointing to the dead watermelon bug, she said, "Our regular customers should know that our bone soup has been simmered for a long time. Even after setting up the stall, we continue to simmer it on a small fire, which is why it’s so thick and aromatic. Now, had this bug fallen into the soup pot at our house, it should have been thoroughly cooked by now, shouldn’t it?"
The crowd looked at the bug. While it was a bit disgusting, the bug showed no sign of having been cooked. It didn’t even seem to have been heated thoroughly.
Bai Ruozhu smiled mockingly at the man again, "Next time you want to harm someone, use your brain. As you said earlier, it couldn’t have just fallen into the pot. Thus, before you planned to set us up with this bug, you ought to have boiled it until thoroughly cooked – that would make it seem more genuine."
The crowd burst into laughter. Those closer to the table could verify that the bug tossed into the bowl was indeed dead. It certainly hadn’t fallen into the soup pot early on to be boiled for an extended period.
"Enough, everyone here is discerning. It’s quite clear whether the problem came from our pot of soup, or from his individual bowl. Customers who trust the Bai family, please continue eating. We won’t force those who are unsure. A deal that can’t be made will still be based on good faith. We wouldn’t let such a trivial matter ruin our relationships," Bai Ruozhu announced loudly.
The few who had initially stood up to leave returned to their seats and resumed eating. After all, they were people who worked on farms and were used to seeing bugs. Even with a bug on the table, they could still swallow their food.
Bai Ruozhu then turned to the troublemaker, asking coldly, "Tell me, who sent you to frame us?"
The man’s face turned pale, "No... nobody. Perhaps the bug came from my sleeve. It... it’s all a misunderstanding." Upon seeing Bai Ruozhu’s skeptical expression, he suddenly sprang up and ran, his speed resembling a beast fleeing for its life...