Combining what Qing Cao had told her a few days ago, Qi Huan had a rough guess.
Perhaps the person Chen Shu bribed was Old Lady Wang.
The spicy snack sticks were originally made at Qi's Noodle Shop, and Old Lady Wang had always been washing dishes there, so she may have witnessed the process of making the snack sticks.
After finding that the approach of the Lv Yin family didn't work, Chen Shu turned to bribe Old Lady Wang instead.
However, how did Old Lady Wang explain the chili powder and cumin powder to Chen Shu?
Qi Huan couldn't figure it out, so she decided to go to Chen Shu's stall and buy a spicy snack stick to taste. She untied her purse, counted out nine copper coins, and was about to squeeze through the crowd when she heard a "tsk".
"Tsk tsk tsk! Chen Shu, you little rascal, what kind of spicy snack sticks are these? Not spicy at all, and with a strange smell. Give me my money back!" Elderly Lady Guo spat out the half-chewed spicy snack stick in her mouth and waved the remaining half, shouting loudly.
Heizi, following behind Qi Huan, curiously went over and sniffed at the spicy snack stick she had spat out, then ran away after catching the scent.
Seeing this, Elderly Lady Guo scolded even more vigorously, "Everyone, come and see, even dogs won't eat his spicy snack sticks! I shouldn't have been so stingy and gone for the cheap stuff. You'd better taste the spicy snack sticks in your hands and see what they taste like!"
With her reminder, those who had bought the spicy snack sticks skeptically took a bite, then spat them out one after another.
Seeing everyone's reaction, Qi Huan clutched the copper coins in her hand, thankful that she hadn't bought any yet.
However, she was curious about what flavor Chen Shu's spicy snack sticks had.
Soon, someone satisfied her curiosity.
Another sister who had just tasted the spicy snack stick complained, "...not a hint of spiciness, yet you dare call it a spicy snack stick? As Scholar Hu would say, this flavor is like wax!"
"This flavor is definitely wrong! Chen Shu, pay us back!"
"Pay us back!"
"Pay us back!"
The crowd chanted the slogan in unison, leaving Chen Shu dumbfounded. "Pay you back? You all have eaten them, how can I sell them to others now?"
"Heh, even dogs won't eat the spicy snack sticks you made, who would buy them? Quit your babbling and give us our money back, or I'll make you eat my fists!"
The burly man in front of him successfully intimidated Chen Shu, who stammered in explanation, "Big brother, let's talk this out. These spicy snack sticks were made according to Qi's Noodle Shop's recipe, there shouldn't be any problem!"
He mentioned Qi's Noodle Shop, so Qi Huan stepped out and questioned him, "Then tell me, how did you find out our Qi's Noodle Shop's recipe?"
"...Well, I just know it. Your Qi's Noodle Shop is the real black-hearted one. Apart from rice and flour, all the other seasonings are just cinnabar powder and the like, yet you sell one spicy snack stick for ten coins!"
As he said this, a jealous glint appeared in Chen Shu's eyes, and he shouted with his hands on his hips, "Everyone, don't be fooled by this girl anymore. My spicy snack sticks are exactly the same as hers, but I only sell them for nine coins!"
Qi Huan laughed angrily and said coldly, "Have you ever tasted the spicy snack sticks from Qi's Noodle Shop? Do they really taste the same as what you're selling?
The seasonings we use are from my Qi Family's secret heirloom recipe, not cinnabar powder as you claim. Moreover, long-term consumption of cinnabar powder is harmful to the body, how could we add it to food?"
"Poisonous?!" The crowd panicked.
They had originally thought Chen Shu was just trying to make some extra money, but they didn't expect him to actually want to harm them.
The crowd was furious. They swarmed Chen Shu, overturned his spicy snack stick stall, and took his purse to split the money.
Some people still weren't satisfied and punched and kicked Chen Shu until his nose bled and his face was swollen.
"Indeed, you get what you pay for. If you want spicy snack sticks, you have to go to Qi's Noodle Shop."
"Let's go to Qi's Noodle Shop."
The crowd then rushed towards Qi's Noodle Shop and competed to buy the spicy snack sticks.
Qi's Noodle Shop was surrounded three layers deep, and Lv Yin was gradually becoming overwhelmed. Qi Huan happened to be there, so she went into the shop to help.
One of them took money, and the other handed out spicy snack sticks. They cooperated seamlessly.
Outside the crowd, Chen Shu curled up on the ground, holding his head and feeling both resentful and in pain.
Ding Accountant, who had arrived late, saw this scene and hurriedly helped Chen Shu up, puzzled. "Young Master, what happened? Wasn't your business going well before I left? I just went to get some supplies, how did you end up like this?"
"You still have the nerve to ask me! It's all because of your rotten idea!"
Chen Shu gritted his teeth in pain and complained, "I told you, I mortgaged our family's house to gamble and win the money back!
But you wouldn't listen and insisted we should set up a stall instead, saying that since Qi's Noodle Shop's spicy snack sticks sell well and make money quickly, all we had to do was find out their secret recipe and sell them cheaper to make a lot of money, then we could buy back the wine shop and start over.
...My mother is such a fool, not believing her own son's luck, but actually believing you, this old idiot's nonsense!
Now look what happened, we lost all our capital, didn't make a single copper coin, and I even got beaten up... Wah wah wah I'm going to tell my mother..."
"Young Master, don't cry! I have another good idea, trust me one more time!"
"If I trust you again, I'll be a pig's head. Wah wah wah my money..."
Ding Accountant had no choice but to hold down Chen Shu's flailing arms and whisper his new plan into his ear, boasting, "Young Master, this idea will definitely work, believe me."
Chen Shu's beady eyes darted towards Qi's Noodle Shop, and he agreed, "Your idea is good! Old Ding, you're still fiery as ever. This approach is like pulling the root from under the pot, excellent! After we succeed, you'll be well rewarded."
"Ah, thank you, Young Master!"
Ding Accountant looked at Qi's Noodle Shop with a poisonous glint in his eyes and revealed a sinister smile.
In the whole of Mo County, there were only a few shops that made good money, with too many wolves chasing too little meat. After Qi Huan drove him out of the wine shop, he couldn't find a satisfactory job.
Either they didn't need people, or the pay was too low.
Ding Accountant harbored resentment and ended up working with his former employer again. This time, he was determined to teach Qi Huan, who failed to recognize the true talent, a lesson.
The two men stared at Qi Huan like flies, making her very uncomfortable.
"Lv Yin, there aren't many customers left, I'll go back first."
"Okay, I can handle it here."
After bidding farewell to Lv Yin, as it was still early, Qi Huan put down her chopsticks, called Heizi who was rolling in the snow in the backyard, and left.
The location of the spicy snack stick shop was a bit remote. No matter which direction she turned after leaving, she had to go through a long, narrow alley before reaching the main road.
Qi Huan quickened her pace, but was still caught up.
Sensing the danger, Heizi immediately pounced and let out a howl, biting Ding Accountant's leg.
Seeing that Qi Huan was trying to run away, Ding Accountant quickly reminded Chen Shu, "Young Master, don't mind me, just catch that wretched girl first."
After speaking, noticing that Heizi was about to go after Chen Shu again, Ding Accountant gritted his teeth and held Heizi's body tightly, refusing to let go.
Not far ahead of them, Chen Shu caught up with Qi Huan, who was running and calling for help.
"Mistress Qi, there's no use struggling. Even the enforcers from the gambling houses can't outrun me, let alone a little girl like you..." Chen Shu grabbed her collar and boasted smugly.
Then he took out the handkerchief soaked in sedative that Ding Accountant had given him and forcefully covered Qi Huan's mouth and nose.
