Chapter 102: If You Won’t Strike, I Will

The four-eyed man’s face turned as white as a sheet. He opened his mouth, trying to defend himself, but not a single word came out.

“So you’re not going to apologize? Fine. If you won’t call the customer service hotline, I’ll do it for you and dial the police instead. I’m sure our Mapleleaf City constables would be very happy to have tea with you.”

Jiang Hao said with a smile, then reached for his phone to place the call.

Thud!

The four-eyed man dropped to his knees right in front of Jiang Hao.

“Brother! I was wrong... Don’t call the police... I’m scared...”

At that moment, his face was full of terror and panic, with none of his earlier arrogance or smugness left at all.

The customers around him looked down on him with open contempt. One young woman could not even help herself and kicked him twice.

“Disgusting!”

“Pervert!”

“Scum!”

“Call the police already and send him to the constabulary cell!”

The surrounding customers chimed in one after another, and not a single person felt sorry for the four-eyed man.

Holding his phone, Jiang Hao smiled at him and said, “Weren’t you full of yourself just now? Weren’t you demanding compensation? And now? What else do you have to say?”

The four-eyed man hurriedly kowtowed several times on the floor, tearfully looking up at Jiang Hao.

“Brother... I was really wrong... I’ll never dare again... I swear it...”

“Apologize first, then we’ll talk,” Jiang Hao said coldly.

Without the slightest hesitation, the four-eyed man kowtowed as he apologized, “I’m sorry, I was wrong, I really know I was wrong... I promise I’ll never come here to cause trouble again... Please, forgive me this once...”

Before he could even finish, Jiang Hao gave him a hard kick.

“Who told you to apologize to me? Am I the one you wronged?”

Jiang Hao lectured him without a hint of politeness.

The four-eyed man quickly knelt properly again, then turned around and began banging his head against the floor in front of Su Qingli.

“Boss lady, I was wrong... Please make your husband forgive me... I really won’t dare again...”

Su Qingli cast him a disgusted glance, then waved him off.

“Get lost. I never want to see you again!”

At once, the four-eyed man scrambled up from the floor and ran outside as if granted a royal pardon.

After he left, the customers in the shop burst into applause for Jiang Hao.

Jiang Hao was just about to say a few modest words when Su Qingli raised her voice and said, “Everyone, please be quiet for a moment... I’m truly sorry for what just happened. I would like to apologize to all of you.”

As she spoke, Su Qingli bowed deeply to everyone present.

Then she straightened and went on, “As a small compensation, everything everyone ordered in our shop just now will be on the house. We will also close for half a day to make some repairs. We’ll reopen as usual tomorrow, so please head home now. And you’re always welcome to come back and visit our little shop in the future.”

No one there voiced any dissatisfaction.

After all, Su Qingli had waived the bill, which meant they did not have to pay for the meal they had just eaten. What more could they possibly say?

And so the customers left quickly, and not another troublemaker remained.

The young waitress who had spoken with Jiang Hao earlier walked up to him and grinned. “So you’re our boss lady’s husband, the owner of the shop! Why didn’t you say so earlier? I thought you were just an ordinary customer.”

Just as Jiang Hao was about to answer, Su Qingli coughed once and interrupted. She spoke first to the two waitresses.

“Xiaoyue, Xiaoli, you two go back and rest for now. Consider this afternoon a holiday for you.”

“Thank you, boss lady!”

The two part-time college girls cheered, took off their outer uniforms, gathered their things, and left the shop together.

Su Qingli also gave the two women in the kitchen the afternoon off, and before long they had gone too.

By then, the vast health food restaurant was left with only Su Qingli and Jiang Hao.

Su Qingli pulled up a stool and sat down casually before looking up at Jiang Hao.

“Thanks just now. If not for your help, I really would have had to compensate that despicable man.”

The compensation itself would have been a small matter. Even with tenfold damages, it would only have been one hundred coins.

But the real problem was this: once money was paid, it would be tantamount to admitting fault on the restaurant’s side. From then on, everyone in Mapleleaf City would know that the food at Qingli Health Food Restaurant was dirty, and that you might even bite into a cockroach.

If that happened, the restaurant’s reputation would be ruined for good, and it would never be able to keep doing business.

Jiang Hao had exposed the four-eyed man’s scheme and restored the restaurant’s innocence, removing all future trouble.

Not only that, he might even have improved the shop’s reputation and attracted more customers.

Jiang Hao also pulled over a stool and sat down, smiling.

“You’re being too formal. Helping you was only right.”

“Only right? What makes it right? Do you have some reason that obligates you to help me?”

Su Qingli asked in return.

Jiang Hao was immediately at a loss for words.

Then Su Qingli continued, “You came here today to file for divorce, didn’t you? Good timing—I’m free right now. Let’s go handle the divorce paperwork today, and from now on, there will be nothing between us.”

As she spoke, Su Qingli untied the apron around her waist, looking ready to go out with Jiang Hao and complete the divorce formalities.

Jiang Hao quickly said, “I’m not here to divorce you. I didn’t even bring the divorce papers.”

“Then why did you come here?”

Su Qingli frowned as she asked.

The expression on Jiang Hao’s face was truly awkward. Forcing a smile, he said, “Didn’t I already say it? I came to support your business. Your shop only opened yesterday, so I came to see whether anything was out of place.”

Su Qingli gave him a look, then stood up, tied her apron back on, and went into the kitchen.

Jiang Hao followed her in, but the moment he stepped inside, a wave of stifling heat hit him full in the face.

Still, he gritted his teeth and endured the oppressive warmth, remaining in the kitchen all the same.

By then, Su Qingli was already busy at work. She washed dishes, sorted vegetables, and simply did not speak to Jiang Hao.

After holding back for what felt like forever, Jiang Hao could bear it no longer.

Hesitantly, he said, “Qingli, there’s something I need to explain to you.”

“What is it?”

Su Qingli looked up at him.

Jiang Hao went on, “It’s about Bai Tianyu, the eldest young lady of the Bai family, and Gao Xiaoqin, the general manager of Green Peak Bank.”

“Bai Tianyu is staying at my place only because she ran away from home and had no money on her. She was too broke to stay in a hotel, so she simply ate and slept at my house. I only let her stay there. I never lived together with her.”

“Besides, she’s the eldest young lady of the Bai family. How could she possibly take a liking to me?”