Chapter 433: A Big Appetite

Chapter 433: Chapter 433: A Big Appetite

"Wan... what are we going to do?"

Ji Xuelan despised Aunt Kang and Ji Liantang and naturally hoped they would meet a bad end. But watching someone about to die right in front of her was still a bit of a shock.

The others also chimed in all at once to persuade her.

"Why don’t you just let it go, Wuan? No matter what, he’s still your grandfather in name..."

"Yeah, yeah, it’s really scary to watch..."

It wasn’t that these people couldn’t tell right from wrong. It was just that under the circumstances, if things escalated and she really angered her grandfather to death, Ji Huan would be the one to suffer in the end.

The village chief, Meng, was also afraid Ji Huan would stubbornly see this through to the end, so he pulled her aside.

"Wuan, I know you’ve suffered a great many wrongs in the past and that there’s no chance of reconciliation with the Ji Family. But... you have to at least keep up appearances.

"You need to understand that cutting yourself off from your clan is a very serious matter. Even though you’re not a man and the clan elders don’t hold as much significance for you, you’re still running a business out in the world, aren’t you?

"If today’s incident really blows up, even if all the workers here side with you, how many people is that? More than half the village doesn’t know the full story. The version they’ll hear is that you were petty and vindictive, and that you angered your elder until he collapsed.

"And what will people from other villages think? Or even in Juyong Town, or Yeyang? Bad news travels fast. Have you ever thought about how much this could affect your business if word got to Yeyang, or if the old Ji family members made a scene there?

"A person cannot stand without filial piety. That one word, ’filial,’ can crush a person, Wuan! How many people will be willing to listen to your explanation then?

"To put it lightly, your shop won’t be able to stay open. To put it seriously, you won’t even be able to make a life for yourself in the Northern Pass.

"Yes! You and the Ji Family did indeed separate, and in the most definitive way possible.

"You can stop interacting with them, and you can ignore some of their unreasonable demands. As long as you don’t handle it too excessively, you’d even have a solid case if it went to court.

"But that doesn’t include a situation like this—talking back to an elder, making an elder sick with anger, or even angering them to death. Even if they might be faking it, both reason and sentiment will still be on their side.

"You’re still young; there are some things you don’t understand yet. Who doesn’t want to live freely and without restraint? But you can’t afford the price!"

These were undeniably earnest and heartfelt words. The village chief, Meng, was truly thinking of Ji Huan’s best interests.

Ji Huan appreciated his concern, but at the same time, she secretly rolled her eyes.

’Seriously... I’m not afraid of being scammed by the young, but getting scammed by the elderly is the worst—especially the kind who can force you into mourning for them.’

Even if she kept a world of distance from Ji Qingshan today, if he died of anger on his own, the blame would still fall on her.

So, even though she knew the Ji family members were mostly putting on an act, she had no choice but to play along.

"Don’t worry, Uncle Chief. I know what I’m doing. I won’t make things difficult for you."

’Whoever creates a problem for me, I’ll just throw it right back and make it their problem.’

Ji Huan walked over to the Ji family members, took a deep breath, and once she was sure her heart was as calm as still water, she plastered on a service-with-a-smile expression.

"Grandfather, can you still hang on? If you can, just hold on a little longer and listen to what I have to say. Don’t you all just want Fourth Uncle to come work for me? Simple!"

Ji Qingshan’s gasps suddenly quieted, and the trembling in his hand decreased significantly.

Aunt Kang, however, was a little dissatisfied with her wording.

"Ji the Fourth will be helping you, not working for you. He’s not like those mud-legged peasants."

And wasn’t this why Ji Huan was growing to like Aunt Kang more and more?

She was even beginning to wonder if Aunt Kang was secretly in love with her but couldn’t bring herself to say it. Otherwise, why would she always undermine Ji Qingshan so effectively, only to turn around and indirectly help her?

Those words were like indiscriminate fire, hitting every single worker present and perfectly laying the groundwork for what Ji Huan was about to say next.

Ji Huan smiled with unprecedented sincerity. "Whatever you say. As long as you’re happy."

Aunt Kang was satisfied and was about to haggle for more. "And also, that..."

Ji Huan cut her off. "It’s Fourth Uncle who needs to make a living, right? Let him come out and talk to me himself. Is he a toddler who hasn’t been weaned, still unable to do anything without his mother?"

The moment she finished speaking, ripples of laughter spread through the crowd.

Aunt Kang was displeased that her son was being mocked and was about to speak up for him when Ji Xiu’e secretly gave her a tug.

"Fourth Brother, we already went over everything at home. Just tell Wuan what’s on your mind."

Ji Liantang frowned. He felt it was beneath his dignity as an adult to come forward and negotiate with a mere niece.

Only after receiving a stern look from Ji Qingshan did he reluctantly deign to speak.

"Let’s talk."

Ji Huan ignored his condescending habit of looking down his nose at people and spoke bluntly.

"May I ask, Fourth Uncle, can you handle a wok or stir-fry? What do you think you can do here?"

Ji Liantang stood proudly with his hands behind his back, chin held high as he scanned the scene. The more he looked, the tighter his brow furrowed—he really didn’t want to associate with these crude people!

Ji Huan feigned surprise. "You can’t do either? Then I might as well just bring back an ancestral tablet to put on display."

She had put it so harshly, and with Ji the Fourth still refusing to speak, Aunt Kang grew anxious.

"Your Fourth Uncle has never done heavy labor in his life. He could, however, help you manage people."

Ji Huan asked earnestly, "If he helps me manage people, then what does that make me?"

"Your Fourth Uncle would definitely manage things better than you! Just let him take over. It’s not like you’ll lose out!"

Ji Huan shook her head and chuckled. This wasn’t about helping her manage people; they wanted to take over her business directly.

"You all certainly think highly of yourselves, but my opinion alone doesn’t count. You have to ask them."

Ji Huan pointed to the workers behind her.

"I’ve promised everyone before that for all who work here, there’s no favoritism based on relationships, no special treatment. Everyone is treated equally. Everyone earns money and gets promoted through hard work. The opportunities are equal for all.

"It’s one thing for Fourth Uncle to just stick his nose in like this, but to demand a management position—the highest management position, at that—right from the start.

"Once this precedent is set, it means that from now on, anyone close to me can be parachuted in above the other workers, do the least amount of work, and take the highest pay.

"I think that’s very unfair to everyone. What do you think?"

"Yeah! How can that be? We all started from sorting and washing vegetables. On what grounds does Ji the Fourth..."

"A guy like him? Can’t carry anything on his shoulders or in his hands. He can’t even win a fight against his own wife. What can he possibly do?"

"Exactly! Not only is he thick-skinned, he’s greedy too!"

"He can’t even hold a writing brush properly and couldn’t pass the exam to become a Scholar, and he wants to manage people?"

Aunt Kang’s earlier words had already thoroughly offended the workers, and Ji the Fourth’s condescending attitude had only fueled their simmering anger.

Besides, Ji Huan was right. This door absolutely could not be opened!

Otherwise, wouldn’t all of the Ji Family’s aunts and cousins, and the team leaders’ aunts and cousins, be able to walk all over them and enjoy special treatment? What meaning would their hard work have then?

No! Absolutely not!

Once their own interests were at stake, even the previously silent workers began to voice their opposition. What little sympathy they had for the old Ji family was now completely gone, replaced by angry glares.

Ji Huan gestured to the incensed crowd around them. "Listen to that. It’s the voice of the people. The will of the masses cannot be defied. My hands are tied."

Aunt Kang rushed out and yelled at the workers, "Why not?! This is none of your business!"

Ji Xiu’e also said, "Wuan, the business is yours. As long as you nod your head, who would dare to disagree?"

Ji Huan gave a half-smile. "But as you can see, the dehydrated vegetable business is over for today. There’s really nothing here that needs help with."

Ji Xiu’e returned a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. "Don’t you also have a shop in Yeyang that sells seasonings? We’ve even found out the address and were planning to go take a look together in a couple of days... I hear business at that shop is good and it makes quite a bit of money every day. Why not let your Fourth Uncle go over and manage the accounts? The ledgers are no small matter. How can you trust an outsider with them instead of your own family?"

Ji Huan’s gaze swept across the Ji family’s faces—outwardly calm but inwardly greedy—and she understood. ’So, they’ve been targeting Ji’s Flavor Industry from the very beginning.’

Needless to say, the mastermind behind this was undoubtedly Ji Xiu’e.

"I don’t just have to answer to the workers here; I also have to answer to my employees in the city. It’s not impossible for Fourth Uncle to manage the accounts for me. To be fair, I’ll give him three math problems. As long as he can solve them within the time limit, he passes."

Ji Huan held up three fingers and waved them in front of Ji Liantang.

"Fourth Uncle is a ’child student,’ after all. This shouldn’t be difficult for you. Do you dare to try?"