Ye Jiujiu frowned as she looked at the fierce-looking old woman standing before her. She didn't recognize her at all.
"Who are you?" she asked.
The old woman immediately raised her voice. "So you're the one who sold those outrageously expensive vegetables to my unfortunate daughter-in-law? Give me my money back!"
Ye Jiujiu froze for a moment. Her bright eyes, half-hidden behind her mask, were filled with confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm saying you need to return the money!" The old woman, surnamed Ma, shouted even louder, clearly intending for everyone in the alley to hear. "You dared to sell a single steamed egg for 188 yuan? Turning a five-cent egg into a gold treasure—how can you be so black-hearted? Is it corrupt coal money that gives you such nerve?"
She pointed straight at Ye Jiujiu, her finger nearly touching her face. "You're taking advantage of my daughter-in-law's ignorance and cheating her with sky-high prices. Let me tell you, I'm not someone you can play with. Return the money immediately!"
Ye Jiujiu was speechless. Since opening the restaurant, this was the first time she had encountered someone so unreasonable.
"Madam," she said calmly, "my prices are clearly marked on the menu. Every customer orders only after seeing them. There's no cheating involved."
"Don't try to fool me with that 'clearly marked' nonsense!" Old Madam Ma sneered. "Even the fanciest steamed egg doesn't cost 188 yuan. I know exactly how shops like yours operate—once people step inside, they can't leave until they're ripped off."
"A steamed egg for 188 yuan? That's no different from robbery." A passerby clicked his tongue. "Well, at least the boss didn't just rob them—he still served the food."
The stall owners nearby whispered among themselves.
"I told you pricing it this high would cause trouble sooner or later."
"Who would even eat something so expensive? Where did this rich fool come from?"
Gao Yuan, who had been eating here for several days and knew the quality well, immediately felt displeased.
"The seafood here is huge and extremely fresh. You can't get it anywhere else. What's wrong if it's a bit pricey?"
"Besides," he continued, "this is a private restaurant. It's normal for prices to be higher than ordinary street stalls. The prices are clearly written—eat if you want, don't if you don't. But demanding a refund after finishing your meal? Old lady, are you here to extort money?"
"I'm not extorting anyone!" Old Madam Ma slammed the invoices and receipts she had dug out of her daughter-in-law's bag onto the table. "I have proof. My daughter-in-law ate here and got ripped off!"
A bystander widened his eyes. "Your daughter-in-law ate the food—and you still want a refund?"
"Of course!" Old Madam Ma shouted. "Boss, refund the money now, or I'll report you!"
"Mom, please stop." The young woman who had brought her daughter to eat yesterday rushed over anxiously. She bowed to Ye Jiujiu with an apologetic expression, then tried to pull the old woman away. "Mom, let's go home."
Zhang Xin had been busy when she returned last night and forgot to tidy her bag. Somehow, her mother-in-law found it early this morning. No matter how much Zhang Xin explained, it was useless.
"Go home?" Old Madam Ma slapped her hand away, her voice shrill. "Today, we must get back the money you were swindled out of!"
Zhang Xin said helplessly, "Mom, the boss didn't cheat us. The food really is delicious. An'an's appetite improved after eating here—she even finished a small bowl of porridge this morning."
"It's clearly your gluttony causing trouble, and now you're blaming the child!" Old Madam Ma sneered. "Boss, refund the money right now, or I'll make sure you can't do business today!"
"The seafood here really is delicious. My son loves it." Zhou Jie, who had brought her son to eat again, hadn't expected to run into such chaos the moment she arrived and couldn't stay silent.
The chubby boy immediately ran to Ye Jiujiu and spread his arms wide in front of her. "Pretty sister, your cooking is super delicious! I can eat three big bowls of rice every time!"
Old Madam Ma sneered coldly. "No wonder he's so fat."
Before Zhou Jie could speak, Gao Yuan had already exploded. Hands on his hips, he retorted, "So what if he's fat? Did we eat your rice? If the food's good, what's wrong with eating more!"
The chubby boy copied the exact same pose, hands on his hips. "Yeah! So what if I'm fat? Did I eat your rice?"
Ye Jiujiu, who had been suppressing her anger, couldn't hold back anymore and burst into laughter.
"Grandma," Grandma Yang said as she came over with Yueyue, whom she had brought back for follow-up meals. "We live in the same neighborhood—you should have seen me before. My granddaughter has had a poor appetite since falling ill, but after eating here the other day, she ate much more."
Gao Yuan nodded. "That's right. Don't be unreasonable. The prices are clearly marked. It's expensive, yes—but worth it. Anyone who's eaten here says it tastes great. If you think it's too pricey, just don't come. Don't cause trouble at someone else's shop."
Old Madam Ma refused to listen. She glared at everyone defending Ye Jiujiu. "You're all in on this together—conspiring to cheat an old woman like me!"
"Eat whatever you like," Ye Jiujiu said calmly, her gaze steady as the crowd around them grew larger. "But you can't say whatever you want."
"Customers who've eaten here know the quality of my seafood matches the price. Everything is clearly marked. There is no deception."
"Besides," she added lightly, "the person who ate here is your daughter-in-law. Is it really appropriate for you to come demanding a refund?"
After those words, many people glanced sympathetically at the quiet young woman beside her.
Ye Jiujiu paused, then continued evenly, "If there's no quality issue, food sold cannot be returned or exchanged. Complaining about the price after eating and demanding a refund constitutes extortion. I can call the police."
At once, Old Madam Ma plopped down on the ground and began to wail, slipping into her usual tactic.
"Oh heavens! What sins have I committed in my past life!"
"My granddaughter was born prematurely and is sickly—we spend endless money on medical treatment. My husband and I have coronary heart disease, too. The whole family relies on my son's income!" She cried bitterly as she turned to curse her daughter-in-law. "Our family is already so poor, yet this useless daughter-in-law comes here to eat such expensive food! Is she trying to drive us to our deaths?!"
The crowd's expressions softened at her words.
"So the situation is really that bad…"
"More than two hundred yuan for two dishes—that could be a week's living expenses."
"No wonder she's making such a fuss…"