Chapter 14: Grilled Squid (1/2)
Early that morning, a video titled "Elderly Woman Refused Refund by Blackhearted Restaurant Owner" quietly spread across the local forums and short-video platforms.
In the footage, an elderly woman sat on the ground at the entrance of Ye Jiujiu's shop, crying loudly and clamoring for a refund. The person filming was a small influencer with some following, and the accompanying captions were deliberately vague and provocative. Before long, the video ignited public anger.
> [188 yuan? I can get a serving of steamed clams and eggs for under 30 yuan in Haicheng. How dare this restaurant charge that much?]
> [A cold salad of seaweed and kelp costs 88 yuan? That's outright robbery! I wouldn't buy it even for five yuan!]
> [Lucheng isn't even near the sea. No matter how expensive seafood is, it shouldn't cost this much. This shop owner is a total scoundrel—I've reported them!]
> [They don't even spare the elderly! The old lady was crying so miserably, yet they still refused to refund her. And they even said they weren't running a charity! Shameless!]
> [Character comes before business. What kind of shop can you run without decent morals? This place is bound to go bankrupt sooner or later!]
Amid the curses, a few rational voices were quickly drowned out.
> Don't exaggerate. They charged you, but they still gave you a complimentary steamed clams and eggs dish.
> The prices are clearly marked. If you choose to eat there, that's on you. You can't eat it, get diarrhea, and then come back demanding a refund. That's borderline extortion.
> Haven't you ever been to a private kitchen? High quality, service, and atmosphere naturally come with higher prices.
The video itself was clumsily edited, omitting key parts of the exchange. Too many viewers who didn't know the full story rushed in with judgment and abuse.
Ye Jiujiu casually scrolled for a while, then turned off her phone. Her expression darkened slightly.
At that moment, her best friend Jiang Jiang sent her a message.
Jiang Jiang:
Jiujiu, are you okay? That old woman in the video looked terrifying.
Although Ye Jiujiu had been wearing a mask, people who knew her well could still recognize her immediately.
Ye Jiujiu:
I'm fine.
Jiang Jiang:
These people are insane. The prices were clearly listed. If they can't afford it, they shouldn't eat there. And eating first before causing trouble—how shameless. I also saw people saying they're going to report you. Be careful.
Ye Jiujiu:
Okay.
"Are you upset?" Grandma Liu asked when she saw Ye Jiujiu staring at her phone. "Don't pay attention to them. Good food being expensive is only natural. It's none of their business."
"It's fine." Ye Jiujiu put her phone away. "That old lady was just being stingy. She took out her anger from her family troubles on me. She has no grounds at all."
Grandma Liu still looked worried. "But my grandson said some people online are threatening to report you. Won't that cause trouble?"
"We'll deal with it if it happens." Ye Jiujiu paused briefly, then smiled lightly. "All my licenses are complete, and the prices are clearly stated. No matter what, I'm in the clear."
Grandma Liu finally relaxed. "That's good."
"Grandma Liu, don't worry." Ye Jiujiu went into the kitchen and brought out a tray of freshly made takoyaki. "I just made these—have a taste."
Grandma Liu picked one up and took a bite. The outer skin was thin and soft, while the filling was generous. The octopus inside was chewy yet tender, perfectly cooked, and the sauce added a faint sweetness.
"Delicious!" she exclaimed. "I always thought octopus looked ugly and wouldn't taste good, but this is really nice."
She ate another one without hesitation. "Are you selling these tonight?"
"If there are customers, then yes." Ye Jiujiu didn't serve many guests each day. Most came through word of mouth from regulars. After today's chaos, she wasn't sure whether anyone would dare come.
"Such good food—of course there will be customers." Grandma Liu hesitated before adding, "Jiujiu, you don't seem to serve many people each day. If you lowered the prices a bit, there'd definitely be long lines every night."
Ye Jiujiu understood her good intentions. However, the seafood supply was limited, and its quality was crucial. It was already impressive that she hadn't raised prices.
"The amount of seafood I get every day is fixed," Ye Jiujiu explained. "If too many people come, there simply won't be enough."
"Can't you stock up more?" Grandma Liu asked earnestly. "If business is good, you could make a fortune."
Ye Jiujiu shook her head. "I don't control the supply. It depends on my mood."
Grandma Liu sighed. "What a capricious supplier. Wouldn't it be better if they supplied more and made more money?"
Ye Jiujiu glanced at the oversized refrigerator in the back and fell silent.
Who could reason with that?
After finishing two takoyaki, Grandma Liu prepared to head home. Ye Jiujiu packed two boxes for her, insisting she take them back for her three grandsons who were spending their summer vacation there.
Just after seeing Grandma Liu off and returning inside, there was a firm knock at the restaurant door.
Ye Jiujiu hurried to open it—only to see several uniformed officers from the business administration bureau standing outside.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Already?
"Hello," she said calmly, after checking their identification and letting them inside.
"Hello," one of the staff members said. "We received a report…"
Ye Jiujiu nodded and immediately presented all the relevant documents. The officers inspected everything carefully—the licenses, the store layout, the sanitation conditions.
They even entered the kitchen. The equipment was neatly arranged, utensils were disinfected, ingredients were classified, sealed in plastic wrap, and refrigerated. The seafood was preserved with ice, fresh and odorless.
After a thorough check, one officer nodded appreciatively.
"Everything here meets regulations. Very well managed."
Naturally.
As a law-abiding citizen, Ye Jiujiu always followed the rules strictly.
The staff member then sat down in the dining area.
"May I see your price list?"
"Of course." Ye Jiujiu poured fresh Longjing tea for them before handing over the menu. "Today's main dish is squid. The prices are listed here."
The officer flipped through the pages and paused.
"Squid—288 yuan per serving?"
"Yes."
"And how large is each portion?"