C14 His Greed Was Not Enough

Gold Tooth had no time to pay attention to the fat man beside him as he said, "Customer, a roast chicken costs two hundred gold coins. You can pay me directly."

The fat man, unsure of what was happening, sensed that something was off in the atmosphere.

He handed over the money, grabbed the roast chicken, and quickly left.

Bai Lang reached out, seized Gold Tooth's ear, and gave it a forceful twist.

Gold Tooth let out a wail, "Ahhhh, Boss, have mercy! I swear I won't do it again. Please, give me a break this time."

Bai Lang had warned him just the night before, yet she hadn't expected her underling to be so insubordinate. Had she not been vigilant, she would have been duped by him yet again today.

She clutched Gold Tooth's ear and dragged him into the yard. "If I catch you lying again, I'll twist your ear off for good!"

Gold Tooth felt an intense pain as if his ear was truly being torn off. Desperate, he pleaded, "I was out of my mind today, Boss. Just give me one more chance. I swear on my life, I won't deceive you ever again."

Bai Lang let out a laugh, her grip remaining firm. "What's your life worth, anyway? You think I'm unaware of how you lot, always chasing petty gains, end up losing out on the bigger picture? You're quite fond of Earth civilization, aren't you? Well then, make your oath on that."

Desperate to escape the agony, Gold Tooth raised his right hand in a swearing gesture, "I hereby vow that if I dare to set prices again, may I never encounter Earth civilization nor access any information about Earth ever again."

Only after hearing his pledge did Bai Lang release him.

Gold Tooth couldn't stop massaging his throbbing ear, "Boss, did you have to be so harsh? The roast chicken restaurant is Yang Zhiming's venture, set up to help Lin Ke'er's family settle their debts. Why are you so supportive of him?"

With a smug flick of her fingers, Bai Lang retorted, "What do you understand? I haven't even started on you. Had I not intervened today, you might have tarnished my reputation."

She then instructed Gold Tooth to bring over a display screen. After a few taps and swipes, the screen displayed a bold message — "Roast chicken for two hundred Mars Coins each."

She handed the display screen to Gold Tooth with clear instructions, "Set up this screen at the entrance of the roast chicken restaurant. It's imperative that every customer who comes to buy roast chicken sees it."

This strategy was foolproof. Once customers saw the content on the display, they could immediately call out any unreasonable prices.

Gold Tooth had sworn his sincerity just moments ago, but faced with the prospect of significant profit, Bai Lang chose to trust her own judgment.

Gold Tooth, realizing the extent of Bai Lang's thoroughness, could only sigh in resignation, his earlier mischievous thoughts completely dispelled.

Reluctant to step outside with the display screen, he remembered the embarrassment of being dragged through the door by his ear—a scene witnessed by many.

Going out now would surely invite ridicule.

Instead, he summoned his underlings to the courtyard and instructed them to take the display screen outside.

One of Gold Tooth's men approached with concern, "Big Brother Gold Tooth, are you okay? Bai Lang really went hard on you; your ear is still red."

Another chimed in, "Big Brother, I warned you against doing such things. Now that Bai Lang is onto us, we're all in for it. Is your ear still hurting?"

Gold Tooth, overwhelmed by his subordinates' incessant chatter, snapped, "I don't need your hindsight wisdom. Just get this display screen out of here. I'm going to rest in my room for a bit, and I'll deal with you all later tonight."

Upon hearing they too would face repercussions, one subordinate replied with a strained grin, "Big Brother, we're just looking out for you. Besides, even though it didn't work out this time, there's bound to be another chance to make a profit soon."

Gold Tooth's gaze landed on the one who had encouraged him to overcharge the previous day, and he swiftly delivered a kick, "Don't think I've forgotten last night's events. You were egging me on to fleece more customers, and now you're spouting this? Are you trying to set me up again?"

Nevertheless, he recognized that despite their lack of smarts, his men were genuinely loyal to him.

After venting his frustration, Gold Tooth ordered his men to go outside and assist Lin Ke'er with collecting payments.

Lin Ke'er's roast chicken restaurant was doing quite well. She welcomed not only a number of customers who had registered the day before but also attracted many who had come by word of mouth.

Despite her concerns about Gold Tooth, Lin Ke'er was too busy to keep a close eye on him. She could only occasionally steal glances at his whereabouts while juggling her tasks.

The disturbance created when Bai Lang took Gold Tooth into the Lin family courtyard was significant, making it nearly impossible for her not to take notice.

Even as she continued her work, Lin Ke'er's mind was abuzz with speculation.

Before she could figure anything out, Gold Tooth's lackey brought out a display screen.

Seeing what was on the screen, Lin Ke'er breathed a sigh of relief. Gold Tooth and his henchmen would no longer be able to interfere with her business.

A customer, having witnessed the earlier commotion, asked in a concerned tone, "Is this really just a roast chicken restaurant? Why are there gangsters here?"

The customers' confusion was understandable. Gold Tooth exuded an unmistakable gangster vibe, and his associates looked menacing, not at all like the sort of people you'd expect to find in a roast chicken restaurant. They seemed more fitting for a lineup on a TV crime show.

Bai Lang, with her enchanting beauty and formidable strength, effortlessly dragged Gold Tooth into the Lin family courtyard. Her actions were so striking that it was easy to overlook her looks.

Upon hearing the customer's inquiry, Lin Ke'er responded with a warm smile, "Dear customer, please don't be alarmed. Those individuals are all staff members of our restaurant. They may look a bit intimidating, but I assure you, they have very kind dispositions. There's no need to worry; we're committed to providing you with the highest quality service."

Lin Ke'er didn't quite believe her own words, but she maintained her composure. Yang Zhiming had advised that showing fear while lying is a surefire way to be disbelieved.

The customer, reassured by Lin Ke'er's confident gaze, relented, "Oh, I see. In that case, could you pack up two roast chickens for me to take home?"

Though still somewhat skeptical, the customer purchased the roast chickens and hastily drove away.

The speed of his departure suggested it wasn't just a regular exit; it was more akin to fleeing from the depths of purgatory.

Lin Ke'er cocked her head in frustration. Did she really need to improve her speaking skills just to run a simple roast chicken business?

It's tough being in business!

Well, she thought, once today's work is done, she'll seek advice from Mr. Yang.

Mr. Yang was incredibly knowledgeable; he understood everything and would surely have a solution to her problem.

Chapter 11 - The Way to Solve Problems