CHAPTER 575: CHAPTER 557: XIAO GU GETS INJURED

"Comrades, have you investigated thoroughly? You’re just going to close our store like this? We’re privately owned, earning our own money through labor, not stealing or robbing, and we’re paying taxes to you. Why do you care how much money we earn? You want to shut down our store without any reason, and you even hit our employees. I haven’t heard of such a thing. Since you’re doing this, can I also report other people’s businesses? The workshops in our city, and the stores nearby, have hired quite a few people too." Liang Hongmei’s words surprised the enforcement officers, causing an uproar among those present. Initially, they were interested in watching the closure of the hotpot restaurant, as it didn’t concern them directly, although they envied its good business. But upon hearing Liang Hongmei talk about closing the nearby restaurants too, the crowd became unsettled. If it didn’t affect them, they could ignore it, but when it concerns themselves, they can’t ignore it.

"We run a private business ourselves, with relatives coming to help. How is that considered exploitation?" Someone in the crowd expressed dissatisfaction.

Liang Hongmei smiled lightly, "Yes, we have eight people in our family. Three in the lobby, they are employed, the two upstairs are hired. The dishwashers in the kitchen are hired, while the kitchen is a crucial area, so my two good sisters voluntarily come to help. The young man at the front desk is my godson. Counting it up, our store only employs six people. How can you say we employ eight people? Oh, wait, it’s more than eight? "

"Godmother, they enforce the law and even hit people, that’s too outrageous." Xiao Gu deliberately called out to Liang Hongmei at the right moment.

"Indeed, does it mean relatives coming to help is also not allowed anymore? You’re being too much. How are we supposed to do business in the future?"

People started discussing aloud, all pointing fingers at the few people from the Industrial and Commercial Bureau, causing them to sweat, especially being surrounded by so many people, they didn’t know what to do for a moment, and the employees inside sighed in relief.

The people from the Industrial and Commercial Bureau were somewhat helpless. They had only received notice to close the store, not expecting to deal with someone like this, who could stir the crowd and direct hostility toward them with a few words. Some comrades from outside came in, whispered a few words to those present, gave them a glance, and then left.

Liang Hongmei frowned, suddenly understanding the situation and wanting to see what they would do.

"Are you the owner of this store? Since the higher-ups want to close your store, there’s definitely a reason for it. Do you not know that stirring the crowd is illegal? You need to come with us now." One of them stepped forward, his voice booming, and as his words fell, the crowd’s chatter also subsided.

Everyone looked at the scene before them, unable to believe that just saying a few words would result in being taken away. Nowadays, people are most afraid of this. Some timid ones, seeing things going awry, afraid it would drag them down too, scattered away. When they saw someone leaving, others also quickly dispersed, not caring about losing face.

Xiao Gu saw this and quickly blocked in front of Liang Hongmei, "I’m the owner here. My godmother said she gave this store to me."

Liang Hongmei frowned and said, "You all are from the Industrial and Commercial Bureau, not the police station, you don’t have the right to arrest people, right?"

When the people in the store heard they were about to be arrested, they quickly stood up, "What you’re doing is illegal."

"Seeing that you don’t understand, we can’t overstep our authority either. We’ll let this go this time, please don’t obstruct our official duties. It seems this store is really going to be closed today."

"What you’re doing is unreasonable."

"Do you have the paperwork for sealing our store? Let me see it." Liang Hongmei understood that sometimes money doesn’t solve everything. Having lived in Huai Town before, she had experienced such things.

Listening to what the staff said, it sounded like someone was envious of her family and intentionally wanted to cause trouble for them.

It was only then that the people from the Industrial and Commercial Bureau handed over their documents. Liang Hongmei took a quick glance at the official seal, then handed it over, turning to Xiao Gu and said, "Pack up, let them seal the store, we’ll have a break for a few days."

Seeing Liang Hongmei’s somber expression, Xiao Gu stopped being disruptive, nodded, yet dared not to move away, fearing these people might act unreasonably, quickly signaling Aunt Gui and others to pack things. After all, they had prepared a lot of ingredients today, if not taken care of, in the hot weather, it might rot in the store.

Here, Aunt Gui and a few others were about to head to the kitchen. But the Industrial and Commercial Bureau people said, "The store is sealed, nothing inside can be touched, we hope you’ll cooperate."

Liang Hongmei looked over amusingly, "Do you really take us as law-ignorant? We don’t owe money, why can’t we move the things inside? It’s not frozen assets. Are you really from the Industrial and Commercial Bureau? Are you sure you’re not swindlers?" Liang Hongmei didn’t learn accounting this year for nothing.

The man’s face turned red in anger at Liang Hongmei’s words, furiously saying, "When I say they can’t be moved, they can’t be moved. Don’t bother with nonsense."

Xiao Gu also got angry, "I ** don’t care who sent you, I just tell you, we’re indeed going to move the store’s things today, what can you do about it?"

He pushed the man blocking him and was about to head towards the counter.

Swearing in front of so many people, after steadying himself, the man furiously stepped forward to grab Xiao Gu. Xiao Gu had just been slapped by him, was not going to let him get close, he turned aside to dodge. As Liang Hongmei saw they were about to attack Xiao Gu, she hurried forward to help, grabbing the arm of that staff member, "What are you doing? Talk nicely, why resort to violence?"

The man being grabbed thought Liang Hongmei was going to hit him, he immediately swung his arm hard, and Liang Hongmei was flung away.

That swing used quite some force, causing Liang Hongmei to be thrown like an object, without any preparation, her whole body crashed onto a table beside her. After the collision, she let out a painful "ouch", unable to get up for a while due to the pain.

"Godmother" Xiao Gu seeing this got anxious, stepped forward and punched the man, "You damn well treat citizens and the elderly like this?"

"What do you want, closing the store is one thing, why are you hitting people?" Aunt Liu, the fattest person in their store, saw these people being unreasonable and stepped up wanting to reason.

The other workers seeing this, assumed they wanted to start a fight.

They hastily blocked a few gestures. There were mostly women in the store, no way they could match men’s strength, immediately a few were thrown to the ground.

As the only man in the store, Xiao Gu picked up a wine bottle from the front desk and, with a crash, started confronting a few people.

Liang Hongmei lying on the ground looked at Xiao Gu’s impulsive appearance, worriedly supporting herself on the table to stand up, "Xiao Gu stop it quickly"

Xiao Gu, being called by Liang Hongmei, paused and obediently stopped, planning to go over to Liang Hongmei.

The staff next to him, fearing he might act out again, rushed forward from behind to hold him, other staff quickly stepped forward to snatch the wine bottle.

Xiao Gu saw this and wasn’t going to let them, during the struggle, someone accidentally stabbed the wine bottle directly into Xiao Gu’s stomach.

"Ah! Xiao Gu"

"Xiao Gu"

The people in the store panicked, ignoring their own pains, quickly stepping up to support the fallen Xiao Gu

"Hurry, hurry, hurry, get the cart, go to the hospital" Looking at the wine bottle in Xiao Gu’s stomach, blood gushing out, Liang Hongmei panicked

The few comrades from the Industrial and Commercial Bureau present were stunned, scared out of their wits, they hadn’t expected this to happen. They were only given instructions from above to seal the store, never thinking a trivial matter would lead to someone being injured, seemingly seriously too, this was going to blow up. Not to mention they had justice on their side, sealing the store wasn’t freezing assets, how could they prevent moving things in the store?

Aunt Gui, with tears streaming down her face, pointed at a few people, cursing, "Are you sealing the store or killing people, do you have a grudge against us, coming for revenge?"

"Comrade, please don’t get excited, our comrade only accidentally did this." Said one staff member, yet others disagreed.

"Comrade, please don’t get excited, our comrade only accidentally did this."

"Bullshit, when someone’s like this, and you say it’s accidental, who are you fooling?"

"It wasn’t me at fault, I didn’t touch him"

"I didn’t either"