The Wealthy Eldest Sister Rules Supreme

“Enough, I’ll play the villain. I’ll just come straight out and tell you, we do not want to rent the tofu shop to you anymore. As for your things, you’d better pack up and move them out as soon as possible. Anything you can’t or won’t take away, we will convert into silver and pay you back,”

Zhuang Yutian was forthright in saying this to Zhuang Qingning.

“This matter…”

Zhuang Qingning paused, looking up at Zhuang Yutian, “It’s not up to you.”

Observing the surprised expression on Zhuang Yutian’s face, Zhuang Qingning calmly said:

“First of all, this tofu shop is not yours, and secondly, I didn’t rent it from you. So this decision is not up to you, Uncle Yutian. Neither can you drive me out of the tofu shop.”

“Qingning”. Zhuang Yutian had lost his patience by this point, his last trace of a smile disappearing. His expression hardened: “I understand that you and your sister have had a hard life since your parents passed away and why you want to make your own money,”

“But your hardship doesn’t entitle you to take advantage of our family’s property. And you’ve been cunning my mother all along.”

“I am a reasonable person. You’ve made a lot of money from the tofu shop. Now that you’ve made it, keep it. I won’t ask for it back. But from now on, you can’t deceive my mother anymore and use our property to fill up your own pockets.” “There’s no holding back in what I’ve just told you. If you willingly pack your things up and leave this tofu shop, I won’t demand you to return the money you made in the past and I’ll even give you the worth of the goods you leave behind. Our families can still live as peaceful neighbors.”

“But if you refuse to comply, I won’t consider the sentiment of our shared village or pity you for losing your parents. I will demand every single item you owe us!”

Zhuang Yutian is tall, and his voice is deep, so when he talks there’s a power in his voice that shakes the listeners.

Anybody else would have flinched at hearing these words and facing this intimidating presence but Zhuang Qingning remained calm as she looked at him.

“As I’ve said before, this matter is not for you to decide.”

“Aunt Wen is the one who rented me the tofu shop, and it’s hers. The decision to rent or not, should be up to Aunt Wen, and I will only deal with her,” said Zhuang Qingning coolly.

“In all honesty, neither of you have the right to discuss this matter.”

“Exactly,” added Zhuang Yonghe, “This matter should be handled by Aunt Wen herself. Even if it was her biological son involved, it wouldn’t make any difference.”

“You must not think because you’re adults, you can bully children. It is broad daylight and everyone can see your actions, don’t even think about bullying Qingning.”

Zhuang Yonghe was a rather straightforward person who wasn’t good with words, he didn’t know how to respond to Zhuang Yutian and Zhuang Yucheng’s intimidation, but he did remember one thing.

That was, to not let Qingning get bullied.

“If seeking justice for ourselves is considered bullying people, then the word ‘bully’ is too easy to use!”

Zhuang Yucheng could no longer hold back and, ignoring Zhuang Yutian’s prior attempts to stop him, he shouted angrily: “Hatching a plot, using someone else’s hen to lay eggs for you, and yet you still present yourself as innocent?”

“Shameless! I despise you!”

“Clarify what you mean by ‘using someone else’s hen to lay eggs’? Qingning rented the tofu shop from Aunt Wen, and she paid the rent due. This is completely legal. So why does it sound so distasteful when you say it?”

Zhuang Yonghe protested: “You wish to slander Qingning, fat chance!” “Renting the tofu shop and paying the rent?” Zhuang Yucheng scoffed, “Including coaxing the secret recipe for tofu from my mother, earning profit for yourself, and not giving us a single penny. Is this what you call legal?” “If this is considered legal, then there is no such thing as legitimacy in this world!”

“My big brother is soft-hearted and gentle in his words. But I am not like him, I say what needs to be said, and do what needs to be done.”

“Only as a favor to you, Qingning, since you are an orphan that we’re not pursuing the money you made in the past. However, you can’t use the tofu shop anymore from now on. If you refuse, we are not afraid to bring this matter to the county magistrate and discuss how many lashes should befall someone like you who tricks others out of their secret recipes.”

At this moment, Zhuang Qingning had completely understood their misunderstanding.

When she saw Zhuang Yutian and his brother coming furiously, she wondered why they were so opposed to her renting the tofu shop. It would be empty otherwise, and with her living there, there would be someone to take care of Aunt Wen. Now she finally understood, they thought that her thriving tofu business was due to a secret tofu-making recipe she had duped from Aunt Wen.

Although it’s understandable for people to worry about an elderly person home alone being deceived, when their misunderstandings encroach on the lives of others, they are in the wrong.

It’s necessary for everyone to have a good talk about this.

However, before she could even say anything, Zhuang Yonghe started to laugh.

He was laughing out of anger.

“Is there something so funny?” The bewildered Zhuang Yutian and his brother felt somewhat indignant being the butt of the laughter.

“Of course it’s amusing.” Zhuang Yonghe finally managed to stop laughing, saying: “Now I understand. You both think that Qingning tricked Aunt Wen and stole her tofu-making recipe in order to make money, right?”

“Isn’t that true?” Zhuang Yutian could not hide his agitation.

“Naturally, it isn’t.” Zhuang Yonghe said: “The tofu that Qingning makes tastes different from the one made by Aunt Wen. Honestly, Qingning’s tofu tastes even better than Aunt Wen’s.”

“I don’t know if you know this, but Qingning’s tofu tastes even better than the tofu sold by the Changji tofu shop in town. Ever since Qingning started selling her tofu, the Changji tofu shop hasn’t had any customers and had to close down.”

“When you were both still at home, you must have heard Aunt Wen say that she was competing with the Changji shop. So, you should know that the tofu Aunt Wen made was just as good as the tofu sold by the Changji shop..”