From the perspective of an ordinary bystander, Zhang Yun felt the pharmacy was not at fault.
Even if an item was broken accidentally, compensation was still required.
However, since it involved a neighbor and an acquaintance, the situation was different.
He needed to figure out what was going on.
As soon as Zhang Yun squeezed to the front, he saw Sister-in-law Xiuqin carrying a bamboo basket on her back.
She was on the verge of tears, so nervous that she was at a complete loss for what to do.
Fortunately, she wasn’t alone; Auntie Pang was right beside her.
It seemed they had returned from gathering herbs and brought some dried medicinal herbs to the pharmacy to sell.
Auntie Pang was currently shouting.
“We already apologized to you, what more do you want?
We broke an item, so compensating you with a hundred yuan should be enough!
You ask for three hundred thousand right off the bat—why don’t you just go rob someone?
This is outright robbery!”
Three hundred thousand?
Zhang Yun was startled as well.
This was completely unreasonable; it was deliberate extortion!
The passersby at the door were whispering among themselves, but no one was willing to get involved.
At this moment, Zhang Yun had to step forward.
“Boss!
This is a pharmacy, not an antique shop.
What kind of broken item costs three hundred thousand?
Even if you want to bully someone, you can’t be this outrageous!”
Zhang Yun’s words immediately drew agreement from Auntie Pang.
“Exactly!
This is just bullying us country women.
Eh?
Zhang Yun!”
Hearing his name, Xiuqin, who had her head bowed, also looked over.
A glimmer of hope appeared in her eyes.
“Zhang Yun!
You’re here at the perfect time.
You’re educated, talk to them!
They’re bullying us like this—can we get a lawyer?” Although Auntie Pang didn’t understand the law, she had seen it on television.
Zhang Yun had already stepped forward.
“We’re all from the same village.
We accidentally broke your item, and we aren’t denying it.
But you can’t just demand an exorbitant price, can you?”
“That’s true, the young woman didn’t deny it either.”
“Three hundred thousand is too much of an exaggeration.”
The onlookers chimed in, feeling that Zhang Yun’s words made sense.
The store manager was a man in his fifties.
He said helplessly, “We aren’t bullying anyone.
If she broke one of my teapots or water bottles, I wouldn’t ask for a single cent in compensation.
Look closely!” He stepped closer and pointed.
“This is a Feng Shui array our boss hired an expert to set up, enshrining the Medicine Buddha.
The entire setup cost three hundred thousand.
It’s not something that can be fixed just by me going out and buying a new statue.”
Zhang Yun took a look.
It was just a statue on a shrine that had shattered, with some stones and other items arranged around it.
Xiuqin must have forgotten she was carrying a bamboo basket when dodging a child, and bumped into the shrine. This story is hosted at g.com.
This made things a bit troublesome.
The value couldn’t simply be compensated based on the Medicine Buddha statue as a piece of porcelain.
Feng Shui arrays were highly esoteric, let alone the experts who set them up—none of these had a standard market price.
“Destroying the Feng Shui array might affect our business.
The boss will definitely fly into a rage.
Even if money is paid in compensation, it can’t be restored.
You can’t just hire an expert whenever you want; it depends on fate.
I still don’t know what to do right now.”
In traditional terms, he was a manager or a Shopkeeper.
In modern terms, he was the store manager, but this didn’t mean he was the true boss of Liu’s Restaurant.
“This isn’t a small amount.
We can only call the police.
When the time comes, we will provide the receipts to the police and then seek compensation from this young lady.”
“Call…
call the police?” Xiuqin instantly panicked, tears welling up in her eyes.
The three hundred thousand had already scared her out of her wits.
If they called the police and she was locked up…
Auntie Pang also panicked, but she could only continue shouting.
“Don’t try to scare us!
Even if you all collude together, it won’t work.
We have laws!
Zhang Yun, let’s call the police too!”
Zhang Yun furrowed his brows.
“Boss, this will cause a bad impression, and you won’t be able to do business.
Let’s go inside to negotiate.
Invite your boss over, and we can talk face to face.”
The Shopkeeper didn’t want more and more people gathering either.
“Alright, come to the back!
I’ve already reported this matter to the boss, and our boss is rushing over now.”
“Zhang Yun, you can’t be soft!
Let’s go!” Auntie Pang pulled Xiuqin, and then gave Zhang Yun a tug as well.
Zhang Yun shook his head.
“It’s useless.
If we try to force our way out, a fight will break out.
It’s better to negotiate!”
“What’s there to negotiate with them?
They’re all a bunch of ruthless, profiteering merchants.
Every time we sell herbs, they press the price down so low!” Auntie Pang continued her complaints.
Xiuqin fought back her tears and held back from crying.
The look she gave Zhang Yun was filled with intense guilt!
She felt like she was a jinx.
She had caused trouble again, and now Zhang Yun was being dragged into it.
“Let’s go!” Seeing the Shopkeeper waiting, Zhang Yun urged them to go inside together.
He whispered, “If we get recognized by more people, word will spread until every village knows about it.”
Auntie Pang was about to keep shouting, but upon hearing this, she didn’t want to become the center of gossip for the entire town either.
The storefront of Liu’s Restaurant was on West Gate Street.
The back door led out to a courtyard with several buildings, where the living quarters and warehouses were located.
“You guys try to figure something out.” The Shopkeeper shook his head.
Not wanting to be pestered, he guarded the back door and arranged for someone to guard the main exit at the back of the courtyard.
Xiuqin also looked over.
Zhang Yun was now their only hope.
“Don’t panic.
You two rest for a bit, I’ll think of a way.” Zhang Yun took the bamboo basket off Xiuqin’s back and pulled over some stools in the courtyard for them to sit on.
While doing all this, Zhang Yun’s mind was racing!
Three hundred thousand was the figure the Shopkeeper knew.
It might be exaggerated, but for the pharmacy boss, having his wealth-attracting Feng Shui array destroyed would definitely send him into a furious rage, and he would only demand even more compensation!
Going to the police or fighting a lawsuit was something Xiuqin couldn’t afford to endure, nor did she have any chance of turning the tables.
According to the most common practice in small towns, there was only one path—using connections!
Auntie Pang wasn’t well-connected, and Xiuqin’s House didn’t have any important figures they could reach out to.
Zhang Yun could only look into his own network now.
Among his relatives, friends, and classmates, there was hardly anyone who could help.
Right now, he could only think of one person—Zhang Lifeng!
As a senior veteran practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine and the vice president of the county hospital, Zhang Lifeng’s reputation carried enough weight.
Even if he couldn’t completely resolve the matter, he could at least minimize the fallout.
Otherwise, even if the compensation was strictly three hundred thousand, Zhang Yun wouldn’t be able to pay it for Xiuqin.
Their only option would be to sell their house.
Zhang Yun immediately made a voice call to Zhang Lifeng.
“Heh!
Aren’t you supposed to be so awesome?
Making over a hundred thousand a day?
Figured it out now?
Too late!
Miss Ouyang has already left!”
As soon as he answered, Zhang Lifeng unleashed a barrage of scolding.
To think he had been so enthusiastic, yet this kid didn’t appreciate his kindness at all, and even asked him for an appearance fee?
It was simply unbelievable!
“I’m not looking for Ouyang Mingruo.
I’m looking for you, Dean Zhang.” Zhang Yun asked with a warm smile, “I have a small matter I need your help with…”
“Why should I help you?
I was looking out for your own good, asking you to make a trip over, and you talked about money with me!
Now you want me to help you?” Zhang Lifeng grumbled, directly refusing!
Zhang Yun replied, “After you left yesterday, Ouyang Kunpeng and I made another agreement.
We’ll be meeting again in a few days.
Do you still want me to put in a good word for you?”
“…” Zhang Lifeng’s anger immediately vanished.
“What kind of help?”
“Do you know the boss of the Liu’s Restaurant pharmacy in our town?” Zhang Yun asked hastily.
“What do you mean ‘your town’?
It’s He Xiong!
Liu’s Restaurant has stores in the county seat and many other towns…” Zhang Lifeng suddenly grew vigilant.
“Why are you asking this?
Don’t tell me you dug up another ginseng!
Zhang Yun, I’m telling you, you promised to show it to me first!”
Zhang Yun decided to see if he could fish out the true price.
“I will!
Of course I’ll show it to you.
I was just looking at Six Records’ Feng Shui array and the Medicine Buddha, which they say was set up by an expert.
I wanted to ask if you know anything about it…”