CHAPTER 421: CHAPTER 421: HEART OF STONE

In the end, those who really eat for free are very few, unless they are particularly strapped for cash.

The thing that Sister Hong couldn’t understand the most was that a few beggars were even let in.

They were all small children or elderly people.

The waiter was a bit hesitant, unsure if he should go over or not.

Pei Shu’er happened to come over from the kitchen and saw a few beggars standing helplessly in the hall, while other customers frowned.

"Manager, what’s going on, even beggars are let in?"

Pei Shu’er smiled and said, "As long as they have money, they are also customers of Pei’s Restaurant."

The customer who spoke wanted to leave but thought the food on his plate was too delicious and sat back down.

Forget it, just eat with my head down.

However, the arrangement of these beggars really needs to be well considered. After all, even if they are placed in the hall, they might still be bullied by other customers, adding a lot of management difficulty for no reason.

After thinking for a moment, Pei Shu’er smiled and said, "I have a private room here, let me take you over."

They walked to the private room at the back, and after sitting here, these beggars visibly relaxed.

The rest of the customers were also satisfied, after all, they were eating, and having those beggars in front of them, being dirty and smelly, did somewhat affect their appetite.

Pei Shu’er immediately took the menu from the waiter and said with a smile, "In the future, if there are beggars or refugees, guide them to this private room. This private room will be their exclusive room and will not be open to the public."

These words left both the waiter and the beggars stunned.

How could they, these beggars, be worthy of occupying an entire private room?

Moreover, if it is not open to others, won’t the room remain empty if they don’t come?

Even though the waiter did not understand Pei Shu’er’s actions, he still obediently replied.

"Alright, Manager."

Pei Shu’er asked them what they wanted to eat, and after they ordered, she took the menu and left.

Pei Shu’er again instructed the waiter.

"From now on, treat beggars, refugees, or down-and-out people the same as other customers, without deliberately being friendly or indifferent."

The waiter was a bit conflicted: "What if they have no money and eat a free meal?"

Pei Shu’er said, "Then list them in the store’s blacklist and keep the account until they pay off the debt before they can enter the store again."

Just as Pei Shu’er was about to leave, she suddenly saw a few beggars gather at the door, and when they saw Pei Shu’er, they immediately approached.

"Manager, have some compassion, give us something to eat."

Pei Shu’er looked at them and then said, "Sorry, today is the opening day of our store, if you are here to spend, you are welcome; if you are here to beg, I’m afraid we cannot accommodate you today."

Then she turned to leave.

Just then, Mrs. Liu Zhang limped over.

She pointed at Pei Shu’er and her voice reached from afar.

"Look, a restaurant owner, not even willing to give a bite of food, Manager Pei is really stingy."

She had suffered a lot of grievances in prison, and it was Liu’s people who spent a lot of money to bail her out, otherwise she wouldn’t have been able to come out.

This was the biggest loss she had ever suffered in her life.

How could she bear this, and now that she finally had the chance, she was determined to give Pei Shu’er a hard time.

Pei Shu’er said, "You also said, this restaurant is mine, whether I am willing to give charity is my own business."

Seeing that a circle had already gathered around, Mrs. Liu Zhang was even more ferocious in scolding Pei Shu’er.

"Come and look, this heartless person, these beggars are starving, and she remains unmoved."

The way others looked at Pei Shu’er had changed, and some customers who hadn’t eaten yet also decided not to eat.

They thought this manager had no kindness whatsoever, truly cold-blooded.

Pei Shu’er raised an eyebrow: "I know you’re always generous. Since I’m unwilling to give, why don’t you give them some money and let them buy something to eat?"

Mrs. Liu Zhang hesitated, and Pei Shu’er had a faint look of ridicule on her face.

"What is it, you’re fervent when talking about me, but it turns out, you yourself are just a heartless person?"

Other onlookers questioned Mrs. Liu Zhang: "If you can’t even do it yourself, perhaps you don’t have the right to criticize others?"

Mrs. Liu Zhang was furious: "How could I be such a person."

She immediately took out a few copper coins.

"Take this money and go buy some buns."

The few people took the Copper Coin, looked at their companions, then at Mrs. Liu Zhang, who initially only bowed, now directly knelt down.

"Madam, please have mercy, we haven’t eaten for three days and nights. These few copper coins aren’t enough for us to have a meal, let us have a feast, let us die full."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Liu Zhang did not want to give more.

And then she saw Pei Shu’er leaning against the door with her arms crossed, looking at her as if watching a joke.

She gritted her teeth and took out one tael of silver, her mouth putting on a magnanimous and kindly appearance.

"Poor things, take this, go quickly and buy some buns, eat to your fill."

These people, after getting the silver, still seemed unsatisfied, looking at Mrs. Liu Zhang with something to say.

Pei Shu’er inexplicably saw the meaning of "tossing a coin to a beggar" in their eyes.

A beggar smiled, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth.

"Madam, we still do not have enough to eat, please give us a bit more, in the next life we will repay you by being cows or horses."

Mrs. Liu Zhang gritted her teeth: "I have no more money."

Huang Ya said: "Madam, earlier we saw you still had a lot of money in your purse, Buddha is sent to the west, you’re so wealthy, give us a bit more, that would be doing a good deed."

How could Mrs. Liu Zhang not know that she was being extorted?

If it were usual, she would have turned and left, or even have the servants beat and drive these people away.

But now, with so many people watching and Pei Shu’er standing across from her, she couldn’t do it.

Otherwise, wouldn’t she be slapping herself in the face?

She held back her anger and spoke nicely.

"I need that money to restock."

But those people were unwilling to listen.

They only knew that she was an easy mark.

If they missed such a person, who knew in which year or month they’d meet such a fool again.

Thinking this, the few beggars knelt and kowtowed to her, saying they were begging, but really they were forcing her to give money.

Now Mrs. Liu Zhang was like being on a grill.

If she didn’t give, all her previous efforts would be wasted.

If she did, she might have to give even more.

She gritted her teeth, it’s just a few taels of silver, she could afford it.

She took out five taels of silver and handed it to these people.

"Alright, disperse now."

Those people immediately ran off, and Mrs. Liu Zhang looked at Pei Shu’er smugly.

"See, I’m not like some heartless people."