Chapter 147: Delicious Fresh’s Great Crisis

After Feng Weizhi left, he did not head straight to the restaurant where the incident had occurred. Instead, he summoned Gou Weidong and Wu De to demand more money from them.

"The problem this time is the same as the last one. As long as we put real, hard cash on the table, those people will retreat the moment they see the money," Feng Weizhi said, scanning the group with a solemn expression.

However, this time, neither Wu De nor the others were as willing to contribute as they had been before. They hemmed and hawed, clearly having lost confidence in Feng Weizhi.

"Do you want your money to go down the drain? Just get through this, and we won't expand anymore; we’ll focus entirely on recouping our capital."

"Even if things really go south, hmph, at worst, I, Feng Weizhi, will take the fall alone. I can just walk away when the time comes. Those customers are chasing me, and I guarantee you won't have a single thing to worry about."

"But if you don't help this time, I’m putting it plainly: we are all in the same boat. We live together, and we die together."

Failing to get the money, Feng Weizhi’s expression shifted, and he began to threaten the group. At the same time, he "instinctively" hit upon the idea of the "runaway strategy" he would later become known for.

This made Wu De’s face turn grim. Among the group, he had invested the most money, second only to Feng Weizhi. Furthermore, Feng Weizhi had yet to repay the 2,500 yuan from the previous incident, and now he was asking for even more. However, faced with Feng Weizhi’s threats, he felt helpless; if they didn't overcome this hurdle, his initial 2,500 yuan would be completely lost. He also felt a growing resentment toward Gou Weidong, as it was Gou’s suggestion last time that had left him in this precarious position.

"I can put up another thousand, but that is my bottom line. I have nothing more beyond that." Wu De said in a low voice, looking at Gou Weidong, dragging him into the mess as well.

As he spoke, everyone turned their eyes toward Gou Weidong, causing him to shiver. Faced with the wolf-like gazes of the group, he finally nodded and gritted his teeth, saying, "I can move half of that money, but no more. Any more than that and it will be discovered."

With his words, Feng Weizhi let out a sigh of relief and patted his shoulder. "Gou Weidong, don't worry. Once we get through this crisis, I’ll pay you back double." He painted a grand picture for Gou Weidong, which also helped the latter breathe a sigh of relief.

Soon, Feng Weizhi took the gathered funds and rushed to the troubled store. By the time he arrived, a massive crowd had gathered at the entrance, shouting, "Refund our money!" and "If you don't pay up, we’re taking your equipment!"

"What is going on? What is all this!?" Feng Weizhi bellowed as he approached with his men.

"Refund our money! Refund it!"

"I want a refund on my membership card!"

The crowd, seeing the man in charge had arrived, began to shout excitedly, their expressions anxious. Feng Weizhi resorted to his old tricks, placing stacks of banknotes on the table at the entrance to calm the masses.

"I don't know where you all heard these rumors, but wasn't I clear enough two days ago? We at Weimeixian Restaurant are not short on cash. Membership cards are a benefit for our loyal customers; it’s up to you whether you want to top up or request a refund."

"But the old rules apply: once you request a refund, you are no longer eligible for membership discounts."

It was the same routine as before. Feng Weizhi combined threats with favors, believing a large portion of the crowd would back down. But this time, it didn't work at all; the majority of the crowd continued to demand their money back. While individual amounts of three or five yuan were small, the sheer number of people meant the funds on the table were depleting rapidly. Feng Weizhi had prepared 5,000 yuan, but more than half vanished quickly, leaving only 2,000.

Still, the crisis at this location was temporarily resolved. As people received their refunds, the atmosphere softened.

"Boss Feng is a man of his word."

"It’s not like we really wanted to cancel our cards, it’s just that money is tight, and we have to save."

"Weimeixian Restaurant is still worth trusting."

The crowd murmured, speaking well of Feng Weizhi, which made him feel slightly better.

"Everyone, rest assured. I, Feng Weizhi, live and work by the principles of integrity and honor."

"Any money topped up on membership cards at our Weimeixian Restaurant will never have any issues."

"Please, help me spread the word, so that some small-minded people don't continue to spread rumors and deceive customers who don't know the truth." Feng Weizhi cupped his hands to the crowd, appearing righteous and heroic. The people who received their refunds naturally played along with cheers, promising to spread his "good name."

But—

"Boss, it's bad! A fight has broken out at the Cotton Mill, you need to get there immediately!"

"Boss, there's trouble at the Match Factory, too; everyone is demanding refunds."

Just then, several subordinates rushed in, panic-stricken, and reported to Feng Weizhi. Feng Weizhi felt his heart sink, a dark cloud gathering in his mind, though he remained composed on the surface.

"What are you panicking about? Just give them their refunds, why make such a fuss?"

"Let's go, let's take a look!"

Feng Weizhi maintained a calm demeanor, but inside, he was filled with agitation. Eventually, he thought of a trick used by Chen Huajiang—the one where he had used a briefcase filled with white paper, topped with a few layers of banknotes, to pretend he had brought a large sum of money. In his desperation, Feng Weizhi didn't hesitate; he decided to do the same.

He soon arrived at the Match Factory location with the case. There were fewer workers here than at the Cotton Mill, and he chose this spot to buy himself some time. As the suitcase full of "money" was placed on the table, the agitated crowd settled down. One by one, they stepped forward to return their cards, and the atmosphere was no longer tense.

Feng Weizhi seized the opportunity to declare that he had plenty of money and that they shouldn't listen to rumors. Those who received their money naturally praised him, but what made Feng Weizhi increasingly anxious and depressed was that the queue remained long.

As the money dwindled, Feng Weizhi grew fearful. He made several excuses, claiming it was almost lunchtime and that they should come back in the afternoon, insisting that the shop was right there and he wouldn't run away. But the crowd didn't believe him; they continued to surround him and his men, demanding refunds.

Finally, the trick was exposed.

"It's white paper! There's white paper underneath!"

"Damn it, it really is white paper. When the wind blew earlier, I saw something white underneath, but I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me."

"Weimeixian Restaurant is out of money! Don't let them escape! No one leaves until we get our money back!"

As the ruse was revealed, the atmosphere turned volatile, and the crowd grew furious. Feng Weizhi panicked, terrified, and filled with despair. He inexplicably thought of Chen Huajiang’s words from earlier that morning at the Red Flag Factory—the analogy of the cup and the lid. He had thought he could cover five steaming cups with one lid, but in reality, he couldn't even cover three.

"Everyone, please, believe me! It’s not that I, Feng Weizhi, am out of money; it’s just that I need time for liquidity."

"Please trust me. Weimeixian Restaurant has over twenty locations; how could we possibly be unable to pay you back?"

Feng Weizhi made a final, desperate effort, but it was useless.

"Refund our money!"

"Give us our money! If you don't pay up today, you’re not going anywhere!"

Feng Weizhi’s voice was quickly drowned out by the shouts of "Refund our money!"