32: Chapter 32 What era is this where fighting and killing still exists?

Zhao Jian still had 280,000 in hand.

Even though the Chengnan Wholesale Market's location wasn't as good as his Vegetable Market, the asking price wouldn't be lower than 400,000.

Back then, Li Guohua was at his wit's end and had no choice but to sell it cheaply.

But the owner of the Chengnan Wholesale Market likely wouldn't easily hand over a goose that laid golden eggs.

The method of making a rival scram through an acquisition wouldn't work.

After waking up, Zhao Jian hurriedly shoveled down a few bites of food and rushed to the Vegetable Market.

Intelligence showed that someone would come to cause trouble again today.

By the time he arrived, the troublemakers were already causing a scene.

There were five people dressed in mourning clothes, with a stretcher on the ground covered by a white cloth.

There was likely a person lying on it as well.

Aunt Liu was arguing with them based on reason.

No one listened; the five people had a clear division of labor, with one responsible for shouting loudly.

The other four were crying.

Quite professional.

Zhao Jian knew these tactics were dirty, but he also knew they were effective.

If this wasn't resolved, the foot traffic at the Chengxi Vegetable Market would decrease significantly.

People came to buy vegetables, not to encounter bad omens.

Especially since the one shouting was saying that eating the vegetables from here had killed someone.

Who wouldn't be afraid?

Zhao Jian pondered for a moment and only walked over after coming up with a plan.

Seeing Zhao Jian, Aunt Liu felt as though she had found her pillar of support.

She explained, "These five people brought a dead body here early this morning, claiming that our vegetables killed someone and demanding fifty thousand yuan in compensation."

He could afford fifty thousand.

But he wouldn't pay them a single cent.

Once he compromised, it would be confirmed as a fact that the food at the Chengxi Vegetable Market had caused a death.

Those who could discern the truth were always in the minority, while blindly believing public opinion was the mainstream.

"Are you the one in charge? Speak up, how are you going to compensate us!" The dark-faced old man responsible for shouting spotted Zhao Jian.

He rushed over aggressively in a few steps, making a move to grab Zhao Jian's collar.

He was blocked by Zhao Jian's hand.

"First, tell me what happened. Who are you, and what is your relationship to the deceased? Is there an autopsy report or a medical certificate? How can you prove that the death was caused by eating vegetables from our market?"

The string of questions made the dark-faced old man's head spin.

He was uneducated; how could he understand such things?

"Don't give me all that convoluted talk. Just say whether you'll compensate us or not, and how!"

"What should be compensated will certainly be compensated; what shouldn't be, naturally won't be."

Zhao Jian knew that as soon as he said he wouldn't pay, they would start throwing a tantrum.

By then, even if the police cleared things up, they would still lose some customers.

He simply didn't give a definitive answer.

The dark-faced old man vaguely felt there was a chance.

He hurriedly said, "Of course you should pay! You killed my brother; you must pay!"

Your brother?

Zhao Jian gently lifted the white cloth, and indeed, a corpse was lying there.

It wasn't a living person pretending.

"Let me see the death certificate. May I ask how to address you?"

Looking at their features, there was a significant difference between the person lying there and the dark-faced old man.

"I am Huang Yuemin. Show him the documents, and after he sees them, pay up quickly."

"Not a cent less than fifty thousand!"

The only woman among the four who were crying took several certificates out of her bag.

She pulled one out and threw it over.

Zhao Jian took the opportunity to look at her face.

Not a single tear; she was just wailing.

He picked up the death certificate from the ground.

"Deceased name: Qiu Zhendong."

"Your surname is Huang and his is Qiu; you aren't a family member of the deceased."

Zhao Jian didn't return the certificate.

Panic flashed in Huang Yuemin's eyes. He said with forced bravado:

"Who cares what my surname is? I'm his sworn brother! Your vegetables killed someone, are you trying to dodge the debt?"

"We only talk to family members. Since the family hasn't even shown up, who knows if you stole the corpse for intentional extortion!"

Zhao Jian's aura was imposing.

Huang Yuemin wanted to step forward and get physical.

In his view, wouldn't a young kid fresh out of school immediately behave after being beaten and intimidated?

But he underestimated Zhao Jian's courage.

With a single shoulder throw, Huang Yuemin was lying on the ground, groaning.

Ignoring the troublemakers, Zhao Jian whispered to Aunt Liu:

"Ask if anyone in our market knows Qiu Zhendong. Find his family members."

At this moment, Huang Yuemin was still wailing on the ground.

He now knew he couldn't beat Zhao Jian in a fight.

He changed his strategy.

He would use people's sympathy to smear them and ruin the Vegetable Market's business.

"Their vegetables kill people and they won't pay, and they even hit people! Is there no justice!"

Huang Yuemin's cries attracted many people to stop and watch.

Although they avoided the corpse, most people stood far away.

Yet their voices could be heard clearly:

"How can this Vegetable Market be like this? They don't pay after an incident and even hit people. I won't dare come here again."

"Ever since they changed owners, nothing but trouble has happened. What do young people know about business? They just want to make a quick buck."

"Oh no, the vegetables I ate this morning were bought here. Ouch, I think my stomach hurts."

"I buy vegetables here every day, why am I fine?"

"You're a shill."

Hearing their discussions, Zhao Jian did not argue back.

He said loudly:

"Everyone, if there really is a problem with our Vegetable Market, we will provide the family with adequate compensation based on evidence. But I will never tolerate outsiders taking advantage of the situation to seize the legal rights of the deceased's family!"

"These people stole a corpse, which is a serious offense of desecrating a corpse and theft. Coming to the market for extortion constitutes the crime of obstructing normal business operations, picking quarrels and provoking trouble, and blackmail. Everyone, please be my witness. When the deceased's family arrives, we will confront them face-to-face!"

Huang Yuemin stopped wailing.

He stood up and gave Zhao Jian a hateful glare.

"Your Chengxi Vegetable Market treats human life like grass and refuses to compensate. I'm going to sue you! Let's go!"

Want to leave?

Zhao Jian blocked them.

At first, he thought they were the deceased's family, or at least accompanied by family members.

He had indeed intended to gradually communicate with the family and use reason and law to force them to help clear the market's name.

But judging by their current behavior, they probably really had stolen a corpse!

"Scram! Why are you blocking us? Afraid we'll report you to the officials? If you're afraid, then pay up!"

Huang Yuemin was panicking inside, but his mouth remained stubborn.

Zhao Jian wasn't the only one who saw through his guilty conscience.

As soon as it was mentioned that the family should come for a confrontation, they immediately wanted to leave with the corpse.

Why the hurry if there's nothing to hide!

Nearby customers gathered around and blocked the way.

"I think the Young man is right. If there's a problem, let the family speak. What do you outsiders think you're doing?"

"It couldn't really be a stolen corpse, could it?"

"This is truly wicked. To toss someone around like this after they've died, and even prevent us from buying vegetables."

"I won't be able to eat today."

Huang Yuemin was truly panicking this time.

He shouted, "Get out of my way! If you don't move, I won't be polite!"

Zhao Jian smiled.

Not be polite? What era is this for all this fighting and killing?

Just then, a shrill cry rang out from behind the wall of people: "Dad!"

A woman rushed over, scrambling on all fours.

She lifted the white cloth.

Then she cried even more miserably.

Then over a dozen more people squeezed through, both men and women.

Each of them wore black armbands.

After crying for a while, the woman looked up with bloodshot eyes.

She stared at Huang Yuemin and said, "It's you! When my dad was sent to be cremated, you told us to wait outside the Crematorium. It was you!"

She was so angry she fainted.

The woman fainted. Her relatives became even more furious.

Without listening to Huang Yuemin's explanation, they all rushed forward.

The crowd gathered and pushed Zhao Jian to the outside, so he couldn't see what was happening.

He could only hear one scream after another.