Displaying great majesty and power

  Among the onlookers, there were quite a few elderly men who sighed with emotion: "As the saying goes, 'of all virtues, filial piety is the first'. This old man has no reason to make trouble. His daughter-in-law, this tofu-like beauty, lets him behave so shamelessly and unscrupulously, without even seeing him once, it's really too heartless."

  "People's hearts are no longer ancient, and the world's customs decline day by day."

  The gossip of the people around finally made Xing'er concede, her tone no longer strong as before, softened: "Stop making a scene, if you have something to say, go inside and talk, don't make a fuss at the door."

  Old Song immediately wiped away the tears in his eyes, got up from the ground, dusted himself off, and walked happily in front of Xing'er into the store.

  ……

  Mr. Song walked into the store, wandering around, occasionally taking a pastry from the shelf and putting it in his mouth for a taste, then putting it back on the shelf, arranging the untouched side facing outwards to make it look like no one had bitten into it.

  Then, he inquired everywhere about whether the guests had a pleasant meal and whether they needed to order anything else, intimately as if he were the owner of this store.

  Xing'er and several waiters stood in front of the cashier's desk, panting as they watched Old Song bother each table one by one before walking to the cashier's desk, entering inside, and walking to an old accountant.

  "How's business at the store? It's going well, you won't be treated unfairly."

  "Can't be careless with accounting, every single account must be recorded in detail and clearly. Do you know how to use an abacus? Let me try a few times."

  The old accountant looked helpless and reluctantly tapped a few numbers on the abacus. Old Song said, "Let me take a look at the account book."

  The old accountant hesitated and looked at Xing Er, Song Lao Tou's face sank: "What are you looking at her for? She's just a shop assistant. This is my daughter-in-law's store. What I say goes, does she dare not listen? Is this hesitation because of a guilty conscience? Are you trying to cheat me? Believe it or not, I'll fire you right now!"

  Xing Er reluctantly said to the accountant, "Give it to him."

  Mr. Song took the account book from the accountant's hand, glared at him fiercely, then lowered his head to examine it again, shaking his head and sighing: "Alas, such a big store, only tens of taels of silver in daily revenue, how can this go on? My wife's cooking skills are famous throughout Luoyang, the food is so delicious, but the price is set so low, what profit is there? Even if we raise the price fivefold, many people will still come to buy. Those poor devils' businesses don't matter..."

  He said, walking to the side of the accountant, pushing his shoulder, "Get out of the way, can't you see I'm standing? No distinction between old and young! Do you know respect for elders and care for the young?"

  The accountant stood up, and Old Man Song sat down in the cashier's seat, opened the drawer of the counter, took out a ten-tael silver ingot from the drawer, put it into his own pocket, and pretended to be nonchalant. He stood up and said, "I don't know what to say about your business. You're covered in greasy copper coins, not even worth looking at. Just reject them directly. Poor devils should go buy mantou or baozi. They lower the standard of our store by a notch... Ah, I've been here for so long, how come no one has served me tea yet? In the future, I'll be your boss, and you don't even know this basic etiquette? How did my daughter-in-law teach you? Let her come out and see me!"

  Xing Er was just a little girl after all, how could she deal with such an unreasonable old man? She quietly told a female servant beside her: "Quickly go find Zhen Gege!"

  After taking the silver, Song did not see Zhang come out to meet him. He was immediately annoyed and raised his eyes to see the door leading to the kitchen in the store with a sign that said "No entry for idle people". He turned around and walked towards it.

  Apricot wanted to stop him, but he was pushed open by one hand. Unexpectedly, the old man had great strength and kicked open the kitchen door with one foot.

  "This isn't here?! How dare you lie to me and say it's not?!"

  Zhang's wife, who had never dared to leave the kitchen, saw Old Man Song come in and was so frightened that her face turned white in an instant. She involuntarily half hid behind Huan'er, grasping Huan'er's arm tightly with both hands.

  Anyone can see how scared Zhang is of the old man in front of her, Huan'er patted her hands gently and whispered: "Sister Zhang, don't be afraid, I won't let him bully you!"

  Mr. Song was delighted to see Mrs. Zhang at first, but then he saw her shrinking back and a flash of anger in his eyes, "What's wrong? Can't even greet your own father-in-law?"

  Zhang's whole body shook, and he trembled with his voice shouting: "Grandfather."

  "It seems like everything I said to you that day was in vain. Are you asking me to go over there or are you coming yourself?"

  Xing'er blocked his way, shouting loudly: "Zhang sister, don't mind him, Zhen brother will be here soon, he won't dare to do anything to you!"

  "Zhen Gege? Hmph, so you're relying on your mistress now. I knew why you dared to disobey me! You just wait!"

  Old Song looked around, his eyes fell on a broom made of rattan at the door, he walked over with difficulty, broke off a rattan strip from the broom, and swung it in the air several times, making a whooshing sound.

  "My son has not taken a day off for you, so for one day, you are my daughter-in-law. My words are your command! If you don't listen to me, I can beat you to death and it would be justified by heaven and earth. Even if we go to court, the officials will rule in my favor, no one will dare say otherwise! You'd better come over!"

  Zhang had been frightened pale, but still hid behind Huan'er and refused to go over.

  "You think you can bully me because I'm old and can't move around? Let me tell you, back when I was under the command of Emperor Wen, conquering east and west, I specifically punished those soldiers who deserted in battle. Although I'm old now, my whip-wielding skills haven't gotten rusty at all, and you're not someone who hasn't tasted my severity!"

  Old Song grasped the rattan stick and was about to walk towards Mrs. Zhang.

  Xing'er, who was standing beside him, suddenly became anxious and blocked his way, shouting: "You've already sold Zhang sister, she's no longer a member of the Song family! You just want silver, don't you? Take the silver and leave quickly!"

  "Leave? From today on, I am the master of this house. If anyone leaves, it's you! She stepped into my Song family's door and even if she dies, she'll be a ghost of my Song family. You little servant girl, are you going to get out of the way or not? If not, I'll beat you up along with her!"

  Old Song pushed aside the apricot tree in front of him with one hand, his strength was so great that he didn't look like a man in his sixties at all. He walked straight to Zhang's side, pulled open the door ring, raised the rattan stick and beckoned to Zhang.

  The whip cracked on Zhang's body, producing a loud cracking sound, and his clothes were torn apart.

  Old Song scolded while smoking: "You really think you're a high and mighty lady now, after just a few good days you've forgotten who you are, and don't even put me, your father-in-law, in your eyes, huh? Let me tell you, without my son bringing you back to Luoyang, you'd still be a lowly woman selling tofu in the countryside, nothing at all!"