Free Web NovelChapter 251: Chapter 251: "Are You Trying to Set Me Up?
When Hu Jin arrived with his men, he had intended to make quick work of the mess, pull out the contract to intimidate a mere girl like Ming Lingyi, and then "reclaim" the restaurant. That was why he’d brought so many people to put on a show of force.
But who would have thought that every single man he brought was now cowering in fear of the rather young-looking man standing behind Ming Lingyi.
’What a bunch of useless fools!’
Hu Jin couldn’t help but curse inwardly. If he had such a formidable guard, would he be getting led around by the nose by a slip of a girl like Ming Lingyi?
"Talk... let’s talk..." Hu Jin viciously rubbed the sweat from his palms, the fake smile on his face about to crumble.
Ming Lingyi motioned for the waiter who had just spoken to bring her a stool. If they were going to have a proper chat, standing would be far too tiring.
As for Li Yun, he stood properly behind her with his hands clasped behind his back. When Ming Lingyi glanced back, she almost believed he really was the guard she had hired.
"You claim this restaurant was rented to you long ago, but do you have a rental contract? When was it signed? Who was the guarantor? What was the rent? To whom was it paid? And was it filed with the government?"
As soon as Ming Lingyi pulled her gaze from Li Yun and back to Hu Jin, she fired off a volley of questions.
The questions were quick and urgent, yet clearly structured, striking right at the heart of the matter.
Hu Jin was already terrified by Li Yun’s earlier display, and now under this interrogation, his eyes began to shift nervously. He stammered, "Th-that... Of course, we have one. Didn’t I already show it to you?"
He had briefly flashed the contract in front of Manager Qian.
Just then, Manager Qian finally arrived from Huaided Fang, panting for breath.
Manager Qian couldn’t ride a horse; they were too tall and he was afraid. So, he had ridden a small donkey instead.
The moment he stepped through the door, the sharp-eyed Hu Jin spotted him.
"Manager Qian, isn’t that right? I already showed you the contract for your review," Hu Jin said, sounding as if he’d found his courage.
Manager Qian hadn’t even caught his breath before being called out, and he was still a bit fuzzy on the situation.
However, what Hu Jin had said was true, so he couldn’t deny it. He had no choice but to nod at Ming Lingyi.
As he turned his head, Manager Qian’s eye couldn’t help but twitch.
It was perfectly normal for others not to recognize the reigning Emperor. But back in the day, Manager Qian had been the Store Manager of a shop from the Empress’s dowry. The Emperor was never one for formalities with the Empress, and Manager Qian had been fortunate enough to see him at year’s end, along with other shopkeepers, when he accompanied Her Majesty out of the palace. So how could he possibly fail to recognize the man who had picked up his current boss earlier?
It was just that seeing Li Yun standing behind their boss like a guard was such a sudden shock. He needed a moment to process it.
Ming Lingyi also believed that Hu Jin truly had a contract in his hands, but...
"Then take it out and let me have a look, too," she said.
For a moment, Hu Jin’s movements became hesitant. But under Ming Lingyi’s stare, he couldn’t find the words to refuse.
In the brief moment he hesitated, Ming Lingyi spoke again. "That contract wouldn’t be a forgery, would it? Our Manager Qian might not know whose name is on this restaurant’s deed, but I know very well. Let me see it. Who knows, maybe the one being scammed isn’t me, but you, Boss Hu. Right?"
Ming Lingyi said, looking into Hu Jin’s eyes, which had begun to show unease.
’According to the information Feng Shuyu gave me, hardly anyone in all of Shangjing City knows this restaurant changed its true boss years ago. If a new contract were to be signed, it certainly wouldn’t be with Feng Shuyu.’
’Now, this is getting interesting.’
’Any businessman who can make it big, any businessman with a shred of reputation in Shangjing City—is there any one of them who is truly that naive?’
’If you were renting a restaurant this large right off Vermilion Bird Street, wouldn’t you meticulously verify the contract in the other party’s hands?’
’The name on the deed was changed long ago. The original contract must have a "VOID" stamp from the Jingzhao Mansion.’
’In that case, Hu Jin’s actions today are rather curious.’
As these thoughts raced through her mind, Ming Lingyi stared at Hu Jin without blinking, her gaze a silent demand.
Hu Jin’s back was already becoming soaked with cold sweat.
Under Ming Lingyi’s gaze, he finally took out the contract he had previously shown to Manager Qian.
Ming Lingyi took it and began to examine it carefully.
"So, this restaurant is the Hu family’s property," Ming Lingyi said.
The "Hu family" she was referring to now was not Hu Jin’s "Hu."
Back when Hu Jin had tried to use Qiu Tao to cozy up to the Hu Family, he had thought himself lucky to have such a fine surname.
Who knew? Maybe eight hundred years ago, he and Hu Tuchao really did share the same ancestor!
Hu Jin nodded eagerly. "I have a bit of a relationship with Boss Hu. After all, go back far enough, and we share an ancestor."
Hu Jin knew Ming Lingyi wasn’t a local of Shangjing City, so he started spouting nonsense, certain that since she had only just recently established herself in the Capital City, she wouldn’t be able to tell if he was lying.
Ming Lingyi almost laughed.
"That’s why Boss Hu rented the restaurant to me," Hu Jin said.
Ming Lingyi: "Looking at the date here, you signed this contract a month ago?"
The date on the contract forged by Hu Tuchao and Hu Jin was set for shortly after Hu Tuchao’s previous restaurant had gone out of business.
Hu Jin nodded. "That’s right! Boss Hu set this aside for us long ago."
As he said this, he shot a glance at Ming Lingyi, as if to say, ’You have no connection with Hu Tuchao, so how could this restaurant possibly have fallen into your hands?’
But Ming Lingyi wasn’t thinking along those lines at all. A faint smile played on her lips, but her voice was chilling.
"So, our restaurant has been under renovation for a long time. You saw it, but you never came in to tell us? You just had to wait until we finished, on the very day before our grand opening, to show up?" Ming Lingyi asked.
Hu Jin opened his mouth, but for a moment, he couldn’t think of what to say.
Of course, he couldn’t admit to that.
But it was true that he had timed his arrival at the Ming Family Restaurant perfectly.
His goal wasn’t just to snatch the restaurant from Ming Lingyi’s hands, but also to steal all the blood, sweat, and tears she had poured into it during this time.
After all, this woman had managed to make the little Ming’s Restaurant so wildly successful that it was famous throughout the Capital City. Now that she had a bigger stage, who knew what other secrets to success she had up her sleeve?
He just hadn’t expected Ming Lingyi to completely ignore the script he had envisioned. Every word she spoke was outside his expectations.
Seeing that Hu Jin couldn’t answer her question immediately, Ming Lingyi wasn’t patient enough to wait for him to formulate a reply. Instead, she pressed on, "Don’t tell me this was also intentional, Boss Hu?"
Hu Jin felt his palms grow even sweatier.
Ming Lingyi gave him no chance to breathe, pressing him at every step. "This building was indeed formerly the property of the Hu family. However... considering how desperately you seem to want to work for that *other* Hu family, Boss Hu, you must be well aware of their domestic situation. The current Family Head of that Hu family has an ex-wife: Boss Feng. This very restaurant was transferred to Boss Feng’s name when they divorced.
The land and property deeds are all complete, and the name change has been filed and recorded with the government.
Surely you knew that, didn’t you, Boss Hu? Therefore, this contract you’re holding is by no means a legitimate rental contract.
If you didn’t see the restaurant’s deed before signing the lease, does that mean you were colluding with Hu Tuchao to set a trap, hoping to see me take a fall?"
This time, Ming Lingyi didn’t mince her words.
She didn’t have time to be playing house with Hu Jin.
