Chapter 92: The Boss’s Heart Was Too Black

Because he was stingy and had hired too few staff, they were too busy to cope, so Zhou Haitao went to help receive the guests.

There was no time to drive away Shi Qingqing and her mother again. Seeing that Shi Qingqing was merely sitting there quietly, neither making a fuss nor causing trouble, he chose to ignore them for the moment.

They were only a pair of destitute mother and daughter. He was determined to keep that money for himself.

"Aunt Shi, you should make a scene! Right now is when there are the most people. You two ought to make a fuss now. Otherwise, Zhou the Skinflint will never pay you your wages..." A kind-hearted waitress, passing by Shi Yufen, lowered her voice to offer advice.

Shi Yufen looked troubled. Unlike a common shrew, she simply could not bring herself to do such a thing.

At that moment, Zhou Haitao had already noticed them. "Xiao Zhang, what's going on? There are so many customers, and you still have time to chat? Do you not want to work anymore?"

The waitress hurried off at once.

Shi Qingqing blinked at the kind waitress in thanks.

Just then, the customers in the once-bustling Xiangju House Barbecue Restaurant... all suddenly began to stand up one after another.

"It seems a little late. I'm not eating anymore, I should go home. My wife and children are waiting for me."

"Hello? I'm eating out right now. What? It's coming early? Already taken to the hospital? Fine, fine, I'll be there right away..."

"Overtime? An emergency meeting on short notice? Are you kidding me?"

"I don't know why, but the food today doesn't seem as good as the place down the street. There's no appetite for it. I won't eat. Waiter, bring the bill!"

"Haha, a pretty girl on WeChat is inviting me out to have fun. Anyone interested in coming with me? Let's go, let's all go..."

"The dishes are coming so slowly. What terrible speed. I'm not eating anymore. Let's go somewhere else..."

Whether they were still eating, nearly finished, just having their dishes served, or merely waiting, almost all of them rose at once for one reason or another and headed out.

All the staff were left staring in disbelief.

This was far too coincidental. How eerie!

The smile on Zhou the Skinflint's face was almost stiff enough to kill a fly. He tried to make friendly conversation with the regulars and old customers, trying to keep them there, but no one paid him any mind.

Within just three minutes, Xiangju House Barbecue Restaurant, which had moments ago been bustling and packed with people waiting for seats, was suddenly reduced to desolate emptiness...

With Zhou Haitao's pained expression as backdrop, it really did carry something of a forlorn, tragic air.

As for the diners outside...

"Why is everyone leaving this place? Is the food bad? Forget it, let's go somewhere else."

"Mm, it must be bad, or maybe the owner is too black-hearted..."

"This place used to be one we came to often. Time to change our taste anyway. Let's go to the one across the street. It looks like a new place just opened there..."

In short, no one came in.

Shi Qingqing was equally stunned. The effect of this "lonely gate" prop was truly too good!

Watching Zhou the Skinflint's customers all vanish, leaving him dumbfounded and aching with pain, was genuinely so satisfying!

Shi Yufen was also restless and uneasy. She could not figure out what was happening; in an instant, everyone had simply disappeared.

Under Zhou the Skinflint's barked orders, all the waitstaff went out to greet passersby. In the vast dining hall, only Shi Qingqing and her remained.

"Qingqing, let's go too. This feels a little uncanny, and with Boss Zhou in a bad mood, I'm afraid we won't be able to talk about our wages."

Shi Qingqing secretly delighted herself. "All right. I'm thirsty; I'll go pour myself a glass of water."

Happy New Year.