Time Travel: The Queen's Coronation

The deceased's wife is unwilling to reconcile with us, or even to contact us, which has caused us great difficulties. If this continues, Rong Zixuan will really face imprisonment. Furthermore, the deceased's wife continues to broadcast live online and issue statements, constantly fueling the online violence against everyone associated with Fu Sheng Liu Ji.

The controversy gradually affected branches in mainland China, where they were constantly bombarded with anonymous wreaths and saw a daily decrease in foot traffic. Some influencers even live-streamed the store entrances, reporting on the number of customers and constantly suggesting Fu Sheng Liu Ji would close. Because of the large number of influencers gathered outside, the restaurant gradually lost all customers, leaving Fu Sheng Liu Ji facing a huge challenge.

When a wall falls, everyone pushes it; when a drum breaks, everyone beats it. Following the poisoning incident at Fu Sheng Liu Ji, netizens have been posting stories claiming to have found hair and plastic in their food. After verifying the situation, Fu Sheng Liu Ji officials responded that the incident had been properly handled and an apology had been issued to the customer, who accepted the apology. Staff were also subsequently trained. However, many netizens were unconvinced, insisting that Fu Sheng Liu Ji was simply terrible, that the food was unpalatable and expensive, and that it was all a marketing scam. Such a rotten place should be closed!

Some netizens even claimed to have worked at Fu Sheng Liu Ji during both summer and winter vacations, claiming the restaurant used zombie meat and a soup base laden with additives, seemingly technologically advanced, not the advertised chicken or bone broth. Furthermore, kitchen hygiene was woefully unsettling, with cockroaches and rats frequently spotted. The stale smell of rotten meat was masked with chili peppers and other condiments.

The rumors grew increasingly outrageous, and despite official statements to refute them, netizens refused to believe them. Seeing that self-proofing was ineffective, they simply issued a lawyer's letter stating that Fu Sheng Liu Ji's operations were legal and compliant, and that netizens' fabricated accusations without evidence were illegal and subject to legal liability, and that they would be held accountable in the future.

I thought this lawyer's letter would stop the online slander and defamation, but it was met with widespread ridicule. Furthermore, with Fu Sheng Liu Ji facing difficulties, other competitors have been attacking and mocking it, hoping to gain prominence by stepping on its heels. The effect has been remarkable: the official accounts of other competitors have seen a surge in followers, and foot traffic to their restaurants has noticeably increased. Netizens have been constantly checking in and posting photos at other competitors' restaurants, comparing them to Fu Sheng Liu Ji's empty restaurant to mock Fu Sheng Liu Ji.

In her latest livestream, the deceased's wife explicitly stated her intention to file a lawsuit against Fu Sheng Liu Ji and refused to settle out of court. It seems she's determined to get Rong Zixuan behind bars. Her decision has garnered widespread online support, and several major Hong Kong restaurant chains have expressed their willingness to assist them, offering to help if they lack the funds for a lawyer.

Yami Group, the third-ranked catering company in Hegang, followed through on its promise and hired Qian Yong, one of the most renowned lawyers in Hegang, to represent the deceased's wife. Yunlan Group, the second-ranked catering company in Hegang, donated one million yuan to the deceased's wife. The actions of Yami Group and Yunlan Group were widely praised, driving their performance to soar. Not wanting to be outdone, Xinglong Group, the top-ranked catering company in Hegang, also donated one million and two hundred thousand yuan to the deceased's wife. Other small businesses followed suit, donating various amounts to the deceased's wife, earning them a wave of online acclaim.

I check my personal social media accounts and see thousands of private messages insulting me daily. I click through them one by one, and a less squeamish person would probably faint on the spot. The language is so vicious, insults are directed at my entire family, even down to my ancestors.

"Don't look at it, delete it!" Xu Jing snatched my phone and said.

"It's okay, I can bear it!" I smiled helplessly.

"Are you really not going to hold these people accountable? Are you allowing them to insult you like this?" Xu Jing was confused.

"Of course we will investigate. I've already had people tracking down and collecting evidence against those who spread the rumors. They're just small fry, and now is not the time to deal with them. The most important thing right now is to figure out how to get Rong Zixuan out of prison. He's such a proud man, and now he's locked up in prison. I'm afraid if it goes on any longer, his spirit will collapse."

"Can't bail?"

"I had a chance to be released on bail, but because of the huge public outcry, I was denied bail."

"So what are your plans? Yami hired Qian Yong for the deceased's wife. He's an experienced senior lawyer. I'm not even sure I can win a lawsuit with him!"

"Let's take it one step at a time! This morning, Li Zhanwen and I went to look for the deceased's wife, but we didn't expect that she had already moved. From a cramped one-bedroom apartment to a bright three-bedroom apartment. It seems that she made a lot of money from live streaming!" I sneered.

"There are over 100,000 people in the livestream room. If each person gives 100 yuan, that's 10 million yuan. And some people give more than 100 yuan. That's a huge profit! Those companies are also donating money. It's not uncommon for them to buy big houses!"

"But I didn't expect that my colleagues would be so active this time. They all want us to disappear from this industry! I had dinner with them last month to discuss the prospects of the industry, but I didn't expect these bastards to stab me in the back so quickly! I thought that even though we are in the same industry, we can help each other and achieve a win-win situation. I didn't expect that they are so determined to kill us!" I was very angry.

"Just a bunch of rabble! Let's go out for a walk!" Xu Jing pulled me out of the office.

At the elevator entrance, we met Xiao Yuan and his wife who were also waiting for the elevator.

"You guys want to go out too?" Xiao Yuan said with a smile.

"Well, go out and get some fresh air!" Xu Jing replied.

"So where are you two going, husband and wife?" I asked with a smile.

"We want to visit my dad. He's been in the hospital recently due to illness," said Zhao Xinyu.

After the elevator stopped, I followed Xiao Yuan into the room. Suddenly, I smelled a familiar scent, but I couldn't place where I'd smelled it before. In the cramped, airless space of the elevator, the smell felt even more familiar. A thought flashed through my mind, and I leaned in close to Xiao Yuan to sniff.

Xu Jing quickly pulled me away and whispered, "Are you okay?"

"I just want to smell his perfume!" Then she moved closer to Xiao Yuan and smelled it. Xiao Yuan stepped back awkwardly.

"My wife is next to me, Wei Qing!" Xiao Yuan stuttered.

"I'm not interested in you! I just want to smell the perfume on you! This smell is very familiar!" I continued to get closer to Xiao Yuan, and Xiao Yuan kept leaning towards Zhao Xinyu.

"Are you interested in this taste?" Zhao Xinyu was confused.

"Where did you buy this perfume?" I asked anxiously.

"I bought it when I was traveling in France! Do you like it too? I recommend it to you." Zhao Xinyu said as she sent me the picture.

"Is it expensive?" I asked, looking at the picture.

"I'm not sure. I never look at the price when I buy things." Zhao Xinyu replied with a smile.

I looked up the price online and was shocked, “No, it’s so expensive!”

Zhao Xinyu came over to take a look, then asked curiously, "Can't you afford it at this price?"

"Do you think a decorator who works two or three jobs would buy this kind of perfume?" I asked doubtfully.

"That shouldn't be the case! This perfume is more expensive than their annual salary. People who work three jobs should only consider food and clothing. This kind of perfume is just good-looking but useless to them!" Zhao Xinyu said with a smile.

"Have you thought of something?" Xu Jing noticed that something was wrong with me.

"Xinyu, I'm sorry! I offended you just now, but I have no feelings towards Xiao Yuan!" I apologized to Zhao Xinyu after getting out of the elevator.

"I know you look down on old men like Xiao Yuan!" Zhao Xinyu walked away with a laugh, and Xiao Yuan followed with a helpless look on his face.

"What did you think of?" Xu Jing continued to ask.

"Li Zhanwen smelled strongly of perfume that day, but he never wears perfume. I asked him where he had been, and he said he had only been to the deceased's home. Things were just beginning to ferment at that time, and the deceased's wife probably wasn't that rich yet. How could her house smell of such expensive perfume? And it was men's perfume!"

"So someone had been in contact with the deceased's wife from the beginning! The deceased's wife refused to reconcile because someone was behind it! Therefore, we need to know who bought this perfume!" Xu Jing suddenly realized.

"Yes! This perfume is very expensive, so not many people should buy it! It should be easy to check!" I finally found a flaw, and my tense nerves were able to relax for a moment.