The shop assistant’s words made Ji Shuyu narrow her eyes slightly.
It was true that she hadn’t been entirely accustomed to island life when she first arrived, but she had been trying her best to adapt. Where exactly was she being “pampered”?
Was this shop assistant mocking her because she looked unfamiliar and was buying inexpensive items?
Moreover, Ji Shuyu was wearing a dress made of what appeared to be high-quality fabric, which led the shop assistant to categorize her as a “pampered young lady.”
But whether she was a delicate city girl or a local island fisher, they all lived here.
Some comments were simply not for a shop assistant to make.
Suppressing her displeasure, Ji Shuyu replied calmly, “Comrade, there’s no harm in having cleaner water. If you don’t have gauze, that’s fine.”
She didn’t want to engage further with the shop assistant. Having achieved her goal of purchasing the filter cloth, she took He Yuan’s hand and prepared to leave.
“Hmph, city girls are always so fussy,” the shop assistant muttered, unwilling to let it go.
Her voice was just loud enough for everyone entering the shop to hear.
She glanced sideways at Ji Shuyu’s clean face and hands, which were noticeably more delicate than those of the local girls, and curled her lip.
“The water on our island has sustained generations of people. Why does it suddenly become ‘too crude’ for you? Filtering water layer by layer—what a waste of money. If you have that kind of extra cash, you might as well buy more soap to wash away that pampered attitude of yours.”
Her words were clearly crossing the line, carrying unmistakable insult.
The shop assistant had never encountered someone as “fussy” as Ji Shuyu.
Just looking at Ji Shuyu’s clothing and pretty face made her feel jealous, and in the heat of the moment, she had blurted out those harsh words. Even she paled slightly after saying them.
Ji Shuyu halted, her brows furrowing.
She could overlook poor service, but personal attacks were where she drew the line.
He Yuan’s expression darkened instantly.
He had initially dismissed the shop assistant’s attitude as mere rudeness, not worth addressing.
But now, she had openly mocked someone under his protection right in front of him.
He tightened his grip on Ji Shuyu’s hand, pulling her half a step behind him. His tall frame completely shielded her from the shop assistant’s hostile gaze.
“Comrade, your role here is to serve the people, not to criticize and sneer at customers.”
“If you can meet a customer’s request, do so. If not, inform them truthfully. What did you mean by your earlier remarks?”
He Yuan’s gaze was as sharp as a blade, fixed on the shop assistant.
The authoritative aura of a military officer inadvertently emanated from him, accentuated by his stern expression. The once-sarcastic shop assistant felt a sudden jolt of fear, her face turning pale.
She had been so focused on venting her dislike for Ji Shuyu and had let her guard down in Director Wang’s absence. Only now did she belatedly notice the rank indicated by He Yuan’s epaulets.
Stammering, she tried to explain, “I—I was just trying to remind her… the water on the island…”
“I will take care of whatever she needs. Your ‘reminders’ are unnecessary,” He Yuan interrupted, his tone icy. “Your duty is to sell goods, not to lecture customers on how to live. Where is Director Wang? Bring him here.”
“Director Wang… he’s stepped out…”
The shop assistant was now thoroughly panicked, her hands fidgeting nervously.
She had grown accustomed to acting arrogantly toward fishermen and their families, relying on her position at the supply and marketing cooperative. But today, she had kicked an iron plate.
It was clear that this military officer was not to be trifled with—and he was fiercely protective of that “pampered” woman.
Standing behind He Yuan, Ji Shuyu looked at his broad, solid back.
“In that case, we’ll wait here until Director Wang returns.”
He Yuan said nothing more and led Ji Shuyu to sit down nearby.
“I’m on good terms with Director Wang, and I’d like to ask him how he managed to train a shop assistant like you, who abuses her position to bully others.”
Once He Yuan dug his heels in, nothing could sway him.
If anyone dared to bully his wife, he would be the first to object.
The shop assistant’s face flushed and paled in turns, her fingers twisting the hem of her clothes as she shifted uneasily on the spot.
The few customers in the store had stopped what they were doing, their eyes darting between He Yuan, Ji Shuyu, and the shop assistant.
An older woman who often came to shop couldn’t help speaking up: “Xiao Zhou, the comrade just wanted to buy a piece of filter cloth. Was it really necessary to say all that?”
The shop assistant, Xiao Zhou, glared fiercely at the woman but didn’t dare retort.
He Yuan sat upright on the wooden bench, his back straight as a ramrod.
“That’s right, I just wanted to buy a piece of filter cloth. Who knew I’d be met with such remarks?” Ji Shuyu sighed, continuing to fan the flames. “Maybe it’s because I’m new here and seem like an easy target.”
This shop assistant had probably been working here for a long time or had some connections.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t act as if she owned the place during work hours.
She thought Ji Shuyu was easy to bully, but Ji Shuyu refused to back down.
She’d make sure the woman knew she’d picked the wrong person to mess with today.
About fifteen minutes later, hurried footsteps sounded at the door. A slightly overweight middle-aged man lifted the door curtain and stepped inside, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead.
“Well, if it isn’t Commander He! What brings you here today?”
The man spotted He Yuan immediately, his face breaking into an enthusiastic smile. It was only as he drew closer that he sensed the tense atmosphere.
“What’s going on here?”
Xiao Zhou seemed to see a lifeline. “Director Wang!” she cried, her voice trembling.
Director Wang finally noticed Xiao Zhou, then took in He Yuan’s frosty expression. His heart sank.
“Commander He, has this foolish girl done something to upset you?”
As he spoke, he shot a stern glare at Xiao Zhou.
“Why aren’t you apologizing to Commander He and this comrade?”
Xiao Zhou’s lips trembled, but she couldn’t form a complete sentence. “S-sorry… I shouldn’t have…”
He Yuan ignored her, his gaze fixed on Director Wang.
“Director Wang, my wife came here to buy filter cloth. Not only was your staff rude, but she also insulted her. I’d like to ask: Is this supply and marketing cooperative a place to serve the people, or a place where certain individuals abuse their positions to bully others?”
Director Wang was sweating even more profusely now. He clasped his hands apologetically. “It’s my fault for failing to supervise her properly! Commander He, please don’t be angry. This girl doesn’t know the rules—I’ll make sure to discipline her properly later!”
Xiao Zhou’s uncle was the cooperative’s largest supplier—many of their goods came through him.
That was how Xiao Zhou had gotten her job here in the first place.
Previously, everyone had turned a blind eye to her behavior, but now she had finally kicked an iron plate.
“That won’t be necessary, Director Wang. We’re old acquaintances, and if you keep her here, this cooperative will eventually have to shut down.”
People would rather go to the island’s black market or ask others to bring goods from outside than come here, all because of the poor service.
Director Wang was tolerable, but Xiao Zhou always looked down on others.
When she encountered family members of high-ranking officers, she was respectful, but when faced with ordinary fishermen, her disdain was obvious.
Everyone had put up with her for far too long.
“You! All of you! Fine, if you don’t want me working here, let’s see who’ll supply your goods!”
Xiao Zhou pointed angrily at the people around her, spitting out the words in a rage.
“Alright, then I’ll supply the goods to Director Wang. As for the price, whatever your family charges, I’ll always undercut it by ten percent.”
Ji Shuyu crossed her arms and delivered this line coldly.
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