Everyone outside had assumed Father Zhuang had merely left something behind and would come out once he retrieved it.
But when they looked through the doorway, they saw the old man grappling with someone, so they all went back inside.
Zhuang Chaoying hurried forward to separate them, repeatedly asking what had happened.
Father Zhuang panted heavily, insisting that the waiter had picked up his wallet.
The waiter felt thoroughly wronged too. He said he had never seen it, while also telling the owner how Father Zhuang had claimed to have forgotten his wallet when it was time to pay.
Father Zhuang hastily explained, declaring with absolute certainty that he had actually brought his wallet.
At this, Zhuang Chaoying's expression turned very ugly.
When the bill came, anyone with eyes could tell Father Zhuang simply did not want to pay and that his missing wallet was only an excuse. Only Zhuang Chaoying had genuinely believed his father had forgotten his money.
And now...
The waiter asked Father Zhuang why he had said he had not brought his wallet if he had had it with him all along.
Father Zhuang stammered awkwardly for a moment, even instinctively trying to avoid Zhuang Chaoying's gaze.
Had there only been a few yuan in the wallet, he probably would have swallowed the loss to save face.
But since he was treating everyone today, he had brought ten Great Unity notes, along with some grain and meat coupons, to look good when he paid.
If he lost that money, he probably would not sleep well for months.
After all, it was enough to support a large city household for a month, or more than two months' wages for an ordinary worker.
For a township worker like Xiang Dong, it was more than half a year's income.