Super Rich: It all started when I met a young woman in a sleeper car.

The surveillance footage is very clear.

Four people huddled in front of the computer, watching two masked men on the screen carrying buckets of red paint, quickly splashing it onto the wall in front of their shop.

After splashing the water, he threw the bucket aside and ran away.

"Pause," Chen Xun said.

Lin Xinyue clicked the mouse.

The image freezes on the moment the two men turn around. As one of them bends down to pick up something that has fallen to the ground, his mask slips up slightly, revealing half of his face.

And there's the name tag hanging around his neck.

Although blurry, the logo on the sign is still legible.

A picture of an instant noodle bowl, with the words "Instant Noodle Research Institute" in small print below.

"It's confirmed," Li Qian said.

Yang Xiaotao's face flushed red with anger: "They're so shameless! They plagiarized us, spread rumors about us, and now they're even throwing paint on us!"

"Call the police." Chen Xun picked up his phone. "This time they have connections and their work badges, they can't escape."

The police arrived faster than last time.

After reviewing the surveillance footage and taking photos, we also put the paint bucket into the evidence bag.

"This constitutes intentional damage to property, and if the circumstances are serious, it can lead to detention," a young police officer said. "We will summon the relevant personnel from the 'Instant Noodle Research Institute.' We will keep you informed of any progress."

The police left.

Only the four of them remained in the shop, along with that glaring red at the entrance.

The smell of paint was so strong it gave me a headache.

"Are you still open today?" Lin Xinyue asked.

"Open it." Chen Xun walked to the door, looked at the mess, and said, "The more it's like this, the more we should open it. Closing the door will play right into their hands."

"But like this..." Yang Xiaotao looked at the bright red wall, "won't the guests be too scared to come in?"

"Then let them see." Chen Xun turned around. "Xin Yue, go to the electronics market now and buy a few high-definition cameras. Install them inside and outside the store, especially at the entrance and in the alley behind. Let's set up a comprehensive surveillance system with no blind spots, even 24-hour live streaming is fine."

"Okay!" Lin Xinyue immediately grabbed her bag. "I'll go right now."

"Xiao Tao," Chen Xun said again, "compile all the evidence that they've been imitating us since we opened, including menu comparison photos, decoration comparison photos, and that video of the kitchen garbage from before, and make a folder around it."

"Okay!" Yang Xiaotao nodded vigorously and ran behind the cashier to turn on the computer.

"Li Qian," Chen Xun looked at her, "can you still contact your friend who works in social media?"

Li Qian nodded: "Yes. 'Foodie Xiao Wang,' the one who helped us post the video last time."

"Contact him," Chen Xun said. "Give him the CCTV footage of the paint-throwing incident today, as well as the evidence of their use of substandard ingredients. Don't embellish it; just present the facts. Let him come up with the headline himself; the more sensational, the better."

"Understood." Li Qian picked up her phone and went to the side to make a call.

Chen Xun took a bucket and a rag, filled it with water, and began cleaning the paint from the doorway.

The red paint got wet, spread, and flowed all over the ground, looking like blood.

He squatted there, wiping it bit by bit.

People passing by avoided the area, and some even pointed and whispered.

Chen Xun pretended not to see it.

Halfway through wiping, Lin Xinyue returned carrying several camera boxes.

"I bought them, they're all the best, with night vision and they can connect to my phone." She was panting. "Shall I install them now?"

"Pretend." Chen Xun didn't even look up.

Lin Xinyue moved the ladder and began installing it with a clanging sound.

Yang Xiaotao typed away furiously in front of the computer.

Li Qian was speaking quietly on the phone in the corner.

At 10:30, the store doors opened as usual.

When the business sign was hung up, the red paint hadn't been completely wiped off, leaving a large, unsightly mark on the wall.

The first customer was an older woman carrying a shopping basket. She hesitated for a moment as she walked to the door.

"Boss, are you... alright?" the woman asked, pointing to the wall.

"It's nothing," Chen Xun smiled. "I'm dealing with the gifts from my colleagues."

The older woman came in with some skepticism and ordered the cheapest bowl of pickled cabbage noodles.

Around 11 o'clock, several regular customers arrived one after another.

"Boss Chen, I heard you guys got messed up?" a regular customer asked.

"Yeah." Chen Xun didn't hide anything, "It's the dry food place across the street."

"Damn, so arrogant?" the older brother frowned. "Did you call the police?"

"I've reported it," Chen Xun said. "The evidence is conclusive; they can't escape."

"Well done!" the older brother slammed his hand on the table. "That's how it should be! Your noodles are delicious, and the people are honest. Those shady shops will go out of business sooner or later!"

He said it quite loudly, and all the other customers in the store heard it.

At noon, the shop was about half full.

Better than I expected.

Chen Xun was cooking noodles in the kitchen, Lin Xinyue was greeting customers in the front, Yang Xiaotao was handling the cash register, and Li Qian occasionally helped carry plates.

Everything seems to be back on track.

Except for that glaring red patch on the wall.

During lunch break, just as the four of them sat down to eat, Chen Xun's phone rang again.

It was still that unfamiliar number.

Chen Xun glanced at it and pressed speakerphone.

"Feed?"

"Boss Chen." It was still Boss Zhang's voice, but this time the tone wasn't as polite. "Does the paint look good?"

Lin Xinyue slammed her chopsticks on the table.

Yang Xiaotao's eyes widened.

Li Qian looked at Chen Xun's phone.

Chen Xun said calmly, "It's alright, but the color is a bit tacky. Boss Zhang's taste is so-so."

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone.

"Young man, don't be stubborn." Boss Zhang's voice turned cold. "This time it's paint, but I can't guarantee what it will be next time."

"Are you threatening me?" Chen asked.

"I'm teaching you how to do business," said Boss Zhang. "Friendship brings wealth. Sell me your shop, or franchise it, and I guarantee you'll make money steadily from now on. Otherwise..."

"What else?" Chen Xun interrupted him.

"Otherwise, I don't know if your shop and those young girls working there will be able to stay in peace."

Chen Xun secretly pressed the record button on his phone under the table.

"Boss Zhang, I've recorded what you said," Chen Xun said. "Would you like to say it again, and make it clearer?"

There was sudden silence on the other end of the phone.

After several seconds, Boss Zhang finally spoke, his voice tinged with resentment: "Fine, Chen Xun, you've got guts. We'll see."

The phone hangs up.

The shop was quiet.

"What he just said...was it a threat?" Yang Xiaotao whispered.

"Yes," Li Qian nodded, "and it's very clear."

"Did you record it?" Lin Xinyue looked at Chen Xun.

"I recorded it." Chen Xun saved the recording. "This is also evidence."

"What if they really come after us?" Yang Xiaotao was a little scared.

"They wouldn't dare!" Lin Xinyue slammed her hand on the table. "I'll take them all on!"

Chen Xun remained silent.

He knew that the other party was already desperate and resorting to extreme measures.

From business competition to spreading rumors and smears, to throwing paint, and now to direct phone threats.

What's next?

he does not know.

But he knew he couldn't back down.

In the afternoon, business actually started to pick up.

Many people came specifically to support "Foodie Xiao Wang" after watching his new video.

The video title is straightforward: "Shocking! Popular instant noodle shop maliciously vandalized with paint by competitor! The mastermind behind it is actually the 'Instant Noodle Research Institute'?"

The video included surveillance footage, close-ups of work badges, and evidence of previous kitchen waste.

The comments section has exploded.

"This isn't just business competition; it's a criminal offense!"

"Support the boss! This kind of shop should be exposed!"

"I've already called the police, and I'm waiting for the results."

"I'll go check in and show my support today!"

The shop gradually filled up.

Many customers say "Hang in there, boss!" when ordering.

Chen Xun responded with a smile to each one.

The peak passenger flow was reached in the evening.

The newly installed camera, with its little red dot lit up, is working silently.

When they closed up shop, the four of them were exhausted, but looking at the numbers in the cash register, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Today... I actually earned a little more than usual." Lin Xinyue counted the money, somewhat incredulous.

"Many people came specifically to support us," Li Qian said.

"That's human nature." Chen Xun wiped his hands. "If you do business honestly and don't hide when things go wrong, people will trust you more."

After tidying up, I closed the door.

The four people sat in the shop, facing the red stain on the wall that hadn't been completely cleaned off.

"What do we do next?" Lin Xinyue asked.

Chen Xun took out his phone and opened the folder filled with evidence.

"Tomorrow, I will go to the Industry and Commerce Bureau and the Market Supervision Administration and hand over all of these documents, including today's police report and that phone recording."

He looked at the three girls.

"Don't they like to play dirty tricks?"

"Then let's play along with them and do something yang (positive/positive)."

"War has been officially declared."