One morning, Shoban sent a young boy to Ramaraju's shop to buy milk.
The boy purchased the milk and left.
A little later, Shoban arrived with several villagers.
"Ramaraju! What kind of milk are you selling?" he shouted.
Ramaraju looked confused.
"What happened, Shoban?"
"This milk is not pure! You must have mixed something into it!"
Ramaraju was shocked.
"That is impossible. I buy milk from a trusted supplier every morning. I sell the same milk to every customer."
Munnivaran joined the argument.
"Are you calling Shoban a liar?"
"No," Ramaraju replied calmly. "I am asking you to show me what is wrong with the milk."
But nobody wanted to listen.
Some villagers began whispering.
"If the milk is bad, perhaps his other products are bad too."
Within minutes, the small argument became the biggest topic in the village.
By evening, the story had changed several times. Some claimed the milk was mixed with water, while others insisted that Ramaraju was deliberately cheating his customers.
Nobody had tested the milk. Nobody had verified the accusation.
Yet the villagers had already delivered their verdict.
Ramaraju felt deeply hurt, but he remained patient.
"My business is built on honesty," he told his wife that evening. "I will not abandon my principles because of a few false accusations."
His wife encouraged him to stay strong.
"People who know us will understand the truth."
Ramaraju nodded, hoping she was right.