Shen Tingzhou walked over, sat down next to Lin Wanqiu, took her hand, and said softly, "Wanqiu, thank you. If it weren't for you, Mom wouldn't be living like this today, and our family wouldn't be so harmonious."

Lin Wanqiu leaned on his shoulder, a happy smile on her face: "We are family, no need for such formalities. As long as we are of one mind and care for each other, our lives will only get better and better."

Just then, there was a knock at the gate. Sister Li hurried to open it and saw Zhang Lan standing there with a slightly embarrassed smile on her face: "Sister Li, I need to talk to Wanqiu about something. Is she home?"

Lin Wanqiu looked up at Zhang Lan, a little puzzled. Since Old Lady Shen moved in, Zhang Lan had rarely visited their home. Her sudden appearance today was puzzling. She stood up and said, "Sister-in-law Zhang Lan, come in. What's the matter?"

Zhang Lan walked into the courtyard and saw Grandma Shen and Shen Nianxi playing together. Her smile became even more awkward. She walked up to Lin Wanqiu, rubbed her hands together, and said, "Wanqiu, it's like this, my Xiaogang is eighteen years old this year. He graduated from high school and has nothing to do at home. I was thinking that your food workshop is getting bigger and bigger and you need more people. Could you let Xiaogang work at the food workshop?"

Lin Wanqiu understood. Zhang Lan's son, Shen Xiaogang, had been spoiled by Zhang Lan since childhood. He was lazy, good-for-nothing, and idle. After graduating from high school, he had stayed at home and refused to go out to find a job. Zhang Lan's visit this time was definitely to get Shen Xiaogang to work at the food shop in an easy job.

Lin Wanqiu frowned, feeling somewhat conflicted. While the work in the food workshop wasn't particularly strenuous, it still required hardworking and reliable individuals. Someone with Shen Xiaogang's personality would likely not perform well and might even negatively impact the other workers. However, Zhang Lan was, after all, Shen Tingzhou's sister-in-law and Old Madam Shen's daughter-in-law; directly refusing her wouldn't be appropriate.

She pondered for a moment and said, "Sister-in-law Zhang Lan, the food workshop does need to hire people right now, but we have a rule when hiring: no matter who it is, everyone has to start from the bottom. We can't make exceptions. If Xiao Gang really wants to work at the food workshop, then let him go to the planting base first, learn planting techniques from the workers, work there for three months, and if he performs well, then he can be transferred to the workshop. What do you think?"

Zhang Lan's smile froze for a moment. She had originally wanted Shen Xiaogang to find an easy job at the food workshop, but Lin Wanqiu hadn't expected him to work at the planting base. The work at the planting base was hard and tiring, exposed to the wind and sun, and Shen Xiaogang definitely wouldn't want to do it. But she couldn't argue with him, since Lin Wanqiu was right; the food workshop couldn't make exceptions when hiring.

She hesitated for a moment and said, "Wanqiu, isn't the work at the planting base too hard? Xiaogang has never done heavy work before, I'm afraid he won't be able to handle it..."

Lin Wanqiu smiled, her tone firm: "Sister-in-law Zhang Lan, no one is born knowing how to work; everyone learns gradually. Besides, it's good for young people to endure hardship; it helps them toughen up. If Xiaogang can't even handle this much hardship, he won't do a good job even if he comes to work in the food workshop. You should ask Xiaogang what he thinks first. If he's willing to come, we welcome him; if he's not, we won't force him."

Grandma Shen sat to the side, listening to their conversation, a satisfied smile on her face. She knew Lin Wanqiu was right; Shen Xiaogang really needed to temper his character and couldn't continue to be so idle. She said, "Zhang Lan, Wanqiu is right. Let Xiaogang go to the planting base and work hard. It's nothing for a young man to suffer a little. As long as he's hardworking and down-to-earth, he'll definitely have a bright future."

Seeing that Grandma Shen also said so, Zhang Lan had no choice but to nod: "Okay, then I'll go back and ask Xiao Gang what he thinks. If he's willing, I'll have him come to the food shop to see you tomorrow."

Lin Wanqiu nodded: "Okay, I'll wait for your news."

After Zhang Lan left, Shen Tingzhou walked to Lin Wanqiu's side and said with a smile, "Your arrangement is very good. It gives Zhang Lan face and also helps to temper Xiaogang's character. Although the work at the planting base is tough, it really helps people grow."

Lin Wanqiu smiled and said, "That's what I think too. The food shop's success today is the result of everyone's hard work. We can't break the rules because of personal relationships. If Xiaogang can really work hard and be down-to-earth, he will naturally be able to establish himself in the food shop in the future; if he is still the same as before, then forget it."

Grandma Shen looked at the two of them, her heart filled with satisfaction. She knew that Lin Wanqiu was not only capable but also principled, and she felt very reassured entrusting the food workshop to her management. She also hoped that Shen Xiaogang would cherish this opportunity, work hard, and have a bright future.

As the sun set, its afterglow painted the sky a warm orange. In the courtyard, Shen Nianxi was still performing a dance for Grandma Shen, her laughter filling the air. Lin Wanqiu and Shen Tingzhou stood by, watching this heartwarming scene, their hearts filled with happiness.

She knew the road ahead was long and there might be various problems, but as long as the family was united, caring for and supporting each other, there were no insurmountable difficulties. Whether Shen Xiaogang could establish himself in the food shop depended entirely on his own performance. Lin Wanqiu believed that as long as he was willing to work hard, he would definitely reap the rewards.