Chapter 52: I'm willing to try

The workers tidied up the tables, chairs, and benches, and then started wiping and washing them.

This is a rule for restaurants: cleaning must be done before and after opening to ensure cleanliness and hygiene.

Someone took a broom and swept the doorway, then placed Xue Xiujun's special dining table and chairs at the door.

Someone brought out the free meals that had just been prepared that morning from the kitchen, such as broad beans, shrimp chips, and peanuts, and placed them one by one in the center of each table.

The twenty-odd men had clear divisions of labor, worked in an orderly manner, and cooperated perfectly.

In no time at all, all the preparations for welcoming guests were completed.

"Wow, that's amazing!" Hua Rong exclaimed in amazement.

Looking towards the entrance, she noticed a long queue had formed. When she arrived, there were only a few people waiting, but now there were over a hundred.

A woman deftly set out chopstick holders on each table and called out, "Boss lady, it's time to open for business!"

"Okay," Yu Wan replied, then remembered something, "Xiao Li, how is your father's health? Can he get out of bed now?"

Xiao Li smiled and said, "He's much better. After taking medicine for three months, he can now get out of bed and walk a few steps every day. But he's been paralyzed for six years, so he's not used to it yet."

Yu Wan instructed, "Have your mother massage his legs every day, and most importantly, make sure he keeps getting out of bed and exercising."

"I understand, I'll tell them. Thank you, boss lady, for hiring me as your assistant and letting me earn money to help support my family. You also asked Dr. Rong to treat my father. I will definitely work hard to repay you!" The girl's eyes reddened as she spoke.

Yu Wan never expected that her casual remark would make someone cry.

She patted Xiao Li on the shoulder, "Oh dear, anyone who didn't know better would think I, as the boss's wife, was bullying you. I've wanted to ask you about it for a while, but I always got distracted by other things. I was thinking that if there's no improvement, I'll ask Elder Rong to revise the prescription again. Your father has a blood clot in his brain, which caused his hemiplegia, but his condition isn't that serious yet. This illness requires consistent exercise, and your whole family should try to persuade him."

Xiao Li wiped away her tears and choked out, "Okay, I understand."

Yu Wan had intended to take advantage of this moment to inquire about her family's situation from the other employees, but she didn't dare to ask.

The guys were very considerate, and they all took the initiative to share the good news from their families.

Yu Wan felt warm inside upon learning that everyone's lives had improved to varying degrees.

At this moment, diners rushed into the restaurant, quickly found seats, and ordered their food.

Hua Rong was stunned. Not only were the staff in the shop well-organized, but even the diners seemed to have been trained.

How spectacular!

Yu Wan waved to her, "Miss Hua, have you had breakfast yet?"

Hua Rong blushed, pursed her lips, and lowered her head, saying:

"without……"

Yu Wan smiled and said, "Then find a seat yourself, and tell the waiter what you want to eat, it'll be on me. I haven't eaten yet either, I'll come find you after I finish eating."

Hua Rong's cheeks flushed even more. The restaurant staff kept bringing out all kinds of delicious food and serving it to different customers. She was so hungry from the aroma that she couldn't bring herself to refuse.

"Thank you, Madam Yu..."

Yu Wan returned to the backyard and saw Yu Cheng with a small backpack slung across his shoulder, about to leave.

“Brother Asu, the teacher praised me again yesterday, saying that my handwriting is very good and that I can memorize poems very quickly! If you hadn’t taught me in advance, I definitely wouldn’t have been able to pass that arrogant brat.”

He Jing's lips curled up slightly, a hint of smugness in his smile, and he asked, "Has he laid a hand on you? Remember, don't hold back, fight back directly, beat him until he cries and begs for mercy, otherwise if you back down, he will become even more aggressive."

Yu Wan thought to herself, "That's really violent."

However, there's nothing wrong with teaching it this way.

If it were her, she would teach in the same way.

"Hmph! He wouldn't dare!" Yu Cheng raised his chubby little chin high. "They know I practice martial arts, so they don't dare to lay a hand on me. They only dare to talk back. Now that my grades have surpassed his, he's not convinced."

He Jing smiled, revealing his teeth, and gently patted his little head. "Well done!"

Yu Wan felt a little guilty but also relieved, because she was always busy making money and had neglected to pay attention to her younger brother.

Unbeknownst to her, He Suzhi was taking on the role of a good older brother in her place.

He taught the child very well.

The boy's smile was bright, quite different from his usual demeanor.

He was good-looking to begin with, but he always had a serious face. Only now do I realize that he can smile.

That smile seemed to have a magical power, making her unconsciously mesmerized.

Is this the real him?

"Sister! Sister, what's wrong?"

In a daze, I heard someone tugging at my sleeve, which brought me back to my senses.

The boy then resumed his usual expression, his brows furrowed slightly, and a hint of worry in his eyes.

Yu Cheng's face scrunched up: "Sister, are you too tired? If you're not feeling well, ask Brother Asu to quickly invite Elder Rong over to take a look at your illness."

Yu Wan looked embarrassed; she had just lost her composure, but fortunately, no one should have noticed.

"No, I was just thinking about something. Cheng, did you have breakfast?"

"I'm full!" Yu Cheng nodded. "I want to grow as tall as Brother A-Su, so I eat very hard every day! Oh right! I still have to go to school. Brother A-Su, let's hurry up, I want to get to school before that guy!"

He Jing stared at the girl, his steps slowing slightly, but he eventually looked away and left with Yu Cheng.

Yu Wan watched them leave, and sighed softly.

Yu Cheng couldn't stop talking about "Brother Asu," and he had come to admire him as a role model.

If that person were to pass away someday, he would be the one who would be the most heartbroken.

After finishing breakfast, Yu Wan went to the lobby to find Hua Rong.

"Let's go see your flower field."

After a hearty meal, Hua Rong was much less reserved.

"Madam Yu, your food is so delicious!"

Yu Wan asked with a smile, "Is this your first time eating this?"

"Yes, I wanted to come and eat, but..." Hua Rong hesitated.

The two boarded a carriage and headed to the west of the city.

The terrain in the west of the city is treacherous, which is why Yu Wan initially gave up on building a food court there.

Yu Wan got a basic understanding of the situation through the map sent by Jin Yifei.

The Jin Kingdom, where she lived, was located east of the Liang Kingdom. Many years ago, a war had also taken place there, and some of the western cities of the Jin Kingdom were annexed by the Liang Kingdom.

In other words, the area south of Sui County, where Yu Wan lived, was originally part of the Jin Kingdom.

Sui County borders Liang State to the south and Liang and Chen State to the west. Given its rugged terrain, most people in the past did not go here.

Nowadays, some locals are willing to come and clear land to grow vegetables.

Planting flowers here would indeed be a nice idea.

The flower field of the banyan tree is not large, about twice the size of Yu Wan's backyard, and mainly grows the varieties that she usually sells.

Next to the flower field, some vegetables were also planted, and all the plants were growing very well. It's clear that Banyan Tree is indeed very skilled at planting, taking meticulous care of them every day.

Next to the flower field is a small wooden house, which is surrounded by a fence covered with climbing roses.

There is a path between the wooden house and the flower field, and various kinds of flowers are planted on both sides.

"This place is so beautiful," Yu Wan exclaimed. "Hua Niangzi, you're amazing."

Hua Rong smiled shyly, "I just recreated my childhood memories; that's what my mother used to do."

Yu Wan asked, "Do you live here alone?"

"Yes," Hua Rong said with a wry smile. "After my parents passed away, I got used to being alone. Fortunately, I received care from my uncle and aunt's family, otherwise I don't know what I would have gone through."

Yu Wan sincerely invited, "If you don't want to leave here for the time being, then cooperate with me!"

Hua Rong still didn't know what the cooperation she was referring to was. She had been thinking about it ever since she left the restaurant yesterday and hadn't slept well last night.

"Cooperation? You mean buying my flowers?"

"No." Yu Wan shook her head with a smile.

Hua Rong was even more confused.

Yu Wan smiled and said, "I wonder how long you've been here? Have you heard of the food court I built in the south of the city?"

Hua Rong nodded, "Of course I've heard of it. I've even seen it from afar. That building is huge, and I heard there's a circular plaza inside."

"Yes, it's a food court and a commercial plaza with many shops. They'll sell not only food but also a variety of other things."

"Wow! That sounds amazing!" Hua Rong looked at her with admiration.

Yu Wan continued, “I see you have some ideas about the layout. Since you’ve been there, you should know that there’s such a big house there, and the surrounding area is a bit empty. So I’d like to ask you to help create a sea of ​​flowers around it. But I don’t just want to plant flowers, I also want to create a garden, and we need to consider the seasonality. There are four distinct seasons here, and many flowers and plants cannot survive after autumn, so we also need to plant some cold-resistant plants.”

Hua Rong pursed her lips and began to think along with her words. "There's a river that runs through the city, and there's also a lake next to the food court. I know the properties of many plants and can find cold-resistant ones, so all the conditions are met. However, my flower field is my greatest asset, and I'm afraid I'm not confident about the garden you mentioned. It would be difficult for me to do it alone."

"Don't worry, I certainly won't let you do it all by yourself. I don't know anything about growing flowers, but I have high hopes for you. You take charge of the overall situation, and I'll find someone to help you." Yu Wan came to the flower field to see the woman's potential abilities.

Hua Rong looked bewildered: "Madam Yu, why do you believe I can do it?"

Yu Wan said honestly, "I don't know, but I'm willing to give it a try. I'm sure you won't find anyone in the county who knows this better than you."

This border county town has no decent gardens or landscapes at all. The courtyards of wealthy families are all pretty much the same, ordinary and nothing special.

Zhu Zhifeng has several wealthy young ladies as friends, and they visit each other occasionally, so she has seen many of the back gardens of rich families.

Every time she came to the restaurant, she would remark that Yu Wan's backyard was even more beautiful.

In fact, she was just fiddling with it haphazardly.

etc?

She suddenly realized that the layout of the backyard was frequently changed, and the altered layout looked much better than the one she had made herself.

I initially thought my mother had arranged it, but later she said it wasn't.

Now that I think about it carefully, I realize that I saw He Suzhi watering flowers a few times, and it was probably him who did it.

Does he also know how to design gardens?

Back at the restaurant, Yu Wan asked He Jing to find some people.

He Jing said in a deep voice, "The people who built the food court before are fine."

Yu Wan was somewhat surprised: "They even do this?"

He Jing replied, "Just enough to make ends meet is fine."

Yu Wan didn't think much of it; that's just how the world is.