"Xiao Kai lost three thousand yuan playing bullfighting!" Aunt He said on the phone.

He Wenlin suddenly realized: "No wonder he hasn't placed any orders these past two days. I went to look for him today but couldn't find him. Was he playing cards?"

"If you hadn't come to say today that he hadn't come to buy goods in a long time, your aunt and I wouldn't have noticed. Your aunt was worried, so at five o'clock, she went to find him. She happened to ask him for money to take his driver's license test, but he couldn't come up with the money. When she pressed him for details, she found out that he had lost three thousand yuan playing bullfighting!"

He Ma emphasized this number again, which shows how much she regretted, how heartbroken, and how angry she was!

Three thousand yuan. It would take several months to save up that amount if you worked in a factory and didn't eat or drink. How could you not feel heartache?

“Your aunt was furious and gave him a beating,” said Aunt He. “I used to think it was unsafe for him to go out and set up his stall alone, and I was afraid he would run into thieves or robbers. Who would have thought he would start playing cards! He’s so young, and he’s already learning to play cards. He doesn’t learn good things, but he picks up bad habits very quickly.”

He Wenlin was surprised that Tang Kai would go to bullfighting; she remembered that her cousin in her previous life wasn't a card player.

"Did he really lose at cards, or did he just not want to give it to his aunt?" He Wenlin said. "I remember he doesn't gamble, and he hasn't been renting a place near the West Railway Station for very long. How did he become so familiar with people so quickly?"

Even Aunt He was stumped by the question.

After a pause, Aunt He said, "They must have really gone to export their goods, otherwise why would they say that? Saying that would only get them beaten up."

“He’s still young, so it’s not too late to correct his behavior. Don’t let him set up a stall anymore. Let him work in a food factory, stick to one position, so he won’t have the time or energy to do anything else,” He Wenlin suggested.

"Your aunt's idea is still to have him come to your fast food restaurant to learn cooking skills, and have you keep an eye on him."

In fact, Tang Jianguo felt that if Tang Kai didn't go to set up a stall, it would be best for him to follow He Wenlin, because at least he could learn a skill.

“He didn’t want to learn to cook. I suggested to him before that if he didn’t want to learn to stir-fry, he should learn to make glutinous rice balls and set up his own stall. Even if he didn’t get rich, it would be better than working for someone else. But he still didn’t want to.”

He Wenlin is willing to involve her cousins, but you have to be willing to do it yourself.

People like He Shan, Lin Fei, and the second brother are willing to listen to He Wenlin. Now their monthly income is basically over a thousand yuan. In September and October, they each received a thousand eighteen yuan.

This income actually exceeded the agreed salary, because they were very busy in September and October and worked very hard, so He Wenlin gave them an extra few hundred yuan as a bonus.

At first glance, this income may not be as good as that of street vendors, but its long-term potential is what matters.

They learned a trade and gained work experience. In a few years, they can go on their own. If they don't plan to be bosses, their income can increase as He Wenlin's business grows!

Even if they want to change jobs, they will have an advantage over many others.

He Wenlin continued, "Me watching? I can't possibly tie him to my waist. He has to figure this out himself. Besides, if I watch over him and I don't do a good job, he'll blame me. Let Xiao Kai go to the food factory to work in production, and let the father and son work together. If Xiao Kai thinks it through and is willing to learn to cook and wants to have a skill to rely on, I can teach him."

"Okay, I'll talk to your aunt."

Aunt He hung up the phone.

When He Wenlin said this, her father looked incredulous: "Tang Kai lost a lot of money playing cards?"

"Yeah, I reckon they've lost all the money they made selling egg rolls."

"This kid is so young and already behaving badly. I'll have to give him a talking-to when he comes tomorrow."

“Dad, if you want to talk to him, you must first set an example yourself, otherwise it will be difficult to convince others.”

Taking this opportunity, He Wenlin gave her father and Lin Fei another lecture.

Lin Fei is alright; so far, there's been no indication that he's developed a liking for playing cards.

The next morning, after the rush hour, He Wenlin asked her father to take her to the food factory by bicycle.

The weather is much colder now than it will be twenty years from now.

He Wenlin trembled as she blew.

It's more comfortable to buy a car with four wheels.

At this moment, Mr. He also went into the factory for a tour. Seeing the food factory growing bigger and bigger, he felt extremely proud.

As usual, He Wenlin checked the performance report. The little girl was serious and focused, and looked quite professional.

Mr. He thought that his son was indeed his own, so smart!

Haha~

Now, Mr. He also feels a sense of crisis, fearing that Yihaodian's business will be taken away by others, so he attaches great importance to it and rode his bike back after only a short time here.

"Sister." Tang Kai arrived and greeted He Wenlin.

Now, Aunt He has put him to work at the food factory, planning to have him make egg roll batter.

Grandma He is getting old. She can help out occasionally, but she can't keep up in the long run.

He Wenlin looked at him and said, "I heard you lost three thousand yuan. That's pretty impressive. You're even more generous than the big boss. Do you think making money is easy? Have you forgotten how hard it was to ride your bike for more than an hour under the scorching sun to deliver goods to sell back then?"

Tang Kai hesitated for a moment before saying, "Sister, the money wasn't lost by gambling."

He Wenlin was taken aback: "Then why did you tell your aunt that you lost the money? You didn't want to give it to him?"

No, not exactly.

Tang Kai looked like he wanted to say something but hesitated.

"What exactly happened? Tell me the truth!"

Tang Kai paused for a moment, then said, "I bought a Slow Cruise, a second-hand one..."

"Buying a car is a good thing, why did you hide it from me?"

“But I scratched someone while riding my bike. There were a lot of people on the other side. When they saw that I was underage, they asked me for 5,000 yuan, or they would call the police to arrest me. I... I got scared and gave them my bike in return.”

Tang Kaiyue spoke, his voice growing softer and softer.

He regretted it too. He shouldn't have bought the slow-paced tour ticket for a moment of vanity. He regretted not listening to He Wenlin. He thought nothing would happen, but who knew...

After hearing this, He Wenlin was extremely agitated: "You kept such a big thing from me! Tang Kai, what... what am I supposed to say to you?"

"How serious were those injuries?" He Wenlin asked him.

“I don’t know either. I didn’t go to the hospital. Going to the hospital for X-rays and various tests would cost a lot of money. I was thinking of settling it privately. If I went to the police station, I was afraid of being arrested. Even if I wasn’t arrested, the fines and impounded car would be a bigger loss.”

"Then why did you tell your aunt that you lost at the bullfight?"

"I was annoyed at the time, and he kept asking me where the money was. I got angry and said I lost it playing cards."

He Wenlin: "..."

He Wenlin poked his forehead with difficulty: "Are you an idiot? Huh? Such a big thing, you kept it from me, you didn't tell me. Three thousand yuan, is that a small amount of money? Are you a tycoon?"

"If I scratched someone, I would have to pay compensation anyway."

"Can you afford to pay three thousand?" He Wenlin said. "It's good that you know you have to take responsibility, it shows you have a sense of duty, but you handled this matter wrong. Have you forgotten that you are a minor?"

Tang Kai didn't say anything.

He Wenlin continued, "Don't you find it strange? What normal person would take something so valuable from a fourteen-year-old? This is a car, not a toy worth tens or hundreds of dollars!"