Chapter 169 Lessons Learned Through Blood and Tears

She looked at Shen Xuewei and said, "This is the niece you mentioned earlier, right? She looks so cute."

Chen Fanglan patted Shen Xuewei's head and agreed, "She is indeed quite well-behaved."

"Weiwei, this is my friend Jiaqian. You can just call her Sister Jiaqian."

Shen Xuewei smiled at Peng Jiaqian and greeted her, "Hello, Sister Jiaqian."

"Okay, all good. Please sit down, don't stand."

Shen Xuewei quickly sat down inside, and Chen Fanglan sat down next to her only after she had done so.

"You haven't contacted me for quite a while. Didn't you say you were going to try your luck in Shanghai? Why are you back so soon?"

Peng Jiaqian sighed, "Don't even mention it, that's no place for a human to stay. I should have just stayed at the beauty salon."

Chen Fanglan asked with concern, "What happened?"

Peng Jiaqian came to see her today, one of her purposes being to confide in her.

Of course, it's only after you've vented your feelings that you can discuss what comes next.

When Chen Fanglan asked her, she spilled the beans and told her everything.

"Didn't I tell you before that after I went to Shanghai, I worked as a waiter in a big hotel?"

Chen Fanglan nodded, "That's true."

"Damn it, let me tell you, that hotel doesn't treat its staff like human beings at all. And the hotel manager, just because he's from Shanghai, he acts all high and mighty, daring to call us country bumpkins to our faces..."

"That's one thing, but I really can't stand those groping bastards. I was serving food when one of them groped my chest. I beat him up, and he lost his job. I didn't even get my last month's salary..."

She said indignantly, "Why is it like this? I'm the one who got groped, but I'm the one who got fired, while that bastard got away scot-free!"

Chen Fanglan comforted her, "It's okay, there are plenty of suitable jobs in this world. If this one doesn't work out, just find another. There's nothing we can do about people like that. If we can't afford to offend them, can't we at least avoid them?"

This is the hard-earned experience Chen Fanglan gained after changing several jobs.

Why did she stay at the beauty salon where she currently works?

Firstly, I am genuinely interested in the beauty industry, and secondly, because this industry primarily deals with female customers.

At work, I sometimes encounter difficult clients who make things difficult for me, and there are times when I'm so angry that I secretly cry in private.

But the best thing is that working in a beauty salon means you don't have to worry about being groped by those sleazy men.

If you do well, you'll be praised or get a raise; if you do poorly, you'll be scolded or have your pay docked.

The boss is a generous and easy-going person.

Overall, Chen Fanglan is very satisfied with her current job.

Peng Jiaqian sighed, "That's what they say, but I just can't swallow this."

Chen Fanglan did not respond to this.

What can you do if you can't swallow it?

In a place like that, what can you do to someone from out of town, with no power or influence, and just a lowly waiter?

She glanced at the dishes already laid out on the table and changed the subject:

"Oh, let's not talk about such discouraging things. We came out to eat today, right? All the dishes are served, so what are we waiting for? Let's eat first. I deliberately saved room for this meal."

Peng Jiaqian forced a smile, "Oh, it's been so long since I've seen you, I'm so happy. Eat first, eat first, and you eat too..."

As she spoke, she placed a piece of food on Shen Xuewei's plate.

Shen Xuewei glanced at the piece of chicken she had placed in the bowl, her brows furrowing slightly for a moment.

She doesn't like others serving her food, except for those close to her, let alone this person whom she's meeting for the first time today.

Even though this person seemed to be quite familiar with her aunt, she still felt a little uneasy.

Chen Fanglan said, "Oh, don't worry about her. She'll pick it up herself if she wants to eat. Eat yours first."

The three of them ate their meal, and Peng Jiaqian occasionally exchanged a few words with Chen Fanglan, so the atmosphere wasn't too bad.

After she had eaten most of the food, she took a sip of the juice that was served to her and finally told Chen Fanglan the purpose of the dinner invitation.

"Um... Sister Lan, I heard you're the manager of the new store now, right?"

When Peng Jiaqian left, Chen Fanglan had not yet gone to the new store to become the store manager; at that time, she was still a senior beautician at the old store.

At that time, it was she who mentored Peng Jiaqian.

Chen Fanglan paused, "Yes, but I'm not a very good manager either. I have to ask Sister Liu or the boss about most things."

The "Sister Liu" she mentioned is the manager of the long-established beauty salon.

Peng Jiaqian squeezed in and snuggled up to her affectionately.

"Oh, Sister Lan, don't be so modest. I've heard that the boss has basically entrusted you with the management of the new store."

"It's so hard to find other jobs outside. Now that I think about it, it's better to work in a beauty salon."

"Are you still hiring? I'd like to go back to work under you, or stay with you. What do you think?"

Chen Fanglan's smile was somewhat stiff as she pulled her hand away from hers.

"Jiaqian, it's not that I don't want to help you, it's just that we just hired a new person yesterday and the store is full now."

Peng Jiaqian seemed oblivious to the rejection in Chen Fanglan's tone.

"Oh well, they're all new anyway, just say she didn't do a good job and let her go."

"Sister Lan, we have such a good relationship. I consider you a good friend, even like my own sister. How can you bear to refuse me?"

"If you don't help me, I really don't know who else to ask for help."

Chen Fanglan laughed it off, "Let's talk about it again. They've already come in, and the training has only just begun. How can we send them away?"

"Let's see how things go. The boss said they're not hiring for the foreseeable future. I'll let you know when they start hiring."

Peng Jiaqian's enthusiasm waned a bit, but she still maintained a smile on her face.

"Okay, Sister Lan, I'll wait for your news later."

She sat back down in her seat, took a couple more sips of juice, and suddenly said:

"Sister Lan, you guys keep eating, I'm going to the restroom."

"Okay, then go quickly."

She clutched her stomach and hurried away, seemingly heading to the restroom.

Shen Xuewei glanced in the direction she had left and said softly:

"Auntie, she might be trying to skip out on the bill. Why would she take her bag with her when she goes to the restroom?"

Chen Fanglan sighed and said, "I know. Rather than giving her money for a meal, or waiting for her to come back to me for work later, I think it's better to draw a clear line with money for a meal."

Peng Jiaqian has a passionate and fiery personality.

Back when she was working at the beauty salon, she often liked to argue and bicker with customers, and she had to clean up their messes countless times.

Beauty salons, in the end, also belong to the service industry.

In this line of work, you need to have a proper service attitude and not act according to your own whims.

Peng Jiaqian has a personality like a thorn in her side, and she doesn't want to bring her back and then have to follow her around all day cleaning up her messes.

Seeing that her aunt understood, Shen Xuewei didn't say anything more.

She hadn't touched the piece of chicken that Peng Jiaqian had given her earlier; she had simply quietly pushed it aside.

Because of this incident, Chen Fanglan lost the desire to go out and have fun again.

After dinner, she and Shen Xuewei returned home.