"Manager Wang, what's going on?" Lan Yamei was a little confused.

Manager Wang pulled her aside and whispered, "It's like this, yesterday I said I'd help you find some workers. I thought your wages are high and the food is good, so it shouldn't be hard to hire people. But when those grown men heard they were coming to work at the World's Number One Barbecue Restaurant, they all became cowards and didn't dare to come. But they couldn't bear to give up the high wages, so they sent the women in their families to try their luck."

Lan Yamei was completely bewildered upon hearing this. Among these people were elderly women nearing fifty, with full heads of white hair; some were newlyweds, timid and hesitant to raise their heads; others looked weary, carrying nursing babies on their backs, occasionally letting out a cry; and even more outrageous, several women were holding the hands of six- or seven-year-old boys. The children were constantly sniffling and blowing snot bubbles, making it as chaotic as a market.

Seeing Lan Ya Mei's predicament, Manager Wang said, "I know you don't like these people, but no one is willing to come right now. How about we pick a few to try, and get the shop up and running while we're still looking for better ones?"

Knowing that Menglan would deliver the first batch of vegetables as agreed after lunch, and that reopening tomorrow was a certainty, he glanced again at the crowd of job applicants and said to Manager Wang, "Thank you for your trouble! Ask these people. My shop is open from 10 am to 10 pm, with room and board provided, and a monthly salary of 2 taels of silver. Applicants must be healthy and unable to bring children. Whether it's cooking in the kitchen or greeting customers in the dining hall, anyone who can handle the workload can stay. Those who can't endure hardship and can't leave their children and husbands should leave."

Manager Wang knew he hadn't handled things well and felt embarrassed, so he immediately proposed another solution, "Manager Lan, why don't we let them all go back? We'll give you half of the staff from my shop to use for now."