Chapter 202 Finding a Job
"Oh, you're quite stubborn (referring to someone who appears gentle but is actually strong-willed). I like that, girl. The shop is small and there are all sorts of jobs. You'll have to do all of them: washing vegetables, making dumplings, rolling out dough, wiping tables, and washing dishes. You won't be able to leave until 9 p.m. You'll get 80 cents a day and two days off a month. If you agree, you can start today. If you don't agree, let's not waste each other's time."
Grandma said the cashier could earn over 100 yuan a month, but her aunt clearly didn't want her to go. Being new to the city, she was unfamiliar with everything. She'd gone to the nearby convenience stores and restaurants to ask around, but they were either not hiring or offering apprenticeships with room and board for 5 yuan a month. After a moment of contemplation, the girl nodded. "Can I...learn how to make dumplings?"
"Of course you can. Making dumplings isn't anything special. It's just a matter of having plenty of filling and thin wrappers. But you have to start by learning how to chop vegetables. You can't learn to run until you can walk."
Yang Zhaodi smiled and agreed a few times. After giving Yang Jiang some instructions, she hurriedly went to work at the supermarket. At noon, Yun Xia used the excuse of having lunch to secretly observe the girl. After all, she was the one who introduced the girl, so she had to take responsibility.
Seeing her roll up her sleeves and put on an apron, although her eyes were still timid and she spoke softly, she was quite efficient at taking orders, serving dishes, cleaning up, and wiping tables. I immediately felt much more at ease and thought to myself that as long as she was hardworking and didn't do anything shady, the kind-hearted boss would definitely not treat her unfairly.
"Oh, it's you? The cashier's daughter, long time no see!"
She emphasized the word "daughter" heavily, as if afraid others wouldn't hear it. Yun Xia raised an eyebrow, slightly regretting introducing her. "Not my biological daughter, but she's better than my own. Boss lady, the money's on the table!"
Yunxia deliberately used a high-pitched, sarcastic tone. After speaking, she led Jiang An away. The proprietress in the kitchen heard the noise, wiped her hands on her apron, and hurriedly came out. She looked at Yang Jiang with displeasure. Although she was old, she was not deaf.
"Boss lady, did I... say something wrong? Will she... never come to eat at the restaurant again?"
Her timid little eyes were filled with tears, completely unlike her previous sly and sarcastic demeanor.
"In business, you have to be mindful of your customers. If there's a next time, just settle your wages and leave. This shop is too small to keep someone as important as you."
This time, Yang Jiang really burst into tears, her face streaked with tears as she said, "Boss lady, Jiang'er knows she was wrong. Please give me another chance. I promise that no matter how much grievances I suffer from customers in the future, I will never dare to argue back. My grandmother said that a good girl is one who knows her mistakes and can correct them. Please, I really can't lose this job."
Even at this point, she was still trying to shift the blame onto the customer (Yun Xia). The experienced proprietress could easily see through the young girl's thoughts. She sighed and said, "Girl, the most important thing in life is to be content. Now you have a place to live, shelter from the wind and rain, work to do, and the ability to support yourself. You don't have to worry about food or clothing. You're a hundred times better off than outsiders. Just be down-to-earth, do your job well, and don't think about anything else!"
"I……"
"Like I said, if I find out a second time, I'll fire you, even at the risk of offending the middleman. Okay, stop crying, let's just leave it at that and get on with your lives."
Upon hearing this, Yang Jiang wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, tidied the table, and turned to go into the kitchen.
That evening, Yunxia, still feeling uneasy after finishing her evening self-study, went to her grandmother's dumpling restaurant. Seeing that Yang Jiang had already left, she told the owner to be extra careful, fearing that Yang Jiang might have bad intentions and ruin the dumpling restaurant.
"Sigh, I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice. I can guess Yang Jiang's little thoughts at a glance. It's nothing more than that she's just come to the city and has only met one person her age. The difference in clothing, appearance, temperament, and circumstances is too great, which makes her feel unbalanced. It's a small problem. In a few years, when her temperament stabilizes, she'll figure it out on her own."
It was clear the proprietress was a shrewd person, so there was no point in saying more. She could only advise, "Okay, I'm relieved to hear that. Keep your money safe, and entrust the purchasing work to trusted people..."
"You're so young, yet you're thinking so much. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. If I didn't have some skills, this shop could have lasted for decades. It's getting late, hurry back. Look, your little brother is getting impatient."
"Alright, see you later!"
Just as she stepped out of the shop, she caught a glimpse of a shoe tip and quickly retreated around the corner. Yunxia, who had a photographic memory, remembered those shoes. That day, while browsing the morning market, she encountered a woman selling shoes from a shoulder pole. She noticed that the woman was frowning and sizing up passersby, but she didn't dare to call out to her. Out of kindness, she went up to her and picked out a pair of red velvet embroidered cloth shoes.
Normally, shoes are embroidered with orchids, grass, roses, and the like, but those shoes were different. The toes were embroidered with green cherries, making them the most eye-catching. As a result, Yunxia immediately guessed that the person eavesdropping was Yang Jiang.
Whether she heard a lot or a little, whether she felt gratitude or resentment, it was none of her business. How she walked the rest of the way was entirely up to her own will. She raised her eyebrows slightly, straightened her clothes, and walked in another direction.
At the corner of the shop entrance, Yang Jiang finally came to her senses, her fingernails digging into the wall until they almost bled. She cursed Yun Xia in her heart for talking badly about her behind her back. She absolutely couldn't let Yun Xia ruin the job she had finally found. She was determined to show those who were born into wealth that she, Yang Jiang, could also stand on her own two feet in the city.
Since that night, Yunxia and Jiang An have been going to Grandma's Dumpling Restaurant less often. The restaurant owner knew this perfectly well but didn't ask any questions. However, every time they came, they would secretly add ten extra dumplings. Yang Jiang, who was desperately trying to keep her job, didn't dare to say a word about the portion size of the dumplings, even though she didn't like it.
The senior year of high school is a demanding time, but this girl, who has never liked pressure, always finds ways to relieve stress. She outwits her teachers, reduces the number of test papers, and makes a bet with her deskmate Li Chen during morning reading time when they check each other's memorization. She randomly asks him questions about all subjects, and whoever loses has to treat him to dinner. Of course, she always wins.
The factory on Wuyun Mountain is taking shape. It will be renovated before the end of the year so that the equipment can be moved in. As for the recruitment of employees, it will ultimately be done according to Bai Ye's wishes. However, the contract terms have been carefully considered for more than half a month to ensure that the interests of both parties are protected.
Yunxia read the contract three times, then nodded and handed it back to Bai Ye. Watching his departing figure, she thought to herself that the lesson Chestnut Village had taught her was still not enough!
Upon hearing this news, Village Chief Li was so excited that he couldn't sleep that night. The next day, he gathered a large group of people, announced the selection criteria, distributed handbooks, and told them to study hard at home so they could directly participate in the interview and written test next year.
Working in a factory right at your doorstep without leaving home—who wouldn't want such a good thing? In no time, villagers who met the requirements were all glued to their peony handbooks.
Before they knew it, it was late December. Bai Jie's villa was finished, and the Jiang family's courtyard was also covered with red silk. Following the ancient wedding etiquette, they did not use the modern white wedding dress and diamond ring.
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