Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Juan herself is not as good as Juan sisters. ...
With Qian Juxiang in charge of the cue process, the cousins were like turning on the accelerator after they confirmed their jobs. They completely completed the work and dormitory arrangements in one morning, and all the beds and luggage were settled.
Liu Suqin took them back with her to collect their luggage. In addition to the clothes and bedding that the two of them had brought from their hometown, she also bought them daily necessities such as washbasins, toothbrushes, clothes hangers, thermoses, and insulated cups. They placed their belongings in their respective dormitories one by one. The two newcomers looked more well-equipped than some of the elderly people in the same dormitory.
Smoothing out the last wrinkles on the bed, Qian Juxiang concluded with satisfaction, "It's already pretty good. There shouldn't be anything missing. You two can just stay here and relax. You'll have nothing to do this afternoon anyway, so after lunch, go ask the team leader for work. Your sister Li Hong said you two are young and nimble, so if you don't slack off, you can easily earn ten or twenty yuan a day. That means you can earn five or ten yuan in half a day. What a great job."
At this point, she couldn't help but launch into a heartfelt exhortation. "Don't be fooled by the fact that your sister and brother-in-law seem to be living comfortably now, spending money like water without a second thought. In fact, in those first few years after arriving in Shenzhen, they suffered just as much as others, and certainly didn't have the same good conditions you have now. Just ask around and you'll find out. They couldn't get into the city, so they had to work in factories outside the customs. Not only were their piecework wages lower than in the city center, but their overtime pay was also deducted. For the same work, they'd earn at least a hundred or two hundred less per month, and their food and accommodation weren't as good as those in the factories inside the customs. Unlike you, who had people to help you the moment you arrived, finding you good jobs and settling down your future, saving you many years of hardship!"
Qian Juxiang: "Your sister and her husband have put in so much effort, not for anything in return. They just hope that you can suffer less and earn more money. You can't waste such a good opportunity now."
These words caused Liu's father's face to express his approval. The taciturn old man nodded vigorously, "That's right, that's right."
Even before leaving, Second Brother Liu couldn't help but give his younger siblings some advice, "We've been in Shenzhen for a few days, and we've had enough fun and eaten all sorts of delicious food. From now on, you two really need to focus on your work and earn money. Honestly, I'm a little envious of your luck. If I were a few years younger, unmarried and childless like you, I'd come here to work. I'd work my ass off building a house for someone back home, and still earn less than what others earn in a month working in the factory. But I, your second brother, now have a son and a daughter, and I can't leave them behind. I can only see the end of my life. I'll stay at home and raise you nieces and nephews. If they can succeed, they can also establish themselves in the big cities..."
Liu Xiangxiang and Liu Xiaodi have always admired their sister Liu Suqin, and thought that she must have seen a lot of the world in the big city. This time they followed her to Shenzhen to witness with their own eyes what kind of life she lived. To describe it in one sentence, poverty still limited their imagination!
According to them, a good life means eating meat every day, wearing new clothes whenever they want, and owning a pair of impressive gold jewelry—then they're considered wealthy. But when they arrive in Shenzhen, they discover that their favorite meats, chicken, duck, and fish, are simply not considered prestigious. Rich people eat seafood, beef, mutton, and even rare game. Besides food, even wearing gold and silver seems out of fashion. Their older sisters and cousins wear diamond rings, pearls bigger than pigeon eggs, and jade bracelets so green they reflect the light. They've never seen anything like this, so how could they possibly imagine it?
In short, after witnessing it with their own eyes and tasting the various seafood, shrimps and steaks, the brother and sister completely regarded Liu Suqin as a role model. They were already full of energy and were eager to emulate her example, working hard to move bricks and create a better future with their own hands. Now, Qian Juxiang kept encouraging them, and they were even more energetic. Liu Xiangxiang patted her chest and promised on the spot, "Uncle, aunt, and second cousin, don't worry. We will go to the cafeteria with our seniors to eat, and then go to the workshop to find the team leader to do some work. From now on, whether I go to work or work overtime, I will drag Liu Ping with me to prevent him from slacking off."
Liu Ping is the full name of little brother Liu.
Qian Juxiang's face lit up immediately. "With this, I'm relieved. If your brother doesn't behave, just come and tell me. Also, tell me how much you'll be paid every month from now on."
Liu Suqin didn't expect that with the arrival of her cousin, it would be her younger brother who had to bear everything alone.
This was more than just laziness. Given their mother's style, Liu Ping would work hard for a month and probably wouldn't even have saved a penny. But it didn't matter to her. Liu Suqin pretended not to see the angry look in her little brother's eyes and nonchalantly told the two siblings to come over to play during the holidays. "No need to call or anything, just come when you're free. There's usually someone at home. If you're unlucky, just go to your brother-in-law's shop to get the key."
Hearing his elder sister's promise, Liu Ping felt somewhat comforted and made a request on the spot, "I will definitely come to see you as soon as I have a holiday. Sisters, remember to prepare some delicious food."
Liu Suqin patted his shoulder and said, "Don't worry, as long as you work hard, you can order your own food during your vacation. Aunt Zhang can make whatever you want."
After a final greeting, Liu Suqin drove the others home.
Aunt Zhang didn't come out with everyone today to join in the fun. She stayed at home to take care of Xiao Fangfang and prepare lunch on time. So everyone went home and washed their hands and ate directly.
While eating, Liu Suqin asked Liu Erge if there was anywhere he wanted to go. "I didn't expect it would be so easy to find jobs for my younger brothers. They were all done in less than half a day. This afternoon will be free. Do you want to go shopping somewhere else? Or should I accompany you to the mall to buy some things to take home?"
When it comes to shopping, the others subconsciously put on their masks of pain, and Brother Liu himself shook his head like a rattle. Liu Suqin said helplessly, "I don't want to go anywhere. Do you want to just stay at home and watch TV all day?"
Second Brother Liu was actually quite tempted by this arrangement, but after a moment's hesitation, he finally mentioned where he wanted to go. "I've been here for a few days now, and I only took a quick look at your store today when I accompanied you to pick up the car. I haven't really taken a good look at how my brother-in-law and his family run their business. Since I have nothing to do this afternoon, could you please let me stay in the store?"
Liu Suqin exclaimed in surprise, "You're going to stay in the store all afternoon?"
"Is it not possible?" Brother Liu thought his sister was unwilling, and quickly assured her, "Don't worry, little sister, I won't disturb my brother-in-law's business. Instead, I can help wipe the table and wash the dishes."
"Of course they can," Liu Suqin said soothingly with a smile, "but they won't stay in the store all the time. They'll close for lunch around two o'clock, and then reopen before five o'clock."
Seeing her smile, Brother Liu couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, and said cheerfully, "It's okay, it's okay. My brother-in-law is back for lunch, so I can watch some TV. Then I'll go with them to see how they open a shop in the evening."
Seeing that the brother and sister had almost finished their discussion, Father Liu also spoke up quickly, "And me, I'll go to the store with the second son to take a look."
Qian Juxiang rolled her eyes. "You can't just watch, old man. You have to go work. When Nanjiang and the others finish their business in the store and go to set up their stall, you can go with them and help them move things and do some chores. It's not like you're too old to move. This kind of work is even harder than farming back home."
Liu Suqin was about to refuse, but after hearing the second half of her mother's words, she suddenly realized that it made sense. Her father still had a lot of strength. Besides, he also gladly accepted this arrangement and was already rubbing his hands in anticipation. So she changed the subject and said, "Okay, Dad will go to the store this afternoon to take a look. As for whether the night snack stall needs your help, it depends on what Nanjiang and Quansheng think."
If they feel that having a helper can really save some effort, then let her father join, as long as he doesn't work for nothing.
Her father and second brother's schedule was set, so she didn't need to worry about it. Liu Suqin then turned her attention to Li Hong, "What are your plans for the afternoon?"
Li Hong quietly sat up straight, "Well, I've been a little tired from work lately, so I might not be able to go shopping."
Liu Suqin: ...
What kind of reaction is this? Secretly guarding against her?
Coincidentally, she wasn't as energetic as she appeared. Since she had a little free time, she didn't necessarily want to go shopping, so she made a suggestion. "Julie recommended a new cafe to me last month. She said the food was pretty authentic and the desserts were good, but I haven't had time to go. How about we go and try it?"
Not having time is not the main reason. The main thing is that I am worried that other people in the family may not be used to it, so I want to try it with Julie and the others first. If the lattes or desserts are really delicious, it would be nice to take them to try it too.
Although Li Hong had only heard of Julie's name, she was deeply impressed. Just the fact that her friend mentioned that she was from Hong Kong was enough for her to label her as "rich." Moreover, she was the boss's right-hand man and the most trusted confidant. She thought she had a bright future. So, she straightened her back, which had relaxed slightly, and asked cautiously, "Is this cafe your colleague mentioned expensive?"
Liu Suqin originally wanted to say she would treat him, but when she saw her friend's distrustful look, she didn't want to treat him anymore. She rolled her eyes and said, "How expensive can a cup of coffee be? Ten or twenty yuan is the most. Can't you afford it?"
Li Hong patted her chest exaggeratedly, "It's only ten or twenty yuan, so I can still afford it. I can even treat you."
The two of them acted as if they had gotten a bargain, and Qian Juxiang on the other side rolled her eyes. She stood up speechlessly and went to the living room, thinking out of sight, out of mind.
Father Liu and Second Brother Liu followed her in confusion, wondering what on earth this coffee was. Why did it cost 10 or 20 yuan a cup? Could it be as good as ginseng chicken soup?
After Liu Suqin started working, she didn't have time for a nap every day. In addition, she came home late today. After dinner, she coaxed Xiao Fangfang to sleep herself. It was already one o'clock in the afternoon. She said hello to her parents and second brother, and took Li Hong to the cafe to check in.
They each ordered a latte and a small cake, and sat by the window on the second floor. Looking at the green plants and the bustling street scene downstairs, Liu Suqin breathed a sigh of relief and began to care about her friend's new job.
"Didn't you used to be a hard worker? How come there are times when you feel work is too tiring?" Because she was feeling relaxed at the moment, her tone was also light-hearted and teasing.
Li Hong held her chin with both hands and complained half-heartedly, "Because I'm really tired."
Next, Li Hong took two bites of the cake, and her mood seemed to be healed by the dessert. She began to talk about her recent work experience.
Liu Suqin and her studio became an instant hit in Shenzhen, but because they pursued a high-end approach and invested heavily, no one has yet completely imitated or replicated their business. However, some quick-witted people have started to follow the trend on a small scale. For example, some photo studios launched makeup services to attract young girls who love beauty to come in and take pictures.
It seems that makeup is free, but in fact the cost is already included in the photos, and the free part does not include clothing, headwear and jewelry. In short, a small change has allowed many photo studios to make a lot of money.
The photo studio where Li Hong works is one of them.
Her bosses were a smart couple. Originally, they divided the work between them, with the boss responsible for photography and the boss's wife responsible for makeup. The business was booming at the beginning, but the boss's wife's makeup skills were not good enough. Some demanding customers were not satisfied with the finished products, which almost affected the reputation of the entire store. The boss quickly posted a recruitment notice.
In order to recruit a makeup artist as soon as possible to catch this wave of popularity, the salary offered was mentioned again and again, and finally the keywords "favorable salary" and "interview" were directly marked. Li Hong, who was looking for a job, became interested and actually went to the boss for an interview.
Although she was a new graduate, her skills were solid. She put on makeup for the boss's wife on the spot, which amazed the boss and his wife. In addition, she got a lot of information about the industry from Liu Suqin and Ahui, including salary and commission. She talked a lot and stunned the boss and his wife. Finally, she successfully negotiated a base salary plus commission, as well as generous benefits such as free meals during work.
Yes, there is no probation period, let alone an internship period. With Li Hong's persuasive talk, she was given the treatment of a regular employee right from the start, and if she performed well, she could directly negotiate a salary increase.
However, Li Hong said it was tough. "The boss lady half-jokingly and half-seriously joked the day before yesterday that I was only taking commission now, and I was making at least 20 or 30 yuan a day. Judging from her expression, she must have thought the salary was too high. She also watched me put makeup on customers every day, probably trying to learn from me and kick me out in the future."
Liu Suqin comforted her, "You took this job originally to gain some work experience so that you can move on to other jobs. You didn't plan to stay there forever. From what you said, the daily commission is 20 to 30 yuan, and the monthly salary is at least over 1,000 yuan. This is a pleasant surprise."
"As for the boss lady stealing our skills, we've all spent over three months learning from her. Even if she's incredibly talented, it'll take her a year or two to kick you out. And you're definitely going to outrun her. Find a better job sooner rather than later, and the boss lady will be left with nothing."
When talking about salary, Li Hong's lips curled up. "I understand the reason, but I didn't expect there would be so many problems after I got out. It's not like when we were in the factory before, we worked independently and had basically no conflicts with our colleagues."
Liu Suqin nodded in agreement. "That's how the workplace is. When it comes to interests, everyone has their own stance. You and your current boss, or your future colleagues, will all encounter this kind of problem. Just maintain a superficial relationship and don't worry about them."
Li Hong suddenly had an idea, "If I become a boss's wife one day, I'll be a headache for others, right?"
"Of course not. When you become the boss, it's up to your subordinates to accommodate you and understand you. If you don't accept it, just do it." Liu Suqin encouraged, "Come on, live this good life sooner."
Li Hong fantasized for a moment, then shook her head and said, "Forget it. I want to be my own boss, but it's probably too difficult to do that in Shenzhen. If I go back home, I'll probably earn about the same as working here. So I'd better work hard. Working for others means less worry. As long as I can maintain this income and my boss is easy to get along with, I'm still very satisfied with this kind of life. I'll try to buy a house like Quansheng's. Wouldn't that make my life stable?"
Liu Suqin wondered what was going on. Wasn’t she going to be a strong woman?
But on second thought, Li Hong worked so hard in her previous life because she was forced by her useless husband. She originally wanted to take care of her husband and children.
Besides what she just described, having a car, a house and a stable, high-paying job in a big city is already the life that many people dream of, so why would you need a bicycle?
Thinking of this, Liu Suqin was about to nod to confirm Li Hong's point of view, but she saw Li Hong looking at her expectantly, "Although I can't do it, you can definitely be the boss's wife, Suqin, when are you going to go out on your own? Then I'll go work for you."
Liu Suqin: ...
My goodness, where did she go to study secretly? She actually learned the truth that she is not as good as her sisters without any teacher?
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