As the two were chatting, Xiao An came in. "Aunt Zhao, let me come in and help. There's a customer outside who's taken a liking to a dress and keeps haggling over the price. Go see how much you can sell it for."
"Another troublesome one?" Yan Xin knew.
Xiao An just smiled and didn't say much, but his expression said it all. That's how business is. You can encounter all kinds of customers, but you can't argue with them. No matter how weird the customer's temper is, you have to put up with it.
"How many times have I told you not to keep making Xiao An sell clothes? He needs to focus his energy on his studies right now." Lin Xiazhu's tone was more like an order than a conversation with an elder.
However, Xiao An had gotten used to the way the mother and daughter got along. Although she felt that Lin Xiazhu was not very respectful to Aunt Zhao, she was good to her in every way except for that.
This feeling made Xiao An feel that something was wrong. Cha Cha and the others said that Aunt Zhao had suffered a mental breakdown and was not quite normal, which was why she listened to Xiao Zhu in everything. Xiao Zhu also always handled many things like an adult.
The problem is that Xiao An doesn't think Zhao Xiaolian has any mental problems; she's normal, except for her sometimes immature behavior, everything about her is fine.
"Xiao An is a genius. She can remember the knowledge in a book after just one glance, unlike some people who have to rely on rote memorization and extra hard work to maintain good grades."
I don't want to waste my talents, but those young girls and aunties all care about looks. Whenever Xiao An is in the store, business becomes exceptionally good, and we sell a dozen or so more clothes. So, no matter the era, good looks are always an advantage.
"Come on, is Xiao An someone you can push around selling his body? He's not your clothing model, and you'll have to charge him if you keep doing this." Lin Xiazhu turned on the tap and started washing the vegetables.
Xiao An skillfully came over to help. He actually disliked minding the shop. Whenever Aunt Zhao asked him to help, he would mostly sit behind the counter reading books. He would only reluctantly help greet customers when he was too busy.
However, the conversion rate is 100% for female customers he serves, but not necessarily for male customers. The clothing store sells both men's and women's clothing, but they are divided into sections, with half men's clothing and half women's clothing. Aunt Zhao always asks him to look at the women's clothing section.
He was also helpless.
"Here, here, here. I always give them to you, but I give them to Xiao An in private, so you don't know." Yan Xin wasn't in a hurry to leave and was still chatting enthusiastically at the kitchen door.
Lin Xiazhu looked at Xiao An, her eyes asking, "Really?"
Xiao An smiled reservedly, and the boy, whose voice was going through puberty, said in a deep voice, "Yes, Aunt Zhao always gives me a cut, the same as Sister Zhao Ting's."
"When did this happen? How come I didn't know? Did Xiaoxue and Taozi have it?" Lin Xiazhu raised an eyebrow.
“It started at the end of last year. I found that Xiao An’s sales conversion rate was 100%. He’s really suited to sales. He’ll be going to high school in the second half of the year, and his expenses will definitely be higher. We can’t let him suffer, can we?” Yan Xin rambled on, but what she really liked was Xiao An’s looks.
Lin Xiaoxue and Lin Taozi naturally received rewards as well, but as Zhao Xiaolian's biological daughters, Yan Xin was quite unkind and only gave them one yuan a day.
"Aunt Zhao, I won't do sales anymore." Xiao An calmly stated his rejection of the usual sales tactics. He didn't like sales, especially the kind that required relying on one's looks.
Yan Xin was about to say something more when Lin Xiaoxue entered, her tone slightly displeased, "Didn't Xiao An tell you to come in and call me Mom? What are you doing?"
Turning to Yan Xin, he said, "Mom, that customer outside insists on seeing you and keeps haggling over the price. We can't get through to her."
"Okay, okay, what are you yelling about? Come on, come on, don't stand in the kitchen and get in the way." Yan Xin pulled Lin Xiaoxue out with her as she went out.
A short while later, Zhang Yu arrived, bringing with him Zhang Shengli and his brother, as well as an uninvited guest, Comrade Tiezhu. Lin Chacha also came back with them.
Since Lin Chacha transferred to the county town two years ago, she has been working on construction sites with Zhang Yu and the others every weekend, summer vacation, and winter vacation, carrying bricks. She has been doing this ever since.
Lin Xiazhu has lost her temper; she doesn't care what others do. But she likes Lin Chacha for more than just her work. Sigh, she hopes that one day Lin Chacha can become a foreman.
"Come out with me for a moment." Lin Xiazhu turned off the tap, walked out the back door, and gestured for Zhang Yu to follow.
After the two walked about five or six meters away, Lin Xiazhu stood under a tree and asked in a low voice, "What happened?"
Zhang Yu was stunned for a moment.
Lin Xiazhu clicked her tongue, "Tiezhu."
"Oh, you mean Tiezhu? I called him over."
"Why did you bring him here? I have no patience to see him." This man was her nemesis.
“I definitely wouldn’t have brought him before, but look at how he’s turned his life around. I heard his biological parents are a very wealthy family in Beijing, they own several sports cars and can even afford a private jet. Besides the butler, they have a whole bunch of maids and servants in their villa…”
"Alright, stop talking nonsense. Even if he's gone to heaven, what does it have to do with us?" Lin Xiazhu was exasperated.
“How can it not be our business? We’ve taken good care of him these past two years. If I hadn’t taken him in, he would have been begging for food and wouldn’t even have a place to stay. We’ve done him a great favor, haven’t we?” Zhang Yu said with an air of conviction.
“That’s you. Remove the ‘door’ from your name. He has nothing to do with me.” Lin Xiazhu refused to be bound by this.
“How can it be unrelated? Aunt Zhao has subsidized him so much money and put in so much effort these past two years. Shouldn’t he remember this kindness? Don’t rush to refuse. I’ve already told Tiezhu the truth.” Zhang Yu patted his chest, looking very loyal.
What the hell is the truth?
"And then what?" Lin Xiazhu almost guessed Zhang Yu's plan.
"Although we have some skills and savings now, we can only show off in the county town. In the big cities, we're nothing. So we need to hold onto this connection with Tiezhu. In case we need any help in the future..."
Lin Xiazhu couldn't stand it anymore and quickly interrupted him, "Wake up, what are you dreaming about in broad daylight? If you want to climb up to someone, you have to see if they're willing. Don't end up getting beaten up like a dog. Some people aren't worth it."
After saying that, Lin Xiazhu turned around to go back to her work, but after taking only two steps, she turned back and patted Zhang Yu's shoulder hard, making him immediately shrink three inches.
Zhang Yu: "..." Completely bewildered and confused, what did she do to offend Sister Xiaozhu?
He didn't understand until many years later, when he saw Tie Zhu again—no, by then Tie Zhu was no longer called Tie Zhu, but Chen Zinan. Zhang Yu greeted Chen Zinan as before, wanting to become sworn brothers, but ended up being beaten up by Chen's bodyguards.
He knew what Lin Xiazhu meant by what she said today. Wealthy families value social standing, and whether it's their marriage partner or their friends, they all belong to the same circle.
When Tiezhu became Chen Zinan, he only wanted to erase everything about his time in the countryside, an experience that had humiliated him. Just when he was numbing himself and almost forgetting the past, Zhang Yu, an observer, suddenly jumped out to remind him.
It's merciful that they didn't kill him.
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