Chapter 670: Supporting Her Career
Bai Zhi stayed at the clinic for a while before riding her bicycle back to the family compound.
He was just about to cook when Liu Guifang arrived at the door.
"Xiao Zhi, look what delicious food I brought you."
"This is some liangpi (cold skin noodles) and liangfen (cold mung bean jelly) that I made. I'll bring them over for you to try."
Looking at the golden-yellow liangpi (cold skin noodles) and the crystal-clear potato jelly, Bai Zhi exclaimed with delight, "Sister-in-law, you've come up with another new creation!"
"It's not a new thing," Liu Guifang said. "My mom used to sell liangpi (cold skin noodles) and liangfen (cold mung bean jelly). I was too busy at first, but recently I found that the liangpi was selling a bit slowly, and many people were asking if we had any other food, so I added liangpi and liangfen to the menu."
"Making jelly is relatively easy. I stirred some last night, and when I went out for a walk today, there were quite a lot of people eating it. I plan to make some sweet fermented rice cakes in a couple of days when the weather gets warmer; they're refreshing and cooling, and I'm sure many people will eat them then."
"Sister-in-law, you are so capable." Bai Zhi didn't expect her to come up with so many tricks.
"What can we do? We're just trying to make a living."
Liu Guifang said very seriously, "Xiaozhi, I've thought it through. I need to rent a place to cook. The kitchen at home is too small, and I can't do anything there. Can you help me find out if there are any rental houses in the county town that only have a kitchen?"
"Sister-in-law, if you rent a kitchen in the county town, where will you sell your food? Will you set up a stall in the county town?" Bai Zhi asked.
"I want to find a stall to set up during market days in the county town, and buy things outside when there are no market days."
The county town holds a market day on even-numbered days, while on odd-numbered days the streets are practically deserted and many shops are closed.
She can buy in the county town on days with no sales, and sell less near the school and factory on days with no sales.
"That would be acceptable."
"I must seize this opportunity and make a lot of money."
Liu Guifang excitedly said to Bai Zhi, "Xiao Zhi, do you know? Making money can really be addictive. At first, I was so happy when I came home earning twenty or thirty yuan a day. But now I don't seem to be satisfied with just twenty or thirty yuan in revenue. I want to expand the business and earn more money. Do you think I'm being too greedy?"
Upon hearing Liu Guifang's words, Bai Zhi smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, this shows that you are very ambitious, which is a good thing."
"But don't overwork yourself. Money can't be earned forever; a steady, gradual approach is key."
"I know that if I could rent a kitchen, my efficiency in making noodles and jelly would be greatly improved. That way, I wouldn't be so tired. Right now, I mainly waste time in my small kitchen at home, and the things I make are not very satisfactory."
I was thinking that if I could rent a small house in the county town, I could buy firewood or coal to burn, which would be economical and the food would taste better. The noodles I make on this gas stove are always a bit lacking.
My mom called me and said that when steaming the dough, it should be steamed in a large pot, and the jelly should be poured into the pot and stirred more evenly; this way, the flavor will be more authentic.
Ever since receiving her mother's letter, Liu Guifang has been thinking about renting a kitchen. If she's going to do it, she wants to do it the best she can and not ruin her hometown's reputation.
She repeatedly asked Bai Zhi, "Xiao Zhi, could you please keep an eye on things and find out about the house? I don't know anyone here, and you're my biggest connection."
"Don't worry, sister-in-law, I'll go and inquire for you tomorrow."
Bai Zhi planned to have cold noodles and mung bean jelly for dinner. Luckily, there were some vegetables in the refrigerator, so she could stir-fry a pot of pork, cabbage, and mung bean noodles. They would start eating when Lu Ye came back.
After finishing cooking, she took a shower. Just as she came out of the bathroom with her hair still wet, Lu Ye returned. It was rare for Lu Ye to come home and see his wife there.
Without saying a word, he stepped forward and hugged her.
What are you doing?
"It's okay, let me hug you."
Bai Zhi pushed him away, saying, "My hair is wet, and I've gotten your shoulder wet."
"It doesn't matter."
He held his wife tightly, as if she were a precious treasure, and was reluctant to let go.
"I haven't done this for days, I hugged you as soon as I got off work."
Bai Zhi explained, "I've started getting busy, haven't I? I don't have time to wait for you to come home from get off work for dinner all day. You have to understand me."
"understand."
He truly hoped to come home every day to find his beloved wife waiting for him.
But he hopes even more that her career will flourish and that she will realize her own value.
Although his wife is too busy to pay attention to him, he feels very proud as her husband to see her working so hard on her career.
He married such an outstanding woman not to keep her at home as a housewife, but to give her a wider world to showcase her medical skills and talents.
Do what you love.
He said, "Honey, if you're too busy in the future, you don't need to cook for me. I'll eat at the army base later and then come back."
"OK."
Bai Zhi wanted to blow-dry her hair, so Lu Ye followed her to the mirror, picked up the hairdryer, and insisted that he do it for her.
He held the hairdryer in one hand and gently stroked her dark hair with the other, keeping the hairdryer at just the right distance from her hair. Bai Zhi had told him that the hairdryer shouldn't be too close to the hair when drying it, otherwise it would damage it, and he remembered all of that.
Bai Zhi also enjoyed this blissful and tranquil time.
After blowing the brocade, he went to the kitchen to get the dishes and noodles, and put the jelly on the dining table.
During dinner, Bai Zhi recounted to Lu Ye what had happened at the hospital that day. She had a habit of telling him everything that happened during the day, no matter what happened outside.
However, Lu Ye's job required confidentiality, so he couldn't reveal his daytime whereabouts and work to her, but he could tell her about her affairs.
Upon hearing her words, Lu Ye said, "No wonder Grandpa is angry. The hospital did go too far this time."
Ye Rufeng was a highly respected traditional Chinese medicine doctor with excellent medical ethics and conduct, and he was very pure and simple in his dealings with others.
It's hard for me to accept other people's roundabout thoughts.
“Sigh, you know, I had a good chat with Dean Liu last time, and he said that we could discuss this matter in more detail when Grandpa comes back. He and Director Li even went to the clinic to congratulate us that day. I thought the matter was settled, but I didn’t expect him to do this again when I went to the hospital today. Grandpa is angry now and said that he will not play along with them, whether it is hiring or cooperation.”
Bai Zhi blamed herself, "I was too careless. I should have communicated with Dean Liu beforehand and then sent my grandfather over."
She may have been overconfident and placed too much trust in Dean Liu and his colleagues.
I never expected it to end up like this.
“I think Dean Liu invited you and your grandfather to visit the hospital with sincerity. The reason he said he wanted to hire you was perhaps to test your bottom line. As a leader, he must be considering things from the hospital’s perspective.”
Lu Ye continued his analysis, "If you don't agree to hire them, they will eventually be willing to cooperate."
What the military hospital needs most right now are experts like Bai Zhi and Ye Rufeng, who have extensive experience in detoxification. The hospital leadership absolutely cannot afford to abandon them.
Bai Zhi sighed, "Whether they like it or not, Grandpa definitely doesn't want it."
"That old man is straightforward and honest, and he has a sincere heart for medicine. He absolutely cannot tolerate others playing tricks on him."
Lu Ye picked up some food for her and said softly, "It's okay. If the hospital really isn't sincere, it's fine not to start this job. We can cooperate with other hospitals or institutions later."
"I actually really want to do something."
Seeing that Bai Zhi was somewhat listless, Lu Ye changed the subject at the right time.
"By the way, there's something I've thought about for a long time, and I still want to tell you about it."
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