Chapter 135 Aunt Wen, thank you for protecting the orphanage with me...
An Fusheng and his group finished cleaning up the dishes, while Wen Min and Lou Lan saw the guests off.
"Thank you all for today. The leaders were very satisfied with the environment of our welfare home. Also, Fuzi and everyone cooked a meal together, which Director Zhang and the other leaders really enjoyed. Thank you all for your hard work." After seeing the guests off, Wen Min sincerely thanked everyone.
Grandpa and Grandma: "Don't be so polite, we're all family."
Others agreed: "Yes."
Wen Min smiled and said, "Even family members should express their gratitude."
Zhaolin: "My master's cooking has always been delicious, and it's not like it's only become this delicious today. They are lucky to be able to eat it."
Ji Fengnian: "That's right."
Wen Yue said somewhat indignantly, "They were indeed quite satisfied with the meal, but they didn't praise my brother much. They just said 'not bad' or 'rare,' which is completely inconsistent with my brother's performance."
Zhaolin: "What do you know? When big leaders praise or scold someone, they always stop short of it. Otherwise, how would they seem so profound? What if you get arrogant if they praise you too much?"
Grandpa nodded: "That's true."
Wen Min paused for a moment and then said, "Fu Zai, come to my office for a moment."
An Fusheng and Wen Min went to the office.
Once in the office, Wen Min asked, "Do you know why the boss didn't praise you highly?"
An Fusheng scratched his head: "There are many good chefs, and I'm not the best. What delicacies haven't the Party leaders eaten? My cooking isn't good enough to be praised by them."
Wen Min shook his head and said, "No, your cooking skills are very good and deserve more praise. Your cooking skills are different from other chefs' cooking skills. For other chefs, good cooking skills are just about enjoying a meal. But for you, good cooking skills not only allow them to enjoy a meal, but also give them endless hope. Because you are a chef at Xingchen Canteen, your good cooking skills give Xingchen Canteen hope."
An Fusheng nodded slightly.
Wen Min continued, "Zhao Lin is right. Leaders usually only give a brief compliment, but the level of recognition they give varies. I can tell you with certainty that the leader was delighted with your performance today. He didn't praise you too much because he was afraid you would become arrogant. You're just a temporary employee hired by the welfare home. You have no restrictions; you can come and go as you please. He can't give you a raise, so he has no way to keep you here. What if he praises you too much and then leaves because he doesn't like it here?"
An Fusheng couldn't help but chuckle.
Wen Min: "The restaurant has officially started construction, and it will definitely continue to operate afterward. I'd like to know what your plans are for the future?"
An Fusheng suppressed his smile. "I suggested opening the restaurant, and I will take responsibility for it."
Wen Min: "I'm not asking you this to restrict you. Whatever your plans are, I will respect them. I will find a way to keep the restaurant running after it opens. Actually, I agreed to open the restaurant because of you, but not entirely because of you."
An Fusheng listened attentively.
Wen Min: "In recent years, with the economic downturn, the market and the people have become more eager for resources. The country is also trying its best to concentrate resources to optimize resource allocation, while reducing fiscal expenditure. As you know, our welfare home is very small, without any medical rehabilitation equipment or professional staff, and we cannot take in disabled children. But in fact, setting up a separate welfare home for just a few healthy children, and equipping it with complete facilities and staff, is a huge waste of public funds..."
Before Wen Min could speak, An Fusheng asked anxiously, "What does this mean? Are you going to close our orphanage? What will happen to our younger brothers and sisters?"
Wen Min: "I will send them to other welfare homes. I have visited all the welfare homes in the city. They are all very large, with complete facilities and equipment. Their food and accommodation are no worse than ours. However, the welfare homes are large, with many staff and children, and many rules. The staff take care of the children like an assembly line. The children's lives must also strictly follow various rules. What time to get up, what time to eat, what time to go out for fresh air, what time to turn off the lights and go to sleep, all must be done according to the rules. There is almost no freedom. Call me biased if you want, but I don't want my child to live that kind of life."
An Fusheng: "But, as Lou's mother said before, Xingchen Welfare Home was left behind in gratitude for your parents' contributions to children's welfare. Is this gratitude only temporary?"
Wen Min: "There are many ways to remember my parents. You can put their statues at the entrance of the welfare home, hang their photos on the wall of the welfare home, or write their deeds in the yearbook of welfare development. It doesn't have to be a welfare home that wastes public funds."
"So I wanted to save myself, and it just so happened that you came. You suggested opening a restaurant, so I did. I know you can't stay here forever, and I also know that opening a restaurant can't rely on you alone, but you've helped me get started, and I'll try my best to keep it running. I don't want to be the director of a bigger orphanage. I just hope that when the children I raise grow up, their childhood will be filled with golden light."
An Fusheng: "Can the operation of the restaurant really save our welfare home?"
Wen Min: "I don't know, but we have to try. But to be kept, it must have enough value. To put it more bluntly, if our hotel can continue to develop, create economic value, employment opportunities, or become a channel for cultural promotion, it can be transformed into a coveted political achievement. When it has value, it will naturally have a reason to exist. And since our welfare home is tied to the hotel, the welfare home may be able to survive."
An Fusheng: "Aunt Wen, I will protect the welfare home with you."
Wen Min said gratefully, "Thank you."
...
Because of what happened over the weekend, Wen Xinglin was a little unsure how to talk to Bai Guigui.
So he spent the whole morning fidgeting and hesitant to speak.
Bai Guigui had been holding back all morning, but she couldn't bear it any longer. "What do you have to say?"
Wen Xinglin blushed deeply with embarrassment: "N-nothing...it's nothing."
Bai Guigui: "Then why didn't you share food with me during the long break?"
"Huh?" Wen Xinglin hurriedly rummaged through his schoolbag and pulled out his small lunchbox. "Do you want it? I didn't eat during the long break either."
Bai Guigui: "What's today?"
"Mochi, strawberry flavor." Wen Xinglin broke open the small lunchbox.
Bai Guigui looked at the rows of pink mochi balls with little interest: "Only little girls like strawberry flavor."
"No, Sister Mangmang..." As soon as he said that, Wen Xinglin immediately shut his mouth and looked at Bai Guigui innocently.
Bai Guigui pursed her lips. "So you also think it's me who doesn't want my sister anymore?"
Wen Xinglin shook his head.
“I didn’t abandon my sister. I was only four years old at the time. I only remember that one day two uncles and aunts came to my house and bought me toys and candy. Then I fell asleep. When I woke up, my sister was gone. I had no idea that they came to take her away. When I woke up, I looked for my sister but couldn’t find her. I cried loudly but my sister didn’t come to comfort me. Everyone said that my sister didn’t want me anymore.”
Wen Xinglin said anxiously, "It's not that your sister doesn't want you. It's your second uncle who's wrong. He bullies your sister. She's still a child, and she can't fight against adults."
Bai Guigui's eyelashes trembled: "I know."
"Sister Miaomiao and Sister Mangmang are both very nice."
"I envy you so much, I don't even have a sister anymore."
"sorry……"
"Why do you take all the blame? If you did nothing wrong, you don't need to apologize. Were you having a good time in the orphanage?"
"Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's not so good."
Why is it sometimes bad?
"Some uncles and aunts are swearing and their cooking is not good."
"Oh? I think it tastes delicious."
“My older brother’s cooking is the best. Before, when my older brother went to school, he didn’t cook at home. Other uncles and aunts cooked, and it wasn’t good at all. We didn’t like it, and they scolded us for being picky eaters.”
"Children really shouldn't be picky eaters, because picky eaters won't grow tall."
"oh……"
"However, if you don't like to eat something because it's not cooked well, then it's not considered being a picky eater."
"Really?"
"Um."
"That's right. I'm not picky about food when my older brother cooks. Everything my older brother makes is delicious. We all love eating what my older brother makes."
"Your older brother is really good."
"Yes, would you like some strawberry-flavored mochi? My older brother made it."
"I want one." Bai Guigui grabbed a soft, fluffy mochi and put it in her mouth. "It's delicious."
"whee."
"What were you trying to say about my second sister?"
"I...I want to say that Sister Mangmang said that strawberry-flavored mochi is the best. If Sister Mangmang says it's the best, then it's the best."
Bai Guigui chuckled as she chewed on a mochi, "What did my second sister do to make you worship her so blindly?"
Wen Xinglin: "You don't believe me? Then do you think strawberry-flavored mochi is delicious?"
Bai Guigui had no argument, "It's delicious."
Wen Xinglin snorted lightly, "Then you still don't believe me."
"I believe it now."
After some debate, the deadlock between the two was finally broken.
The nap bell rang, so I couldn't talk anymore.
After Bai Guigui turned four, she stopped liking to take naps. Wen Xinglin was so excited about making up with Bai Guigui that he couldn't sleep. He lay down on his side and smiled at Bai Guigui, and a math test paper appeared in front of him.
Wen Xinglin: "..."
Bai Guigui said silently, "Do it."
Wen Xinglin had no choice but to puff out his cheeks and get up to do the problems.
...
When school ended in the afternoon, the homeroom teacher announced everyone's earnings from last Friday's temple fair. Wen Xinglin earned 100 yuan, ranking third in the class, and actually received a certificate for being a "Little Money-Making Expert." This was the first certificate he had received since starting elementary school, which made him extremely happy.
Although he wasn't the type to shout and yell when he was happy, a child's excitement is hard to hide. The boy, who usually walks with his head down, held his head high today, hopping and skipping as he walked, his lips curving into a wide smile that he couldn't suppress.
Lou Lan was the first to notice: "Xing Lin is so happy today?"
"I got an award certificate." Wen Xinglin put his schoolbag on the ground, skillfully unzipped it, and swiftly pulled out an award certificate, handing it to Lou Lan.
Lou Lan took the certificate and before even opening it, she started praising, "So amazing! It's only been a short time since school started, and you've already gotten an award. That's incredible!"
An Shisi and Wen Xingmou exclaimed with great admiration, "Brother Xinglin received an award? What kind of award is it? Let me see it quickly, my brother is so amazing!"
People around looked over. "Wow, you got an award? That's amazing!"
For the first time, Wen Xinglin felt that being watched by many people wasn't so scary.
...
Back home, they took turns admiring the certificates and praising the recipients.
Finally, he even assigned his eldest and most reliable brother to post his certificate on the most conspicuous wall in the living room on the second floor. Everyone who entered the house could see the certificate and couldn't help but praise Wen Xinglin when they saw his name on it. Wen Xinglin felt a little shy but also very excited.
Only Zhaolin calmly asked, "What's your deskmate's rank?"
Wen Xinglin: "The teacher didn't mention the rankings without certificates."
Zhaolin asked incredulously, "Is that possible? He's the boss and you're the employee; he doesn't have awards but you do?"
Wen Xinglin: "He has spent all his money. He has to give me 100 yuan, and he also has to give Zhang Xiaoxiao and Li Junjun 100 yuan. He also has to pay back the money he spent on buying chicks, turtles, and goldfish. The teacher said that this is called cost. The money earned must be reduced by the cost in order to rank in the competition."
"He covered all costs? You believe that?"
"Yes, that's what he said."
...
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Author's note: Happy Children's Day to all the big and little friends! [cheering emojis]
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