Sha Zhu looked at Yan Jiecheng with a puzzled expression: "You're looking for me?"
"Yes, I want to discuss something with you. I'd like to invite you to be the head chef of our restaurant!"
Sha Zhu chuckled upon seeing this: "Oh, you want to become even more popular?"
Yan Jiecheng looked confident: "Here's the thing, you can still work at the factory in the morning and at noon, it won't interfere with your work. After you finish get off work in the evening, you can come here, and I'll give you 1,500 yuan a month. What do you think?"
1500? Yan Bugui was immediately taken aback; this was happening right in front of him!
To everyone's surprise, Sha Zhu was still not satisfied: "I say, Yan Jiecheng, you've truly mastered the skills of the Third Master. Your abacus is clattering away with every move you make."
Then there's that famous line: "Does anyone eat lunch? So, am I considered half a shift, both inside and outside the office?"
Unlike Yu Li, Zhang Hongying lacked her own opinions and listened to Yan Jiecheng in everything, just like Qin Jingru listened to Xu Damao in everything. From beginning to end, Yan Jiecheng made all the decisions, including the matter of inviting Sha Zhu.
Upon hearing this, Yan Jiecheng immediately changed his tune: "2000 a month!" Then he quickly added, "I've already inquired, and even Fatty only pays 2000. Isn't that fair enough?"
When Sha Zhu heard the number 2000, he actually stopped.
Just like what Liu Haizhong said, Fatty's family is now running a restaurant, so why is Sha Zhu, a canteen manager, still earning that meager fixed salary in the factory?
He was moved; he was truly moved.
Seeing a glimmer of hope, Yan Jiecheng quickly added, "I know you're also bringing vegetables, right? We can discuss that!"
But this time he didn't get to the point.
Who was Sha Zhu bringing home vegetables for in the past? At first, it was for Qin Huairu, and later it was to support the bunch of old men in this courtyard!
But now, these people have absolutely nothing to do with him; even Xiao Dang is eating and drinking well at Fatty's place all day long, so why would he bring back any food?
However, Yan Jiecheng's attitude pleased him greatly! Seeing that Yan Jiecheng was so cooperative, Sha Zhu hesitated for a moment and actually agreed!
The terms were agreed upon, and they arranged to start work tomorrow. Sha Zhu was facing inwards, Yan Jie was facing outwards, and lo and behold, nobody even glanced at Yan Bugui!
Yan Bugui hurriedly chased after him, saying, "Boss, are you out of your mind? Only 2,000 yuan a month?"
Yan Jiecheng said impatiently, "Dad! You don't understand, don't meddle. I have things to do, you should go home now."
Seeing that Yan Jiecheng was about to leave, Yan Bugui quickly grabbed him: "Wait, how about we arrange a job for me too?"
What a joke! Even the three aunties wanted to go before, but Yan Jiecheng turned them down. Let alone Yan Laoxi, what can he do? What kind of work can we rely on him for?
Yan Jiecheng said, "What are you saying? We're just a small business." Then he pulled Zhang Hongying back into the house.
Yan Bugui was left alone in the yard, jumping up and down: "2,000 a month, that's enough for my salary for a year!"
"..."
That evening, Fatty heard the news as soon as he got home.
Sha Zhu couldn't contain his excitement and couldn't wait to share it with Xu Damao.
Xu Damao was sitting on the sofa at this moment, and said to the fat man, "You say he works for Yan Jiecheng and his wife, isn't that like a long-lived person eating poison—wanting to die?"
The term "migrant worker" was introduced to the mainland from Hong Kong in the 1980s. It meant that we poor people were desperate to work for them, which was full of arrogance and prejudice.
The fat man glanced at Xiao Dang and shook his head: "In our line of work, there's a term called 'pioneer cook'."
Reclaiming wasteland? Xiao Dang understood after a moment's thought: "Uncle Fatty, are you saying that the job they hired for my idiot dad was just temporary, not even as good as a large collective?"
Chen Mengqi retorted without hesitation: "A large collective, my foot! You're so old-fashioned, Sister Xiaodang!"
Xiao Dang got angry: "You little brat!"
Speaking of which, Xiao Dang is 25 this year, and he's getting quite close to Fatty's cousin, Yu Qian.
Yu Qian came to the capital at the age of 19, and he is 27 this year, exactly two years older than Xiao Dang. Their ages are actually quite suitable.
Putting all that aside for now, as soon as Xiao Dang returned to the room, he hurriedly told Sha Zhu, "Sha Ba can't agree to Yan Jiecheng's request. They just want you to be the pioneer cook; they don't really intend to use you long-term!"
Sha Zhu chuckled: "A pioneer cook, that's interesting. Fatty must have told you, right? Don't worry, honey. I understood everything as soon as Yan Jiecheng mentioned it. If he doesn't have this intention, then so be it, otherwise he'll be begging me for help later!"
And so, just like in the TV series, Sha Zhu went to Yan Jiecheng's restaurant.
※※※※※※
That night, two large trucks arrived outside the yard.
Under the cover of night, Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu loaded large and small bags onto the truck, just like the Lou family had done years ago.
The commotion was so loud that the fat man naturally heard it. He sent out a hummingbird to take a look and find out what was going on, then continued to sleep soundly with Yu Li in his arms.
The next morning, half asleep, I heard someone shouting in the backyard, "Help! Someone help! Help!"
"..."
The fat man rubbed his eyes, watching as the ambulance, blaring "It's all over, it's all over," pulled away the cerebral thrombosis victim.
Almost everyone in the courtyard had arrived. Qin Huairu also came, bringing locust flowers and stalks.
What's going on now? It turns out that Liu Haizhong got up in the morning, intending to go to a street stall for breakfast, only to find that the two small rooms had been emptied.
Then he hurriedly went to call his second aunt.
The second aunt was dumbfounded when she came out! It wasn't worth it for those two scoundrels, Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu, to take it or not, but the key point was that Liu Guangfu had stolen her gas stove!
This gas stove is managed by Qin Jingru's workplace. Each household has only one gas stove, and gas is exchanged using a card.
The evidence is now all in Liu Guangfu's hands, and even Qin Jingru can't help him.
That old bastard Yi Zhonghai is a typical attention-seeker. He gets into trouble whenever there are a lot of people around, saying in that sarcastic tone, "Xu Damao, you've finally done something decent!"
This ambulance wasn't called by Xu Damao, so of course he didn't want to listen: "What are you saying? If you can't speak properly, then shut your mouth."
Upon hearing this, Qin Huairu immediately scolded, "Is this how you talk to your elders?"
Qin Jingru retorted sarcastically, "Pah! What kind of elders are you? Elders would consort with you in the vegetable cellar!"
You, you guys! This matter is not going to be resolved, is it?
After Bang Geng was released from prison, he naturally learned about this incident. For him, it was an even greater humiliation; veins bulged on his hand as he pointed at Xu Damao: "You? Are you looking for a beating?"
Xu Damao glanced at him disdainfully: "You're a convict, a key figure in this area. What do you dare to do? Try touching me, and I'll make sure you're back in jail! I'm not Xu Damao!"
Bang Geng's temples throbbed with anger, but it was all in vain.
It's changed, things are different now...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com