"Mom, I want to discuss something with you. From June to July and August, before the university starts, I want Xiaoxue to help you. I won't be in charge of the store anymore."
"Huh?" Yao Jianfen was a little confused when she heard Lin Xiaoman say that.
"It's like this, Mom, Xiaoxue will definitely be able to get into college." Lin Xiaoman lied with his eyes open, "The expenses of going to college will definitely be higher than high school. I thought, anyway, she doesn't have anything to do during the summer vacation. If she goes out to work during the summer vacation, we will be worried, right?"
"That's true." Zhixue was beautiful and looked weak. Yao Jianfen was really worried about her going out to work alone, and there were not many summer jobs in their town.
"That's right. You might as well stay in the store and help you with the work. This way, I can write more stories, earn more royalties, and help out a little bit." Lin Xiaoman looked sincere, like a good sister who was only concerned about her sister.
Yao Jianfen pondered for a few seconds and felt that what Lin Xiaoman said made sense. Of course, the more money you make, the better. "Xiaoqiu, you're right. But I don't know if your sister can do this job."
Zhixue almost never did any heavy work, so Yao Jianfen couldn't help but feel a little worried.
"Mom, she's already 19. How can she not do this little bit of work? She can catch up on her sleep in the morning, and I can also write while watching the shop. Three of us will definitely be easier than two."
"Okay, I'll listen to you. I'll talk to her tonight."
"Mom, Xiaoxue has always been well-behaved, she's definitely willing. Oh, Mom, I have one more thing to ask. Isn't the rent due in August? The landlord, Yang Pandi, came by the day before yesterday, and she said she wants to raise the rent again."
"Rent increase? Didn't it just increase the year before last?" Yao Jianfen frowned and her face turned ugly.
"Mom, I've asked around. Our rent is the highest on this street! She's still raising it. This is clearly bullying!" Lin Xiaoman said indignantly.
Landlord Yang Pandi was the type who couldn't stand seeing others do better than he did. When the three of them, mother and daughter, had just arrived in town and were destitute, Yang Pandi would occasionally help them and enthusiastically introduce handicrafts to Yao Jianfen.
When Yang Pandi first heard that Yao Jianfen was going to open a store, not only did she ask for a low rent, but she also helped out a lot with everything.
However, as time went by, their bun shop business became better and better, and their lives became better. Yang Pandi was obviously jealous, and she couldn't bear to see that the poor mother and daughter who used to need her were living better than her own family.
Lin Xiaoman guessed that Yang Pandi was secretly regretting something, with a mentality of "If I had known earlier, I would have opened my own bun shop", so she raised the rent every now and then, just to drive them away so that she could take over.
The "stealing skills" incident that happened later proved this point well.
"What should I do? Oh..." Yao Jianfen sighed, feeling bitter in her heart. Everyone only saw that their bun shop was doing well, but did not see the hard work behind the scenes. It was all earned by the mother and daughter working from dawn to dusk!
"Mom, let's talk to her again this year. If she raises the rent a little, we won't make a fuss about it. But if she asks for something too outrageous, we'll take a firm stance and just stop renting and move to another place!"
Although Yang Pandi and her daughter-in-law opened a bun shop by using some cheap tricks and made money for a while, it was obvious that this mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were both unscrupulous businessmen who appeared honest on the surface but were actually full of evil intentions.
Overnight buns soon appeared, and business declined within two years. Later, there was an incident where several people got sick from eating the food. The matter became a big deal, and not only was the store closed, but the family also had to pay a lot of medical expenses. It was a retribution for their own fault.
So Lin Xiaoman didn't plan to do anything.
But now they haven't mastered the skill of making buns, and Lin Xiaoman guessed that Yang Pandi wouldn't dare to ask for too much.
"But changing places is not that easy." Yao Jianfen frowned.
"Mom, think about it, Xiaoxue has been admitted to university and she will definitely go to a big city. Haven't we saved a lot of money over the years? Let's go to the big city where Xiaoxue studies and open a bun shop directly in the city. There are many people in the city, and the business will definitely be better than in the town. And we are in the same city, so we can take care of each other. After Xiaoxue graduates, the three of us, mother and daughter, will live together in the city and buy a house. Then we will be real city people!" Lin Xiaoman lied and painted a rosy picture of a bright future for Yao Jianfen.
"City people!" Yao Jianfen's eyes lit up, and her whole body trembled with excitement. Then her face was filled with anxiety and hesitation, "Will this work?"
For a rural woman, it was already very good that she could walk to this town. Being a city dweller was something she could not even imagine.
"Of course, Mom, as long as the buns you make are delicious, you can make money anywhere. Besides, I'm here with you. I can earn royalties. Practice Mandarin with Xiaoxue this summer. Once you learn Mandarin, you won't be afraid to travel the world! Mom, we'll live in the city from now on, in a big house, and be city dwellers!"
Looking at Lin Xiaoman's confident look, Yao Jianfen was inevitably infected and looked forward to the future, and then she couldn't stop smiling.
"You, it's not that easy." After laughing for a while, Yao Jianfen returned to reality. "But I think you're right, Xiaoqiu. Xiaoxue will definitely stay in the big city after graduation. But she's a girl with no relatives or friends in the city. What if she gets sick? What will we do? You should plan for the long term. We can move to the city and take care of her. As long as we're together as a family, it doesn't matter if it's hard in the early stages. We can get through it eventually."
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