Su Jianguo looked at it and nodded.
"That's good. And this Li Hongmei, her file says her father died early, and her family relies on her mother's temporary work to make ends meet. She's very sensible."
After a selection process, Su Jianguo finally chose three girls, all around eighteen or nineteen years old, from average families, but all with good reputations.
"All three are good."
Su Jianguo said to the female cadre.
"Could we ask them to come to the store for an interview before 6 a.m. tomorrow? We get busy as soon as we open at 6 a.m., and there won't be time for interviews."
The female cadre readily agreed.
"No problem, I'll inform them tonight. Boss Su is really thoughtful."
She added.
"There's a current policy that allows self-employed individuals who hire unemployed youth to enjoy certain tax benefits. If you need assistance, we can help you with the relevant procedures."
Su Jianguo said gratefully.
"That's great, thank you for your support."
When Su Jianguo left the subdistrict office, he felt much more at ease.
Once he has recruited the right employees, he will have more time to address other issues and may even consider expanding his business.
On his way home, he was already thinking about tomorrow's interview and his plans for the future.
...
The next day.
This time, Su Jianguo didn't arrive that early.
When we closed the shop the day before, we cleaned it up thoroughly.
It wasn't until after 5 a.m.
Su Jianguo wrapped his cotton-padded coat tighter, left home, and pushed his bicycle into the path leading to Dongdan Market.
"It's really cold today."
Su Jianguo sighed as he rode his bike.
Enter the market and turn the last street corner.
From afar, Su Jianguo could see what appeared to be a figure standing in front of his "Su's Vegetable Shop".
He squinted and looked closely. It was a thin figure pacing back and forth in front of the shop, occasionally rubbing his hands and stamping his feet.
"Are there customers waiting this early?"
Su Jianguo muttered to himself, and pedaled even faster.
Upon closer inspection, it became clear that she was a girl of about eighteen or nineteen, wearing a patched dark blue cotton-padded jacket and a faded scarf, shivering in the cold wind.
Her cheeks and the tip of her nose were red from the cold, and there was even a thin layer of frost on her eyelashes.
"Young lady, what are you waiting for here?"
Su Jianguo parked his bicycle, took out his keys, and asked.
The girl turned around abruptly upon hearing the sound, a flicker of panic in her eyes, which then gave way to a glimmer of hope.
"Are you...are you Boss Su?"
Her voice trembled slightly, whether from the cold or nervousness, it was hard to tell.
"I am Su Jianguo."
Su Jianguo nodded, opening the door while sizing up the unfamiliar girl.
"Who are you..."
My name is Li Hongmei!
The girl spoke hurriedly, her voice suddenly rising a few decibels.
"Director Wang from the neighborhood office asked me to come for the interview today! He said your shop is hiring!"
Su Jianguo then remembered that he had indeed selected the files of several unemployed youths at the street office yesterday, including this Li Hongmei.
He remembered that the file stated that her father had died early and the family relied entirely on her mother's temporary jobs to make a living.
"Wasn't the interview scheduled for six o'clock? Why are you here so early?"
Su Jianguo pushed open the door, gesturing for her to come inside and warm up.
Li Hongmei followed them into the store, rubbed her frozen hands, and said somewhat embarrassedly.
"I was afraid of being late... It was my first time looking for a job, and I didn't know how long the commute would take, so I left early."
She paused, then added.
"My home is far away, in the western part of the city."
Su Jianguo's heart skipped a beat.
It takes at least an hour to walk from the west of the city to Dongdan Market.
This girl probably left home around 3 a.m.
"Sit down, don't stand."
Su Jianguo pointed to the stool next to the counter, then went to the back room to pour her a cup of hot water.
"Warm your hands first."
Li Hongmei took the water glass with both hands and gave Su Jianguo a grateful look.
"Thank you, Mr. Su."
With the help of the lamplight, Su Jianguo was able to see her face clearly.
She had an oval face, small but bright eyes, and somewhat rough skin, which suggested she had experienced hardship.
"Tell me about yourself."
Su Jianguo pulled up a chair and sat down.
Li Hongmei put down her water glass and straightened her back.
"I'm eighteen years old this year, and I graduated from junior high school. It's just my mom and me at home. My mom works as a temporary worker in a textile factory, earning twenty-eight yuan and fifty cents a month."
Her voice gradually calmed down.
"I've sewed clothes for people at home and washed dishes in restaurants; I can do any kind of work."
Su Jianguo nodded.
Why do you want to work for me?
Li Hongmei's eyes lit up.
"I heard from Director Wang of the neighborhood office that your business is particularly good, and..."
She hesitated for a moment.
"Moreover, you pay your workers high wages and offer good benefits."
Su Jianguo smiled.
"What else did Director Wang say?"
"They say you're an honest person, and you don't mistreat the workers."
Li Hongmei's voice lowered.
"I used to wash dishes at a restaurant, and the boss always found excuses to deduct my wages..."
Su Jianguo remained silent for a moment.
He knew that the individual economy was just starting out, and some bosses were indeed taking advantage of workers' lack of legal knowledge and arbitrarily deducting wages.
Although Su Jianguo is a self-employed individual, he would never do such a despicable thing.
"My job here is not easy."
Su Jianguo said solemnly.
"I have to be at the store at five in the morning every day and work until the afternoon. I have to move vegetables, weigh them, and greet customers. I need to be quick and efficient, and I need to keep accurate accounts."
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