Chapter 182 Insatiable Greed
"I used this trick to steal the old hens from the coop the other day. Just hook the wire, and the latch opens, without anyone noticing. I took three chickens, and not even the dog barked. This method is incredibly accurate!"
Zhou Hailiang suddenly grinned.
His eyes darted around, as if he could already see the whole cabinet full of fruit candies.
"If I could sneak a sip from the cupboard, the kind wrapped in fancy paper, sweet and sour, and take some to Erniu at the west end of the village... she might chat with me a bit more, and who knows, I might even invite her for a walk by the river..."
"Has a promising future?"
Zhou Haiwei immediately rolled his eyes and spat without any mercy.
"Is that all you've got? You're eyeing that cheap candy, trying to please that little brat?"
He slammed his hand on the table, making the teacup vibrate.
“If we’re going to steal, let’s steal the big stuff! I saw it. Yang Qingshan stuffs money into that wooden money box under the counter every night before dark. One-cent coins, five-cent coins, it adds up to at least a hundred yuan! That’s hard currency! If we get our hands on it, it’ll be enough for us to eat meat for months!”
He scanned the three of them intently, then lowered his voice.
"Listen to me, stake out their place for a few days, figure out their routine. When the opportunity arises, make a decisive move and pull off a big heist!"
It was Zhou Haiwei!
These guys are all thieves by nature!
I've loved petty theft since I was little, and I get envious and itchy hands whenever I see other people's things.
As they grew older, they became even worse, stealing sweet potatoes from the production team or taking hoes from their neighbors.
The villagers shake their heads when they talk about it, saying that the Zhou brothers will be in jail sooner or later.
Zhou Shufen stepped through the door and coldly shouted, "Zhou Haiwei, what are you doing here?"
The previously noisy atmosphere in the room instantly froze.
Even Yang Qingshan, who was calculating accounts at the counter, unconsciously looked up.
Zhou Haiwei turned around, saw her, his legs went weak, and he knelt down with a thud: "Mom!"
Zhou Shufen ignored him and went directly behind the counter.
He lifted the curtain with his right hand, stepped inside the counter, placed his bag on the table, and glanced at the shelves and ledgers.
"Qingshan, have you finished checking the goods? If anything is missing, please restock it. Tell me quickly."
“Auntie, everything has been settled. The ledger is here. You can choose whichever you need to make up.”
Yang Qingshan quickly pushed the spread-out ledger forward.
He knew that Zhou Shufen was methodical and never careless.
"Are we manpower enough? If not, we'll hire two more. The monthly salary is forty, and we won't mind if it's too much."
Zhou Shufen flipped through the ledger, quickly browsing the purchase list, and said without looking up.
"Auntie, really, there's no need! I can manage on my own, why waste money?"
Yang Qingshan waved his hands repeatedly, a simple and honest smile on his face.
He rubbed his hands together and added, "Besides, I can remember all the goods coming in and out of this store, so I can do the inventory quickly at night without delaying anything."
Zhou Shufen nodded and said nothing more.
"Okay, I'm leaving then. If anyone comes to cause trouble, don't waste your breath on them, just call the police. I've already spoken to the police station."
Before leaving, she turned back to look at Zhou Haiwei again, her eyes cold.
Zhou Shufen could stay away from Yu Xin for half a month only because Guo Yanlong was holding things together.
He has extensive connections and powerful influence in the local area, and can speak with authority in both the legitimate and underworld circles.
As long as he says one sentence: "This shop is under Sister Zhou's protection, anyone who tries to touch it will have to try,"
No one dared to make any rash moves.
Everyone in Yuxin County knows that offending Zhou Shufen is tantamount to offending Guo Yanlong at the same time.
Yang Qingshan's goods are always in high demand.
His supply channels are stable, the quality is good, and the price is fair.
Small vendors from the surrounding villages are willing to travel more than ten miles of mountain road to come here to pick up goods.
Grocery stores from several surrounding counties come here specifically to purchase goods.
As soon as it got light, people arrived from all directions, some riding bicycles and others pushing carts.
They lined up in front of the shop with sacks and carrying poles, vying to get rid of the hot-selling items as soon as possible.
He offered a fair price, with a profit margin of five cents, focusing on high volume and low margin.
Over time, their reputation was established, and they attracted more and more customers.
He memorized the purchase orders, kept a daily inventory, and steadily earned over two thousand yuan a month.
Yang Qingshan is quick-witted, and his memory is astonishing.
He could recite with his eyes closed how many bottles of soy sauce were delivered on which day, and how much soap each household had bought on credit.
His salary also increased accordingly.
Seeing how hard he worked, Zhou Shufen voluntarily added 30 yuan to his monthly bonus.
Now he earns nearly 100 yuan a month, plus the store's profit sharing, his income far exceeds that of ordinary workers.
In addition to Xu Lingling's breakfast stall, the couple could easily earn two or three hundred yuan a month.
The neighbors all say that the couple is hardworking and honest, and it's no wonder they're doing so well.
Not to mention Liuchang Village, even in Yuxin City, they are considered to be extremely respectable.
They lived in a newly built brick house, wore fashionable serge clothes, and had a Forever brand bicycle at home.
There's no worry about children going to school or the elderly seeing a doctor.
During festivals, they can buy meat and wine, and visit relatives with their heads held high.
When Zhou Haiwei heard Zhou Shufen say that she was hiring, his eyes darted around like windmills.
He knelt on the ground, secretly glancing at Zhou Shufen's figure, his mind racing with calculations.
If I could work in this shop, I could earn a little over a dollar a day, which would be more than thirty a month, and I could even take home some cigarettes and matches...
But the next second, Zhou Shufen's words completely dampened his spirits.
“None of those Zhou family brats will ever set foot in the shop. They’re foul-mouthed, black-hearted, and lazy. If you dare hire them, you can pack your bags and get out of here.”
Yang Qingshan immediately replied, "Don't worry, Auntie! Zhou Haiwei begged me eight or ten times, and I didn't budge an inch."
As she spoke, she glanced at Zhou Haiwei sideways, her eyes full of disdain.
He knew that Zhou Shufen hated people who didn't work for a living the most, and he absolutely couldn't let such scum get into the store.
Everyone in the village knows that back then, Zhou Shufen was so driven to the point of almost hanging herself, and not a single one of the Zhou brothers helped her.
Yang Qingshan is not a fool.
He knew in his heart that once these people stepped across the threshold, they would not simply be glanced at.
Their eyes were fixed on the goods on the shelves and the cash in the counter.
He must guard this door.
Zhou Haiwei lay on the ground, his hands digging into the cracks in the cement floor.
"Mom, I'm your own son! Your blood flows in my veins! You've worked so hard to build this shop, and instead of handing it over to your own son, you're giving it all to outsiders? Aren't you afraid that no one will be there to serve you tea and water in your old age, or to take care of you when you die? Aren't you afraid that your own son will feel heartbroken?"
"Zhou Haiwei!"
Zhou Shufen turned around abruptly.
“I hired a professional manager. He signed a contract, gets paid monthly, works diligently, and earns his living through his skills! Who dares to touch a single penny of mine? Who dares to cross the line? But what about you guys? You eat my food, use my things, live in my house, and you still think it's not enough! I give you a bowl of rice, and you want to take the whole pot! I give you gold, and you want to rob the vault! You are truly insatiable!”
"Your uncles used to help you brothers out of kinship. When your father first passed away, the family savings were meant for you in times of need, but you three brothers squandered it all in less than a month! Some gambled, some drank, some bought cigarettes, alcohol, and women! What does that say? Huh? What does that say?"
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