Chapter 114 How much money was lost? Yao Xiaoyu was conscripted into the army just like that...
When Yao Xiaoyu was almost finished writing "Back to the Ming Dynasty", Tao Jingu finally sent her an invitation to visit the factory. After confirming that it did not conflict with her schedule, Yao Xiaoyu readily agreed. Two days later, Yao Xiaoyu and Tao Xiaoxiao, bundled up like bears, had just gotten off the rickshaw and hadn't even had a chance to take a look at the factory gate when Tao Jingu conscripted them.
"They've finally arrived!"
Tao Jingu, his face flushed with excitement, pressed Yao Xiaoyu into a chair. Before Yao Xiaoyu could even react, a pen was in her hand, and Tao Jingu had already begun shouting to the crowd in front of him:
"Men on the left, women on the right. Anyone with venereal disease or syphilis should get lost. Those who can read should fill out the form for me to review. Those who cannot read should explain their situation to her."
Tao Jingu pointed at Yao Xiaoyu, and seeing the crowd swarm around her, he roared again:
"Fill out the forms first, then we'll review them. Once we have enough people, we won't accept any more. No physical contact is allowed. If you touch her even a finger, we won't accept her."
After warning the crowd that was eagerly scrambling in front of Yao Xiaoyu, Tao Jingu reached out and accurately pulled out the short man in the crowd, giving him two hard slaps.
"You dare steal from my turf? Don't you want to live?!"
The man tried to argue and struggle, but Tao Jingu punched him on the shoulder. After letting out a scream, he immediately became much more obedient, enduring the pain and opening his mouth, which had just lost several teeth, to beg for mercy.
Tao Jingu didn't make things difficult for the man. He quickly stripped him down to only his pants, then casually selected two strong men to check that there were no pockets inside the pants before releasing him.
She moved so fast that it wasn't until the man stumbled and disappeared around the street corner that the crowd came to their senses and began rummaging through their pockets for clothes. A moment later, a wail came from the crowd.
"My money! This is the wages I earned after working for almost half a month!"
The speaker was a thin man with triangular eyes and a bulbous nose. His clothes were ripped open, and he lunged straight at the pile of things that the thief had just stripped off. Tao Jingu kicked him and sent him flying backward on his butt.
"What did the money you lost look like? What was it in? How much was it?"
Tao Jingu stared at the man expressionlessly. The man, who had been wailing, paused for a moment before stammering out a number. As for his purse, he didn't have any—he was a grown man, and he always carried his money loosely in his pockets, which was why it got stolen so easily.
"There isn't that much loose change, so it seems he didn't steal it."
The man said he had lost two silver dollars and nineteen copper coins. He had more copper coins not in his purse than he claimed, but only one silver dollar.
As soon as Tao Jingu spoke, the man realized he had been exposed. Although he was still somewhat unwilling, he could only slink away. Several people exchanged glances and shut their mouths.
Later, some people said they had lost money. Tao Jingu asked them the same questions as men, and returned the money to those who could answer. In the end, there were two purses and some loose change that no one claimed. Tao Jingu simply rolled up the clothes and packed them up, treating them as his extra income.
"Stand in separate lines and keep your hands and feet to yourself."
This was just a minor incident. After the crowd calmed down, Tao Jingu continued recruiting workers, but Tao Xiaoxiao was also casually conscripted.
"Xiaoxiao, if anyone tries anything funny, go ahead and do it. I have money; I can afford to pay with my life."
Tao Jingu's words were tinged with coldness. Many people couldn't stand her running a factory as a woman. They had caused a lot of trouble when the factory was being built, so it would be strange if they didn't cause trouble when she was recruiting workers.
However, the money those people gave was barely enough to cause trouble and get punched or kicked a few times. Losing a tooth would be a huge loss. After she shouted that she would pay with her life, they would have some second thoughts.
“Don’t blame me for not warning you, this girl is stronger than me. If you touch her, you’ll die; if you bump into her, you’ll be killed. If you just brush against her, you’ll get a scratch; if you just scrape her skin, you’ll get a muscle injury!” [1]
Tao Jingu couldn't stand reading classical Chinese texts. After a long period of effort, she broke through the barrier of literacy, but apart from necessary reading, she only read novels in vernacular Chinese. However, recently, the old gentleman in the teahouse started telling stories about "Journey to the West," and Tao Jingu was captivated after listening to it once. Now she can even recite some sentences from it.
"Xiaoxiao, lift her up and let them see your strength."
Tao Jingu spoke softly to Tao Xiaoxiao, then handed two copper coins to the woman who was about to be lifted up, his words concise and to the point:
"Just cooperate."
The woman's initially unhappy expression immediately brightened, and she smiled broadly, spreading her arms wide at Tao Xiaoxiao. Tao Xiaoxiao didn't say anything, but simply lifted the woman by her knees with one hand, instantly increasing the woman's height considerably.
"hiss!"
Gasps of shock came from the crowd, but Tao Xiaoxiao pretended not to hear them. She counted to five in her mind, made sure she had displayed enough power, and then put the woman back on the ground.
Everyone stared in shock at Tao Xiaoxiao, who remained calm and composed, and then at the somewhat uneasy woman, finding it hard to believe that what had just happened was real.
The woman was not petite; at over 1.6 meters tall, she was taller than some men, and had a double chin. Her broad shoulders and thick waist suggested that her figure was not simply a result of wearing a padded jacket.
Tao Xiaoxiao isn't exactly short, but compared to women... if someone saw Huang Dou holding up a broad bean, they could probably understand how they felt.
"You can't judge a book by its cover."
It's unclear who started it, but it drew a chorus of agreement, and the scene immediately became orderly. Everyone lined up obediently and answered every question.
...
"name."
Yao Xiaoyu asked expressionlessly, inwardly regretting her suggestion to use forms to screen people a thousand times over. Wouldn't it have been better to communicate verbally and with gestures? Why did she have to be so talkative? Now she's getting her comeuppance!
“I, no, my name is Wu Zhaodi.”
Wu Zhaodi said nervously that she really wanted to go to the factory. Her parents said that if she went to the factory, they would not let her become a wife for the Cha family. The Cha family was from the mountains and they were willing to offer a dowry of two hundred silver dollars, but they were very poor and women were shared by their brothers.
Yao Xiaoyu skillfully filled in the name column, thinking that the parents were brainless: Wu Zhaodi Wu Zhaodi, isn't that just not wanting a younger brother? They're just following others' preference for sons over daughters without even considering their own surname. What if they have a son named Wu Yougen? They'd both be called "rootless," yet they'd still talk about having someone to carry on the family line. How ridiculous!
"age?"
Zhao Di, Pan Di, Xiang Di, Nian Di, Wang Di, Lai Di, Si Di… Yao Xiaoyu recalled the various names she had filled in before, and looking at the fourth Zhao Di in front of her, she prepared to go back and make a suggestion to Tao Jingu, asking people who had successfully entered the venue with this kind of name to change their names. Whatever this Di or that Di, Pan Er Yin Zhang, if they really had to use a name, they could only use a name that would destroy the heavens and the earth!
Of course, she couldn't say that openly. Yao Xiaoyu planned to use the excuse of making it easier to identify employees—there are three people with the same surname, Nian Di, and five people with the same surname, and when they come back to work, they will read each other's names. If you are called Zhang Pan'er and I am called Zhang Pan'er, what if we get the wrong person when we deduct money?
Yao Xiaoyu mentally emphasized the incident of changing her name after entering the factory: Although these names did not increase her workload, they mentally created Yao Xiaoyu. She felt that after a day's work, she would not be able to write "Back to the Ming Dynasty" for at least three days. She was afraid that she would be brainwashed and that while writing, she would end up having Zhang Xiu give up the throne to her younger brother!
"address."
Yao Xiaoyu continued asking in a businesslike manner, and looking at the long line behind her, she felt a wave of dizziness – how did she end up making such a friend!
Despair aside, things still needed to be done. By the time the last person finished filling out their form, it was already afternoon. Tao Jingu tidied up the things on the table and eagerly brought Yao Xiaoyu a food box. When Yao Xiaoyu opened it, she was so angry that she laughed!
"I've been busy since morning, and you're just going to give me a bowl of porridge to get rid of me?"
If Tao Jingu's explanation cannot convince her, then their relationship is over!
"Try it, it's delicious!"
Tao Jingu gave a fawning smile. She genuinely wanted Yao Xiaoyu to visit the factory today and had no intention of having anyone work. However, things didn't go as planned. The recruitment, which she thought would be completed quickly with Yao Xiaoyu's help, had been delayed until now. Fortunately, it was still successfully completed. Not only were enough workers recruited, but there were also 30% more spare staff to prevent workers from leaving after the New Year and affecting the factory's operation.
However, this vegetarian sausage with porridge is really delicious, she swears on the money she's earned during this time!
Yao Xiaoyu took a bite with some skepticism, then silently quickened her pace as she scooped the porridge. After finishing a plate of vegetarian sausage with the porridge, her expression relaxed considerably.
The bowl for this porridge is only the size of a modern hotel bowl, which is rather small.
"Porridge is an appetizer, this is the main course. I've also booked a banquet for dinner, so you can eat to your heart's content."
Tao Jingu brought Yao Xiaoyu a bowl of braised noodles. The bowl was bigger than Yao Xiaoyu's head. The light brown noodles were covered with a thick layer of meat sauce. Yao Xiaoyu picked up a piece with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth, her eyes widening in surprise.
"Is this water bamboo shoot shreds?"
Yao Xiaoyu carefully examined the top layer and realized that what she thought were broken noodles were actually water bamboo in disguise. But even in this cold weather, how could Tao Jingu still get water bamboo?
"Water bamboo shoots...you mean bamboo shoots, right? I told the chef to just do whatever he wanted, and this is what it turned out like, but the taste isn't bad."
Tao Jingu thought for a moment and realized what was going on. She nodded and explained somewhat embarrassedly that she knew Yao Xiaoyu was particular about a balanced diet of meat and vegetables, but in winter, the only options were radishes, cabbage, potatoes, and winter melon. Fortunately, the water chestnuts she had bought at a high price yesterday were still available, so she found a spare moment to ask the cook to make them. As a result, the cook brought her a bowl of braised noodles with meat sauce.
The last time she saw such a deceptive dish was stir-fried shredded potatoes with ginger.
With only a few fresh vegetables on hand, there wasn't enough time to remake them or order from a restaurant, so Tao Jingu had no choice but to put them down. Fortunately, Yao Xiaoyu didn't seem dissatisfied.
Yao Xiaoyu was very satisfied with the braised noodles with water bamboo shoots.
The water bamboo shoots were sweet and refreshing, the minced meat was stir-fried to perfection, and the noodles were extremely flavorful. However, the portion size was a bit excessive. Yao Xiaoyu managed to eat half of it before she was so full that she had to sit on the chair and catch her breath.
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The author says: [1] A slight touch and you'll die, a slight bump and you'll perish; a mere brush will break your skin, a rub will injure your tendons! —From the Dragon King's evaluation of the Golden Cudgel in Journey to the West.
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