Chapter 70 Nothing happened last night, right?
"Don't rush, I'm just calculating!"
Grandpa Feng calculated the payments received from all the channels today, added them up, and then paused for a moment.
Grandma Li was furious: "You told me not to rush, but at least be quick yourself!"
Grandpa Feng remained silent, then showed her the calculator. Grandma Li's eyes widened: "Four thousand eight hundred yuan! Is that much?"
Grandpa Feng: "...Why would I lie to you?"
Both of them started breathing rapidly. They used to make less than two thousand yuan a day on a good day running a street stall; now they were making two to three times that amount!
It was a little more expensive, but not by much.
Previously, a bowl of rice noodles with beef cost around 13 to 15 yuan, but now it costs around 16 to 20 yuan.
Their opening hours are a bit longer than before, but that's because there were times when no one came to eat, so they chose not to set up a stall. Unlike here, there are people all the time.
Grandma Li murmured, "That means I made about three hundred bowls of hot rice noodles today..."
She said she was so tired! She didn't feel it when she was busy, but as soon as she stopped, her arms felt numb. Grandpa Feng was the same, shaking his wrists. The two of them were a typical team: Grandpa cooked the rice noodles, and Grandma Li served the noodles and then cleaned up the dishes.
"Think about it, we haven't had a moment to stop all day," Old Master Feng said with a grin.
The number of visitors to the scenic area varies; everyone is busy having fun, so the mealtimes are longer. They only get an hour's rest each in the morning and afternoon, which isn't really a rest as they still have to clean up. Towards the end, they have enough ingredients, but not enough bowls, so they have to use disposable ones.
Grandma Li couldn't stop smiling: "If we calculate it this way, we can earn 100,000 yuan a month! However, it's the New Year's Day holiday now, so there probably won't be as many people during the off-season, especially on weekdays."
Ten thousand yuan! That's a million in a year!
While I used to make money setting up a stall, it was never as lucrative as it is now.
Grandpa Feng shook his head: "That's not necessarily true. Listen to the customers who come to eat noodles; every single one of them praises the ancient town. Once word gets out, we won't have to worry about a lack of customers! Besides, we're limiting the number of people during the trial operation. When it officially opens and there are no restrictions, there might be even more people..."
After hearing this, Granny Li's eyes lit up: "If that's what you mean, then it's true."
She herself has walked through the ancient town so many times, yet she is still attracted to certain scenes and stops to admire them.
Not to mention tourists.
The customers who came to eat noodles today were all praising it, saying that the ancient town was beautiful and fun, and the prices inside were not expensive. They all had smiles on their faces, and obviously they all had a great experience.
"Let's call our daughter over to help out first; she'll be on vacation soon. Then, we need to hurry up and hire some helpers!" she decided immediately.
Money is something you should earn, but you shouldn't risk your life to earn it. If necessary, hire someone.
This time, Grandpa Feng surprisingly didn't criticize her first. He nodded and said, "Alright, hurry up and recruit people. Let's rummage through our relatives and see if there are any reliable people who can endure hardship."
For a situation like this, you can't do it without hiring someone.
If he has a reliable relative, he wouldn't mind taking on an apprentice.
Although they don't need to pay rent to the ancient town in the first year, they still have a series of obligations to fulfill. First, they need to pay for water and electricity bills and the cleaning and sanitation fees in front of the shop. Second, they must cooperate with the ancient town's business hours and are not allowed to close their shops without a reason. Finally, and most importantly, the ancient town will conduct random checks on the hygiene and safety of the shops from time to time. If they fail to meet the standards twice in a row, their lease renewal permit for the second year will be revoked.
This shop is clearly going to make them rich, and they'll definitely rent it even if the rent is a bit higher next year. It would be a huge loss if they sacrificed hygiene to save a few dollars on hiring help.
After discussing their plan, the two rested for a while before massaging their backs and standing up to prepare to tidy up the shop.
"Hurry up, they're coming to inspect soon."
Right now, the routine cleaning and tidying work has begun in the ancient town. Many sanitation workers are busy outside, and there are also large sweepers and floor scrubbers. The whole ancient town is bustling with activity.
Lu Xiaoqi did eventually outsource the cleaning work of the ancient town to the cleaning company she had initially partnered with, but she required them to hire a number of cleaners in the county to be responsible for the daily cleaning of the ancient town.
The cleaners were divided into work areas, with day and night shifts. Those on the day shift were responsible for handling hygiene issues in their areas at any time, such as litter on the ground and trash cans. However, the actual cleaning work only began after the ancient town closed for business in the evening.
The night shift staff can only enter the park after all the tourists have left to carry out a deep cleaning before closing time. They use large sweepers and high-pressure water guns to clean the streets and alleys, and also disinfect all public facilities, seats that tourists can touch, etc.
The town's own environmental sanitation department will conduct final supervision and inspections every day.
The inspection starts with checking the cleanliness of each shop before closing and continues until 2 or 3 a.m. It's very troublesome, and not all shop owners are willing to cooperate. They know that two shops couldn't stand the restrictions and chose not to come, so two other shops took their place.
I wonder if they'll regret it later...
Grandpa Feng and Grandma Li quickly finished cleaning, and around 11 o'clock, they completed their sanitation inspection. They then closed the shop and prepared to go home. They had already rented a house in the county, not far from the ancient town; it only took them ten minutes to get there by electric scooter.
As I was leaving, I ran into Granny Chen, who runs a shop next door, and we greeted each other.
Judging from Granny Chen's smile, the elderly couple knew that their neighbor's business must have been very good that day.
Grandma Chen got home close to midnight.
"Honey, you're still awake?" The first thing I saw when I walked in was my daughter, paralyzed in bed, still awake, leaning against the headboard playing on her phone. "Have you eaten?"
"I ate, don't worry," Chen Lifang said with a smile. "How was your day?"
Grandma Chen beamed and secretly whispered a number in her ear. Chen Lifang almost screamed, "Really?! More than three thousand?!"
"Keep your voice down!" Granny Chen glared at her.
The soundproofing in their house isn't very good; they should know better than to flaunt their wealth.
Chen Lifang quickly covered her mouth and then tugged at her mother's sleeve: "Please sit down and get some rest. You must have been exhausted today."
These three thousand yuan were really made up by eating bowls of fried mochi one by one. At a price of just over ten yuan per bowl, it was truly hard-earned.
Grandma Chen patted her hand and then tidied her hair: "After saving up for a few months, you can continue your rehabilitation at the hospital. By the way, I asked around, and Dr. Zhang in the ancient town is really good, as is Dr. Xu who does acupuncture. I got you an internal appointment for a week from now, and I'll take you there to see him."
"Mmm." Chen Lifang nodded heavily, her eyes welling up with tears, and she buried her head in her mother's arms.
After her car accident, her husband took care of her for a few months before leaving with the family's last savings, leaving her with a divorce agreement. At that moment, she wondered why she hadn't just died.
It was her mother who took her back and took care of her wholeheartedly, going everywhere to earn money for her medical treatment.
At first, Chen Lifang only felt bitter, but later, she mustered up her courage and didn't want to disappoint her mother. However, it was still too difficult for a middle-aged woman with little education and no good job to take care of a paralyzed patient. Her rehabilitation work was stopped after six months due to lack of money.
I thought my life would just stay like this forever, but unexpectedly, things took a dramatic turn for the better, and my life took such a big turn for the better.
Grandma Chen still remembers the morning when Lu Xiaoqi and Su Jun found her. She mentions it every day, telling Chen Lifang to be grateful and remember their kindness. During this time, she also brought some local honey and other local products from her hometown in the countryside and gave them to Lu Xiaoqi. Although they weren't very valuable, they were all her heartfelt wishes.
Lu Xiaoqi was unlike any other boss she had ever met; she was completely unpretentious and happily accepted the gift.
“We still need to hire a helper,” Granny Chen said, also considering the matter. “I’m thinking of asking your Aunt Zhao; she’s had a tough life too…”
Chen Lifang listened and nodded repeatedly.
"Mom, I also registered a small account for you at home. Maybe it can help with some promotion..."
Grandma Chen didn't understand these things, but she was pleased: "Okay, you can do whatever you want."
Her daughter used to be indifferent and didn't care about anything, which terrified her, fearing she might do something rash. Now that Chen Lifang is willing to do something and has emerged from the shadows, Grandma Chen can finally rest easy.
In the stillness of the night, the mother and daughter whispered to each other, filled with anticipation for the future.
While the shop owners in Zone 2 were packing up, Huang Si Niang was also tidying up her shop before closing at the Linlang Pavilion, an intangible cultural heritage store in Zone 5.
They need to take inventory of the goods and then do some basic cleaning before they can close the shop.
"You should go back first, or you can go to the cafeteria for a late-night snack." Huang Si Niang said with a smile to the young girl who worked with her. "Your dorms are far away, so go back early."
The young girl shook her head firmly: "How can that be? Sister Huang, you're still heavily pregnant!"
Sister Huang is about to give birth, how could she let a pregnant woman work overtime so late? Her conscience bothers her. I heard that the supervisor originally wanted Sister Huang to go home and prepare for childbirth, but Sister Huang was concerned about the opening of the business and planned to persevere for two more days before taking maternity leave.
The little girl admired her greatly. Although she was pregnant, she did not neglect any of her chores and was even more agile than her own legs.
"Sister Huang, please sit down, I'll do it!"
Hearing her say that, Huang Si Niang didn't insist anymore and carefully sat down.
"Sister Huang, you're starting your leave tomorrow, right? When is your due date?"
“Yes.” Huang Si Niang touched her belly and smiled. “I’ll be on leave tomorrow. My due date is in three days.”
She is now a shop assistant at Linglang Pavilion.
Months ago, Huang Si Niang had been thinking about what she wanted to do. After studying and observing for so long, she had also considered her future and life. Go to the kitchen? She wasn't cut out for cooking. Go to the embroidery workshop? She didn't seem to have the knack for that either… After much thought, the jobs chosen by the women of Xiangjia Village didn't seem to suit her very well.
She was tempted when she saw that some official shops in the ancient town were hiring shop assistants.
The job of a shop assistant is to greet and see off customers; the more you sell, the more money you earn. Theoretically, there is no upper limit to their salary.
Her father started out as a peddler and later opened a small warehouse. Huang Si Niang helped her family sell goods when she was young, so she was very experienced in this job.
As expected, Huang Si Niang performed exceptionally well during the job interview. Even though she was heavily pregnant, the company was willing to reserve a position for her—although Xiang Dali's presence in the repair team played a part, it was Huang Si Niang's good reputation that gave her this opportunity.
Huang Si Niang participated in the entire training and pre-opening preparations for the shop, and only decided to go home to prepare for childbirth at the last minute.
"Is it ready?" Xiang Dali came in from outside.
Huang Si Niang smiled sweetly: "I've been waiting for you. I'm about to close up shop."
After saying goodbye to the little girl, the two walked home together.
Xiang Dali asked, "How was today?"
"Not bad." Huang Si Niang's tone held a hint of delight. "Quite a few tourists are willing to buy."
There are three shops related to cultural and creative products in Qinghe Ancient Town: one is located on the main street of Zone 1, one is next to the theater in Zone 2, and the other is in Zone 5. This shop mainly sells products from the surrounding workshops, such as wooden toys and ornaments from woodworking workshops, as well as various small silver ornaments, hairpins, etc. The products are very diverse, and they are all handmade, with many items being unique pieces.
Although the price wasn't exactly cheap, we actually sold quite a few today.
Huang Si Niang discovered that many people aren't so interested in cheap but common items; they prefer uniqueness, especially young women. Meanwhile, middle-aged and elderly customers, often buying for their children, place greater emphasis on value for money.
"How are things on your end?" Huang Si Niang asked her husband.
"It's alright, quite easy." Xiang Dali smiled憨厚ly. "Teaching kids, kids these days are pretty good, they learn as soon as you tell them. It's just that their hand skills are a bit lacking, so I have to finish them off."
Unlike back then, when they first started learning, they had to listen to their master's explanations several times before they could understand them.
“That’s natural,” Huang Si Niang raised her eyebrows. “Kids these days are all educated and smart.”
Therefore, Ahri must study hard.
Just like Teacher Zhao said, reading can enlighten you, and you'll be able to learn anything faster then.
The couple chatted as they walked out, deciding not to go to the cafeteria for a late-night snack and heading straight back to Zone 4. Ali was already asleep, while Xiang's mother was listening to an audiobook on her phone, completely absorbed, dozing off in her chair as she listened.
During the day, she took Ah Li for a stroll in the ancient town, but was scared back by the bustling crowds.
She had never seen so many people, not even at the market during Chinese New Year!
She was afraid that Ah Li would get lost.
Seeing the two of them return, she quickly asked, "Have you eaten? Fourth Sister, are you hungry? Would you like me to make you some noodles?"
The couple quickly said they had already eaten.
Huang Si Niang, heavily pregnant, went upstairs to check on Ali, who was fast asleep. She couldn't resist kissing her cheek.
He sighed to his mother and muttered, "You have to go out to work. Your belly is so big. You should rest."
When Huang Si Niang went to apply for the job, she felt it was unnecessary. Her son's salary was enough to support the family. She could wait until after giving birth and when the child was older before going out to work. Why make things so difficult?
Xiang Dali coughed to cover her voice, lest his wife upstairs hear and cause any unpleasantness.
"Mother, please don't say things like that again. This is a rare opportunity," he said helplessly to his mother. "If we miss this chance, we won't have another one."
When Huang Si Niang proposed this plan, he hesitated, but after discussing it with his wife, they realized that looking now was completely different from looking a few years later. Who knew what the ancient town would be like in a few years? If they missed its growth period, they might regret it.
Moreover, Huang Si Niang did not intend to stay at home taking care of the children forever.
Almost every young person in Xiangjia Village has a job, so she simply couldn't stay at home. After learning about the current employment difficulties faced by women from Teacher Zhao, Huang Si Niang decided to give it a try. If the company felt that hiring a pregnant woman was inappropriate, she could go home and wait for another opportunity.
But she actually got the job, and she couldn't miss that opportunity.
"Fourth Sister is due to give birth tomorrow. And I'll have some free time now, Mother, don't worry."
Their renovation team had been working overtime a lot recently, and after reopening, they were given almost a month off. They just needed to work shifts at the woodworking workshop. Tomorrow he'll be free at home, so he can play with Ali and even make some furniture for the house in his spare time.
He sighed and waved his hand, "Alright, alright, I was just saying... You all know what I mean."
Times have changed, let the young people do what they want!
......
The cafeteria in Zone 7 was bustling with activity and filled with lively chatter.
Besides the frontline staff and actors on duty in the ancient town, various departments in the logistics department were also working overtime. In addition, there were employees who did not need to work overtime but wanted to stay and watch the excitement on the first day of opening. Although it was almost 11 o'clock, the canteen was still crowded with people.
The cafeteria kitchen prepared a lot of late-night snacks, and Lu Xiaoqi also ordered a large quantity of milk tea, fruit, cakes, pizza, fried chicken, and other items from outside, which filled several long tables.
Everyone was excited. Although they were tired after a long day, they felt a great sense of accomplishment knowing that the opening was a great success. The young actors, in particular, had already gathered together and started having a blast.
Li Guinian somehow acquired a waist drum and began to play it with great enthusiasm, accompanied by a musician who brought a flute to join him in the ensemble.
In an instant, the cafeteria became a joyful ocean filled with melodious music.
Li Pengnian sang and danced, and Gongsun Jin and several dancers lifted their skirts and joined in. Some young dancers who had been hired from elsewhere, not wanting to be outdone, also joined in.
The staff members watching were clapping and cheering.
"You haven't left yet?" Song Meina asked in surprise when she saw Chen Yingying.
She was forced to work overtime; the customer service department was the main force today. But Chen Yingying is the HR director, so she doesn't need to work overtime.
Chen Yingying pointed in that direction with her chin, her smile impossible to hide: "Will there be such a spectacle when we get back?"
Song Meina clicked her tongue and shook her head: "Indeed..."
So many handsome men and beautiful women, and so energetic, able to sing and dance... who would want to leave! Didn't you see that people like Xiao Zhuang and Zhao Simin, who don't have to work overtime, have stayed?
Song Meina is very satisfied with her job now. The boss is generous and easygoing, the company atmosphere is good, there's no backstabbing, and everything is pleasing to the eye, except for Anping County itself, which isn't great. Everything else is perfect.
"By the way, where's the boss?" She looked left and right but didn't see Lu Xiaoqi.
Chen Yingying: "They were just here a moment ago, they probably went out."
Lu Xiaoqi and Su Jun were strolling outside.
After seeing off her guests, she went to the cafeteria to grab a late-night snack, but Li Guinian caught her as soon as she arrived. He and a group of people egged her on and made her drink a few glasses of wine. Lu Xiaoqi was in a good mood today, so she naturally didn't refuse. However, she felt a little dizzy after drinking, so she called Su Jun and asked to go outside for some fresh air to clear her head.
Su Jun remembered the time she got drunk after drinking just one can of pineapple beer, and feeling a little worried, he frowned and said, "How about I take you home?"
"It's okay, I was just nervous last time, it was an emotional issue!" Lu Xiaoqi refused, and proved that her alcohol tolerance was definitely more than just one can of beer. "I'll just take a walk and get some fresh air."
She leaned on the railing by the lake, gazing directly at Qinghe Tower.
The cleaning team must have just finished their inspection, arriving just as Qinghe Tower was going out. One by one, the lights dimmed, and the once magnificent, celestial-like pavilion was reduced to a silhouette against the night sky.
Lu Xiaoqi suddenly felt a little flustered.
Huh... why can't I see it clearly?
What about her Qinghe Tower, which is so big?
It was as if all of this had become a mirage, something she had imagined.
She nudged Su Jun next to her: "Pinch me."
Su Jun was confused: "...Why?"
"Oh, don't worry about it, just pinch me!" she urged.
Su Jun hesitated for a moment, then reached out and pinched her cheek. The instant their skin touched, his hand flinched. The soft, warm touch sent a jolt through his fingertips, and he immediately pulled away as if he'd been electrocuted.
Lu Xiaoqi rolled her eyes: "I meant for you to pinch my hand..."
And what did this guy do? He just slapped it right in the face.
However, this suddenly made her feel a sense of reality. She touched the railing beneath her, and chuckled—it was all real. Qinghe Ancient Town had really opened, and Qinghe Tower was indeed as beautiful as it seemed.
She couldn't help but chuckle.
Su Jun slapped his forehead and said helplessly, "...You're drunk."
He discreetly hid the hand that had pinched her cheek behind his back, and then twirled it between his fingertips.
"I'll take you back."
"I don't want to! I told you I'm not drunk." Lu Xiaoqi clung to the railing and refused to leave.
Su Jun: ...Even in this state, you still say you're not drunk.
He had no choice but to lower his head and coax, "Okay, okay, you're not drunk. So what do you want to do now?"
No matter what she wants to do, he'll just stay with her.
Lu Xiaoqi leaned her head against the railing in a daze, watching him come closer. She could even see his long eyelashes, his handsome nose, and his pink lips... Tsk, why does a man have such long eyelashes!
She became bold and reckless: "You just pinched me, I'm going to pinch you back."
Su Jun paused for a moment, feeling somewhat embarrassed, and could only continue to coax her: "Okay, okay, I'll let you pinch me."
What else can we do?
Lu Xiaoqi reached out, intending to pinch his face in retaliation, but then she saw his eyes. The lake water, shimmering with starlight, reflected in his eyes, making him look incredibly beautiful.
As if possessed, she changed from pinching to touching, and touched Su Jun's face, even lifting his chin like a flower thief.
"She's so beautiful, how can she be so beautiful..."
Originally, I only thought about it in my mind, but it naturally came to mind. Taking advantage of my drunkenness, I became bolder and did what I had always wanted to do.
Su Jun froze, his breathing quickening.
It felt as if Lu Xiaoqi's slightly tipsy and warm fingertips weren't touching his cheek, but rather directly pressing on his taut nerves. A surge of scalding heat suddenly exploded, instantly engulfing his entire face and even spreading to his neck and behind his ears.
If the lights were bright now, Lu Xiaoqi would definitely be able to see that even his earlobes were bright red.
Su Jun subconsciously held his breath. His heart pounded wildly in his chest like a wild horse that had broken free of its reins, making his eardrums buzz and drowning out the sound of the gentle ripples on the lake.
“You…” His Adam’s apple bobbed with difficulty, his voice was so dry it was almost incoherent, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor, but in the end he could only utter two words, “…Stop messing around.”
He instinctively took half a step back, his back hitting the cold lakeside railing.
The coolness of the railing did not dispel the burning sensation on his face; instead, it made him feel the scalding heat of his cheeks even more clearly. The hand hidden behind his back unconsciously clenched and unclenched, his fingertips seemingly still retaining the soft touch of when he had pinched her cheek, leaving him confused and at a loss.
what to do?
At this moment, Lu Xiaoqi, the instigator of the disturbance, let out a drunken hiccup, completely ruining the somewhat ambiguous atmosphere.
She covered her mouth with her hand, yawned widely, and mumbled, "I'm a little sleepy..."
I've been busy for several days preparing for the opening, and now I really want to sleep.
Leaning against the railing, I was almost falling asleep, without any psychological burden whatsoever.
Su Jun opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but was unable to close it. In the end, he could only grit his teeth and say resentfully, "...I'll take you back."
What could he possibly say?!
The next day, Lu Xiaoqi slept until after 10 a.m.
She stretched and felt refreshed. She thought to herself that next time she wanted to get a good night's sleep, she should have a glass of wine before going to bed. It worked wonders.
When she opened her eyes, she found herself still in Qinghe Ancient Town. She had a room of her own in Section 4. There were three rooms in a small building: one was hers, one was Song Wu's, and the last one was reserved for Zhao Feiyan.
"Did Su Jun bring me back?" Lu Xiaoqi had completely forgotten how she got back yesterday.
I vaguely remember that I was strolling around outside with Su Jun, trying to sober up...
System: "Yes".
Lu Xiaoqi didn't pay much attention, lifted the covers and got out of bed, then immediately shrank back, looking horrified: "Could it be that he changed my clothes?"
System: "No. He just carried you back and then had Sister-in-law Song change you."
Lu Xiaoqi was finally relieved.
She knew Su Jun was a gentleman. She trusted him completely.
The system's tone was somewhat strange: "Player, have you already forgotten what happened last night?"
Lu Xiaoqi: "Did anything happen last night?"
She seems to have this problem; she often blacks out when she gets drunk. She appears to be very sober and doesn't act crazy, but she gets very sleepy and then wakes up and doesn't remember anything.
Nothing happened last night, right?
The system categorically denied it: "No, nothing happened."
It suddenly understood why humans enjoy watching the drama unfold; the feeling was indeed wonderful, with a strange sense of pleasure.
So it decided not to say anything.
Lu Xiaoqi lay back, deciding to exercise her privilege as the boss and stay in bed for another five minutes.
"Oh right, I haven't checked my reward yet!" she exclaimed.
How could I forget something so important?!
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