No man in heart
The four children's heads are stacked one on top of the other, as if they are playing some game. It's so cute.
Although they look different, the expressions on their faces all show the same concern for Yang Tao.
When Yang Tao saw this scene, he felt as if the dark clouds in his heart that had been shrouding him for days were pierced by something, and a ray of sunshine came in.
She saw these four people who seemed to be playing house, and couldn't help but find it funny, "Why are you here?" She remembered that she hadn't told anyone else the address of her residence.
Jian Jianan didn't answer the question, but asked first: "Sister Xiaotao, can we come in?"
Yang Tao quickly waved to them: "Yes, yes, of course, come in quickly."
After getting permission, the four people filed in.
Jian Jianan was not shy at all and quickly climbed onto Yang Tao's chair. The other three friends followed suit and sat upright on the chairs opposite Yang Tao, turning around to look at her.
Jian Jianan: "Sister Xiaotao, these three are my friends, Shan Jiqing, Duan Duan, and Lin Chuan. We're all very worried about you, so we came to see you today."
When Yang Tao heard the purpose of their visit, he couldn't help but laugh.
"Are you here specifically to see me? I don't know what you want to talk to me about." Yang Tao was extremely curious. Although she was in a bad mood right now, when she saw these children in front of her who came to her specifically because they were worried about her, her depressed mood in recent times couldn't help but get a little better.
Jian Jianan nodded, then sat down on the chair, straightened his posture, and stated his purpose directly.
"Sister Xiaotao, we don't want you to leave!"
The three friends around her immediately followed up and agreed with Jian Jianan's words one by one.
"Yes, yes, Sister Xiaotao, I don't want you to leave either!"
"None of us wants you to leave!"
"Sister Xiaotao, can you not leave?"
Yang Tao had not expected this to happen. Upon hearing this, he sighed deeply, "Ah..."
When facing other adults, she has to be careful and considerate of each other's face. Some things have to be kept in her heart and not said directly, but when facing children, she can finally speak out her heart.
Yang Tao smiled bitterly and said, "I don't want to either, but you are still young and don't understand that there are many things in this world that cannot be decided by anyone. Some things cannot be decided by me alone. I can't leave if I want to. If I can, I don't want to leave the Nanbei Hotel or leave you."
Jian Jianan felt that Yang Tao's words showed that she was more determined to leave. He leaned over quickly, held her hand, and persuaded her, "Sister Xiaotao, I know you don't want to leave us either. So, if you have any concerns, you can tell us. You must believe that there are still many people who care about you. We will do our best to solve any difficulties you have."
Yang Tao has only experienced icing on the cake, but has never encountered anyone who helps him in his time of need.
Now when I heard Jian Jianan's words, I felt very touched. Who said that Jian Jianan was not doing this for my own good?
Yang Tao touched Jian Jianan's little face and finally blurted out what was in her heart and what was worrying her.
"Nannan, I always feel that I've let down your Nanbei Hotel. Besides Sister Qin and Brother Yang, there are other people who work hard in the hotel. We could have lived our lives as normal, but because of me, just because of me, everyone's originally peaceful lives were disrupted."
All the unrelated people were inexplicably drawn into this vortex and forced to clean up the mess for themselves. Each and every one of these things challenged Yang Tao's bottom line.
As long as she does not cut off contact and relationship with her family, as long as she continues to live at home, the hidden danger will always exist, and Yang Tao will not be able to feel at ease to let Su Qinxuan and others clean up the mess for her and solve the future problems.
Jian Jianan nodded. It was exactly as he expected. Yang Tao wanted to leave because he didn't want to cause trouble for others, especially the people from the Nanbei Hotel.
Yang Tao felt a strong sense of guilt in her heart. She always felt that it was Su Qinxuan and Jian Yangping who hired her to come to the Nanbei Hotel, which allowed her to experience so much and grow rapidly in just a few years. However, now, it was all because of her that their originally peaceful life was destroyed. Most importantly, the business of the Nanbei Hotel was also greatly affected. This was an aspect that she could never forgive herself for.
Yang Tao lowered her voice and said to Jian Jianan, "As long as I don't get married, as long as I'm still alone, as long as my parents, brother and sister-in-law don't change their minds, then I can't go back."
Jian Jianan had a vague idea of how much impact and even setbacks single women would face in their careers in this era from Su Qinxuan in the past few days, but no straightforward words could be as profound as what Yang Tao said in person at this moment.
I actually guessed them all!
Jian Jianan pondered the real difficulties faced by working women. For example, Xiao Tao had clearly worked at the Nanbei Hotel for so long, and her future was clearly bright. Jian Jianan had no doubt that if Yang Tao continued her studies in this field, she would achieve remarkable results.
But now, she gave up because of those trivial reasons, which made Jian Jianan unbelievable. If it were her, she would never give in, especially when she had suffered such a big blow and had no one to rely on.
Jian Jianan knew that Yang Tao was determined and would not change her mind easily after making a decision. No matter how much he tried to persuade her, it would not work and might even have the opposite effect. So he simply changed the topic.
"Sister Xiaotao, where are you going after you leave our hotel?"
Jian Jianan was very curious. She didn't think there was any place better than the Nanbei Hotel. If Yang Tao left the Nanbei Hotel, the place she went to must not be very good.
As expected, Yang Tao said, "I plan to go to Guangzhou to take a look."
What? You're leaving Shenzhen and heading to Guangzhou?
Isn't that leaving home, just like Jian Jianan's family who just left Hainan Island and came to Shenzhen?
Seeing Jian Jianan's surprised look, Yang Tao smiled and said, "Okay, okay, there's nothing to worry about. It's just starting from scratch. I also started from scratch at the Nanbei Restaurant. I built it up from scratch. Now I'm just repeating the steps I took before."
Jian Jianan suddenly felt something was wrong. Hearing the tone of Yang Tao's voice when she talked about her future plans, it seemed that she had even thought about the next step!
When the two of them were talking just now, none of the three friends interrupted. Now Jian Jianan fell silent, and Duan Linchuan and the others started to persuade Yang Tao.
"Sister Xiaotao, do you have to go to Guangzhou? Can't you continue to stay in Shenzhen? I see that you have rented a house by yourself outside. Is it not okay to live there?" This is the paragraph in which the question is asked in a confused manner.
"Yes, yes, Sister Xiaotao, since you are worried about the situation at home, why don't you just stay away from them!" This is a very naive Lin Chuan.
Only Shan Jiqing keenly noticed Yang Tao's deeper concerns. She was worried that as a single woman, she would never be able to plan all the major events in her life on her own, so she wanted to stay away from Shenzhen and go to a completely new place to start over.
Jian Jianan looked at Yang Tao for a while and asked suddenly.
"Sister Xiaotao, are you scared?"
Yang Tao was stunned. It is said that children are the ones who understand the most. Otherwise, how could they give an answer that she had never expected?
"Scared? No, no, no, why would I be scared?" Yang Tao's first reaction was to wave her hands in denial. "If I were scared, would I have ignored everyone's denials and objections and come to work at the Nanbei Restaurant in the first place?"
Yang Tao's initial discomfort, as if someone had poked her heart out, subsided, and she immediately retorted, "I'm not scared, it's just..."
Just what?
Is it simply because you don't want to be treated like a commodity? Or do you want to avoid causing trouble? Or perhaps you don't want to just follow the crowd and be a puppet of others?
Or...both?
Jian Jianan's eyes were like a mirror, reflecting everything that Yang Tao was thinking clearly. Yang Tao could finally face her inner self, and she saw the point that she was most reluctant to admit but had no way of denying.
Fear.
That's right, she was scared.
Yang Tao finally realized this point, a point that he had ignored but existed.
Jian Jianan continued to press: "So, Sister Xiaotao, you are afraid. You resigned because you blamed yourself and were afraid to face us. You fled because you were afraid of your parents. You ran away because you didn't want to be entangled with bad people anymore..."
No one knows how a teenage girl like her could understand these things, since no adult had ever told her anything!
Is it really possible that he learned it by himself?
In fact, since Jian Jianan became a self-employed entrepreneur from home, he has heard and seen too many such things.
Among the waitresses hired by the Nanbei Hotel, no matter how well they performed at the beginning, as time went by, they would always leave the hotel and return home for one reason or another.
Either it's because they've reached marriageable age and should go back home to have children; or their parents have introduced them to good families, so they no longer need to work in the public eye; or...
All in all, among the people who come and go here like migratory birds, Yang Tao is one of the ones who has stayed here for the longest time.
Yang Tao used to think that she was an exception, but after thinking about it and analyzing herself, she suddenly realized that she was one of the migratory birds!
No, they cannot even be called migratory birds. Migratory birds will return home, but these people who leave, once they leave, will never be seen again for the rest of their lives.
This fact is so hurtful!
When she realized this, Yang Tao burst into tears almost instantly.
She felt weak and incompetent, and all kinds of emotions surged in her heart. She didn't even care that she was in front of a few little kids who were not even half her height. She covered her face with her hands and burst into tears.
The three children nearby were all shocked. What happened? What happened to Sister Tao? Why did she start crying?
But when he turned around, he saw that Jian Jianan had expected this and was not panicked at all. He was even very calmly patting Yang Tao's back as if to comfort her.
"It's okay, go ahead and cry. We will definitely keep your secret. Don't be afraid of being embarrassed."
Even though Yang Tao was crying, she couldn't help but laugh at Jian Jianan's words.
"Puff... cough cough cough..."
Hearing Yang Tao's coughing caused by choking from laughing, Jian Jianan finally felt relieved. Yang Tao had been tortured by this incident for so many days, but she was strong and unyielding, never showing her vulnerability in front of outsiders, and felt that she was indestructible. Now, when she heard Jian Jianan's soft words of comfort, she was moved to tears with mixed feelings.
???
The friends around him were all stunned, and Shan Jiqing took note of the incident in his heart, especially Jian Jianan's words of comfort to Yang Tao. If he encountered the same situation in the future, wouldn't these words come in handy?
Jian Jianan let Yang Tao cry for a while and did not stop her. In Jian Jianan's opinion, Yang Tao's crying was helpful for venting various emotions and restoring her mood. It would be fine if she cried. If she suppressed her tears, he would be a little worried!
After Yang Tao gradually calmed down, Jian Jianan spoke again: "There's really no need to feel ashamed. It's normal to be afraid. Everyone will be afraid when faced with such a situation. The first subconscious reaction is to run away. This is a normal thing."
"But," Jian Jianan changed the subject, "but, the choice after being afraid is crucial. Running away or facing it bravely are two completely different choices, which will lead to completely different life paths."
Although Jian Jianan is young, she has seen things very clearly. She tried her best to persuade Yang Tao, and the key word was to describe "another way" to her.
"Sister Xiaotao, think about it, if you resign and leave, there will be no one here to replace you. What will the other sisters think about this?"
"You were forced to resign, and even someone as capable as you couldn't completely resolve this matter. Then the other sisters who have always regarded you as a role model in life will be even less likely to fight for it!"
"Um?"
This is something Yang Tao had never thought of.
"Is there anyone who regards me as a target and a role model?"
Jian Jianan answered cheerfully, "Yes, there are many! I know of many people like you, including Sister Ye Cang at the front desk, the head waiter, and most of the waiters. They all think you're so impressive, and they want to be like you in the future!"
Yang Tao couldn't believe it. This was the first time she knew this!
She wondered, in places she couldn't see or know, there were so many people who admired her and regarded her as an ideal to be fulfilled? So how would they view her resignation?
Do I feel like a coward who only runs away when faced with problems? Will they be disappointed when they see me now? Will I feel like I have failed their expectations and become disillusioned with women in the workplace?
Yang Tao trembled. She was surprised to discover something she had never discovered before. Her existence could encourage more ladies to continue working in the hotel, which was something Yang Tao had never thought of.
Jian Jianan continued to ask: "Sister Xiaotao, have you ever thought about what would happen if I grew up and took over this responsibility from my mother? If one day I encountered something similar to you, and someone wanted to force me to get married to seize power, what would I do then?"
"Will I also be dragged down into this water, or forced to flee this legacy that I built with my own hands?"
Yang Tao immediately retorted, "How is that possible? You still have your mother here. Sister Qin wouldn't do that! At the very least, your mother would be by your side to help you out, so you wouldn't end up like me."
Jian Jianan remained calm as always: "Sister Xiaotao, how did you know? How can you be so sure that I won't have a day like you?"
Yang Tao was stumped again by Jian Jianan's question. Yes, why was she so sure? This problem is a problem that all women in this era will face. There is no fundamental solution at present. If you want to break this shackles, you can only escape. There is no other way.
But Jian Jianan pointed out another way to Yang Tao today, which is to continue to fight, fight your way out, and continue on the path you have chosen. If this is a room with a ceiling, then do your best to break it instead of choosing to escape.
If you become the first person to break the ceiling, others will follow your example and there will be a second, third, or even fourth and fifth... countless people who break the ceiling will appear one after another, and soon they will become a group.
This is the beautiful picture that Jian Jianan painted for Yang Tao.
Yang Tao couldn't help but be moved by it.
Seeing that Yang Tao's face was obviously wavering, Jian Jianan immediately struck while the iron was hot and continued to persuade her, trying to add fuel to the fire.
"And, Sister Yang Tao, if you resign now, it's like giving up all the good work you've done. You're giving in to people who don't deserve it, and handing over a great opportunity. Then, won't others who don't deserve this position get a great deal for nothing?"
Jian Jianan whispered, "You know, I seem to have heard from others that if you, Xiaotao, resign and leave, the person who will take your place will most likely be Brother Huang."
Yang Tao exclaimed, "What? It's him! No, no, no, absolutely not! How can he take my place?"
Brother Huang is not only a world apart from Yang Tao in terms of ability, but also has a bad character. He likes to harass the newly arrived waitresses. Several waitresses have complained to them and even complained about Brother Huang behind his back. Yang Tao alone knows a lot about this. How can Yang Tao let him replace her position when he has both poor ability and bad character?
Jian Jianan spread his hands and said, "Yeah, yeah. I also thought it was a bad idea when I heard the news. He's too unreliable. Compared to you, it's like heaven and earth. But we really can't do without him. Think about it, after you leave, in terms of seniority and age, Brother Huang will be the most senior. Who else can take on the position of store manager besides him?"
Jian Jianan said this on purpose. Actually, the candidate for the new store manager has not been decided yet. Jian Jianan said this just to provoke Sister Yang Tao. Now it seems that the provocation is quite effective.
Yang Tao immediately fell for the trick. "No, absolutely not! Where is your mother now? I want to see her and talk to her about this!"
Jian Jianan nodded seriously: "Well, yes, that's right, we should talk it over. My mother is in the store now. Sister Tao, if you need to find my mother, just go to the restaurant now. I'm sure you'll find her!"
Apart from work matters, Yang Tao seemed to be deliberately hiding from people recently, making it impossible for others to find her. This made it impossible for Su Qinxuan to find a chance to talk to her about resigning.
Now that Yang Tao has come to him on her own initiative, Jian Jianan believes that with his mother's eloquence and silver tongue, she will definitely be able to convince Sister Yang Tao.
"Then Sister Xiaotao, we'll leave first. You can go and help my mother first."
The four of them said goodbye and left Yang Tao's room one after another.
On the way home, Duan Duan asked Jian Jianan in disbelief: "Nannan, is this matter over just like that? We don't have to do anything else?"
Jian Jianan looked confident and said, "Yes, we have tried our best in this matter. There is no need to do anything else. The next step is to look at my mother's side."
Sure enough, in the evening, Su Qinxuan announced the good news at the dinner table with a smile on his face.
"I don't know if Xiaotao has come to her senses recently or for some other reason, but she just told me that she's decided to reconsider her resignation."
Su Qinxuan turned around and saw the look on her daughter's face that showed she was in control of everything. She immediately knew that she was behind all this and asked her daughter with a smile, "You really do know, don't you?"
Jian Jianan nodded: "Not only do I know, I am also a participant in it."
Then she told Su Qinxuan the general process of the four-member team's conversation with Yang Tao.
Su Qinxuan nodded in understanding, "So that's how it is. So that's what Yang Tao is worried about. I said I listed all the conditions, but I couldn't think of why she would resign and leave."
Jian Jianan was also very happy. "Sister Xiaotao had a knot in her heart before. Once she untied it, everything would be fine. However, there is one thing we need to pay attention to, and that is Sun Sheng. I am always worried that this person will do something sneaky behind the scenes. He is like a time bomb that may explode at any time."
Su Qinxuan also thought so.
She exchanged a glance with Jian Yangping, who consoled her earnestly, "Want to deal with that brat? That's a simple matter. Isn't his family in debt from gambling? Just expose it!"
The Nanbei Hotel is so big, and Su Qinxuan and Jian Yangping have to deal with so many people on a daily basis. They are all information channels. Just say it casually when doing business, and the problem will be solved.
Later, Jian Jianan heard news related to Sun Sheng's family. His eldest sister-in-law, the wife his eldest brother married to fill the debt hole, was clamoring for a divorce.
It turned out that the true identity of this family had been exposed to the public somehow, and the family of the girl who was deceived into marriage came to the house and was making a big fuss at Sun Sheng's family compound.
The whole family was in a state of panic and had no intention of causing trouble for Sister Yang Tao and the Nanbei Restaurant.
In this way, even the last hidden danger has been solved, and Yang Tao has no reason to leave.
That day, after Yang Tao finished the meeting, Su Qinxuan teased her. At the end, Su Qinxuan asked knowingly, "Why, have you made up your mind and finally decided not to leave?"
Yang Tao was quite embarrassed: "Sister Qin, please don't laugh at me. I was stuck in a rut a few days ago, but now I finally realized it."
"Ha ha ha ha."
The small room was suddenly filled with the hearty laughter of the two women, who were in perfect harmony.
After the laughter died down, Su Qinxuan asked Liang Tao, "Is your house still rented?"
Yang Tao frowned. "I've been thinking about this too. For some reason, my family, especially my eldest brother and his wife, have found out the address of my house. They're planning to come over and have a good chat with me, but I don't want to talk to them at all."
Su Qinxuan slammed the table and said, "That's perfect. You can go back and return it during this time."
Yang Tao was puzzled: "Well, retired? Where would I live if I retired?"
Su Qinxuan bent down and took out a document from the drawer.
"You know we recently recruited a team of chefs from Chaoshan. They're called the 'Ma Family Class,' and quite a few of them, at least a dozen or so, have followed the chef to our new restaurant. Housing is a big issue. I asked Old Jian to find a suitable house and rent it out as staff quarters. You can move in too. The staff quarters are well-secured, so you don't have to worry about unwanted visitors if the news leaks out."
Yang Tao was pleasantly surprised. "Is that so? Thank you so much, Sister Qin!"
The two smiled at each other, and Jian Jianan beside them nodded thoughtfully. It seems that if a woman wants to achieve something in her career, it is not enough besides the necessary talent and hard work.
Well, if you don’t have a man in your heart, your career will naturally be a god.
The ancients never deceived me!
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