In early June, Jiang Yue and Jiang Nian went into the city to look for that old friend.
There are many people and streets in the city, so Jiang Yue naturally doesn't know where he lives.
But when she described this person's appearance to Aunt Jinxiu, she knew who she was talking about.
"You must be talking about a man named Hu Cheng. I know a little about him. His family fled here, and only the couple and their four or five-year-old child are left. He was lame when he fled, and he can only read and write, but there's no paper or pen to sell in this city. So his family relies on his wife to work and earn money."
"But there's no work for her now. She's so delicate and tender, she can't do it..."
Jiang Yue sighed in her heart. She used to be a family that had no worries about food and clothing, but now it was hard for them to even get food.
With Jin Xiu's guidance, she found a low house.
The door was closed, and she knocked gently, "Is Manager Hu here?"
The sound of light and heavy footsteps gradually approached, and a pale and thin face appeared from behind the door.
Hu Cheng had a complicated expression, "You are..."
I haven't heard the name Manager Hu for several years, and it sounds a bit unfamiliar.
Jiang Yue covered the lower half of her face with her hands. "Manager Hu, we made a deal with you in Shuntian City. Do you remember?"
Hu Cheng looked into those bright eyes, and in his distant memory, two masked figures emerged. He then looked at the tall man behind him.
Yes! There was a young couple who exchanged a lot of food for him!
Hu Cheng was overwhelmed with emotion when he met an old friend in a foreign land. He opened the door and said, "Come in, both of you!"
He limped in, wiping the stool with his sleeve. They had picked up this set of tables and chairs from someone else's family and brought them home, then banged them around and put them back into use. However, the corners of the tables were a little unstable and wobbly.
He was excited and a little embarrassed, and smiled, "I apologize for the poor hospitality."
Jiang Yue sat down, shook her head and said softly, "It's okay."
At this time, the two children brought them two bowls of water and then started weaving straw sandals in the yard.
Manager Hu taught me good etiquette.
She looked at the two children, who were too thin to tell their true age. Unlike other children who jumped around, they sat there steadily, quietly helping the family, their hands moving swiftly, weaving straw sandals quickly and well.
Hu Cheng followed her gaze, feeling both distressed and helpless. The two children had been spoiled since childhood, and even coarse grains would cut their throats, and wearing linen would cause rashes.
But now, their linen clothes were covered with patches, their little hands were covered with calluses, and they even scrambled to eat the bitter weeds. It was him, as a father, who was useless...
He couldn't help but squeeze his lame leg tightly.
Jiang Yue turned her gaze away, trying not to look at his legs.
"Manager Hu, when Shuntian City was attacked by refugees, we saw that the books in your store were almost burned when we left the city, so we bought some."
Shopkeeper Hu's lips trembled slightly, and his throat tightened. "Are all my books okay?"
They were in a hurry to escape the disaster and had no energy to take the books with them. Every time he thought about it, he felt heartbroken for a long time.
"Some were damaged, but most were fine."
"That's good, that's good..." Shopkeeper Hu's eyes were red. "Thank you very much, both of you. Those books are of no use to me, so it's useless to have them. If they are useful to you, that would be great..."
Everyone wanted to survive, but these books couldn't even warm the fire, and they couldn't even exchange them for a bundle of firewood. His presence would only add to his sadness. He didn't even have the bag to carry his books, so how could he have the leisure to recite poetry under the moonlight?
Jiang Yue spoke again, "Manager Hu, I want to hire you as my accountant. You'll be responsible for keeping accounts for several shops every day. You won't have to stand for long periods of time."
"I have a few shops in the East Market, not far from your house. They sell chickens, fish, pigs, and other small businesses. Keeping accounts is not difficult, but the accounts are quite fragmented..."
Apart from the government shops, that was the only place that sold pork in the East Market! Of course, Shopkeeper Hu knew about this! Although he didn't have money to buy meat, he had heard from the neighbors that every time they opened their shop to sell meat, it was sold out!
Jiang Yue continued, "When you have time, teach my servants a few common words. I'll give you one or two taels of silver per month, or you can convert it into grain. What do you think, Manager Hu?"
Jiang Yue had planned that Jiang Shan and his father would run a shop, and when they were too busy, Li could come over to work part-time. Yan Gu and her husband could also run a shop. And the Fang family father and son would run the pork shop.
For now, we’ll open three townhouses, which will be enough.
If we send these hired workers back to the city to work as servants, they will definitely not refuse as they can easily earn money and live at home.
Yuan Zhuangtou is looking after the village, and there are people in the village who are willing to work as long-term workers, so there is no shortage of manpower.
Tears glistened in the eyes of Shopkeeper Hu. If he could have one or two taels of silver every month, his wife wouldn't have to fight with others for the rotten vegetable leaves left in the market!
He has a physical disability and cannot do most jobs, and good people would not hire such a person to do work. But his hands are not broken, and he can still hold a pen!
Hu Cheng nodded quickly, "Sure, I can do it!"
Jiang Yue made an agreement with him to draft a contract in the store the next day, and all employees had to sign the contract in black and white to ensure the interests of both parties.
Hu Cheng felt even more relieved after hearing this.
After Jiang Yue left the Hu family, she went to Jiang Shan's and Yan Gu's homes to discuss the work in the shop. As she expected, neither family member was unhappy.
Over the past six months, thanks to Jiang Yue, their families' lives have gradually improved. Naturally, they have to continue working with her! They'll do whatever their boss says!
In late May, three Jiang stores opened at the same time.
They had already sold a pig during the farming season, and now they had no more pigs to sell, but they had added dried fish, and anyone could buy as much as they wanted, no limit on the quantity. The people in the city who wanted to buy eggs and meat to replenish their bodies would basically go to Jiang's shop first.
Now the shop has added a few more fresh fruits. They are said to be not locally produced, but seeds from the Western Regions. They are delicious, sweet and juicy! Eating a fruit in the summer will give you energy to work!
Jiang Yue still set the price within the acceptable range for ordinary people. It was a range that ordinary people would find too expensive for daily consumption, but could afford it during festivals and holidays if they gritted their teeth.
Of course, most of the customers are people with spare money.
Because she was worried about the fruit staleness, she didn't keep many fruits in the shop. She planned to clear out the stock in her shop bit by bit, so that she could continue the harvest next year or the year after next when the fruit trees on the farm would gradually bear fruit.
Only with a farm could she sell these things openly.
Jiang Yue and Jiang Nian have been busy in the city these days, leaving early and returning late, and have basically no time to play with Sui Sui.
Fan Baichang went with them to buy dried fish, and the three dogs were sent to guard the pigpen.
She returned to the backyard and glanced around, but didn't see any trace of the little guy.
"Sui Sui! Jin Jin!"
Fan Mo brought out two bowls of goat milk from the kitchen, glanced at the lawn but saw nothing, frowning, "They were just swinging on the swings."
Jiang Nian quickly walked into the backyard and searched everywhere, but he didn't see any of them in the orchard.
Finally, he slowly walked to the wall, looked up, and stared at the few hairs hanging there.
"They ran away."
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