Lan Yamei was surprised by how much Manager Wang had changed. "Manager Wang, I know you mean well, but this kind of thing is unacceptable. Keep your employees. They're not unusable; you can train them with a little effort."
"Alright, alright, I'll do as Manager Lan says."
The two called all the applicants to the door, and Manager Wang passionately explained the requirements. The women below all said they had no problem and could do it.
The fact that no one left surprised the two shopkeepers.
Lan Yamei, worried that everyone might not have understood, explained, "Ladies and gentlemen, my shop is very busy. If you come to work for me, you won't be able to take care of your families. Are you willing to do that?"
"Yes!" everyone shouted in unison.
"A 10-hour workday, with meals and accommodation provided, but you can only live here by yourself, and you can't bring your children or family members. Can you do that?"
"We can do it!" everyone said in unison.
"One tael of silver a month, with extra bonuses for good performance at the end of the month. There are four days off per month, and I will schedule the specific days off. You can't go home anytime. These are the requirements. Those who want to stay can stay, and those who don't can leave now." Lan Yamei explained again. The salary was lower than the previous group of workers she had hired, but the requirements were much stricter.
"We're fine," everyone said in unison.
This touched Lan Yamei! At this critical juncture, barbecue restaurants are like dens of monsters that devour people without spitting out the bones, places that men avoid like the plague, but these women bravely rushed forward.
Seeing the determined looks in everyone's eyes, Lan Yamei decided to keep all twenty-five of them! So she said, "Alright! Thank you for thinking so highly of me, Lan Yamei! I'll take you all! Now you have three hours to go home, settle your families, and come back with your bedding. Your wages will start today, and our shop will open for business tomorrow."
The women, working for the first time, clapped excitedly! And it wasn't just them! Manager Wang and their colleagues who were peering around were all genuinely shocked.
This woman is no ordinary person! She's willing to use women! And she kept them all!
You have to understand, in this day and age, countless women have never worked and can only stay at home, waiting to be supported by their husbands' families. Today is the first time they've stepped out of their homes, and they were forced to come by their husbands; they didn't want to. Rumors of people dying at this barbecue restaurant have been circulating for a while now—who isn't afraid?
But the men in the house didn't care; they beat and cursed her, pushing her out the door. They said that even if it didn't work out, she could still get a free meal at Zuixianglou. The women, succumbing to their tyranny, had no choice but to obey, so some came carrying their children on their backs or leading them by the hand.
But reality slapped them hard in the face. Manager Lan was a young and kind woman, not scary at all! And frighteningly wealthy!
Most importantly, the staff were also treated to good food, and everyone ate together at the same table without distinction. This made the women, who had never had any status in the family, extremely envious.
Therefore, they are willing to stay, leaving behind the heavy housework and settling down here.
The surrounding shopkeepers were also taken aback. Their shops had never hired female employees before, so this unexpected move was quite surprising! They were all puzzled and did not offer any opinions.
"Alright, everyone hurry back. The first batch of vegetables and meat will be delivered soon, and you'll all be very busy." After Lan Yamei finished speaking, everyone dispersed with sparkling eyes.
Several women carrying children approached and asked, "Shopkeeper, can I stay too?"
"Of course! As long as you work hard, you'll not only get paid on time, but you'll also get a bonus," Lan Yamei said.
"I will definitely do my best." After saying that, she carried the child on her back and walked away quickly.
Several elderly women with gray hair approached hesitantly and asked, "Shopkeeper, we're so old, would you still want us?"
“Auntie, you look very healthy. You could work for another thirty years without any problem. This is a new shop, and we need employees like you who are quick and meticulous. As long as you work hard, we won’t fire anyone without reason.” Lan Yamei was also willing to help them within her means.
Upon receiving an affirmative answer, the women's eyes lit up, and after expressing their gratitude profusely, they hurried home to prepare.
Once everyone had gone far away, Manager Wang said with a smile, "Manager Lan, you really have guts! I admire you! These are all women who have never been out of the house and have never seen the world. I really didn't expect you to be willing to use them. You can make do with them for now. When things calm down, I'll find you some quick-footed and perceptive young men to replace them."
Lan Yamei quickly said, "As long as they don't make any mistakes, I don't plan to replace them. Thank you, Manager Wang!"
"But they are women, and they are unlikely to achieve great things."
"I'm a woman too! Isn't Manager Wang asking me for a favor?" Lan Yamei had just given him a second glance when he made her unhappy.
Manager Wang was taken aback at first, but quickly changed his tune, saying, "Manager Lan is different! You are a female Mulan! There are very few capable women like you."
"Stop, stop! Manager Wang, I have another favor to ask of you. If you do it well, I'll take care of the renovation of your Drunken Fragrance Pavilion. I guarantee it will be a great success!" Lan Yamei quickly cut off the other party's flattery.
"Okay, okay, please go ahead."
"If anyone orders Eight Treasure Duck again, you must tell me secretly. Don't let the word get out," Lan Yamei whispered.
"Understood!" Manager Wang nodded solemnly and hurried away, afraid of missing the customer who came to order the Eight Treasure Duck!
Under Wang Fengyang's demonstration, everyone ate until they were sweating profusely and their faces were flushed. Lan Yamei secretly took out two bottles of champagne from her spatial storage, poured them into an empty wine jar, and brought it over, saying, "This wine is something I brewed before, but I've never been willing to drink it. I'm taking it out today to share with you all. You've all worked hard these past few days!"
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