CHAPTER 137: CHAPTER 137: HIRING AGAIN

The factory manager laughed angrily, "Don’t you know why you left the textile factory’s cafeteria yourself? What’s this? Couldn’t fool the adults, so now you’re trying to fool the kids? All the children here are employees’ kids, and today’s matter has already spread. Even if I let you continue, the workers won’t agree!

I’ve long told you that one must strive to improve and learn new skills. You never listened a bit. Your cooking has been awful for ten years, yet you still think others are bullying you! It’s simply hopeless!"

The workshop director signaled a few workers beside him to drag Zhou Meifeng away.

Dragged and pulled away, Zhou Meifeng kept cursing all the way, making quite an ugly scene.

The factory manager and workshop director’s faces were as dark as the bottom of a pot.

With Zhou Meifeng gone, the factory manager turned to Ye Wenwen with an apologetic face, "Teacher Ye, I didn’t expect Zhou Meifeng to be so clueless. It’s unfortunate that you had to suffer today.

After thinking about it, why don’t we do it this way: you find someone to cook, and the factory will cover the wages. How does that sound?"

The person cooking would be interacting with the nursery teachers long-term, and any issues would be troublesome. It was better to leave it to Ye Wenwen to handle it herself.

Ye Wenwen initially wanted to refuse, but after receiving a signal from Sister Fang, she reluctantly agreed.

The factory manager breathed a sigh of relief, and before leaving, he greeted Lin Qin, "Comrade Lin Qin, may I ask, what kind of seafood does your family wholesale? How are the prices?"

Lin Qin immediately gave the address of Wenjun Seafood Wholesale Store to him, "If the manager is interested, you can visit the shop. Just mention my name and say it’s from the nursery, and you’ll definitely get a satisfactory discount."

The factory manager appreciated Lin Qin’s savvy.

The two talked happily, and the factory manager repeatedly assured that he would visit Wenjun Seafood Wholesale Store for an on-site inspection as he left.

After they left, Ye Wenwen solemnly expressed her gratitude to Lin Qin and Sister Fang, "If it wasn’t for your help today, I surely would have messed things up."

Lin Qin waved her hand dismissively, "My son is here too, so even if not for you, I’d have to busy myself for my kid’s meals. However, Teacher Ye needs to quickly find a suitable cooking lady."

Ye Wenwen immediately turned to Sister Fang, looking hopeful, "Did you have a suitable person in mind earlier, Sister Fang?"

"Smart!" Sister Fang gave Ye Wenwen a thumbs up and pondered, "Here’s the situation. I have a distant niece who cooks well, though she’s a bit young, only nineteen. But don’t judge her age; she’s particularly hard-working and has a good temperament. I was wondering if you might give her a chance to try?"

Ye Wenwen didn’t hesitate to agree.

Sister Fang was extremely grateful, saying many kind words before leaving with Lin Qin.

The two returned to the teaching building, and Sister Fang carefully explained her niece’s situation to Lin Qin, "The child’s family is in the countryside, and their village is particularly poor. Her parents have six children, and she’s the fourth, with two elder brothers and an elder sister, and younger siblings below. The whole family is desperately poor.

After land was divided among households, the siblings all went out looking for work. The eldest is over twenty and still hasn’t married. They came to the city and visited me once, not openly asking for help, but I really can’t just stand by given this situation.

Today, there was an opportunity, so I shamelessly asked for a back door. Lin Qin, that child probably can’t handle seafood cooking; you might need to guide her later."

"That’s simple! As long as she’s a diligent and easy-going child, I’m happy to teach," Lin Qin patted her chest and took on the task.

Sister Fang was overjoyed.

Finally, after a long day, she rushed out after work and returned in the afternoon with a black-yellow-skinned, skinny braid girl.

"Her name is Zhao Xiaohong, she’s a distant relative of mine, capable of doing all kinds of chores like laundry and cooking. She’s diligent and honest. Teacher Ye, feel free to instruct her, and later Lin Qin will come to teach her seafood cooking."

Ye Wenwen was completely relieved to hear Lin Qin was willing to help, "Sister Fang, Lin Qin’s cooking skills are truly unmatched. The kids loved the seafood noodles at lunch today and said they want more seafood noodles tomorrow. We teachers tried them too, and they’re indeed delicious. Even Teacher Xu, who fears the fishy smell, ate a whole bowl.

If Lin Qin is willing to teach, we’ll definitely welcome her with open arms."

Under Sister Fang’s signaling look, Zhao Xiaohong shyly expressed her thanks and followed Ye Wenwen to the kitchen.

Lin Qin arrived shortly after.

To prepare snacks for the kids in the afternoon, she specially arrived half an hour early.

As soon as she entered the kitchen, she greeted Ye Wenwen and Zhao Xiaohong, then eagerly asked about the kids’ situation, "Did Xile fuss at noon?"

Ye Wenwen smiled and shook her head, "We’re professionals; we have ways to deal with little kiddos’ sleep issues. Xile is an angel baby, didn’t fuss, and fell asleep shortly after drinking goat milk."

Chen Ruiming’s little baby hasn’t turned one yet, but he’s over six months old. Before six months, he was breastfed. After six months, it’s breast plus goat milk, and occasionally soft mushy foods like noodles and porridge, from a small half-bowl to now eight tenths full.

This child’s appetite is getting better, and he has a habit; he must drink goat milk before sleeping. With goat milk, there’s no need for breast milk.

Lin Qin was happy to hear this, rolled up her sleeves to wash her hands, and called Zhao Xiaohong to make seafood porridge together.

"Starting tomorrow, I can only come in the afternoon to teach you snacks. I have classes in the morning and can’t make it then, but I can help after classes. I can also write down some cooking steps for you, which you can memorize and ponder over if you’re unclear."

"Thank you, Sister Lin Qin, I’ll do my best," Zhao Xiaohong was very nervous, tightly gripping her clothes.

Lin Qin laughed, "Relax, no need to worry; we’re preparing food for kids, not doing something groundbreaking! I heard you’re a distant niece of Sister Fang, and you came to the city looking for a job?"

Zhao Xiaohong nodded, honestly replying, "My hometown is around Dayan Mountain, really mountainous, and our village is very poor. My two elder brothers still haven’t married, and my third sister had a date but was rejected because we’re so poor.

My parents fell ill over this, and our family can’t hold its head high in the village. So my eldest, second brother, and third sister decided to venture out, and seeing me not getting younger, my parents let me come along. They say seeing the world might bring opportunities for someone to marry, as staying in the mountains with no dowry means no good family would marry me."

Hearing this, Lin Qin felt a pang of sadness in her heart, but she smiled and comforted, "The world outside is vast. As long as you work hard, everything will fall into place."

Zhao Xiaohong nodded firmly, murmuring softly, "My aunt said cooking here has a monthly wage of forty yuan. If I can do well, save frugally, I can save thirty yuan a month, which is three hundred sixty a year.

My parents work hard all year in the hometown yet can’t save this much."

The more she spoke, the more excited Zhao Xiaohong became, entirely immersed in rosy hopes for the future.