CHAPTER 101: CHAPTER 101: CITY COMMERCE BUREAU INSPECTION

"Sister Zhang, I brought pickled vegetables and cured meat. Join me for lunch if you don’t mind."

Zhang Yulan turned and met Su Xiaoxiao’s smiling eyes.

No sooner had she finished speaking than a mocking voice sounded in her ear: "What’s so good about your shabby food? Come eat mine, Sister Zhang. I bought it from a state-run restaurant."

Wang Lili approached with her lunch box. Her family was well off, so she naturally scoffed at bringing lunch from home and always bought her meals at a state-run restaurant.

This morning, seeing Su Xiaoxiao trying to curry favor with Zhang Yulan, she’d purposely gone to the restaurant to buy braised pork, hoping to outshine Su Xiaoxiao.

Unexpectedly, just after she spoke, Zhang Yulan said, "No need, we humble folks don’t deserve a lady’s meal like yours."

Zhang Yulan turned to smile at Su Xiaoxiao. "These pickled vegetables look delicious, so I won’t stand on ceremony."

Wang Lili: "..."

Is Zhang Yulan crazy? Passing on braised pork for some peasant’s pickled vegetables?

Fine, if you don’t want it, I’ll eat it myself.

After all, her dad was a department secretary, and her fiancé’s background was even more powerful. She didn’t need to curry favor with a powerless little shop assistant.

Thinking this, she turned and walked off with her lunch box to eat.

After lunch, everyone rested for a bit and began the afternoon’s work.

The seafood had sold out in the morning, so the afternoon was relatively relaxed for them.

Each was busy with their tasks when an old lady in patched clothes, with grey hair, slowly approached Wang Lili’s counter.

There were several people in line behind her, but this old lady moved at a snail’s pace.

Wang Lili couldn’t help but roll her eyes. "If you want to buy something, hurry up. Can’t you see how many people are waiting?"

"Granny, why don’t you come to my side? There are fewer people here."

Su Xiaoxiao had just finished her tasks and noticed the old lady. For some reason, she felt the granny looked familiar but couldn’t recall where she’d seen her before.

The granny looked at Wang Lili’s impatient face and said, "Okay, I’ll go over there. This service assistant is too scary."

With that, she slowly began to move to a different spot.

Wang Lili was twitching between her eyebrows. What was that old hag saying?

It’s better if she doesn’t buy from me; I’m not interested in serving her anyway.

The granny wobbled over and lined up at Su Xiaoxiao’s counter.

Su Xiaoxiao was efficient, and it didn’t take long to reach the old lady’s turn.

Finally having her turn, the granny stood before the counter for a long time yet didn’t seem to remember what she wanted to buy.

Wang Lili laughed sneeringly, "Aren’t you keen on taking on challenges? Feeling humiliated yet?"

Su Xiaoxiao didn’t bother to respond to her, only smiled at the granny. "Granny, if you really can’t remember, just wait to the side. When you remember, just let me know."

"Alright, alright, it’s all my muddled old brain’s fault, sorry for the trouble."

The granny moved aside, and the customers behind her, who had been complaining, quieted and continued buying their goods.

Until everyone else had finished their purchases, the granny still hadn’t recalled what she wanted.

Seeing her standing there, Su Xiaoxiao brought over a chair and poured her a cup of hot water from her enamel mug.

"Granny, no rush, take your time to think."

Just then, store supervisor Yang Baoguo strode over.

He was holding an enamel cup steaming with warm liquid, taking a sip every few steps, full of a leader’s flair.

As he wandered over to the snack counter, he scanned it person by person and sternly said, "The City Commerce Bureau will be coming by for an inspection soon. So all of you, be on your toes. Anyone who messes up at a critical moment will lose this month’s bonus."

Everyone immediately straightened their backs upon hearing this.

The City Commerce Bureau was the local managing department of the department store and would occasionally visit to inspect the store’s operations and service quality.

Wang Lili’s eyes lit up upon hearing this. Seeing Yang Baoguo about to leave, she hurriedly stopped him, "Director Yang, I have something to report."

Yang Baoguo, ready to stroll to another counter, halted and frowned at her, "What’s the matter? Speak up."

Wang Lili shot Su Xiaoxiao a triumphant look and said, "Director Yang, I don’t know what relation this grandma has to Comrade Su, but she’s been hanging around here since the afternoon without leaving."

Upon hearing this, Yang Baoguo’s face turned grim immediately. "Xiao Su, what’s going on? How could you bring relatives to work?"

Su Xiaoxiao quickly explained, "Director Yang, let me explain. This granny came to buy something but just can’t seem to remember what. So I let her rest here while she thinks about it."

Yang Baoguo glanced at the lady sitting leisurely on the chair, holding a water cup. For some reason, he found her gaze a bit piercing.

But with those clothes...

He steadied himself and said, "The City Commerce Bureau folks will arrive soon for an inspection. Quickly, get her out of here, or if they see this, our department store will be in big trouble."

Su Xiaoxiao was puzzled. "The granny just came to buy something. Why would she affect the inspection?"

Yang Baoguo glared at her, "They’re here to check on our service staff’s professionalism and the store’s environment. Having a poor granny here looks terrible."

Just as he finished speaking, a cold snort followed by a voice declared, "I’ve never heard of such a thing."

Yang Baoguo frowned and looked over, shocked to find it was the shabby granny who spoke.

His face dropped immediately; as the department store’s floor supervisor, how could he tolerate being lectured by an old lady?

He spoke in displeasure, "What do you know, old granny? Hurry up and leave. If you delay our department store’s inspection, I won’t spare you."

The granny wasn’t intimidated, "I haven’t finished shopping yet; you have no right to make me leave."

Yang Baoguo chuckled angrily, "I’m the department store’s floor supervisor. I can make anyone leave if I want."

Just as he finished speaking, Xiao Zhang’s urgent voice came from the doorway, "Director Yang, quick, the City Commerce Bureau officials are here."

Upon hearing this, Yang Baoguo, who had stationed Xiao Zhang at the entrance upon learning about the officials’ arrival, immediately grew tense.

"All of you, ensure your attitudes are warm, especially you, Xiao Su. I don’t care what you do, but get this old granny out of here, so the officials don’t see her."

Glancing at the granny, Su Xiaoxiao could only politely urge, "Granny, would you like to rest somewhere else? When you remember what you want, feel free to find me."

The granny then slowly stood up. "Alright, thank you, young comrade."

With that, she began to slowly move towards the exit, making Yang Baoguo’s face turn green seeing the scene.

"I say, Xiao Su, why is this old granny still here?"