Chapter 32

Jian Feng shared the news with Wang Mengmei, and she was initially shocked, then relieved.

“That’s great!” She glanced at her husband. “We’ve really had some good luck.”

To find a job like this without needing an introduction was rare, and the fact that they were willing to cover the cost of driving school was even better. It was like getting a huge sum of money for nothing.

Jian Feng couldn’t help but feel thankful. “I didn’t expect it to go so smoothly.”

Looking back, it almost felt like a dream. How could a stranger just open up like that?

Wang Mengmei said, “We’ve met a benefactor. You need to work hard for them. A thousand a month—where else could you find such a good job?”

Jian Feng responded with a heavy “mm,” and his heart was full of gratitude toward the owner of the grocery store.

With the weather getting colder, Wang Mengmei could hardly set up her stall at night anymore. It was fine to sit by the roadside in summer, but in winter, the biting cold wind made it unbearable. Who would come out to shop?

Now, she had a few thousand yuan in hand and didn’t need to pay for driving school fees anymore. This money could be used to secure a proper shopfront.

Wang Mengmei quickly found a suitable place and came back excitedly, telling Jian Feng, “The breakfast shop diagonally opposite is closing down. They’re selling the business. The equipment is ready, and the shop transfer is three thousand yuan. The rent is paid until the end of the year.”

Jian Feng remembered the place and frowned, “Why are they closing?”

Wang Mengmei replied, “What else? You’ve seen the old lady there.”

Jian Feng recalled seeing the elderly woman chasing a mother and daughter yesterday morning, questioning whether they hadn’t paid. When the mother insisted they had, the old woman still looked suspicious.

Wang Mengmei sighed, “I didn’t expect that a profitable business could be run into the ground.”

The breakfast shop had been doing well at first, run by a couple—he cooked, and she helped with the service and cash register. They worked together very well. But as the business grew, the couple couldn’t handle it.

The woman had become so tired that her voice was shaky by the morning. Plus, everyone gets sick sometimes, and the children needed attention too.

In the end, they had to bring in the mother-in-law.

This was normal. Many shops hired family members to help, sometimes bringing in the whole extended family—grandparents, parents, and even the in-laws. Family members could be trusted and didn’t require extra pay.

But the problem lay with these elderly helpers.

Wang Mengmei had watched the downfall of the shop across the street.

—-

On the first day the mother-in-law arrived, she saw her daughter-in-law serving a bowl of porridge to a customer and immediately complained that it was a waste.

“Do you think this is for your own family? You’re almost giving it away!”

When the daughter-in-law served a small bowl to a customer, the mother-in-law got even angrier.

“How can you only give one bowl when they have children? Both should have two bowls!”

The daughter-in-law tried to explain, “How much can a child eat? Just divide the adult’s portion. Mom, you handle the pickles; I’ll manage here.”

The mother-in-law grumbled that her daughter-in-law didn’t know how to run a household, then started complaining again while cleaning dishes.

“These pickles—he only ate one bite. Why can’t they be saved for later? At home, we don’t waste food like this.”

She insisted on putting the leftovers back to sell.

“Mom! These pickles are free. They’re worth nothing. If customers see this, how will we do business in the future?”

When the daughter-in-law refused to accept money for the pickles, the mother-in-law was shocked.

“These pickles are full of oil, and you’re not charging for them?”

The boss didn’t want to argue in front of customers, so she just told her, “Mom, you’re new here. Don’t worry about it. I’ll explain later.”

But the mother-in-law was still angry and continued to stew over it, thinking that this way, her son’s money was being wasted.

Pickles given for free, vinegar not charged—some customers even asked for extra, and the daughter-in-law happily added more!

The mother-in-law felt devastated.

This was money! This was her son’s money!

She gritted her teeth, thinking, “If this continues, they’ll lose money!”

She avoided confronting her daughter-in-law directly but complained to her son instead, with tears in her eyes.

“Your wife is wasting money, son. I regret not suggesting that you marry the girl from the East Village. She’s been good at managing money since she was young. Your wife isn’t good at it at all.”

“Don’t worry, mom’s here now. I’ll straighten things out for you!”

The mother-in-law didn’t argue openly with her daughter-in-law. She’d nod and agree with whatever her daughter-in-law said, but then do things her own way.

The full bowl of porridge became half a bowl.

She secretly added the small pickles to the bill and, when her daughter-in-law went to the back to help with the fried dough sticks, she boldly told the customers that pickles were no longer free.

She also secretly poured the vinegar back into the bottle when no one was looking, leaving only a little at the bottom of the bottle, so that customers couldn’t ask for more.

The mother-in-law’s actions didn’t go unnoticed for long. The boss quickly figured out what was going on.

She was very angry and wanted her mother-in-law to leave.

But her husband was being evasive.

“My mom worked hard to raise me, and she’s just used to being frugal.”

“She’s just careful with money, but she puts effort into everything else, doesn’t she do it all for us?”

“She’s had a hard life, and she can’t stand waste. You should understand.”

The wife was furious, her vision darkening: “Understand? Ask the people who are spending money if they understand! I know you and your mom both think I’m wasteful, but don’t you ever think, if you were out eating, would you want to eat someone else’s leftovers? Your mom is even going as far as to take the uneaten buns and put them back to sell again—do you know that!”

That was the part the wife couldn’t tolerate.

She had children of her own, and if she found out someone had eaten other people’s leftovers, even if they hadn’t eaten a bite, it would still disgust her.

The most important thing was, she had spent money on it, so it was hers!

She could leave food uneaten, but she absolutely could not eat someone else’s leftovers!

The husband took his mom’s side: “People haven’t eaten it, and we don’t waste food at home. What’s the big deal?”

The wife nearly lost it: “That’s at home! Here, you’re spending money!”

The wife issued an ultimatum: “Either your mom leaves, or we shut down this stall!”

If things continued like this, the business would collapse.

The husband, after being yelled at by his wife, also got angry: “If my mom doesn’t leave, I don’t believe it. I’m running this business seriously and honestly, and I’m sure we can make money!”

The wife looked at him with extreme disappointment: “Fine, then you can rely on your seriousness to make money. From now on, I’m not involved.”

The wife said she wouldn’t care, and she really didn’t. She handed over the task of collecting money to her mother-in-law and helped out in the background.

The husband was feeling insecure, but his mom was getting excited.

“Don’t worry, son, I’ll handle it for you!”

The old lady eagerly took over the money and stood behind the stall every morning, shouting loudly.

The portions of porridge became smaller, and she insisted on picking the smallest tea eggs for customers. The buns were getting smaller too, and if there were any left, she would sell them again. The pickled vegetables were served in small dishes, costing just a dime.

At first, people tolerated it since there weren’t many breakfast options and the other stalls were too crowded. This one was quicker.

But when another stall on the street expanded its operations, business started to go bad.

Customers found better options and abandoned the stall that had small, expensive, and bad food.

The old lady shouted all morning, but only three or five uninformed customers came.

The breakfast stall originally made a profit from selling large portions, but after a morning of business, the money earned wasn’t even enough to cover the rent.

At this point, the husband regretted it and begged his wife to take over again.

The wife smiled bitterly: “Do you think you can still keep it running?”

The stall was originally for local residents, but now with a bad reputation, it was beyond saving.

The husband sat dejectedly on the ground.

The wife wiped her eyes: “You didn’t listen to me. You thought people would always come to your stall. You thought you were so capable, but people are paying, and if you make them unhappy, they won’t come back. We’re just selling food; it’s hard-earned money. Now they’re not buying, and you realize it hurts, but you still think it’s like your village! I can see it now; you don’t have the luck to make a fortune!”

The breakfast stall was beyond saving. To open it, they had borrowed money, and now, with the money they earned during this time, they were about to sell the shop and pay back the debt.

The old lady was scolded by her son and went back to the village in shame.

Wang Mengmei quickly took over the shop. After completing all the necessary formalities, she asked the wife what her plans were for the future, anxiously.

The wife replied, “I haven’t decided yet, but I think I’ll continue with the breakfast stall.”

This time, however, she planned to go south with her husband to start a new business.

The wife made light of the situation: “This time, it’s a good lesson for my husband. From now on, when I say something, he’ll know I mean it. He’s just my worker.”

With a firm grip on her husband’s weaknesses, the wife felt a little more confident about her next venture.

Wang Mengmei’s 3,000 yuan transfer fee, after paying the debt, left them with nothing.

The wife had a more optimistic view: “We’re both healthy and strong, we’ll work in a factory for six months, save some money, and then open a shop.”

As long as you’re alive, there’s always a way forward, so it’s important to keep motivating yourself.

The wife left a piece of advice for Wang Mengmei, based on her painful experience.

“Don’t work with relatives!”

Wang Mengmei’s stall expanded, and the shop diagonally opposite had a larger area. Technically, this was no longer inside the market, but rather on the facade across the street.

The place was cleaned up, the kitchen was seven square meters, and they could set up six tables inside.

Wang Mengmei spent money to hire people to paint the walls and bought some supplies. In the dining area, she installed a stove with a chimney. A kettle of hot water was placed on top, and wood was burned below.

Once the fire was started, the room would stay at least 20°C, even in winter.

After participating in a small test at school, Jian Li came home and found that both of her parents were quietly efficient and action-oriented.

Her father had already secured a job for himself, and her mother had even switched to a bigger storefront. It seemed that she was already the owner of a small restaurant.

Jian Li went to visit the new restaurant her mother had opened and offered her suggestions.

“This signboard isn’t eye-catching enough, change it to one with a lightbox!”

On winter nights, who can see if you’re open or not? With a lightbox, it will be clear at a glance.

“Get some red tape and just stick the prices on the glass door.”

This way, people won’t be afraid to enter thinking it’s expensive, or customers won’t feel awkward about the high prices once they walk in.

“Prepare a few menus, offer both large and small portions.”

If someone can’t afford the large portion, the small one will do. In small businesses, every little bit counts.

Jian Li took another look and couldn’t find any more issues.

She asked, somewhat discontented, “Mom, have you found the right waitstaff yet?”

A while ago, Wang Mengmei had considered bringing her own mother to work, but Jian Li was definitely against the idea.

Her grandmother wasn’t someone who would help without causing more trouble.

Jian Li felt she needed to discuss the selection of staff with Wang Mengmei. She couldn’t stand to see her mother hire some ineffective relatives.

Wang Mengmei asked, “Didn’t you see the sign when you came in?”

Jian Li was confused, “See what?”

“It’s right there on the door!”

Jian Li lifted the door curtain and saw that her mother had posted a job ad, using transparent tape to stick it on.

Jian Li: …So I still haven’t been able to help, huh?

Wang Mengmei was very pleased with her actions. “In the past few days, four or five people have applied. I’ll pick the right ones and hire them tomorrow.”

Her experience as a breakfast shop owner had reminded her. Wang Mengmei now felt that she had been overthinking things.

Forget about relatives and factory connections, she was running a business—she’d do things her way.

The job ad stated that she needed two people: a man who could handle chopping and another for front-of-house service.

Wang Mengmei had already decided on two candidates. One was Ni Hao, a factory worker’s son. Wang Mengmei and his mother used to work together in the same team years ago. After both of them lost their jobs, they barely kept in touch.

Ni Hao was tall and strong, having dropped out of school after junior high. He spent several years hanging around the streets before getting a job as a waiter at a small restaurant, where he learned to chop and handle orders. After his mentor left to start his own business, Ni Hao followed him, but that venture failed quickly, and now he was urgently looking for work.

Wang Mengmei offered him a monthly salary of 240 yuan, and Ni Hao agreed without hesitation.

“This place is close to home, so I can live at home.”

Before, he had to sleep in the shop, watching the stall at night in both the summer heat and winter cold. There’s no comparison to the comfort of home.

Apart from Ni Hao, Wang Mengmei’s other candidate was a bit more dramatic.

The young woman was Wang Liming’s sister-in-law, Xue Fang’s younger sister.

Xue Fang brought her to Wang Mengmei and spoke frankly.

“She dropped out in the second year of high school. My mom asked me to find her a job to pass the time, as long as she doesn’t run around too much. When she gets older, she can get married.”

“If you think she’s suitable, feel free to hire her, no need to feel awkward.”

Wang Mengmei was happy to deal with straightforward people like Xue Fang. Her younger sister, Xue Ling, looked very much like Xue Fang and was 17 years old.

Wang Mengmei quickly agreed.

Ni Hao and Xue Ling started their jobs right away. Wang Mengmei bought a string of firecrackers to celebrate the grand opening of the new restaurant.

She also sold off her old stall. Now, with the proper store, her business flourished, offering more options for lunch and dinner.

The menu expanded with more dishes, and dinner offered additional choices. Since it was winter, fewer people ordered fried chicken, and more ordered clay pot dishes.

The restaurant simmered a large pot of broth, adding meat and vegetables to the clay pots. Wang Mengmei prepared crispy meats and fried items to be added to the pots, with tofu and cabbage lining the bottom. When served, she drizzled fragrant sesame oil over it, the steam rising and making people sweat.

Ni Hao couldn’t help but swallow, feeling hungrier than when he worked with his mentor.

Everything was simple, but it smelled so good!

Even Xue Ling, handling the cash, couldn’t resist. When she went to serve dishes, she couldn’t help but ask Wang Mengmei when it was time to eat.

Wang Mengmei checked the clock and said, “After you finish this table, you can eat. I’ll wait a little longer.”

Once the restaurant opened, Jian Li’s life became easier. She would come by at meal times, and Wang Mengmei would make a special meal for her. After finishing, she’d head home.

Jian Feng had already arranged for someone to cover his shifts and was focusing on getting his driver’s license.

These days, supervision wasn’t strict, and some people even paid for a fake license. But Jian Feng really wanted to learn something, so he made sure to arrive early and leave late every day.

Every evening, Wang Mengmei would wait for Jian Feng, and they would have a late-night meal together, talking about the day’s events.

That night, Jian Feng came in especially late, stomping his feet on the cardboard as he entered.

“It’s frost tonight, it’s really cold outside.”

It was so cold that he almost couldn’t hold the steering wheel.

Fortunately, his instructor helped him, and he managed to make the turn smoothly.

Wang Mengmei served him a bowl of soup, feeling a bit heartbroken as she asked, “Why is it so late? Your coach took you to haul goods again, didn’t he?”

Driving schools nowadays aren’t very formal; even though the instructor is called a coach, they’re always picking up side jobs outside.

Jian Feng wanted to learn something real, so he couldn’t slack off.

He gave the coach two cigarettes, and that’s how he got the opportunity to drive with the coach, whether it was day or night.

Sometimes, when the road was easy to drive, the coach would let Jian Feng try driving.

Jian Feng drank a gulp of hot soup, which warmed him all the way from his heart to his spleen, bringing a little pain along with the heat. Then he spoke, “I went to Kui County. It was fine; there were no issues on the road.”

After taking the cigarettes, the coach added that Jian Feng, who was usually quiet but diligent, ended up doing most of the driving on the trip, with the coach just making sure nothing went wrong.

When they returned, the coach said he was almost there.

“Just one more month, and I’ll get my license.”

Then he could finally start working!

Wang Mengmei stood up and started preparing two servings of braised noodles. “Hurry up and get your license. Every time you drive late at night, it makes me anxious.”

Jian Feng grinned, “It’s almost there, almost there.”

After they finished eating, they tidied up the things in the shop, then walked under the cold moonlight on their way back.

“By the end of the year, let’s buy a color TV?”

“Sure, and we can get a portable music player for Xiao Li.”

—-

The moonlight stretched their shadows into a long line.