Chapter 28: Next-Day Delivery

Uncle Fu had always been strong-willed and had never suffered such humiliation in his life.

Back at home, the more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He even smashed two teacups, which left Auntie Fu heartbroken.

“Didn’t you go to deal with Su Taotao? How come you’re the one who’s angry? What happened? Did they even beg?”

In the past, Su Taotao didn’t care about anything. When Auntie Fu went to the second branch’s house to use the toilet, she would casually grab some vegetables. Recently, that dead girl started charging for eggs even when Auntie Fu went to use the toilet. It infuriated her.

Someone gave her an accusation letter yesterday. She immediately handed it to her husband, expecting him to deal with Su Taotao. Instead, he came back fuming.

Uncle Fu poked Auntie Fu’s head, “Deal with your head! I should deal with you instead! Don’t bring these ridiculous accusation letters to me anymore! I don’t have time to deal with such nonsense!”

Auntie Fu was confused, “But, look at the second branch’s family suddenly living a good life, eating meat every day. Where did Zhou Linglan get the money for those plastic sandals if not from speculation?”

Before Uncle Fu could respond, Auntie Fu, after overthinking it, slapped her thigh, “Could it be that Su Taotao is fooling around in the county? Maybe her lover from the city is paying for everything?” She slapped her thigh again, convinced. “It has to be! Look at her, all dressed up like a seductress. Why else would she go to the county every market day?”

Uncle Fu couldn’t bear to hear the word ’embarrassing.’ As soon as Auntie Fu finished, Uncle Fu kicked her, “Are you done making things up? You almost got me into serious trouble! If I hear one more word of nonsense, I’ll make sure you regret it!”

Auntie Fu stumbled from the kick, nearly faceplanting. Uncle Fu valued his face and rarely resorted to violence. He was so angry this time that he kicked her. It didn’t hurt physically, but it was humiliating.

With two sons backing her up, Auntie Fu hadn’t taken such nonsense in years and lunged at him, “You dare lay a hand on me?! I’ll fight you!”

Uncle Fu, with great strength, grabbed her hands and pushed her away, “Are you done making a scene? Do you want to make me lose face as the production team leader?”

Uncle Fu knew how to control her. Besides him, the one who cared most about his position as the production team leader was Auntie Fu. She enjoyed the title of the leader’s wife, lording over others. She wouldn’t want him to lose his position.

Hearing this, Auntie Fu stopped, her wits returning, “But you can’t hit me. If you do, I’ll have my sons beat you up. What’s this about Su Taotao being a worker at the state-run restaurant?”

After the commotion, Uncle Fu’s anger subsided somewhat, and his tone wasn’t as harsh, “How should I know? All I know is that she’s a legitimate worker at the state-run restaurant now. You and I can’t afford to mess with her. That’s it, this matter is over. Also, Zhengtu might be coming back soon. Don’t cause any trouble recently.”

Auntie Fu was startled again, “Zhengtu is coming back? I thought he, like his father, wouldn’t come back?”

Uncle Fu wanted to kick her again, his finger pointing at her, unable to speak.

Marrying this woman was the biggest mistake of his life. She couldn’t even pretend to get along with the second branch for appearances’ sake and was of no help, always causing trouble.

Actually, on his way back, he also regretted it. His intention was just to warn them and not to escalate things. That family usually didn’t talk back, didn’t fight back. Today, something evil must have possessed them. His niece-in-law’s words hit right where it hurt. How could he bear it?

Zhengtu was the golden phoenix that flew out of their village work team. He was Uncle Fu’s nephew. Although Uncle Fu didn’t know exactly what Zhengtu did, being chauffeured in a military car with four wheels meant he wasn’t an ordinary person. It was all the fault of his stinky wife for accepting the accusation letter and his own impatience.

“What good would it do you if my nephew died? Just don’t cause trouble.”

Auntie Fu sneered, dismissive, “His being alive doesn’t do you any favors either. Like he ever respected you as his uncle.”

“You…” Uncle Fu couldn’t be bothered to waste words, “Go and cook, quick!”

Auntie Fu, fearing the head of the household, cooked distractedly, planning to discuss with her sons how to get Su Taotao’s job.

Why should some outsider get a job at the state-run restaurant? It should be my son’s position.

The restaurant’s business remained booming, with the First Restaurant in the east showing signs of attracting customers from the Second and Third Restaurants in the west and south.

Even Chef Xu was overwhelmed, and the restaurant’s revenue had multiplied several times over. The leadership was very satisfied, giving Su Taotao a bonus and planning to hire another chef, a waiter, and a general assistant.

When Su Taotao returned with dried bamboo, Chef Xu asked her if she had anyone in mind for the new positions. If she recommended someone, they’d consider it.

This year, a worker position is a guaranteed job for life, something that can be passed down from generation to generation. One position, one person. Not to mention, it’s nearly impossible to buy a worker position, even if you have the money. Yet, the higher-ups have managed to secure an official worker position for Su Taotao. It’s clear that the leadership holds her in high regard.

After thinking it over, Su Taotao couldn’t come up with a suitable candidate and shook her head directly. “I don’t have anyone in mind. You should find someone who can help you out and ease your workload.”

Those who overheard this gasped, looking at Su Taotao with eyes that said, “Are you an idiot?”

Chef Xu’s expression grew complicated. He had originally planned to turn a blind eye no matter who Su Taotao recommended, as the position was worth at least several hundred yuan. Even if he didn’t give the position to a relative, selling it would still bring in several hundred. He didn’t expect that Su Taotao, sincerely thinking of him and the restaurant, would let him decide.

Chef Xu looked at Su Taotao’s clear eyes and, not knowing what to say, simply said, “Alright, I understand.”

Su Taotao really felt wronged. As an outsider and an educated youth, she didn’t have good relationships with the other educated youths at the work site and had married early. Her in-laws were either old or young, and the Fu family wasn’t worth selling this favor for. Moreover, she herself would resign and leave in a few months, so why bother? It would be better to sell the favor to Chef Xu.

On the next market day, a weekly event where people gathered to buy and sell goods, Chef Xu gave Su Taotao five hundred yuan.

Five hundred yuan! Fifty hundred-yuan notes! Su Taotao’s eyes widened in surprise!

When she first arrived, all her assets amounted to only twelve yuan and eighty-five cents. Later, she recovered two hundred and fifty yuan from debt collection, and last month’s bonus was just ten yuan, plus a bag of white rice and a bucket of oil.

Five hundred yuan could buy a small house in a small county at this time—a huge sum of money!

“What does Chef Xu mean by this?”

Chef Xu looked embarrassed and said, “I helped you sell the position to my former comrade-in-arms. I didn’t dare ask for a high price, so it’s a bit lower than the market price.”

“Is this legal?” She was a law-abiding citizen and wouldn’t do anything illegal or criminal, not even for fifty hundred-yuan notes!

Chef Xu was startled, then laughed. “There’s no issue of legality. For example, my position, I can sell it or let my son take over. As long as it’s consensual, the higher-ups won’t interfere.”

Su Taotao understood. The iron rice bowl was called that because it was essentially a family legacy. Once given to someone, it belonged to them, and how they handled it was their business.

Su Taotao thought for a moment and returned twenty-five hundred-yuan notes to Chef Xu. “I’ll take this much. You handle the rest.”

She thought she was stuck with half the amount.

Chef Xu insisted, “How can that be? It’s already below market price.”

Su Taotao pushed it all back. “Then I don’t want any of it.”

Unable to persuade her, Chef Xu relented. “Alright, alright. My comrade-in-arms thanks you.” He had never met someone like her before.

You couldn’t say she didn’t love money. She fought hard for the money she should receive, not giving up a single cent.

But you couldn’t say she loved money either. She returned half of such a large sum without blinking an eye.

However, someone who dared to make such requests and cooperate with a state-owned restaurant, perhaps there’s only been one in history. It’s understandable to be different.

Chef Xu wasn’t a hesitant person. He accepted her kindness and would repay her when the opportunity arose.

Su Taotao didn’t think too much about it. She understood this was probably one of the characteristics of the era.

But upon hearing that the person was a retired veteran like Chef Xu, if she had even a little more money, she wouldn’t have accepted it. But not accepting would make Chef Xu uneasy, and with the restaurant’s decent wages, his comrade-in-arms could earn it back in no time, so she symbolically accepted half.

Up to now, all of Su Taotao’s assets were still less than five hundred yuan.

Without black market dealings, making money was really hard!

“Su Taotao, you have a message.”

Since Su Taotao had told the postal worker that she worked at First Restaurant every market day, the postal worker would wait for the market day to deliver letters there.

When Su Taotao received the telegram, her first thought was that it must be from the original owner’s family, probably her in-laws.

But when she opened it, all she saw were three words—

Next-Day Delivery

Su Taotao blinked. “…What?”

It was another unsigned letter. Su Taotao didn’t even need to check the handwriting—only her husband would write like this.

Who else but her husband would send a message like this?

Then she noticed the date—it was from yesterday. So, he was arriving today?

Su Taotao stood there, stunned. She hadn’t even had time to prepare herself. So, her husband was coming back today? She wasn’t mentally prepared at all!