Chapter 140: Since When Did You Take Up Matchmaking as a Hobby?

The first day of the cafeteria’s trial operation was quite successful. After coming back from the market, Xie Yunshu leaned over the table and did some quick calculations. They had earned about twenty yuan that day. After deducting wages for her mother and Aunt Zhao, plus the invisible costs like motorcycle fuel, she conservatively estimated that she earned over ten yuan that day.

But this was just the beginning. When the cafeteria officially opens in a month, she couldn’t imagine how much she would make. However, Captain Shen was right — she couldn’t do everything herself. If she kept it up, she might exhaust herself before even making any money.

Li Fenlan and Aunt Zhao were sitting in the courtyard washing and cutting vegetables so they could start cooking directly the next day. Since there were more vegetable varieties now, it would definitely be busier than before.

With the weather warming up, Granny Zhang also brought a stool to help sort vegetables. Li Fenlan felt a bit awkward: “Granny, you can just sit and chat with us.”

Granny Zhang was feeling much better and cheerfully said, “I’m idle anyway, might as well do some work to feel better. Besides, Yunshu is like a granddaughter to me. Helping my granddaughter is hardly work.”

Aunt Zhao joked with a smile, “Granny Zhang, maybe Yunshu should pay you wages!”

Granny Zhang laughed, the wrinkles on her face folding deeply: “No wages, just want a granddaughter!”

Granny Zhang lived right next to the Xie family and had always been close to them. Years ago, when Old Xie was seriously ill and Li Fenlan was busy with her kids, Granny Zhang often brought food to Xie Yunshu and Xie Mingcheng, the siblings.

So now, when Xie Yunshu cooked something delicious, she would also deliver some to Granny Zhang. Most kids in this housing block were raised by Granny Zhang, but she truly considered Xie Yunshu like her own child.

After chatting for a while in the courtyard, Granny Zhang picked up her stool and headed toward the housing block. Due to her age, sitting for too long made it hard for her to straighten her back. Just as she left the alley, two elderly women about her age, one wearing a blue cotton jacket with a floral pattern and the other in a gray padded coat, saw Granny Zhang and sneered.

“Here she comes again, trying to butter up Yunshu! Old Zhang, you don’t even have children of your own, you can’t just latch onto anyone hoping for support in your old age, right?”

“She’s got three sons, but none of them are filial!”

The two women mocked Granny Zhang, looking down on her. When you get old, it’s just about whose kids are more dutiful. Granny Zhang was an exception here — after her husband died, she lived alone. Rumor had it she had sons, but no one had ever seen any of them visit over the years.

At her age, when she dies, there might not even be anyone to pick up her body! Lately, Granny Zhang had gotten close to the Xie family, and the gossiping old ladies around said she was just afraid she wouldn’t have anyone to support her in old age, so she planned to cling to Xie Yunshu.

One without sons and one divorced without a man — it was a perfect match for scheming.

Granny Zhang spat: “Having many sons doesn’t mean you’ll live two years longer!”

She grabbed her small stool, cursed with her silver hair, then shuffled quickly into the building. Once inside, she sighed deeply. Sons or no sons, filial or not, it was better to have none at all. She had long come to terms with it — everyone dies sooner or later.

After finishing her calculations, Xie Yunshu came out of the house, went to the half-open door of Granny Zhang’s place, and placed half a pack of snacks on the table. “Granny, this is Xu Ji’s crabapple cake. I saved you two pieces. It’s sweet, soft, and delicious!”

Granny Zhang didn’t mention what just happened. She took a bite and said, “Yunshu, how’s the cafeteria business?”

Xie Yunshu’s eyes sparkled with joy, and lowering her voice mysteriously, she held up two fingers: “Granny, we’re making money! I’m earning this much!”

“That’s good. Don’t tire yourself out,” Granny Zhang said with relief as she sat down on the lounge chair beside them and swayed a little. “Mingcheng has exams in a few months. I’ll boil two more eggs in the morning so he can pick them up on his way to school.”

Xie Yunshu didn’t refuse and happily leaned closer, puckering her face: “Granny, I’ll be going to night school in a couple of days. You can boil me two eggs too!”

Granny Zhang laughed and pinched her cheek: “Sure, Granny’s pension is enough to boil eggs for you all!”

Nothing much happened that night. After dinner, Xie Yunshu took out the architecture books that Shen Suibo had given her and started reading. When she got to the structural diagram, she suddenly remembered the blueprint she saw at Li Shengli’s place earlier that day.

The plumbing book had a separate chapter on it. The design of buildings now was mostly similar, and the plumbing systems followed almost identical standards. She could clearly understand that blueprint but dared not be overconfident when it came to actual construction.

If she went to night school, she’d probably be more confident. But she heard the entrance exam for night school was even tougher than the college entrance exam — it was basically to filter those qualified. At least the students needed a basic learning foundation, or else it would be a waste of educational resources if illiterate people went to school.

Thinking of this, Xie Yunshu grabbed Xie Mingcheng’s textbooks, especially his first-year high school math book, and started self-studying.

With college entrance exams approaching, Mingcheng’s school added evening study sessions, supervised by teachers, lasting until after nine o’clock at night. Xie Yunshu left some food for him by the stove and sat down beside it, reading seriously.

Li Fenlan, ignoring advice, continued knitting, this time for her son. The weather in Jingbei was colder than Haicheng, so she needed to prepare clothes in advance. She had more confidence in her son than in her daughter, firmly believing he would get into a university in Jingbei.

Back at the cafeteria, Aunt Zhao and Li Fenlan handled things much more smoothly.

Shen Suibo seemed less busy today and came to eat with Tian Hao. Before leaving, he glanced at Xie Yunshu and said, “Come get the referral letter when you’re done.”

Tian Hao followed him upstairs, feeling something was off. “Brother Shen, since when did you get so close with Yunshu? Also, what’s this referral letter?”

Shen Suibo glanced at him: “You’re imagining things. I’m closer to you.”

“Really?” Tian Hao grinned, showing his teeth, and followed him upstairs. “But Yunshu is quite popular with the guys in our project department. After work yesterday, several young men were openly and secretly asking me about her…”

The construction project team was mostly male, with many single men. People are visual creatures — men’s eyes are naturally drawn to beautiful women anytime. Plus, Xie Yunshu was indeed pretty.

Shen Suibo stopped walking and looked down the stairs to the cafeteria. Xie Yunshu was collecting money, wearing a mask, her hair tied neatly, revealing a smooth, full forehead. Her big eyes tilted slightly upward, her smile bright and radiant.

In front of her stood a young man blushing, holding some change, looking awkward but sneaking glances at her.

Shen Suibo snorted: “Why don’t you let them come to me to play matchmaker? After all, I’ve been in contact with Comrade Xie quite a bit recently.”

“Huh?”

Tian Hao was puzzled. Shen never meddled in others’ affairs. Since when did he have a hobby for matchmaking? And he himself didn’t have a girlfriend, yet he was helping others find partners?