Chapter 57: Hiring Workers

Upon seeing Jiang Liyun, Sun Jinshan quickly recounted his experiences of the day, emphasising how delicious the food at the restaurant was: “Those people don’t care about spending the country’s money. They ordered so many dishes right away, we couldn’t finish them all. If it weren’t reimbursable, he definitely wouldn’t have treated us.”

Sun Jinshan’s words carried a hint of indignation.

However, Jiang Liyun understood well that if he were the factory manager, he might do the same.

Most people in the world are quite ordinary and not as noble as they seem.

The situation of using public funds for extravagant meals was indeed serious.

From what she knew, after the government strictly regulated such expenditures in the previous life, some restaurants couldn’t sustain their business anymore.

Sun Jinshan, although not highly educated, was sharp-minded and bold. If he hadn’t passed away early in his previous life, he might have become one of the nouveau riches in their area.

But he might not have been able to hold on to his money.

In her previous life, there were many people like Sun Jinshan around her. They accumulated wealth during the prosperous times, but some squandered it away.

Some lost everything due to gambling addiction, while others lost a large sum of money through reckless investments. At that time, a group of nouveau riches in their town were persuaded to invest in a coastal city to build seaside properties, and they ended up losing everything.

But regardless of their fate, in this era, there were certain things that suited people like Sun Jinshan.

If Jiang Lihai had gone to see the factory manager of the food factory today, it would never have had the same effect.

If she had gone, it would have been even less likely to succeed.

As a young girl talking about doing business,. Even the gatekeeper might not have let her in.

People in this world always underestimate women.

“Tomorrow, I’ll go to the county town with Jiang Lihai to talk to the feed seller and the seller of chicks. I estimate we can negotiate a suitable price,” Sun Jinshan said.

Jiang Liyun, looking at Sun Jinshan’s pleased expression, encouraged him with a few words and didn’t say much more.

After finishing the meal, Sun Jinshan left. Jiang Liyun asked Feng Yi to chop the meat at home and asked Wu Xiaochun to help knead the dough. Then she said to Jiang Lihai, “Brother, let’s go to Aunt Jiang’s house first, and then to Uncle Honghai’s house.”

“Why?” Jiang Lihai asked.

“I need to hire some people to help,” Jiang Liyun replied.

On the way to Aunt Jiang’s house, Jiang Liyun asked Jiang Lihai to talk about what he had seen and asked for more details, such as the environment at the food factory.

“The environment at the food factory is really not good. I even smelled the smell of urine at the corner,” Jiang Lihai said.

Are workers urinating anywhere in the factory? This factory was really not up to par.

Jiang Liyun doesn’t fully trust Sun Jinshan, so she asked Jiang Lihai to keep an eye on him. She also shared some negotiation tactics, mentioning, “Since everyone was eager to buy chicks before, the hatchery must have many chicken breeds and imported a lot of incubation equipment. So, getting chicks at a lower price shouldn’t be a problem. If they refuse, ask them where they bought the incubation equipment. They think we want to hatch the chicks ourselves, so they’ll be willing to lower the price.”

Before Jiang Liyun finished speaking, Jiang Xiaogu’s family had arrived. After entering, she talked with Jiang Xiaogu and mentioned wanting her uncle to help make pan-fried dumplings.

“Xiaogu, if your uncle helps at my shop, he needs to come early in the morning. We provide breakfast and lunch, starting from 5 a.m. until 2 p.m., paying ninety yuan a month,” Jiang Liyun explained the terms.

Although ninety yuan a month isn’t much, with two meals included, it’s a good deal. Working at a brick and tile factory might earn a hundred a month, but it doesn’t include meals and is more exhausting than making dumplings.

Jiang Xiaogu gladly accepted: “You don’t have to give so much money. Fifty or sixty a month is enough. My husband, Afat, doesn’t mind helping out.”

With a 2 p.m. finish, the job doesn’t interfere with household chores, making it ideal.

“That’s the rate in town,” Jiang Liyun smiled.

Jiang Liyun initially offered ninety, but Jiang Xiaogu hesitated, eventually agreeing with a cheerful smile.

Jiang Xiaogu’s husband, Gu Dafa, in his forties, was even happier, his face full of smiles.

Jiang Xiaogu, ten years younger than Jiang Lame, married around the same age and has two sons and two daughters. The elder daughters are married, and the younger sons are yet to marry. Building houses for the sons’ marriages puts a strain on their finances, so additional income is welcome.

Hearing that Jiang Liyun is also looking for someone to make buns, Jiang Xiaogu suggested, “I’m busy, but you can ask my sister Lanlan?”

Gu Lanlan, Jiang Xiaogu’s eldest daughter, married in the neighbouring village.

Gu Lanlan, similar in age to Jiang Lihai and five years older than Jiang Liyun, was not familiar to her. She just remembered her resemblance to Jiang Xiaogu.

In her previous life, Gu Lanlan led an ordinary life without significant wealth or adversity.

If Gu Lanlan is willing to help with dumplings, that would be fine: “Aunt, making buns and dumplings is relatively easy work. I can offer fifty a month, and she can start a bit earlier and finish around 10 a.m. or have lunch before leaving. You can ask Lanlan if she agrees; let me know.”

Fifty a month may not be much, but it’s a light and part-time job, making it a good deal.

“She’ll definitely agree!” Jiang Xiaogu said. “Her mother-in-law is troublesome, always bothering her at home. She’s been wanting to find a job to escape.”

After discussing with Jiang Xiaogu and taking Jiang Lihai, Jiang Liyun headed to Jiang Honghai’s house. Jiang Honghai is her alcoholic and abusive cousin.

Jiang Liyun didn’t know her cousin’s wife’s exact name, just that everyone called her Xiaofeng.

When they arrived, it was already 8 p.m., and many villagers were asleep. Jiang Honghai’s door was closed, but light leaked through the crack, indicating someone was inside.

“Uncle Honghai, are you home?” Jiang Liyun knocked on the door.

Soon, Jiang Honghai’s voice came from inside: “Xiaofeng! Open the door!”

Before long, Jiang Honghai’s voice rang out again: “Xiaofeng, are you dead? I asked you to open the door; why haven’t you come yet?”

“Coming…” a female voice replied, and the door was opened.

The one opening the door for Jiang Liyun was Jiang Honghai’s wife, who was only in her thirties but looked about the same age as Jiang Xiaogu, who was in her forties.

At this moment, her hair was dishevelled, and she was wearing a worn-out cotton-padded jacket. Most likely, she was already prepared to sleep, but she was called up by Jiang Honghai to open the door.

As for Jiang Honghai…

There was a rectangular table in the hall with two dishes on it. Jiang Honghai was sitting facing south, drinking and eating.

He probably had a broken leg. Although he was sitting in the hall, he didn’t bother to open the door when he heard the knocking. Instead, he made his already-sleeping wife open it.

“Oh, it’s you. Why are you here?” Jiang Honghai asked drunkenly.

His face was flushed red, his eyes unfocused, and his whole body reeked of alcohol. It was unclear how long he had been drinking.

“Uncle Honghai, I plan to open a dumpling shop in town. Xiaofeng’s aunt is good at making noodles, right? I remember eating her steamed buns when I was a child. I want to invite her to my shop to make buns. Can I pay her fifty yuan a month?” Jiang Liyun asked with a smile.

“Fifty yuan a month? Deal!” Jiang Honghai agreed without hesitation.

Jiang Liyun continued, “Uncle Honghai, Xiaofeng’s aunt, there’s something else I need to tell you. I’ll be selling dumplings and buns in the morning and fried chicken in the afternoon. I’ll be busy from four or five in the morning until late at night, so Xiaofeng’s aunt will have to stay at the shop. I’ll provide meals and accommodation.”

After Jiang Liyun finished speaking, she looked at her aunt.

Before she came, she couldn’t remember what her aunt looked like, but now that she saw her, memories of things related to her flooded back.

In rural areas, it’s a bit of survival for the fittest. In simple terms, if you’re tough enough, if your family is tough enough, or if you have a bunch of relatives and friends who will stand up for you, then others won’t dare to bully you.

But if you’re weak… Not everyone will bully you, but there will always be some who take advantage of you.

Wu Xiaochun was weak. She remembered that when she was a child, people often asked Wu Xiaochun to help with things, and Wu Xiaochun didn’t know how to refuse, so she inexplicably did a lot of work that wasn’t originally hers.

Once, Wu Xiaochun and other women went to the village to pick silkworm cocoons. Because the work points were calculated based on the amount picked, someone brazenly took the cocoons from her basket and put them into their own.

She and Jiang Liping witnessed this scene with their own eyes.

Wu Xiaochun didn’t know how to resist. In the end, she and Jiang Liping rushed over and snatched the cocoons back. After snatching them back, Jiang Liping even took some from the other person’s basket and put them into Wu Xiaochun’s basket.

Wu Xiaochun was soft-natured and easily bullied, but fortunately, Jiang Lame didn’t have a temper and listened to Wu Xiaochun at home.

Her aunt didn’t have such good luck. She ended up with an alcoholic and abusive husband.

So she not only was bullied by people outside but also had to endure abuse at home.

Anyone would find it hard to bear; no wonder she eventually resorted to drinking pesticides.

Fortunately, she still hadn’t completely lost hope for life at the moment.

Jiang Liyun noticed that her aunt seemed somewhat pleased when she heard about the meals and accommodations.

Jiang Honghai hesitated a bit.

Jiang Liyun continued, “Uncle Honghai, I’ll provide meals and accommodation. This salary isn’t low. Two years ago, people in town were paying only twenty or thirty yuan for a maid. If Xiaofeng’s aunt works at my place, your family will have some extra income, and you won’t have to just eat pickles with your drinks.”

There were two dishes in front of Jiang Honghai; one was pickled vegetables, and the other was also pickled vegetables.

Jiang Honghai’s heart was moved. “Then let her go.”

It was Xiaofeng’s aunt who murmured softly, “I don’t know how to make buns.”

She has never made buns before.

They hardly grow wheat here, so people don’t know how to make wheat-based foods.

Jiang Liyun said, “It’s okay; she can learn. I just think, Xiaofeng, you’re diligent and suitable to help me.”

The corners of Xiaofeng’s mouth lifted slightly.

Jiang Honghai is now in his thirties, his parents are still working in their fifties, and his son and daughter are already able to support the family. He thinks it’s good for his wife to go out and earn money.

Now he asked, “Liyun, when do you need her? And about the salary, just give it to me.”

Jiang Liyun replied, “If Xiaofeng’s aunt has nothing else to do, she can come to town to find me tomorrow morning at eight o’clock. As for the salary, Xiaofeng’s aunt will give it to you when the time comes.”

Jiang Liyun mentioned fifty yuan a month, but she actually planned to give eighty yuan.

If her aunt lives with her, she will have the longest working hours, so she should be paid more.

She definitely won’t give the money to Jiang Honghai, but to her aunt. Her aunt won’t be foolish enough to take the full eighty yuan back.

In this way, even if she hands over fifty yuan, she can save thirty yuan as her own savings each month.

After leaving the oppressive environment for a long time and being able to earn money, she shouldn’t tolerate it anymore.

People are hard to change, but not impossible.

After Jiang Liyun finished speaking, she took her leave.

Surprisingly, Jiang Honghai, with his broken leg, stood up and saw them off.

After all the commotion, Jiang Liyun and Jiang Lihai returned home very late.

Feng Yi had already prepared for tomorrow’s stall and didn’t need her help. Jiang Liyun asked Jiang Lihai, “Brother, do you still have your elementary and middle school textbooks?”

She wanted to study with them.

Jiang Liping didn’t take care of her textbooks when she was in school. They were all worn out, and later she threw them under the bed. The books were chewed up by mice and couldn’t be used at all.

She didn’t know if Jiang Lihai’s books were still there.

Jiang Lihai nodded. “They are, but not complete.” Some people borrowed textbooks from him before and never returned them.

“Not having all of them is fine; just give them to me. Feng Yi and I want to study a bit,” Jiang Liyun said.

Hearing this, Jiang Lihai felt guilty again.

Jiang Liyun stopped studying after third grade, which was less than he and Jiang Liping had studied.

Jiang Liyun’s handwriting was beautiful, and she could even write contracts. She must be very smart, but unfortunately, she couldn’t continue her education.

Jiang Lihai quickly took out his textbooks. Jiang Liyun checked and found that the missing ones were all Chinese; there were no missing math books, so she felt relieved. Missing a few Chinese textbooks in the front wouldn’t hinder the learning of subsequent content.

However, it was different for math. If a middle section was missing, understanding the later content might be challenging.

Thinking about this, Jiang Liyun handed the books to Feng Yi, saying, “Feng Yi, when you have time, take a look. In a few days, I’ll buy a dictionary for you. Let’s start by learning the unfamiliar words.”

“Okay,” Feng Yi agreed.

Jiang Liyun had mentioned reading for him before, and he knew she meant well. He genuinely wanted to study; the days when he attended classes with Jiang Liyun were very enjoyable.

Seeing this scene, Jiang Lihai couldn’t help but feel a bit sympathetic towards Feng Yi. Balancing business, knitting, and now studying—Feng Yi’s life seemed quite challenging!