Chapter 69: Paid

  Happy Lantern Festival!

  The woman looked up in surprise.

  "Is there another one?" she asked, and just then saw that the man was indeed holding two documents in his hand, "What's this?"

  "This is for Master En," said Li Da Zui.

  The woman was even more surprised.

  "Brother?" she asked.

  "It was originally mine too." Li Da Shao put the document on the low table, sat cross-legged, "But I decided to give it to En Gong."

  The woman's eyes widened and she put down the needle and thread in her hand.

  "It's like this, the boss said that they used all their money to buy and decorate this store, so I'm afraid it will be difficult for me to get my wages for the past few months," Li Dazhu said.

  The woman was stunned on the spot.

  "Isn't he going to pay us?" She was at a loss for words, "Then, then."

  "So they plan to give me a dry share as compensation," said Li Daben, "and pay me my wages half a year later. For the time being, I can take food from the shop."

  The woman let out a soft cry, her face bewildered.

  "Is it that easy to give up shares?" she said with a sigh, "In the past, Old Man Du gave you one, but he hid and concealed it, until in the end he was driven out by Young Master Sun. If not for this, things wouldn't be like this now."

  "I also said that the boss smiled and said that this small shop can't make much money, it's just enough for everyone to have a meal and live a stable life," Li Dazhuang said. "It's called a dividend, but in fact, it may not be more than wages."

  The woman nodded, being an outsider and a layman, taking over someone else's store, the business can be imagined, how can it compare to the former Drunken Phoenix Building.

  "What does it have to do with you then?" she hastily asked again.

  "I was talking to the landlord, and we ended up talking about their past. They told me that when they were in the northwest, they suffered a lot and almost died from illness, but luckily got help from some passersby. When they heard my story, they felt very moved. We people who have received kindness from others are truly grateful to those who helped us." Li Da Shao said with emotion, "So the landlord insisted on inviting me to be the head chef, as if he was repaying a debt of gratitude, even though it's actually two completely different things."

  He shook his head and laughed as he spoke.

  "These northwestern men, they really..." he said.

  "He's an honest man." The woman also said.

  "So when that Dongjia patted me on the shoulder and sighed, saying that being able to repay kindness is the greatest pleasure, I suddenly thought of it." Li Daben said, looking at the contract in his hand.

  Or maybe someone suggested it at that time, anyway, he didn't remember very clearly, in short, there was this note.

  "Why don't I just give this dividend to Mr. Han, anyway, in a few months, I'll be able to get my wages. What's the point of this dividend? If it weren't for Mr. Han, there wouldn't even be this dividend, let alone wages. I might as well just hand it over to him. When someone does you a favor, you must repay them, that's what it means to be a man!" he said.

  When Li Dazui said this sentence, he seemed to have returned to the scene where he was talking to that shopkeeper, and felt very relieved.

  The woman looked at the man with equal astonishment.

  Li Da Shao turned his head and saw the woman, coughed, and sat back down.

  "Are you, don't you think it's bad?" he said.

  The woman shook her head and smiled.

  "Darling, I think you're really great. You were so spirited when you spoke just now, I've never seen you like that before." She said, looking at the man with a gentle and admiring gaze, "You're doing a good thing. Although we're poor, if there's an opportunity, we must repay kindness."

  Li Dazhu nodded.

  "That Dong family are all honest people, and they really want to do a good job with this store. I'll definitely follow them closely." He said, holding the woman's rough hands that had been worn out from hard work, "Following me has caused you suffering."

  The woman lowered her head and shook it, tears falling from her eyes.

  "It's not hard work, you've been very good to me," she said.

  In a humble room, husband and wife hold each other warmly at the end of winter.

  The sun rises in the east, and the morning light shines brightly.

  Madam Zhou sat for a while before she saw Cheng Jiaoniang come out.

  "Jiaojiao, are you feeling better?" she asked anxiously, examining Jiaoniang's complexion, "You look much better."

  It's hard to tell whether this woman looks good or bad, anyway they all look the same.

  Jiang Nang nodded and slightly bowed her head in thanks before sitting down.

  "Should we get another doctor's opinion? Get some medicine? Jiaojiao, what do you think she should eat?" asked Mrs. Zhou as she chatted and asked miscellaneous questions.

  Jiangniang answered three sentences with one sentence.

  "Don't worry about money, our Zhou family has nothing else but we eat and drink as we please. Unlike your father, who actually stinted on your food and drink. Your brother came back and told us, and your uncle was so angry that he had to go reason with your father." Madam Zhou said, sighing and with tears in her eyes, "My child, they're eating away at the dowry I brought into this family, and yet they still dare to stint on you. If we'd known it would be like this, why bother being kind to relatives? We should have just taken you back home."

  Jiangniang raised her sleeve to cover her mouth as she yawned.

  "Don't worry, everything your mother has is yours, no one will take it away from you. When you get married, we'll add more to it," said Mrs. Zhou, changing the subject. "Give me your money to manage, whether it's for saving or adding a few shops, Jiao Jiao, Uncle and Auntie will definitely make sure you live a carefree life with no worries about food and clothing."

  Jiangniang bowed her head in greeting.

  "Go get the flying money coupons that the Tongs gave us. It's a pity to let the money go to waste, we might as well keep it for ourselves." said Mrs. Zhou with a smile.

  Jiang Nang raised her head.

  "It doesn't matter," she said.

  Mrs. Zhou's face stiffened.

  "Jiaojiao, I'm not asking for your money, don't be afraid. You're still young and it's not good for you to hold onto it yourself, so I'll hold onto it for you. If you keep the money, you'll just end up spending more on unnecessary things. Let Auntie hold onto it for you, the money will grow and it will all belong to you in the future."

  "It's not necessary," said Chong Jiuniang again.

  What's wrong with this child? Mrs. Zhou took a deep breath.

  "Madam." The maid took over the conversation, furrowing her brow and saying, "My mistress said so, don't bother, you'd better not ask for it again, okay? You'll make her cry and become a laughing stock."

  This wretched servant girl! Madame Zhou was furious, but immediately calmed down again.

  "Jiaojiao, I'm doing this for your own good, don't you want that?" she asked.

  "I don't want to," said Jingniang, looking at Mrs. Zhou. "I'm hungry."

  Hungry?

  I'm hungry?

  What's this? How hungry is it? What does it mean by saying this suddenly?

  Mrs. Zhou was taken aback for a moment, then thought of something and looked at Cheng Jiaoniang with a clever expression.

  Saturday Lang's voice suddenly sounded in his ears, that was what his son told them after returning from Jiangzhou.

  "She saw me and said two words, enough to make the Cheng family lose face. Father, mother, can you guess what she said?"

  "She said, I'm hungry."

  I'm hungry...

  She said two words in front of the right person at the right time.

  Madam Zhou gazed at the woman before her, whose eyebrows were as black as ink and whose eyes seemed wooden at first glance, but upon closer inspection revealed a profound and unfathomable depth that made one feel uneasy all over.

  This fool is actually threatening her!