Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
The voice from over there was brief, and the man in black quickly finished speaking, pausing to wait.
However, Six Bei showed no reaction, remaining silent throughout. It wasn't until a while later that he quietly said, "Understood, you can go back now."
His voice was lowered, but it was still clear enough for Ye Xiaohan to realize that the man in black not only spoke softly but also used a special tone to convey his message.
The more abilities the man in black revealed, the more suspicious Six Bei's true identity became.
Once they left and confirmed that no one was around, Ye Xiaohan stepped out from the shadows. Various possibilities swirled in her mind, keeping her awake. She got up and gave herself two acupuncture needles to calm down.
The next morning, Ye Xiaohan appeared before everyone with dark circles under her eyes. She was teased by Second Uncle, while Six Yang covered his mouth to stifle a laugh, earning a light smack on the head from Ye Xiaohan.
Six Bei twisted a warm cloth for her to place over her eyes and asked with concern, "Did you not sleep well last night? How about closing the shop today so you can rest at home?"
"How can I do that? I rely on this for my livelihood!" Ye Xiaohan replied as she took the warm cloth, which eased the fatigue around her eyes and made her feel more relaxed overall.
However, just thinking about what Six Bei might be doing behind her back made Ye Xiaohan's heart feel heavy again.
After casually washing her face, Ye Xiaohan went straight to the shop without saying another word. Six Bei assumed she was just tired and felt even more worried about her.
After breakfast, Six Bei went up the mountain as usual. Second Uncle and Second Aunt were unwilling to work, so he didn’t force them and let them wander around the village instead.
The shop's business was on track and thriving, but Ye Xiaohan found herself overwhelmed with work.
What frustrated her even more was that she had already made it clear that she would not disclose her recipe, yet those people still refused to give up and tried various ways to pry it from her.
After being firmly rejected by her, they changed their approach—not directly asking for the recipe but hoping to join forces and share in the profits. Some even planned to take this opportunity to learn her unique methods secretly and then set up their own shop.
These people kept coming like a swarm of mosquitoes buzzing around her head until it hurt.
Ye Xiaohan decided to cut through the chaos and publicly hire someone for help; this way, she could silence those annoying inquiries.
Moreover, she had been overwhelmed with tasks lately—developing new recipes and secretly investigating Six Bei's matters—all of which required considerable effort. Hiring someone diligent would save her time for other important things.
The recruitment notice had just been posted when the shop was already crowded with people. Ye Xiaohan tapped on the table, signaling them to line up. "No pushing, line up over here. The interviews will be fair and open; everyone has a chance. That person cutting in line will be disqualified. If you can't even meet the basic standards of an employee, then let's not waste each other's time."
Ye Xiaohan assessed the candidates based on their appearance, personality, abilities, and most importantly, their clean family background and simple social connections. In the end, she identified a few satisfactory candidates.
These young women were smart and capable, quickly mastering the basic customer service procedures. They were articulate and attentive in serving guests.
Ye Xiaohan decided to keep these few and made it clear to them, "I only need to hire one person for this shop. You all did well today; go home for now. Tomorrow I will have new tasks for you. Those who pass will be considered for the final position."
In fact, these candidates were quite comparable; no matter who she chose, they would be able to handle the business at the shop.
With this decision made, she felt relieved as she watched others desperately trying to find reasons to push their own candidates forward.
Finally able to relax, Ye Xiaohan stretched her sore limbs. It was time to move on to the next phase of her health regimen.
However, she didn't anticipate that just a few hours later, she would have to take back that breath of relief.
Early in the morning, as soon as Ye Xiaohan stepped out of her house, she was called back.
A woman approached with a young man in tow, wearing a smile on her face. "Oh, dear daughter-in-law from the North! It's better to arrive late than never; I was just thinking of looking for you and here you are."
Ye Xiaohan glanced at her own front door, wanting nothing more than to slam it in her face. How could someone come all the way to another's doorstep and still engage in pleasantries?
Of course, these thoughts remained internal; outwardly she showed none of it. "Ah, Aunt Zhang! What brings you out so early?" Small talk was easy; she could greet anyone in eight different languages!
Aunt Zhang rubbed her hands together and smiled. "Dear daughter-in-law from the North! I heard you're hiring? You should have done this long ago! Look at you managing such a big shop all by yourself; aren't you exhausting yourself? Hiring someone would really help lighten your load."
She turned slightly to nudge the young man beside her. "If you're looking for someone, it should be someone you know well; that way you can trust them. Look at my son—his father wants him to learn some business skills. I thought since you need help, he could come work at your shop first. If he doesn't know something, you can teach him."
Another one coming for a recipe. Ye Xiaohan replied curtly, "Aunt Zhang, you're too late; I've already found suitable candidates yesterday. They are coming today; I don't need any more people."
Aunt Zhang's expression darkened. "Dear daughter-in-law from the North, that's not right! My son is far better than those others! He's smart and learns quickly from his father. Can those other people compare? Besides, what kind of relationship do we have? They are outsiders; can they ever match the dedication of family?"
She spoke with a serious expression, "You're still young and don't know how to measure your actions. I won't blame you for this. Go and deal with that person from yesterday, and from now on, let my son follow you."
Ye Xiaohan looked speechless at the young man who was being praised excessively, cowering behind his mother. Aunt Zhang gave him a firm push, causing him to stumble slightly.
"Call me sister-in-law," Aunt Zhang urged him, then turned to Ye Xiaohan with a smile. "My son is just honest; he treats everyone with respect and never speaks out of turn. A person like him is reliable. If you have any matters in the future, just leave them to him, and you can enjoy some peace."
Ye Xiaohan couldn't help but interrupt her, "Aunt Zhang, what I need is an assistant who can attend to customers, not someone to pamper like a lord. Your son isn't suitable; my shop can't accommodate such a big shot. You should find someone else."
"Hey, hey, come back! Don't go!" Aunt Zhang reached out to grab her, but Ye Xiaohan skillfully dodged.
Encountering such a situation early in the morning was truly unfortunate. Ye Xiaohan spat and pushed the two of them out of her mind.
Several young women from yesterday arrived early, chattering excitedly at the shop's entrance. When they saw Ye Xiaohan approach, they all stopped and looked at her with admiration.
A woman who had built a career through her own efforts had become a role model for many in the eyes of these young women.
Unbeknownst to her, the tide had turned; her past scandals were no longer mentioned. Instead, people spoke of her with praise during casual conversations.
After another round of selection, only one girl remained while the others left disappointed. However, after Ye Xiaohan gifted each of them a new jar of Pear Blossom Cream, they happily returned home to show off their prizes.
These were new products developed by Ye Xiaohan that hadn't officially launched yet. Giving them to the girls for trial was also a promotional strategy; these beautiful young women would serve as walking advertisements wherever they went—much more effective than posting flyers.
The girl who remained was first familiarized with the products and taught some makeup techniques by Ye Xiaohan. The girl learned quickly and was soon able to work independently.
Ye Xiaohan felt a sense of ease she hadn't experienced in a long time. Watching the shop run smoothly and everything progressing in order made her accumulated fatigue dissipate. She rested her forehead on her hand and dozed off amidst the fragrant atmosphere of the shop.
When she returned home that evening, she felt invigorated. Liu Bei noticed her state and felt relieved. He had been anxious as he couldn't help with all the work Ye Xiaohan had taken on.
Liu Yang saw Ye Xiaohan and said, "Sister-in-law, the teacher wants you to come to the Academy."
"Looking for me?" Ye Xiaohan asked in confusion. "Isn't it Liu Bei they're looking for? Did you get into another fight?"
"6 Yang quickly retorted, 'I did not! The teacher is just like that; please go and see for yourself. Sister-in-law, what's the matter?'
Ye Xiaohan shot him a glare. 'How would I know? We'll find out when Ming goes.'
Having dealt with 6 Yang, Ye Xiaohan already had a rough idea in her mind.
In the school where 6 Yang studied, there was only one teacher, the village's Zhang Da Bo.
Today, Aunt Zhang came with her son, and it was hard to believe this wasn't Zhang Da Bo's idea. Since they had been outright rejected before, they probably still felt unsatisfied and wanted to try again.
As she expected, when they arrived at the private school for the second time, Zhang Da Bo exchanged a few pleasantries before getting to the point.
'6 Bei's daughter-in-law, you have been quite successful lately, basking in glory. For a woman to achieve such accomplishments is truly remarkable,' Zhang Da Bo began with compliments.
Ye Xiaohan maintained her composure and kept a polite smile. 'You flatter me, sir; it's just luck, just luck.'
Zhang Da Bo continued, 'You see, 6 Bei's daughter-in-law, as a woman, it must be quite inconvenient for you out there. We neighbors have noticed and feel for you. Since my son is here, I thought he could help you out a bit to make things easier.'
Ye Xiaohan smiled and replied, 'Zhang Da Bo, I spoke with Aunt Zhang yesterday. I have enough staff in my shop now; I don't need to hire anyone else. Even if I did, there wouldn't be enough space in my shop.'
'6 Yang has made great progress in his studies recently. If he could receive guidance from a renowned teacher, he would surely have a better chance in next year's county examination,' Zhang Da Bo said as he stroked his goat beard and suddenly changed the subject.
Ye Xiaohan felt a sense of caution rising within her but kept her smile intact. 'What do you mean by that, Zhang Da Bo?'"
Comment 0 Comment Count