Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 132 Master Zhai Joins the Team

Xiao Wei said, "The initial price is 1,500, and it will increase annually thereafter."

Master Chang slapped his thigh and said, "Look, Lao Zhai, what are you still hesitating about? Four months is equivalent to your current annual income. Let's not talk about ten years, just five years. If you were asked to go back and get those few hundred yuan, would you go back?"

Master Zhai threw his cigarette butt on the ground and stomped it out, saying, "Okay, whatever you say, Lao Chang. What do you want to eat tonight? I'll make it for you."

Master Chang laughed and said, "Anything is fine, as long as there are dumplings and wine. Dumplings and wine, the more you drink, the better! Are you all just listening to a show? Do you want me to kick you? Hurry up and get to work, don't act like a woman." As soon as he turned around, his smile disappeared, and he started scolding his apprentices. The apprentices didn't dare to say a word and kept their heads down to work.

Master Zhai felt much better after making his decision and went back to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Meanwhile, Xiao Wei said to Master Chang, "Thank you, Master Chang. Without your kind words, Master Zhai would have hesitated for a long time."

Master Chang laughed and said, "That's not true. If he really doesn't want to come, there's no point in me saying anything. Xiao Hongliang's dad and his uncle, who is also our manager, are both my apprentices. They told me everything before they came. If your business is going to be successful, I'm just giving it a push. We're all old acquaintances, and he's not having an easy time either."

Master Chang lit another cigarette and said, "I've gotten a lot of credit with my apprentice. Nobody dares to mess around with him. They all give me some face. Otherwise, I might not be doing as well as him. These days, hard workers aren't valued anymore. All the talkers are getting cocky. How can a restaurant be so arrogant? You think you can just talk your way out of a boiler? I don't know what the higher-ups are thinking. This world is getting more and more incomprehensible."

Xiao Wei said, "No matter what, conditions are much better now than before. I remember when I was a child, we didn't have anything. We could only eat a few pieces of candy a year."

Master Chang squatted down on the ground and sighed, "Back then, I felt at ease, I had a sense of purpose, and I had energy for everything. Now I have everything, but I feel insecure."

"Master, is it installed on the stairs?"

"Get a set of step stools everywhere, drill holes at the top and bottom and thread pipes through them, don't go around in circles." Master Chang stood up and went upstairs, and Xiao Wei also came into the kitchen.

Master Zhai was working on the stove, and it was already on fire, warming the room. Xia Maosheng, Yingzi, and Bozi huddled around the stove to warm themselves, while Sister Shang and the others were preparing to make dumplings.

Xiao Wei asked Bozi, "Aren't you going back to your uncle's place?"

Bozi checked the time, glanced at Yingzi, and said, "I... I'll warm myself by the fire for a while and then go back."

Master Zhai said, "You two go over there. What are you doing here? If there are more people coming, will Lao Wu be able to handle it? I'll go straight back to the hospital from here in a bit."

The two packed up and left together; Bozi didn't bother with the fire anymore.

Sister Zhang laughed and said, "Master Zhai, your little girl is something else! Look how tough she is on your son-in-law. I can tell from her, one look from her and he doesn't dare to say a word."

Master Zhai chuckled and said, "He's all talk and no action. He's clueless when things get tough, so he has to listen to others. Whatever, he chose this route himself."

Sister Zhang chopped vegetables quickly; there was no hot water, and the cold water made her hands look bluish-white, but it didn't affect her speed at all. "Your child isn't very big, is he? Is he seventeen or not?"

Master Zhai added a shovelful of coal to the stove, pressed it down, and said, "No, he's only sixteen. My child's birthday is a little early."

Shang Jie chimed in, "You're dating so early?" After saying that, she probably realized her question was inappropriate and became a little embarrassed.

Master Zhai put down his shovel, took a cigarette, lit it over the stove, and took a puff. He said, "Last year, I was out of work, and this kid insisted on going out to work. I couldn't stop her, so she went to work for Lao Wu. This year, she and Bozi are getting a little into it. Her mother and I didn't stop her. She's alright, quite reliable. She's not going to school anymore, so who cares?"

Sister Zhang looked up and asked, "Can't go to school? Fifteen, just graduated from junior high? It shouldn't be that hard to get into a vocational school, right?"

Master Zhai leaned back on the stove and said, "Well, he graduated last year. He said he didn't want to study anymore. The kid is all grown up and has a strong will, so there's no way to control him. He won't study anymore anyway, he won't learn anything worthwhile."

Sister Shang said, "Master Zhai, are you just standing there warming yourself by the fire? Come over and help me make a few. Many hands make light work, let's finish making them quickly."

Master Zhai took two deep drags on his cigarette and threw it into the stove. He washed his hands at the sink, grinned, and said, "It's really cold! You guys are really something." He dried his hands with a towel and went over to help make dumplings, saying, "My dumplings don't look very good, so don't laugh at me later."

Li Bing moved aside to make room for her and said, "Just wrap it up, who cares if it looks good or not? It's good enough that it can be wrapped up at all in this weather."

Xie Na blew on her hands and said, "Where's Liu Hongliang? Liu Hongliang, boil some water! Li Bing's hands are freezing!" Li Bing, embarrassed and angry, slapped Xie Na. Liu Hongliang ran over and asked, "What? Boil water? Want some?"

Li Bing glared at him, and Xie Na said, "Aren't you annoying? You're like an old woman, just telling me to cook and I do, what's it to you? You drink when you want to drink, you take a bath when you want to bathe, I'm soaking my feet too."

Liu Hongliang said, "No, that pot hasn't been used for a while. If I were to use it, I'd just rinse it. But if I'm going to drink from it, I'd have to give it a proper rinse, wouldn't I?"

Master Zhai said, "Let's boil it first, then soak the towels in it so everyone can warm their hands, and it'll be easier to clean the kettle when it's hot."

Liu Hongliang went to boil water.

Xia Maosheng and Xiao Wei stood by the stove warming themselves. Master Zhai's arrival had brightened their spirits considerably. Listening to the clanging and banging of iron pipes being worked on upstairs, they both felt a sense of joy.

Xiao Wei said, "Now we can set a date. We'll start the boiler tomorrow and open for business as usual the day after. You can finalize the bookings and then choose a date for the grand opening and banquet. Is that alright?"

Xia Maosheng said, "Okay, I won't come here tomorrow. I'll go check with Uncle Wang and also call my aunt to talk to her. You keep an eye on things over there tomorrow, make sure you keep an eye on how to use it, the boiler pipes and stuff."

Xiao Wei said, "Okay, I'll leave this to Sister Zhang. I think she's capable and can manage things. Let's give her a raise in management salary later."

Xia Maosheng nodded and said, "You handle it yourself, no need to tell me. By the way, where are the boiler operators? Two? I still need to go haul coal, there's quite a bit to do. Should we hire a few people to work in shifts or hire one person to live there permanently? We need to provide a place for them to sleep, and we need to make arrangements."

Xiao Wei said, "Just find someone at your workplace. This is our workplace, after all. We're just hiring people, why look outside? As long as they're obedient and work hard, that's fine. There are plenty of people waiting to be hired at the workplace now, and we can even do them a favor. We found Xiao Bin here, and Sister Li there, and suddenly we've arranged several more people."

Xia Maosheng slapped his forehead and said, "Okay, I'll run around there tomorrow. You keep an eye on the boiler and the carpenter. Oh, right, didn't you say you wanted the carpenter to do some work here too? Did you say that?"