Baozi Xishi's Struggle

Chapter 158: Recruiting before the restaurant opens

In front of everyone, Lu Lang became his usual aloof self again. He nodded and said, "Then you can go back first. I will send a servant to inform you when the time comes."

Shen Yu nodded with a smile, squatted down and bowed. Li and Zhou Dalang also hurriedly followed suit and bowed. They also thanked Master Lu, and the three of them left the master's room together.

Led by Liu Sanjiang, the group left the county government office.

Standing at the gate of the county government office, Shen Yu smiled and said to Liu Sanjiang: "Brother Liu, thank you for your guidance today. When our shop is ready in a few days, I will invite you to have a drink in the shop."

Zhou Dalang also said, "Brother Liu, I can sell the shop to Miss Shen today. I have the money to travel with you, and I want to thank you for your advice. I will invite you to the restaurant for a drink at noon."

Liu Sanjiang quickly waved his hands and said, "I was just teasing you. There's no need for you to treat me to a drink. It's just a small favor."

Liu Sanjiang acted like a big brother and said earnestly, "Liu Sanjiang, your money is hard-earned, and you have a wife and children to support, so you should be frugal."

After that, he bowed to Shen Yu and the others and said, "I won't send you back to Willow Alley."

The three of them thanked Liu Sanjiang together, and then Liu Sanjiang turned around and went back to the county government office.

The three of them walked forward for a while and saw a mule cart soliciting passengers on the side of the road. Shen Yu waved and called the mule cart over, and the three of them returned to Willow Lane together.

The three got off the car. Zhou Dalang had been out for half a day. He was worried that if he was not at home, the Hu couple would embarrass his wife Cui, so he hurried back.

Shen Yu said, "Zhou Dalang, please come to my house for a while. I have something to say to you. It won't take up much of your time."

Zhou Dalang had no choice but to follow Shen Yu and Li back to the small courtyard rented by the Shen family.

Entering the yard, Jiang and her three children had already loaded the car with steamed buns and porridge to be delivered at noon and were preparing to deliver the meal.

Shen Yu and Li helped them push the car out of the courtyard gate, and Jiang said, "You guys take care of yourselves. I'll take the children with me to deliver the food."

After saying that, he pulled up the cart, and Dun Dun and a few others pushed the cart away.

Li and Shen Yu returned to the yard and closed the door.

Zhou Dalang raised his hands and bowed to Shen Yu and Li, and bowed solemnly, saying, "Madam, Miss Shen, thank you for buying my family's shop at this price. If it weren't for your willingness, I would not be able to get rid of my parents."

Shen Yu looked at the somewhat cowardly young man with sympathy, and said comfortingly: "It's all over. In the future, you will get better and better."

After that, he said, "Zhou Dalang, please sit down for a moment. I want to talk to my mother."

Shen Yu took Li to the next room.

Li asked worriedly, "Yuzhi, what do you want to tell me? Did things not go smoothly at the bank?"

Shen Yu smiled and shook his head, saying, "Don't worry, mother. The money has been transferred to the county government's account. Didn't Master Lu give the house deed to mother? What I want to talk about is about Zhou Dalang."

Li was puzzled and asked, "Zhou Dalang, what else does he need? I have given him all the money."

Shen Yu smiled and said, "After these two days of dealing with each other, I feel that Zhou Dalang is a very honest person except for his cowardly character. He also has experience in running a restaurant. We have bought the store, but these few people are not enough to open a restaurant. I want to discuss with my mother and ask Zhou Dalang and his wife to stay and hire them to work."

Li agreed and said, "Oh, your idea is great. Why didn't I think of this? We helped him get rid of that evil woman, Mrs. Hu. It's a favor to their family. If we keep them here to work, they will definitely work hard and won't cheat or play tricks."

Seeing that Li agreed, Shen Yu went out of the house with Li and sat at the small table with Zhou Dalang.

Shen Yu asked with a smile: "Zhou Dalang, when your parents recover from their injuries and move away in a few days, you won't have to take care of them anymore and you can get rid of them completely. When that time comes, where do you plan to go?"

Zhou Dalang shook his head in bewilderment. "I don't know either. I don't remember anything about my childhood. I've been living here since my parents adopted me. I can only make pancakes, but I can't do anything else."

"My wife's family is in the north. My parents-in-law have long passed away. I only have one brother. His family is not bad, but my sister-in-law is not the kind of person who tolerates others. It's not easy for me to go there. Well, we'll see when the time comes."

When Zhou Dalang thought about his future life, the joy he had just felt after selling the shop disappeared and he began to worry again.

Li said, "Zhou Dalang, I am a straightforward person. I just discussed with Yuzhi and wanted to ask you, after we open the restaurant, are you willing to come and work in our restaurant?"

Zhou Dalang was delighted at first, but then he said timidly, "Can I do it? I can't compare to Miss Shen's craftsmanship. I can only make some simple Hu pancakes."

Li smiled and said, "Just tell me if you are willing or not. You can come to work in the store, and I will stay at home to take care of Xiaobao. If you are free, you can also help in the kitchen. Isn't it better than bringing your family to your brother's house and being despised by your sister-in-law?"

Zhou Dalang nodded and said, "Madam, you are right. I will go back and discuss it with you. I believe she will agree to it."

Shen Yu warned, "We can discuss it, but you'd better not let your parents know that you sold the store to me, so as to avoid any trouble."

Shen Yu paused, then continued, "If your mother really can't force you, just say that you used the shop as collateral to pay for your crime, and that you don't owe the county government any money. In a few days, when your parents are better and can move, the head of the police will bring people to take over the house."

Although Zhou Dalang didn't understand why Shen Yu asked him to say this, he still assured her, "Don't worry, Miss Shen, I will do as you say. I'll take my leave now. After I discuss this with my wife, I'll come and give you a reply if I have a chance in the next one or two days."

Shen Yu and Li sent Zhou Dalang away. Li immediately pounded her waist and said, "I can't do it anymore. I want to go lie down on the bed. I just sat in the county government office this morning. It's more tiring than steaming buns at home. My waist and back hurt."

Shen Yu teased Li mischievously: "Mom, are you sitting on the bench in the master's room, not daring to move?"

Having said that, he followed Li to the room where she slept at night, asked Li to lie on the bed, and gave her a massage on the waist.

Li lay on the bed, complaining incoherently, "That's right, isn't it? That lawyer Lu looks quite kind, but he is the county government's finance and tax lawyer. He uses his abacus to make a lot of noise, and Zhou Dalang and I dare not make any noise. We have to sit still and sit there until our waists are broken."

Shen Yu imagined the scene in his mind and started to chuckle.

Li was gently pounded and massaged by Shen Yu for a while, and she felt her waist was much more comfortable, so she sat up and said, "Zhou Dalang was beside me just now, so I couldn't ask you how it became that the store used the money as payment for the crime, and then let the head of the police collect it. When did you agree with the head of the police?"