Silly Zhu's Moving: The Old Neighbor's Nightmare

Chapter 157 Stupid

Jia Dongxu was at a loss for words as he watched his mother's reckless behavior.

"Mom, keep shouting. If you manage to get Director Wang back later, you can just wait to go back to the countryside!"

After saying this, Jia Dongxu ignored his mother and left his room to find some peace and quiet outside.

......

Sha Zhu, along with his second uncle, familiarized himself with the types and prices of ingredients in the shops outside, as well as the sources of those ingredients.

After purchasing some ingredients, they waited until their second uncle was familiar with the place before returning to the small restaurant.

Sha Zhu helped his second uncle move the ingredients from the cart to the kitchen.

After reviewing the operational steps of the three registered disciples and finding no problems, he left the small restaurant and returned home.

Shazhu plans to rest at home for a day as he starts work tomorrow.

I went to the living room, brewed myself a pot of tea, sat down in the recliner, leaned back, and started rocking back and forth.

Just as Sha Zhu was dozing off, there was a knock on the door.

"Who is it? I wanted to sleep in, and someone has to come and disturb me," Sha Zhu muttered, opening his sleepy eyes.

I used my mind to scan him, and it turned out to be Uncle Ge.

He was knocking on his own gate, not at his own restaurant. Why was he coming to find me?

Sha Zhu got up and went to open the door.

"Zhu Zi, I went to the small restaurant to look for you. The people there said you were back, so I came looking for you." Uncle Ge said immediately when he saw Sha Zhu open the door.

"Yes, I just got back," Uncle Ge said as he came in.

Sha Zhu invited Uncle Ge into his living room.

After making tea for Uncle Ge, exchanging a few polite words, and inviting him to sit down, I...

Uncle Ge said unhurriedly, "Zhu Zi, didn't our neighborhood office open a restaurant not far from my little restaurant?"

Sha Zhu frowned slightly and said, "Yes, that's right, Uncle Ge, what's wrong?"

It shouldn't affect your business. Look! Your shop mainly serves stir-fries.

The shops opened by the neighborhood committee mainly sell noodle dishes, such as steamed buns, noodles, and cooked cold dishes. They don't really conflict with your small restaurant.

Besides, there's a lot of foot traffic in this area after get off work every day, so it shouldn't affect your business.

Uncle Ge quickly waved his hand, "Zhu Zi, that's not what I meant. I heard..."

"That little restaurant run by the neighborhood committee, the cooked dishes, cold dishes, and mutton soup were all prepared under your guidance. You even took on three apprentices, right?"

"No, absolutely not. Uncle Ge, I don't accept disciples, I only have a few nominal disciples."

I gave them a cursory lesson; as for formal disciples, we'll have to wait a few more years before considering them.

"Uncle Ge, if you're looking for someone to be my apprentice, then you don't need to say anything." Sha Zhu quickly denied and refused.

Uncle Ge was a little helpless. "I didn't ask you about taking on apprentices."

"Zhu Zi, it's like this. I often accept banquet invitations for weddings and funerals, don't I?"

I tried the cooked food and cold dishes at the small restaurant run by the neighborhood committee, and they were all quite good.

Everyone in the shop said it was made under your guidance.

So, Zhu Zi, sometimes I also have customers who ask me to make some cooked food and cold dishes.

I can't replicate the taste of the cooked and cold dishes made at small restaurants.

Are you interested in partnering with me? We'll split the profits 50/50.

Besides, you cook large batches of food at the steel rolling mill, right? You have quite a few customers like that. Especially those with many relatives, large batches of food are indispensable.

Sha Zhu initially wanted to refuse outright, but before he could speak, Uncle Ge continued...

"Anyway, your mutton soup and bun stall has gone out of business. Occasionally, you can come with me to cater banquets and earn just as much as you would selling buns and mutton soup."

So, you don't need to cook any dishes; you just need to prepare some cooked food.

"Just prepare a cold dish, maybe add some stew from the big pot," Uncle Ge said, looking expectantly at Sha Zhu.

"Uncle Ge, have some tea. I'll think about it." Sha Zhu pondered for a moment; the variety of species in his space wasn't very rich.

There's not enough space for many things in the countryside, so it's nice to go out for a stroll occasionally.

You can also go to the countryside to see the lives of ordinary people in this era.

I'll also try to find some species and wild animals that aren't currently in my space, enriching it a bit.

It means I can go to small restaurants often to treat myself, and my finances will be reliable enough to withstand scrutiny.

Although I can't always stop those middle-aged women from gossiping, I don't care.

The more someone cares about their reputation, the more viciously those old women will attack them.

Should we learn from those middle-aged women and become tough nut to crack, attacking everyone around us? Hmm...

"Uncle Ge, I have to go to work tomorrow. I only get one day off a week. What do you think?"

"It's alright. We don't usually get many banquets, except for weddings and funerals on fixed dates, which are unavoidable."

I usually have tables booked in advance for most weekends.

Besides, don't you still have three disciples?

I went to check out the kitchen of the small restaurant run by the neighborhood committee. Once they get more familiar with the place, the two of them will be able to manage.

"Uncle Ge, don't even think about that. Although he's my nominal disciple..."

However, that small restaurant now belongs to the government. The street office only has the right to regulate and guide it. People from higher up have taken over the restaurant.

"I can't just send my disciples out to take on private jobs," Sha Zhu said helplessly.

Fortunately, it's not far from home, so when I'm not busy, I can come over and help with some chores.

Uncle Ge frowned and asked, "Zhu Zi, what have you been busy with? You've taught your skills, but you don't even have any influence in the small restaurant anymore."

"Can't you even send a disciple out? Are you stupid?!"

Sha Zhu was so depressed; all he could do was let those readers call him stupid every day.

Uncle Ge, you're adding to my troubles too.

Suppressing his displeasure, Sha Zhu argued, "Didn't I also find a job for my second uncle?"

"Zhu Zi, what can I say to you? All you do is try to find a job for your second uncle!"

You can have your second uncle come work for me; I guarantee his salary won't be lower than what he earns at the small restaurant run by the neighborhood committee.

As for teaching all your skills? At worst, you can open your own small restaurant with those skills.

“But my second uncle has been promoted to a government employee. Your family’s small restaurant is privately owned.”

Sha Zhu muttered to himself, "You even run your own small restaurant? What will happen when your family's property is also converted into a joint public-private enterprise?"

If you can't turn things around in thirty years, who knows, by then you might be so suppressed that you won't be able to survive.

Uncle Ge wanted to say something more, but Sha Zhu couldn't listen anymore.

"Uncle Ge, from now on, I'll go with you to any weddings or funerals in the suburbs or countryside near Beijing."

"Those of you in the city, try to do your own work. I mainly want to see the scenery in the countryside."

Uncle Ge has been defeated by Sha Zhu. What kind of thought process is this? You have so much money, why don't you make money and instead go to the countryside to see the scenery? What scenery is there to see in the countryside?

"Zhu Zi, won't you reconsider?"

I'll think about it. "Uncle Ge, no matter how much you say, it's useless."

I only get one day off each weekend, and my few registered disciples are all government employees.

I don't have the right to arrange things arbitrarily. If you have work to do this weekend, just let me know.

"Since there's no work, I'll just stay home and rest. Anyway, I have a job, and I'm still young; I won't starve."