Chapter 237: Unable to Save Face

Chapter 237: Unable to Save Face

Kua Su Youyue, with his arms crossed, shook his head and said, "You don't know this, but my wife is now a cook at Su Kee Restaurant. Miss Su is her boss, which makes me half her boss too. How could I not know?"

"Moreover, Miss Su is kind-hearted. Before the New Year, she gave all the staff in the restaurant a six-tael red envelope! Look around the entire Capital; where else can you find such a generous and kind boss? I heard that after the New Year, Su Ji plans to conduct another charity event. At that time, the poor in the city will be able to get free porridge."

"Six taels?" The people listening to him widened their eyes, almost popping out.

They knew the staff working in the shops made money, but they didn't expect it to be so much. In the Capital, a family of four living comfortably spent about one tael per month. Six taels was a fortune for ordinary families!

He became envious, wishing he had someone in his family working at Su Ji's shop.

For a moment, everyone around them looked envious, wishing they were the ones working at Su Ji's shops.

"Brother, does Su Kee Restaurant still hire people? If not, there are still pastry shops and other shops. My wife and I have nothing to do."

Seeing everyone crowding around, he laughed and said, "You're in luck. I heard that the Su family plans to open several more shops in spring. They'll definitely hire workers then. But my wife has already arranged it for me. When the shop opens, I can start working there, earning two taels a month..."

Others became interested and crowded around to ask, "Sir, what about those shops..."

The crowd began discussing enthusiastically.

Although the common folk cared about national affairs, they cared even more about their daily necessities. Knowing that Su Youyue would be opening new shops and hiring workers, they discussed it on the streets.

At a cabbage stall by the roadside, Yun Niang was shopping with Lu Wen.

Lu Wen frowned as he watched his mother inspecting the cabbages.

He hated vegetables without any flavor, especially the tough and tasteless cabbage leaves.

Since the Lu family's misfortune, Lu Wen hadn't tasted meat for a long time, and his mouth felt like it was going to grow moss. He couldn't bear seeing the cabbages he disliked.

"Mother, I don't want to eat cabbage."

Yun Niang frowned. She didn't want to eat cabbage either, but what choice did they have? "If not cabbage, what do you want to eat? Cabbage costs only one copper coin per jin, while everything else costs three or four coins."

She pointed at two less-than-perfect cabbages and asked, "Auntie, can you sell these cheaper?"

The vendor didn't even lift an eyelid. "No discount. Don't look at the outer leaves being wrinkled; the inside is fine. This is already the lowest price."

Yun Niang, who had fallen on hard times recently, wasn't skilled at bargaining. After a short while, she felt extremely uncomfortable. She counted the copper coins and bought four cabbages, placing them in her basket.

Lu Wen watched the cabbages go into the basket, his face darkening. Just then, a rich aroma of braised meat wafted through the street.

Mother and son stopped, swallowing hard at the smell.

In the past, Lu Wen had tasted many delicacies and wouldn't have cared for plain braised meat. But now, he couldn't even get pork scraps.

Yun Niang, who once thought she wasn't someone who craved food, now felt her stomach rumbling at the mere smell.

Just then, she vaguely heard someone mention hiring workers, including female workers earning two taels a month. She immediately turned her attention.

Two taels a month? Such high wages?

She had managed a shop before and knew that ordinary workers earned only six or seven hundred copper coins a month. Two taels seemed like the boss was throwing money away out of kindness.

Despite her thoughts, Yun Niang listened carefully. Her cousin earned less than two taels a month copying books, barely over one tael.

If she could earn two taels a month, her cousin would respect her more and treat her better, and her aunt wouldn't dare to order her around anymore!

Yun Niang imagined the scene and smiled, but her smile quickly faded when someone laughed, "Of course, Miss Su is kind-hearted. Her shops naturally treat the staff well!"

Hearing this, Yun Niang felt like she had been doused with icy water. She wished she had never heard their conversation.

It was Su Youyue's shop!

How could Su Youyue let her work there as a female worker? And she couldn't save face in front of her.

Yun Niang's face darkened as she tried to leave with her son, but Lu Wen was still staring at the braised meat, lost in thought.

At his age, even if his mind was strong, his body still craved food. Lu Wen couldn't resist the smell.

Yun Niang's attention returned to the braised meat shop, watching the steaming pot of braised meat and swallowing again.

A fat man with a large belly walked into the shop and ordered ten pounds of braised meat.

The shop waiter immediately responded, scooping up large pieces of glossy, reddish-brown braised meat with a ladle, weighed them, and filled the man's food box to the brim, almost unable to close the lid.

Even as the man left, Yun Niang and her son remained transfixed, their eyes fixed on the food box.

The fat man soon noticed their gaze, scrutinized their clothes, and finally focused on Yun Niang's face, squinting his swollen eyes.

Yun Niang, sensing his gaze, tensed up and quickly lowered her head, trying to leave with her son.

But the man approached, smiling broadly. "Madam, wait. Your child looks so adorable; I can't help but want to give him some meat to try."

Yun Niang frowned involuntarily. There was no free lunch in this world. Sensing the man's ill intentions, she refused immediately, "Thank you, sir, but we cannot accept favors without doing anything in return."