Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 123 The All-Round Worker

Xiao Wei said, "It's okay, we can just hire one more from outside later. We'll need at least two or three people in front, and you can keep an eye on them."

Li Wen nodded.

Xiao Wei looked at Li Gengsheng and asked, "Brother Li, what did you do before?"

Li Gengsheng kept his head down, but when asked, he looked up and said, "I just did whatever I was told. I've done everything from carrying things and cleaning to serving food, mopping floors, and even cleaning drains."

Xiao Wei said, "Brother Li, you can be in charge of purchasing from now on. Buy the vegetables, collect the money, and do the accounting. Is that okay? Go to the savings bank and open a passbook. Deposit the money you earned that day every night after get off work."

Li Gengsheng said, "If I can't deposit the money, I have to work until eight or nine o'clock at night, sometimes until ten o'clock, because the savings bank closes long ago."

Xiao Wei said, "Then let's deposit the previous day's amount the next day, which will be perfect for grocery shopping in the morning. Just make sure the accounts are in order, okay?"

Li Gengsheng nodded.

Xiao Wei thought for a moment and said, "Then let's do this: Jian'an will give me the payroll every month, and we'll use that as the base salary. Then, we'll give you extra bonuses based on your usual performance and the specific circumstances of the business. Is that okay?"

Sister Zhang raised her eyebrows, her eyes wide with surprise, and asked, "There's a bonus too?"

Xiao Wei nodded and said, "Yes, both. The salary is from Jian'an, and the bonus is from our side. We don't combine them. Of course, the premise is that everyone works hard. We need to have income. I can't just take it out of my pocket and give it to you, can I?"

Sister Zhang said, "Of course, okay, no problem, just do a good job, and the boss will give you a bigger bonus later." Everyone laughed.

Xiao Wei stood up and said, "That's settled then, for today." Liu Hongliang jumped up and shouted, "Me? What about me? What am I supposed to do?"

Xiao Wei glanced at him and said, "Are you able to go to work normally? Can you do your job properly?"

Liu Hongliang said, "Sure, you look down on me? I can do anything in this restaurant!"

Xiao Wei looked at him and said, "Okay, you can be the chef, okay?"

Sister Zhang, Sister Shang, and Xie Na burst into laughter. These three are typical unrestrained and crazy women, all of whom are married with children. Li Bing and Li Wen smiled with their lips pursed and heads down, their personalities much more reserved. Li Bing has a boyfriend, while Li Wen graduated from high school a year ago and is still a child. She is the only one here younger than Xiao Wei.

Liu Hongliang was stunned. He scratched his head and after a long pause said, "Damn, buddy, we've got some grudge, right? You're messing with me on the very first day?"

Xiao Wei laughed and said, "I was only halfway through what I was saying when this kid interrupted me. Today is our first day meeting, so Lao Xia and I are treating. We're going to Koufu on Liucheng Street to eat bone soup. Anyone not coming? If you're not coming, just say so. Otherwise, you might feel bad if you force yourself to go and don't enjoy the food."

Several people laughed, and Liu Hongliang stood there looking at Xiao Wei and asked, "Boss Zhang, what exactly are you asking me to do? I can do anything except cook."

Xiao Wei asked, "Really?"

Liu Hongliang nodded vigorously: "Really, absolutely."

Xiao Wei smiled and said, "Okay, I'll leave everything to you except for cooking, preparing ingredients, making noodles, serving food, purchasing, and finance. Do a good job."

Liu Hongliang gasped in disbelief, then after a long pause said, "What is this all about? It's all gone? That's it?"

Sister Zhang said, "What do you mean you're gone? Cleaning tables, sweeping, mopping, carrying things, taking out the trash, washing dishes, scrubbing bowls, unclogging drains, sharpening knives, wiping windows—aren't these all jobs? Oh right, there's also emptying the coal and keeping watch. You've done all that, see how important you are. This restaurant can do without anyone else, but it can't do without you, Xiao Hongliang."

Sister Shang chimed in, "When they get paid, how much will Xiao Hongliang get? It'll be a fortune! He'll have to treat everyone! You hear me? Don't even think about running away."

Liu Hongliang was truly dumbfounded. He said, "You really want me to do this? What are you telling me, a grown man like me?"

Li Wen whispered from the side, "Brother Liu, I'll help you then."

Liu Hongliang said with a pained expression, "Thanks, sister, but no need, I can manage."

Everyone arranged the stools, locked the two front doors with the front chain locks, came out through the back door, locked it, and walked together towards the bone restaurant.

Xia Maosheng whispered to Xiao Wei, "I didn't realize you were so suited for this. You're better than me. I couldn't speak just now. I was nervous."

Xiao Wei said, "Back when I was working on the construction site, I had to hold pre-shift meetings. I was always arguing with a bunch of old men. I got used to it. It's really nothing. You only need to say it a few times."

Xia Maosheng shook his head and said, "That's not it. I've figured it out. I'm just not cut out for this. I'll just be a good cook and follow you around. Hey, are you really planning to let this Liu Hongliang do this? I think he's capable. Why don't you think much of him?"

Xiao Wei glanced sideways at Liu Hongliang, who was walking ahead of him. This guy had come back to his old self as soon as he left the restaurant, acting as if he wasn't the same person just now. He said, "I didn't plan to let him work here at the restaurant. We have enough people here, and there's no job suitable for him."

Xia Maosheng asked, "What? What's the point of having him do that? Just keep him around and collect his salary?"

Xiao Wei shook his head and said, "No, let him go to the school. Don't you think his personality is suitable for admissions and dormitory management?"

Xia Maosheng thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Indeed, you've thought of everything. Why don't you just say it directly?"

Xiao Wei said, "We'll see over there after the New Year. No rush. Let him work here first. We need people to clean and wash dishes anyway. If he can't keep up and runs away, we can't use him there either. If he can manage, we can rest assured leaving him there. We don't know them well right now, so we can only wait and see."

Xia Maosheng nodded, impressed, and asked, "Where did you learn all this? You're amazing!"

Xiao Wei glanced at him sideways and said, "Do you even need to learn this? Isn't that how you choose people for jobs? Temperament, skills, level of understanding. We don't understand, and we don't need any skills, so we can only look at temperament."

Xia Maosheng thought for a long time and said, "Okay. From now on, I'll do whatever you ask me to do. I'm convinced, really."

Xiao Wei said, "You're doing leverage too?" The two of them laughed together.

Shang Liwei, who was walking ahead, turned to look at the two of them and said, "What are these two young bosses talking about that makes them so happy?"

Xiao Wei said, "Let's talk about something else. By the way, Sister Shang, when we get there later, you should try their dumplings. The filling is amazing; I should learn how to make them. I've already talked to the owner about it."

Sister Shang said, "Why do we need to learn that? Just eat a few and we'll understand."

Xiao Wei said, "His family's dumplings might not be good just for eating. He learned the recipe from Lao Bian and improved it himself. They're really delicious. Dumplings will be an important part of our cooking from now on, so we need to make them well."

Sister Shang nodded and said, "Okay, it's fine. I'll ask him in a bit. If it's really good, I can just trade with him. I know a lot of gadgets."

Xiao Wei asked, "Sister Shang, what are you good at? I really should ask you that."

Before Sister Shang could speak, Sister Zhang counted on her fingers and said, "Noodles, Old Shang's noodles are so chewy. Pancakes, she can make all kinds of pancakes, from spring pancakes to sugar pancakes, dumplings, buns, steamed buns, flower rolls, sugar triangles, basically anything made of dough, Old Shang is good at it, she can even make instant noodles herself."