Electronic Nezha

Chapter 107 What to do and what to shout

The unexpected evening gathering ended in a harmonious and pleasant atmosphere. It was a relief that Han Shiya didn't make any requests for the two children to compete in their studies throughout the entire event. Liu Zhenhua gained another fan, and Qiao Yan got an evening without any worries.

If he hadn't had to drive, we probably would have had a drink.

After seeing them to the door, I said to Qiao Yan, "Welcome to come anytime." Then I whispered, "You don't need to bring Han Shiya anymore."

Qiao Yan smiled.

After they left, Liu Zhenhua quickly checked the surveillance footage from noon according to my instructions. Unfortunately, the bathhouse was a place very sensitive to cameras, and there was no clear image of "number 23". The surveillance footage near the public bathhouse also yielded no clues.

"Holy crap, does this guy have some kind of teleportation ability or something?"

Liu Zhenhua said, "Don't think of her as something too high-class. Aliens who have that kind of thing wouldn't be wielding a teapot to commit violence."

Yuan Yuan came out of the closet and started tidying up the table. I rested my chin on my hand and fell into deep thought. I didn't take Liu Zhenhua's words seriously. With an advanced AI like Yuan Yuan, I just had an extra nanny.

In the bathhouse, she muttered curses at me for ages. The reason she wanted to smash me was because I woke up halfway through. If I were to completely immerse myself in the dream she created for me, what would she do next? She must have some ulterior motive.

Confusing.

Before going to bed that night, Liu Zhenhua asked, "By the way, Dad, what was the reason you asked for leave for me at school today?"

"Your ID card was eaten by a dog."

"What?"

"Your ID card was eaten by a dog. I'll take you to get a replacement."

"If Wang Aili asks me tomorrow what happened at home, I'll tell her the dog ate my ID card?"

"Correct!"

"You're really ruining your son's future!"

"That's all I can think of anyway. Why don't you think of something more reliable?"

……

A week has passed, and Christmas and New Year's Day have gone by in the blink of an eye. I can no longer say that I'm in my thirties...

A small change occurred at the fruit market—Zhang Biao was fired. He paid a heavy price for spilling Chen Feng's milk tea, spending five days in jail. Chen Feng hasn't shown up since we showered together. Then, the condiment market across the street finally closed down. As for how to transform it, the government is undecided, and construction isn't easy in winter, so it'll just remain empty for now.

One day, a middle-aged woman, around forty years old, came to the market. I didn't know what she was selling. She talked to the shop owners all the way from the end of our row, and they all shook their heads. Old Wang and I were curious about what she was selling, and Li Ping was also standing at the door watching.

Finally, it was our turn at the stall. The woman asked Old Wang, "Brother, are you hiring?"

That's when I realized why the owners were all shaking their heads. This business can be done by two people, or one person can manage. Unless they actively post advertisements, fruit stalls don't easily hire people.

The woman had fair skin, dressed simply, and was slightly overweight; she was, in short, an unremarkable middle-aged woman. After she finished speaking, Old Wang gave me a smug look, with a smug air of "See, I'm the boss now." But when it came time to play the bad guy, he remembered me and said to the woman, "That's our boss."

"Oh, I didn't realize that." The woman's words immediately gave me an answer—not to mention that I don't need people, even if I did, I couldn't hire this woman. Not only does she lack discernment, but her speaking style also makes her unsuitable for serving customers.

I quickly said, "We don't need that many people." I figured I shouldn't wait for them to say it again before refusing.

Unexpectedly, after being rejected elsewhere, the older sister learned to promote herself to me: "I'm cheap, just give me 2000 a month."

Old Wang suddenly felt a sense of crisis, as his monthly income was more than double that amount.

"What can you do?" Old Wang asked.

"Isn't that why I came here to look for a job? It's because I don't know anything."

The eldest sister's straightforwardness offended both Lao Wang and me, but we couldn't quite put our finger on what was wrong. In this line of work, the supply channels are all the same, the prices are transparent, and the cultural knowledge required is nothing more than preschool level. How many people in the whole city are like me, a learned scholar who lives in seclusion in the city?
Li Ping covered her mouth and laughed when she heard her say that. Old Wang said, "Girl, not everyone can do this job. You have to know how to deal with people."

The older woman scoffed, “I don’t need you to teach me. I used to be in business too—” She pointed in the direction of the cold storage, “I had a stall there before the spice market closed down.”

No wonder the spice market is so deserted; this woman was one of the first few tons of her goods that broke the camel's back...

The older woman said, "Besides, it's not as complicated as you make it out to be. It's just about what you're doing and what you're advertising. If a customer sees chili peppers, you tell them they're really spicy. If they see cinnamon, you say it really enhances the flavor of stewed meat. What's so difficult about that?"

These words left Old Wang speechless. He picked up an apple and asked, "How should we promote this?"

"These apples are so sweet, you won't regret buying them."

Old Wang, too lazy to waste words, put the apple down and said, "Okay, that's fine—boss! You decide."

I said, "Our stall is small, we really don't need that many people."

At this moment, Li Ping said, "Big sister, why aren't you selling seasonings anymore?"

The older sister said, "Where can we find a suitable place in a short time? I still need to eat."

"Is there no one else at your house?"

The older woman said nonchalantly, "That's it. My husband ran off with another woman. I've been all alone all these years. As long as the spice market was still open, I never starved. Now I just need to find a place to eat."

Li Ping paused for a moment, then said after a few seconds, "Sister, why don't you try working at my stall first? I can't afford to pay you too much. Let's do it your way, 2000 a month. You can leave whenever you want once you have some cash flow."

Old Wang darted to Li Ping's side and whispered, "Ping'er, this isn't about doing good deeds."

Li Ping laughed and said, "I also want to experience what it's like to be a boss. If something happens at home and I can't be there all by myself, having someone else can help take care of things."

The older woman said, "The 2000 I mentioned is the base salary; I'll take a commission."

Old Wang couldn't help but ask, "You?"

The older woman said to Li Ping, "Here's what we'll do: I'll work for you for a month first. If you think I'm not good enough, you can fire me anytime. Let's sign the contract now." As she spoke, she took out her ID card from her pocket and handed it to Li Ping.

Just then, a couple strolled over to Li Ping's stall. The man casually picked up an apple, and judging from his nonchalant manner, he was just looking at it casually. The older woman immediately said, "These apples are so sweet, I guarantee you won't regret buying them."

The man hummed in agreement and put it back.

Old Wang watched the play with a smile.

The eldest sister darted over, picked up an apple, broke it in half, revealing its tempting sweet core.

The man seemed tempted and suggested to the woman, "How about we buy some?"

The older sister said, "Why buy 'little' items? It's more cost-effective to buy them by the piece."

The man said, "Then take one."

The older woman pointed at Li Ping and said, "How much is it per piece? You do the math."

As the man scanned the QR code, his wife also looked around, her eyes landing on the snow pears. The older woman said, "Take another pear, let's stew it into a drink when we get home. It's thirst-quenching and good for the lungs, and it will stop the child's cough."

The woman was immediately moved by the last sentence and said to the man, "Take one of these too."

Old Wang and I looked at each other in disbelief. This woman was something else!
The couple left carrying two pieces of fruit.

Li Ping smiled radiantly.

(End of this chapter)