Chapter 156: What an Interesting Family
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Zeng Asan sat up straight.
“There will be two restaurants opening in the new year. One will be selling noodles and fast food, while the other will be selling exquisite dishes, skewers, and grilled fish. Business will be good.”
“But you know, if my restaurant’s business is good, it will attract the envy of others. People will come looking for trouble one after another, so I want to form a team to be responsible for the security of the two restaurants.”
Zeng Asan didn’t know what ‘security’ was, but he knew that he was about to have a proper job.
From then on, he would no longer have to be a thief and extort people for some money.
“Can you be more specific?” Zeng Asan asked respectfully.
“Yes, we need seven or eight people. You will be the leader. If anyone causes trouble in the restaurant, control them immediately. Don’t let them make a big deal out of it and affect the other customers. However, they can’t be too ruthless and injure the customers or lose their lives.”
“You need to perfect these systems slowly.”
Zeng Asan understood, “Just like those thugs in the gambling dens.”
“Yes, almost.”
Zeng Asan swallowed his saliva, “Madam, you can leave this matter to me. You can rest a.s.sured. I might not know the people in Puyi County personally, but I know them very well.”
Han Qiao agreed.
Would Zeng Asan rashly trick people if he wasn’t sure his victims had someone to back them up? She did not believe it.
The people who lived in the streets had better eyesight than anyone else. Otherwise, if they were to extort the wrong person, they would be beaten up. If they were beaten seriously, they would probably have to go to jail or lose their life.
“What about the salary?”
“As the manager, you will receive one tael of silver a month, while the others will receive eight hundred copper.”
Zeng Asan gulped.
One tael of silver a month was a job that many people envied, coveted, and hated.
“Madam, don’t worry. I will take good care of the two restaurants for you. I will not let those cats and dogs ruin your restaurant’s reputation.” Zeng Asan swore.
Then he asked softly, “Madam, when can I start working?”
“The next month is August, but you have to find those people and bring them over to me on the seventh day of that month. It would be better if you hire people who are strong and know some martial arts.”
“Madam, don’t worry. I’ll choose them carefully. 1 won’t bring you any bad people.”
“Alright.”
Han Qiao also gave Zeng Asan a New Year’s gift that included wine, meat, sugar, salt, rice, and flour.
Zeng Asan carried the basket and left to an empty alley. He quickly opened it to take a look.
He was stunned at first by the contents of the basket, then he laughed, his eyes slowly turning red.
Afraid of being seen and embarra.s.sed, he quickly raised his hand to wipe his eyes.
He then cursed angrily, “d.a.m.n it.”
Originally, he was also hard-hearted and risked his life to make a living.
It was the first time in his life that he was praised.
“Motherf.u.c.ker,” Zeng Asan cursed again.
He smacked his lips a few times.
He sighed.
He would probably have to pay with his life to be praised by Lady Heng today.
Forget it, forget it.
It was a cheap life to begin with.
When Zeng Asan returned home, his two children immediately ran up to him.
“Father!”
It was almost the New Year, but he had nothing at home.
His wife had left him a long time ago and ran off with a merchant, leaving behind their son and daughter.
“Take it quickly and let your grandma make it. Well have a good meal tonight.”
Zeng Qin’er hurriedly said, “Father, there are still two days before the New Year. We can’t waste all the food like this even if we have them.”
“Yes, yes, yes. Leave the good ones for later. Well have a good meal on New Year’s Day.” Zeng Asan smiled and patted his daughter’s head, “I’ve found a job and 111 bring you and your brother to live a good life in the future.”
“Is it a serious job?” Zeng Qin’er asked.
The children of the poor became the masters of the house. Moreover, with her father in this line of work, the nine-year-old Zeng Qin’er had to mature faster than most children.
She was sensible, capable, stubborn, and bold. She dared to go to the Ma.s.s Grave alone in the middle of the night to touch the things on the bodies of the dead.
His daughter had scared Zeng Asan many times, he was sometimes a little afraid of his daughter.
Zeng Baobao smiled and asked his elder sister to quickly look at what was in the basket.
Lifting the coa.r.s.e cloth covering the top, the siblings were stunned to see what was underneath.
“Father? Where did this come from?”
“The boss rewarded me. Let’s go, let’s go. Hurry up and go to the kitchen to cook.”
Zeng Qin’er asked her brother to call their grandparents over.
They were a strange family. The one in charge of the family was not the old couple, nor Zeng Asan, but Zeng Qin’er.
Old Man Zeng used to steal money and search through coffin pits in his early years, but he broke his leg and lost one eye, so he couldn’t do it anymore. Old Lady Zeng was a prost.i.tute in a brothel in her early years. She was redeemed by a wealthy businessman and became a concubine. After giving birth to two sons, she was sold to a peasant woman. Later, she hooked up with Old Man Zeng and settled down in Puyi County, giving birth to Zeng Asan.
His father was a grave robber, and his mother had gone through a lot. Zeng Asan had been smart and courageous since he was young, but unfortunately, he was unlucky and could not do anything to change his fate.
He had run away with someone after marrying a wife. The most successful thing out of that experience was his two children. Those who were very smart and capable.
Looking at the items in the basket, Old Lady Zeng’s eyes lit up.
“Then what does the boss do? Aiyo, you’re being too polite. I haven’t seen meat in a long time.” The more Old Lady Zeng spoke, the more excited she became.
Zeng Asan told his family what happened today.
There was a moment of silence in the kitchen.
After a long while, Zeng Qin’er said, “Father, go and ask your boss if she needs a servant girl.”
“You want to be a servant?”
“The kind who don’t sell themselves, who have no contract but are loyal and clean of crimes.”
“You want to be a maid?” Zeng Asan asked.
“Why not? Your boss gives you good things. Not only that, she gives you dignity, respect, and importance.” Zeng Qin’er’s face darkened. “Father, you’d better work hard in the future. If you’re up to no good again, I won’t let you off.”
“I know, I know.”
Aiyo, his little girl is so fierce. She’s the real father of the house, alright.
However, when he saw the dangerous look on his daughter’s face, Zeng Asan quickly smiled and said, “Don’t worry, my daughter. Your father knows what to do.”
It was rare for the family to have a full meal.
He naturally had a plan in his mind.
Meanwhile, two streets behind Zeng Asan’s house were where Heng Silang’s house stood.
Madam Wu sat on the stool in a daze.
Her parents-in-law’s illness had cost her a tael of silver to hire a doctor and for their medicine. To her, who could not wait to split a penny to spend, it was more painful than stabbing her body with two knives.
Heng Silang sent the doctor away and saw that she was still sitting there in a daze, “What’s wrong?”
Madam Wu looked at her husband.
For a moment, she wanted to cry, but she couldn’t.
She lowered her head and looked at her hands.
She was the youngest daughter in her family. When she was a girl, she only had to wash clothes, cook, and sweep the floor. She did not have to do anything else.
But now…
That day, when her mother came to see her, she immediately cried as soon as her eyes fell on her.
She knew that her mother felt bad for her.
“My hand hurts, and my face is frozen and cracked. It hurts too,” She suddenly said to Heng Silang.
“Aren’t we all like this? The pain will pa.s.s. Go and cook the medicine. Father and Mother will wake up in a while and we’ll have to make them drink it first…”
Heng Silang wanted to say something, but Madam Wu had already left and went straight to the kitchen to work.