Chapter 195: Frustration
Chapter 195: Chapter 195: Frustration
Shen Lu was so angry her chest physically ached. She stormed back to her restaurant.
Seeing the fury on her face, her employees instinctively quieted their movements, afraid of accidentally setting off their boss.
As soon as she got back, Shen Lu dove into the kitchen, changed her clothes, and began prepping for the dinner service.
Fueled by her anger, Shen Lu’s movements were sharper and more forceful than usual.
She could have asked Little Mantis to chop the ribs, but Shen Lu didn’t. She raised the cleaver herself and brought it down on the ribs on the cutting board. CHOP, CHOP, CHOP.
It was as if those ribs were the people she had met that afternoon. She mentally counted each one as she hacked them into pieces.
When quitting time arrived, the four probationary employees glanced at each other, all silently agreeing not to move a muscle.
It wasn’t until the Wang Family Sisters arrived to deliver scrap metal that Shen Lu, lost in her furious chopping, finally put down the cleaver.
Having vented her frustration, she wasn’t as suffocated with anger as she had been when she first returned.
Wang Xiaoci wanted steamed buns again today, and as usual, Shen Lu packed them into a lunchbox for them.
"Boss, can I head out for the day?" Wang Daguo asked cautiously.
"Go on home with your sisters. Remember to bring the lunchbox back tomorrow."
"Okay."
Wang Daguo left with his two sisters. Seeing that Shen Lu’s mood had stabilized, Shu Meng, Xin Yu, and the other two employees who had been watching from a distance all said their goodbyes and clocked out.
Just as Shen Lu was about to turn back to the kitchen, Fang Ming called out to her timidly from behind.
"Boss Shen."
"Fang Ming?" Shen Lu watched the boy hurry over, her eyes scanning him up and down. "What can I do for you?"
His hands were empty, and unlike the Wang sisters, who always pulled a small cart, he didn’t look like he was here to deliver scrap metal.
Besides, he hadn’t come by yesterday afternoon, so Shen Lu had assumed he’d quit the job.
Fang Ming pulled some tungsten wire and a few copper blocks from his pockets. "I didn’t find much yesterday, so I figured I’d save up a bit more before coming. Boss Shen, you’re still buying this stuff, right?"
"I am."
Shen Lu took them and had her system inspect each item.
It was only two pocketfuls of material, but none of it was poor quality; the system gave its approval for everything.
Shen Lu did a quick calculation. "This is worth 20 Star Coins. Is that okay?"
Fang Ming nodded. The price Shen Lu offered was very fair; he probably wouldn’t get that much if he took it to a recycling station.
But then he remembered the scene he’d witnessed while hiding nearby and asked tentatively, "Boss Shen, can I trade for steamed buns, like Wang Xiaoci?"
"You can, but you’ll only be able to get two steamed buns for that."
"I can get two? That many?" Fang Ming was overjoyed. The only food he had ever eaten made from white flour was noodles.
On his birthdays, his parents used to take him to Cao’s Noodle House for a bowl of noodles. Even though the noodles there tasted terrible, Fang Ming could still make out the faint, wheaty aroma.
And a bowl of those terrible noodles cost 80 Star Coins.
But here, with Shen Lu, 20 Star Coins could get him two steamed buns!
"Normally, you definitely couldn’t buy two steamed buns for 20 Star Coins," Shen Lu clarified. Fang Ming was different from Wang Xiaohui and Wang Xiaoci, so some things had to be made clear. "And this is just the current price. It might not be the same in the future."
This whole arrangement of having people find materials for her was originally Shen Lu’s way of helping out people she knew and had a decent relationship with.
The reason she agreed to let Fang Ming join in was because she felt sorry for him and his mother.
She also admired that they hadn’t handed Fang Peng over to a corpse-disposal unit, choosing instead to take him outside the city for a proper burial.
Shen Lu was always willing to lend a hand to people with such integrity and heart.
"I know. I’m fine with that." Fang Ming wasn’t thinking that far ahead. He took the lunchbox containing two steamed buns and skipped home, practically bouncing with joy.
He was even more excited and happy than Wang Xiaoci and Wang Xiaohui had been the first time they brought her materials.
His joy was infectious, and the corners of Shen Lu’s mouth turned up in an unconscious smile.
’Being able to help others, even in a small way, really is a wonderful feeling.’
Clutching the lunchbox, Fang Ming ran home as fast as he could.
Before he even got inside, Fang Ming heard his mother’s suppressed coughing.
His heart sank, and he quickly pushed the door open.
"Fang Ming, you’re back... COUGH, COUGH—" Mrs. Fang couldn’t finish her sentence before she was wracked by another gut-wrenching coughing fit.
Fang Ming set down the lunchbox and poured a glass of water. "Mom, drink this. It’ll help."
Mrs. Fang took the glass and took a tiny sip, but no more.
Now that Fang Peng was gone, she and Fang Ming had no way to earn a living and had to survive on relief rations.
That meant water had become a precious resource, one they had to conserve.
The sip of water greatly eased the itch in her throat. Mrs. Fang took small, shallow breaths, and the discomfort in her lungs subsided.
His heart ached watching her. "Mom, I’ve found a way to make money. As soon as I save up a little, I’ll take you to see a doctor."
"Don’t worry about it. This cough is just an old ailment." Mrs. Fang shook her head, her face filled with guilt. "It’s my fault for being so useless. I’m your mother, yet I’m making you find a way to earn money."
Fang Ming bit his lip and changed the subject.
"Mom, I traded the money I earned today for two steamed buns. You must be hungry. Let’s eat."
He opened the lunchbox as he spoke.
A distinct, wheaty aroma wafted out. Mrs. Fang took an involuntary sniff, her eyes wide with surprise as she stared at the plump, white steamed buns.
"Th-These are... steamed buns made from white flour?!"
"Yeah. Here, Mom, eat." Fang Ming tore off a piece and pressed it into his mother’s hand.
But to Mrs. Fang, it felt like a hot potato. "Fang Ming, be honest with me. Where did you get these steamed buns?"
Even though she’d never held an outside job, she knew that steamed buns made from white flour were a luxury they couldn’t afford.
In the past, it was a rare treat; now, given their family’s circumstances, it was completely out of reach.
Seeing the look on his mother’s face—one that said she wouldn’t take a single bite, even if she starved to death, until he told her the truth—Fang Ming had no choice but to confess how he had accidentally overheard the Wang sisters talking about collecting scrap metal to trade for money.
Hearing this, Mrs. Fang’s expression grew dark and unreadable.
To put it bluntly, Fang Ming’s actions were akin to backstabbing.
"Mom, Boss Shen didn’t turn me away, which means anyone can do this job," Fang Ming said, quickly defending himself when he saw his mother’s brow furrow. "Besides, the scrapyard is open to anyone. If I collect scrap metal, I don’t have to sell it to Boss Shen. I could just sell it to a recycling station."
Mrs. Fang sighed. "And if you sold it to the recycling station, would you be able to trade it for two white-flour steamed buns?"
Fang Ming pressed his lips together. Of course not.
"Come on. We’re going to the Wang Family’s home first."
"Mom!" Fang Ming protested. "If I’m just careful, they’ll never find out."
When he was scavenging, he had deliberately avoided the Wang sisters. And when he went to deliver the scrap metal, he had even waited for the Wang Family to leave before he approached.
"Fang Ming, when you do something wrong, you have to have the courage to admit it. This work belonged to the Wang Family. It was wrong to eavesdrop in the first place, but then to go behind their backs and take on work from Boss Shen... that’s the same as stealing their job."
Mrs. Fang stroked her son’s head. "The Wang Family has helped us so much. We can’t repay their kindness with treachery. Come on, let’s go and apologize together."
Fang Ming’s shoulders slumped, and he let out a choked sob of agreement.
He had finally found a way to make a living, and now it was gone. Fang Ming was truly dejected.