Qi Zhenzhen was about to close the door panel when she found a young man leaning against it, squatting.
“Young man, please move, I need the door panel,” Qi Zhenzhen said kindly.
The young man stood up in a hurry, and Qi Zhenzhen realized he was the one who had won the big prize at noon. Qi Zhenzhen remembered his name was Zhao Fenglin.
“Why haven’t you left yet?” Qi Zhenzhen asked, a little surprised. He had finished his meal but was squatting by the door. What did he mean by that?
“Your noodles are delicious, the best I’ve ever had,” Zhao Fenglin said sincerely.
So he had waited specifically for their delicious noodles. Qi Zhenzhen felt delighted. “You can come and eat for half a month straight from now on.”
Zhao Fenglin rubbed his hands, looking a bit uncomfortable.
“Do you need anything else?” Qi Zhenzhen found it a bit strange.
“I wanted to ask if I could exchange the remaining fourteen days of noodles for money. Not at the selling price, just at the cost price,” Zhao Fenglin said hesitantly.
Qi Zhenzhen’s first thought was that someone was trying to cause trouble. If she converted it to money for him, it would surely affect their noodle shop’s reputation if others found out. However, it was the first day of business for the noodle shop, and although business was good, it was far from the point where people would try to smear their name. Moreover, judging by her ability to read people, this young man had clear eyes and didn’t seem like someone who would do bad things.
“Are you facing some difficulties?” Qi Zhenzhen asked tentatively.
“Yes, I am. I’m penniless right now. The two coins I used to buy the lottery tickets were all I had. I was hoping for a miracle, and I didn’t expect fate to be so kind to me as to win the grand prize. I want to exchange it for money, not because I don’t like your noodles, but because it’s too extravagant for me in my current situation,” Zhao Fenglin said, lowering his head. “I figure, fourteen bowls of noodles exchanged for money would be over a hundred coins. If I buy two steamed buns a day, I can last for almost two months. During these two months, I can either go back home or stay here to find work and a way out. At least I won’t have to worry about starving.”
“You’re not from around here?” Qi Zhenzhen asked.
Zhao Fenglin scratched his head. “No, I came from Lianzhou. Lianzhou has had a bad harvest for the past two years. My parents are gone, and I’m the only one left at home. I thought I’d come out and try my luck. I originally thought that with my hands and feet and hard work, even if I couldn’t achieve anything great, I wouldn’t starve. But then…”
Zhao Fenglin gave a self-deprecating laugh and continued, “I didn’t starve, but all the money I had was lost. If I go back home, I’ll be too ashamed, and I don’t have the travel expenses. If I stay here, it’s hard to find work. So, shopkeeper, can you convert those fourteen bowls of noodles into money?”
Qi Zhenzhen shook her head. “I’m sorry, I can’t.”
Zhao Fenglin’s shoulders slumped in disappointment. “I know this request is a bit unreasonable, but thank you anyway. I won’t starve if I only eat one bowl of noodles a day. I’ll try my best to find work, and maybe I’ll find a job.”
“However, we are short of a waiter. Twenty coins a day, with food and lodging provided. Are you interested?” Qi Zhenzhen asked with a smile.
Zhao Fenglin looked incredulous. “Really, really?”
Qi Zhenzhen nodded. She couldn’t stay here all the time. Zhang Erniu and Lin Ruixue were busy in the kitchen, and it was too tiring for Yingzi to serve dishes, deliver them, and collect money, not to mention the possibility of errors. The best solution was to hire a waiter, so Yingzi could just manage the counter. Although the little girl was agile, being a waiter was really exhausting. Such a young girl working so hard every day would stunt her growth into a delicate young lady.
“I’m willing, I’m willing! Thank you, shopkeeper, thank you, shopkeeper,” Zhao Fenglin said excitedly.
“Then go back and pack your things and come over. Our shop is open for lunch and dinner,” Qi Zhenzhen said.
Zhao Fenglin waved his hand. “No, no need. I don’t have anything. I can start working now.”
Qi Zhenzhen was taken aback. Had he really reached the end of his rope?
“Then come with me,” Qi Zhenzhen led him into the kitchen. Zhang Erniu and Lin Ruixue were there. Aunt Lu must have been sent back to rest.
“Little Aunt, Brother Zhang Er, this is Zhao Fenglin, our new waiter,” Qi Zhenzhen introduced. “Yingzi is too young to be so tired. She’s bright and good at accounting, so I plan to have her manage the counter from now on.”
Zhao Fenglin shyly greeted Zhang Erniu and Lin Ruixue. “Two proprietors, I will work hard.”
Zhang Erniu nodded. “From now on, we’ll call you Linzi. Although this is not a big shop, as long as you work hard, we won’t treat you unfairly.”
Zhao Fenglin smiled. “Don’t worry, proprietors, I will definitely work hard.”
After speaking, he rolled up his sleeves and squatted by the wooden basin, starting to wash the bowls and chopsticks that Zhang Erniu had not yet washed.
Lin Ruixue pulled Qi Zhenzhen back into the room. “Aren’t we hiring a bit too many people? Our shop has just opened…”
“Little Aunt, Yingzi is only seven years old, the same age as Hu Zi, and a year younger than Yi Ge’er. This little girl doing the waiter’s job every day, won’t she be exhausted? We wouldn’t bear to let our two children suffer like this, so how could Aunt Lu bear it? Besides, Yingzi is bright, and it’s a waste of her talent to be a waiter. From now on, I’ll have her manage the counter,” Qi Zhenzhen said. “Business will only get better in the future, so we must have the right staff in place.”
Qi Zhenzhen then told Zhao Fenglin’s story. “I think he’s a decent person. With you and Brother Zhang Er watching him, nothing will go wrong. Besides, he’s just a waiter; he can’t steal any secrets.”
Lin Ruixue knew that Qi Zhenzhen was decisive, and what she said made sense. Zhao Fenglin’s matter was settled.
“Oh, by the way, have Da Jiang and Xiao He returned yet?” Qi Zhenzhen asked.
“They haven’t returned yet. Hundreds of flyers, how could they be finished so quickly?” Lin Ruixue replied. “Don’t worry, those two children have been making a living in the county town since they were young. In their words, they can go anywhere with their eyes closed, so there won’t be any problems.”
Halfway through the afternoon, Qi Zhenzhen took down the shop’s door panel and stood behind the counter. Zhao Fenglin, with a cloth draped over his shoulder, stood by the entrance, a smile on his face, welcoming the customers.
Qi Zhenzhen had a good memory; many of the evening customers were those who had eaten there at noon.
“Uncle, our lucky draw is limited to one chance per person,” Qi Zhenzhen said with a smile, greeting the second customer who entered the shop at noon.
“I’m not alone,” the uncle replied with a smile. Then, he pulled out the two little ones behind him, a boy and a girl, who looked almost identical. “I brought my grandson and granddaughter. They each have to eat a bowl of noodles, so can we draw twice?”