Cheng Su took Shi Ling for a health check and then had her help out in the store. The little girl, Xiaohua, was asked to sit by the cash register.
Shi Ling was fearful that Cheng Su wouldn’t want her, so she worked very hard, not minding what she did. From the kitchen to the front, she insisted on doing everything, making Xiaoying and Jin Zhi a bit at a loss.
Cheng Su just smiled and said there was no need for that. Once the health check was done, she allowed her to stay. When Shi Ling breathed a sigh of relief, she still didn’t dare to relax. And since the store’s business was visible and straightforward, she didn’t find it tiring to work.
Despite advising her not to work so hard, Cheng Su let her be and turned to chat with Xiaohua who was sitting beside her, asking her if she went to school or if she knew how to count numbers.
Xiaohua shook her head and said, "I haven’t gone to school, but Mom taught me how to count and do addition and subtraction." She then recited what she had learned to Cheng Su.
Cheng Su looked at her with pity. If fate had been kinder and the family’s circumstances better, a child of her age would have been in kindergarten for several years already and should be attending primary school at six or seven, instead of being uprooted from her home and leading a wandering life.
Therefore, one of the reasons she had previously contemplated postponing having children was this.
Once successful in her career and with better material conditions, they as parents would have a good life, and so should the child. Everyone should lead a similar life.
She had once heard that the psychological preparation for being an ideal prospective mother should be that even if you only have yourself, you can take care of both yourself and your child’s life, and then it’s the right time to have a child.
Moreover, she hoped she could accompany her child as they grew and not be consumed by her career, neglecting him and missing out on the chance to be part of her child’s upbringing.
Otherwise, wouldn’t it be like Chunhua, where you have to choose between earning money and taking care of your child? Balancing the two is very difficult.
Cheng Su gazed into Xiaohua’s dark, bright eyes, feeling a softness in her heart.
After the lunch rush, she went to the stationery store and came back with several picture books specifically for Xiaohua and even took the time to teach her how to read and do arithmetic.
From a distance, Shi Ling watched and said to Xiaoying, "President Cheng, she’s really a good person."
Xiaoying, with an air of shared pride, said, "Of course, our President Cheng is a good boss, kind-hearted, and very compassionate."
After watching for a while, Shi Ling lowered her head and immersed herself in her work.
Two days later, Shi Ling’s health check report came out, and she received her health certificate and officially started working at the fast food restaurant.
Now that they were settled, they wouldn’t stay at a hotel anymore. Cheng Su let them, mother and daughter, stay in the attic of the fast food store at night. But mindful of an incident that had occurred in the store before and worried it might unsettle her, she explained the situation to her.
Shi Ling said, "That doesn’t matter to me. In these two days, I have felt that our store is very positive. If you hadn’t told me, I wouldn’t have even known about such an incident. It’s fine. Now that you are willing to take in my daughter and me, having a place to stay is already wonderful. Who am I to complain?"
"If you feel uncomfortable, you can rent a place to stay, at least you’ll have somewhere to settle down. About the money, I can give you an advance on your salary," Cheng Su said.
Shi Ling was extremely grateful and quickly said, "Thank you, President Cheng. Finding a boss like you is such a fortune for my daughter and me. In the future, I will definitely repay you."
"Talk of repayment is unnecessary, just take care of yourself!" Cheng Su patted her shoulder and said, "Let’s settle on that then. After the lunch rush, you can look around nearby if you have time. You can’t always live in the store, after all!"
Shi Ling nodded, silently vowing to herself that one day she would repay Cheng Su.