"Really? Boss, did I hear you right?"
Qin Xiaoshuang lit up with joy, her eyes sparkled bright as the stars, visibly moved to tears.
Tong Yao chuckled, "You heard right, I have no plans to fire you. If I were to fire you, where would I find such a reliable manager again?"
Having Tong Yao’s approval meant the world to Qin Xiaoshuang. Unable to hold back her tears any longer, she laughed and cried, "Boss, you’re the best. I’ve never met such an amazing boss. I adore you a lot. You’re the best boss in the world. I promise to work hard."
Tong Yao couldn’t help but chuckle, "I told you not to get too emotional. I’m absolutely not going to fire you. However, there is something important I need to clarify. You can work here whilst being pregnant, but after giving birth, you must fully recover during the postpartum period before coming back to work. I can arrange coverage for you, even hire an extra staff if necessary. But you can’t come back prematurely. It’s crucial for a woman’s body to recover after giving birth so as not to have lingering complications."
They say postpartum illnesses are hard to treat. It’s not that it’s impossible, but rather, the new mothers during this time are physically weak. If any illness is neglected, it’ll harm their vitality, decrease their physical strength and could cause various problems later in life.
The postpartum tradition has been passed down since ancient times. There must be some truth in it. Pregnancy already takes a toll on a woman’s body. On top of that, childbirth is a greatly grueling event. How could you neglect proper rejuvenation?
"Boss, you’re so considerate and kind, I don’t know how to thank you," Qin Xiaoshuang secretly made the promise to work hard to repay Tong Yao’s kindness and goodwill towards her.
"Enough with the tears! If you keep crying, your eyes will swell up." Tong Yao said, gently wiping off Qin Xiaoshuang’s tears. "I’ve yet to meet the new staff members. Can you introduce me to them? I might have to stay with them for the night."
Having traveled by train for almost a day, Tong Yao was somewhat exhausted. Add to that, the strong smell on the train, all she wanted was to have a shower to freshen up.
Hearing this, Qin Xiaoshuang blushed slightly and replied with a bashful smile, "Boss, I never got the chance to tell you this, but I’m actually in a relationship with Landlady Luo’s nephew, who is currently our landlord."
Since her boyfriend rarely visits due to his unique circumstances, Qin Xiaoshuang, after getting married, hardly got the chance to meet him. However, when he did visit, she ended up pregnant....
"..." Tong Yao did not expect such a bombshell, "Isn’t Landlady Luo’s nephew a soldier? You two?"
Qin Xiaoshuang nodded, "Yes, we met when he was on leave. I liked him and we started exchanging letters. Gradually, our relationship progressed."
Talking about her romantic journey with her husband, Qin Xiaoshuang’s eyes sparkled with undeniable happiness.
As the two locked up the shop and headed for the staff accommodation, Tong Yao advised, "Then you should pay extra attention to your health. With your husband not around, who will take care of you if you fall sick?"
Continuing the conversation, Tong Yao asked, "What if you go into labor during the night and there’s no one around?"
Qin Xiaoshuang replied, "Don’t worry, Boss. I share the room with the shop staff. When it’s almost time for me to deliver, I’ll move back home. If the need to deliver arises, my parents can rush me to the hospital."
Tong Yao nodded in acknowledgment. They quickly reached the staff accommodation. Two of the staff had just finished bathing and were relaxing in the living room. Seeing Tong Yao walk in, they were taken aback since they didn’t know her. Just as they were about to ask who she was, Qin Xiaoshuang quickly introduced her.
"This is our boss."
Hearing that it was their boss, the two girls immediately stood up, nervously unsure of what to do with their hands.
Both blurted out in unison, "Hello, Boss"
The two girls were young, around seventeen or eighteenish, with a naive appearance, seeming obedient and courteous. Tong Yao silently commended Qin Xiaoshuang for her skill in recruiting staff.
That night, the two staff members stayed in their usual room and Tong Yao shared the main bedroom with Qin Xiaoshuang. Qin Xiaoshuang brought Tong Yao up to speed on events after Si Boyi’s departure.
Zhang Lijuan sneakily visited, trying to persuade her to let them work there in secret from Tong Yao, offering to accept normal wages. Qin Xiaoshuang declined as Tong Yao had specifically cautioned her that she should not agree if Zhang Lijuan asked.
She has to follow her boss’s instructions.
Ultimately, when her relatives found out that she was the manager, they tried to get their daughters jobs there as well. However, Qin Xiaoshuang didn’t accede and turned them down by making up an excuse, rationale being:
"Boss, I thought about it and decided that if relatives worked here, and they were not disciplined, it would be uncomfortable for me to control them. Furthermore, if I fired them, it might cause friction within the family. There is no gratitude in helping hence its better not to."
Tong Yao nodded, "Your thinking is correct. It’s usually preferable to avoid mixing family and business to dodge unnecessary trouble."
Hearing Tong Yao’s praise, Qin Xiaoshuang was overjoyed again. It seemed like something occurred to her, she added: "Sister Yaoyao, Si Xiaohui came by once, wanting to work from here. I turned her down."
Knowing that Tong Yao divorced Si Chen, Qin Xiaoshuang naturally would not entertain Si Xiaohui’s requests. When Si Xiaohui tried to assert authority, Qin Xiaoshuang was determined in her stance and shut her down.
Hearing Si Xiaohui’s name, Tong Yao’s eyes slightly squinted, "No need to show her any courtesies."
Noticing Tong Yao held a big grudge against Si Xiaohui, Qin Xiaoshuang relayed everything she knew, "I heard that Si Xiaohui is getting married, to a man named Wang Dahai from the neighboring village. Wang Dahai’s first wife eloped, leaving him alone with three children. Now, he wants to marry Si Xiaohui as his second wife."
"He’s already had three children, his age must not be less. Si Xiaohui agreed?" Tong Yao was surprised. Si Xiaohui with her temperament, playing stepmother was undoubtedly a role of an evil queen, wasn’t it?
"She did," Qin Xiaoshuang nodded, and explained why Si Xiaohui agreed to become a stepmother. "That man is now a butcher in the city and earning good money, his household is leading a good life. He married early, although he already has three children, his age is not old, just in his early thirties. He’s a bit intimidating, killing pigs and all, but once he started dating Si Xiaohui, the Song’s family stopped causing trouble at Si Xiaohui’s place."
Tong Yao understood Si Xiaohui’s reasons for agreeing to become a stepmother to three children once Qin Xiaoshuang finished explaining.
She’s provided with spending money; she’s able to strut around the village with her head held high, her dignity restored.
Si Xiaohui is selfish by nature and certainly unwilling to look after Lin Fengying at home. Getting married to the butcher is to kill three birds with one stone. Si Xiaohui’s reputation precedes her, aiming for a privileged family was impossible.
In this era, the power of gossip could literally drown a person.
If it weren’t for the fear of Si Chen, she and her mother would have probably been driven out of the village a long time back.