Although she only graduated from elementary school, she had once excelled in her studies; had her family not been financially distressed, she wouldn’t have had to quit school.
Had she had the opportunity to continue her education back then, she wouldn’t have been so easily kicked out, with no support from her parental home and nowhere to return, she could only leave the rural area alone with her daughter to find work in the city.
Zheng Long’s current location was in a large wholesale market in the suburbs of Chongqing. The produce here was cheap, so people from the city often came early to buy vegetables and breakfast. Of course, the suburbs of today would become bustling areas in the future as the city gradually expanded outward, especially in a place like Mountain City with its uneven terrain and numerous hills having such a large wholesale market was actually a good thing for the locals.
He chose her because of something she said during the interview. Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by NoveI★Fire.net
"If we loathe each other, why keep it up? Better to give each other a way out. Maybe divorce is not a bad thing for me. I served as a maid in their house for ten years and they dismissed me without a second thought. Who would want to stay with such people? I refuse! I am capable and I don’t believe I can’t make a good life for my daughter. My family has brothers and sisters-in-law, I don’t want to burden my mother, so I came out to look for work. After looking around, your place offers a short time commitment and decent salary, perfect for looking after my daughter, so please, boss, give me a chance."
From her, he seemed to see his past self.
The sheer decisiveness with which she left that man was enough reason to give her this opportunity.
Being a single parent himself, he understood her struggles and readily agreed to hire her. After taking her personal information, he spent a day training her, and from May 1st, she officially started working.
With Ma Rong taking over, his main task now was delivery, but he still needed to arrive early since the mornings were the busiest. Those who came to buy vegetables from him were not short of money; they knew his vegetables were expensive but still chose to buy because they recognized the quality.
Being at the entrance of the market, according to the shopping habits of the locals, those who shopped at his stall were all pressed for time and didn’t want to wander inside.
He sold steamed buns, baozi, pastries, vegetables, fruits, pickles, and sauces at his stall. Everything needed was available in one stop.
He was busy until about eleven o’clock, then he would leave with his daughter. In the afternoon, it was Ma Rong’s job to mind the store. She would keep track of her hours, and if she worked overtime, he’d pay her twenty cents per hour based on the honor system. Of course, he sometimes checked with the neighboring store owners to make sure the hours matched up; as long as it was about right, he wouldn’t quibble.
Because of Ma Rong’s arrival, the stall was staffed from seven in the morning to eight at night. Therefore, he would deliver once before seven in the morning, and around five in the afternoon, he’d come again, mainly bringing his own steamed products like steamed buns, flower rolls, oily rolls, and noodles.
The noodles were made at home with a noodle machine; Chongqing noodles were famous, so he made his noodles a bit thinner. He steamed a limited supply of buns to keep them fresh, and together with other staples, they barely filled a foam box. This was calculated based on the flow of people and typically sold out quite well.
Of course, the sign that attracted customers couldn’t be forgotten. The chalkboard was fixed to the outer wall, and under "Today’s Specials," he listed the staples, vegetables, and fruits available that day, along with clear prices. Some people walked away after seeing the prices, but there were also those who stopped to buy on their way home from work.
His motto was simple: I’m not afraid you won’t buy, I’m afraid you’ll buy and still want more.