Chapter 104: You Are Unworthy ②
Li Mingxue did not expect Li Kai to care so much and chuckled teasingly.
Li Kai said helplessly, “Sister… you’ve given me the things, and I’ve given you the money. Can you let me do my homework in peace?”
Li Mingxue sat on Li Kai’s bed and asked with a smile, “I say, Xiao Kai, why haven’t you been going out to play recently? And you’re studying hard at home every day? I heard from Dad that you’re attending classes on Saturdays and Sundays now?”
“The school requires classes on Saturdays and Sundays. What’s wrong with that?”
“I don’t believe you’re that obedient,” Li Mingxue said with a beaming smile, stood up, and walked out of the room.
Li Kai glanced at the shopping bag containing the shoe box on the cabinet, put on his headphones, and picked up his pen to start doing his homework. After writing only two characters, Li Kai put down his pen, took down the bag from the cabinet, took out the shoe box from the bag, opened the shoe box, and inside was a pair of beautiful pink princess shoes. If these shoes, paired with her skirt, would surely be so beautiful it would break hearts.
That night, Li Kai lay in bed, his eyes open in the darkness, his lower body feeling damp. He stared blankly at the ceiling in disbelief. After lying in bed for a long time like this, he finally got up and took a shower in the bathroom. After lying back in bed, he could no longer sleep.
He didn’t know what he was thinking about, but he tried hard to stop himself from thinking about anything. Yet, he wanted to sleep but couldn’t.
That ordinary face, yet with a head of jet-black, lustrous hair, and the confidence of a slightly raised chin. If she wore that beautiful skirt, she would surely be so beautiful that many boys would be smitten with her.
Li Kai turned over. Yes, Nie Qiu’s forehead was also free of acne now. The slight pink of new flesh added a touch of allure. He believed that it wasn’t just him; there were definitely other boys who liked Nie Qiu. What is called “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” this must be it.
This person became beautiful in his eyes, so he felt she was beautiful in others’ eyes too. At this moment, he even felt inexplicably jealous.
Li Kai was distracted and didn’t sleep well all night, only thinking that he would go find her tomorrow and give her this gift.
The next day, Nie Qiu and Nie Aifang got up very early. Yesterday, they sold barbecue with a buy-ten-get-one-free offer. They also apologized to their regular customers and told them they wouldn’t be selling barbecue anymore after tomorrow. Many regular customers felt very regretful and bought a lot of their favorite barbecue. Nie Qiu and Nie Aifang quickly sold out all the ingredients they had prepared.
They only returned home after midnight, so even though they got up early, Nie Aifang had slept better than usual. When Nie Qiu brought Nie Aifang to the vegetable market, Zhang Qitian was pushing a cart, preparing to put the vegetables he bought from people selling vegetables from the countryside onto the vegetable stand. Upon seeing Nie Qiu and Nie Aifang, he smiled and said, “Nie Qiu, where are you going? Come over quickly and help me arrange the vegetables.”
Nie Qiu knew that Zhang Qitian wanted to teach them how to arrange vegetables on the vegetable stand, not only for aesthetics but also because strong-smelling vegetables like cilantro and celery needed special placement.
Nie Qiu tugged at Nie Aifang and said with a smile, “Okay.”
Nie Aifang also reacted and, together with Nie Qiu, began arranging vegetables for Zhang Qitian. How to arrange them beautifully, how to arrange them so as not to cause strong smells or physical reactions, Zhang Qitian moved the vegetables from the cart, and Nie Qiu and Nie Aifang began arranging them. Zhang Qitian would also speak up if he saw any incorrect arrangements.
In a short while, the three of them finished. Zhang Qitian pushed the cart and returned it to the person who rented it. Then he came back and said, “This must be the elder sister, right? My surname is Zhang, and my name is Zhang Qitian. You can call me Qitian. My younger brother, Zhang Qidi, is a classmate of your Nie Qiu.”
Nie Aifang rubbed her hands, feeling a bit flustered, “Qitian… um, are you looking for someone to help you watch the vegetable stand? Do you think I’m capable?” Although a bit flustered, Nie Aifang spoke fluently. She also remembered Nie Qiu saying that people who sell vegetables need to be articulate.
Zhang Qitian glanced at Nie Qiu and said with a smile, “That’s right. We’ve rented another vegetable stand and are looking for someone to help us manage the stall. To put it plainly, I’ll provide the rent and goods, and you’ll provide the labor to help me sell vegetables. We’ll split the profits fifty-fifty. That’s the deal. The more you sell, the more you earn. What do you think? You know the cost of living in our city, and this large vegetable market is definitely profitable.” This idea was something Nie Qiu specifically suggested to Zhang Qitian when they met at the night market last night. Although Zhang Qitian didn’t fully understand the intention, he still said it as suggested.
Nie Aifang’s eyes lit up when she heard this. She knew how profitable this vegetable stand could be, but it required someone with business acumen. Unexpectedly… After a moment of joy, Nie Aifang shook her head, “Fifty-fifty split is too much… Just set a salary for me, I…”
“Don’t argue with me. The amount of money depends on how much you sell. If I set a salary of two thousand, three thousand, or four thousand, you won’t work hard and diligently to sell vegetables for me. You’ll just think that no matter how much I sell, I’ll get that salary anyway. Isn’t the reason I’m doing this so that I can make money?” Zhang Qitian smiled, took out a water pipe from behind the vegetable stand and handed it to Nie Qiu. Then he took a broom and a shovel and handed them to Nie Aifang, saying, “Let’s go, I’ll take you to see the vegetable stand. You can clean it up first.” Zhang Qitian greeted someone nearby, asked them to help watch the vegetable stand, and then led Nie Qiu and Nie Aifang towards the vegetable stand at the doorway.
Nie Aifang hesitantly took the items Zhang Qitian handed her and followed behind him.
Leading Nie Qiu and Nie Aifang to the vegetable stand covered with dusty plastic film, Zhang Qitian took out ten yuan from his dark blue apron and handed it to Nie Qiu, “Go buy two aprons, disinfectant, and a construction shovel.”
Nie Qiu took the money Zhang Qitian handed her and nodded. Nie Aifang saw this and said with a smile, “I’ll go, I’ll go, boss, I’ll go buy it.” Saying this, she looked at Nie Qiu and was about to ask Nie Qiu to give her the money.
Nie Qiu was a little taken aback. Nie Aifang’s behavior was no different from the construction workers she had seen under Yang Zihao’s development zone, who were subservient and respectful to Yang Zihao, like dust. She felt a strange pang of heartache, but she still handed the money in her hand to Nie Aifang and watched Nie Aifang leave to buy the items.
Zhang Qitian patted Nie Qiu’s shoulder and said with a smile, “Now you know, right? It’s always better to be your own boss. No one has it easy.”
Nie Qiu smiled, “Then, Boss Zhang, may I ask what I should do?”
Zhang Qitian pointed to the plastic film on the vegetable stand, “Take the plastic film and throw it into the garbage dump behind the vegetable market. Then come back and sweep the garbage inside the vegetable stand first. After that, do a thorough cleaning. Once everything is cleaned, use dish soap and the like to wash the entire vegetable stand. Rinse it with water, and after the water dries, disinfect it. The vegetable stand will be ready for use tomorrow.”
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