Seeing her earnest words, Qi Huan stopped gathering the bowls and chopsticks, and slowly asked:
"What can I help you with?"
"...I really enjoyed the spicy snacks you made. I think my father, with his fiery temper, would also love the fiery taste, so I plan to buy some spicy snacks for him.
However, there are so many uncles in the military camp, I definitely need to buy more. But the last few times I sent my maid, there wasn't much left. So, can I place an order in advance?
Let me pre-order two hundred sticks first, how's that?"
After speaking, Lu Yueming pushed the silver over.
On the red wood table, the shining silver was even more dazzling under the sunlight. Qi Huan couldn't help but spread her lips into a smile and said cheerfully, "Okay."
Money could make ghosts grind the mill, and silver could turn her into a workhorse in the production team.
Seeing her readily agree, Lu Yueming couldn't help but like her even more.
She liked kind girls!
Qi Huan was such a nice girl!
Qi Huan pocketed the silver and smiled broadly, "After the spicy snacks are ready, I'll have someone deliver them to Lu's Residence."
After securing this big business, Qi Huan became busy again.
Two days later, she finally completed the two hundred spicy snacks according to quality and quantity.
After delivery, she called over the two sisters Lv Yin and Lv Ya, as well as Nuan Dong and Tao Su, who had been working hard with her these past two days.
"You've all worked hard these past two days. Tomorrow, Qi's Noodle Shop will be closed for a day, so everyone can have a good rest. From now on, the Noodle Shop will be closed on the 6th of every month."
However, what concerned Nuan Dong was, "...Qi Huan, will we have our monthly wages deducted for the day off?"
Qi Huan smiled and replied, "There will be no deduction for the monthly day off. If you all perform well, I'll even give you a raise."
"Recently, the spicy snack business has been booming. These past two days, you've all been working hard with me to rush Lu's Residence's order without much rest. So, I've decided to give you all a bonus in addition to your monthly wages."
After speaking, she went inside and brought out copper coins that had been strung up, giving each person two strings.
"Thank you, Qi Huan! My sister and I will definitely work hard," said Lv Yin gratefully, her eyes glistening with tears as she choked out, "Before we sold ourselves, my sister and I embroidered handkerchiefs to sell, making at most a few dozen wen a month.
...I never imagined that now, our monthly wages and bonus would amount to five hundred wen."
Lv Yin held her sister's hand and thanked Qi Huan again and again sincerely.
"Rest assured, Qi Huan, we'll definitely work hard!"
Nuan Dong echoed, "Qi Huan is the most kind-hearted boss I've ever met. I'll also do my best to earn more monthly wages!"
Seeing the three of them pledging their loyalty, Tao Su naturally didn't want to fall behind.
"And me too! And me too!
My mother told me to always repay kindness.
You provide me food and housing, and give me silver to spend. You're my benefactor, so I'll definitely work hard making noodles to repay you!"
Surrounded by them, Qi Huan was full of smiles as she nodded and promised:
"Let's all work hard together, and Qi's Noodle Shop will only get better and better! The silver I give you all every month will also increase!"
After painting them this rosy picture, Qi Huan was in a good mood.
She hummed a tune as she returned to the front of the Noodle Shop, preparing to check the accounts for this period.
However, the account books were filled with complex traditional Chinese characters, even the numbers were written as one, two, three, four, five, etc. in Chinese characters, giving Qi Huan a headache as she looked at them.
Seeing her frown deepening, the newly hired accountant Xu Mingda couldn't help but also grow tense.
"Qi Huan, is there something wrong?"
"The accounts are fine, it's just that this recording method is too complicated."
After speaking, Qi Huan took up a writing brush and wrote the Arabic numerals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 on a blank piece of paper, passing it to Xu Mingda.
"Mr. Xu, you see, use 1 to represent one, 2 for two..."
After her detailed explanation, Qi Huan tilted her head with a smile, "This way is easier to remember and convenient to check! What do you think, Mr. Xu?"
"One word: brilliant!"
Xu Mingda gave her a thumbs up, looking at her with delight and praising her profusely, "Qi Huan's method is truly excellent!"
It was only that her grip on the brush wasn't quite correct, and the numbers she wrote were crooked and uneven in size.
So Xu Mingda enthusiastically offered, "Thank you for your teachings, Qi Huan. As I have no way to repay you, why don't I teach you calligraphy instead?"
At this moment, Li Shuchen came to find Qi Huan. Hearing someone trying to take his student, alarm bells immediately rang!
He grabbed the young delivery boy known as Little Rock:
"Ah Huan already has me to teach her. If Mr. Xu wants to be a teacher, why not teach Little Rock and the others?"
Sensing the familiar aroma of jealousy, Qi Huan gave Xu Mingda an apologetic smile.
"Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Xu, but I have indeed agreed to learn from Ah Shu first."
"Little Rock and the others need to check the residential addresses in the delivery log when making deliveries, but they've only just learned a few characters and there are still many they can't read. Please take the time to teach them."
"I will follow Qi Huan's arrangements," Xu Mingda replied with a faint smile and a nod.
After the conversation ended, Qi Huan was pulled out of the Noodle Shop by the sleeve by Li Shuchen.
Once they were out on the street, Li Shuchen let go of her sleeve and said firmly, "Go home and practice calligraphy."
