Chapter 1297: A Perfect Match
The livestream left everyone craving and then ruthlessly shut down.
The spicy, crispy rib stew at noon on the mountain was a hit, except for Liu Liu, who was still not completely weaned, and Gastric Bypass Brother, who were a bit hesitant to eat; everyone else was digging in.
Even the once delicate girl Ren Dan Ru Ju had a big plate and finished every bite slowly.
As she leisurely took out a napkin to wipe her mouth, everyone at the table looked over—how could someone be so skinny, delicate, and elegant, yet eat so much?
Intrigued, Nian Xu, who was eager to gain weight, asked, "Do you eat so slowly to eat a little more?"
Indifferent Sister replied calmly, "No, it's because I naturally eat slowly. Also, thinking too much makes me hungry quickly."
That is indeed true.
If you've never experienced it, you wouldn't know. After mental overexertion, the whole brain buzzes, and it's like your internal organs have vanished, leaving only your stomach roaring...
No matter what their academic background was, or even if they had none, everyone looked at her with admiration and eagerly asked, "Want some more?"
Indifferent Sister shook her head and, with a Lin Daiyu-like fragility, furrowed her brows: "I really want to eat Mugwort Cake!"
At those words, everyone fell silent.
Who doesn't want to eat that!
Everyone had just been watching the livestream on their phones, even Nian Xu, who wasn't sleep-deprived, didn't miss it. But... the more he watched, the more he craved, especially since he had been to the pig slaughtering feast!
If he wasn't afraid of affecting his work, he would really dash down the mountain right away and toss out a wad of cash—
"Mugwort Cake, Artemisia Bun, I'm buying them!"
But the reality was, the most they could do was to eat a bit more in the cafeteria.
Only Liu Liu, who hadn't tasted many good things, was focused on one thing: "Can I pick Mugwort Sprouts and Yuxing Grass?"
Nian Xu frowned, looked at the child in her arms, and said, "You can't do it while carrying a child, right?"
"I think if you really do, the boss would agree. But the child crying, fussing, needing food and drink... it would definitely disrupt work."
"Sister Liu, maybe think it over. Otherwise, if you bring a child to work, others might too. It's not that we don't care about you, but it might not be a good influence, and managing other employees might become more difficult later."
That's also why there are many dorms on the mountain, yet they can't assign an unoccupied four-person room to Liu Liu alone.
Nian Xu spoke frankly. Though he hadn't worked much, he had grown up hearing and seeing enough to have insights into management:
"When our family used to rent out houses, we gave single-parent families with kids a discount. But later, other tenants left saying it's unfair, and the building's rental situation wasn't as vibrant as before."
People are like that; they don't fear scarcity, but inequality.
But Self-taught Sister, sharing the same female perspective and knowing life isn't easy, came up with an idea:
"Sister, I see you work quite swiftly. Why not sign up first and try it out? If you can pick about the same amount as others while managing the child, why not earn that money?"
"If the difference compared to others is too big, maybe have someone look after the child, or nurture yourself a bit more."
The virtue of Liu Liu is her ability to listen.
When she first came to work, it was due to advice, and after getting along with everyone for some time, she remained receptive to suggestions.
She nodded at this moment: "Alright! I'll sign up the first day to try it out."
"If the gap with others is wide, I'll entrust the child to the elderly lady in the courtyard—for it's only a few days until tea picking when I'll have to rely on her anyhow."
She was just used to saving money, thinking every bit saved counts.
Babysitting costs 1000 a month; the old lady didn't ask for a high price, but broken down, it's over 30 a day, which could cover her phone bill for a month.
However, Nian Xu made a valid point. Though wages aren't high here, the food and lodging are good. If she lost her job trying to save a few bucks, it wouldn't be worth it.
With this thought, Liu Liu didn't hesitate: "Forget it! I'll directly discuss with the old lady and entrust the child to her now."
"Perfect time for us both to adjust. Heard during tea picking, we can't afford to slack off."
Indifferent Sister nodded too: "Yes, whether for the long-term, your health, or the child's, having the child in daycare during the day is the best option."
As for early childhood education, habit formation, or mental health... those are goals for families with means.
For now, Liu Liu simply seeks survival, a guarantee of life for herself and her daughter.
Like when she was young, with no one at home to watch the kids, raised in hardship, they were directly tied to the table leg.
Upon making her decision, she looked around at her co-workers from all over the country and thought she was truly lucky to meet such good people.
...
Meanwhile, Wu Lan quickly received Liu Liu's message and sighed, "Being a mom isn't easy! Tantan, I'll approve it now."
Song Tan nodded, "Approve it!"
At the end of the year, their family would donate down coats and thermal pants to the elderly in the village, just like Master Jiang making special meals for Liu Liu's child, not for personal gain, but simply to lend a helping hand.
Moreover, for someone as capable as Liu Liu, who made it on her own, naturally, they wouldn't refuse if she wanted to work.
He thought for a moment and added, "As long as the weight she picks is close to others', she can work while managing the child."
Saying this, he recalled past events and couldn't help but laugh: "I remember, Mom, when you went down to plant rice seedlings with Dad, you left me on the ridge."
During those busy farming times, no household had any idle hands. Leaving them at home was out of the question; only later did they find the child pulling off leeches from his legs...
Recalling the past, Wu Lan couldn't help but sigh, "It's tough being poor."
Lun Chuan, quietly listening, also spoke up at this moment: "I often sat in the market when I was young."
"It was tough for my mom to find a job while watching over a child, and we didn't have much money. We rented an old, run-down place in the urban village, where people from all backgrounds mingled."
"Initially, she worked as a shop assistant in a nut shop, where she couldn't take me, so I waited outside."
Outside was a street market, where Lun Chuan would sit the entire day.
But he was naturally patient and loved observing all sorts of people. While other kids attended kindergarten, he couldn't afford it and would just watch quietly. Even when Lun Jing's work changed later, his habit remained.
Wu Lan was hearing this for the first time—previously, Lun Jing vaguely mentioned it, but everyone just let it pass. After all, these two spent money like it was nothing; who would have thought their early life was tough?
Now that she heard this—
No way!
In an instant, the mother felt closer! All children of hardship! What's this called? A match made in heaven!
So she happily said, "What a coincidence, Tantan didn't attend kindergarten either. Back then, everyone in the village kind of let the kids run free; who had time to send them to kindergarten in town!"
Song Tan: ...
Not going to kindergarten doesn't matter, but Mom, why do you sound so proud? To those who don't know, it might seem like I graduated from kindergarten with honors!