Rebirth 07: Starting with Saving a Bankrupt Restaurant

"So that's what they say over there."

"When they came yesterday, they brought quite a lot of things. Most of them were peanuts and other things they grew themselves, and there were also quite a few free-range eggs." Zhang Mo's tone was somewhat sullen.

Clearly, this matter is giving him a headache.

After listening, Zhou Wen frowned silently.

Xiao Jie has already sent the money home, but sending it back doesn't seem like a good thing.

When Uncle Xu discovered that Xiao Jie had sent back two hundred yuan in just a few days, he thought he should ask Zhou Wen to make some more arrangements.

As for how to arrange it, the idea is to have Zhou Wen arrange another position.

What Zhou Wen didn't expect was that this uncle was thinking of having Xiao Jie's younger brother take her place if there weren't enough seats.

Xiao Jie's younger brother isn't actually that much younger; he's still in high school in the local area.

However, his grades may have been quite poor, and he doesn't really enjoy studying. I guess he'll be going to start working soon after he finishes his studies.

These are all things Zhang Mo just told Zhou Wen on the phone.

"How is Xiao Jie?" Zhang Mo asked.

This sentence, "How about it?", encompasses multiple aspects.

Zhou Wen replied, "He is a bit shy and introverted, but he works very hard and doesn't cause trouble for others."

"She's quite likable too."

After saying this, Zhou Wen smiled; it was the truth.

Every time I went to pick up Xiaojie, this girl would somehow get some candy or cookies.

Each time Zhou Wen received the food, he wouldn't put it directly into his pocket; he would open the bag and eat it immediately.

The girl would stare intently at Zhou Wen until he put the food in his mouth before she would look away.

Zhou Wen couldn't bear to hurt the little girl's feelings, even though some of the snacks did taste a bit off.

Zhou Wen would also say it was delicious, since Xiao Jie must have shared what she liked with everyone.

In fact, many people, relying on their connections at work, often display certain attitudes and behaviors at work.

Just like how the other people in the restaurant would take special care of Xiao Jie because of this, perhaps part of the reason is that Xiao Jie is relatively young and indeed quite likable.

Take Ren Xuan for example; her attitude towards other people is completely different from her attitude towards Xiao Jie.

He often bends over slightly when he speaks, and he speaks in a soft, gentle voice.

Even Zhou Wen was quite surprised when he heard the sound; he never expected Ren Xuan could make such a sound.

Zhang Mo, on the other end of the phone, also said, "It's good that I didn't cause you any trouble."

After all, the reason they agreed to this was because Zhang Mo was there to give them a knowing look.

"I will handle this matter," Zhou Wen said.

"Okay, if there are any problems, just call me then."

"Okay, Mom, I'll hang up now if there's nothing else."

"Get some rest. Call me if anything happens..."

It's said to be something to be dealt with, but it's still a long way off.

Uncle Xu's son, Xiao Jie's younger brother, is still in school, so it's not too long before he has to start working.

What left Zhou Wen speechless was that, since Xiao Jie didn't like reading, she still sent so much money back home every month.

As for the reasons, the most important one is the traditional beliefs of the older generation, and this kind of thing is actually quite common.

Zhou Wen also plans to discuss this matter when he picks up Xiao Jie tomorrow morning.

The next morning.

"Brother."

Xiao Jie prepared snacks for Zhou Wen as usual; since it was morning, she prepared biscuits.

"Did you send the money back?" Zhou Wen drove slowly, making sure Xiao Jie's voice was clear even though she spoke softly.

"Yes, brother. The money has been sent back."

"How is your younger brother doing in his studies?" Zhou Wen asked.

"My younger brother is quite smart, and his grades are good too," Xiao Jie answered Zhou Wen's question.

Good results? Zhou Wen was speechless for a moment, as this was quite different from what he had heard last night.

"What's wrong, brother?" Xiao Jie tilted her head, not understanding why her brother would suddenly ask about her younger brother's condition.

Zhou Wen smiled and said, "It's nothing, I was just asking."

"Oh." Xiao Jie nodded.

Zhou Wen didn't plan to tell Xiao Jie what happened last night, since it wasn't a good thing.

He sighed silently to himself.

Just when Zhou Wen thought this matter would take a long time, an unexpected scene unfolded on Saturday.

At 1:30, two figures appeared at the door.

One old and one young.

"Dad?" Xiao Jie asked, somewhat surprised.

Judging from Xiao Jie's reaction, she clearly didn't know her father had come.

Hearing the sound, Shi Ling, who was standing to the side, also looked towards the door.

Soon, they entered the kitchen.

"Boss, Xiaojie's father is here."

Zhou Wen, who was still cooking, also thought he had misheard.

His brow furrowed involuntarily as he asked, "Who?"

Shi Ling repeated, "Xiao Jie's father was accompanied by a young man, who looked like a student."

Zhou Wen frowned and nodded, saying, "Understood. There aren't many people in the restaurant now, so let Xiao Jie go and keep an eye on things for a while."

"I have a few dishes left, I'll go out and check again later."

Shi Ling nodded, and then went to the front hall.

After all, he wasn't that close to Uncle Xu, nor were they his parents.

When Zhou Wen finished his work and went outside, he saw Xiao Jie's father and younger brother.

Zhou Wen also turned his gaze to the young man next to him.

This should be Xiao Jie's younger brother, but Zhou Wen really doesn't remember him. He was probably younger when he came before, and he's changed a lot since then.

His face looked very youthful, with short hair and a school uniform.

Uncle Xu had dark skin, was rather thin and short, and had a slightly hunched back.

Since he was an uncle from the same village, Zhou Wen had to greet him.

"Uncle Xu," Zhou Wen said, forcing a somewhat forced smile.

"Hey, Xiao Zhou." As he spoke, Uncle Xu handed the bag he was holding to Zhou Wen.

Zhou Wen couldn't very well refuse, so he took the bag without even looking at what was inside, and then put it aside.

"Quickly call him brother." Uncle Xu turned around and said with a serious expression.

"You have absolutely no manners. How were you raised?"

Although Lao Zhou is usually very serious, he has always been respectful in front of outsiders since he was a child. He would only ask Zhou Wen to call people, and would not scold people in public.

They'll just give a lecture later, but even then, it won't be this serious.

Although the restaurant is about to close for the holidays, there are still some customers. Putting aside the fact that it's not good for children, it also affects the restaurant itself.

Zhou Wen quickly pulled him back, saying, "Alright, alright, Uncle."

"No problem, no problem."