Shuangling: Braving the Rapids

Recently, Cheng Dong has been inquiring about the identity of the owner of the South Campus canteen, and after much searching, he finally uncovered the unscrupulous contractor Zheng Zhongyi!

Who is this Butcher Zheng? He's Zheng Xiong's father from Makeng, a loyal henchman of Cheng Dong's older brother, and a notorious black-hearted butcher in the underworld!

Zheng Zhongyi was indeed capable of despicable acts, even feeding students rotten meat, but Cheng Dong knew in his heart that with Zheng's limited skills, he was far from being able to reach the school leaders or secure the canteen contract. Unless, unless, he was just a shield, and the real mastermind was someone else.

As the younger brother, Cheng Dong was unwilling to identify his elder brother as the mastermind, but all indications suggested that Lao Chengxi was the planner of the whole incident.

Now that things have come to this, Cheng Dong feels it's necessary to have a serious talk with his older brother. Whether it's advising him to turn back from his wrong path, or seeking justice for the younger brother who got beaten up, even if it means a complete falling out, he needs to meet him first to clarify the situation.

So Cheng Dong grabbed the landline and dialed, but all seven or eight calls were cut off. Helpless, he called his sister-in-law and driver Tie Zhu, but still couldn't find out where his brother was. Cheng Dong became anxious.

Looking at the dust on the checkout counter and glancing at the haphazardly piled-up cigarettes, alcohol, and beverages on the shelves, Cheng Dong was in a terrible mood. He scratched his head and was about to tidy up the merchandise when a familiar voice came from the store entrance.

"Dongzi! Is he in the shop? Look who I brought!"

The person who shouted was Zhao Sumei. At this moment, she was radiant and looked nothing like the disheveled state she had been in. Behind her was a young girl, who was petite but looked a little immature.

"Aunt Zhao, you've come to buy goods..." Upon seeing the young girl, Cheng Dong changed the subject and asked, "And who is this girl?"

"Forgot? Didn't you ask me to find a stock clerk last time?" Zhao Sumei said, grabbing the young girl. "Here, this is my niece. She just finished her college entrance exams. She's hardworking and good at accounting. Would she be suitable to work with you?"

Before Cheng Dong could reply, Zhao Sumei pushed the girl in front of her: "Tingting, quickly call him Brother Cheng Dong!"

At this moment, Tingting's ears were bright red, and her head was almost buried in her chest: "Cheng... Brother Cheng Dong..."

Looking at the petite figure in front of him, who resembled a middle school student, Cheng Dong's heart pounded, but he still forced a smile: "Tingting, right? How old are you this year?"

These words were like stepping on a cat's tail. Tingting looked up abruptly, her expression tense, and replied, "I'm an adult! I can work! If you don't believe me, look at my ID card!"

Ever since failing her college entrance exam, her parents have been urging her to find a job. Although she's over eighteen, she has a baby face, which makes Tingting's job search very difficult. After many rejections, the girl has learned to carry her ID card with her to prove her age, which dispels employers' doubts.

Seeing the girl reach into her pocket, Cheng Dong chuckled and waved his hand, saying, "You were brought by Aunt Zhao, of course I trust you! Don't be nervous, I just wanted to ask what kind of work you've done so I can arrange some jobs for you!"

Hearing this, Tingting breathed a sigh of relief. She desperately needed a job. She had two younger brothers in school, and her parents' earnings alone couldn't support the whole family.

Zhao Sumei, of course, knew her niece's family situation. At this moment, she raised her voice and said to the girl, "Tingting, aren't you good at math? Come on! Help your brother Chengdong memorize that…that formula!"

"Second Aunt, are you talking about equations with multiple variables and degrees?" Tingting looked blank, like a middle school student who had just graduated.

"Oh dear! Never mind how much it costs, just memorize it first!" Zhao Sumei couldn't help but get anxious.

The back-and-forth between the two only made Cheng Dong, who was standing to the side, even more embarrassed. He quickly said to Zhao Sumei, "Aunt Zhao! Please don't make things difficult for this girl. I promise you, she can help out in the shop!"

After saying that, Cheng Dong nodded to the girl again, "Okay, you can come with me and learn how to organize goods, do cashier work and bookkeeping, and you'll get the hang of it gradually..."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Sumei's face lit up with joy, and she repeatedly thanked Cheng Dong...

And so, Xue Tingting naturally started working at "Erdong Wholesale Department".

At first, she didn't know how to do anything. Let alone receiving orders, she needed Cheng Dong to personally teach her how to sort goods and do odd jobs. Fortunately, Cheng Dong wasn't a "heartless boss." He not only didn't mistreat Tingting, but also took good care of her. He took on the dirty and tiring work himself and only let the girl do some odd jobs. What else could he do? This girl was introduced by an acquaintance, so he couldn't treat her unfairly, right?

Although Tingting was young, she could tell good people from bad. Seeing that the boss was kind and honest, she worked even harder. In less than two months, she not only learned to keep accounts and handle cash, but she also became quite adept at greeting and seeing off customers.

Seeing that the young girl could already handle things on her own, Cheng Dong was naturally very happy. He could finally free up his hands to source goods from major factories. And sure enough, after the supply channels were opened up, the purchase price was reduced significantly. Relying on the strategy of small profits and quick turnover, business soared.

Business was booming, and the goods piled up at the store entrance were increasing. When Cheng Dong was in the store, no one dared to have any crooked ideas. But whenever he wasn't there, there were always a few unscrupulous people who would take advantage of the situation to steal small items or drinks.

Once, during inventory, Cheng Dong discovered that more than a dozen cases of beer did not match the accounts. Tingting cried her eyes out and kept apologizing to the boss. But what did Cheng Dong do? Instead of blaming Tingting, he tried his best to comfort her. But the more he did this, the more the girl felt guilty, and for a moment, he was at a loss for words.

After this incident, Cheng Dong began to think about the problem of goods management. Just when he was at a loss, the old man from the repair shop next door took the initiative to approach Cheng Dong. The old man said that he was getting old and wanted to retire in his hometown. Cheng Dong understood and took over the shop without saying a word.

After a simple renovation, Cheng Dong's shop area instantly doubled. He moved all the boxes of liquor and goods that were originally piled up at the entrance into the warehouse, and with an iron lock, no valuable items were ever stolen from the shop again.

The problem has been properly resolved, but Tingting's workload has increased significantly. In addition to managing the store every day, she also has to take inventory of the warehouse from time to time, which has exhausted the young girl.

Of course, Cheng Dong also saw Tingting's efforts. He not only raised her wages but also moved the girl to a rental house closer to the store, which finally allowed Tingting to settle down in the suburbs.

With new staff members hired, meals could no longer be prepared haphazardly as before. Cheng Dong simply ordered boxed lunches from a restaurant in the shopping street, with a mix of meat and vegetables, as well as fruits and drinks. The two foodies ate comfortably every meal. They were busy every day, but at least they were in a good mood.

Hong Kong movies were popular at that time, and Cheng Dong bought a video camera for the store. In their spare time, the two of them would watch Hong Kong slapstick comedies and the like, and as they spent more time together, they became more and more compatible.

As the days went by, Tingting gradually forgot about failing the exam. Now, she not only works at the shop, but she even washes the boss's dirty clothes. She's no longer just an ordinary shop assistant!