The Little Life of a Big Landlord

Chapter 60 Recruiting

"I'm your aunt, I watched you grow up, do you think I don't know what you're thinking? With your usual mock exam scores, you'd have no problem getting into a top university, how could you miss out on a second-rate university by just one point?" Aunt Liu glared at her niece, "Your dad knows what you're thinking too, otherwise, if you had gotten that score, he would have spanked you mercilessly."

Liu Nannan pouted, her eyes welling up with tears. "My parents can only afford to support one child. I'm a girl, and I'll get married someday too, unlike my brother..."

"You little rascal, so you want to get married..." Aunt Liu teased with a smile.

"You're talking nonsense, I didn't even think about it..." Liu Nannan's face flushed red.

"I didn't think about it. Let me tell you, even though you're not studying at school, you can't fall behind in your studies. You'll take the college entrance exam again next year. Your dad has already taken care of your student registration," said Aunt Liu.

"How can I get a student registration if I don't go to school?" Liu Nannan was surprised.

"Your homeroom teacher knows you well; she vouched for you, and your dad even gave the principal a thousand yuan," Aunt Liu said.

Liu Nannan felt a tightness in her throat, her eyes itched, and tears instantly blurred her vision.

"If you want to find a job, go for it. Yang Ming is Bao'er's godfather, he can definitely take care of you. Once you have some money, go to a good university and let your parents support your brother," said Aunt Liu.

"Okay!" Liu Nannan responded and turned to run away.

As Liu's sister watched her niece's retreating figure, she sighed deeply. In fact, she had brought her niece over so that she could have a relative by her side to keep her company, at least for the next two or three months. As for the work in the fields, it wasn't a big deal; she could handle it herself.

brush brush...

A faint rustling sound of corn leaves rubbing together drifted over. Aunt Liu's ears twitched, and she crouched down, slowly and stealthily following the direction of the sound. There, in her field, a plump figure was secretly breaking off corn cobs and stuffing them into the large sack on her back. Despite her size, the person was surprisingly nimble; it was none other than the village's most talkative and opportunistic auntie.

"Auntie Pang? What are you doing?" Aunt Liu asked in a low voice.

"Oh my! You scared me to death..." Auntie Pang jumped, turned around, and patted her heaving chest vigorously. "Didn't you see? I was just picking up some corn!"

"You're really funny, you've even come to our cornfield..." Aunt Liu rolled her eyes at the plump woman, annoyed. "Can't you tell whether our corn has been picked or not?"

"I didn't see it, I didn't see it. Your field ridges aren't high, and I accidentally crossed the line while I was picking." Auntie Pang chuckled, but quickly tied the sack shut with a rope.

"You can pick them up..." Neighbors, how could they quarrel over a few ears of corn? Aunt Liu rolled her eyes at the fat aunt, turned around and went back to the stubble she had broken off to continue breaking off ears of corn.

"Hey, Sister Liu, let me break the corn with you for a bit..." The plump aunt hid the sack and followed closely behind Sister Liu, helping her break the corn.

"Then I won't thank you..." Aunt Liu said.

"What are you saying? Why are you thanking your auntie?" The plump auntie chuckled. "Sister-in-law Liu, what's going on between you and your mother-in-law? It seems quite lively!"

"I knew you wouldn't help me with chores for no reason. If you want to know, just ask." Aunt Liu rolled her eyes.

"Then tell your aunt, what happened? I heard that Zheng Yu has gone crazy again..." the plump aunt asked curiously.

"Bao'er's grandma insists on adopting Bao'er. How old are they? If Bao'er is underage, they will be old. How pitiful would my Bao'er be? They have told me this several times, but I have not agreed. They just want to secretly take my daughter away..." Aunt Liu said simply. She and Zheng Dabao said the same thing.

"You're not trying to run away with the girl, are you? Otherwise, why would the grandma snatch her granddaughter from you?" Auntie Pang guessed.

"走主儿" means to remarry.

"Where are you going? Where are you going? Dazhi has been gone for two years. If he wanted to leave, he would have left long ago," said Aunt Liu.

"I heard you've been getting quite close to that young man from the city," said the plump aunt.

"It's not that I'm close to him, but that my daughter is close to him. My daughter has recognized him as her godfather, and he has a wife. Both of them are college graduates..." Aunt Liu said.

"Oh! I see. Your in-laws must have found out about this and thought you were going to give the child away and then leave on your own, so they came to our door to demand it." Aunt Pang said smugly.

"That's what I guessed too," Aunt Liu readily agreed.

"Alright, I still have chores to do at home, so I won't bother you anymore..." Having gotten the answer she wanted, Auntie Pang tucked a freshly picked corncob into her pocket and turned to leave.

"Didn't you say you were going to work with me? Why did you leave after only a couple of minutes?" Aunt Liu called out to the fat woman's retreating figure.

"Didn't I tell you? Something came up at home." The plump aunt didn't even turn her head.

"Auntie Fatty, I'm going to count how many corns you've broken off from me, and then I'll come to your house and carry them back."

"You're so stingy! It's just a few sticks I broke off from you, why are you making such a fuss?"

Aunt Liu smiled and shook her head; that's just the kind of person this plump auntie is.

When Liu Nannan arrived at Yang Ming's house, a large group of people had already gathered in the yard. There were men and women, young and old, from the Zheng family and the Wang family. However, no one dared to speak. The key was that the puppies in the yard were all eyeing them menacingly. After a while, everyone knew that it was these puppies that had scared away the three young men and almost bitten Liu's mother-in-law to death.

After Liu Nannan entered the hospital, she stood in the crowd.

"Let me tell you all, I've set up two acres of greenhouses, which are quite troublesome to manage, so I've decided to hire some help. Four temporary workers and two permanent workers. The criteria for temporary workers is that they must be strong and able to do heavy physical labor. For permanent workers, being strong and able to do heavy physical labor is the primary requirement, and secondly, they must have extensive experience in tending crops. The salary for both is 800 yuan per month. Everyone can tell me their situation. First of all, let me make it clear that my purpose in hiring is to do heavy physical labor, and this will be written in the contract. If you can't do it or are not in good health, you should withdraw now. Otherwise, if you get overworked, I won't be responsible for your medical treatment." Yang Ming made the unpleasant point clear upfront.

As a result, many older people gradually moved to the periphery. Although they had rich experience, they could no longer do farm work. During the busy farming season, they could only help out at home. When they heard that Yang Ming's family was recruiting, they came to try their luck. If they were hired, they could earn at least 3200 yuan a year. But even if they were not hired, they could still watch the excitement.

"Can a woman do it?" a woman holding a child asked.

The woman was in her thirties, with rough hands and big feet; she looked like a hardworking person.

"We don't discriminate against women. Anyone who is healthy and strong is fine," Yang Ming said with a smile and a nod.

"Alright, who doesn't know my mom was the Iron Girl back in the day? I'm even stronger than my mom, I'll work for you long-term, we're experts at harvesting crops..." The woman holding the child perked up.

"I can do it too, I can do it too. I'm young, I can do any kind of farm work. I'll work for you as a temporary worker," Liu Nannan said eagerly as she emerged from the crowd.

She had heard clearly that to work long-term, it wasn't enough to just be strong; experience was also required. So, she could only choose to work as a temporary worker. Although the contract was only for four months, the pay wasn't small—a good 3200 yuan. If that wasn't enough, she could talk to her aunt about it in the spring. Maybe she could work until university started next September. That would be a lot! It's been almost a year; she should have earned at least 7 or 8 yuan.

"Aren't you from Liujia Village? Why are you recruiting workers in our village?" Someone who knew Liu Nannan immediately jumped out.

"What's wrong with Liujia Village? They didn't say they wouldn't accept people from other villages. I'll be staying at my aunt's house from now on, it's close by..." Liu Nannan immediately retorted.

"Alright, alright, I'll include Nan Nan..." Although Yang Ming looked at Liu Nan Nan's thin arms and legs and didn't think she was capable of doing farm work, he still agreed. After all, the girl was Liu's sister-in-law's niece, so he had to take care of her.

"Thank you, Brother Yang..." the girl immediately became proud.

"Brother Yang... do you think I'm okay?" A burly man stepped out from the crowd. His limbs were wrapped in thick bandages, clearly indicating that he was injured. "My name is Zheng Dazhuang, the one who came to your house earlier this morning..." Zheng Dazhuang stammered, his face turning red.

Seeing Zheng Dazhuang's disheveled appearance, many people laughed.

"Ah! You are... You got this injury from our dog, right? Well, if you're willing, then... then it's fine..." Yang Ming touched his nose awkwardly. He really admired Zheng Dazhuang; he had just been bitten a while ago, but he still dared to come back.

"Brother Yang, what about me...?"

"I...I...I want to too..."

At that moment, Zheng Dayong and Zheng Dahan emerged from the crowd, both of them covered in bandages.

"Have you three no shame? How can anyone refuse you like this?"

"I've never seen anyone like this before. They were beating people up to their doorsteps in the morning, and then they were recruiting workers for them in the afternoon."

"That's shameless..."

Immediately, some people became unhappy and started criticizing, but the three men, though their faces turned red, remained unmoved. Earning a salary sounded good, and it would be easy to find a wife.

"Hmm... alright..." Seeing their miserable state, Yang Ming couldn't bring himself to refuse, but he couldn't help but give the three men a warning. So he changed the subject and said, "However, I have something to say to you all today. My wife and I have only been in Zhengjia Village for a little over a month, and we've really taken a liking to Liu Sao's little Bao'er. Now, Bao'er is our goddaughter..." He turned his gaze to the three young men, "I've heard about what you three did today. I'm telling you this beforehand: from now on, when you work for me, don't try anything with Bao'er. Otherwise, if we call the police, you'll be child traffickers and will go to jail. In serious cases, you might even be executed..." Yang Ming deliberately made his words sound extremely serious.

The three young men turned pale instantly and nodded repeatedly. They were strong, but they were ignorant of the law and were easily intimidated by Yang Ming.

"Young man, that's not right of you. Once you've recognized each other as godparents, you should hold a banquet. You need to invite the whole village to witness it..."

"Young man, aren't you exaggerating a bit? They're surnamed Zheng, how can that be considered human trafficking?"

"You can't write two 'Zheng' characters in one stroke, it's not as serious as you're making it out to be..."

As soon as Yang Ming spoke, the villagers had all sorts of opinions.

"If you don't understand the law, don't talk nonsense. Haven't you watched CCTV-12? In that show, many of the kidnappings and child abductions are committed by relatives and friends..." Old Huang, who was watching the commotion outside, spoke up upon hearing this.

"The child's primary guardian is the parents. If a child has a primary guardian, the child must be raised by that primary guardian. If the primary guardian fails to fulfill their guardianship obligations, that is illegal and will be punished. The child's mother is still alive, the child's primary guardian is alive and well, and has the ability to raise the child. Snatching the child is illegal... If the primary guardian is no longer alive, then it is the turn of the secondary guardian, that is, the grandparents. To become a guardian, they must register with the local village committee. If there are disputes between the secondary guardians, they can file a lawsuit in court. Snatching a child without permission is also illegal..." Old Liu started to exaggerate. Of course, he did not link illegality with child abduction, but the listeners automatically equated the two.

"Does CCTV have so many channels?"

"These two are from the city, so what they said is probably true."

People started talking again, but this time they were much more serious, as if an invisible authority was intimidating them.

"That's enough for today. We've recruited enough people, so everyone can go home now..." The iron girl's daughter, holding her child, started shooing people away.

"What kind of people are enough? You've only hired five, haven't you? Young man, I have three sons at home, they can handle the housework. I'll give you a long-term job," a middle-aged man in his fifties said, stepping forward.

This man's surname is Wang, and his name is Wang Shuisheng. He is from the Wang family. He is usually quiet and unassuming. Because he is the only son, he was often bullied in Wangjia Village. Therefore, after moving to Zhengjia Village, he got along quite well with the Zheng family. Until the last two years, when his three sons came of age and grew into three strong and robust young men, he finally gained some respect in the village.

As people gradually walked away, chatting in small groups, Yang Ming knew that no one would argue with this person. It wasn't worth ruining relationships with neighbors over such a trivial matter, so he said, "Alright, you can have it."

So Yang Ming took the six people to the greenhouse and told them how to take care of it. He explained in detail what temperature and humidity they should be exposed to in the sun and what temperature and humidity they should be kept warm. As for weeding and watering, the six people were more professional than him, so he didn't need to explain.

As for the employment contract, let them try it out for two days first. If they can perform satisfactorily, then sign it.

The moon is fullest on the 16th of the lunar month. The sun had just set, and the sky was still slightly blue when the moon suddenly appeared, radiating silvery light.

Across from the university, there's a coffee shop. By the glass window, two stylishly dressed women sit quietly facing each other, sipping their fragrant coffee.

These two people are Zhang Yue and Liu Lili. Zhang Yue has an apple-shaped face, while Liu Lili has an oval face and especially big eyes.

"Lily, are you really not going to consider Yang Ming? If you don't make a move soon, he's getting married on October 1st." Zhang Yue leaned forward and whispered.

"Yueyue, I really don't know what you're thinking..." Liu Lili rolled her eyes at Zhang Yue and said irritably.

"Yang Ming is so good, honest and obedient, he does whatever you ask. There aren't many men like him anymore. If you miss this opportunity, you'll never have another chance. You must seize it if you don't act now. In seven or eight days, this opportunity will truly be gone." Zhang Yue was still unwilling to give up.

"You..." Liu Lili shook her head helplessly, looking through the glass window at her alma mater across the street.

"I know you don't like Yang Ming's rustic ways, but you have to understand that what a woman wants most is not a passionate love, but a down-to-earth life. It's precisely because Yang Ming is rustic that he's more like a reliable mountain to lean on. That's why we sisters have been so persistent in trying to bring you two together..." Zhang Yue advised, unwilling to give up.

"I didn't say I was looking for some kind of passionate love. I know Yang Ming is a good person, but I just can't talk to him. Our personalities aren't compatible..." Liu Lili took a small spoon and put some rock sugar into her coffee.

"What's this about being suitable or unsuitable? Couples complement each other. Everyone has a different personality, and married life is about two people constantly working together to improve each other's personalities. Do you know why couples often argue? It's because of their personality clashes. But it's precisely because they argue that they often manage to stay together for life. On the other hand, couples who never argue often end up having a messy marriage. Do you know what it means for couples to look alike? It means that after a long period of mutual influence, the two people's temperaments become very similar, and at first glance, they look almost identical," Zhang Yue said with the air of someone who had been through it all.

"I didn't know you'd studied marriage before?" Liu Lili's eyes darted around, a smile playing on her angular lips. "What, getting lovesick? Didn't you say you wanted to go into politics and wouldn't get married until you were thirty?...

"What? I read that in a book..." Zhang Yue blushed and glared at her. "I'm your best friend, would I ever hurt you? Just give in to me, and on Yang Ming's wedding day, snatch him away..."

"Nonsense! You may be shameless, but I am. Can feelings be forced? I've told you so many times, not only am I not attracted to Yang Ming, but he's not attracted to me either," Liu Lili said.

"Then he's getting married, are you going or not...?" Zhang Yue asked.

"Of course I'll go. We're friends, after all," Liu Lili said.

"Go ahead..." Zhang Yue nodded with a smile, secretly planning how to force herself on them when a familiar figure came into her view outside the window. She quickly nudged Liu Lili, pointed outside, and said, "Hey... look who that is..."

"Which one?" Liu Lili looked in the direction Zhang Yue was pointing and found that there were quite a few people there.

"It's the one wearing short sleeves..." Zhang Yue said.

"Oh! Isn't this Yang Ming's best buddy? What's his name again? Zheng Dong? Zheng Dongfang... Yes, that's the one named Zheng Dongfang..." Liu Lili said.

"You sit here for a while, I'll go call him and see what he's doing..." Zhang Yue got up from the chair and ran out.

Liu Lili saw Zhang Yue run up to Zheng Dongfang, say a few words to him, and then the two of them walked towards the coffee shop.

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