100: Returning to the Imperial Capital

The truck was left at the door of the house. Mama Wang and his eldest auntie saw it when they returned, but his auntie left with his big cousin without coming in. Since coming to work for Wang Cheng's family, the mother and son's living conditions had improved a lot. A few days ago, his eldest auntie also took his big cousin to the hospital, but the results were still the same.

Wang Cheng heard a noise from the living room and guessed that Mama Wang was back. He brought out the freshly roasted chestnuts, and the scent wafted out. The smell was appetizing.

"Mom, you came back at the right time, try my roasted chestnuts."

Mama Wang glanced at him and said, "What were you doing last night, you didn't answer my call."

"Participating in a class reunion." Wang Cheng said smoothly.

"Didn’t your elder brother say that you were accompanying the boss to work?"

"The boss's place of business was the same as the place where my classmates met. At first, I was just going to leave for the party, but we later found that it was the same place so we could go together. At that time, my classmates were toasting me, and it was too noisy, so I didn't hear it.” Wang Cheng wiped cold sweat, "By the way, mom, I have something to discuss with you."

"You say it." Mama Wang started to taste the chestnuts he roasted after she sat down. She hadn't made such chestnuts before, because there was no oven at home then, and this oven was bought some time ago.

Wang Cheng sat next to her. "I plan to hire two more workers. It's better if they are familiar with Shanhai City."

"Because of Chengping's side?" Mama Wang thought this as soon as she heard him.

"Dad is getting older. I'm afraid he's too tired to look after the shop alone, and I can't keep him watching the shop all the time. In addition, I need a person who can help with delivery."

But would this be too much? Their family now spent more than their income. They were not very clear about the second son's financial situation, so they were worried that he had spent too much money and was about to use it all up. One had been hired for the north mountain, and four for the fruit mountain. Now another two. They had to spend more than 20,000 yuan a month. Such a large sum couldn’t be imagined before or even after the failure of Ning’an’s company.

"Mom, don't worry, since I brought it up, I will definitely not be overloaded." Wang Cheng thought that his capital was almost spent, but after the last business with Boss Xie, his card was recharged again. Although it was not enough to fill previous vacancies, the next year's harvest would only be better than this year’s, so he wasn’t without a chance to make money.

"Then you can take care of it, Mom will help pay attention." The son had promised, so Mama Wang would no longer worry.

"Thank you, mom."

Mama Wang went to cook, and Wang Cheng went out to the north mountain and the fruit mountain for a round, especially the north mountain. After the medicinal materials were planted, someone needed to weed regularly, so he hired a relatively honest villager in the Guan’s Village. At a young age, an accident had happened to him, and one of his hands was gone, so no one was willing to ask him for a job anywhere. His family depended on his wife to support them. Papa Wang had pity on him, in addition to the fact that he was very hard-working. He only had one hand, but he was no slower than a man with two hands. Facts proved that his choice was right.

"Uncle Qi, do you want to eat fruit?" Wang Cheng shouted towards the middle of the field, at the bent over, middle-aged man who was pulling weeds. He was the villager. The fruits on Wang Cheng’s hand were just picked from the trees of the north mountain, fresh and very good.

"No need. You eat, I'll pull weeds." Guan Qi shook his head at him.

Wang Cheng didn't speak anymore. He put a plum and three crabapples on the chair on the ground, where there was a coat that was a little old and yellow, and then left.

When he got home, Mama Wang had already prepared lunch, and the mother and child ate hastily. Then Mama Wang took out the packed lunch box for Wang Cheng to send to Papa Wang.

"Things have been hard on your dad recently. Don't make him too tired."

"I know Mom. When I go over, I will treat Dad as the Supreme Emperor. I will never sit when he is standing. I will never stand when he is sitting.”

Mama Wang patted him amusedly, "The more you talk, the more unreliable you seem."

When Wang Cheng delivered the meal, there was an unexpected guest in Wang Cheng's jam shop. This time was noon, and there were few people on the street. Everyone went back for lunch. Papa Wang weighed two pounds of chestnuts for the guests and sent them out when Wang Cheng came back.

"Dad, come here for lunch, or it will get cold." Wang Cheng took off the top layer of the lunch box. "This is a dessert for after lunch. I roasted the chestnuts with sugar and you can try them later."

"What is this thing for? You know that your dad can't eat anything too sweet." Papa Wang felt a toothache when he saw the thin layer of syrup on the chestnuts. He liked to eat sugar when he was young, but because he ate so much when he was young, now he was even more sick when he was old.

"If you don't eat it, you can bribe children nearby. We are new to the street and it is always good to have a good relationship."

"I think you're right."

"If I wasn’t, would I dare say it." Wang Cheng sat opposite Papa Wang, resting his hands on the table, "By the way, Dad, what are you going to do with the medicinal herbs on the north mountain? We can't keep it at home all the time because we won’t be able to use it."

"Your dad thought of this long ago." Papa Wang said after swallowing the food. "A friend of my dad knew a medicinal plant merchant. I asked him to ask a few days ago. He said he would give me a reply today. It’s almost coming, and we should know if it’s possible soon."

"Hope it is."

In the afternoon, Papa Wang's friend responded to him, and the other party agreed, but he had to look at the plants first. However, because the businessman was a bit busy and had little time in the near future, he wanted to ask Papa Wang's friend to take some samples of the medicinal materials first and bring it to him. Papa Wang agreed.

Because the medicinal plants were kept at home, Wang Cheng stayed to look over the shop and Papa Wang went home by himself. He was the one who knew the medicinal plants, and Wang Cheng couldn’t have understood if he went back.

Seeing that there were no guests, Wang Cheng took out his mobile phone and called Huang Tong’an. At the last meeting, they exchanged contact information with each other. Huang Tong’an later called him, but he didn't notice it at the time. The alls in the past went straight to voicemail.

Huang Tong'an picked it up quickly, immediately yelling at him, saying that he didn't answer his phone, thinking that he had violated his pretensions. Of course, this was an exaggeration. Although they hadn’t been in contact for seven years, the two had no gap at all. Time seemed to go back to their third year when they were still very young.

"Wang Cheng the man that came to pick you up ... what is the relationship between you two?"

"Do you believe it is the relationship between the boss and the employee?"

"Stop talking. Do ordinary bosses and employees know each other as well as you two? He took the initiative to take you home, and I was the first to hear it. How could I believe it?" After all, Huang Tong’an came from the Imperial Capital. Unlike Papa Wang, he had sharp eyes like Mama Wang’s

"Okay, okay, we are actually friends. He lives opposite my elder brother's apartment. My boss is a friend who I can commute with to and from work. Can I not be familiar with him?" Wang Cheng did not expect Huang Tong’an to be so sensitive, but he still didn’t plan to tell him now. After all, seven years was too long.

Huang Tong’an didn't expect this relationship to exist, no wonder he picked him up. Wang Cheng spoke very frankly; he couldn't find any flaws and finally believed it.

"I’m going back to Imperial Capital by plane in a moment. When will you come? I will entertain you."

"Why don't you leave tomorrow?"

"Is there any way? I am not a free person now, and the family is pressing down hard. Some things in the company still require me. I can't leave for too long. It is good enough to be able to stay in Shanhai City for two days." Huang Tong’an was helpless.

"How grievous."

"Why do I feel like you're gloating?"

"It’s your illusion. I'm so sincere, there is no one as sincere as me in the world."

"You’re smelly skills haven’t changed."

"You haven't changed, either. Next time I have a chance, I will go to the Imperial Capital to see you. My sister is still in college there, and I will go again sooner or later."

"Which university?"

"Beijing University, you don't have to take care of her. She's doing well now. You shouldn’t fancy my sister and get close to her, or I'll kill you the next time I go to the Imperial Capital." Wang Cheng need not say this fierce threat. Huang Tong’an had already guessed this from the get-go.

"Che, am I that kind of person? My brother's sister is my sister, no need to say so. I'm leaving, I'll call you back when I have time."

"Bon voyage."

In the afternoon, guests came to visit one after another. Some were regular customers. When they saw that the boss had been replaced with a handsome little brother, some female customers also chatted with him. It was probably the effect of Wang Cheng's face, but there were several more female customers who came to his shop to buy jam or fruit. Most of them were young, and when they saw him, they laughed and didn't know what they were doing.

"Hey, handsome guy, can you give me your mobile phone number?" A bold girl walked in front of Wang Cheng and thought he looked handsome, so she asked for his contact information.

"Of course, but I'm afraid my girlfriend will be upset when she finds out. She's so cute and jealous, so I need to report to her first." Wang Cheng gestured and took out his cell phone.

The girl looked disappointed. "Forget it."

Wang Cheng stowed the phone without accident. Girls were becoming bolder and bolder these days, but he usually used these tricks, and his skills were well-established. Although he couldn’t become a couple with them, several girls finally bought a few jars of jam and chestnuts before they left.

***

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