Part-time work, no matter where you go, it's still work. Especially witnessing the booming popularity of this coconut shop, when Murong Yanran mentioned it, it was naturally a logical and smooth progression.
Getting part-time jobs only made the two girls a tiny bit happier. What interested them even more was the oblivious "passion" between Murong Yanran and Li Haochen.
That scene was unforgettable, and thinking about it made them feel heated, their faces blushing shyly, as if they wanted to find Teacher Cang to make up for missed lessons, the imagery was vivid.
Back then, Teacher Cang's class was all male students. Now, female students were no less, and their academic performance was top-notch, all of them scholars. So, Ruan Shanshan and Zhang Qianqian leaned over and curiously asked Murong Yanran.
"Yanran, does kissing feel like an electric current? Will your tongue get bitten by your teeth?"
"Does that hurt? Teacher Cang's expression always looks so enjoyable."
"You two are going to get me killed! How dare you ask these questions?" Murong Yanran was so embarrassed she wished she could drill a hole and disappear.
After a series of questions, the cause and effect became clear. As she explained, her explanation turned into a cover-up.
Looking at their expressions, they didn't believe a word.
Amidst the playful banter, Murong Yanran stole a glance at Li Haochen, a scene flashing in her mind. That must feel exciting, right? No, what was she thinking? She shook her head and continued chatting happily with the other girls.
On the other side, Li Haochen was still baffled by the questions. His monk-like bald head was almost rubbed raw.
...
They had been busy since morning, only eating a little bit of rice and pizza in between. Now they were famished, their stomachs were practically singing Sister Na's hit song, "Tantrum."
"Handsome guys and beautiful ladies, let's go for supper!"
When the boss called out, everyone responded with enthusiasm, how could they refuse? The three "beasts" didn't hesitate. They tidied up everything efficiently and rushed out the door. In just a few minutes, they had already decided what to eat and drink, their efficiency was certainly high.
It wasn't even ten o'clock yet, and the pedestrian street showed no signs of slowing down, still bustling with crowds and vibrant. However, "Mishi Yeqinxiang," located in the middle of the pedestrian street, was already dark and locked up, presenting a stark contrast to the brightly lit, boisterous shops next door.
Huang Danian, the owner of the adjacent takoyaki stall, took a break from his work to glance at Li Haochen and his group, who had just closed up and were leaving. He pursed his lips, thinking about the young people of today, they couldn't endure any hardship. Closing up so early, what kind of business were they doing?
"Boss, one order."
"Certainly, please wait a moment."
See, this is how business should be done. He licked his lips, smiled, and handed a freshly baked, steaming box of takoyaki to the customer. He felt smug, calculating that after deducting costs today, he could still earn two hundred and fifty. His eyes were as wide and happy as the Maitreya Buddha.
If he knew that Li Haochen's group had earned eighteen thousand today, he would probably abandon his takoyaki for coconuts.
Li Haochen's shop could be described as brimming with profit and overwhelmingly successful. A few hundred meters away, "Ye Ye Ye" could only be described as dismal. Usually, the worst day for selling young coconuts was 500. Moreover, it was a Saturday, which would start with a thousand. But today, they only sold over 100 young coconuts. After deducting expenses, they only made a hundred or two.
How could the owner, Zhao Ergou, be content? His scalp was almost steaming. He urgently summoned all his employees for a scolding, and in his anger, he grabbed a feather duster from the table.
As soon as he raised it to mid-air, he remembered his own frail body...
"There's a spider web." He waved the feather duster in the air a few times without blushing.
The three employees twitched their mouths, exchanged glances, and communicated with their eyes.
"Must have been punished by the boss's wife to kneel on durian shells again."
"Probably. I just looked at his knees, there are many imprints there."
"It's no wonder, at 280 pounds, it would be difficult for anyone to satisfy, the fat layers are so thick, finding that spot probably takes half an hour."
Thinking of the boss's wife, the three employees broke out in a cold sweat, trembling with fear. Being harassed daily had almost caused them psychological trauma.
"Hey, are you three listening to me?"
"Uh... yes!" The three nodded vigorously, coming back to their senses. As for what Zhao Ergou was saying, who cared.
"If you know, why aren't you quickly going to attract customers?"
"Damn it, you're always lazy, can't do anything right." Zhao Ergou barked with a thick neck and then mumbled in a voice as weak as a mosquito.
Xiao Nian, who was walking last, seemed to recall something and ran over, as if seeking merit.
"Boss, a couple of days ago when I was picking up goods, I saw people unloading coconuts in the middle section of the pedestrian street. Has another coconut shop opened somewhere?"
"Oh, is that so?" Zhao Ergou stroked his handlebar mustache, his eyes darting shrewdly.
"Shall I go investigate?"
Zhao Ergou glanced at him, hmph, he knew what this little fellow was up to just by the way he stuck out his butt, he just didn't want to work. Could he escape my discerning eyes?
Zhao Ergou patted Xiao Hua's shoulder, with an expression of "I have high hopes for you," "Hmm, not bad. You go attract customers first, I'll go check it out, and I'll reward you with... fifty when I get back. Work hard, you're the one I have the most hopes for among the three. In a while, I'll make you an assistant manager."
After speaking, he walked to the back and sped off on his small Aima scooter.
"Tch, I don't believe you, you old scoundrel. You've said the same thing to those two more than a hundred times."
After Zhao Ergou had gone far, Xiao Hua signaled to the other two outside. Attracting customers was impossible. The three of them huddled in a corner, enveloped in smoke, having a great time.
The small Aima scooter had decent power. It only took about a minute to travel a few hundred meters. Zhao Ergou passed through Kuanzhai Alley and saw it. Good heavens, it was indeed a coconut shop, and the name had quite a literary flair. He was furious. As he got closer, he saw it was completely dark, with no one around.
"Why is it closed? It's thriving. No one would close this early, would they? Could Xiao Hua be playing tricks on me again?"
Zhao Ergou looked at the takoyaki boss, who was swatting flies, and gnashed his teeth. He took an unopened pack of cigarettes from his pocket, tore it open, took one out, and walked over, "Boss!"
With a customer, the takoyaki boss's spirits immediately lifted, as if he had drunk too much Dongpeng Tequana. He was full of energy, "Boss, what flavor do you want? Original, sweet, sweet and spicy, salad dressing, salty... there's nothing you can't imagine, and no takoyaki I can't make."
Zhao Ergou's face turned dark, "Uh, I wanted to ask you something."
Hearing this, he felt he had wasted his breath, so how could his expression be good? The anger was about to erupt but was doused by the cigarettes. Huang Danian was also a martial arts master, and his two-finger technique was exquisitely practiced.
The cigarettes Zhao Ergou handed over, perhaps because of the force with which he placed them, two more popped out from the bottom. Good heavens, Huang Danian directly reached out, and with a swift movement, two cigarettes were tucked into his pocket before Zhao Ergou could react. Another one was already dangling from his lips, emitting white smoke.
Zhao Ergou felt so depressed, it was like losing his wife and his army.