Hearing that his mother's leg might require amputation if not treated, Zhou Kun felt a stir of interest. Chen Lishu also mentioned needing his help to manage the bookstore, prompting Zhou Kun to ask, "Are all these things you're saying true? You're not lying to me, are you?"
Chen Lishu nodded. "I'm not lying. I'm a businesswoman, and I wouldn't do anything that doesn't benefit me. We don't know each other, so why would I help you so much? It must be for a reason."
Zhou Kun wasn't displeased by her words; instead, he happily replied, "Okay! When do you need these notes? I'll copy them out as soon as possible!"
"Probably within the next two or three days. I'll find a few more children to help then, so you won't be so tired!" After speaking, Chen Lishu took out the cash she had prepared and pressed five hundred yuan into Zhou Kun's hand.
Zhou Kun looked at the bills in his hand, his expression becoming bewildered. He instinctively tried to return the money, saying, "I haven't even finished the work yet. It doesn't make sense to take money before it's done! Auntie, I'll organize the exam papers and some materials within these two days. You can pay me for my work then, alright?"
Zhou Kun had his principles, but Chen Lishu also had her own plans. She pressed the five hundred yuan back into his hand and said seriously, "When you take on a large order, you must collect a deposit. You need to understand this principle, especially since you'll be helping at the bookstore in the future. These are workplace rules, and you can't hinder me."
"Really?" Zhou Kun was just a teenager and didn't understand much. He believed most of what Chen Lishu said.
Looking at the five hundred yuan in his hand, Zhou Kun pursed his lips, then knelt down with a thud and kowtowed to Chen Lishu. "Auntie, I know you're helping me. I, Zhou Kun, swear here that if you ever ask me to go through fire or water, I will never say no. I will be absolutely loyal to you."
Chen Lishu's right eyelid twitched violently at Zhou Kun's actions. She quickly helped him up and chided him, "You child, this is just a normal business transaction between us. There's no need to be so polite. Alright, now that your matters are mostly settled, I have other things to attend to. Hurry and take your mother to the hospital. Her legs can't wait; the sooner you go, the better the chance of treatment. If you encounter any trouble, you can come find me at Shu Se Group in the future. Even if I'm not in the company, someone will contact me by phone. I'll help you as much as I can."
"Okay!" Zhou Kun nodded and watched Chen Lishu leave. Only after her figure disappeared did he return to his room, clutching the five hundred yuan. He excitedly shouted to the woman inside, "Mom, I'm taking you to the hospital to see about your legs now. Your legs finally have hope!"
The woman inside had already been weeping uncontrollably. The house's soundproofing wasn't very good, and she had overheard every word of Chen Lishu and Zhou Kun's conversation. Seeing Zhou Kun standing at the doorway, she wiped away her tears and waved him over, "Xiao Kun..."
Zhou Kun stepped forward with concern and asked, "Mom, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell anywhere?"
The woman shook her head and firmly grasped Zhou Kun's arm, saying, "Miss Chen is a good person. You must listen to her in the future, work hard for her, and repay her kindness, understand?"
"I understand! Mom, I understand everything!" Zhou Kun nodded seriously, his eyes filled with determination.
----
Chen Lishu, on the other hand, was unaware that her actions that day would inspire a family's loyalty and that this family would later offer her significant help. At this moment, she had arrived at another impoverished family and, in a similar manner, helped them resolve a pressing issue.
She then visited a third family, but this one wasn't as dire as described in the资料. In fact, they seemed to be living quite comfortably. Out of the ten families, six were impoverished and four were middle-class. Chen Lishu could understand if one middle-class family had been included, but four all mixed in was a sign of inefficiency.
Upon further investigation, Chen Lishu discovered another problem: the so-called financial aid had not been disbursed, and these individuals still couldn't afford to study. This meant Zhang Bin had deceived her. On the way back, Su Nian said indignantly, "Madam, Zhang Bin is so unreliable. I strongly suspect that the matter of his son having leukemia was also fabricated to trick us."
Chen Lishu sighed with helplessness, not knowing how things had come to this. After much thought, for the sake of caution, Chen Lishu decided, "It's not easy to deal with Zhang Bin right now. He handles all the company's affairs, big and small, and I don't have time to manage anything else. Once the sausage factory is stable, I'll see what Zhang Bin is up to. In the meantime, we should transfer a couple of people from headquarters to keep a closer eye on the company's situation."
Su Nian nodded. "Yes, it's the only way for now."
After walking for about ten minutes, Su Nian felt something was strange. She stopped and asked, "Madam, are we walking further off course? This isn't the way home."
Seeing Su Nian's worried expression, Chen Lishu's annoyance instantly dissipated. She chuckled and teased, "Why the long face? Are you afraid I'll trick you and sell you off? We have plenty of time. We can't just have someone copy the revision materials and exam papers and not find a place to sell them. It would be a shame to have these materials go to waste."
Chen Lishu's explanation made Su Nian a bit embarrassed, and she scratched her head. "It's not that I'm worried you'll sell me, Madam. I'm worried that Zhang Bin's betrayal has affected you, and you've... you've become a little unstable."
Chen Lishu listened to Su Nian's words, chuckled, and shook her head. When she first started her business, the problems she faced were far more numerous and difficult. Having witnessed the harsh realities of the world, how could she be bothered by a stranger she'd known for a short time?
The two chatted intermittently and soon arrived near a middle school. The First Middle School was a key high school in Kyoto, and at a glance, most of the shops were bookstores. Seeing the crowded bookstores, Su Nian couldn't help but sigh, "Madam, if you open a store here, the competition will be fierce. These bookstores likely have partnerships with the school's teachers. If you open now, it will be even harder to get started."
Compared to Su Nian's worries, Chen Lishu seemed much more relaxed. "Good products don't fear being late. Besides, it was just a whim. If it works, we'll keep going; if not, we'll think of other ways. A small bookstore won't defeat me."