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as translator, proofreader and editor!
“Good morning. Why are you cooking today? Not ordering food?” Song Jinchuan asked as he took the ladle from Jiang Ci’s hand and stirred the pot of white porridge, which had already thickened.
Next to the pot was a bowl of sliced beef and chopped green onions.
Jiang Ci stepped aside, “Well, I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I’d give it a try. I’ve always wanted to try this beef congee, but it’s never been on the menu.”
“Next time you want to eat something, just tell me, and I’ll make it,” Song Jinchuan nodded and said to Jiang Ci.
Jiang Ci felt even more guilty. Just yesterday, she had wondered if she had overworked Song Jinchuan. Her eyes flickered for a moment before she replied, “It’s fine. Cooking it myself is the same. My mom always complains that I don’t know how to cook and worries that I’ll starve if I’m left alone. I’ll just treat this as practice.”
This was the first time Jiang Ci had mentioned her family, and Song Jinchuan listened to every word she spoke attentively.
Finally, the beef and green onions were added to the pot, followed by a sprinkle of salt, and soon, the beef congee was ready.
The two sat at the table, each serving themselves a large bowl of congee.
Jiang Ci scooped a spoonful of congee mixed with beef shreds into her mouth. The delicious flavor made her eyes narrow with delight. The congee itself was delicious, and with the added touch of well water, it became even more fragrant.
After breakfast, Jiang Ci went ahead and posted the job notice outside.
The survivors waiting outside gathered around the notice to take a closer look.
“Boss Jiang, is this announcement for real? Is the factory really hiring? Are the benefits the same as those at the hotpot and barbecue restaurants?” The survivors were particularly excited this time, as twenty people would be hired at once.
“Of course, the benefits are quite similar. Those who want to apply, please line up over here. Song Jinchuan will screen everyone shortly,” Jiang Ci addressed the crowd.
In the blink of an eye, a long line had formed in front of Jiang Ci. Everyone showed immense anticipation for this job.
When Jiang Ci and Song Jinchuan stepped out of the shop again, the line had grown so long that it had naturally split into three queues, even longer than those at the nearby barbecue and hotpot stores.
Jiang Ci once again set up her small table and chairs to begin the registration process, with Song Jinchuan assisting by her side.
Due to the sheer number of people, it wasn’t until six in the evening that the first batch of candidates was finally screened.
Jiang Ci instructed them to return early the next morning for the second round of interviews.
Dong Xingyu was among this group. He was quite pleased to have passed the first round, as this was his last chance.
His wife had abandoned him and their young daughter shortly after the apocalypse began and since then, he had raised his frail daughter all by himself, facing considerable hardships.
A few days ago, his daughter fell ill. In these times, seeking medical treatment was a devastating financial blow to any family, and it nearly depleted his savings. Now, he was almost out of the crystal cores needed to buy nutrient solutions, with him and his daughter now surviving on one nutrient solution every two days.
Although his daughter had just recovered, her health was still poor. Filled with anxiety, he couldn’t take on long-distance missions and could only handle simpler tasks.
Today, while passing by, he noticed the hotpot restaurant was hiring. He decided to give it a shot and apply, never expecting to pass the initial screening.
When he returned to the base, he brought back today’s nutrient solution.
Fifteen-year-old Dong Ye lay in bed, her face pale. Despite her evolved body, she was thinner and weaker than the average survivor due to long-term malnutrition.
“Dad, you’re back late today,” Dong Ye propped herself up and said softly.
“How are you feeling today? Any better?” Dong Xingyu walked to the bedside with a smile, gently patting his daughter’s head.
Dong Ye nodded. “Much better, Dad. I don’t need to take medicine anymore, so you don’t have to buy any tomorrow.”
Looking at his sensible daughter, Dong Xingyu felt a pang of heartache. He suppressed his emotions and said, “I’ve already paid with crystal cores. If you don’t take the medicine, it’ll just go to waste. So, be a good girl and take your medicine. Today, I went for an interview for a really good job. Once I get it, we’ll be able to eat our fill every day.”
Hearing this, Dong Ye immediately brightened up. That night, both father and daughter found it hard to sleep, tossing and turning with anticipation.
Early the next morning, the second round of interviews began promptly, and those who arrived late were immediately disqualified.
Dong Xingyu stood in the crowd, a rare sense of nervousness creeping over him at the age of thirty-nine.
He had arrived early and was near the front of the line. Watching the survivors ahead of him being called one by one to speak with Boss Jiang, Dong Xingyu swallowed hard and straightened his clothes—his cleanest set, which he had deliberately dug out and put on for this occasion.
Before long, it was his turn after the person ahead finished their interview.
Dong Xingyu cleared his throat softly and walked up to the small table in front of Boss Jiang.
“Hello,” Jiang Ci greeted with a warm smile, which gradually eased Dong Xingyu’s tension. He answered her questions one by one.
Finally, Jiang Ci asked him to wait to the side for a moment, as the results would be announced shortly.
Dong Xingyu nodded and moved to an open area to wait.
There were still many survivors around, all discussing the interviews and speculating about their chances of being selected.
By the afternoon, the second round of interviews had finally concluded.
After some discussion between Jiang Ci and Song Jinchuan, they finalized their decision and selected twenty survivors from the large pool.
Jiang Ci stood before the survivors, holding a piece of paper, and began reading out the names one by one.
Dong Xingyu clenched his fists nervously. Finally, when the tenth name was called, he heard his own.
“These twenty individuals are the ones we’ve chosen as employees. Thank you all for participating. There will be more job opportunities in the future, so please keep an eye out for the recruitment notices I post,” Jiang Ci announced in a somewhat formal tone.
Those who weren’t selected naturally felt some disappointment but could only hope that their chance would come in the next opportunity.
The chosen employees stayed behind to hear Jiang Ci’s further instructions.
Jiang Ci led them to the factory and introduced them to the workplace. However, they wouldn’t be able to start work immediately. Jiang Ci scheduled their official start date for the following week.
She wanted to complete a task first, as the reward for the next task was a complete set of facilities, ranging from employee dormitories to a cafeteria. The system had also mentioned that the subsequent task reward would also include a system for employees use cards to store their points.
This way, their wages could be directly distributed to them, allowing them to use their points for meals in the cafeteria and eventually exchange them for supplies.
This would save Jiang Ci a lot of trouble. With the cafeteria and dormitories in place, the survivors wouldn’t have to get up early from dawn to return at dusk every day. Therefore, Jiang Ci decided to wait until these facilities were ready before having the factory employees start work.
Jiang Ci also handed each of them a small bag of potatoes, smiling somewhat apologetically. “Consider this your weekly benefit.”
In truth, the potato harvest had recently exploded, as if some kind of bumper harvest trigger had been activated, resulting in nearly ten thousand pounds of potatoes. It was to the point where the potatoes had almost crowded out the space reserved for other plants.
Aside from selling them to survivors, Jiang Ci had decided to give each employee a small bag, along with a few bottles of mineral water, as part of their staff perks.
The survivors were pleasantly surprised to receive benefits before even starting work and thanked Jiang Ci profusely.
Especially Dong Xingyu—this bag of potatoes was like a lifeline for him and his daughter.
By the time Jiang Ci and Song Jinchuan returned to the shop, Dong Xingyu was still holding the bag of potatoes, his eyes red with emotion.
pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:
By the time Dong Xingyu got home, the sky had gradually darkened. Earlier on the road, he had found a relatively safe spot to gather some dry wood and roast a couple of potatoes.
While roasting them, the aroma of the potatoes had attracted a few mutated beasts, which he had dealt with swiftly before extracting their crystal cores.
On his way back, his pace quickened.
As soon as he arrived home, he failed to hear his daughter’s cheerful voice. Upon entering, he found their bed in disarray, with the only blanket thrown on the floor, and his daughter, Dong Ye, nowhere to be seen.
Dong Xingyu frantically started to search around for her, even forgetting about the potatoes in his hand.
“I just saw Chen Ting call your daughter out,” a neighboring survivor whispered to him, pulling aside the curtain used to maintain their own privacy.
Hearing this, Dong Xingyu steadied his nerves and thanked the neighbor, stepping out of the house.
Chen Ting was the only friend his daughter had made in this base, so Dong Xingyu’s worry eased a bit.
He tucked the potatoes into his coat and went out to search. Now that it was getting dark, it was time for him to bring Little Ye home.
Unexpectedly, as he turned into a secluded corner, he heard his daughter’s soft sobbing, “Please, let me go, my dad will be back soon.”
“Let you go? Then what fun would that be? Don’t you and your dad have no money for food? Well then, today, you must lick the ground clean for me,” a boy’s voice taunted.
There were also a few sporadic sounds of snickering.
Furious, Dong Xingyu rushed over, and the sight before him nearly made his eyes burst with rage.
His daughter’s face and exposed arms were covered in bruises. A group of boys and girls, about her age, surrounded her. On the ground were spilled nutrient solution and the shattered glass shards of a bottle.
Her friend, Chen Ting, stood to the side, her expression a mix of pity and fear, yet she said nothing to stop them.
As Dong Xingyu approached, he recognized the boy leading them as the son of a survivor with whom he had previously had a minor conflict.
He pushed the onlookers aside, bent down to pick up his daughter, and then turned to kick the boy.
Although they were all survivors, there was a significant difference between adults and children.
Dong Xingyu’s kick sent the boy flying.
Another boy, who looked chubby, moved to threaten him despite being frightened, “My dad is the base’s logistics director. If you dare hit us, I’ll tell him, and he’ll stop giving you nutrient solution so you both starve to death!”
These teenagers were truly rotten to the core.
Without wasting any other words, Dong Xingyu immediately kicked the boy away.
the translator has nothing to add ◡̈
