The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 122: Job-Hopping and Poaching Talent
Tong Huaqiong recognized the person coming in as a clerk from Crispy Food Garden named Hong Xiaoxi. ππ«πππ¨ππ―ππ πππ.ππΌπ
He was the young clerk who was caught by Tong Huaqiong when Taohua Dessert was still setting up a stall across from Crispy Food Garden, buying pastries from Taohua Dessert.
To be honest, Tong Huaqiong had a good impression of this clean and cheerful young clerk.
Ever since he was recognized, every time he saw Tong Huaqiong, he would turn his head away in embarrassment.
He wondered what he was doing at Taohua Dessert this time?
But one thing Tong Huaqiong knew was that he definitely wasnβt there to buy pastries, since they were closed now, and who would rush in at closing time?
He didnβt seem to be there on behalf of Ma Ming either; Tong Huaqiong felt this boy wasnβt part of Ma Mingβs inner circle.
Could it be he was sent by the new shopkeeper at Crispy Food Garden?
"Manager Tong," Hong Xiaoxi stood before Tong Huaqiong amidst Gu Taohuaβs cold remarks, smiling with a pair of tiger teeth showing.
"What brings you to my shop? If you have something to say, just say it," spoke Tong Huaqiong crudely.
Hong Xiaoxi wasnβt upset, he rubbed the corners of his clothes shyly and asked, "Manager Tong, is Taohua Dessert hiring?"
Tong Huaqiong lifted his eyes and looked Hong Xiaoxi up and down, realizing he had come seeking a job. It was unclear whether Crispy Food Garden knew their clerk planned to jump ship to Taohua Dessert.
"Arenβt you a clerk at Crispy Food Garden? Why do you want to come here?" Tong Huaqiong said. "Crispy Food Garden is very good, it has been an old shop for more than ten years. My Taohua Dessert is just a small business, a small temple, probably canβt accommodate you."
Hong Xiaoxi didnβt beat around the bush with Tong Huaqiong and said, "To be honest with you, when Manager Feng was around, he didnβt value me. Now with the new manager, not only do they not value me, but they also deduct everyoneβs wages."
Hong Xiaoxi was filled with bitterness; ever since the new shopkeeper took over at Crispy Food Garden, everyoneβs lives had been difficult.
The new shopkeeper wanted to win the ownerβs favor, making Crispy Food Gardenβs books look good, without thinking about innovating pastries but simply cutting everyoneβs wages.
As a small clerk, Hong Xiaoxiβs wages werenβt much to begin with, and with the deductions, life became a problem. He felt that at this rate, heβd sooner or later end up paying to work for Crispy Food Garden.
In the past, Crispy Food Garden was dominant in Yan Guan Town, customers had no choice but to choose Crispy Food Garden. Many clerks were spoiled, and now itβs quite difficult for them to adjust to treating customers with proper service.
People didnβt think it was a problem with Crispy Food Garden itself, instead they were filled with complaints about Taohua Dessert, collectively believing that Taohua Dessert had stolen Crispy Food Gardenβs business, making their lives so difficult.
Hong Xiaoxi didnβt think that way. He felt that for Crispy Food Garden to reach this point, from Manager Feng to the clerks, everyone was to blame. Taohua Dessertβs rise from an unnoticed stall to a competitor with Crispy Food Garden wasnβt due to luck, but delicious flavors and enthusiastic service.
Every day in Crispy Food Garden, he watched Tong Huaqiong and Gu Taohua enthusiastically calling out to customers, feeling an urge to join in.
Now that life in Crispy Food Garden hadnβt been bearable and Taohua Dessert had opened a shop, he considered switching jobs.
After all, working was working, whether for Crispy Food Garden or Taohua Dessert.
People aspire to move upwards, and he was no exception.
Besides, he owed nothing to Crispy Food Garden. Before officially starting his job there, he worked two full years as per Manager Fengβs rules without earning a penny.
After listening to Hong Xiaoxiβs reasons for switching jobs, Tong Huaqiong thought that whether in her past life or in this era, when a business is poorly managed, it often starts by cutting back, as itβs not easy to increase revenue, and cuts in employee wages are inevitable, with some even resorting to layoffs.
It made sense that Hong Xiaoxi would leave before Crispy Food Garden laid off employees.
Tong Huaqiong asked Hong Xiaoxi, "What do you think about Crispy Food Garden?"
Hong Xiaoxi showed a bitter expression and said, "Itβs a pity, really. Crispy Food Garden shouldnβt have reached this point. Having been in business for over ten years, its products were well recognized in Yan Guan Town and nearby. Yet it didnβt hold on to its advantages and instead lost its footing in the face of Taohua Dessert. Itβs a shame."
He genuinely felt pain for Crispy Food Garden, after all, it was the shop where he had worked for several years.
Tong Huaqiong took a careful look at Hong Xiaoxi and said, "I do need a clerk at Taohua Dessert. I could let you start on a trial basis for a month. How soon can you start?"
Tong Huaqiong didnβt want to beat around the bush with Hong Xiaoxi. Since she needed someone, and he had the experience and wanted to switch jobs, she was willing to hire him.
This era wasnβt like the future with non-compete agreements. Besides, Hong Xiaoxi hadnβt been in the inner circle of Crispy Food Garden and was unfamiliar with their recipes and operations, so she wasnβt worried about offending Ma Ming for hiring a minor clerk.
Upon hearing that Tong Huaqiong was willing to hire him, Hong Xiaoxi was delighted and said, "Three days later. I will hand over my work in the next three days, then Iβll start."
Tong Huaqiong agreed readily and started discussing the wages with Hong Xiaoxi.
Tong Huaqiong was generous with the wages, offering him two hundred more coins than Crispy Food Garden. However, this high wage came with conditions; if a month later, Hong Xiaoxi hadnβt met Tong Huaqiongβs expectations, he would have to leave.
Hong Xiaoxi happily went to resign from Crispy Food Garden.
Seeing Liu Shan and his wife officially join Taohua Dessert, and witnessing Tong Huaqiong hiring a clerk from Crispy Food Garden with an open heart, temporary worker Qin Qingyou couldnβt hold back his desire to become a formal employee of Taohua Dessert.
Qin Qingyou originally thought that both he and Liu Qiaoyun working in town would delay the work in the fields.
A couple of days ago, he and Liu Qiaoyun discussed it and felt working at Taohua Dessert was more lucrative than farming.
Once Hong Xiaoxi left, Qin Qingyou approached Tong Huaqiong to request a transition from temporary to permanent.
Given the existing trust, Tong Huaqiong didnβt hesitate to agree.
Qin Qingyou wasnβt bad-looking; he was considered handsome in Qinghe Bay. Tong Huaqiong felt that having him do miscellaneous tasks at Taohua Dessert was a bit of a waste of his value.
Thus, with a wave of her hand, she assigned him to deliver pastries to the big households who ordered them, replacing Gu Dahuan.
When Taohua Dessert was still a small stall, Gu Dahuan often delivered snacks to the Lu Family in Government City. Since the shop opened, Gu Dahuan was responsible for delivering pastries to the nearby ten-mile area.
Gu Dahuan did his job diligently, but Tong Huaqiong knew that her stepson wasnβt really fond of this work; he took it on because he didnβt dare defy her.
Compared to being involved in the business, Gu Dahuan preferred tending crops and the family livestock.
As Taohua Dessert made money, and they planned to buy land and open a pig farm, there had to be someone to manage the family matters. She thought it best for Gu Dahuan to focus his efforts at home, while delivering could be assigned to someone else.
That someone happened to be Qin Qingyou, and Tong Huaqiong felt quite assured.
With this new role, Qin Qingyou, like Liu Shan, felt both excited and grateful, considering it a sign of being valued by Tong Huaqiong.
And so, within just over ten days of its opening, Taohua Dessertβs various personnel arrangements and operations settled into a routine.
Every day, after Tong Huaqiong finished balancing the books, she couldnβt help but smile.
Within half a year, Taohua Dessert could be opening branches, with Yan Guan Town as its base.
