Chapter 227: My Brother Was Scared Away

Afternoon.

Miss Jiang decided not to take the school bus back to school.

Instead, she called out her cousin.

Along with Mao Weiwei.

The three of them found a decent herbal chicken restaurant.

They planned to have a good chat about the spicy strips.

After talking for a while.

Under Tian Wenhao’s repeated confirmation.

The senior in front of them finally believed.

That Jiang Ning was the true owner behind ‘Shi Ning Ji’.

She was left in a daze, her mouth slightly open, eyes unfocused.

To be honest.

Miss Jiang quite enjoyed seeing people like this.

Especially pretty girls like Mao Weiwei.

Mouth slightly open…

Just enough to see the tip of her glistening little tongue.

It was a bit tempting…

Forget it.

You shouldn’t think about it.

Actually, Miss Jiang could understand why this girl was so shocked.

Given the current scale of ‘Shi Ning Ji’.

Not counting the franchise stores in the province.

There were already seven local chain stores.

Constant ads on TV bombarding the airwaves.

Plus endorsements from KFC and Golden Arches.

Most people would think ‘Shi Ning Ji’ was at least a multimillion-dollar enterprise.

Well.

If you look at it that way, it’s not wrong.

But to Jiang Ning, this amount of money doesn’t make it a big enterprise.

At most, it’s just a small shop barely scraping by.

Seeing the girl about to drool, Tian Wenhao quickly cleared his throat.

“Ahem…”

“Senior Mao…”

“Senior Mao?”

“Mao Weiwei!”

“Huh? Sluuurp…”

“Sorry, sorry…”

Mao Weiwei’s face instantly turned red, wiping the clear liquid from the corner of her mouth.

“I was just…”

“I was just…”

“No worries, no worries…”

Just then, the restaurant owner brought over a pot, placing it on the gas stove.

With a “sizzle” as the fire rose.

The owner poured in a whole cut-up chicken along with some herbs and seasonings.

Covered it with a lid.

“It’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

With that, the owner left leisurely, cigarette in mouth.

Watching the apron-clad, leisurely departing figure, Miss Jiang found herself a bit envious of the owner’s carefree attitude.

“Back to business.”

“We’re here to discuss two things today.”

“One is your employment, senior.”

At this point, Tian Wenhao glanced at Jiang Ning beside him.

The latter nodded, opened a 1.5L bottle of clear soda.

While Tian Wenhao spoke, she filled everyone’s glasses.

“Listen up, senior.”

“Okay.” At the mention of future benefits.

Mao Weiwei perked up.

“Base salary is 1800, five days work, two days off, with departmental and personal bonuses.”

“Departmental bonuses are based on the entire department’s progress. If targets are met, bonuses are given. Personal targets involve your own attempts at product development.”

“What if only one of the bonuses is achieved?” Mao Weiwei asked.

“They’re calculated separately and don’t affect each other.” With that, Tian Wenhao pulled out a document from behind and handed it over.

“Other benefits like public holidays are in the contract, you can take a look yourself.”

Upon hearing this.

Mao Weiwei took the contract.

And began reading it.

At this moment.

The steamer started to puff out steam.

Feeling it was about time.

Miss Jiang lifted the lid.

Immediately, the aroma of herbal chicken soup filled the air.

Stirring her appetite.

She picked up her chopsticks.

“Come on, let’s eat first!”

“We can discuss the rest after eating.”

The other two seemed to agree.

They smiled and joined in the meal.

After they were full.

Half an hour had passed.

During this time, Mao Weiwei also asked some company-related questions.

Jiang Ning and Tian Wenhao selectively answered many.

Overall.

Mao Weiwei seemed to have no objections.

After finishing a soda.

She picked up a pen and signed the employment contract.

Then.

The three of them tacitly put down their chopsticks one by one.

After a moment of silence.

Miss Jiang was the first to speak:

“Can you describe to us what your little spicy tendon is all about…”

Upon hearing this.

Mao Weiwei simply smiled, then took out something wrapped in plastic from her small bag.

Unwrapping it layer by layer.

Revealing the bright red spicy tendon inside.

Upon closer inspection.

One could see plenty of chili flakes stuck to it.

“Want to try?”

Faced with the invitation.

Even though Miss Jiang didn’t like spicy food.

She still reached out, picked one up, and sniffed it.

Then, encouraged by Mao Weiwei’s gaze, she slowly put it in her mouth.

Biting down.

It was a bit tough.

Not as chewy as the spicy strips from her past life.

However…

Still savoring it, Miss Jiang suddenly felt a rush of spiciness hit her.

It exploded on her tongue like a small landmine, leaving her tongue numb.

“Tsss!! Ahhh!! Tsss!!”

Miss Jiang quickly poured a glass of soda into her mouth.

But the carbonation only intensified the spiciness.

In just a few seconds.

The once formidable Miss Jiang was reduced to tears by the spiciness.

After a while.

She gradually adapted to the spiciness.

But she dared not eat the remaining piece in her hand.

Holding it.

She turned to see the laughing pair.

Miss Jiang’s face was covered in black lines.

Even though her cousin seemed to have been affected by the spiciness too.

Compared to her, he was much better off.

Turns out, her body couldn’t handle much spice.

Thinking back to her past life…

Forget it.

It wasn’t much better.

And considering her previous alcohol issues.

Goodness.

What was the point of this life?

Miss Jiang sighed with a bit of melancholy and raised five fingers.

“500,000, for 90% ownership of your recipe…”

“In the future… tsss… you’ll get 10% of the profits annually!”

“How about it?”

Hearing this offer.

Mao Weiwei was stunned.

After a long silence.

“You must have heard someone offered me 100,000 to buy the recipe outright, right?”

She said, not waiting for Jiang Ning and Tian Wenhao to respond, she smiled:

“I’m a child from the mountains.”

“From a poor and remote place.”

“100,000 could indeed improve my family’s living conditions greatly.”

“But, in our place, there are many poorer than us.”

“I hope I can help them.”

“So…”

Mao Weiwei raised two fingers.

“I want 20%.”

???

Honestly.

When Miss Jiang heard this, her mind short-circuited for a second or two.

Then she couldn’t help but give her a thumbs up.

“Senior, I think I’m starting to like you.”

——————

Meanwhile, at Hongsheng Group.

Chen He stood with his head down, like a child who had done something wrong, in front of the desk, recounting everything that happened at the Jiangzhou University Campus Recruitment today.

From his initial thoughts to later spending some money to spread rumors.

At the time, the effect was significant.

‘Shi Ning Ji’ indeed didn’t recruit anyone.

But ever since ‘Shi Ning Ji’ launched a coupon promotion.

His strategy completely collapsed.

Later, even some who had submitted resumes to them went over to ‘Shi Ning Ji’ to sign employment contracts.

After recounting everything.

The office fell into silence.

After a long time.

A deep sigh was heard.

“Alright, you can go now.”

“President Shang, I…”

“I said you can go!! Don’t you understand?!”

After Chen He left in embarrassment.

Shang Jie lay on the sofa, her face full of exhaustion.

Actually, these days.

For the ‘Emperor’s Chicken’ under her management, there had been many opinions within the group.

From the disproportionate investment to return.

To the impact on the group’s reputation.

Plus, the group was considering transformation recently.

A series of issues piled up.

Draining Shang Jie’s energy.

Unknowingly.

She drifted into sleep on the sofa.

But at that moment.

She suddenly felt something unusual.

Opening her eyes.

Luo Chengming was standing beside her with a blanket, having somehow arrived unnoticed.

Seeing this.

Shang Jie forced a smile.

“Cheng Ming, sorry, mom was a bit tired and fell asleep.”

Suddenly hearing the voice, Luo Chengming froze.

His expression was a bit unnatural.

Then, holding the blanket, he awkwardly smiled.

“It’s okay, if you’re tired, just sleep.”

“I was just worried you’d catch a cold.”

Hearing this.

Shang Jie smiled and sat up.

“Why do you have time to come to the group today?”

“I remember you had tutoring this afternoon.”

“Are you short on money again?”

Three questions in a row were met with Luo Chengming’s unusual smile.

But since Shang Jie had just woken up, her mind a bit foggy, she didn’t think much of it.

She opened a drawer, pulled out a stack of money, and placed it on the table.

“Take this for now.”

“If it’s not enough, let me know.”

“Thanks.” Luo Chengming picked up the money and was about to leave,

But at that moment, Shang Jie, feeling uncomfortable from the air conditioning, called out to Luo Chengming.

“Cheng Ming, give mom the blanket.”

Luo Chengming just turned his back on her, so Shang Jie asked again, puzzled.

“Cheng Ming?”

Finally.

Luo Chengming reluctantly turned around, handing the blanket to Shang Jie.

“I’m heading back.”

Leaving that behind.

Luo Chengming quickly left the office.

Watching her strange ‘son’.

Shang Jie frowned in confusion.

But just as she was about to drape the blanket over herself.

A nauseating stench suddenly filled her nose.

In an instant.

Her expression turned extremely unpleasant.

——————

Evening.

Jiang Ning got on Wang Jianguo’s tractor, planning to go to school first to retrieve her electric bike before heading home.

On the way.

Wang Jianguo kept chattering to Miss Jiang.

Complaining about the lack of administrative staff in the factory.

Working overtime every day was ruining his skin, and so on.

Seeing Miss Jiang ignoring him.

Wang Jianguo pouted.

“Boss~”

“Really!”

“Look at my chin, look at my forehead, they’re all breaking out!”

However.

At that moment, Jiang Ning simply turned her face, calmly replying.

“It’s just hormonal imbalance.”

“I’ll get you some herbal medicine later.”

Hearing this.

Wang Jianguo thought something might have happened to his boss today.

He turned back, sneakily glancing.

Through the reflection in the glass.

Miss Paparazzi saw Miss Jiang’s face twisted from holding back laughter.

He was instantly annoyed!

“Boss!!!”

Knowing she’d been caught.

Miss Jiang immediately turned back, smilingly asking:

“Oh my.”

“Isn’t this my Secretary Wang…”

“Why do you look so pretty today?”

“Tsk tsk.”

“Such rosy cheeks.”

“Such raised eyebrows.”

“Such a pouty mouth…”

Seeing that Little Secretary was about to be driven to tears by her teasing.

Miss Jiang quickly comforted:

“Alright, alright.”

“I’ll arrange an assistant for you when we get back.”

“To help with your daily tasks!”

Upon hearing this.

Little Secretary’s cheeks no longer blushed, her eyebrows no longer raised, and even the pout disappeared.

“I want two.”

“Huh?”

“One for the factory, one for the store.”

Hearing this.

Miss Jiang raised an eyebrow.

“Should I prepare a Personal Assistant for you too?”

“That works.”

“Works my foot! Just one!”

“Boss~~”

“Calling me daddy won’t help!”

“Boss Daddy~~~”

!!!

Half an hour later.

Miss Jiang rode her electric bike back to her apartment building.

Looking up.

She noticed the living room light was on.

This made Miss Jiang’s mind wander a bit.

After some thought.

She decided to stash the birthday gift for Li Mingyu in her backpack’s inner pocket.

Alongside her phone.

Then.

She went upstairs, took out her key, and opened the door.

Sure enough.

Her mother was sitting in front of the TV, engrossed in a romance drama she couldn’t name, while munching on sunflower seeds.

“You’re back?”

“Yeah, mom, how come you’re home so early today?” Jiang Ning changed into slippers, placing her backpack aside.

“Power maintenance on Guoqing Road, power’s out.”

“Can’t light candles in the shop, can I?”

“What if it burns down?”

Makes sense.

Miss Jiang nodded.

She picked up her bag, ready to head to her room.

But at that moment.

Her mother suddenly called out to her.

“Ning Ning.”

“Mom got you a gift.”

“Go check in your room.”

A gift?

Why a gift out of the blue?

Jiang Ning wanted to ask.

But decided to see what it was first.

Entering her room.

A quick glance.

She saw something covered with a large red ‘double happiness’ cloth on her desk.

Judging by the shape under the cloth.

Miss Jiang’s eyebrows twitched.

Could it be…

At that moment.

Her mother’s voice suddenly came from behind her.

“Go on, lift it.”

Hearing this.

Miss Jiang took a deep breath.

Stepped forward, and lifted the large red ‘double happiness’ cloth.

As expected.

Underneath was exactly what she imagined.

A white computer with a big monitor!

Seeing this.

Miss Jiang was instantly excited.

She reached out to touch it.

But as she touched it, she noticed something off.

The case and monitor had some wear and tear.

The small speakers were dusty.

Most importantly, the keyboard.

The letters wsad were almost worn off.

The spacebar was slightly dented.

Clearly, it had been through some intense gaming.

Seeing this.

Miss Jiang sighed.

“Mom…”

“Which Internet Cafe went out of business?”

“Bu Yi Alley, oh, whatever, Ning Ning, you play first, mom still has a bit of TV to watch, hehe.” Her mom chuckled, turning to leave.

Watching her mom like this,

Miss Jiang couldn’t help but chuckle.

Having a computer at home was a good thing.

Even if it was second-hand, it didn’t matter.

After all.

For someone like her mom who didn’t understand at all.

Even if Miss Jiang spent money replacing all the components inside.

As long as the case remained.

It wouldn’t make any difference.

So…

She decided to play with this second-hand computer first.

It’s said that computers retired from Internet Cafes often have some good stuff inside.

Like games…

Movies…

Pictures…

And some, ahem…

Seeing Miss Jiang find several cute files in some hidden folders.

Just about to open them.

Her mom suddenly appeared at the door.

“Ning Ning!”

“I heard computers have some unhealthy stuff in them!”

“As a girl, you shouldn’t look at those, okay?”

???

Mom.

I seriously suspect my *brother* was scared away by you.