Baozi Xishi's Struggle

Chapter 202: Miss Shen, who helped to come up with ideas, was really thoughtful

"If I get divorced, I'll have nowhere to go. I can't go back to my parents' home. Can I come work in your shop to make up for it?"

"Although I have never worked as a kitchen helper in a restaurant, I cook all three meals a day for my family. I am used to doing these kitchen chores every day. I will definitely do my best for the girl."

Zheng Sanniang spoke pitifully, trying hard to get Shen Yu to agree.

"I want to bring Xiao Zhuzi out with me so that he can have food to eat and a place to live."

Shen Yu hesitated. She didn't want to cause trouble. There was no shortage of people in the store now. If two more people came to eat and drink, when would she be able to pay back the debt?

What's more, Li Changgen also lives nearby. What if he comes to the store to cause trouble and harass Zheng Sanniang?

What bad things can't a gambler do for money?

Shen Yu was thinking about how to refuse, but Li said, "Yuzhi, Sanniang is quite pitiful, and we are busy in the store, how about..."

Zheng Sanniang begged, "I don't want wages, as long as you can provide me and my mother with food and drink and a place to stay, I am willing to work for you for two years in exchange for the fourteen taels of silver."

Before Shen Yu expressed his opinion, Li said, "I agreed on behalf of Yuzhi. My family will lend you the fourteen taels of silver."

"If you can really bring your child out of the house and divorce Li Changgen, then come and work in my shop."

"I don't need you to pay for two years. I'll just pay you two thousand coins a month."

After Li finished speaking, she looked at Shen Yu and said, "Yuzhi, you won't refuse, will you? You can't just watch Zheng Sanniang being sold out by that bastard Li Changgen."

Shen Yu complained in his heart: You have already agreed, what use is it if I don’t agree?

She didn't want to get involved in this mess and wanted to struggle again: "I can negotiate if I lend you the money. You can pay me back when you have the money."

"But you work here, and you have to deal with the kitchen work, which involves hot water and charcoal fire. What if the child gets into trouble?"

Mrs. Liu could tell that Shen Yu was somewhat reluctant to let Sanniang come to work in the store, so she hurriedly said, "Her little Zhuzi is very well behaved. If it really doesn't work out, Sanniang can leave the child at my house to keep Maodou company."

"They often play together. My mother-in-law likes Xiao Zhuzi very much."

Shen Yu looked at Mrs. Liu with a half-smile: "In that case, isn't your mother-in-law afraid that it will be embarrassing to meet Li Changgen?"

Mrs. Liu was a little embarrassed: "Well, my mother-in-law is that kind of person, but after my sister divorced Li Changgen, she has nothing to do with his family, so it's okay to meet him."

"My mother-in-law is usually pretty nice to me. I think she will agree for my sake."

Shen Yu said: "Don't blame me for being blunt. I opened a shop here and don't want to mess with people like Li Changgen. Who doesn't want to do business safely and smoothly?"

"How about this? After Sister Zheng gets divorced, she can come to work in my shop."

"But if Li Changgen comes back to bother me, I won't be able to keep Sister Zheng in the store. If that happens, don't blame me for not helping Sister Zheng."

Mrs. Liu said, "Miss Yuzhi, we have no relationship at all. We are very grateful for your help. How can we blame you?"

She hesitated for a moment and asked again, "Can you take out fourteen taels of silver now?"

Shen Yu looked at Mrs. Liu in confusion: "It's dark now, the bank has closed long ago. If you want to borrow money, you have to wait until tomorrow morning when the bank opens to withdraw it."

Mrs. Liu smiled a little embarrassedly and said, "I think it's better to do this sooner rather than later."

"Li Changgen has had some wine now, and he has a gambling debt to pay off tomorrow. If we ask him for a divorce now, maybe he will agree when he sees the money."

"If he raises the price tomorrow, I really won't be able to come up with more money."

Mrs. Li also said, "Mrs. Liu is right. Let's go now. Let's get as far away from that person as possible."

Shen Yu was furious and tried to stop them, "Don't mention that I can't afford so much money right now. Even if I had cash, don't you see what time it is now?"

"Do you mean to go to someone's house in the middle of the night and make them write a divorce letter? That would be unreasonable even if it was reasonable."

Mrs. Liu said anxiously, "What if Sanniang goes back tomorrow and the gambling house owner doesn't want the money and insists that Sanniang pay off the gambling debts?"

Zheng Sanniang huddled closer to Mrs. Liu, her eyes full of despair.

Shen Yu looked at Zheng Sanniang, who had almost no idea what was going on, and sighed.

After pondering for a moment, he could only offer advice: "Sister Zheng, don't go home tonight, and don't go back for three days starting from tomorrow. You hide in my backyard and don't show up."

"Li Changgen would only think of going to Mrs. Liu's house and Sister Zheng's parents' home to look for someone. He probably wouldn't have thought that Sister Zheng was hiding in my shop."

"Wait until the evening of the third day, and then we'll take the silver and go discuss the divorce with Li Changgen."

Shen Yu explained: "Li Changgen and the gambling house owner have agreed to send the person over early tomorrow morning."

"If it's not delivered by tomorrow morning, and there's no money to pay off the gambling debt, the gambling house might send someone to collect the debt before noon, and make a fuss for two or three days. I think Li Changgen will agree faster."

Mrs. Liu's eyes lit up and she clapped her hands excitedly: "Miss Yuzhi is right. I have grown old in vain, but I am not as thoughtful as a young girl like you."

"With the money right in front of him and the gambling house owner demanding payment, it would be hard for Li Changgen to disagree."

Zheng Sanniang was worried: "I'm only worried about Xiao Zhuzi."

Mrs. Liu rolled her eyes and said, "Can we go to your house now and secretly get Xiao Zhuzi out?"

"Didn't you say he was drunk? He must still be awake. Why don't we sneak into his house and take Xiao Zhuzi away?"

Zheng Sanniang was still afraid: "Xiao Zhuzi is shy. What if he starts crying and wakes up Li Changgen..."

Mrs. Liu simply pulled Zheng Sanniang and said, "Then I'll go with you and wait for you at the door. Go and carry Xiao Zhuzi out."

Zheng Sanniang's face turned pale when she thought about having to go back and face Li Changgen again.

Shen Yu knew that Zheng Sanniang was scared by Li Changgen's beating, so he had to use the child to encourage her: "Didn't you say that you are not afraid of death for Xiao Zhuzi?"

"Take the child out of the house, and you and your child will be together, and you will never be separated again."

When Zheng Sanniang heard that they would never be separated again, she took a deep breath and said tremblingly, "For Xiao Zhuzi, I will go. If my husband wakes up, I will fight him and never let Xiao Zhuzi suffer with him."

Li said, "I'll go with you. Take the child out, and we'll come back and hide him."

Shen Yu was so angry at Li's words that he choked and couldn't speak. He just stared at Li.

Jiang, who was standing aside, didn't say anything because she felt she couldn't help.

After hearing what Li said, he couldn't help but shook his head slightly and patted Shen Yu's back to calm him down.