Shen Jun and Shen Huaimin were currently accompanying county officials, inspecting the progress of the greenhouses in the fields.
"Huaisang, what's wrong?" Shen Jun saw Shen Huaisang running over in a hurry.
"Dad, Big Brother, greetings, leaders," Shen Huaisang quickly greeted them.
"Don't call me leader, just call me Lin Shu," said the one addressed as leader. He was a man about Shen Huaimin's age, the county magistrate's assistant.
"Dad, Big Brother, little sister needs to talk to you," Shen Huaisang said, casting an embarrassed glance at Lin Shu.
Lin Shu was not one to overstep, and in fact, he shouldn't have had Shen Jun accompany him for his inspection, but since the village committee members were unfamiliar with the greenhouse situation, they had asked Shen Jun.
"Since there's something, Uncle Shen and Brother Shen can go ahead," Lin Shu offered.
"It's not a big deal, it's just that our family's agritainment is opening in a few days, and my little sister wants to discuss something with Dad and Big Brother," Shen Huaisang explained.
Lin Shu raised an eyebrow. The Shen family was truly capable. He had initially thought their ability to procure the latest foreign greenhouse technology was impressive enough, but now, it seemed they not only managed the greenhouses but were also the ones who had contracted a large swathe of barren mountains, as the county had previously announced. And now, they were opening an agritainment business too?
The Shen family was indeed remarkable.
"Is that so? I'll definitely pay a visit when you open," Lin Shu said.
Shen Jun nodded enthusiastically, "Then you must come. My eldest son's skills are impeccable." He then gave a thumbs-up.
"That would be wonderful. I'll be there then. Uncle Shen and Brother Shen, you should go attend to your business," Lin Shu said.
Hearing Lin Shu's words, Shen Jun and Shen Huaimin didn't linger. After all, Shen Yao rarely sought them out unless there was something important. Fearing something might have happened, Shen Jun and Shen Huaimin hurried along without slowing their pace. They rushed to Shen Yao's side and were relieved to see she was unharmed.
"Yaoyao, what is it you need from Dad?"
"It's about the agritainment opening," Shen Yao replied.
Upon hearing that all rooms were booked for the first ten days after the opening, and many people expressed their desire to visit their agritainment, Shen Huaimin was shocked.
"All those rooms are booked?" Shen Huaimin's shock was no less than Shen Huaisang's. They had previously operated a guesthouse in a courtyard with two entrances, each with two stories, containing over sixty rooms of various sizes, not to mention the suites! Moreover, the prices for their agritainment opening were not cheap: 588 for a single room, 688 for a double, and 888 for a suite, though these included two meals. Of course, guests could cook for themselves if they wished, as there were many smaller kitchens behind the main kitchen, although they were still waiting for appliances to be installed. The ingredients would be those they grew and raised themselves.
"With so many people, eldest son, can you handle it?" Shen Jun asked, looking at Shen Huaimin with concern. If it were just the first couple of days, they could manage, but with ten days like this, it would only get busier.
"I can handle it," Shen Huaimin said, his eyes filled with determination.
"Whether you can or not, we're hiring!" Shen Yao declared. Her intention in doing all this was to allow her family to live a worry-free life, not to make money for the sake of it! If her elder brother were to fall ill from overwork, it would defeat her purpose. With so many guests arriving at the agritainment, they would definitely need cleaners, waitstaff, and kitchen assistants.
"Big Brother, do you know any good cooks? Find two, the salary will be 6,000 yuan a month, with bonuses for good performance!" Shen Yao said to Shen Huaimin.
Hearing this, Shen Huaimin actually recalled two people he knew from when he was learning his craft. They were prep cooks at a restaurant and had also learned from a master chef, but when the restaurant owner gambled the business into bankruptcy, everyone went their separate ways.
"I'll invite my master too!"
"Alright, leave the matter of finding cooks to you," Shen Jun said.
"Just that won't be enough. The guest rooms also need cleaning. With so many rooms, we definitely need cleaning ladies, and the restaurant needs several servers as well," Shen Yao listed. By her calculation, they would need to hire at least ten people in total!
"Oh dear, that's going to be quite difficult to find," Shen Jun remarked.
"Perhaps we should prioritize villagers, but this might require Mom's assistance," Shen Yao suggested. When hiring, they needed people who were nimble, clean, and not prone to causing trouble.
"I think Uncle Zhang and Aunt Zhang would be good. Uncle Zhang used to cater large banquets, so his skills are undeniable. Aunt Zhang's health isn't the best, but she'd be fine for cleaning," Shen Huaisang immediately thought of Uncle and Aunt Zhang. Uncle Zhang ran a tricycle taxi daily, earning a hundred to two hundred yuan on a good day, and losing money on a bad day due to fuel costs. While his current salary wasn't high, it was close to home, and working in the kitchen meant only being busy for the two hours of meal times, with the rest of the day being relatively free. Cleaning rooms wasn't strenuous work; they would only have to clean a dozen or so a day, and then they could rest.
"That's fine, but you'll have to go ask Uncle and Aunt Zhang," Shen Jun said. Shen Huaisang hesitated, knowing they would likely refuse if he approached them.
"Third Brother, I'll go with you. Dad and Big Brother can figure out the rest of the hiring," Shen Yao said, pulling Shen Huaisang along.
Uncle Zhang's house was at the village entrance, while Shen Yao's was at the tail end, so it took some time to walk. Uncle Zhang's house was a typical southern-style two-story bungalow, with two rooms on each floor and a staircase to the upper level. In front of the house was a cement-paved drying area, currently covered with radishes and cucumbers.
"Uncle Zhang, Aunt Zhang!" Shen Huaisang called out from a distance. After a moment, a middle-aged woman emerged from a room beside the ground floor. The woman looked to be in her fifties, with streaks of gray in her hair, but her clothes were neat and tidy.
"San'er, you're here? Come in and sit. Your Uncle Zhang is in the backyard feeding the chickens," Aunt Zhang said with a smile. Seeing the pretty young girl following Shen Huaisang, she added, "This must be Yaoyao. You've grown into a young lady in the blink of an eye." Aunt Zhang looked at Shen Yao with affectionate eyes, triggering some forgotten memories for Shen Yao.
Actually, from a young age, Shen Huaisang and Aunt Zhang's son, Zhang Zhe, had been good friends, and Shen Yao often followed them around as a child. Zhang Zhe, being their only child, treated Shen Yao very well and would always share his good things with her. Aunt Zhang had also doted on her when she was younger. As they grew older and the distinctions between genders became more apparent, Shen Yao gradually drifted apart from Zhang Zhe. The next time she saw him was after he returned from his military service. She saw him when Shen Huaisang had something for her to deliver. The next news she heard was that Zhang Zhe, a police officer, had died in the line of duty.