When She Stops Being Dramatic

Chapter 35: Chapter 313: The Forsaken Wife of the 50s (33)

Director Wang finished and added tactfully, "Director Shen, I was thinking... for anyone working in Cafeteria Number One, whether it’s cooking on the second floor or learning to make cold drinks and desserts from Chef Zhu, they have to be trustworthy people."

"Does Director Shen have any suitable candidates in mind?"

Director Shen paused, then smiled and pointed a finger at him from across the way. "Old Wang, no wonder the head director was asking about you during the meeting the other day. There aren’t many people like you—so capable, so effective, and so good at handling things in a way that makes everyone happy. You really know how to kill multiple birds with one stone. It’s quite impressive."

"Alright. I’ll go back and think about some suitable people. I’ll give you a firm answer tomorrow."

Then, he took out a pen and paper and quickly scribbled a note. "Before the day is out, run a few errands to finalize Chef Zhu’s business. Make sure she doesn’t miss out on the quarterly and semi-annual bonuses." freewebnσvel.cѳm

Director Wang smiled in agreement. He took the note and, moving with practiced ease, made his rounds. He got Zhu Yun registered with the finance department in the administration building and, while he was at it, collected a set of new employee benefits for her.

The cafeteria’s benefits were good, but they were mostly limited to providing employees with good food. The administration building, however, was the nerve center of the entire factory complex. Even a minor clerk needed strong family connections to secure a position there, so naturally, the benefits were exceptionally good.

The distributed items included two sets of factory uniforms, as well as a proper suit. Staples like oil, rice, flour, and fruit were common handouts. There was also a voucher for a large household item, a stack of industrial coupons, and, of course, a plentiful supply of all sorts of office supplies.

He pushed his fully loaded bicycle as he walked Zhu Yun home, with Xu Xiaohui pulling the refrigerator alongside them. "Chef Zhu, I didn’t know what other large items you might need, so I didn’t pick anything else out for you."

"From now on, in addition to being the deputy director of our cafeteria—with a one-level increase in your salary and bonus—you’ll also be on the books as a functionary for the main office’s propaganda team. It’s not a formal position, but I’ve registered you with eight years of service. The pay for that role is a little lower than what you make now."

"As you know, office jobs are more prestigious, but the pay is actually less than what the hands-on workers make. However, when you combine both salaries, it’ll be more than double what you’re making now."

"And you won’t miss out on the benefits and bonuses from either side."

Zhu Yun smiled and thanked him, handing him a package of snacks. "I made these myself, with my own money. Please take them home for your wife and nephews to try."

Director Wang didn’t stand on ceremony. He accepted the package, hung it on his bicycle’s handlebar, and continued in a low voice, "Chef Zhu, don’t underestimate this nominal position. If you teach your apprentices, say, seventy or eighty percent of what you know, you’ll be able to land a full-time desk job."

"A functionary in the *main* office... that word ’main’ already puts you a cut above the rest. Besides, Director Lv in there is my wife’s older sister. She has the ear of the leadership."

Zhu Yun nodded repeatedly, promising she would work hard, teach her apprentices everything she knew without holding back, and live up to the expectations of the director and the organization.

The moment the refrigerator arrived, curious neighbors started showing up at her door.

Zhu Yun’s reputation for being fierce and shrewd existed only in rumors. To the neighborhood women, she was just a country bumpkin who kept to herself. Aside from her shameless pursuit of Mr. Chu, the only other thing of note was her rumored affair with Mr. Wang. fгeewebnovёl.com

Because of this, everyone felt she wasn’t as detestable as the rumors made her out to be. And so, one of them said with a laugh:

"Now when we buy meat in the middle of summer, we won’t have to worry about it spoiling! We can just borrow Xiao Zhu’s fridge and pay her a few cents for electricity. Tsk, tsk, looks like we’re all benefiting from your good luck."

"It’s getting so hot lately. Xiao Zhu, I’ll make a pot of mung bean soup, and I can just chill it here. It won’t take long, maybe an hour. That way my Old Li and the kids can have something to cool them down when they get home."

"The bottom part is the freezer, right? My kids are always crying for popsicles. What are they but frozen sugar water? We can make those, we just didn’t have a machine like this. I guess we’ll be bothering you a lot from now on, Xiao Zhu. Hey, in return, I’ll bring you some of my homemade chili paste..."

The few women who had pushed to the front and were pawing at the refrigerator were already acting like they owned the place, even starting to divvy up the rights to each shelf.

The other families hanging back were in a holding pattern, waiting to see how Zhu Yun would react before deciding on their next move.

Then, Sister-in-law Tan spoke up bluntly, "Xiao Zhu, everyone’s just joking around because your new refrigerator is such a novelty. It’s not like a television you can just stick in the courtyard for dozens of people to watch."

"I mean, think about it. If you didn’t have a very important use for it, why would you bother spending so much money to buy your own, when you’re surrounded by those huge ones at the cafeteria all day?"