Switched Marriage: The Coddled Little Wife-Chapter 390: Expel Feng Zhong

Eating hot pot in the evening, Qin Yang was burning charcoal with Little Ningning in the yard, while Lin Chuxia and Qin Juan were preparing ingredients in the kitchen.

The slices of mutton were all pre-cut by the butcher, and the tripe was cleaned and sliced into shreds.

In the past, a winter hot pot would mainly consist of Chinese cabbage, white radishes, plain tofu, and at most, frozen tofu and duck blood.

But Lin Chuxia’s little vegetable garden had several kinds of small green vegetables, which were perfect for the hot pot.

As Qin Juan picked the vegetables, she laughed and said, "I’ve discovered that some people are born with a taste for food. You running a food business is definitely no mistake."

Of course, who could compare with Lin Chuxia when it comes to eating?

Take the hot pot condiments, for instance. In those days, there were no ready-made condiments; everything had to be mixed by oneself.

Ground pure sesame made into sesame paste of the right consistency, with two bright red fermented bean curds added for flavor and scent, plus two spoonfuls of chive blossoms, brought out that special zing.

Those who liked cilantro could add a handful of freshly cut cilantro, along with some freshly fried chili oil, topped with another spoonful.

The mutton and tripe scalded in the charcoal heated copper pot, swirled in the sauce, and then eaten with a clove of sugar garlic.

Truly, you’d have one bite and be utterly speechless.

Even Little Ningning, while puffing, continued to eat the mutton, her little lips all red.

"Mommy, the sliced mutton is so delicious."

This was her first time eating sliced mutton. In her previous home, let alone sliced mutton, she hardly even had dumplings filled with mutton.

Lin Chuxia then gave her some more vegetables and tofu.

Children have delicate digestive systems; eating too much mutton late at night isn’t easy to digest.

Qin Juan was also worried she would eat too much and kept telling her to slow down.

Outside, the north wind was howling, and at some point, small snowflakes began to float down.

Inside the house, it was as warm as spring. Sitting around the steaming hot pot, watching her daughter eat with a satisfied face, Qin Juan felt like she was living in a dream.

"Today the store manager fired Feng Zhong," Qin Juan picked some noodles for her daughter and casually chatted.

"Some time ago, Gao Lele at the front desk on the first floor always had discrepancies in her accounts. The first time, 10 yuan was missing; too scared to tell the manager, she covered it with her own money. Then, a few days ago, money was missing again, this time, it was over 20 yuan. Gao Lele’s salary is only 50 yuan a month, so that’s more than 30 yuan gone, she was so upset she cried. It just so happened that Jianjun came across her and took her to see the manager..."

At the beginning of this incident, none of them thought someone was being dishonest. They just figured that because of the busy end-of-year business, there were more transactions through Gao Lele or for some other reason, Gao Lele had made a mistake in accounting.

Who would have thought that after speaking to the manager, he started investigating in a different direction.

And this investigation led straight to Feng Zhong.

"At first, Feng Zhong denied everything. I don’t know what method the manager used, but in the end, Feng Zhong admitted to it. He returned the more than 30 yuan missing from the front desk, and the manager settled this month’s wages with him and let him go."

Qin Juan didn’t know what method Jia Liang used, but Lin Chuxia had a rough idea.

What did Jia Liang do in the past? It’s not something others might think of right away, but as someone who knew Feng Zhong best, as long as it was confirmed that he had been in contact with the front desk, the case was almost certainly solved.

"What happened after that?"

Lin Chuxia didn’t care about Jia Liang firing an employee. The right to hire and fire staff in the restaurant was in Jia Liang’s hands, naturally including the authority to dismiss them.

Since Qin Juan had mentioned it, there must be more to the story.

At this moment, she heard Qin Juan sigh faintly and glanced at Little Ningning, who had finished her meal and was hugging her water cup.

"Eat up and go play with Yuan Bao."

The little girl loved playing with Yuan Bao the most; she put down her cup and scampered away.

Only then did Qin Juan withdraw her gaze and continue, "I only heard about it in the last two days, Feng Zhong was dating Liu Na from the shop, their relationship was quite intimate before. Now that Feng Zhong is gone, that girl Liu Na seems to have lost her soul. I’ve seen her wiping away tears in secret a few times, and I worried whether her emotions might affect her work."

Lin Chuxia remembered the girl she saw flirting with Feng Zhong in the shop that day.

"Jia Liang should know about this, too. With so many employees in our shop, it’s impossible to look after everyone’s emotions, let alone their personal affairs."

Qin Juan nodded; she understood.

Since it was someone else’s private matter, only they or their family had the real right to inquire.

Liu Na and the Bun Shop were only in an employment relationship. As long as there were no issues at work, that was all that mattered; should problems arise, matters would be dealt with professionally.

It was she who had thought too much, seeing the young girl in tears, and having dealt with Feng Zhong, a surge of sympathy overwhelmed her.

With only three people under her sister-in-law at the Bun Shop, plus the food factory and the chicken farm, if they were to meddle in everyone’s private matters, when would it ever end?

Lin Chuxia could understand Qin Juan’s feelings, after all, in this day and age, for workers who had secured a permanent job, it meant their marriage and family life were taken care of as well.

Roll back a few years to the heyday of these factories, the companies would organize social events to resolve the issues of single young men and women, provide housing upon marriage, and even operate their own daycares for those with children.

Not to mention the system where securing a permanent job would benefit an employee’s children who could follow in their footsteps.

...

Early in the morning, the snow had already stopped, leaving only a thin layer. Households were sweeping the snow in front of their doors with brooms.

When Lin Chuxia woke up, Qin Yang had already gotten out of bed and was clearing the snow in the yard.

She put on her clothes, made the bed, and opened the door, only to be greeted by a gust of chilly wind that made her shrink her neck.

Qin Yang, hearing the movement behind him and seeing her shiver, smirked and said, "It’s cold today, the weather forecast said the temperature has dropped to minus ten degrees, wear more clothes before going out."

Lin Chuxia was especially susceptible to the cold, just like a little kitten.

She remembered last year when he was injured and Lin Chuxia went to the Northwest to see him, coinciding with a heavy snowfall and several days of plummeting temperatures there.

The poor girl was so cold she nearly cried.

Thinking back, it has already been a year since then, and a tender light warmed Qin Yang’s eyes.

It was also at that time he began to look forward to the days when they could spend their mornings and evenings together, and now, his wish had come true.

Lin Chuxia was dressed warmly, as she had come prepared, "I’m wearing a lot, not cold at all. What would you like to eat? How about some nice warm noodles?"

After speaking, she breathed on her hands for warmth.

Qin Yang urged her, "Alright, alright, you decide. Go back inside quickly; don’t go anywhere today, just stay at home, alright?"

They had agreed yesterday that today they would handle the car paperwork, but it could wait until he had time.

"It’s okay, I’m really not cold," Lin Chuxia replied stubbornly, then darted inside the house like a rabbit.

After breakfast, Qin Yang still felt uneasy and reminded her again. Lin Chuxia didn’t take it to heart, sent him away with assurances and, gathering the things she needed, headed out the door.