RYEY -Chapter 483 This Child is Strange

Hearing the news, Zheng Ning was overjoyed. The children were growing up, and her husband’s meager salary alone could no longer sustain the family.

The little boy was thrilled too. He clapped his hands, happy that his mom had a job now—soon his sisters could eat meat too. Otherwise, if the family bought a bit of meat occasionally, he’d end up eating most of it, feeling guilty.

Zheng Ning rummaged through her already torn wardrobe, unable to find a single piece of clothing without patches. In the end, she wore a shirt Zheng Qing had given her—this one had the fewest patches.

Zheng Qing: “…“ She had forgotten to bring clothes for her sister.

“Little sister, this is the only shirt I can wear out. It’s a bit big, but you wouldn’t notice unless you looked closely. I’ll turn around twice, you see if it’s okay.”

“Sure. Cheng Qiao is a good boss. She doesn’t care what you wear, as long as your character is good. I’m helping Cheng Qiao manage the store. When hiring salespeople, experience comes second—good character is essential to qualify.”

Zheng Ning finally relaxed. In terms of character, she would never lose to anyone. The little boy held her hand, wanting to see where his mom would work.

Although he knew it was the well-run grocery store, and that the elderly owner was kind, he still wanted to see it himself.

“Take him along. Even if you’re hired, you’ll only start work tomorrow. Today, the boss has many matters at home; you might not be able to help.”

Cheng Qiao was immediately pleased upon seeing Zheng Ning. Though malnourished and thin, her clothes sparse, her eyes were upright.

“How old is your eldest sister? Does anyone at home take care of this child?”

The boy’s eyes lit up when he saw Cheng Qiao. It was his first time seeing such a beautiful boss lady, and her three children clearly looked well-raised.

“Boss, I can take care of my little sister. I’m three years old!”

“Oh? How do you take care of her?”

“I have an elder sister. I can cook. I can watch the house.”

“What else can you do?”

“I… I feed her, bathe her, put her to sleep.”

Cheng Qiao raised her brow slightly. The child’s tone was almost identical to that of Cheng Li in his rebirth, though his speech was unclear, it was not repetitive.

Most children drag words when speaking, but he didn’t.

“How old are you exactly?”

The boy’s heart skipped a beat. His gaze at Cheng Qiao was filled with fear. Cheng Qiao understood—he had probably experienced something similar to Cheng Li, the difference being that Cheng Li had no memories from a previous life, while he did.

“Baby, if your mother works here, will you come looking for her?”

“No! I… I will take care of my little sister. I won’t cause trouble for you!”

“Remember your words, or I won’t let your mother work here.”

Cheng Qiao’s tone and expression became serious. For someone who had been reborn, she had to be cautious. But with the sudden situation and no suitable candidate, she would have to proceed step by step.

Zheng Qing looked at Cheng Qiao curiously. Her temperament was usually not like this—was it possible she didn’t like the boy?

Zheng Ning felt even more nervous, regretting bringing the little boy. But now it was too late to turn back. Cheng Qiao’s seriousness and aura completely overwhelmed her, leaving her unable to lift her head.

“The first month’s wage is twenty yuan. You’ll just accompany my mother, not letting her do heavy work. Otherwise, as long as she has the strength, she can move around freely.”

“Thank you, boss. I’ll take good care of Aunt Li.”

Zheng Ning had thought the job was gone, but unexpectedly, Cheng Qiao hired her. Her face lit up with a bright smile.

Cheng Qiao casually glanced at the child. Seeing his joyful expression, she realized that even though he had been reborn, he was still a child in his previous life as well.

“Sister Zheng, every country has its laws, every family has its rules. My grocery store may be small, but it’s still a business. Don’t let unnecessary people in casually. If there’s something, take it outside to discuss.”

Zheng Qing blushed. She understood Cheng Qiao’s warning and quickly nodded. The little boy also glanced at Cheng Qiao, slowly backing away until he reached the outside of the store.

“Come over tomorrow morning. Work for two days first, and I’ll see how you do.”

Zheng Ning nodded and, imitating the baby, slowly stepped back. Only when she reached the door did she leave with the baby. Zheng Qing felt a bit uneasy—surely she wouldn’t unintentionally make things worse.

“Cheng Qiao, did I do something wrong…”

“No, thank you. Your sister has a very sharp eye; she should be capable of handling this job.”

Mother Li watched everything with a beaming smile, her heart as sweet as honey. This daughter-in-law was truly good. But the twenty yuan couldn’t be paid by Cheng Qiao herself—now that she had money in her pocket, she had to pay it herself.

Cheng Qiao had no idea of Mother Li’s plan. She had spent this week checking the accounts of the grocery store and had also visited Li Ming’s school to speak with his homeroom teacher. Perhaps Li Ming would transfer to another school next semester.

The homeroom teacher felt reluctant about Li Ming transferring. This child had grown from mischievous to a “model student,” and the teacher had put a lot of effort into it.

Cheng Qiao understood the teacher’s feelings. When he offered to take her to see the principal, the teacher felt annoyed—he had only tried to advise, and now she was going to the principal to complain.

She wanted to say something more but realized it wasn’t necessary. Once they reached the principal’s office, the misunderstanding would be cleared. When they arrived, Cheng Qiao directly took out five thousand yuan from her backpack and placed it on the desk.

“Parents of this student, what are you doing?”

Both the principal and homeroom teacher were startled by Cheng Qiao’s action. Taking out so much money—was she asking them to do something improper?

“I’m the owner of Li Ming’s Grocery. This money is a scholarship donation from our store to the school… What I mean is, every year, students who are ‘model students’ or who have made significant academic progress can receive a monetary award.”

The principal and homeroom teacher exchanged a glance, both eyes lighting up with delight. Their school’s funding was really tight; if they fulfilled this task, it would certainly strain another.

“Thank you, thank you for your contribution to education. We desperately need this support.”

The principal immediately extended his hand to shake Cheng Qiao’s, but when he saw her hand—fair and delicate—he instinctively pulled back in surprise.

Cheng Qiao paused, looking at her empty hand. She immediately understood the principal’s reaction and couldn’t help but laugh. The principal and homeroom teacher were momentarily blinded by her smile. No wonder Li Ming was so handsome—now she knew the answer.