Chapter 584: Holding One’s Head High
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
No one could get used to Su Binglan’s absence and missed her dearly. Su Xuexuan and Su Xuehai often asked when their aunt would return after coming back from school.
Since the whole family missed Su Binglan, they earnestly did the tasks she had arranged. During the month she had been away at the border, the Su family continued managing the tofu factory, embroidery shop, and winery well.
Business at the hotpot restaurants was still as excellent as ever. Of course, the people of Teng County also wanted a hotpot restaurant in their town. Then it would be more convenient for them to eat hotpot.
Even the county magistrate, Meng Ce, hoped for a hotpot restaurant closer to him. After all, his mother, wife, and son also liked eating hotpot.
Even government officials were delighted to go to Tenghe Town for work because they could enjoy eating at the hotpot restaurants. Otherwise, they would find it cumbersome to travel so far for work.
Su Wenwu considered it and opened two new hotpot restaurants in the county. He was even more experienced now that he had opened restaurants independently.
However, the shops in the county were more expensive than those in Tenghe Town, so he rented two remote places. One was at the county’s east end, and the other was at the west.
The rent was also cheaper because Su’s Hotpot had made a name for itself. Su Wenwu did not have to worry about people not recognizing the restaurant, no matter where he planned to open them.
In the past, people from the county would travel to Tenghe Town to eat hotpot, but it was far. Compared to traveling to Tenghe Town, the east and west of the county were much closer.
The landlord knew Su Wenwu wanted to rent his shop to open another hotpot restaurant, so he wished to waive the rent as long as he could enjoy eating hotpot more conveniently.
The people renting shoos in the county were wealthier than most and enjoyed eating hotpot as often as possible.
Su Wenwu saw the landlord’s enthusiasm and offered him a VIP card to get a 10% discount whenever he ate at the restaurant. The landlord was thrilled and decided not to charge Su Wenwu for rent.
Still, Su Wenwu felt he should follow the rules and pay for rent. Besides, he had made plenty of money from the two hotpot restaurants in Tenghe Town. The two bargained for a while, and Su Wenwu paid the landlord one silver tael a month.
Although the landlord did not want to accept the rent because he felt the VIP card was priceless and precious, Su Wenwu insisted on paying. Ultimately, the landlord thought it was fine and accepted Su Wenwu’s terms.
Su Wenwu ensured their deal by signing a contract with the landlord to rent the shop for one silver per month, and the landlord was extremely grateful to him.
Su Wenwu was stunned and thought that receiving everyone’s respect felt great. He still remembered the hardships he had suffered in the past. He went to look for work in the past and could not find any.
Many people looked down on him in his tattered clothes with disdain. Some even gossiped about him behind his back. Even if Su Wenwu did not do anything wrong nor made a fool of himself, people would laugh at him.
When he finally got a job moving things at the dock, he got scolded for breaking the products and making mistakes. He felt sad and uncomfortable but could only swallow his grievances.
After all, he only wanted to make a living and give his earnings to his parents for his family to eat. Even a single copper coin was vital to him back then. Therefore, he had grown accustomed to being thrifty, even though he now had abundant money.
He was habitually frugal but would never take advantage of others. Hence, he insisted on paying rent. His state of mind had also undergone a massive change.
People no longer looked down on him and said mean things about him. They would not look at Su Wenwu with disdain and ridicule. Everyone knew him and that he was a member of the Su family who was in charge of the renowned hotpot restaurants.
People respected him and were very polite to him. Su Wenwu felt better about himself and felt a sense of pride. He cherished his life and continued working hard to earn money. He felt his life was more meaningful.
After renting the two shops, he looked toward the sky while walking home, feeling the sun’s warmth. Then he entrusted the two restaurant’s renovation to Su Xueye.
Su Xueye had become even more famous since the earthquake because the buildings he had built were still intact after the disaster. Many people asked him to rebuild and renovate their houses and shops.
Since he was much busier now, he formed two more teams, totaling three teams. Su Xueye spent most of his days supervising his teams and teaching them how to build better structures.
That way, he could find time to study and observe more. Even so, many people lined up to hire him and his team for construction work.
Su Xueye also started nurturing apprentices. Of course, he personally handled and prioritized the Su family’s wants and needs. Therefore, he gladly accepted Su Wenwu’s requests.
Su Teng Village continued growing and developing. Even the people from the surrounding villages benefited from these changes and thrived, becoming wealthier.
Almost every family in the surrounding villages worked hard for the Su family, receiving monthly wages and bonuses. Of course, those who failed to get hired had characteristics problems or family issues.
These people later realized their problems and began changing for the better to find work. Those who often quarreled began living in harmony. Needless today, the Su family changed the culture of many villages. Everyone was actively improving.
Even Li Shi’s eldest and youngest brothers in Northern Song Village made excuses, saying they were visiting their parents to curry favor with Li Shi. Even Li Shi’s sisters-in-law became more polite toward him.
They had no complaints, even if Li Shi never paid attention to them and never let them in. Then they realized Li Shi was strong in martial arts and important to the Su family.
Li Shi also managed one of the hotpot restaurants in town and had a lot of power. Ultimately, his siblings and in-laws no longer dared to offend him and even became more polite toward his parents.
They now felt ostracized in Northern Song Village because some people in their village could work for the Su family but not them. The villagers worked in the embroidery shop, cured meat store, or other Su family businesses.
After receiving the Su family’s favor, Li Shi stuck to them wholeheartedly. Since he was Su Binglan’s underling, the Su family would not forgive anyone who hurt him.
Therefore, Li Shi’s brothers could only try currying his favor now. Although Li Shi ignored them, he felt relieved and satisfied.
Even the townsfolk began inquiring about finding jobs at Su Teng Village. When they heard that the Su family would open a cured meat store and noodle shop, they perked up and immediately applied for a job..