Chapter 2718: Husband, You're So Sneaky!

Zhou Andong finished washing up and saw that Qiuqiu had also finished tidying up, and asked: "Want to go eat?"

Qiqi looked at the time: "Do you still have time for breakfast?"

"There's still time." Zhou Andong pushed open the door, the cool morning air refreshing him as he took a deep breath and stepped across the threshold: "Do you have anything to do today?"

Qiqi followed him out and turned to close the door: "You got something going on?"

Zhou Andong said while walking: "I was thinking, if you're free, take little feather to Compound No. 6 for a while—the old man hasn't seen the kid yet."

"Not today!" Qiqi flirtatiously swept her bangs behind her ear: "I heard Yao Jinghuai's tea collection is excellent, so I'm going to his place for a cup of tea, and while I'm there, I'll borrow a knife."

Yao Jinghuai is the secretary of Xicheng District. Zhou Andong immediately understood—this is about taking down Zhao Chengdong from the District Construction Bureau.

"Looks like, even if I don't want to be late today, I'll have to be." Zhou Andong, who had been somewhat hurried, immediately slowed his pace: "No rush."

Qiqi gave Zhou Andong a suspicious look: "What are you planning to do?"

Zhou Andong said with a smile: "Going to Yao Jinghuai's for tea is fine, but trying to borrow his knife? That old fox will definitely lead you in circles playing Tai Chi. So I need to help you out—get Yao Jinghuai to take the knife himself and take care of Zhao Chengdong."

Qiqi asked doubtfully: "How are you going to make Yao Jinghuai voluntarily take care of Zhao Chengdong?"

Zhou Andong said softly: "Today is the last day of the symposium. If I'm late again, what do you think will happen?"

Qiqi froze for a moment, then realized: "You're currently our country's business card in the commercial sector. If you miss the final day of the meeting, the organizers and those bigwigs will lose face."

Zhou Andong gave a dark chuckle: "To leave a memory for our descendants, to rebuild those ancient structures in Jiangzhou, I've poured in vast sums of money and effort. Now that problems have arisen, I naturally need to resolve this first—whether I attend the meeting or not doesn't matter anymore."

"Husband, you're so sly, yet I can't help but adore you." Qiqi wrapped her arms around Zhou Andong's arm, her admiring little eyes filling the moment with emotional value.

Zhou Andong proudly entered the restaurant, then saw Tang Lin and Zhang Zuo—those two goofs—burying their heads in their meal.

"Damn, this early in the morning, you two couldn't sleep a bit longer? Why are you here mooching off my food?"

Zhang Zuo acted as if he hadn't heard, continuing to shovel food into his mouth.

Tang Lin lifted his head, glanced at Zhou Andong, then picked up his bowl and drank the remaining soup: "The chef and pastry chef have been found. The chef is Yan Man Laoyezi's second daughter, Yan Chan Ying, forty-five. The pastry chef is Jin Yun Qiao, twenty-two.

Both work at the State Guesthouse. Yan Chan Ying is a formal employee, but her son has always been a temporary worker. I asked Yan Man Laoyezi to help find the chef and pastry chef, and Yan Chan Ying resigned, passing her job to her son.

As for Jin Yun Qiao, don't let her age fool you—she's only twenty-two. She began apprenticing under pastry master Xue Xiuhong at fourteen, her skills are absolutely top-notch, and she's won first prize in the pastry competition for three consecutive years."

"Yan Chan Ying resigning to come here makes sense—she's making room for her son." Zhou Andong looked curiously at Tang Lin: "But why did Jin Yun Qiao resign?"

"She works at the State Guesthouse and has won first prize in the pastry competition three years in a row. I'd think the State Guesthouse wouldn't easily let go of someone like her."

"It's because of the regularization issue." Tang Lin ate half a fried dough stick from his plate, then continued: "Originally, she was due to be regularized this year, but the slot was taken. So when she heard you needed a pastry chef here, she quit without hesitation."

Zhou Andong, upon hearing the regularization slot was taken, said: "That's not surprising at all. Don't say it's this era—even twenty or thirty years from now, your talent and ability won't stand a chance against someone with strong connections."

Zhou Andong asked: "Did you tell them about the salary?"

"No!" Tang Lin shook his head: "You didn't tell me how much to offer either."

Zhou Andong doubted: "You didn't offer them a salary, yet they agreed—and quit so decisively?"

"Brother, do you misunderstand the name Zhou Andong?" Tang Lin chuckled: "Just based on the name Zhou Andong, do you really need to negotiate prices in advance?"

Zhou Andong turned to Qiangqiu: "Honey, what salary do you think would be appropriate for them?"

Qiqi asked Tang Lin: "What's their salary at the State Guesthouse?"

"I'm not entirely sure." Tang Lin shook his head: "But chefs are high-paying professionals. Take Yan Man Laoyezi—an ordinary section-level cadre earns about 500 to 600 yuan monthly, plus subsidies, reaching over 700.

Yet Yan Man Laoyezi's monthly salary is 1,400 to 1,500 yuan—double that of an ordinary section-level cadre. And Yan Chan Ying is a deputy section-level official. As for Jin Yun Qiao, though she's not a formal worker, her fame is big, so her salary won't be low."

Qiqi continued: "Your private kitchen—how much are you planning to pay Yan Man Laoyezi?"

Tang Lin raised his hand and swayed it: "Five thousand yuan a month!"

Zhou Andong slightly nodded. Given Yan Man Laoyezi's status, position, and reputation in the culinary world, 5,000 yuan a month really isn't high. You know, even now, any chef with a bit of fame earns 2,000 to 3,000 yuan a month. Not to mention the future—top-tier chefs earning over a million yuan annually is completely normal.

"Chefs are indeed high-paid." Qiqi mused: "The chef hired at Tang Dynasty Barbecue only does vegetable mixing and meat marinating, yet earns over 600–700 yuan a month. For renowned chefs like Yan Chan Ying and Jin Yun Qiao, 3,000 yuan a month would be the bare minimum."

"Then it's 3,000!" Zhou Andong slammed the table, then told Tang Lin: "When can they come over?"

"Anytime." Tang Lin wiped his hands with a napkin: "You guys pick a suitable time, and I'll notify them."

"Then let's do tomorrow." Zhou Andong also put down his chopsticks: "Ask them if they have any other requests."

"Got it!" Tang Lin nodded: "I'll contact them this afternoon."

Zhou Andong stood up and said: "Honey, I'm done eating—I'll go to Cai Shikou for a stroll. When are you leaving?"

"Let's go together." Qiqi stood up as well, and the two left the restaurant, entered the courtyard, and saw the car already parked at the gate, with Wang Wentiang leaning against the car door, smoking.

Zhou Andong and Qiqi stepped over the threshold, and Wang Wentiang hastily tossed away his cigarette: "Chairman, sister-in-law!"

Zhan, Lian Kai, and Shen Weiming were standing not far away by the Land Cruiser, chatting. Seeing Zhou Andong and Qiqi come out, they quickly walked over.

"Chairman, sister-in-law!"

Zhou Andong smiled and asked: "When did you guys get back?"

Wang Wentiang replied: "We got off the train this morning—we've only been home for less than half an hour."

Zhou Andong said helplessly: "What's the rush? You slept on the train all night—rest today, and go back to work tomorrow."

Shen Weiming shook his head: "I slept on the train all night and I'm not tired at all."

"Alright then." Zhou Andong didn't say more, bent down, and got into the car: "Honey, should I drive you over?"

Qiqi waved her hand: "I'll drive myself."

"Sure!" Zhou Andong waved his hand: "I'm off!"