Chapter 377: with translation of chapter title

Hearing Shazhu's words, Huaihua hurriedly stood up and walked toward the house.

Shazhu: "Eat, ah."

"I'm telling you, San Da Ye, you're just a San Da Ye."

Saying this, he pointed at Yi Zhonghai and continued:

"Have you seen how the Eldest Uncle speaks?"

"People don't even say a word."

"That's the Eldest Uncle's stature."

Liu Haizhong laughed: "He, he's giving his position to you, ah."

"He now has no speaking rights."

"Is that what you mean, Shazhu?"

Shazhu grinned: "Yes, yes, yes, that's exactly it."

"Now I am the Eldest Uncle."

"In that case, I've been promoted to Eldest Uncle, ah."

"This, the Eldest Uncle decides."

"In our courtyard, we won't have a Second Elder or a Third Elder."

"From now on, everything will be decided by me alone."

Saying this, he shoved Yi Zhonghai and continued:

"Get up, get up, move aside, you can't sit here."

Yi Zhonghai stood up with a sullen face and sat to the side.

Liu Haizhong raised his cup and clinked it against Shazhu's.

Shazhu's face darkened, and he pretended to be unhappy, shouting:

"Do I listen to you or to me?"

Liu Haizhong laughed: "Listen to you, listen to you."

Shazhu: "That's about right."

"Come on, everyone raise your cups."

"Remember, from now on you can only raise your cup when I say so."

"Everything must follow my lead."

"I am the Eldest Uncle."

Everyone laughed and nodded.

Since Shazhu can let them eat and drink well, they're also willing to give him this nominal title.

Just as everyone raised their cups and clinked them, Yan Bu Gui suddenly said:

"Shazhu, really, the new disciple you took in is too poor."

"He's really not as tasty as your San Da Ma's stir-fry."

Shazhu: "It's not that exaggerated, not that exaggerated, ah."

"Today, everyone just make do."

Saying this, he pretended to darken his face and continued:

"San Da Ye, you're just a San Da Ye; now I'm the Eldest Uncle, the vegetables I brought back can't be said to be bad."

"Did you hear that?"

Yi Zhonghai: "......"

Liu Haizhong: "......"

Yan Bu Gui: "......"

Jia Zhangshi laughed: "Shazhu, as long as you bring back vegetables every day, you'll be fine as the Eldest Uncle of this courtyard."

Shazhu beamed: "No problem; by then you'll all have to call me Eldest Uncle."

"No, calling you that would make you sound old."

"Better to just call you Eldest Uncle."

After finishing the meal and returning to the house left by the Deaf Old Lady in the backyard, Shazhu let out a long sigh and lay down on the bed.

Not long after, Qin Huairu walked in.

"Yo, why are you still lying down?"

"Are you really tired?"

Shazhu sighed, got up, and said:

"A bit, I've been busy all day."

"Mainly, I'm mentally exhausted."

Qin Huairu frowned, sat at the table, and asked:

"What's wrong?"

Shazhu hesitated, then said:

"I'm giving you a heads-up."

"I might quit this restaurant any day."

Hearing this, Qin Huairu's mood became somewhat complicated.

She felt that Shazhu saying this must be because of Teacher Ran.

Perhaps Teacher Ran doesn't like Shazhu, doesn't want to be with him, so Shazhu doesn't want to work at that restaurant.

She really does not want Shazhu to be together with Teacher Ran.

But she also worries that Shazhu and Teacher Ran have no hope, and she might think about getting back together with her.

She doesn't want to think about it now.

She feels that the current situation is quite good.

Without wronging herself by being with someone she dislikes, Shazhu, she can still get benefits from him; moreover, Shazhu is even willing to borrow money from others and give it all to her.

How wonderful!

Why would she wrong herself?

Seeing Qin Huairu silent, her brows tightly furrowed as if thinking about something, Shazhu asked:

"What's wrong? I'm talking to you—didn't you hear?"

"Oh, I heard. Why don't you want to work at that restaurant anymore?"

"Did you have a falling out with Teacher Ran?"

"Not really."

"Is it that she doesn't want you to work? Is she dissatisfied with your cooking?"

"Of course not—I just feel a bit unhappy working there now."

"Working for others is always like that."

"Do you know how important you are now?"

"You say, if you didn't have this job..."

"Let's not even talk about solving the difficulties in the courtyard."

"Even our own family is living a tight life, isn't it?"

"Especially this time, we lost all our money in the business."

"If it weren't for your help, we wouldn't be able to get by."

"You say if you lost this job, what would we do?"

Shazhu let out a sigh and said nothing.

"Actually, it's not that we absolutely have to manage the courtyard's affairs."

"But we can't bear to see others suffer poverty and hardship, can we?"

"Second Elder and Third Elder are so pitiful."

"We've all lived through hard days—what was that like?"

"We all know that."

"They too have lost everything; we can't bear to see them sick and without money for treatment, right?"

"Can we even bear to watch?"

Shazhu let out a long sigh and said, "I know."

"Huairu, I really admire your kindness."

"As for me, I'm just venting a bit; it's fine, I still need to work hard to earn money."

Saying this, his face suddenly darkened, and then he said:

"People are just different; we can't bear it."

"But this Xu Damao can bear it."

"So everyone in the courtyard dislikes him."

"We can't be like him either."

"I'll head back first; I forgot to ask Xiao Dang how his work is."

"By the way, don't keep overthinking."

"Teacher Ran's restaurant gives you such a high salary; you can't quit."

Shazhu let out a long sigh and said nothing.

He feels bitter inside.

Now Teacher Ran is too strict with him.

They don't even allow him to bring dishes back.

Moreover, it seems she doesn't like him.

This last point is what makes him most depressed.

What he didn't expect was that, the next day when he went to work, Teacher Ran summoned him to the office.

She also said she would give him a raise.

This is a sudden turn for the better.

Shazhu was very surprised, somewhat incredulously saying, "This, boss..."

"Is this appropriate?"

"What's inappropriate about it?"

"To be honest, your Sichuan cuisine is indeed quite good and relatively authentic."

"Our shop's business is so good; you've contributed indispensably."

"For those who have contributed, I certainly ought to reward them."

"Rewards and punishments should be clear."

Shazhu thought for a moment and asked, "Boss, may I make a request?"

"Speak."

"I don't want a raise."

As long as you're willing to let me bring back a few vegetables every day, that'll do.

Teacher Ran thought for a moment, then said, "You're really warm-hearted."

I'd rather not get a raise, as long as I can bring vegetables to those elders in the courtyard.

Alright, I promise you.

Shazhu exclaimed excitedly, "Thank you, boss, thank you boss."