Gourd Farm Chapter 33
Translated by Etherna (ko-fi)
Chapter 33: Salary and Benefits
Upon hearing that Xia Ying was considering going to the big city, Yang Feng felt a sudden pang of unease and a strange sense of loss, though he couldn't quite put his finger on the feeling.
Wait, wasn't he currently in the process of looking for an employee? It was ironic how something he needed was right in front of him.
Yang Feng cleared his mind and asked Xia Ying, "Are you sure you're not picky about the job?"
"Yeah, as long as it's close to home."
"Do you mind working at my place?"
"Are you saying you're hiring right now?"
"Yeah, I recently added two more greenhouses, and with the additional supply for the restaurant, things are getting a bit overwhelming."
If he could find someone now, it would be perfect. He would have started planting in the new greenhouses already if he hadn't been so busy these past few days.
"Well, I'm looking for a long-term position. Is your job a year-round one?"
Xia Ying asked with a hint of concern. If it was only for a few days or weeks, she might as well leave sooner.
"Don't worry; this job is definitely year-round. I'm not interested in short-term hires."
For sure, he wanted someone for the long term. Short-term workers were too troublesome; everytime someone new came in, they had to learn the ropes all over again, which wasted time. With long-term employees, they could develop a smoother working relationship.
"So, what exactly will I be doing? I'm afraid I won't do well."
Xia Ying wanted the job, but she needed to know what it entailed. She didn't want to be a burden.
"Oh, it's similar to what you did with the watermelons. Mainly, you'll be tending to the greenhouses and occasionally helping me with the stall."
"That's it?"
"Yeah, it's pretty straightforward. You'll be doing just that. There's no high-tech work involved."
"That should be okay then. I might not be good at other things, but I should be able to take care of the greenhouses. After all, I've been helping with our family's land for several years now."
Ever since her mother's leg troubles started a few years ago, Xia Ying had been taking care of everything around the house. If it weren't for her mother's condition, she might be teaching at a university by now.
"Great. When you went inside earlier, did you ask about the monthly salary?"
Since he had returned, Yang Feng had been working alone, so he wasn't very familiar with the local wage rates.
"Oh, they said the guaranteed salary is 2,500 yuan, and the performance bonus depends on the turnover. Normally, you can expect around 200 yuan this month, plus a 100 yuan full attendance bonus."
"All right, so it's 2,800 yuan per month."
"Yes, that's right."
"Okay, then I'll go with this standard. The job includes meals, but not accommodation. Is that acceptable to you?"
"Is that settled? Don't you want to see how I work first?"
"Well, it's not too complicated. As for your work ethic, I have a pretty good idea of it."
During this period, except for the rare days of heavy rain, Xia Ying had been there every day when he set up the stall. She always came early, and for that alone, she was worth hiring.
"Okay, boss. When can I start?"
"Oh, what did you just call me?"
He hadn't thought about it and realized that "boss" made it sound like he was the one in charge.
"Boss, now you're my new boss, aren't you?"
As Xia Ying said this playfully, Yang Feng really felt uncomfortable with the term. It sounded strange to him.
Now that the job issue seemed to be settled, Xia Ying was unusually lively, quite different from her usual self.
"Call me by my name; when you call me 'boss,' I get goosebumps all over."
Xia Ying went home to talk to her mom and declined the job offer in the big city.
"I didn't expect to resolve the lingering issue on a grocery shopping trip."
Hiring someone was one thing, but finding a diligent and proactive worker was another matter entirely.
Back at home, he clanged pots and pans together, and in no time, the aroma of two delicious dishes filled the air.
Yang Feng cooked a dish of braised chicken with potatoes and stir-fried some vegetables he had grown himself. He looked at the stove, where there was still half a bottle of white wine left from who knows when.
He brought it over, smelled the aroma, and poured a glass to enjoy.
...
"Mom, I want to talk to you about something."
Xia Ying set the meal on the table and helped the elderly woman up from the bed.
"Yes, go ahead."
"I found a job today in the neighboring village. The salary and everything are quite satisfactory. Can I not go to the big city?"
"Sis, you found a job?"
Before the elderly woman could speak, a young man of about the same age as Xia Ying chimed in.
"Yeah, I just found it this morning."
"That's right. It's so nice to have you at home. Mom, I don't mean to criticize you, but with Sis at home, we'd be living a much better life."
"You, get out of here. You're idle all day long. If you were half as responsible as your sister, would I let her go out?"
The elderly woman had a troubled expression on her face as she scolded him.
"Hmph, you just don't understand..."
Reprimanded by the elderly woman, the young man shrank back and didn't say anything more. Instead, he secretly gave Xia Ying a thumbs-up.
"Xia Ying, did you say you found a job in the neighboring village?"
"Yeah, I'll be tending to greenhouses over there."
"What? Farming won't get you anywhere."
The elderly woman's face, which had slightly softened, showed signs of erupting again upon hearing that it was farming-related.
"What do you mean, farming? I said I'd be tending to greenhouses, and they are on a large scale."
"Isn't that just another way of saying you're working in the fields, getting your hands dirty? Your aunt called today asking when you're coming; she found you a job as a front-of-house server, a much more respectable job."
"Tsk, all you do is serve tea and water to people. What's so respectable about that?"
The young man who had been silent until now couldn't help but interject.
"What did you say? Say that again!"
"Mom, this job is really good. The salary is as high as a cashier's salary at the supermarket."
"Really?"
Upon hearing that the salary was unexpectedly high, the elderly woman's curiosity was piqued, and she no longer pursued the matter. She asked Xia Ying with some interest.
"Yeah, why would I lie to you? Plus, I can come back and run the stall in the evenings, so I can work with peace of mind."
"Ah, you've all grown up, and since you have your own ideas, I won't force you."
The elderly woman's original intention was to ensure that the family's source of income didn't come to a halt. Now that she knew her daughter could earn income at home, she didn't want her to travel far away.
...
"Sis, I'll take you to work tomorrow."
"Forget it, you should focus on finding a job yourself. This way, I can relax a bit."
Xia Ying had no choice but to deal with her younger brother, who was good in many ways but couldn't stick with a job for long, always starting and quitting frequently.
"By the way, sis, do they still need more people where you're working? Can I go with you?"
"No, they don't."
At this point, Xia Ying didn't want to entertain him any longer, so she gave a casual response.
Meanwhile, at home, Yang Feng had prepared a mixture of fertilizer and water, getting ready to plant tomato seedlings when Xia Ying came over the next day.
