Abandoning Wife and Selling Daughter? Turning Around to Marry a Powerful Minister and Wiping Out Your Entire Clan! - Chapter 19

Zhang Xiaolan turned her head to look at the woman grabbing her and hurried to explain.

She had important matters today—how could she allow this woman to drag her into trouble?

“Let go of me! Did you mistake me for someone else? I don’t know you…”

But the woman was broad-shouldered and strong; Zhang Xiaolan couldn’t break free.

“What are you saying? Your sister worked hard to get you this job, and now you’re going to waste her kindness?” The woman didn’t even look back, pulling her forward. “Even though it’s just a kitchen helper job at Fenghua Restaurant, it still pays three taels of silver a month…”

Fenghua Restaurant? Wasn’t that the place Zhou Quan and that young lady just entered?

Zhang Xiaolan stopped struggling and let the woman lead her forward.

Perhaps noticing that the person behind her had stopped resisting, the woman continued to ramble on, persuading her.

When they were near the back kitchen of the restaurant, the woman reminded her, “Once we’re there, just call me Sister Lin…”

As soon as she saw Zhang Xiaolan’s face, Sister Lin’s expression changed drastically. “Who are you? Where is Lingxiu?”

Zhang Xiaolan was about to explain when the back door of the restaurant opened, and a head popped out. “Great! Sister Lin, you finally found her!”

Before Sister Lin could explain, the young man pulled Zhang Xiaolan inside. Walking quickly, he started introducing things to her. “Since Sister Lin recommended you, you probably already know the basics. Let me explain what you’ll be doing and where.”

He led her to a stone slab in the courtyard, where several wooden basins and bamboo trays were placed.

“Your tasks include washing vegetables, gutting fish, soaking dried ingredients, and washing dishes. The supervisor will assign you tasks, and for anything else, just check where help is needed and inform the supervisor before stepping in.”

It was a lot of work, but if she could find out what Zhou Quan was doing here, it was worth it.

Zhang Xiaolan nodded. The young man called the supervisor over to assign her work before heading off to his own duties.

Sister Lin, though strong and sturdy, still couldn’t catch up in time. By the time she arrived, the supervisor had already finished giving out tasks.

She was stunned—she had paid the supervisor silver to secure this job, and now this girl got it for free?

Seeing that the supervisor hadn’t left, she quickly pulled him aside. “Supervisor Zhang, this isn’t the person I was talking about! I… I grabbed the wrong one.”

Sister Lin’s face turned red with embarrassment. She had no choice—if someone else took the job, she would have to return the silver she had taken, but some of that money had already been used to bribe Supervisor Zhang. How could she return it?

Supervisor Zhang looked at the girl working efficiently in the corner—dressed plainly with a simple hairpin, but with a graceful posture and organized movements.

She seemed like a girl from a wealthy family. Yet, she had no complaints about working in a restaurant and was swift with her hands. Supervisor Zhang appreciated what he saw.

He turned to Sister Lin. “Lin, can the girl you brought work as efficiently as this one?”

Sister Lin glanced at Zhang Xiaolan and froze. Lingxiu had been pampered since childhood—she probably couldn’t handle such work, let alone be better than this girl.

Sister Lin remained silent, but Supervisor Zhang had already figured it out. That girl certainly wouldn’t be as capable.

“We’re busy today. Let this girl work for now. Tonight, I’ll ask her if she wants to stay. If she doesn’t, we’ll pay her for the day, and you can bring your girl tomorrow. But if she wants to stay, she stays.”

Sister Lin knew that Supervisor Zhang was already being generous, so she agreed in a low voice.

Before she knew it, it was midday—the busiest time of the day. The restaurant was packed with people.

The first-floor dining hall was full of guests eating, chatting, and playing drinking games. Waiters weaved through the crowd, carrying trays of food. The atmosphere was lively and bustling.

Once the busiest period was over, the staff at the back got their meal break.

Zhang Xiaolan took her meal and asked the supervisor if she could take it home to share with her family.

Supervisor Zhang had already heard from his subordinates that she was the most diligent worker. Now, hearing that she wanted to share her food with her family, he was even more impressed.

With a wave of his hand, he approved her request and even told her she could rest in the afternoon when things weren’t busy.

Zhang Xiaolan thanked him and left quickly.

At that moment, Supervisor Zhang was determined to keep her.

But Zhang Xiaolan only took a few bites of her food before handing the rest to a beggar nearby.

The weather was getting colder, and the beggars on the streets were suffering. If she could help, she would.

Her excuse about taking food home was just a cover—her real goal was to see when Zhou Quan would leave the restaurant.

She had feared the kitchen would be too busy, so she had planned to pay the gatekeeper to watch for her. If Zhou Quan left, he would inform her.

Since the boy at the gate hadn’t said anything, it meant Zhou Quan hadn’t left.

Most people wouldn’t stay in a restaurant for more than a meal or a cup of tea. Yet, Zhou Quan had spent the entire morning and noon upstairs with that beautiful young lady. Zhang Xiaolan didn’t believe they were up there discussing noble ideals.

Just as she finished talking to the gatekeeper, the two of them finally came downstairs. Zhou Quan’s flirtatious eyes were practically glued to the young lady.

The young lady also looked at him shyly, her cheeks flushed with happiness.

Zhang Xiaolan also noticed that the small servant who had been carrying a box for Zhou Quan no longer had it. Instead, the young lady now held something in her hands and had an extra jade hairpin in her hair.

It seemed the gift had been given, and the young lady was delighted.

Zhang Xiaolan sneered inwardly.

She didn’t follow Zhou Quan. Instead, she took a roundabout route, trailing behind the young lady’s carriage from a distance.

She made full use of her one-hour break.

Not only did she find out where the young lady lived, but she also learned that she was Zhou Quan’s mistress, living in a house under one of his colleagues’ names.

The two had spent the morning together in a private room at the restaurant and had arranged to meet again in ten days.

From their conversation, it seemed that Zhou Quan had kept this mistress even before his wedding with Shen Ting.

Ha! And here she thought Zhou Quan valued Shen Ting so much. He had forced her to become a concubine, even selling their daughter just to keep her out of sight.

So, it was all just for this?

That evening, the restaurant was still busy, but just before the street curfew, those who needed to go home were allowed to leave.

Today was a little different—Supervisor Zhang called Zhang Xiaolan and Sister Lin over a bit earlier than usual.

“The new girl…” He hesitated, realizing he hadn’t asked for her name.

“I am Zhang,” Zhang Xiaolan said politely, bowing.

Relieved, Supervisor Zhang’s expression improved.

“Zhang, Sister Lin brought you here by mistake today, which is how you ended up as a helper at Fenghua Restaurant.” He paused. “But we all saw your work today. So let me ask you—would you like to stay on at the restaurant?”

Of course! She was waiting for Zhou Quan to meet his mistress again in ten days—why wouldn’t she stay?

Besides, working here meant saving money on food and earning wages. Why not?

But Sister Lin was a problem. If she stayed, she would likely face trouble.

Supervisor Zhang saw the hesitation in Zhang Xiaolan’s face. He had an idea of her concerns but didn’t want to lose such a hardworking person.

He explained the benefits of the job, the working hours, and the wages. He even made an exception, allowing her to take lunch home and have an hour of rest.

Zhang Xiaolan appeared moved, as if she had thought of something frightening. She glanced secretly at Sister Lin.

“Zhang, do you want to or not?”