Outsider: The Fifth Young Master of the Kang Family

Chapter 50 Part-time Worker

"Hey, old man? What's up?"

Kang Qirui got a call from his father on his way back to the office after class. He quickly answered the call, "Go home and cook for you and Tianxiu? I don't have the time. I have classes in the afternoon."

It takes 40 minutes to get back to Changsheng Street from Kangleyuan, and it takes at least two hours to go back and forth, including shopping for groceries and cooking. Kang Qirui, who has classes in the afternoon, certainly doesn't want to go home. When his father heard that Kang Qirui was not coming back, he hung up the phone angrily.

When Kang Qirui returned home in the evening, the second brother called everyone to a meeting. Kang Qirui sat down in the dining room and saw Tianxiu stand up and imitate his father's tone and said: "I have five sons, four daughters-in-law, and one grandson, a total of ten people, but in the end I can't even find someone to cook." This sentence is indeed quite sad when you think about it carefully.

"You bad boy, don't say bad things about grandpa in front of us." The second brother couldn't believe that his father would be so angry.

"That's what he said. If you don't believe me, go ask him." Tianxiu was not convinced.

"Xiaozi, grandpa's hand really can't move?" Kang Qirui was worried about what happened to his father's hand.

Tianxiu recalled for a moment, then said with certainty: "Yes, he said he got hurt this morning."

Hearing this, the second brother and his wife sighed. What should they do? "That's bad. We don't have time to come back and cook. We talk to customers at noon with lunch boxes." The second brother said directly. After the Chinese New Year, for some reason, many people started to renovate their homes. The second brother's hardware store business was much better. The second sister-in-law had to go to the clothing store, so the second brother and the eldest brother were too busy to handle it.

"I don't need to say anything. You are all my bosses. You all know my working hours." Xianglan also said that she didn't have time. Xianglan now works in a clothing store. Except for A-Zu, everyone present is Xianglan's boss.

"It's not that complicated. The most suitable candidates are the second brother and his wife." As if seeing the angry look in his eyes, A-Zu continued, "Your son needs someone to cook for him at noon and take care of your father at the same time."

Mazi went back to the countryside to visit relatives, and Tianxiu had to go home for lunch every day because he was in school. Logically, the second brother and his wife were the most suitable. However, the second sister-in-law also had her reasons: "I have a son to take care of, but Dad belongs to everyone. If he has to come back to cook, everyone will take turns."

"Forget about taking turns. I don't even know how to cook." A-Zu started to act like a rogue. He thought for a moment and actually came up with a solution. "Then let's go to A-Rui. You're in school, so you only go back when you have classes. You're the one who has the most free time."

What A-Zu said was indeed correct. Kang Qirui was indeed the one who had the most free time, but not now. "I can't do that either. I wrote a book of notes and I'm currently doing the final revisions with the director of our department, who is also my doctoral advisor." Unlike those science lecturers such as mathematics and physics who write papers and solve problems in Nature and Science, literature lecturers like Kang Qirui have to write books and solve problems.

"Where is Wanling?" A-Zu changed his target again.

"I'm on day shift this month and can't leave for lunch. I can come back after get off work to cook dinner. In two weeks, which is next month, when I switch to night shift, I can cook at home at noon. But what about lunch during these two weeks?" Wanling didn't mind cooking more, but she wouldn't have time until two weeks later. Nurses on the day shift don't have a break at noon. They only have time to eat and have no time to come back and cook.

"How about this, let's hire a part-time worker." The second brother suggested after thinking for a while.

"Okay, I agree. If we hire a part-time worker, everything will be solved." Since he doesn't have to work himself, A-Zu of course agrees. "It's a trend to hire part-time workers now. It's only right for us to show our filial piety and hire a part-time worker for our father."

"Is it expensive to hire a part-time worker?" Xianglan was considering the price. The poorest couple in the Kang family are the two of them. The eldest brother didn't want to take advantage of his younger brother. When he got married, Kang Qirui gave him a 5,000 red envelope. This time, he also gave Kang Qirui a 5,000 red envelope. Now they are really short of money.

"It won't be expensive if everyone shares the cost." The second sister-in-law was still thinking about sharing the cost, but the second brother said, "Ah, why share the cost? Will it cost you a lot of money now? It's just for one month, and the old nanny won't stay away forever. That's it, we'll pay for it, and you don't have to worry about it."

The second brother was still very responsible at the critical moment. He hired a part-time worker to take care of Tianxiu and his father. If it was only his father, it would be fine for everyone to share the cost, but there was also Tianxiu. So the second brother was embarrassed to let others pay.

The matter was resolved satisfactorily, and Kang Qirui took Zhu Wanling back to the room. The two were newlyweds, and were in love. Kang Qirui had just tasted the forbidden fruit, and it was the time when he had no self-control. Zhu Wanling was over 30 years old and was eager to have a child, so she let Kang Qirui do what he wanted.

The next day, Kang Qirui went to work early in the morning. Being young means being full of energy. After several intense battles yesterday, he did not feel tired at all after a good sleep. He had already discussed with his tutor, Mr. Huang, that he had to sort out all the annotations this month and try to submit them to the school's publishing house for typesetting and printing this month. Because this semester, the Chinese Department has a quota for promotion to associate professor. Although Kang Qirui has little hope of getting it, he has to show his ability. What if?
When Kang Qirui finished work and returned to the Kang family, he saw his father sitting on a chair with his legs crossed, reading a newspaper, looking like an old man from ancient times. Kang Qirui joked, "It's really different to have a part-time worker. He will soon be treated like an old man."

"What nonsense are you talking about?" The old man glared at Kang Qirui, then said lightly, "The part-time worker has left. He quits his job."

"Huh?" The second brother was shocked to hear this. "I signed a one-month contract with her, and she left on the first day? Dad, what did you ask her to do? She couldn't even make it through a day."

"How should I know?" Dad was vague. "Are you still guessing? Brother, look at our ceiling and windows, they are all clean. Dad must have asked someone to clean. If you pay for cooking and ask someone to do the cleaning, it would be strange if they don't leave." Kang Qirui rolled his eyes.

"Twelve dollars an hour, isn't it cheap for her to cook?" Dad had his own reason, "I know you are filial, since you are filial, why not give the money to Dad to have tea."

After the old man finished speaking, he didn't want to listen to everyone's comments and went back to his room. "What a stingy guy, it's like he wants to spend his money." A Zu complained.

"That's troublesome. Do we have to take turns to come back and cook starting tomorrow?" said the second sister-in-law helplessly.

"My company is so far away, why not do this?" A-Zu didn't want to come back just because he was lazy. His company was really far away, and it took an hour to commute. It took two hours to go back and forth. "When it's my turn, I'll pay you guys for hourly wages?"

"Hello? I'll pay for you." Speaking of spending money, the second sister-in-law was not polite. Are you kidding? Apart from Kang Qirui, who in the Kang family is richer than her and her husband?
"Hey, it looks like I'm the only one left to sacrifice." Kang Qirui suddenly sighed, and everyone looked at him. The second brother said, "Brother, are you coming back to cook? That would be great."

"No." Kang Qirui denied it, and everyone was speechless, "Then what do you mean by sacrificing you?"

"We are busy, but someone is free." Kang Qirui kept the person in suspense.

"Who is it?" Everyone was curious.

"My mother-in-law." Kang Qirui gave the answer.

"Wish you a happy sage?" Everyone was puzzled.

"Yes, my mother also cooks by herself at home. She cooks for one person or three people." Zhu Wanling's eyes lit up, but then dimmed quickly, "But my mother may not agree."

"So you have to sacrifice me." Kang Qirui stood up and spread his hands and said, "You just wait." After that, he went out and went straight to Zhu's house.

"Mom, I'm watching TV." Kang Qirui was familiar with the place and took out his key to open the door and come in.

"A'Rui, have you eaten? If not, mom will make you some." Mrs. Zhu looked concerned when she saw Kang Qirui.

"Haha, it seems that mom also knows that my uncle has injured his hand." Kang Qirui said. Mrs. Zhu asked him if he had eaten yet, because she knew that her uncle had injured his hand and her mother had returned to the countryside, so she was worried that her son-in-law was still hungry.

"I know. There is nothing that I don't know about Changsheng Street." Mrs. Zhu said proudly.

"Of course." Kang Qirui said, "Mom, I have something to ask you."

"Tell me, why are you being so polite to mom?"

"I wonder if you could go take care of my dad at noon in the next two weeks." Kang Qirui was interrupted by Mrs. Zhu before he could finish his words, "You want me to take care of your dad?" Mrs. Zhu was very angry.

"It's not care, it's not care." Kang Qirui added some tea to Mrs. Zhu's cup, "It's help, help." This word can't be used carelessly. Can care and help be the same?

"Mom, I'm just helping you." Zhu Wanling also came in at this time. She couldn't bear to see her husband bear the fire alone. "Don't say they are in-laws, even if we are ordinary neighbors, we should help each other. What's more, they are in-laws. If other people knew about this, how would they look at me, your daughter?" Zhu Wanling was good at speaking, and her whole expression was emotional.

Mrs. Zhu looked at her daughter and son-in-law and had no choice but to agree. "It's a deal. I just went to help out because I felt sorry for Old Kang. He can't order me around. I'm only responsible for the lunch."

Mrs. Zhu was unwilling to help before because she had been a neighbor for decades and knew Kang Ershou too well.

(End of this chapter)