The Adopted Cannon Fodder Made a Comeback

Gu’er wasn’t the only one who heard the commotion outside. Sun Jiaming, Li Zhi, Liu Yuan, Dingzi, and the forty-eight other employees heard it too.

The crowd exchanged glances. Some faces showed glee, while others revealed concern. The mayor himself was here. This had blown up into something big.

Gu’er wasn’t worried. Her expression didn’t change in the slightest. She had already reached an agreement with the city: if she ran into any troublemakers, she would deal with them her way, and the city wouldn’t interfere.

As Gu’er watched the man Zhang Erchuan was calling "Mayor" walk in, she was taken aback for a moment. She hadn’t expected him; it wasn’t the vice mayor she had met before. ’Does that mean this is the *actual* mayor?’

She also saw the Secretary of Yonghong District, along with a few other people she didn’t recognize.

Gu’er, Sun Jiaming, Li Zhi, and the others went forward to greet them.

Someone made the introductions. The visitor was indeed the city’s mayor, Mayor Jin.

In truth, it was a coincidence that Mayor Jin and his group had arrived so quickly. The mayor just happened to be in the area for an inspection today. When he remembered that the new employee training was scheduled, he decided to drop by the district office to ask how things were going. After all, this was the city’s first major private shopping center, and the government supported it. They wanted to check in on the fifty new employees to show they were taking the matter seriously.

He had just arrived and hadn’t even exchanged a few words with the Secretary when Zhang Erchuan unexpectedly appeared. Zhang Erchuan launched into a tearful tirade, painting Gu’er as a capitalist and describing how she allegedly oppressed them. With a formal complaint made, the mayor and the secretary couldn’t just ignore it. They decided to come and see for themselves. If the accusations were true, they would have to intervene—to stand up for the people, after all. If Zhang Erchuan was lying, they could resolve the issue on the spot, which would, in turn, be a show of support for Gu’er.

As for Lin Shan, he was out on an inspection today and wasn’t around. Even if he had been, it would have been inappropriate for him to appear, given his relationship with Gu’er.

Gu’er didn’t know any of this, but she had nothing to fear. She shook hands with the mayor and the others.

"Mayor, you have to stand up for us! Look, all of us are here, but this is how she treats us. She’s just unhappy with the city’s arrangement. She doesn’t want us here and is trying to drive us all away! If you don’t believe me, just ask everyone."

Zhang Erchuan started shouting again.

"Everyone, tell the mayor what’s happening! We have to make ourselves clear while he’s here. The mayor will stand up for us!"

Zhang Erchuan yelled, trying to rally the others.

His rabble-rousing actually worked, and a few people joined in, shouting that Gu’er was being inhumane.

The mayor frowned slightly. ’They haven’t even opened for business, and there’s already this much trouble. I knew there might be some troublemakers among these employees. I’m afraid these young people won’t be able to handle them.’

"Since you all have so many complaints about me, you can voice them to Mayor Jin now that he’s here. But I’ll say it again: if you think this place is no good, if you think I’m oppressing you, or if you’re dissatisfied with working here, then step forward right now. I will not force anyone to stay."

Gu’er’s stance was firm. Sun Jiaming, Li Zhi, and the others stood behind her, ready to support whatever decision she made. ’Normally, it shouldn’t fall to a woman to handle a situation like this, but Gu’er is the legal representative. We have to let her establish her authority.’

"Mayor, you see that? She acts like this right in front of you! When you’re not here, she doesn’t even treat us like human beings! Brothers, why should we work for someone like this? We can’t let ourselves be oppressed! Everyone, step forward!"

Zhang Erchuan egged them on.

The Secretary frowned slightly. ’Why is this Gu’er so inflexible? Acting like this in front of the mayor... isn’t she just giving these workers an excuse to make a scene?’

At Zhang Erchuan’s cry, two people actually stepped forward. Seeing them go, another person hesitated for a moment before joining them. Of the three, two were men and one was a woman.

Then, another person, a woman named Chen Xia, also stepped forward. She added, "Mayor, the way they do things here really is unreasonable. I mean, I worked at the department store for a year—I know the ropes. But they’re still forcing me to go through training. I even offered to help teach, but not only did they turn me down, they were rude about it. We’re human beings, too. It’s completely unfair for her to treat us this way."

Chen Xia was filled with deep resentment. Her stepping forward caused a small stir, but no one else followed.

"No one else? Then for those of you who are staying, I will assume you genuinely want to work here."

Gu’er glanced around. Although a few others looked like they were itching to move, none of them stepped forward.

"Gu’er," the mayor spoke up, "the government put its trust in you, which is why we placed these fifty people in your care. Now that they have voiced their objections, I hope you can offer an explanation."

"Of course, Mayor Jin. I was just in the middle of explaining my arrangements, but I was interrupted. If you have the time, perhaps you could listen as well? Once I’ve finished, I will answer any questions you may have, one by one. Would that be acceptable?"

Gu’er’s demeanor was neither servile nor arrogant.

"Mayor, you have to do something for us!"

Zhang Erchuan cried out.

"Fine. We’ll listen as well."

The mayor ignored him. He had already heard a thing or two about what kind of man Zhang Erchuan was.

"Earlier, I said that everyone would have daily training, that you couldn’t take leave without a valid reason, and that any requests for leave had to be submitted in advance. Otherwise, we would deduct pay..."

Gu’er had barely finished that sentence when Zhang Erchuan cut in. "Mayor, did you hear that? Did you hear how she plans to treat us?"

"Shut your mouth," Sun Jiaming snapped. "She hasn’t finished speaking. If you have something to say, wait until she’s done. Interrupt again, and you’re out."

The moment Sun Jiaming spoke, Dingzi shifted, making it clear that if Zhang Erchuan made another peep, he would physically throw him out. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"Please, continue," the mayor said, remaining calm. ’Someone this composed must have her reasons.’

"Yes. I only had time to state my requirements; I hadn’t gotten to the wages and benefits. During the training period, I will be paying everyone a salary. Each of you will receive a base pay of thirty a month. Of course, this is just the base pay. After the grand opening, I will adjust salaries according to each person’s position, but I guarantee no one will make less than thirty."

This time, Gu’er didn’t even get to finish her sentence before the employees erupted in an uproar. They couldn’t believe their ears. Getting paid during training? And thirty a month, no less! ’These days, even a good factory only pays twenty or thirty a month. That’s a huge amount of money! Is this for real? Or is she just saying that to trick us because the mayor’s here?’

"On top of the thirty, there is also a perfect attendance bonus. As long as everyone arrives on time every day—and this will apply after we open for business as well—with no lateness, no leaving early, and no unapproved days off, I will give each of you an attendance bonus of eight each month. The reason I’m so strict about taking leave is for your own benefit, so you can earn more. Of course, I understand that family emergencies happen. That’s why I just ask that you request leave in advance. As long as your leave is approved, your pay won’t be deducted. Naturally, however, you would forfeit the attendance bonus for that month."