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Chapter 194 – Hardworking Thumbelina1 “拇指姑娘” is a Chinese idiom that refers to someone who is very diligent and hardworking, often to the point of being compared to the legendary character of “Thumbelina” from Western folklore. It is used to describe someone who is very diligent and hardworking, often going above and beyond what is expected of them.
It has to be said that children from poor families mature early. Ding Xiang has been accustomed to various agricultural and household chores since she was young. After coming to the big city, she continued to work part-time to save up for tuition. She also developed super strong adaptability through self-discipline.
More importantly, she was already a clever and skilled girl. Under Yang Yi’s guidance, she quickly became proficient, starting from grinding beans and finally brewing a cup of finished coffee.
Then she brought it over to Guo Ziyi.
“Really? Are you using me as a guinea pig?” Guo Ziyi’s face turned a little green.
“Should I drink it?” Ding Xiang felt a bit embarrassed.
“You drink very little coffee and can’t distinguish the taste. It’s best to let him try it,” Yang Yi shook his head.
Guo Ziyi helplessly quipped, “Then why don’t you drink it, Big brother Yang?”
Yang Yi calmly said: “I don’t drink regular coffee, my taste buds are too picky.”
Guo Ziyi had no choice but to be the test subject and try it himself. However, the taste was not bad, a bit beyond his expectations. He smacked his lips and said, “It’s okay, but it seems to lack something!”
“What’s missing?” Ding Xiang quickly took out a small notebook and wanted to take notes.
Yang Yi didn’t say anything, standing quietly on the side, silently watching Guo Ziyi show off.
“It lacks a unique coffee flavor, which requires you to put in 100% effort, your whole heart and soul, in the production process,” Guo Ziyi said passionately, gesturing with his hands and feet, “When you’re grinding coffee beans, you should think of flowers, bees, the ocean, and mountains. Inject your wishes for beauty into it, and you can brew a coffee with this unique flavor. This is the most top-notch coffee in the world!”
“Ah? It’s so abstract? But I don’t understand. What should I do?” Ding Xiang furrowed her brows, looking very straightforward.
“You need to…ouch!” Guo Ziyi was knocked on the head.
Yang Yi finally couldn’t help it anymore. He knocked Guo Ziyi’s head and said to Ding Xiang with a smile, “Don’t listen to his nonsense, he’s just trying to fool you!”
He let Ding Xiang try a few more times, and Yang Yi wasn’t as picky as he had said before. He also picked up a cup and tasted it.
“Well, as a beginner, the coffee you brewed is drinkable, and has a good taste, which is already very good! The rest is to practice more, use experience to make up for your shortcomings, and then learn more to increase your understanding of these coffee beans. You can almost start brewing coffee for me.” Yang Yi nodded and said.
“So, did my senior sister get the job?” Guo Ziyi asked directly.
Ding Xiang also looked at Yang Yi nervously.
Yang Yi smiled slightly, nodded and said, “Yes, starting from today, if you don’t have classes during the day, come to work and help me for a while. During this period, I will give you a monthly salary of 3,000 yuan. When you can independently help me keep an eye on the shop, your salary will increase to 5,000 yuan.”
“3,000 yuan is too little,” Guo Ziyi exclaimed, “My monthly allowance is more than 3000 yuan”
This was a child from a wealthy family.
But Ding Xiang waved her hand repeatedly. She was both surprised and nervous as she said, “It’s already a lot, it’s already a lot. I feel that 3000 yuan is a lot. Most of the time, I have to attend classes and can only work part-time for a period of time. It’s already embarrassing enough. 3,000 yuan is too much.”
Ding Xiang lived frugally, and only spend a few hundred yuan a month. If she gets 3000 yuan, she can save more than 2000 yuan. This way, she can save up for next year’s tuition fees and maybe even have some money to help pay for her grandmother’s medical treatment.”
However, Ding Xiang felt a bit guilty because her previous part-time job only paid one or two thousand yuan. 3,000 yuan was really unimaginable for her, and she felt uncomfortable about it.
But Yang Yi ignored her words. He rubbed his chin, nodded to Guo Ziyi, and said, “It seems a bit low. How about 4,000 yuan? Is 4,000 yuan enough?”
His last sentence was still asking Ding Xiang for her opinion.
Ding Xiang quickly waved her hand and said embarrassedly, “It’s enough, it’s enough. It’s too much!”
“Then it’s 4000. If you can handle things on your own, it will be increased to 6000!” Yang Yi waved his hand and made the decision directly.
Yang Yi’s original intention was not to help Ding Xiang. He had too much money and happened to have a girl who was satisfactory to share the coffee shop work with him, so that he could have the hope of being a hands-off boss in the future. This freedom was priceless!
Guo Ziyi also chimed in and said, “Senior sister, don’t refuse anymore. Big brother Yang is wealthy and doesn’t mind. Besides, once you have money, you won’t have to work part-time at a bar like that. You can focus on studying at school!”
“Mhm, there are no rules in my coffee shop. If there are no customers, it’s okay for you to sit down and read a book,” Yang Yi nodded and said.
“Thank you so much!” Ding Xiang was grateful and almost shed tears. “Boss, I really appreciate it!”
“It’s no big deal. By the way, there’s no need to call me boss. it sounds awkward and unfamiliar. Just call me Big brother Yang like Guo Ziyi does. We’re all friends!” Yang Yi smiled slightly.
“Yes, Big brother Yang!” Ding Xiang smiled brightly with tears in her eyes, revealing her pure white teeth.
Turning around, she started to work diligently, actively helping Yang Yi clean tables, glasses, and even mopping the floor. Whenever Yang Yi wanted to do something, she would rush to do it. She was even more diligent than Thumbelina!
“Don’t you have any classes today?” Yang Yi had some free time and change the record to listen to music, then casually asked.
“Classes haven’t started yet. My senior sister is the same. The first week of classes begins next week!”
Ding Xiang was mopping the floor, and when she heard him, she raised her head and said, “Yes, so this week I will definitely seize the opportunity to learn how to make coffee with Big Brother Yang.”
This serious spirit was comparable to Xixi’s!
Guo Ziyi leaned over at this moment and asked with a shy smile, “Big brother Yang, did that person come today?”
“Who?” Yang Yi looked puzzled.
“The one from yesterday, Senior sister Du!” Guo Ziyi glanced at Ding Xiang before lowering his voice and saying.
“Oh, you mean the girl you liked yesterday? Her name is Du Yuanlei, right? She’s still a graduate student.” Yang Yi suddenly realized.
Guo Ziyi hurriedly gestured for Yang Yi to lower his voice, but Ding Xiang still heard it. She looked up at Guo Ziyi with a bit of a mischievous smile, but continued to focus on mopping the floor and didn’t say anything.
“She didn’t come today,” Yang Yi smiled knowingly, and he also lowered his voice.
“Oh, I see. What time does she usually come?” Guo Ziyi was a bit disappointed.
“Usually? I don’t know. Yesterday was probably the first time she came here, right?” After Yang Yi had Mo Fei and Xixi, all the other girls were the same to him. He didn’t bother to remember them, so he wasn’t sure if it was her first time coming to the shop or not.
Guo Ziyi scratched his head.
“Hey, since you like her so much, why not sign up for the freshman party and show off? She’s also a freshman, so she’ll definitely be there, right?” Ding Xiang twisted the mop, her slender arms surprisingly strong. She lifted her head and gave Guo Ziyi some advice with a smile.
Guo Ziyi’s eyes lit up.
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