The gas stove was steaming, and the water in the pot made a "pop" sound.

Ye Xiaojing put down the weaving in her hand, stood up and walked to the kitchen, she opened the beating lid of the pot, and threw a few prepared greens and some tofu into the boiling pot.

After a while, an enticing aroma began to emanate from the pot, and Ye Xiaojing took a deep breath - when I went to the market today, I saw that the ribs were very cheap, so I bought some, my sister usually works so hard, she must make up for it, if only the ribs had always been so cheap.

Back in the dark and cramped living room, she glanced at the wall clock on the wall, and in two hours Sister should be back. Ye Xiaojing sighed softly, picked up the unfinished handiwork and prepared to continue working.

Since even my mother died of illness five years ago, the two sisters, who have no relatives in Taipei, have lived together for their lives. At that time, she had just graduated from junior high school, and her sister had not yet started working, so the high price of goods forced them to quit the luxury apartment they had rented and move into the current poor apartment of less than 20 square meters.

Just as he was thinking wildly, there was a sudden knock on the door.

"It's so late, who could it be?" Ye Xiaojing muttered and stood up to open the door. She and her sister didn't have any friends here, and they weren't usually visited by anyone.

After taking a few steps, her mind flashed, and she suddenly realized that they hadn't paid their rent for two months.

Ye Xiaojing opened the door hard, and secretly prayed in her heart, hoping that the landlady could be more accommodating.

"Uh-" Ye Xiaojing was hesitating about how to speak, but when she looked up, she exclaimed: "Sister! How could it be you?! What's wrong? What's wrong with you? ”

The young man who escorted Ye Xiaoman back replied on his behalf: "Sister Ling suddenly fainted while working, probably because she was too tired, but there is nothing serious, as long as you have a good rest, you should be fine." ”

"Thank you for sending my sister back!" She said to the man with a grateful face.

"It's okay! I'm just dropping by. Take good care of your sister, and I'll leave if there's nothing to do! ”

Seeing off the young man and looking at her sister who was lying on the bed, tired and pale, Ye Xiaojing couldn't help but shed tears.

In addition to her normal job, my sister has to do two more part-time jobs, and after a long time, the iron man will not be able to bear it. My sister is so hard outside, and she can only stay at home and do some weaving, and she can't earn thousands of dollars a month, she is so sorry for her sister.

After drinking the steaming green vegetable and tofu pork rib soup, Ye Xiaoman's complexion looked better.

Ye Xiaojing sat on the edge of the bed, reached out to hold her sister's somewhat cold hand, and said in a soft but firm tone: "Sister, I decided to go out to work!" ”

Ye Xiaoman was taken aback, sat up and grabbed her, and said anxiously: "Xiaojing, don't be like this." Sister doesn't matter, this time it's just an accident, sister is really fine! ”

Ye Xiaojing was unmoved, and still insisted: "Sister, even if it is not for you, I should go out to work!" I'm twenty-one years old, how can I keep you with it? You work so hard every day, and I sit at home and eat white food. If this continues, we will never be able to pay off those debts in our lifetime. ”

At the mention of debt, the sisters fell silent for a moment.

The two of them were originally the eldest ladies who were held in the palm of their hands, but because of a mistake in their father's investment nine years ago, that mistake not only lost all their family's property, but also owed tens of millions of foreign debts. Under the blow of bankruptcy and the pressure of creditors, my father committed suicide by taking medicine. Leaving behind a wife without a job and a pair of young daughters, struggling in this cruel and cold world.

It wasn't until five years ago that their mother, plagued by poverty and illness, went west, and the repayment of their father's huge debt fell to the sisters, and their lives became even more difficult.

Every day when she sits in a dilapidated and gloomy apartment and does knitting and is dizzy, Ye Xiaojing often thinks about how good it would be if her father had not lost so much money, and their family could still live happily together, and she and her sister would not have to work so hard every day, nor would they have to live in such a narrow apartment, let alone worry about not being able to pay two months' rent.

After a long time, Ye Xiaojing broke the silence, "So, sister, I also want to go out to work like you." ”

"No, I don't agree!" Ye Xiaoman almost didn't think about it, and said subconsciously.

"But repaying debts is not your business alone, I am also a member of the Ye family, I can't throw all the pressure on you alone." Ye Xiaojing's eyes were red and she sniffed, "Sister, do you know? Every day when I see you walking in the door tired, I feel that I am so useless, you work so hard to make money, but I can't help you with anything, I am dragging you down! ”

Ye Xiaoman was shocked: "Why do you think so? What is not a drag, you are my only sister, I promised to take good care of you in front of my mother. ”

"You have taken good care of me," Ye Xiaojing said with tears in her eyes, "but can you take care of me for the rest of my life?" You have to work two jobs a day, but the money you earn in a month is not enough to pay off the interest on those arrears. We haven't paid our rent for two months, and if we continue to delay, we will definitely be kicked out again. Rent in Taipei is so expensive, if we are evicted again this time, we will really be desperate. ”

"But—" Ye Xiaoman hesitated.

Seeing that there were signs of loosening in her sister, Ye Xiaojing hurriedly pleaded: "Sister, let me help you!" Please don't treat me like a waster, I promise I can do the same thing as you, no matter what, please promise me this time! ”

Ye Xiaoman thought for a while, and finally agreed, "Okay then!" But you also have to promise your sister that you must do everything according to your ability, and don't let your sister worry. ”

"Hmm!"

The next day, Ye Xiaoman came back from work and was surprised to find that there was a large table of dishes on the dining table.

"Xiaojing, why did you buy so many vegetables today?"

Stir-fried shrimp, braised milkfish, fried prawns, beef in sauce...... The small dining table was packed with a large variety of dishes.

"Sister, are you back?" Ye Xiaojing ran out of the kitchen when she heard the sound, her pretty little face turned red, and she was holding a plate of fried vegetables in her hand.

Ye Xiaoman looked at her suspiciously, "What day is today?" ”

It's still early for the Chinese New Year, and their birthdays have passed early, and she really can't think of any day that needs to be celebrated so grandly.

"Sister, do you know the Guan Group?" When the two sat down at the dinner table, Ye Xiaojing suddenly asked.

"Do you mean the Guan Group, which has tens of billions of assets and many branches abroad? What is this for, you ask? Ye Xiaoman took a piece of fish and put it in his mouth, and said vaguely.

Ye Xiaojing said excitedly and a little shyly: "Sister, I finally got a job in the Guan Group today. ”

"Ahem-" Ye Xiaoman was stalked by a large piece of sauced beef, choking and coughing on his chest.

"Sister, are you alright?" Ye Xiaojing hurriedly poured her a glass of water.

"Oh my God! You actually got a job at Kwan? Is this true? What is the job title? What is the salary? Ye Xiaoman didn't care about drinking water, and shouted incredulously.

"Sister, where do you want to go! Actually, I just got a miscellaneous job in Guan's staff restaurant, but my salary is 18,000 a month! Seeing that Sister misunderstood, Ye Xiaojing was embarrassed to clarify.

"Oh, it's the staff cafeteria, so is there a lot to do? Won't it be too hard? ”

"I don't think so, the restaurant manager said I just need to do some chores like serving tea. Sister, do you agree with me to do it? ”

"That's it," Ye Xiaoman was a little relieved, "Then you can do it first, and don't force yourself if you're tired." ”

"I see."

The sisters were happy that they had added another source of money to their family, but they could never have imagined that this work would change their lives in the near future.

Putting on the waiter's uniform, Ye Xiaojing began to be busy diligently. Because she was doing chores, she had to go over to help when she saw a place where she couldn't get busy, and after a long time, her forehead was already dripping with sweat.

"Hey, that miscellaneous man, don't you see that there are so many plates coming in? What are you doing there, why don't you go wash it quickly! Ye Xiaojing, who had been tired for a long time, just wanted to take a break, and the restaurant manager began to shout again.

"Yes, I'll go right away!" Ignoring the sweat, she hurriedly dragged her sore legs and ran all the way to the pool.

"I warn you, it's best not to be lazy with me!"

The restaurant manager said to her with a straight face, "I gave you this job because I saw that you were pitiful." In these days, even normal people are so unemployed, I believe that not too many people will be willing to hire a cripple. ”

Ye Xiaojing was shocked when she heard this, the word "cripple" pierced her all over her body, and tears immediately unconsciously welled up in her eyes, she really wanted to cry.

"I understand, I'm going to do it well." Swallowing the tears back into her stomach, she replied in humiliation.

"That's good, don't grind, get to work!" The manager was satisfied with the prestige he had established, and began to check on the other places as he paced.

Ye Xiaojing picked up a plate and began to wash it, and after the manager left, the tears in her eyes could no longer be restrained and dripped into the pool.

Afraid that others would see her gaffe, she quickly raised her sleeve and wiped it, and began to wash the second plate.

"Hello!"

"What?!" Ye Xiaojing, who had just finished washing a large number of plates, was startled by this sudden greeting.

"Uh-I'm sorry, I scared you?" The young man who greeted her scratched his hair embarrassedly.

"It's okay, what's the matter with you?" Ye Xiaojing looked at this young man with a simple expression with some curiosity - he was wearing a white top hat on his head, and he seemed to be a chef.

The young man smiled at her, showing a mouthful of white teeth: "You're new here, aren't you?" My name is Xu Dawei, and I am the pastry chef in this restaurant, so you can call me Ah Wei. ”

"Oh, Hello Ah Wei! My name is Ye Xiaojing. Xu Dawei's kind attitude made her feel very kind.

"Then I'll call you Xiaojing in the future!" Xu Dawei patted his chest boldly, "If you encounter any difficulties in your work in the future, just ask me for help, and I will try my best to help you!" ”

"Thank you!" She felt much better now.