Abnormal Gourmet Chronicle-Chapter 972 - 478: The Nature of Spirits (Part 2)

An Youyou disagreed, feeling that effort should yield rewards. Having had little money growing up and lacking worldly experience, she ended up asking for a mere 200 yuan as her salary. To this day, An Youyou regrets not asking for more.

If she had known, she would have asked for 1,200 a month! Even dishwashers at restaurants in her town earn 1,400 yuan a month, with meals and lodging included.

An Youyou faced many obstacles in her decision to work away from home. Relatives, friends, neighbors, and elders told her that for a girl like her, working far from home was dangerous. With limited education, companies in big cities wouldn't hire her.

Compared to working out of state, it was safer in the nearby counties. Joining a factory would earn her 3,000 yuan a month.

An Youyou didn't want to settle for just 3,000 yuan a month. Spending years using a smartphone, she had witnessed more of the world online and wanted more than before. A salary of 3,000 yuan couldn't fulfill her dreams.

The reason she ended up working in Shan City was because she snagged a 99-yuan plane ticket to Shan City online. With the idea that working anywhere was the same, as long as travel expenses were low, she set out to fly for the first time and venture out of the province. At 18, An Youyou packed her bags and arrived in Shan City.

Her first resume was submitted to Yunzhong Restaurant.

Of the 28-page resume, a full 18 pages described her life at Yunzhong Restaurant.

When Qin Huai wasn't yet aware or concerned, An Youyou experienced a series of firsts: first time shopping at a mall, first time eating at a mall, first time trying Korean food, first time eating sushi, first time experiencing a 9.9 yuan special offer facial package at a beauty salon.

She moved residences many times, each rental more expensive than the last. Friends and elders around her constantly advised her to spend less, save some money, and cautioned her against renting such expensive places. They suggested she didn't need a tablet; a smartphone was enough.

An Youyou ignored every piece of advice, happily spending her own money and diligently earning her overtime pay.

This year when An Youyou went home for the New Year, she didn't return like the protagonist of a feel-good novel, laden with gifts to shame poor relatives. Nor did she return as depicted in short videos, triumphantly returning home. An Youyou said she wasn't successful, had no money, and couldn't bear to buy things for her parents and brother with whom she wasn't particularly close.

Her parents didn't play the role of petty antagonists as found in novels. New Year's for An Youyou was as it always had been—celebrated in the usual way.

At the end of her resume, An Youyou summarized her entire experience. Her parents weren't deeply affectionate, but they didn't dislike her. Her family didn't particularly value daughters but weren't heavily biased towards sons. Her family wasn't wealthy, but neither were they extremely poor. Her current job could support her, although given her spending habits, just barely.

She had too many desires, too many things she wanted but couldn't obtain. She knew that, like a home in Yunzhong District, some things might be unattainable in her lifetime.

But she could obtain them in another way—like renting an apartment in Yunzhong District for a two-month experience.

At the end of the resume, An Youyou made a promise to Qin Huai. She assured that though her family had little money, and she wasn't particularly capable but enjoyed spending, she would certainly work hard now to spend more and better in the future, not letting her boss down.

She claimed neither to be good nor bad. She'd told countless lies growing up, snuck pears when selling fruit with her grandma, and while working at the breakfast shop, stole and ate buns, particularly targeting the meat-filled ones. But she never stole money nor broke any laws or fought in street brawls (fights in the village as a child didn't count). Her relationship with her parents wasn't good, but not to the extent of being unfilial. She didn't have any lifelong childhood friends but wasn't particularly solitary.

In summary, she was an ordinary person with no special skills, yet a promising employee.

This was an autobiographical novel written by An Youyou about herself, as well as her resume. At least after Qin Huai read it, he deeply felt it was an excellent resume.

This resume made Qin Huai reflect on whether his previous task methods were incorrect. The radical views of Zhao Cheng'an might not have been entirely off.

With Luo Jun, akin to an encyclopedia of spirits, after recognizing the types of these awakening spirits, Qin Huai tended to subjectively judge their personalities based on their spirit type.

Scammers are proficient liars, Xiezhi insists on fairness and justice, and the Three-legged Golden Toad likes money falling from the sky.

These are their typical traits but are very one-sided because each spirit is unique.

Labelling them according to their race was effectively viewing spirits through biased lenses. It assumed their character was inherent in their spirit type.

But reality isn't like that.

Bi fang, proud and powerful, who walks as if its nostrils point to the sky, might regret its mistakes and undergo decades of penance.

A timid and cautious little bird will dare to do something as bold as reunite with the parents from its past life.

Spirits of plants and trees, famous for being confused and indifferent, might become enthusiastic community committee grandmas skilled at snagging group-buy deals.

Dang Kang, who seems impulsive and only cares about daily meals, will remember every deed done by his best friend Xu Nuo, even long after Xu Nuo has passed away.

Despite being abandoned by a series of bosses, the Wen Yao Fish will persist in finding a boss who doesn't give up, striving to be a diligent and dedicated worker.

Spirit traits aren't surface characteristics; they are internal.

Just like the Three-legged Golden Toad, famous for loving money, would refuse pies falling from the sky but maintains its core, living a comfortable and content life.

Qin Huai previously focused only on the Three-legged Golden Toad's love of money, ignoring that in every spirit's words, it collected a trove of gold, silver, and jewels. After recruiting many followers, it lay belly-up by the pond, covered in mud, sunbathing.

Even after having everything, the Three-legged Golden Toad would still choose to sunbathe by the pond for free.

Previously, Qin Huai was surprised that An Youyou, as a Three-legged Golden Toad, actually refused a pie from the sky. After reading the resume, Qin Huai deeply felt An Youyou was indeed a Three-legged Golden Toad.

No matter where, regardless of wealth, regardless of life's circumstances.

As long as there's a pond to bask in the sun covered in mud, the Three-legged Golden Toad is a happy Three-legged Golden Toad.

Still loving money, still yearning for gold, silver, and jewels, still wanting to enjoy more things. Yet, whether or not these things exist doesn't matter, as long as there's sun to bask in, happiness is assured.

Qin Huai remained silent for several minutes after reading the resume. During his silence, An Youyou stood nearby, nervously watching his face, trying to read satisfaction or dissatisfaction from his expression.

"Master Qin, my language skills aren't great; the fault lies with me for not listening in class, sleeping or doodling instead, or chatting with classmates. I heard from chatting at Zhiwei Restaurant that there's no academic requirement for apprentices there, but I'm unsure about Yunzhong Restaurant's requirements."

"If you think my education is too low, I'm still young, my mind is flexible, I can take online courses and study again!"

"No need." Qin Huai flipped back through the resume, asking, "Youyou, is your dream to buy a house in Yunzhong District?"

"Yes!" An Youyou's eyes lit up, "My dream is to buy a small north-south facing house in Yunzhong District where sunlight can directly reach the sofa so I can lie on it and sunbathe every day!"

"There are many such house layouts in the district." Qin Huai nodded, "I'll arrange for you to rent one when you go back."

"Your resume is well written; I'm very satisfied. This is our Yunzhong Restaurant's benefit for future successors."

"Since your resume is approved, it's time for some serious training. Conveniently, I've been working on basic snacks recently. Starting today, you'll work here every morning, follow my practice, and watch how I do it."

"Tan Wei'an is good at teaching, but his level is a bit lower. Plus, he's too lazy for hands-on teaching, learning with me is faster."