Second Flame Of Romance

Chapter 5 - Love sick expression

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2020!

WT 5 - Love sick expression

Turns out, the owner of the shop was indeed a ‘fool’ for not picking Sheng Wan Xiang over Wan Ting.
 
“You have only started learning pill forging in less than a month, and your skills are much worse than my least skilled employee. I apologize, but I’m not willing to accept you, Miss Sheng.”
 
Owner Yu was very forward and not at all afraid of offending Miss Sheng. In fact, to completely reject such a spoiled lady, he had to be this harsh.
 
Earlier, Wan Ting had been surprised that Miss Sheng started the path of pill forger. But after thinking this matter deeper, she might have done so to get close to Prince Heng, the landlord of Fruity Herb shop.

After sending the angry Miss Sheng away, Owner Yu brought Wan Ting around to familiarize herself with her new workplace.
 
As a pill forger, Wan Ting does not need to serve the customer or stay at the front of the store. She was taken to the second floor and given her own work room to make a fresh batch of pills. Most pill forgers preferred having their own room while working, because a tiny distraction will create a big disaster. It will destroy their work if it was a small accident, but a big one will lead to the pill forger's death. 
 
"Miss Wan, as per your contract, you will forge fifty pills per day according to the orders from our contracted customers. Please remember that any failure of the pill will result in a small cut of your salary."
 
It was a very harsh punishment, especially for the new workers, but Fruity Herb was one of the best stores that sell high quality pills and medicine. They could not effort to have their quality to drop and harm their hard earned reputation. 
 
In fact, Fruity Herb only hired her as their full time pill forger because she usually sells them her pills, whose standards were up to their satisfaction. 
 
"I will keep that in mind."
 
Owner Yu was pleased that Wan Ting abided by the terms. "You may take breaks anytime you want, as long as you meet the daily quota."
 
"May I ask if I will be paid extra if I forge more than the daily quota?"
 
Owner Yu raised an eyebrow at her question. "I will advise you not to, even if you could. Long run of pushing yourself hard will not be beneficial to your body and our business."
 
It was especially so for Wan Ting, who was only a first rank cultivator despite her forging skill was at par to a third rank.
 
"I understand." Wan Ting figured she would not get extra pay from doing overwork then.
 
Owner Yu silently noted to himself to keep an eye on Miss Wan to make sure she does not work more than she could handle. He knew of her financial problems and her stubbornness of chasing after the ex- Second Prince. Adding them together, it spells trouble to him.

But because of her skills, he was willing to try to accept her.
 
“You will not be charged with the amount of material used, so there isn’t a need to cut back on materials. I will leave you to do your work. Here are today's orders. The bottles to store them are in the drawers. Please label them for our convenience."
 
With an obedient nod and holding onto the order list, she watched Owner Yu left her alone in the room. Most pill forgers usually prefer using their own cauldron, but Wan Ting refused to use her own cauldron when her employer had prepared one for her to use.
 
Why would she benefit others by using her own higher grade cauldron? But the shop's cauldron was not shabby one either.
 
She spends the rest of the morning forging pills after pills. There were many times she nearly failed because she was still unused to the cauldron, but thanks to her Flame Spirit, she managed to successfully forge the pills without problem. 
 
Sighing over her own incompetence that she had to rely on her Flame Spirit, she stored the finished batch of pills onto the bottles and labelled them, writing as small as possible, yet at the same time readable. 
 
Rubbing her hungry stomach, Wan Ting regret forgetting to ask if the owner will prepare food for her too. With no other choice, she stepped out of her workroom to find food, and encountered a female co-worker.
 
"Hello! You must be the new pill forger!" 
 
"Nice to meet you," Wan Ting greeted, finding the other girl's joyous composure to be inviting. "My name is Wan Ting."
 
"I'm Huang Qian, working at the delivery team! Let's have lunch together? The shop always provides us lunch!"
 
With that, Wan Ting's question was answered and her smile became even wider. "I will count on Huang Qian to show this newcomer the way."
 
Wan Ting likes Huang Qian's bubbly persona with her cute twin ponytails and bells on it. Her entire self symbolized a cute young girl. 
 
But her interest does not belong to a girl at all. 
 
During their journey to the dining hall, the space that was provided to the staff to have their meal, they had passed by a group of male workers, which Huang Qian had stared at with a love struck gaze.
 
When it happened the first time, Wan Ting secretly smiled to herself, finding it cute and a little nostalgic for it reminded her of herself. Wan Ting was glad her heart does not make trouble for her and allowed her to easily let go of Long Shan.
 
But when she saw the same gaze on Huang Qian after they passed by another male co-worker, she was puzzled.
 
The third time it happened, Wan Ting faltered, unsure whether to ask or not. When the four and fifth time happened, Wan Ting already decided not to ask the other girl's unusual actions. However, her mind was working tirelessly to come up with an acceptable reason.
 
"This is our shop's dining hall!" Huang Qian introduced after stepping past the door. Then she pulled Wan Ting aside so as not to block the doorway and said with a softer tone. "Notice the difference in this room with the others?"
 
"I don't get the chance to look around yet."
 
"It's fine, you have lots of time for that," Huang Qian promised. "This dining hall is newly built, after Owner Yu took over. As an old employer, I'm very happy to be able to continue working here. Owner Yu is a very nice owner."
 
"I'm reassured hearing that."
 
"Everyone gets to eat the same meal, but you will need to pay with your own money if you want extra dishes not on the daily menu."
 
They queue for their meal, which were a bowl of rice, one vegetable dish and a meat dish. 
 
"It's not bad," Wan Ting praised, even though her usual meals were richer than this. However, now that her family’s budget became tighter, her meal became less luxurious than before. Even if she was unhappy with it, she had to come to terms with it.
 
Her employment status was higher than a servant, and she had to think from Owner Yu’s perspective when he arranged free meals for his employees. She does not know what the other employers do, but Owner Yu was truly generous to provide meals, especially when there were actually more workers than she originally guessed.
 
Were most of them like her, working behind the shop to create pills and other medicinal medicine?
 
There were enough seats and Huang Qian picked one at the most corner of the room. This was the first time Wan Ting had ever experienced such a unique routine. It was a refreshing novelty.
 
Wan Ting paused her movement when she noticed Huang Qian had not made a move to eat, busy gazing at the door. The other staff had started eating their meal, so Huang Qian's oddity was not a rule to be followed. 
 
"Are you waiting for someone?" Wan Ting could not resist asking. 
 
Huang Qian immediately replied, "Owner Yu! You can start eating first, I will eat after this!"
 
"...Alright." Was this about work matters that must be solved first before she will have the appetite to eat? But the new owner was truly humble, willing to dine with his employees when he could have chosen to eat at a restaurant with fine dishes. 
 
Since Huang Qian had spoken, Wan Ting will not be polite. 
 
Owner Yu arrived after Wan Ting finished with her meal that was just the right amount for her appetite. It was her first time to have forged a large amount of pills in a short time and she needed to replenish her energy. Her head still felt heavy from exhaustion and feeling the heat lingering on her body from the fire.
 
Hearing a dreamy sigh from Huang Qian, Wan Ting's expression turned into one that was hard to explain. A love sick expression that Wan Ting grew to be familiar with for many years was on Huang Qian’s face as she stared at Owner Yu that fortunately did not notice the gaze.
 
Surprisingly, Wan Ting felt a sharp tinge of embarrassment for Huang Qian.
 
She felt even more embarrassed when she wondered if that was how the people around her felt when she gazed at Long Shan in the past. 

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