Heart Stealer

After the new fishing boat driven by Zhang Sufang and Wu Xin wrecked during a sea trial, maritime authorities and many relatives and friends conducted a full-scale search and rescue operation at sea.

They carefully searched every corner of the sea, but only found a few pieces of disintegrated ship, which made people feel even more heavy-hearted.

After searching for several months, there was still no trace of Zhang Sufang and Wu Xin, and hope was becoming increasingly slim.

The old captain had no intention of going out to sea to fish, so his apprentices had to find other ways to make a living.

Only Xiao Tuobang, who came from a better-off family, endured the grief and served the old captain and his wife with concern and concern.

He did his best to take care of the old captain and his wife, hoping to bring them some comfort.

However, the god of fate did not seem to favor Xiao Tuobang.

Due to the widening of the municipal road in Platycodon Town, the Xiao family noodle shop was forced to move to an alley with low traffic. The business of the noodle shop became increasingly bleak, and it seemed that they could not even pay the rent.

Faced with his parents' sighs every day, Xiao Tuobang was secretly anxious.

This is not a solution, so Xiao Tuobang decided to go to the provincial capital, Yingnan City, to find another way out.

As soon as the New Year was over, Xiao Tuobang resolutely bid farewell to his parents and his master and his wife, and boarded a bus to the provincial capital.

The scenery outside the window kept receding like a movie, and the mountains and rivers of his hometown gradually disappeared from his sight.

Xiao Tuobang sighed helplessly, feeling a surge of emotion. From the city back to the countryside, and then back to the city again, fate seemed to be playing a huge joke on him.

After two hours of traveling, the long-distance bus finally arrived in Nan City with stops and starts along the way.

Xiao Tuobang dragged his heavy luggage out of the station and walked towards a hotel.

"Waiter, please give me the cheapest room." Xiao Tuobang said as he touched his pocket, and suddenly his face turned pale, "Ah, my wallet is gone!" There was a hint of fear and despair in his voice.

Xiao Tuobang quickly searched several other pockets, hoping to find his wallet, but it was all in vain.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead and his hands began to tremble slightly.

Xiao Tuobang awkwardly laughed dryly at the waiter, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"Sorry, sorry, I lost my wallet, sorry to bother you!" After saying this, Xiao Tuobang hurriedly slipped out of the hotel with his luggage.

As he walked, he regretted his carelessness.

Xiao Tuobang was penniless and could not only afford the accommodation fee, but even eating became a problem. At this moment, Xiao Tuobang felt extremely frustrated and helpless.

Xiao Tuobang wandered aimlessly on the streets. As the sky grew darker and the street lights came on, his mood grew heavier as night fell.

Just when he was walking and feeling hungry and tired, he suddenly saw a restaurant in front of him with the lights on. He hesitated for a moment, but still walked in.

The restaurant owner was a kind middle-aged aunt. Seeing that Xiao Tuobang looked tired, she warmly invited him to sit down.

Xiao Tuobang blushed, lowered his head, and spoke in a voice as soft as a mosquito's hum: "Boss lady, I lost my wallet and now I have no money to pay the bill... But I'm really hungry, can you give me a bowl of rice noodles first? I will definitely make it up to you later." As he spoke, he nervously tugged at the corner of his clothes with his hands, his eyes revealing a hint of embarrassment and expectation.

The proprietress smiled and nodded gently. She turned and went to the kitchen. After a while of busying herself, she brought out a bowl of steaming hot noodles with fresh meat, which exuded an enticing aroma.

When Xiao Tuobang saw the food, his eyes suddenly lit up. He couldn't wait to take the bowl and started eating in big mouthfuls.

His mouth opened wide and he ate every bite with relish, as if it was the most delicious food he had ever tasted.

After finishing his meal, Xiao Tuobang wiped his mouth with satisfaction, then raised his head, looked at the proprietress sincerely, and said, "Thank you, proprietress. I'm really grateful. I want to stay in the store and help with the work to repay your kindness for the meal." His tone was firm and sincere.

The boss lady smiled, a hint of appreciation flashed in her eyes. She nodded and said, "Okay, our store happens to be short of staff, so you can come to work tomorrow."

Xiao Tuobang now had a temporary place to stay in the city. He jumped up happily and hurriedly thanked the proprietress.

The boss lady ordered the foreman Wu Mingzhe to take Xiao Tuobang to the staff dormitory to rest.

"Tuobang, Mrs. Qiu is really your benefactor. We haven't seen the boss lady for a few times in a year, and you unexpectedly ran into her."

Along the way, the enthusiastic Wu Mingzhe chatted with Xiao Tuobang incessantly.

Wu Mingzhe said proudly, "Tuobang, don't underestimate our restaurant. It's only a few hundred square meters. The boss has several similar chain stores in the city. Our boss is wealthy and has investments in various fields. The restaurant used to be the main business, but now it's almost a sideline."

Xiao Tuobang's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he was secretly surprised. He asked in disbelief, "Brother Mingzhe, is what you said true? I really can't tell."

"There are many things you can't see. Our boss just built a big hotel in the city center. My biggest dream is to become the manager of the hotel's Chinese restaurant. Tuobang, you have to work hard too and try to work with me in the hotel." Wu Mingzhe looked at Xiao Tuobang expectantly.

However, it was obviously unrealistic to talk about dreams with Xiao Tuobang now. He smiled bitterly and said, "My biggest dream now is to have enough food and warm clothes!"

"You're useless!" Wu Mingzhe rolled his eyes at him.

Wu Mingzhe led Xiao Tuobang to a luxurious staff apartment.

Since there were a lot of new employees hired recently, all the other dormitories were full, so Wu Mingzhe had no choice but to let Xiao Tuobang live in the same dormitory with him.

Xiao Tuobang cherishes this hard-earned job very much.

Every morning, when the city was still immersed in silence, Xiao Tuobang would get up early, wash up, and rush to the bustling restaurant in the morning light.

As soon as he entered the store, Xiao Tuobang didn't even take a break. He immediately picked up the rag and carefully wiped every dining table to ensure that the tabletop was clean and tidy. After wiping the table, he picked up the mop and mopped the floor diligently, not missing any corner.

Although these tasks seemed simple, Xiao Tuobang did them meticulously and without any complaints.

Because Xiao Tuobang is hardworking, kind, and gets along very well with his colleagues in the store.

Both experienced old employees and newcomers praised him highly.

Xiao Tuobang is always willing to learn from others and continuously improve his business capabilities.

Qiu's restaurant was doing a booming business, with a constant stream of customers coming in every day. The kitchen, in particular, was extremely busy.

Seeing that the kitchen was seriously short of staff, the head chef turned his attention to the smart and capable Xiao Tuobang and decided to let him try to learn how to cook.

Xiao Tuobang's family originally ran a noodle shop. He had been influenced by them since he was a child and had some knowledge of cooking.

In addition, he was smart, quick-witted, and efficient. It didn't take long for him to master the cooking techniques of various dishes and become the undisputed boss in the kitchen.

Time passed quickly, and it was Thursday night. As the shop was about to close, cheers suddenly broke out from inside the store.

It turned out to be the foreman, Wu Mingzhe, running over excitedly to announce everyone: "I've got great news! This Saturday, the company is organizing a spring outing for all employees to Xiushan! Everyone can bring a family member along. What's more, our boss's eldest daughter will be leading the outing! So, everyone, make sure to dress up nicely and make a lasting impression on her!"

Upon hearing this, all the new and old employees of Qiu's Restaurant were extremely excited. With excited smiles on their faces, they began to look forward to the upcoming wonderful weekend with joy.

Xiao Tuobang was naturally no exception and was full of anticipation for this spring outing.

He couldn't help but secretly become curious - what kind of person is this legendary young lady?

Will she be as spoiled and unapproachable as those rich girls in TV dramas, or will she be approachable and amiable?

All sorts of speculations swirled in Xiao Tuobang's mind, making him more eager to unveil the mystery of this young lady as soon as possible...