Third Sister Xu

"Xiao Ya, you can't eat that."

The slightly older child hurriedly stopped that slender little hand from putting something into her mouth.

Even after stopping her, he had not gotten a clear look at it.

The adult nearby only assumed the children had started squabbling again. Just as the woman was about to come over, the steward's call from afar made her pause. She merely shouted for the children not to make trouble, or she would not bring them out next time.

After a flurry of activity,

evening arrived.

The steward was a middle-aged scholar with an eight-shaped mustache. He counted the gold, silver, and Spirit Stones, then took up his brush and recorded them.

The scholar pondered for a moment. "Steward Xu, the higher-ups have decided to reorganize the City Construction Department. From now on, the salaries of you temporary staff will be cut in half."

Xu Sanniang, who had just been rejoicing, froze for a moment before asking, "When was this decided?"

"Very soon. Within half a month."

"You, the director of the orphanage, haven't heard about it?"

The scholar sat upright, set aside the abacus he had been working, and closed the account book in his hand. He said earnestly, "This job already has you running all over the place, with no rest day or night. You should look for something else."

"Logically speaking, the relief department's allocation..." The old scholar had just begun to say something when he stopped himself.

Perhaps the higher-ups did not care about such matters, but after layer upon layer of exploitation, naturally there was not much left. That was why the orphanage's director had to go out and earn Spirit Stones herself.

Xu Sanniang cupped her hands and forced a smile. "Thank you, Elder Wei, for informing me. I was already