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The lunch rush was over, and the cafeteria gradually emptied.

"Zhu Peng, come eat with us. Thanks for your hard work today." The owner was pleased with her part-time helper. Zhu Peng worked efficiently and had taken a lot off her shoulders.

Zhu Peng dried her hands, put the bowls and chopsticks in the sterilizer, then sat down quietly to eat.

"Have some more meat. You're too thin." The owner ran a cafeteria stall specializing in malatang, and business was booming.

She had originally run it with her mother and younger sister, but her sister had accidentally broken her hand.

It was freshman military training season, too, and they were swamped. Fortunately, they had hired Zhu Peng.

"Thank you, boss." Zhu Peng took a big bite of rice with some braised pork.

"Eat more," the owner said. "We were so busy today. Thanks for all your hard work."

"I put some snacks in the cupboard. Help yourself if you get hungry."

Zhu Peng felt her kindness. "Thank you."

This temporary job was good. It paid fifteen yuan an hour and included meals. She only needed to come in for lunch and dinner, working an average of three hours a day.

Zhu Peng didn't find it hard. She felt full of energy.

When she returned to the dorm, her backpack held more than books. The owner had quietly slipped in snacks and fruit.

Zhu Peng had refused several times, but the owner always had an excuse: she couldn't eat that much herself, it was about to expire, it would go to waste if nobody ate it...

Zhu Peng took that kindness to heart.

By the time Zhu Peng returned to the dorm, it was already nine at night.

Her roommates had finished washing up. Shen Baili was reading, Jiang Zhu