The moment Wang Xiaoliang walked into Store One, Li Fengxia, who was weaving between the shelves, spotted him with her sharp eyes. A radiant smile spread across her face.
"Boss, you're here! So early!"
"Morning, Sister Li," Wang Xiaoliang replied, quickly scanning the store.
The other two employees spotted him too and stopped what they were doing.
"Hello, boss!"
"Morning, boss!"
Their enthusiasm was nothing like before.
Getting paid really did make a difference.
After a brief chat, he turned and headed to Store Two.
The atmosphere in Store Two was a little harder to describe.
When Sun Ting saw him, she merely gave a faint nod and squeezed out a single word: "Boss."
The employees beside her seemed to have caught her gloomy mood. Far less welcoming than those in Store One, they simply greeted him with a dutiful "Boss" before immediately lowering their heads and returning to work.
Leaving Store Two, he headed straight for Store Three.
Store Three was now Li Fengying's domain.
When Wang Xiaoliang entered, she was directing a part-time student worker as they stacked drinks. Without even looking up, she said crisply, "Quickly check the production dates on all the drinks!"
Only when Wang Xiaoliang reached her did she stop what she was doing. Her face showed little expression. "You're here, boss."
Then, as though it were of no concern to her, she added, "Liang Yanni didn't come in today. She didn't ask for leave either."
It sounded like a work report, but Wang Xiaoliang heard the barb in it.
"All right, I'll cover for her here today."
Li Fengying shook her head. "No need. We're only short-handed during the morning and lunch rushes. We have enough people the rest of the time. If she keeps this up, we'd be better off finding another