"Boss, this isn't fair!"
The moment Wang Xiaoliang stepped into Store Two, Sun Ting blocked his way, looking thoroughly unhappy.
"That fruit stand outside Store One is bringing in so many customers! Sister Fengxia told me their sales went straight up by thirty percent! And they've stayed there. Why isn't anything happening at our store?"
Of course Wang Xiaoliang understood how Sun Ting felt. The managers' and employees' bonuses were tied directly to sales. Store One was feasting on meat while they couldn't even get a whiff of the broth. It would have been strange if they weren't upset.
"Sister Sun, don't get worked up."
"How can I not? Boss, you've always believed in treating everyone fairly. Why are you playing favorites this time? The girls in our store have all been grumbling behind your back. We're all working for you, but you're making it far too obvious who gets the better treatment!" Sun Ting's voice rose an octave.
"I'm not playing favorites," Wang Xiaoliang explained patiently. "First, this is a trial run. With a new business, you have to test the waters somewhere, right? What if it lost money? I couldn't drag all three stores into a hole with me, could I?"
"But it's making money now, isn't it?!" Sun Ting shot back, unconvinced.
"That brings me to the second point." Wang Xiaoliang held up two fingers. "We don't have the staff! Do you think cutting fruit is like chopping radishes and cabbage in a kitchen? Do you know how sharp that knife is? On Chen Kai's first day practicing, he nearly sliced off his fingernail! Can I just pull someone off the street and put them to work? This is a safety issue. Who takes responsibility if something happens?"
Seeing her expression soften a little, Wang Xiaoliang gentled