Chapter 338: Increasing Expenses
Chapter 338: Increasing Expenses
Seeing that she couldn't stay, the caregiver demanded her wages from Lu Jiaxin.
Lu Jiaxin couldn't possibly skip out on paying her, and it wouldn't reflect well on her if word got out. However, she wouldn't be the one to hand over the money. She had left the affairs of the Gu household to Aunt Mei to manage. Nonetheless, Lu Jiaxin checked the accounts every month to keep track of the expenses.
Red Auntie lowered her head and said, "Sister Mei caught a cold and went home for fear of infecting the old lady. I've been taking care of her these past two days."
"How much does she need to be paid?" Lu Jiaxin asked.
Red Auntie, who was well-informed about the Gu household's affairs, replied without hesitation, "She was just paid three days ago. Her daily wage is 150 yuan, so 450 yuan should be enough."
After sending off the caregiver, Lu Jiaxin turned to Red Auntie, who had stayed by the old lady's side despite not receiving any wages for months, and asked, "Why didn't you look for another job and insisted on staying here?"
"If not for the old lady, I would have been sold into a brothel years ago and would already be long dead. I vowed before the Buddha that I would devote this life to serving her and repaying her kindness," Red Auntie replied, her head still bowed.
Although Lu Jiaxin didn't like her, she couldn't deny that Red Auntie had been taking good care of the old lady. Even the two caregivers she had hired fell short of Red Auntie's dedication. It wouldn't hurt to let Red Auntie stay, especially since she rarely came by more than once a month.
"Aunt Mei's salary is 6,000 yuan a month. From now on, you'll receive 5,000 yuan monthly. Since the both of you are getting on in years, we'll hire another caregiver to take night shifts. You can choose the person. Also, I'll ask Aunt Mei to compensate you for the past few months' wages," Lu Jiaxin said.
With their room and board provided for, and quarterly allowances for work clothes, there wasn't much for Aunt Mei and Red Auntie to spend their wages on, allowing them to save up enough to each buy two apartments.
This turn of events was a pleasant surprise for Red Auntie.
Lu Jiaxin went to look for Gu Xiuxiu, but unfortunately, she didn't recognize her again and seemed reluctant to speak to her, her eyes filled with wariness.
Not wanting to frighten her, Lu Jiaxin returned to the living room and asked Red Auntie, who had followed her, "I noticed that the fruit on the table isn't very fresh. From now on, buy fresh fruit for Auntie Gu every day. Oh, and make sure to buy only organic and fresh ingredients for her meals."
The expenses of the Gu household were actually quite substantial. Aunt Mei's and Red Auntie's wages alone amounted to 30,000 to 40,000 yuan per month. On top of that, there were the utility bills and the cost of food for everyone, not to mention Gu Xiuxiu's dietary supplements and fruit. A monthly allowance of 100,000 yuan seemed a bit tight.
With this in mind, Lu Jiaxin said, "Tell Aunt Mei that we're increasing the monthly allowance to 150,000 yuan, excluding medical expenses. Buy Auntie Gu whatever she wants to eat, as long as the doctor says it's fine for her. If the allowance isn't enough, let me know."
Both Red Auntie and Aunt Mei had been worried that the allowance would be reduced after a year, but now, not only was it increased by 50,000 yuan, but medical expenses were also excluded. "That's more than enough, Miss Lu. Thank you on the old lady's behalf," Red Auntie said gratefully.
With the precedent of the He family, the two women had been anxious, fearing that Lu Jiaxin would also abandon the old lady to her fate.
"You're welcome," Lu Jiaxin said. "Auntie Gu has been kind to me, and I promised to let her enjoy her old age in comfort. I won't go back on my word."
Aunt Mei returned that very night, and Red Auntie shared the news of the increased allowance with her. "Sister Mei, the 150,000 yuan doesn't even include medical expenses. From now on, let's continue buying the old lady's vegetables and fruit from the previous store, just like we used to."
Aunt Mei nodded in agreement. "We'll do that."
"Actually, their standard of living isn't bad either. They have eggs and milk for breakfast, and a meat and two vegetable dishes with soup for lunch and dinner. It's not a heavy workload, and the food is decent. The wages are also slightly higher than the market rate, so there's not much to complain about."
"Alright."
The next day, Gu Haifan was doing his homework in his room when Mei-gu brought in a plate of his favorite strawberries. The strawberries were bright red and looked incredibly tempting.
Upon seeing the strawberries, Gu Haifan said, "Aunt Mei, save these strawberries for Grandma. An apple will be enough for me later."
Mei-gu smiled and said, "I bought a pound and a half today. The old lady has already eaten eight and can't eat any more. If she still wants some, I'll buy more tomorrow."
"Young Master Gu, you don't have to worry about the living expenses anymore. Your cousin came by yesterday and increased the monthly allowance to 150,000 yuan, excluding your grandmother's medical expenses. Now, we even have some leftover after buying fresh vegetables and fruits for you and the old lady every day."
Gu Haifan was stunned. He asked, "Why did my cousin suddenly increase the allowance and by such a large amount? Where did she get so much money?"
Mei-gu thought to herself that her young mistress was just more low-key and not penniless. "I wasn't back yet that day. I heard from Red Auntie that your cousin came by yesterday looking very happy, probably because something good happened. I guess she must have come into some money, which is why she's being so generous."
The bird's nest and donkey-hide gelatin she mentioned yesterday were both high-quality products worth tens of thousands. Mei-gu had called a few of her old acquaintances, and they said that foreign exchange trading had been very profitable lately. Young Master Nie had returned from abroad and used to be a top trader at a large securities company, so he must have helped her make a fortune.
Gu Haifan said, "Aunt Mei, I want to take Grandma to visit my cousin on Sunday."
Mei-gu immediately dissuaded him from the idea. "Your cousin is very busy with her studies, and she also needs to spend time cultivating her relationship with Young Master Nie. Young Master Gu, what you need to do now is to focus on your studies so that you can support your cousin in the future. That way, the Nie family won't dare to look down on her anymore."
Having lived in the He family for over thirty years, she knew very well how difficult it was for an ordinary girl to marry into a wealthy family. Fortunately, her young mistress was capable, and Young Master Nie had moved out to live separately, so he wouldn't be controlled by his family. However, there might still be some challenges for her young mistress after she married into the family.
Gu Haifan nodded firmly.
Gu Xiuxiu had a habit of having supper. As she ate the red date bird's nest porridge that day, she suddenly asked, "Mei-gu, where did you get this bird's nest? It tastes like the one I used to eat."
Red Auntie knew that she had regained her memory as soon as she heard this. Smiling, she said, "Your cousin sent it. She sent two big boxes, enough for you to eat for more than half a year."
Gu Xiuxiu nodded and said, "That child is thoughtful."
Red Auntie took a jacket and put it on her. Smiling, she said, "Old Madam, your granddaughter and grandson are both filial. You don't have to worry about your future anymore."
After Gu Xiuxiu finished the bird's nest, she went to see Gu Haifan. He was still reading and hadn't gone to sleep yet. Seeing that she was awake, he kept her company and chatted with her. When Gu Xiuxiu felt tired and wanted to sleep, he continued with his studies.
Mei-gu felt that bringing the young mistress and young master to Hong Kong City was the wisest decision the old madam had ever made. The young mistress had ensured a comfortable life for the old madam in her old age, and the young master's presence brought her the joy of having her grandchildren around.
(End of Chapter)
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