Unlimited Resources: Raising a Minister with a Space Supermarket-Chapter 498 - 444: Difficult to Manage

Li Dayan looked at the white steamed buns and swallowed her saliva. She had already decided in her heart that she would eat half of one and leave one and a half for her three children.

Wang Dafen, who was teamed up with Li Dayan, was also drooling over the freshly steamed white buns, but unfortunately, with so many people around, there was no way to sneak a taste.

A group of people steamed over four hundred white buns and then started making green vegetable and egg soup.

Seeing the basket full of eggs, Wang Dafen whispered to Li Dayan, "Big sister, don’t you think the County Magistrate’s Wife is worried about someone stealing these eggs just left out like this?"

Li Dayan frowned, "Just talk less and work more! Hurry and crack the eggs!"

"How many should I crack? We don’t know how many meals these eggs are supposed to cover. Maybe I should ask the County Magistrate’s Wife. I saw her go to the small room on the south side. I should ask; otherwise, what if she thinks we used too many?" Wang Dafen said, tossing an eggshell aside as she headed out.

Li Dayan didn’t stop her this time; she also thought it was necessary to ask.

Soon, Wang Dafen came running back excitedly, "Big sister, Madam Su said these eggs are for the whole day. We’ll use half at noon and the other half in the evening."

Li Dayan looked at the big basket of eggs, her mouth agape in surprise. There must be over a hundred eggs there. Using so many eggs in soup, wouldn’t that be a waste?

Although Li Dayan thought using so many eggs in the soup was a bit of a waste, she knew that since they were working for someone else, they had to follow instructions. So she and her sister-in-law Wang Dafen deftly cracked dozens of eggs into the large wooden basin.

"Madam Su said the large clay pot contains soybean oil, and we should use it for cooking. After these pigs are slaughtered, we can rely on the lard, and we’ll keep the lard for future cooking needs."

Having gone to ask Madam Su, Wang Dafen managed to clarify what should and shouldn’t be used in the kitchen, preventing future endless questioning that might annoy the County Magistrate’s Wife.

Li Dayan nodded in acknowledgment, signaling to Wang Dafen to heat the pot. She put a small spoonful of soybean oil into the pot. When the oil sizzled, she added a handful of chopped scallions, quickly filling the kitchen with a fragrant aroma that made the stomachs of everyone cooking in the kitchen rumble.

Li Dayan added the chopped spring vegetables into the pot and stir-fried them before filling the pot with water.

"Let me know when it’s boiling!" Li Dayan said to Wang Dafen as she moved on to prepare another pot.

With over two hundred people to feed, one pot of vegetable and egg soup certainly wouldn’t be enough. At least five large pots were needed. Madam Su had said there’d be plenty of vegetable and egg soup, so if she made too little and people didn’t get enough to eat, wouldn’t it mean she messed up the first task assigned to her?

After all, with oil, vegetables, salt, and eggs, just add more water, and it would be fine!

Li Dayan made a total of five large pots of vegetable soup. When the hot soup started boiling, she poured the well-beaten large bowl of eggs evenly into the five pots. Soon, a layer of golden egg flower floated on the soup’s surface. Li Dayan also sprinkled a handful of finely chopped scallions into each pot, making the vegetable and egg soup look appetizing.

At noon, Liu the Steward organized the female workers into a long line at the kitchen door to queue for food, each holding their own utensils—some with large ceramic bowls, others with chipped clay pots. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Li Dayan and Wang Dafen were in charge of serving the people in line, handing out two steamed buns each and a large bowl of vegetable and egg soup.

"Wow, they are white steamed buns!" someone exclaimed from the crowd.

"I’ve never seen steamed buns this white. I’ll just take a taste and bring the rest back for my son!"

"I’m not taking it home; if I do, my son won’t get any, it’ll end up in my mother-in-law’s belly. It’s better if I eat it myself!" The woman laughed and took a big bite of the bun.

"Delicious, truly delicious. These buns are so sweet!" the woman exclaimed eagerly in praise.

"There are benches over there. Go sit down after getting your meal, don’t crowd around here!" Liu Shuangli noticed that most of the women put the buns in their bosoms and gulped down the large bowl of soup as heartily as men drinking wine. Afterward, they hurried for a second bowl, crowding the food distribution area, quickly disrupting the orderly queue.

Liu Shuangli frowned, knowing things couldn’t continue like this. He turned to find Yu Xiaolian and explained the kitchen’s chaos.

"Two buns and a bowl of soup should be enough for these women. I think we should set a fixed portion. After getting their ration, they should go eat on the side.

And I don’t think the buns should be taken home. When they leave work, their bodies are all bulging. Who knows if it’s buns or stolen pork or sausages? We can’t search everyone, right?" Liu Shuangli used to be Su Dafu’s accountant; he was good at bookkeeping, but managing people and affairs was new to him.

Though he was new to management, it didn’t take long for Liu Shuangli to spot the issue from the meal distribution.

Yu Xiaolian frowned. She had already said they could take buns home, and now saying they can’t would be a sudden change in rules.

However, what Liu the Steward said was not without reason. When the workers head home, they can’t be strip-searched one by one.

Yu Xiaolian thought for a moment and then spoke, "How about this, tell them that meals are rationed to two buns and a bowl of soup each, and they should go aside after getting their portion.

As for taking buns home, let them be. I trust they won’t dare to steal from the factory. Later, remind them of the consequences of being caught stealing. I believe they won’t dare."

At this time, most people were still quite simple-minded, and back then, people were particularly afraid of the Government. The food factory workers knew that the factory was set up by the County Magistrate to help these poor individuals, so they should feel grateful. Yu Xiaolian believed deep down that they wouldn’t disappoint her.

Even if the truth of theft was discovered later, Yu Xiaolian would prefer to believe they were compelled by necessity. To prevent this, Yu Xiaolian decided to find an excuse in a few days to give these female workers some sausage to improve the diets of their families’ elderly and children.

Otherwise, guarding these fragrant sausages every day and not being able to eat even a bite was quite the ordeal.

Liu Shuangli sighed inwardly. The madam was just too kind-hearted, which might make management difficult for him.

However, in his position, he was responsible for the tasks assigned by the head of the household. Liu Shuangli didn’t say anything further but turned and went out to maintain order.