Shen Tan and Shen Chi had been in this household for a long time, so they knew Li Yue Shu's temperament well. They immediately sat down, without any pretense of formality.
"Shen Cheng Cai said he wants to come to the dam for training and work in the pharmaceutical factory later."
Shen Wei's gaze deepened slightly, and he instinctively looked at the person beside him.
She didn't know yet that the person behind Shen Cheng Cai was the Li family. Should he remind her?
Li Yue Shu looked surprised.
Putting aside the fact that she would never hire an eight-year-old child, given her relationship with the Shen family, how could Shen Cheng Cai have the courage to come and work under her?
Li Yue Shu wondered, "Did he come alone?"
Shen Tan nodded. "He said he was the only one earning money at home, and his grandmother took all the money he brought back. He felt he had no other option, so he wanted to try at the dam."
Upon hearing this, Li Yue Shu was silent for a moment and asked, "How many people heard him say this?"
"Everyone was in training at the time, so almost everyone at the dam heard it," Shen Chi replied with a frown.
Hearing this, Li Yue Shu had a rough idea.
She had heard from the villagers before that the current Shen Cheng Cai was steady and sensible, earning money to support his family at such a young age. She had initially thought he had changed.
But she had asked Shen Can to inquire, and Yang Shi had met with Shen Cheng Cai every time she came to cause trouble.
An eight-year-old child who knew how to use his own mother for profit was either born with extreme cunning or had someone guiding him from behind.
Regardless of which it was, his主动coming to participate in the dam's training meant he had no good intentions.
Li Yue Shu looked at the two children in front of her, did not reveal her thoughts, but asked, "Do you think I should let him participate?"
Shen Tan and Shen Chi, who were waiting for her decision, were slightly stunned and didn't react immediately.
Li Yue Shu closed the book in her hands and looked at the two of them seriously. "Although I handed over the pharmaceutical factory to Aunt Liu and Madam Zhou, you are the ones responsible for the liaison between the pharmaceutical factory and the pharmacy. These small matters should naturally be decided by yourselves."
Although these seven children were of junior high and high school age in modern times, they were considered adults in this world, and she had to let them gradually learn to stand on their own.
Shen Tan and Shen Chi looked at each other and did not speak immediately.
After a moment of silence, Shen Chi spoke first, "The Shen family has repeatedly troubled Madam. Even if Shen Cheng Cai's reputation in the village has improved, he is still a member of the Shen family. Letting him into the pharmaceutical factory would likely be a hidden danger."
After speaking, she nervously watched Li Yue Shu, unsure if she was right.
Li Yue Shu maintained a faint smile, making it impossible to read her thoughts.
She turned her gaze to Shen Tan. "What do you think?"
Shen Tan pursed her lips and was silent for a while before saying, "What Shen Chi said is true. However, Shen Cheng Cai deliberately asked to participate in the training in front of everyone, precisely to force Madam to agree. Madam previously said that she would not dwell on past grievances and that anyone from the village could come if they wished. If Madam refuses now, it might lead to gossip."
The pharmaceutical factory had gained a reputation stain before it was even built. Even if they didn't hire villagers in the future, it would likely leave a hidden problem.
The smile on Li Yue Shu's lips deepened.
As expected of the most stable among the children, his considerations were more comprehensive.
She nodded. "Everything you said is correct. Shen Chi, do you think we should let him participate in the training?"
Shen Chi, who was called upon, was startled, and her heart tightened. "Me?"
She instinctively looked at Shen Tan, her eyes filled with help.
Shen Tan's gaze shifted slightly. She looked at Li Yue Shu, who was calm beside her, guessed something, and then retracted her gaze, not responding to Shen Chi's plea for help.
Seeing this, Shen Chi became even more nervous, but everyone was waiting for her answer, and she couldn't remain silent forever.
After much deliberation, she finally said, "I think... why don't we just let Shen Cheng Cai participate?"
Seeing no reaction from Li Yue Shu, she paused and then said again, "Since he wants to force Madam to agree, let's let him come and keep him under our watchful eyes."
Li Yue Shu's expression remained unchanged. She turned to Shen Tan. "What do you think?"
Shen Tan thought for a moment and replied, "I agree with Shen Chi's plan. This way, we won't fall into disrepute, and it will be more convenient to monitor his actions."
Upon hearing this, Shen Chi's suspended heart finally relaxed.
But the next moment, Li Yue Shu's voice suddenly rang out, "Shen Chi, since you came up with such a good idea, why did you still want to seek help from Shen Tan?"
Shen Chi looked up in confusion, but then seemed to understand Li Yue Shu's words and lowered her head. "I was just afraid... afraid of making mistakes and causing trouble for Madam."
Looking at her nervous and timid appearance, Li Yue Shu was helpless.
She had noticed long ago that these children were always hesitant in their actions, and even Shen Tan sometimes dared not make decisions on her own.
Li Yue Shu sighed. "I need your loyalty, but I also hope that you can stand on your own, rather than relying on me to make every decision."
"You seven came to this home together. You are like siblings who can entrust your worries to each other. Even if there are problems you can't solve, you can communicate with each other, instead of placing the burden on any one person."
This was the first time Li Yue Shu had shown a serious and solemn expression in front of Shen Tan and the others.
Shen Wei looked sideways at the woman beside him, and a light, unnoticed by himself, flickered in his eyes.
Wei Zi Miao, who was playing with Ling Er, also witnessed this scene.
This Li Yue Shu was only in her teens, yet in terms of medical skills, business acumen, and educating children, she was far superior to many others.
What other secrets did she hold?
Just as these two men's thoughts wandered, Li Yue Shu suddenly spoke, "Relay what I said back to Shen Chen and the others, and think about it yourselves. However, we still cannot agree to the matter of Shen Cheng Cai."
She reverted to her usual friendly demeanor. "Whether it's the pharmaceutical factory or the pharmacy, no child workers are allowed in any industry under my name. If the Shen family wants to participate, Mother Shen or Shen Wang can come. Children are the future of a family, not its pillars."
There was no concept of child labor in this world, and countless children worked outside from the age of eight, but she had no such plans.
Shen Tan and Shen Chi looked at Li Yue Shu in surprise, their hearts pounding intensely.
They didn't know how to describe their feelings at that moment. In their understanding, they were born as slaves, and their only advantage as children was being sold for a good price because they were easy to train.
Li Yue Shu's words were deeply etched in the hearts of the two children, and that night they relayed her words to Shen Chen and the others.
That night, all seven children were sleepless.
They had initially thought that as long as they were loyal to Madam and did what she instructed, they would be repaying her kindness.
But now, it seemed that easing the burden on Madam's shoulders was what they should truly be doing.
The night was deep, and besides them, one other person was awake – Shen Wei.