Chapter 9

Furunjia Garden is located in the northern part of City S. Further north is the suburban area, where there are many abandoned factories and vacant lots. Choosing that place for a warehouse would be perfect. First, it's quiet, and second, it's close to where he currently lives, making it convenient to come and go.

The two of them searched until noon without finding a suitable place. They found a small restaurant, had a quick meal, and continued their search.

Suddenly, a loud commotion from a distance caught their attention. They followed the sound and found a crowd of about 200 people gathered in front of a factory, arguing incessantly.

"Why are you withholding our wages?" "Exactly, pay us our wages quickly."

"Give us our wages, or you won't be able to leave."

...

The crowd was in an uproar, making it hard to hear clearly.

"Gentlemen, I assure you, we will not withhold your wages. Please wait two more days. Once we transfer the factory, we will pay you every cent," a hearty voice said from the crowd.

Liu Ben, who was about to turn and leave, stopped and quickly walked into the crowd.

"No, what if you sell the factory and run away with the money? Who will we go to then?"

"Exactly, where will we find you after you sell the factory?"

...

"Gentlemen, you've worked here for a long time. I, Li Degang, am not the kind of person who would take advantage of money. I will not short you a single cent," a deep but slightly weary voice said.

"No, that's easy for you to say."

"Exactly, things are different now, Mr. Li."

"Do you think we are so easily deceived?"

The crowd argued again.

"Stop arguing. I will pay your wages on their behalf," a clear voice said from the outside as the scene became increasingly chaotic.

"Brother Ben, it's you," Li Qiang said in surprise.

"Qiangzi," Liu Ben said as he pushed through the crowd to Li Qiang's side.

It turned out that the ones surrounded by the crowd were Li Qiang and his father.

"Qiangzi, who is this?" The speaker was a man with regular features, who looked about 50% similar to Li Qiang. However, the man's brows were furrowed, and there were many white hairs at his temples, making him look particularly mature and沧桑 (weathered).

"Uncle, I'm Liu Ben, Qiangzi's friend," Liu Ben answered for Li Qiang.

"Ah, Qiangzi's friend. I'm truly ashamed to have you see such an undignified scene today," Li Degang sighed.

At this moment, the crowd was not willing to let it go.

"You said you would pay us our wages. Where's the money?"

"You can chat after we leave. Pay us our wages quickly; we don't have time to waste."

"Exactly," "Exactly."

"How much do you owe the workers?" Liu Ben asked the crowd.

"Two months' wages," one person said.

"Is that so?" Liu Ben turned to Li Degang for confirmation.

"Ah, yes," Li Degang sighed and nodded.

"Then, Uncle, please calculate the total amount. I will cover the cost," Liu Ben said to Li Degang.

"How can I let you do that? I can't let you pay for it," Li Degang hurriedly stopped him.

"Exactly, Brother Ben, we can't accept your money," Li Qiang also said urgently.

"Why not? If he doesn't pay, you two can pay. Can you afford it?" An employee immediately became anxious.

Li Degang and Li Qiang were silent, their faces showing great distress. Clearly, they could not immediately pay the workers' wages.

"Uncle Li, I'm in business. I want to buy your factory and convert it into a warehouse. What do you think?" Liu Ben said to Li Degang.

"Really? You want to buy my factory?" Li Degang was shocked.

"Yes," Liu Ben gave a firm answer.

"Little Liu, although my factory has closed down, the equipment inside is still relatively new. I won't deceive you. The factory, equipment, and a small warehouse behind it will cost you 30 million yuan, but you need to think carefully."

"Brother Ben, 30 million is a large sum. You need to think carefully," Li Qiang advised.

"Don't worry, money is not a problem. Uncle, how much do they owe in wages?" Liu Ben said confidently.

"338,600 yuan in total," Li Degang said without hesitation.

"Alright, I have 4.2 million yuan in this card. The password is six zeros. The rest I will send you later," Liu Ben took out a bank card from his pocket and handed it to Li Degang.

Li Degang took the card and passed it to a young man with glasses.

"Xiao Li, go withdraw the money and distribute the wages. Remember, don't short them a single cent."

The young man led the workers to collect their wages, and the scene quickly became quiet and empty. Only Liu Ben, Xu Yaqi, Li Degang, and Li Qiang remained.

"Brother Ben, you didn't introduce us. This is your sister-in-law, right? She's so beautiful," Li Qiang said to Xu Yaqi.

Hearing this, Xu Yaqi blushed but did not deny it.

"Don't talk nonsense. How could I have such good fortune? She's my employee, Xu Yaqi," Liu Ben looked at Xu Yaqi nervously and said quickly.

"Brother Ben, stop explaining. Your sister-in-law didn't say anything. Look how anxious you are," Li Qiang teased.

At this moment, Li Degang, who had been standing to the side, spoke.

"Little Liu, thank you for helping us out of this predicament. Otherwise, we wouldn't know what to do."

"Uncle, you're too kind. Li Qiang and I are brothers. How could I not help when you're in trouble?"

"Qiangzi is lucky to have a friend like you," Li Degang sighed.

"Uncle, you're mistaken. I feel lucky to have a brother like Qiangzi," Liu Ben said sincerely.

"Brother Ben," Li Qiang looked at Liu Ben with tears in his eyes.

Liu Ben patted Li Qiang's shoulder and turned to Li Degang.

"Uncle, do you have any plans for the future?"

"What plans? We'll take it one step at a time," Li Degang said worriedly.

"Uncle, I have an idea. I wonder if you're willing," Liu Ben smiled.

"Oh? What idea? Tell me," Li Degang said in surprise.

"I want to hire you both to help me with procurement. I'll pay each of you 5,000 yuan per month. Of course, this is just temporary, and the salary will increase in the future. Are you willing to join me?"

"Brother Ben, don't say 5,000. Just for today, I would work for free," Li Qiang laughed.

"Little Liu, as long as you don't think I'm too old or useless, I'll do my best for you," Li Degang also laughed. "Don't call me Uncle anymore. Call me Uncle Li, it's more intimate."

These two are really straightforward. That's good, because Liu Ben's business doesn't require much skill, but it does require integrity and loyalty. Especially for the management of his warehouse, he needs to be very careful in his selection. Xu Yaqi, Li Qiang, and Li Degang are perfect for the job.

"Alright, Uncle Li, I'll count on you for guidance," Liu Ben said happily. "There's one more thing I need your help with."

"Go ahead and say it."

"The equipment in the factory is no longer useful. Uncle Li, can you sell it at a discount? I want to convert the entire factory into a warehouse and connect it with the small warehouse behind it. I'll give you the money for the renovation as soon as possible."

"Leave it to me. As for the renovation costs, I think the money from selling the equipment will be enough. Don't worry about it. Just wait for the inspection," Li Degang said confidently.

After everything was settled, Xu Yaqi and Liu Ben started to head back.

Liu Ben was also quite helpless. Earning money quickly also means spending it quickly. The 13.7 million yuan he made from selling gold is now down to just over 60,000 yuan. To make up the remaining amount, he had to sell gold again. But to avoid scaring Xu Yaqi, he had to send her home first.

——

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