Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Not long after, all five hundred or so workers who’d been on strike were chased away, but they did not leave. The gaunt, ugly man was still loudly proclaiming his views, arguing, “Don’t worry. This Xiao fellow will come back crying and begging for us to return to work soon. Without us, Luo’s Workshop cannot produce any goods. We are the ones with the fate of the company in our hands. We need to stay confident and have the guts to go up against these capitalists to the very end!”
Although the man was speaking spiritedly and loudly, the rest of the workers were shrouded in a general air of dejection. They had sat down, and their heads dipped solemnly. Now that they had calmed down, they felt like something was amiss. They had good jobs, so why had they gone on strike?
If they were honest with themselves, their pay and benefits were undoubtedly better than what they’d get at other factories. However, in the end, their deep-rooted greed had won out, and they’d chosen to join the strike. Many of them were now regretting their decisions.
If they were really all fired, their families would lose an income source. Some of them had to provide for nursing babies, children attending school, and older parents with no ability to work. With so many mouths to feed depending on their earnings, what were they supposed to do? As they contemplated this, some of the workers were smoking, and the hands gripping the cigarettes trembled uncontrollably.
In contrast, Xiao Luo had ordered someone to bring over a table and four stools. He was sitting with Chu Yunxiong, Zhang Dashan, and Ge Zhongtian, leisurely enjoying freshly boiled hot tea. Not a single shred of nervousness could be detected about him.
Of course, Zhang Dashan was not entirely at ease. He had never dreamed that one day he would be sitting at the same table as Hua Nation’s legendary entrepreneur, Chu Yunxiong.
Compared to them, the various department heads of Luo’s Workshop were extremely anxious. They all felt the pressure mounting and could not help but worry. If the bread processing factory lost all its workers, then the machinery would be left unmanned and useless. Not only would they be unable to produce anything of value, but the company would continue to suffer losses, which would only balloon as time went on.
“President Xiao, we cannot keep waiting like this. Let’s at least try to satisfy some of their requests and get them back in position to work,” Xu Guansong’s tried to persuade Xiao with his eyebrows knitted together.
Xiao Luo made no move to acknowledge him. He only turned to look at Zhang Dashan and demanded, “Are they coming?”
Zhang Dashan checked the time and replied, “They should be on their way.”
“How many?”
“Around 320 people. All workers from the bread factory. They can start working as soon as they arrive.”
“Mm.”
Xiao Luo nodded and continued sipping his tea slowly.
As they heard this brief exchange, a wave of surprise swept over Xu Guansong and the other department heads. 320 people? He had actually managed to rustle up 320 people with experience working at a bread processing factory? That was impossible!
Chu Yunxiong harbored similar doubts. Now was not the prime season for hiring, and being to be able to hire 320 workers at once was bizarre and difficult to comprehend. However, he refused to make his concerns known. Besides, Zhang Dashan was Xiao Luo’s trusted friend, so it was definitely possible that he had some unforeseen gifts.
Just then, Xiao Luo waved to the head of the factory, Zhang Donghai, beckoning for him to come over.
“President Xiao, what can I do for you?” Zhang Donghai asked enthusiastically with a radiant smile.
Xiao Luo pointed to the main gate, where the gaunt and ugly man was still on his feet, trying to instill courage and confidence in his fellow workers. “What’s that man’s name?”
“Oh, him. His name is Wang Tiechui,” Zhang Donghai hurriedly answered.
“Lin Chongdong, get me his personnel file.”
“Yes, President Xiao!”
Lin Chongdong had already come to admire Xiao Luo, whose earlier actions had left him feeling overjoyed. Therefore, he followed Xiao Luo’s orders unconditionally.
Xiao Luo was not a pushover, and anyone who tried to take advantage of him had better be prepared to face retribution. Also, he had thought from the start that this conflict did not stem simply from the workers wanting a pay raise. Someone was fanning the flames behind the scenes, and their one lead to find this mastermind was undoubtedly Wang Tiechui.
…
An hour later, five large buses pulled up in front of the main gate of Luo’s Workshop then parked in a row.
“Hey, they’re here!”
Zhang Dashan jumped to his feet excitedly and walked at a brisk pace to the main gate.
Seeing the manpower alighting from the buses, Chu Yunxiong was astounded. He commented to Xiao Luo, “Luo, your friend over there is not to be sniffed at.”
Xiao Luo chuckled back, “He just so happens to know the boss of a bread factory. Taste Buds is currently undergoing expansion, and their boss was forced out of business. He had to declare bankruptcy and lay off all his workers. Coincidentally, since we need workers here, Zhang Dashan asked around in his circle of friends. They came to an agreement, and the boss quickly sent his men over to us.”
“It looks like I shouldn’t underestimate any of you,” Ge Zhongtian laughed, hearing this explanation.
Xiao Luo had nothing more to add. He had not expected Zhang Dashan’s connections to be so widespread. It was indeed proof of what Zhang Dashan said before; his three years working at the bank were not for naught, and many of his work contacts were leaders of their own businesses. In terms of networking, he completely bested Xiao Luo.
When they saw more than 300 people streaming out of the five buses, Luo’s Workshop’s original workers all went pale in the face. Even Wang Tiechui, who had been keeping morale up and loudly advocating for the strike, went utterly ashen.
How did this happen?
How did they find so many workers to replace them at their jobs so quickly?
No, this could not be happening! This could not be happening! This was their livelihood!
“President Xiao, we know that we were in the wrong and admit our mistakes. Please, don’t fire us.”
“We won’t protest. We won’t ever protest again. As long as you don’t fire us, we will agree to anything.”
“President Xiao, please forgive us!”
The cries and wails of their pleading resounded from the main gate. If not for the security personnel, then the massive steel gates would have collapsed under the weight of five hundred workers desperately begging.
“You have balls to beg now,” Zhang Dashan cursed at them harshly. “I understand my brother’s temperament, and if he said he was going to fire you, then he meant every word. You all screwed yourselves. You gave up perfectly good jobs to run out here and go on strike. Get out of here, and don’t try to stick around.”
“Big Brother, please help me. Plead my case to President Xiao. My family has 6 people in it, and they are all living off what I earn. I can’t afford to lose this job. Please, I’m begging you,” a man pleaded tearfully. He grabbed onto Zhang Dashan’s leg like a child as he wept.
Zhang Dashan let out a long sigh. “Bro, I’m sorry to hear that, but there’s nothing I can do for you. My brother has made his decision, and nobody can change his mind now. You had better start looking for a new job.”
Pushing the man away, he made the security personnel open a small side entrance and let in the new workers.
“People, you don’t have to bargain with them!” Wang Tiechui shouted in a timely fashion. “There are other opportunities elsewhere. Luo’s Workshop is facing imminent collapse, and there’s nothing great about working here. If they want to fire us, so be it. We can just find work elsewhere.”
It would have been better if he’d stayed silent. With these words, the workers were reminded that they were in this situation now because of Wang Tiechui’s instigation.
“Wang Tiechui, go f*ck yourself!”
The man who had been weeping at Zhang Dashan’s feet just a moment ago wiped the tears from his face. He rushed straight at Wang Tiechui with a piece of broken brick, which he picked up off the ground. He raised the brick up high then smashed it down viciously on Wang Tiechui’s head.
“It’s all because of this son of a b*tch and his nonsense that we lost our jobs! Get him!”
The anger of the mob was aroused, and they rumbled toward Wang Tiechui like a raging tide.