Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
With adequate rest, Feng Wuhen and the four had recovered well from their injuries. Their robust build and physical conditions also attributed to their quick recovery.
They had been uncomfortable with any inference that they were leeching off Xiao Luo and had asked him if they could come under his employ.
âAny job will do, Brother Xiao. Please, we arenât picky.â Feng Wuhen had said, with deep respect.
Xiao Luo sat on the sofa, switching between TV channels absentmindedly, checking for any interesting programs. He asked, âAre your injuries, alright, now?â
âWeâre alright. We healed a long time ago.â Feng Wuhen pounded on his firm chest.
âThey eat pig d*cks, cow d*cks, and chicken d*cks every day. I was like this close away from buying real human p*ssy to ânourishâ them.â Zhang Dashan held up two fingers close together to make his point. âIf their wounds donât heal up, well, I think Iâll have to readjust the views I have towards this world, wonât I?â He continued as he walked towards them.
Hearing those words, Feng Wuhen and his friends were speechless.
Zhang Dashan dropped himself down on the sofa, snatching the remote control from Xiao Luoâs hands. He switched to a blind-date reality show. His eyes roamed, then widened as he stared straight at the upper row of girls. âWhat the heck, number twelve, the one Iâve always been following, sheâs taken already? By a friggin n*gga as well? Holy macaroni, she like BBCs so much, eh?â
Xiao Luo glanced at him, âIs your head ok? Do you stay at home all day just to watch these dumbass blind-date programs?â
âWhat do you know about them? You think Iâm watching it because Iâm⦠watching it? I am here to study the nuanced style and wit of that bald host, ok? Look at the way he talks. He sounds like a sage. Holy pepperoni, heâs cool as hell. When I take over the Luoâs Workshop from you, I want to have his demeanor,â Zhang Dashan refuted.
âThen, I think you should hurry up and give yourself a bald cut!â Xiao Luo stood up and went towards the corner of the room for a drink at the water dispenser.
âBald your foot. How can this big face of mine suit that kind of hairstyle?â Zhang Dashan retorted, acting pissed.
âBrother Zhang, I think you got it wrong. How can it be called a hairstyle when you donât even have hair left?â
âYeah, in our dialect, that is called a âmonk-ey cut,â which means kinda like a bald donkey.â
âBeing a bald donkey ainât great, they can only be with nuns, and nuns are worst. Whoever marries a nun will be jinxed for three generations. Ling Wu Chung in âThe Smiling, Proud Wandererâ even said that whenever he sees a nun, he loses every bet he makes.â
Xiaowu and the other three men chattered among themselves. Their deadpan faces seemed like they were trying not to ridicule anyone, but it was apparent that they were talking about Zhang Dashan.
âF*ck off! Go to the side!â
Zhang Dashan didnât take too kindly to Feng Wuhen and his friends. He had been nursing them back to health like he was a doting parent over the past few days. Thinking about it made him cringe on the inside.
Xiao Luo sat back down on the sofa after getting his glass of water, âThe six of you shouldnât be staying here at home. The company has just received a ton of orders. The factory is all tied up because of them. Ready yourselves and follow me to the company. We need to find Lin Chongdong from the Human Resource Department to get yourselves a job.â
âMe included?â Zhang Dashan pointed at himself.
âDuh. Even these guys know how to feel embarrassed, leeching off me. Donât you feel the same? Even a tiny little bit?â
Xiao Luo sipped on his tea and said unhurriedly, âIâll handover Luoâs Workshop to you after the company has stabilized, so you have to understand the companyâs system, alright? Iâve thought about it, and I think you should start from the bottom. You may begin by learning our food processing technology.â
âYou shit, actually making me a regular employee. Bro, doesnât your conscience in here even hurt a little?â
Zhang Dashan acted like he was heartbroken. Of course, he didnât oppose this arrangement. He already knew Xiao Luoâs abilities were way above him in every aspect. If he didnât work harder, he would not be able to take up the post of general manager at Luoâs Workshop in the future. He understood the need for him to start from the very bottom.
Xiao Luo ignored him and continued drinking his tea.
âBrother Xiao, how much do we get paid every month?â Feng Wuhen inquired with anticipation.
âBasic pay will be 2.2k in the first three months and will rise to about 2.5 to 2.6k after that. If you work overtime every day, given the number of orders we have now, you can earn about five grand every month,â said Xiao Luo.
Five grand?
The five of them were elated, hardly believing what they just heard.
âFive grand, per person, per month?â
âThatâs right.â
Xiao Luo affirmed with a nod.
Wahh!
They gasped, dazed from what they just heard. Five thousand dollars per month? There were goldmines everywhere in this metropolis, and theyâve finally gotten themselves into one.
âHurry up, and thank Brother Xiao!â Feng Wuhen quickly prompted his companions to thank Xiao Luo.
âThank you, Brother Xiao!â
The men clasped their fists together in traditional Chinese fashion and expressed their gratitude towards Xiao Luo. Even in their dreams, they never thought they would ever get their hands on a job that paid five thousand dollars per month. The bad days were gone, finally gone. Recollecting the harsh times theyâd gone through over the past few months, they suddenly felt emotions getting the better of them, and almost teared up.
âDonât be too happy just yet. As regular workers, yes, your benefits might be ok but, the work itself is laborious. Youâll be working in two shifts. Day shifts are better; the night shifts would deplete you. These five grand will not be easy money. You have to be mentally prepared,â Zhang Dashan reminded.
âWe are not afraid of hardship!â Feng Wuhen said resolutely.
Xiao Luo stood up and patted him on his shoulders, âWork and learn more. When you have acquired your skills, Iâll get you guys to do some other stuff.â
âYes, Brother Xiao,â Feng Wuhen nodded quickly, with both a tinge of excitement and anticipation for the new job.
Zhang Dashan quivered in disgust as he teased, âYou f*ckhead, youâre acting more and more like a boss now, arenât you? You e know how to encourage your employees.â
******
âMr. Xiao, I have to tell you about our issues. The amount of orders we received is way beyond our factoryâs production capacity.â Zhang Donghai, a wrinkled face man, spoke to Xiao Luo. âThe Mid-Autumn Festival will arrive in half a month. Even if everyone in the factory works overtime,24 hours per day with no sleep, we may not be able to make it,â Luoâs Workshopâs factory director grumbled.
With the Fuke Groupâs order and the orders from Taste Buds, all put together, it was truly overwhelming for Luoâs Workshop, given their production capacity.
âWe donât have to fulfill everyone. Just produce as many as we can,â Xiao Luo said faintly.
âBut arenât we going to breach our contracts? If that happens, we have to pay a huge sum of money,â Zhang Donghai said, spreading his hands while frowning.
Xiao Luo smiled, âRelax, and we wonât be breaching any contracts. Our contracts are all drawn up based on our production capacity. As of the Mid-Autumn festival, theyâll be taking as much as we can produce. Thereâs no issue.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
For the customers they snatched over from Taste Buds, their contract did not stipulate that the Luoâs Workshop had to meet their order requirement. The terms were that they would receive orders based on the quantity Luoâs workshop could produce. He added this item exclusively in consideration of Luoâs Workshopâs production capacity.
All the bosses of these companies had either lost their bets or had some secrets in his hands. They had to comply even they did not wish to.
âHuh? D-does that even work?â
Zhang Donghai was startled. He had never seen such a lop-sided and unreasonable contract. The question was, why did those customers sign on them? What in the world was going on, what had Mr. Xiao done?
âKnock. Knock. Knock.â
At that very moment, someone knocked on the office door.