chapter 7 Construction base and financial news

After bidding farewell to each other, Benjamin instructed Nicholas to take the others home.

He brought Robert and a few others to the factory. After surveying the area, he said, "There’s only Simon in Ertai Town. I'll go sort that out for the first time. You two will be in charge of the factory." Pointing at one of the workshops, he continued, "We don't need windows in this one. Just seal it up. Get some cement and bricks, and do a thorough repair."

Seeing the two nod in agreement, Benjamin pointed to another one and said, "I plan to turn this one into a pine nut processing workshop in the future. Leave the windows as they are. Lay a cement floor, give it a good paint job inside, and replace the doors with those big double iron ones."

He took out cigarettes, gave one to each of them, took a few deep drags, and continued, "For these two offices on the east side, paint the walls white. Hang a few calligraphies and potted plants for decoration. Upgrade the doors a bit, and make the windows larger with full glass. Lay the floor with light yellow tiles, get some decent office desks and chairs, and also add sofas and coffee tables. As for the one on the west side, let's turn it into a dormitory. With this much merchandise, we need someone to guard it."

Watching the two nod attentively, Benjamin smiled inwardly. He was subtly beginning to train these people in execution ability. He turned to look at the yard and the main gate shook his head, and continued, "The yard needs to be leveled, and the main gate should be replaced with something more imposing."

"Got it, Benjamin, don't worry, we'll make this place shine. Next time you come, you won't even recognize how it used to look," Robert said.

"It might cost a bit. You two use the earnings from the freight yard first. I haven't touched the money from the freight yard these past few days, it's all saved for you. But you need to keep accounts and report expenses, understand?" Benjamin knew that his team was used to being lax, so he added a touch of severity in the last few sentences.

Robert and Peter nodded solemnly. After making all the arrangements, the next day Benjamin went to the department store and bought a few packs of local cigarettes. He then boarded the train from Wu City to Feng City with Nicholas.

Michael Zhang was an experienced train conductor with a decent salary. He only worried about comparisons. Currently, the Wu and Feng Line was a minor one, and it was a slow train. Compared to the express trains on the larger lines departing from Wu City station, the profits were pitifully small. When Nicholas mentioned this opportunity, Michael's interest was piqued. The railway system had little interaction with local authorities, and there was a sense of independence. The local policies of Feng City meant nothing to Michael. Having seen conductors on other routes making a fortune, he had long wanted a chance to make some extra income for himself and his team.

The distance from Wu City to Ertai Town in Feng City was nearly 400 kilometers. Due to the blockade by the Feng City Board of Forestry, there weren't many goods transported via less-than-carload shipments. Less-than-carload refers to so-called less-than-carload trucks. A carload was 30 tons, and the goods sent were few, all scattered items. A few hundred pounds here, a few thousand pounds there—numerous goods pieced together into one carload, which was called less-than-carload.

The journey to Ertai Town in Feng City took nearly 5 and a half hours. Michael was very polite throughout the trip. He arranged for the train attendants to have sleeping berths, and even had the dining car prepare a few dishes. He warmly accompanied them for a few drinks. Benjamin saw through Michael's intentions crystal clear—of course, he wanted his conductors to help carry some goods. This route had rarely seen any goods to help carry before, so everyone had some complaints and it wasn't easy to manage. This time, Benjamin would naturally inquire on behalf of everyone.

Being a person of two worlds, proficient in social intricacies, Benjamin naturally wouldn't refuse. Firstly, he needed the other party's help, and secondly, mutual prosperity was the long-term plan for everyone. Moreover, this route was still considered relatively remote, and the amount of goods carried by conductors was astonishing. The two chatted happily, paying no attention to the forlorn Nicholas clutching a bundle of banknotes in the corner. They quickly settled the details.

Benjamin, inherently generous and open-handed, clinked glasses with Michael, then lowered his voice and said, "Conductor Zhang, my friend, I'm making my fortune while on the road, I won't shortchange my friends. For every box that can be carried on Brother Zhang's train, I'll pay 40 dollars for your hard work. As for the brothers under Brother Zhang, for every 200 pounds they carry over, I'll give 4 dollars for the freight."

Hearing Benjamin agree to his request, Michael felt a surge of excitement. He downed three cups in a row, praising Benjamin for his righteousness. Benjamin was an astute individual, understanding the value of favors. He continued, "When the goods arrive at the station, I'll have someone settle the bill. As for the money, it'll be settled separately with Nicholas and you. This way, it'll be easier for you to manage, right?"

Michael looked deeply at Ian. The man before him exuded a calm and dignified presence that contradicted the rumors. After some consideration, he finally nodded and said in a low voice, "For these small matters, I'll have to trouble you to look after my son in the future."

Before saying these words, Michael had always believed that his youngest son associating with Little Red Robe wasn't a good thing. Little Red Robe had a reputation, and as a seasoned senior conductor from Wu City, Michael knew it all too well. He had originally planned to use this opportunity to earn some money and simultaneously suggest that the two separate. However, after this interaction, Michael felt that the rumors were likely unfounded. Benjamin spoke and acted with great finesse and seemed to exude an extraordinary aura. It might not be a bad thing for his son to follow him. So, he changed his mind on the spot and uttered these words.

"Conductor Zhang has been with Wu City for a long time, and he has a wide network. Do you know if there's a suitable financial person you could introduce to Benjamin?"

An image of a woman immediately flashed in Michael's mind. He pondered for a moment before speaking, "Brother, I do know of a suitable candidate. Her name is Fiona. She used to be the chief accountant for several privately operated factories of the Wu City railway. Later, because she refused to engage in fraudulent activities and offended someone, she was falsely accused of being promiscuous. Her professional competence and character, I know them well. There's nothing to criticize. I'm just not sure if Mr. Su dares to hire her."

"Fiona?" Benjamin continued to inquire, "Does she have a son with a cartilage disease? And her husband died in a car accident?"

"You know about it too?" Michael was somewhat surprised.

Benjamin didn't know it, but he knew that before his rebirth, Fiona Zhang was a renowned financial powerhouse in Tiannan Province. Her financial company oversaw the operations of several listed companies and had an excellent reputation. He had the privilege of meeting her once. At that time, he was already down on his luck, and he didn't even have the chance to get close to her.

"Haha." Benjamin laughed heartily, raising his glass and saying earnestly, "I'll hire her, I'm sure of it!" Michael didn't know why Benjamin was so pleased, but he went along with it, clinking glasses with him.