chapter 13 busy and home

The not-so-spacious food factory entrance was blocked by dozens of trucks, causing a traffic jam. The company's cashier, Eddie Zhao, was cramping up from counting money. Benjamin set up a stool on the roadside and stood on it, shouting through a megaphone, directing the inspection and loading. He must have been shouting for a long time, as his voice was now somewhat hoarse. There was none of the usual calm demeanor, even under immense pressure.
It was Nicholas who spotted Frank first. Nicholas was almost exhausted, and Benjamin's mood swings had turned him into a firefighter. With a dizzying twist, he saw the stunned Frank.
"Bro Frank, have the cars arrived?"
Nicholas had been eagerly anticipating the arrival of the cars, and when he saw Frank, he immediately shouted out.
Frank hadn't yet recovered from the shock of the scene in front of him. He kept muttering to himself, "How much money is Little Red Robe making today?"
Everyone said that Little Red Robe had turned over a new leaf and become more cautious, staying in the warehouse without daring to come out. Who would have thought that he would quietly create such a big scene?
It took several pulls from Nicholas to bring Frank back to his senses.
"They're here. My goodness, how much is Little Red Robe making?"
Still in a daze, Frank, and Nicholas had already excitedly run towards Benjamin.
"Don't leave, tell Frank, we'll pick up the cars tonight."
The journey from Tiandu City to Wu City was approximately over seven hours. Going in the evening would mean they could return the next morning.
Frank who was still feeling dizzy squeezed his way to Benjamin's side with a wry smile. "Bro Red Robe, no rush for you. I'll prepare some fine wine tonight at Hexagonal Pavilion and await your gracious presence." He was an old hand in the martial world and naturally understood the kind of influence a wealthy figure like Little Red Robe could possess. In his speech, he casually replaced "Little Red Robe" with "Bro Red Robe," as if it were second nature.
Benjamin nodded in agreement. Being an old hand in the industry, he naturally knew how to talk the talk.
It was busy until 7 in the evening before the dozens of trucks were gradually loaded and left. A staff guarding the goods station hurried over to notify Benjamin. 170,000 pounds of pine nuts had already arrived. Benjamin was determined, thinking to himself, "I need to quickly hire some sharp and reliable managers. Otherwise, if this continues, I'll end up tied down here. What a situation."
Glancing at the exhausted Nicholas, Benjamin didn't hesitate to kick him to get him up.
"Bro, Hexagonal Pavilion?" Nicholas got up with a cheerful grin, dusting off his clothes.
"Go back home. Ask your old man if we need someone capable of handling this kind of situation over here. See if he has any good candidates." The last time Michael Zhang recommended Fiona, Benjamin lucked out with a talent. He thought of Michael as a lucky charm and couldn't help but point out that Michael might have another good candidate in mind.
Benjamin patted his shoulder while looking at the reluctant Nicholas.
"The old man has it tough too. Go to my office, find Eddie, and get a couple of good cigarettes. Take them back to show your old man some respect."
Benjamin treated these loyal brothers under him exceptionally well. He even provided them with two packs of premium cigarettes each month. One, to prevent them from spending recklessly, and two, to maintain their image among their peers.
Nicholas naturally followed Benjamin's words obediently, though he wasn't entirely willing, he still complied.
Michael had been living quite comfortably lately. The pine nuts brought him an additional income of 30 to 50 dollars every day. His subordinates were also making good money. They followed his lead without question. It even made Michael, who had initially planned to retire early and let his eldest son take over, waver in his decision.
Benjamin was savvy in his dealings. He only gave tips to the head conductors, which led to the increasing prestige of Michael and the other conductors. With money in hand, friends naturally multiplied, and the overall status of the Wu and Feng Line Depot in Wu City Station had subtly risen.
Recently, the atmosphere in Michael's house had been rather delicate. Nicholas' older brother, Brandon Zhang, had already found a potential partner. Now, the girl's family was just waiting for Brandon to secure a stable job before they could get married.
As the year-end approached, Brandon was torn. His father never mentioned retiring voluntarily, and this left Brandon conflicted. His father had been making good money lately, and if he retired, all that would be gone. Given Brandon's qualifications, it would take a very long time for him to advance to the position of head conductor. So, fearing that his father might regret it, Brandon decided not to retire early. Otherwise, the girl might break up with him over this.
Nicholas' mother was overjoyed to see her second son return, and she prepared a table full of sumptuous dishes. Michael knew that Benjamin's business had grown tremendously. In just a few months, Benjamin had transformed from the tough guy who used to chat and joke with him on the train into a powerful figure with over a hundred people working under him, making deals for a living.
The youngest son now had more prestige than himself. He followed Benjamin day in and day out, gradually becoming quite influential at the train station. Seeing Nicholas return and bringing two packs of premium cigarettes with him, Michael was also very pleased. He even took out a cherished bottle of fine wine, intending to have a few drinks with his accomplished son.
During one train ride, a few troublemakers who were heavy drinkers caused a disturbance. After trying unsuccessfully to calm them down, Michael almost had to ask the railway police for help. But then one of them respectfully asked if he was "Bro Nic's" father. Michael was momentarily bewildered before realizing that "Bro Nic" was his son. After nodding, the group immediately bowed their heads and apologized. The incident was resolved, and he finally realized that his son had grown up.
At the dinner table, Michael raised his glass in a rare gesture and had several drinks with Nicholas in succession. Nicholas' mother was also beaming with happiness. She had been carrying a thorn in her heart about her youngest son not being able to take over, but seeing that Nicholas was doing well now, she was delighted and couldn't stop smiling, continuously putting food into Nicholas' bowl.
"Son, I heard that this Mr. Su treats you well. He values you a lot. You must work hard and live up to his expectations."
With the impetuousness of youth, Nicholas felt that life couldn't get any better than this recently. He had let go of the worry about not being able to take over. When he heard his mother mention Benjamin, he immediately started animatedly talking about it.
When he mentioned that he earned 1500 a month, leaving the three of them at home stunned, and when he mentioned the two packs of premium cigarettes per month and the house that was given to him, Michael and his wife were so shocked that they couldn't find the words to respond.
The more Brandon heard, the more uncomfortable he felt. He was currently unemployed and hesitated for a long time over spending ten dollars on a date with his girlfriend. Meanwhile, his younger brother already owned a house. And it was an apartment building?
The discomfort grew, and a nameless anger surged within him. Suddenly, Brandon forcefully put down his glass and said in a strange tone, "Mr. Su? He's nothing! Just a hustler who buys and sells things. Sooner or later, he'll get what's coming to him!"
As soon as these words left his mouth, the table fell silent. Nicholas' smiling face turned dark, and he stared at Brandon with a hostile look, his tone cold and deliberate, "Brandon, I dare you to repeat that!"
In Nicholas' eyes, Benjamin was now like a god, and hearing his brother speak like this stirred up a raging fury within him.