Stronger by Paying Salaries and I Have 1 Billion Employees

Chapter 15: Chapter 14: When You’re Away From Home, Your Identity Is What You Make It

Zhang Daqing was the gatekeeper at the Zhongqiao Inspection Station. His daily duties involved opening and closing the main gate, managing the parking spots, and playing on his phone in the guard booth when there was nothing to do. He rarely encountered any real trouble.

His monthly salary was two thousand six hundred, and life was sweet.

Today, as he rode his old roadster bicycle around the street corner, he saw from a distance that the open space in front of the Inspection Station was packed with a dense crowd.

’Oh no! Did something major happen?’

He hastily dropped his bicycle, pushed his way through the crowd, and squeezed desperately to the front of a display stand. One glance, and he understood everything.

’So they’re just selling stuff from a stall!’

”Who let you set up a stall here?”

As a gatekeeper, he had to be observant. He could tell at a glance that the tall and well-built Chen Yansen was the leader of the four.

”And you are?”

Chen Yansen’s eyes quickly scanned the man. Though he had already guessed the other’s identity, he feigned ignorance and asked deliberately.

”I’m a staff member of the Inspection Station. My name is Zhang Daqing. You’ve set up your stall right at the entrance, blocking half the road. Don’t you understand you’re disrupting traffic?”

Zhang Daqing said sternly, his face hard.

Any other vendor would have probably been scared into bowing and scraping, hastily packing up their stall to run away.

That was exactly how Wang Zihao felt. His face was pale, and he was terrified to the extreme.

Wang Ziyan, beside him, was a little better. She appeared calm, but her pale lips betrayed her.

”Oh, it’s Uncle Zhang! Let’s talk over here for a moment.”

Chen Yansen smiled slightly, acting overly familiar. He addressed him with great warmth and was about to lead Zhang Daqing aside by the arm.

”Woah! No wonder the kid is so bold. Turns out he’s Zhang Daqing’s nephew!”

”But they don’t look alike?”

”Maybe they’re cousins!”

”Young lady, are you still selling or not? Pack one up for me.”

Everyone was from the same town and knew exactly who Zhang Daqing was, so they didn’t pay him much mind. Instead, they just kept urging Wang Ziyan to hurry up, take their money, and pack their orders.

”Young man, have your people take down the stall and set up somewhere else. Having it right at my entrance has a terrible impact.”

Hearing Chen Yansen call him ”Uncle” with such enthusiasm, and seeing that the young man was about the same age as his own son, Zhang Daqing’s heart softened. His tone grew gentler as he tried to persuade him patiently.

”Uncle Zhang, I’m the deputy manager of Yangcheng Meimo Electronics Factory. The reason we put our display here at the entrance of the Zhongqiao Inspection Station is mainly for safety reasons.”

Chen Yansen introduced himself with a smile.

”You? A deputy manager?”

Zhang Daqing’s lips twisted into a grin. He didn’t believe it at all and couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

”The factory manager is my old man.”

Chen Yansen said, putting on a terrible Cantonese accent as he lowered his voice and leaned close to Zhang Daqing.

”Even the factory owner’s son can’t just set up a stall wherever he wants!”

Zhang Daqing nodded. His gaze fell on the expensive-looking suit Chen Yansen was wearing, and he was partially convinced.

After all, here in Chunshen, no one would dress so flamboyantly in the middle of summer.

”Uncle Zhang, my mistake, my mistake. Don’t worry, let me explain slowly! Didn’t our county issue a guidance document two years ago called ’Promoting the Economic Development of Surrounding Towns and Townships’?”

Chen Yansen explained slowly.

”Was there? Oh, right, right, right. I think there was.”

Zhang Daqing didn’t understand any of this, but he heard how smoothly and professionally Chen Yansen spoke. ’If I say I haven’t heard of it,’ he thought, ’how embarrassing would that be?’

”That document mentions that qualified government and enterprise units should provide assistance to laid-off workers who are willing to find their own means of livelihood. I thought this spot in front of the Inspection Station was quite suitable. I was just about to report it to you, but we had only just set up the display and hadn’t had the chance to tell you yet.”

Chen Yansen said this meticulously, a smile on his face.

In reality, such a document did exist, but its contents were somewhat different from what he had described.