That cowardly act of trying to avoid risk by having the other party share half of the loan made Song Tianyao hate him so much that he always wanted to kick him away.
At that time, loans from British banks were safer and had lower interest rates than those from Chinese banks and money shops. Song Tianyao considered it natural to use bank loans to expand his business. However, in the eyes of Hong Kong in the 1950s, this was clearly abnormal. Many legitimate businessmen preferred to save their money penny by penny, gradually expanding their businesses. In an era where banks were begging customers for loans, customers were unwilling to lend. In 1950s Hong Kong, apart from those from Shanghai, most local China businessmen disliked owing money, especially interest-bearing debts. If they were truly short of cash, their first consideration would be fellow countrymen, not banks.
After dismissing the Scribe Hui, Song Tianyao saw that Huang Liu had pushed past Brother Xiong and sat down opposite Ning Zikun, playing chess with a heavy expression. It seemed that the master swindler's chess moves were confusing Huang Liu, who was holding a chess piece in his hand, unsure of how to place it.
"Lunch today, braised pork belly with black moss and dried oysters!" Sister Xiong banged on the rim of the water vat by the kitchen door and shouted towards the workshop, "Lunch is served! Black moss and dried oysters (symbolizing good fortune)!"
"Good omen!" Song Tianyao exclaimed first, then paused for a moment, looking at Sister Xiong and Brother Xiong, as well as the female workers who had come out to eat during the work stoppage. As they passed by Song Tianyao, they all greeted the young boss with a hint of anticipation.
Spring Festival is coming soon.
After Song Tianyao and others said something auspicious, they realized that black moss and dried oysters were a dish served to all Hong Kong Chinese people for good luck, regardless of wealth or poverty, only around the time of the Lunar Spring Festival.
Time flies! My first Spring Festival after being reborn is almost here?
Sister Xiong was tending a large bowl of braised pork belly with black moss and dried oysters, while Brother Xiong brought out a full bowl of "Poon Choi," a dish often eaten during the Lunar Spring Festival in the New Territories. Radishes, bamboo shoots, squid, pork skin, shiitake mushrooms, chicken, dace balls, and braised pork were piled high in the bowl, making it look incredibly appetizing.
After the female workers lined up to receive their meals, Sister Xiong, who could barely straighten up and catch her breath after her busy work, looked at Song Tianyao and asked casually, "Boss, it's already the 24th. Will the factory be closed for the Chinese New Year?"
Some of the female workers deliberately slowed their pace, seemingly waiting to hear what Song Tianyao had to say. Song Tianyao lowered his voice and asked Sister Xiong, "Hey, do they want a holiday or do they want to continue working?"
"It would be best if we could have a couple of days off, but even if we don't, no one will say anything. Boss, you're like a kind person, providing food and lodging, and never delaying wages. It's hard to find an employer like that." Sister Xiong said indifferently, "It doesn't matter to me whether I get a day off or not, since my husband and I will be staying at the factory for the New Year anyway."
"On the 28th of the lunar year, clean up the mess; on New Year's Eve, eat the reunion dinner." Song Tianyao muttered a couple of lines of a New Year's rhyme before turning to the expectant eyes and saying, "We'll have a four-day holiday, starting on the 28th and returning to work on the second day of the new year. Besides your wages, Sister Yun will give each of you an extra Red packet during the holiday."
Some of the younger female workers cheered excitedly on the spot, while the more composed women also showed joy. This Boss Song was truly a kind person; over a hundred workers, each of them received Red packet. In the North Point factory district, these female workers from Song Tianyao's wig factory, although they lived and ate at the factory, would go out for walks in their spare time. They were also familiar with workers from other factories and had long since inquired about the other factories' arrangements for the Spring Festival. In those factories, if the bosses were to settle the wages they had previously withheld during the Spring Festival, the workers would be grateful and pray. Red packet were only possible for a few foremen who were close to the bosses. As for holidays, it depended on the boss's mood. If the work schedule was tight, there wouldn't be a single day off. If you wanted to ask for leave, you could expect to be fired and have to find another job after the New Year.
In retrospect, Song Tianyao is practically the biggest philanthropist in North Point compared to those factory owners.
After reflecting on the upcoming Spring Festival, Song Tianyao turned back to his office and continued designing the framework for Oxfam's new organization.
After spending two consecutive days holed up in his office, writing down the entire organization's structure, composition, operation, and so on, Song Tianyao finally stepped out of the office, stretched, and prepared to spend the next two days handing over the draft proposal to Mrs. Bess, the president of Oxfam, who would then find an opportunity to deliver it to the British Hong Kong Government.
Stretching and cracking his neck as he walked out of the office, Song Tianyao felt something was off. He had been busy in the office for two days, but nothing had bothered him, not even a single phone call. He could understand why his Scribe Hui, didn't bother him for fear of being scolded, but Second Young Master Chu hadn't contacted him either. What exactly was the situation with Po Leung Kuk and the Britain Red Cross Hong Kong Branch? Even if it wasn't related to Oxfam, Second Young Master Chu called to let him know.
He stood at the office door, looking into the factory. Sister Xiong was still picking vegetables to prepare a meal, Huang Liu and the big swindler Ning Zikun were still sitting to the side playing chess, Fu Xinniang was taking Shu Yan Shi Yin with the account book and following Lou Fengyun to the warehouse to count, Brother Xiong was cutting some minced meat to feed the dog.
Everything seemed peaceful, but something felt off. Song Tianyao quickly turned his gaze back to Huang Liu, who was sitting on a low stool with his back to him, playing chess.
Will this guy actually play chess steadily for two days in a row?
Moreover, Song Tianyao didn't even know which dormitory Huang Liu had stayed in for the past two nights. When Song Tianyao got busy, he was too lazy to think about the details, but Huang Liu never went to open the office door to ask him which dormitory he should stay in or who to ask for arrangements.
This is not normal, it's extremely abnormal.
Song Tianyao pretended to stretch his limbs and slowly moved to the side of the two people playing chess. After staring at the chessboard for several dozen seconds, he casually asked Huang Liu, "Brother Six, you've been staying at the factory these past two nights. Are you getting used to it?"
"Living in a factory? Don't I live in a hotel? I go back to the Maddison Hotel every day after dark." Huang Liu gently tapped the two chess pieces in his hand, his eyes fixed on the chessboard, and said.