"You said it yourself, you only needed to keep half. I didn't force you. I've already told you, I'm not helping you because you're filial. Is it only at the very end that you finally understand what I meant?" Song Tianyao flicked his cigarette ash and said to Lou Fengyun, "Regretful now? You could grit your teeth and agree to keep a fifth of the money before, but after I helped you keep half, now you see me taking the other half with just a few words, and you can't bear to part with it? I'll give it all back to you, do you want it?"
Lou Fengyun felt a bitter taste rising in her mouth. In the past few days, she had heard people say that the Red Pole Police Force officer, Sergeant Hung, lost his position Detective Sergeant because of this Secretary Song. Sergeant Hung had even taken his anger out on her. Now it seemed that it wasn't that Yan Hung was stupid, but that this man with a smile on his face was too terrifying.
He keeps smiling at you, but in reality, he's already secretly raising a knife, waiting for you to be completely unprepared before slicing off your flesh.
"Then why did you refuse when I offered to give you 50% of the Gambling den?" Lou Fengyun asked Song Tianyao, her brows furrowed as she clutched her aching ribs.
"I'm greedier than you think, but there are many ways to be greedy. Isn't this much better? You've withdrawn from Fuyixing and are willing to give me half the money plus 20%, without any trouble at all. I was planning to borrow money from my boss tonight to help my family buy a new house, but now it's much better. You've brought the money to my door yourself, clean and simple, so I have no reason not to accept it. But if you're unwilling, you don't have to give it to me, it's fine." Song Tianyao tapped the table lightly with his fingers. "In Hong Kong, the premise of doing good deeds is that you have enough benefits yourself. Those relatives and neighbors give you some eggs and fruit, thinking I'll help them find a good job, that's impossible. But the benefits you've given me are enough for me to do good deeds this time. Otherwise, do you really think that just because you're pretty and wearing a seductive bellyband, you're worth me coming to this Gambling den for dinner tonight and listening to your complaints?"
Lou Fengyun almost bit her lip until it bled. At this moment, she felt that Song Tianyao's previous words were just mocking her, making her go from one-fifth of disappointment to half of satisfaction, then to complete ecstasy, and finally to falling down in an instant.
But could she dare not give Song Tianyao that half? If she didn't, Song Tianyao might just give Fuyixing a heads-up, and without the protection of the clan, her whole family could be thrown into the sea in the dead of night, and all their property would go to someone else.
"You're not stupid, just a little greedy. These next few days, help my family and yourself rent two apartments in Wan Chai, then move in. My money will be in your hands; I'll come to you when I need it." Song Tianyao finished speaking, stubbed out his cigarette, stood up, and strode out of the private room. "Remember next time, doing good deeds comes at a price. Black-Hearted Wah did it because you were beautiful; now it's because you've given me so much money."
Chapter Sixty-Five: Civil Service System
"Father, A-Yao suggested that I lay off all of Likang's current employees. I would like to ask for your opinion." At the dining table in the Chu Family, Chu Xiaoxin said with his head down, not daring to look his father in the eye.
My father values hometown ties and the relationship between host and guest the most. All those employees are fellow Chiu Chow natives who have worked loyally for the Chu Family for many years. If I say this, I'll probably be met with a furious roar from my father.
But after waiting a few seconds without receiving a response, Chu Xiaoxin looked up at his father and found that Chu Yaozong was still slowly sipping his soup, seemingly oblivious to Chu Xiaoxin's words. Chu Xiaoxin then looked at his elder brother, Chu Xiaozhong, who was sitting opposite him. Chu Xiaozhong, unusually, smiled at him and said, "Secretary Song did the right thing. If Likang wants to grow bigger, it really should change its leadership."
Is this really his older brother who used to make sarcastic remarks all the time? Chu Xiaoxin stared at Chu Xiaozhong in confusion, doubting his true intentions in speaking up for Song Tianyao now.
"Don't look at me like that, Ah Sin. I was indeed a bit annoyed with you before because you weren't up to par. But now that you have Secretary Song helping you, I'll definitely agree with the things you're doing right. The people at Likang should indeed be dismissed, but my opinion is that doing business with embezzled goods doesn't require such a large-scale operation. It would be better to gradually dismiss them. After all, they are all elderly people who have helped the family for a long time, and we need to find them a place to settle down. We can't let people say that our Chu Family is too harsh." After Chu Xiaozhong finished speaking, he continued to eat his meal in a refined manner.
Chu Xiaoxin racked his brains for a long time but couldn't find the problem with his elder brother's words. They were indeed very reasonable, and Chu Xiaoxin actually preferred not to dismiss everyone at once.
But has my elder brother really changed his mind? Has he truly learned to be respectful and loving towards his brother?
"You've spent almost all the money Song Tianyao got from those gold bars, haven't you?" Chu Yaozong didn't give Chu Xiaoxin the answer he wanted. Instead, he slowly finished his soup, looked up at Chu Xiaoxin, and asked with a smile.
Chu Xiaoxin instinctively wanted to lie, but remembering what Song Tianyao had told him—that he should tell the truth if Chu Yaozong asked, and he wouldn't be angry—he hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "The expenses have indeed increased these past two days, Father. I was wrong."
"You've improved; you even know how to admit your mistakes. It seems your secretary has taught you a lot. The employees at Likang are all veterans who have weathered many storms with the Chu Family. Arrange for half of them to go to the textile factory in North Point and the other half to go to the oil refinery in Kwun Tong. A-Zhong, you arrange this personally. Also, give each of them an extra two hundred dollars in red envelopes." Chu Yaozong first smiled as he looked at Chu Xiaoxin bowing his head in apology, then spoke to his eldest son, Chu Xiaozhong.
Chu Xiaozhong wiped his mouth with a napkin. "I know, Father, I'll make the arrangements tomorrow. But, is it really necessary to dismiss everyone at Likang all at once? Wouldn't it be better to take it slowly? Although Secretary Song is capable, if we do this, wouldn't it be like telling those old folks that a newly joined Secretary Song is more valued than all of them? It might make them uncomfortable, after all, going to the factory is harder than staying in the trading company."
The Chu Family always treated their employees well. Because they were from the same hometown, and Chu Yaozong was a leader among the Chiu Chow people in Hong Kong, the Chu Family never made money by exploiting or squeezing their workers' wages.