"Mom's cooking is the best!" Huang He devoured the rice in his bowl. It had been almost a day since he transmigrated, and he hadn't eaten a decent meal. He was ravenous.
"Brother-in-law, eat slowly. Mom made a lot for you, including your favorite steamed pork with rice flour!" his sister-in-law said, watching him with concern.
It was evident that his sister-in-law had rushed to deliver the food, her usual light makeup now absent. This, however, only accentuated the tenderness of her skin and a hint of alluring pinkness.
"Burp!" Huang He let out a satisfied belch. He then glanced around, spotting the four young men sitting not far away, watching him as if to prevent his escape, their eyes hungry for the food in his hands.
Indeed, these young men hadn't eaten all day either. The factory canteen had closed long ago, and they were likely starving.
"Zhiruo, you eat too!" Huang He finally remembered his sister-in-law's name, Leng Zhiruo, a beautiful name. Later, Huang He specifically asked his mother-in-law if his father-in-law had been a fan of the TV show "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" back then. He learned that his father-in-law was illiterate and didn't watch TV. He had no idea who Zhou Zhiruo was. He'd paid a fortune teller a dollar, who had told him that any name with 'Zhi' in it was excellent, a name fit for an empress in the old days!
This made Huang He want to complain. All five of his sisters-in-law had 'Zhi' in their names, so wouldn't that mean there were five empresses in the world?
"Okay!" Leng Zhiruo nodded. She had intended to eat with her brother-in-law, but to her surprise, he beckoned to the men nearby, smiling and saying, "Come, everyone, let's eat together!"
The men who were monitoring Huang He hesitated. Huang He smiled even more broadly, "Come over. You're still my workers, and I'm still your chairman. A chairman can't let his workers go hungry. All of you, come over. My mother-in-law's cooking is truly excellent!"
Hearing Huang He's words, and with their stomachs rumbling, the young men shyly approached. Huang He then instructed Leng Zhiruo on a few things, and she nodded before leaving.
"Here, eat! It's delicious!" At Huang He's invitation, the four young men, initially shy and hesitant, transformed into voracious eaters. They devoured the generous portions with a speed that astonished Huang He, clearing their plates in the blink of an eye.
They still looked hungry, their eyes fixed on the empty plates.
Fortunately, Huang He had anticipated this. Leng Zhiruo soon returned, carrying over a dozen packed lunches, which she spread out on Huang He's table. In addition, there was a case of beer. The young men cast grateful glances at Huang He.
"Come, let's have a toast today!" Huang He raised his glass (which was actually a disposable water cup). The young men quickly raised theirs and drained their drinks.
"We are fated to be gathered here today. I don't know your names yet. Let's introduce ourselves!" Huang He said with a smile. The four young men began to introduce themselves.
The tallest, most refined, and bespectacled one was Liu Xiangjiang, a university student.
The shortest but sturdiest was Shen Yuequn, only 22 years old, yet already a father of three.
One who appeared simple-minded and somewhat overweight was Jia Sanggu, the most honest but also the most gluttonous.
The last one was Zhang Yingguo, likely the most quick-witted among them, with a glint of cunning in his eyes.
None of them were older than 25; they were all young men.
"Chairman, are you trying to get us drunk so you can sneak away?" Zhang Yingguo, after a few rounds of drinks, asked with a playful grin.
"I would like to escape, but if I did, my home, my family, my friends, my business would all be lost. I would even lose my identity. I don't want to escape!" Huang He shook his head.
"Boss, can you really raise our wages?" Shen Yuequn, who was clearly most concerned about money, asked. He had three children to support.
"To be honest, it's very difficult. I'm not confident myself!" Huang He replied with a shake of his head. Disappointment flashed in their eyes, but Huang He immediately continued, "But no matter how difficult it is, if we don't try, how will we know the outcome?"
"Besides, we're not without capital. On the contrary, we have a large amount of capital. As long as we use it properly, let alone settle your wages, we can even make a comeback and build a business even bigger than before. Each of you can have double your salary, become executives, and together we can create a great undertaking!" Huang He's eyes shone with infinite confidence, stirring a surge of excitement in everyone.
In those days, people were still simple. They didn't know about "selling dreams" or "lying flat." With a little encouragement, they could soar.
"Come, words are not enough. You all come with me to the warehouse. I'll show you our company's capital!" Huang He announced loudly. They all responded in unison, and even his sister-in-law, Leng Zhiruo, jumped up and led them into the warehouse.
Upon turning on the warehouse lights, the entire world became bright. The warehouse, spanning nearly three acres, was filled from floor to ceiling with neatly stacked boxes of goods, leaving no empty space visible.
"Zhiruo, tell me, how much inventory is here?" Huang He asked loudly.
"Yes, Sis... Chairman, this represents a full year's production. We have a total of 18 million leather wallets, 10 million leather belts, 6 million pairs of leather shoes, and 4 million leather jackets."
"And what is their value and cost?" Huang He asked again.
"At cost price, leather wallets are 2 yuan each, totaling 36 million yuan. Leather belts are 3 yuan each, totaling 30 million yuan. Leather shoes are 10 yuan a pair, totaling 60 million yuan. Leather jackets are the most expensive, at 16 yuan, totaling 64 million yuan. Combined, the cost is 190 million yuan. Excluding the purchase of equipment, factory buildings, and land, our 350 million yuan loan is all here."
"That's the cost price. If we calculate it at our ex-factory price, leather wallets are 5 yuan, totaling 90 million yuan. Leather belts are 8 yuan, totaling 80 million yuan. Leather shoes are 20 yuan a pair, totaling 120 million yuan. Leather jackets are 40 yuan, totaling 160 million yuan. The total is 450 million yuan!" His sister-in-law's secretary was very competent, reciting all the figures without hesitation.
"So, if we can clear all the inventory in the warehouse at the ex-factory price, we can not only pay off the 350 million yuan debt but also earn 100 million yuan, right!"
"That's correct!" Leng Zhiruo nodded, but inwardly she felt helpless. The numbers were there for anyone to see and calculate. The problem was that these goods simply couldn't be sold. Otherwise, if it were so easy to move the inventory, how could the Jiangnan Leather Factory have fallen into its current predicament!
However, Huang He seemed to have forgotten all of this. He turned around and looked at the four young men behind him, stunned by the figures worth hundreds of millions. In a voice full of persuasion, he said, "Gentlemen, from today onwards, you are my brothers. As long as we brothers work together and clear all this inventory, not only will all your back wages be paid, but you will all become my partners, executives of the Jiangnan Leather Factory, earning tens of thousands of yuan a month, marrying beautiful women, and embarking on the pinnacle of life!"