“That’s nothing, you have to pay extra for exceeding the limit!” Solo felt there was no issue with this, as all operators in the world charged extra for going over their contract plans.
Solo just didn’t know that Stark’s overage fees were slightly on the high side.
Well, none of that mattered. For now, Solo felt that the contract plan provided by Stark was perfect. There simply wasn’t a more considerate contract plan in the world. Thus, Stark paid promptly and signed up for a contract for his Tianxing 5 mobile phone.
“By the way, what are your business hours?” Solo asked curiously while completing various procedures.
“Sir, our previous business hours were from 10 AM to 6 PM. However, we’ve changed them. We are now open 24 hours a day, just like the convenience store next door!” the salesperson said with a smile.
“24-hour operation, that’s exaggerated? You’re just a telecommunications company. Do people come here to conduct business at night?” Solo asked in surprise.
“Yes, that’s what I thought at first. But our president told us that there are always people who need to call their families at night, who need to hear their loved ones’ voices. We can’t let them be unable to connect with their loved ones just because our service outlets are closed!”
“Although I think what our president said is quite disgusting and hypocritical, at least we’ll be open 24 hours for a considerable time in the future!” the salesperson said with a smile.
“You’re going to do this in the future?” Solo was shocked. He felt this was the most surprising news he had seen in the past month. Could there really be a 24-hour telecommunications company in the world?
In an instant, Solo’s impression of the company soared.
“But aren’t you afraid your operating costs will skyrocket with this approach?” Solo asked curiously. Operating 24 hours would require at least twice the number of salespeople, which would be incredibly costly.
“Perhaps. However, our company is currently undertaking the great Madame Versailles’s support plan, which is to provide more job opportunities to the unfortunate people trapped in poverty, homelessness, drug addiction, and other predicaments. We offer these people job opportunities, pay them daily wages, provide them with free accommodation and food, and give them everything they need to escape their hardships.” The salesperson said with emotion.
“You, a mere salesperson, know about the company’s high-level plans?” Solo asked with a hint of sarcasm. He thought this was just a marketing tactic by Stark to promote his image.
“No, I know all of this is true because I was homeless on this very street three days ago!” The Black man smiled slightly, looked into Solo’s eyes, and suddenly said with a smile, “Actually, we’ve met many times. I’m the one who used to live under the Bill Bridge. How is your relationship with Mrs. Ross next door? I haven’t seen you two together for half a month!”
“Cough, cough, cough!” Solo coughed a few times. “Those days are over; they are past. Mrs. Ross moved to California with her husband. We are just ordinary friends!”
Yes, they were ordinary friends who almost always met in the grass under the bridge every night, ‘mowing the lawn.’
The salesperson smiled and said nothing. Solo felt a bit awkward and decided to leave immediately. Just then, the door of the service outlet was pushed open, and a somewhat thin old man walked in, coughing.
“Dear sir, could I sit here for just 5 minutes? My hands are frozen, and they need to warm up!” the old man said very humbly.
Solo recognized this old man too. He lived near the garbage station next to the police station.
Don’t think of a garbage station as a terrible place. In fact, it’s a treasure trove. Many food items are discarded there. As long as one is diligent and can tolerate the unpleasant smell, they can eat their fill every day.
“Of course, you can sit for as long as you want!” the salesperson immediately said. The old man shyly said thank you and then found that the salesperson had already come out from behind the counter and handed him a cup of hot water.
The old man said thank you several more times, quickly held the warm disposable paper cup in his hands, and felt the heat spread through the paper cup to his palms, then warmed his entire body.
In reality, what often causes these unfortunate homeless people to die is not a lack of food. The United States is notoriously wasteful with food, and plenty of food can be found in trash cans at any time.
Moreover, if they wished, they could go to some relief organizations daily to collect food vouchers, which could then be exchanged directly for some cheap food.
But strangely, many homeless people in the United States would rather rummage through trash cans for food than eat these cheap food items.
Therefore, what truly threatens the lives of these homeless people is the cold. The United States is generally a cold country, and most regions are quite cold. Although there are many cities in the United States, they become exceptionally deserted at night, and the cold wind seems even more biting. Many homeless people, even wrapped in newspapers, cannot withstand the cold and can only find places like under bridges or sewers to escape the chill.
Just like where this salesperson and the previous Madame Versailles stayed.
However, when they can no longer bear the cold, these homeless people will go to some shops that are still open, hoping to find warmth there.
But most shops are not friendly, and they can’t stand the disgusted looks from some customers around them. They would rather leave and ultimately freeze to death on the streets.
In the United States, the story of the little match girl is not a fairy tale but something that happens almost every day. Except it’s not a little girl selling matches, but a homeless person.
At this moment, the homeless old man was reluctant to drink the hot water in the cup, as he wanted to use the heat to warm his body as much as possible.
However, not even a few minutes later, before the water had cooled down, a bowl of steaming hot white food was brought before him.
“Please drink this, sir. This is Chinese food called congee. Although the taste is somewhat bland, it’s the best for warming the body and filling the stomach!” the salesperson said. The old man was stunned for a moment before quickly saying thank you, wiping the corners of his eyes. He first drank the hot water in the cup, then picked up the spoon and began to eat the congee spoonful by spoonful!
“You can even cook congee here? That must take a long time!” Solo asked in surprise. He had eaten congee with his mother at Chinese restaurants before and knew that it involved cooking hard rice until it was very soft, which would take at least an hour. How was it served so quickly?
“The company provides these for us, and of course, also for these unfortunate homeless people!” The salesperson smiled and pointed to a microwave oven behind him. “Each of our stores is equipped with dozens of these instant rice congee packs. You just need to add hot water and heat them in the microwave for 5 minutes.”
“We can eat them directly when we get hungry during work, and we can also use them to help these foodless unfortunate people,” the salesperson said.
“So, wouldn’t dozens of these be eaten up instantly?” Solo asked curiously.
“It depends on the specific situation. We can apply to the head office every morning, and as long as the quantity doesn’t exceed 100 portions, it can be approved directly and delivered to our store within a few hours,” the salesperson said.
“Isn’t your head office afraid of these food items being embezzled? Of course, I’m not saying you would do such a thing, but there are always some disgusting people in this world,” Solo said.
“I understand. That’s why I said this congee isn’t very tasty, as it has no flavor, at most a little bit of saltiness. If you’re curious, I can make one for you to try. I promise you, unless your stomach is growling with hunger, you definitely won’t be interested in eating more than a bite.”
“I understand!” Solo nodded and then inwardly marveled at how comprehensive the Stark company’s considerations were.
The old man was clearly hungry, and he quickly finished the entire bowl of congee. His face soon showed a flush of color. He shivered, stood up, and said, “Thank you, sir. I feel much better. I think I should go now!”
“No, it’s too cold outside. You shouldn’t leave. I think you should stay here tonight!” the salesperson said.
“Stay here?” The homeless man paused, then quickly said, “That’s probably not good. My presence here will affect your business!”
“There aren’t many people coming at this late hour, and our company has very few users. Less than 500,000 across the entire United States. Apart from this gentleman, I don’t think anyone else will come tonight.”
“Moreover, you don’t need to stay in the store. We have a dedicated rest room behind the shop, with over a dozen beds, fresh bedding, and a bathroom. You can stay there and leave tomorrow morning!” the salesperson said.
“I can stay in such a nice place?” The old man’s hands trembled in surprise. He had never imagined that a shop would not only provide him with hot water and steaming congee but also offer a place to stay.
“Of course. The rooms are empty, aren’t they meant for people to stay in?” the salesperson smiled. “There are actually three guys already staying inside. You can go in and chat with them!”
“Okay, thank you! Thank you so much!” The old man was truly crying. While wiping away his tears, he walked inside and said, “You are too kind. How can there be such a kind company in the world? May God bless you!”
“Yes, God and our Madame Versailles have taught us that the purpose of our United States Priority Group is to serve the people!” the salesperson said with a solemn, serious, and even devout expression.