Chapter 77 Representative

Chapter 77 The Representative

Leaving the town government building and getting back into the car, Wang Chuang, behind the wheel, straightened the driver's seat that had been fully reclined. "That was quick," he remarked. "I thought it would take ages. I was about to catch some sleep."

Jiang Luo gestured for him to drive. Wang Chuang buckled his seatbelt, started the car, and turned the steering wheel. "What did you talk about? So fast."

Jiang Luo: "There used to be a chemical oil refinery in town."

"Oh? What happened?"

Wang Chuang had been traveling a lot lately and had picked up a slight northern accent.

Jiang Luo: "That factory underwent restructuring and was absorbed by the city's oil refinery. They didn't need as many people, so a group of workers were laid off."

"Mayor Wu is concerned it might impact the town's employment rate and public order. He wants those laid-off workers to join our factory."

Wang Chuang was momentarily stunned, his mind racing as he drove. "That won't work, will it?"

"They're from an oil refinery, refining oil. We're a garment factory, making clothes. They wouldn't know the first thing about our work."

He quickly asked, "Did you agree?"

Jiang Luo countered, "When the town mayor personally asks, can you refuse?"

"Alright."

Wang Chuang understood.

Jiang Luo didn't want to agree, but this wasn't something he could refuse.

Still, Wang Chuang didn't think it was a major issue. As he drove, he turned his head and said, "They could come. We can train them. They'll learn eventually—using sewing machines, attaching buttons, ironing. It's not that difficult."

"You're oversimplifying it."

Jiang Luo murmured, "Remember this: In this world, the most reliable thing is machinery."

"The most unreliable thing is people."

The next day, Jiang Luo and Huo Zongzhuo had dinner together at a restaurant.

When Huo Zongzhuo heard that the town government wanted a group of workers from the former oil refinery to join Jiang Luo’s garment factory, he wasn’t particularly surprised. Calmly, he said, "Since you're cooperating with the town government and they've vouched for you, it's normal for them to intervene in some factory matters."

He asked, "Did you agree?"

"Could I refuse?"

Jiang Luo lowered his eyes as he cut his steak, sighing casually, "In this line of work, you can't always do what you want."

Hearing Jiang Luo could still joke at a time like this, Huo Zongzhuo knew Jiang Luo already had his own plan for the situation.

He smiled and said, "Looks like you can handle it."

Jiang Luo replied offhandedly, "Whether I can handle it or not, just drug everyone. If they're drugged, they won't come."

Huo Zongzhuo knew Jiang Luo was joking. "Anyway, your factory needed workers. Whether you hire people from town or from nearby areas, it makes no difference."

Huo Zongzhuo reassured him calmly, "Running a physical business is like this; you have to deal with people everywhere."

"As you grow bigger, you'll interact with even more people."

"But it's also good. Transforming labor into social value—that's your contribution as a factory owner to society and the country."

Jiang Luo scoffed, "I opened a factory to make money. Making money is for myself. I'm not some great philanthropist."

He jibed, half-mockingly, "Leave the role of the great philanthropist to you. I won't take it."

"Fine, I'll be it then."

Huo Zongzhuo handed over the steak he had just cut. "Stop cutting. Have this."

Jiang Luo moved his hands with the knife and fork aside, letting Huo Zongzhuo switch plates for him, and teased again, "See, you really are a great philanthropist."

The "great philanthropist" swapped their plates back in front of himself and continued cutting Jiang Luo's steak. He asked, "How do you plan to settle the oil refinery workers?"

…

Within a couple of days, a man with a buzz cut showed up at the factory, introducing himself as a representative of the oil refinery workers. His name was Xu Hu, and he said he wanted to talk to Jiang Luo, the garment factory owner, about so-called "workers’ rights" on behalf of those workers.

Wang Chuang happened to be there at the time, and his eyes widened. "What? Workers’ rights?"

"What is this, the old society? Pre-liberation? The Qing Dynasty?"

"What do they take us for? Zhou the Skinflint or capitalists?"

Jiang Luo remained calm. He told Wang Chuang to get back to work and asked Xiao Lu to bring Xu Hu some hot tea and close the door on his way out.

Once the door was closed, Xu Hu sprawled with his legs crossed on the sofa without looking at Jiang Luo. Instead, he looked around the office, checking what was in the room, and then looked at the *Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection* hanging on the wall.

Xu Hu couldn’t understand it—he just saw it was brush calligraphy. He skimmed the beginning of the *Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection* and thought to himself, *What rubbish. Capitalists, just showing off.*

Soon, Xiao Lu came in with tea. Xu Hu didn’t take it, just tilted his chin to indicate the coffee table.

Xiao Lu felt annoyed, thinking Xu Hu was rather arrogant.

He didn’t say anything, placed the cup on the coffee table, and glanced at Jiang Luo. Seeing that Mr. Jiang, seated behind the desk, didn’t comment, he turned and left, closing the door again on his way out.

With the door closed, Jiang Luo remained silent, reviewing his papers behind the desk.

Xu Hu spoke up, picking up the teacup from the coffee table as he said casually, "Back at our place, there are 89 workers total, including me."

"If you can make proper arrangements and give us the terms we're entitled to, we'll follow the factory and town government’s arrangements and come work for you."

"If you don’t give us the terms we're entitled to, and we have no jobs, I’ll lead my 89 brothers and sisters to hang around your factory gate every day."

"We have all the time in the world. You’re the big boss."

He was basically saying he had nothing to lose.

Jiang Luo looked up, his gaze steady as he looked at Xu Hu.

He knew this Xu Hu from a previous life.

But not because of that chemical oil refinery that got merged.

Back when he opened the factory in Juxiang Town, it was at least after 1993. The chemical oil refinery had long been gone, so there were no worker issues then.

He knew Xu Hu simply because Xu Hu had been brought on as a security guard at their factory back then.

Xu Hu was also a smooth talker and expert brown-noser. Whenever he ran into him at the factory, he would put on a fawning smile, calling him "Boss Jiang" every time.

And it was this same Xu Hu who immediately left after the factory burned down back then.

Not only did he leave himself, but he also urged other workers to leave with him.

Back then, he also acted as the workers' representative, stepping forward to demand that Jiang Luo, who was then at his lowest point, pay the workers their wages and unemployment compensation.

Jiang Luo had no money, was in a hospital ward, and was in no state to discuss these matters with Xu Hu.

Seeing Jiang Luo depressed and defeated, Xu Hu actually went to Jiang Luo's residence at the time, stole the cash, watch, and belt he had left there, and even drove off with Jiang Luo's car.

When Jiang Luo found out back then, he felt like a tiger fallen on hard times being bullied by dogs (a Chinese idiom meaning "the mighty brought low")—both laughable and utterly hopeless.

Later, Jiang Luo never encountered Xu Hu again.

Now, this time around, Xu Hu appeared before him so brazenly. Jiang Luo had no particular feelings about it, just one thought: this guy really loves being a representative.

Chinese people say "the nail that sticks out gets hammered down," warning against being the first to stick one's head out, but Xu Hu insisted on being that representative.

Jiang Luo thought to himself: last life, you kicked me when I was down and stole my things; this life, are you afraid I won’t make you pay?

Jiang Luo looked away and went about his business, completely ignoring Xu Hu, letting him do whatever he wanted.

Xu Hu drank his tea, but getting no response, he gradually grew restless and stole glances at Jiang Luo, realizing he had pushed it too far.

He coughed awkwardly and said, "Aren’t you going to talk to me?"

"If you’re willing to talk properly and give us workers the treatment we deserve…"

Jiang Luo raised his voice: "Xiao Lu."

Xiao Lu, sharp-eared, immediately pushed the door open and poked his head in, round eyes blinking: "Boss Jiang?"

Jiang Luo didn’t look up: "See the guest out."

Xu Hu got defensive: "Did I say I was leaving?"

Jiang Luo still didn’t look up: "Go get the dogs from the entrance, bring them all over."

Xu Hu cursed under his breath: "What the fuck…"

From outside the window came the sound of barking dogs, growing closer. Xu Hu was afraid of dogs and had to hurry out, still cursing under his breath.

"What kind of shit is this! Pah!"

After leaving the factory grounds, Xu Hu was fuming, snorting: "Some two-bit factory manager, what’s so great about him."

"If you have the guts, refuse the town government and don’t take us workers."

Xu Hu saw things clearly—both the oil factory and the town government wanted their batch of workers to go to the garment factory.

Jiang Luo, as the factory manager, had to take them whether he wanted to or not.

What was Xu Hu after?

He was counting on becoming the workers' representative, expecting the garment factory to secretly offer him benefits to win him over and make the transition smooth for the workers, so he could placate them.

Xu Hu had done exactly this back at the oil factory.

It was precisely because of him, and because he led the group of workers laid off by the oil factory, that the oil factory and the town government didn’t dare to let them become unemployed easily, fearing they would cause trouble—protesting at the oil factory, causing disturbances in the town and villages, even taking their grievances to the town government, and possibly doing something that would affect the town’s public order and safety.

Xu Hu had also made up his mind: he was a double-dealing opportunist anyway. Once he received benefits from the garment factory, he would go placate the workers, currying favor with both sides.

Plus, with these workers, once they entered the garment factory, he might even land a leadership position. Then he could suck up to Manager Jiang, flatter him, and wasn’t afraid Manager Jiang wouldn’t like an operator like him.

After Xu Hu left, Wang Chuang immediately entered the office and asked Jiang Luo, "What did that Xu guy talk to you about?"

"What could he talk about?"

Jiang Luo lowered his head to look at the documents, saying calmly, "He came looking for a payoff."

"What benefits?"

Wang Chuang was puzzled but quickly caught on: "Fuck, I see. Where did this so-called workers' representative come from? Turns out he’s just out for himself."

Jiang Luo waved him over: "Come here, go handle something for me."

That night, at Xu Hu’s single dorm room in the oil factory, a group of men and women showed up at his door—all workers about to be laid off, their faces filled with resentment and anger.

They crowded around the entrance to Xu Hu’s dorm:

"You’re our representative! How could you take benefits from the garment factory?"

"Exactly! Representing us but taking benefits, isn’t that siding with the enemy?"

"Xu, you’re selling us out!"

Surrounded, Xu Hu was at first confused—what benefits? Then he grew angry: "Who said that? What benefits are you talking about? Nonsense!"

"I went to the garment factory, and I didn't even get a lousy cup of tea! Where would benefits come from!? What benefits!? Did you get any? Did any of you!?"

Someone immediately said: "The workers at the garment factory saw it!"

"They said you came out of the factory manager’s office holding a bag of tea and a stack of money wrapped in newspaper!"

"The manager's assistant personally handed it to you!"

"People saw it!"

"Bullshit!"

"Where would the money come from!?"

"What money are you talking about??"

Xu Hu turned out his pockets: "Look for yourselves! Where’s the money!?"

"If you had money, you wouldn’t carry it on you!"

"Exactly."

Xu Hu pulled open the dorm door: "Go inside and look! Search for yourselves!"

"You must’ve already deposited it in the bank."

"You've got some nerve! We trusted you to be our representative, but you went and took benefits from them!"

"Are you planning to throw us under the bus?"

"How much are you planning to sell us out for?"

"What gives you the right?!"

"Acting like you have authority?"

"Come on! That's ridiculous!"

Xu Hu grew flustered, unable to argue with so many people at once, and shouted, "I said it! I didn’t take any money! I didn’t accept any benefits from them! I didn’t!"

The crowd refused to believe him. There’s no smoke without fire, no rumor without some truth. That’s what everyone at the garment factory was saying, and someone had seen it—there must be some truth to it!

A group of people surrounded Xu Hu, demanding an explanation.

Then someone else chimed in, "The money you took should belong to everyone."

"Yes! Everyone’s! All of us!"

"Hand it over, now, hand it over. Did you think you could keep it all for yourself?"

…

Such is human nature. In the face of shared goals, people can unite as one force, but when interests clash, trust can just as easily crumble.

And Jiang Luo’s playbook with the oil factory workers contained more than just divide-and-conquer tactics.

Within a couple of days, the laid-off workers from the oil factory began showing up at the garment factory to sign employment contracts.

They stopped electing representatives and stopped raising any further demands about so-called workers’ rights.