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墨書 Inktalez
“Wang Hao?” He tried to keep his voice calm.
Wang Hao's body stiffened suddenly, halting his movements. Slowly, he turned around, forcing a smile that was more painful than tears. His voice was barely above a whisper, “Jiang... Brother Jiang... it’s you? What a coincidence...” He couldn’t even meet Jiang Tao’s eyes, nervously rubbing his hands on his greasy pants.
“It is quite a coincidence,” Jiang Tao nodded, glancing at him and his dilapidated cart. “Are you... working here now?”
“Yeah... just doing odd jobs for this Scrap Station, moving some things around to earn a little money,” Wang Hao's voice dropped even lower, his face burning with embarrassment. He wished he could find a crack in the ground to hide in. Years ago, they had both entered the factory as apprentices; now one was dressed in a suit and had become a big boss while the other was stuck hauling scrap metal. The disparity in their circumstances left him feeling humiliated.
Seeing Wang Hao like this, Jiang Tao sighed inwardly. He knew that asking further would only make things worse for him. Looking at the sky, he said, “It’s almost noon; you haven’t eaten yet, have you? Come on, let me treat you to a meal.”
“No... it’s fine, Brother Jiang. I... I still have work to do...” Wang Hao quickly waved his hands.
“There’s always work to be done, but you have to eat,” Jiang Tao insisted without giving him a chance to refuse. “Let’s go; I know a noodle shop nearby that has great food.” He patted Wang Hao on the shoulder and started walking toward the market exit.
Wang Hao hesitated for a moment but ultimately followed silently.
In the noisy noodle shop, two steaming bowls of beef noodles were quickly served. Perhaps it was due to hunger or because it had been so long since he had such a "lavish" lunch, but Wang Hao buried his head in his bowl and devoured the noodles hungrily, sweating profusely.
Jiang Tao remained silent, simply watching him eat and occasionally handing him a napkin.
Once Wang Hao had finished most of his bowl, his emotions seemed to settle somewhat. Jiang Tao finally spoke up, “What happened with Red Star?” Although he already knew the outcome, he still wanted to hear it from someone who experienced it firsthand.
At the mention of Red Star, Wang Hao's eyes dimmed. “It collapsed... completely collapsed. After Director Ma was arrested, Master Qian and the others also fell into misfortune. The atmosphere in the factory became tense; no one wanted to work, and when equipment broke down, no one repaired it. In the end... it was shut down by higher-ups. Those of us without connections became lost souls...”
He briefly recounted his experiences after leaving Red Star—doing odd jobs here and there and working in small factories but never lasting long—until he ended up in this scrap market, barely scraping by through hard labor. His words were filled with helplessness about reality and confusion about the future.
Jiang Tao listened quietly without interrupting or commenting. Once Wang Hao finished speaking, he slowly said, “Wang Hao, let’s not dwell on the past. We need to look forward.”
He paused and looked at Wang Hao. “I’ve opened a repair shop in our city; it’s doing reasonably well and I could use some help. I remember you learned some skills at Red Star and you’re honest and hardworking. If you’re willing, come back to our city and work at my shop.”
Wang Hao suddenly lifted his head in disbelief. “Jiang... Brother Jiang? Are you serious?”
“Of course I am,” Jiang Tao nodded. “The pay will definitely be much better than what you’re getting now and even better than when you were at Red Star. The work might be tough, but at least it's legitimate skills that can lead to a stable life where you can eventually support a family.”
Wang Hao's eyes turned red instantly; his lips trembled as he struggled to find words. He never imagined that during his lowest point, the once naïve Jiang Tao—whom he thought would surely meet a bad end—would extend a helping hand! The overwhelming gratitude mixed with shame almost brought him to tears.
“Brother Jiang... I’m so sorry... back then... when Director Ma and the others were targeting you, I... I didn’t dare to speak up for you...” Wang Hao's voice choked with emotion.
Jiang Tao waved his hand dismissively. “That’s all in the past now. Who would have dared to stand up back then? I understand. I’m reaching out because you’re honest and willing to work—that’s enough for me. But let me be clear: working for me means no slackers allowed; you must learn your craft diligently and work seriously. If you try to cut corners or slack off, I won’t hold back.”
“I will! Brother Jiang! I’ll definitely work hard! I’ll do whatever it takes!” Wang Hao exclaimed excitedly as he stood up, nearly knocking over the table.
Jiang Tao gestured for him to sit down and pulled out a hundred yuan bill from his pocket, handing it over to him. “Alright, this is an advance on your salary. Take care of your business here and buy a train ticket back to our city. Just go straight to ‘Jiang's Repair and Renovation Shop’ near the market and report to Master Liu there; I’ll give him a heads-up.”
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