Stronger by Paying Salaries and I Have 1 Billion Employees

The twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month. Longcao Road. A Shaxian County Snack shop.

”One order of chicken leg with rice, one duck leg with rice, and two bowls of herbal duck soup.”

Chen Yansen called out to the owner the moment he walked in the door.

”You got it! Have a seat, you two. It’ll be right out,” the owner, a cheerful middle-aged man with a thick head of hair, responded with a grin.

Song Yuncheng followed behind, her calves trembling with exhaustion.

She had delivered thirteen orders that afternoon and climbed over a thousand stairs. She was too exhausted to even speak.

’So, Chen Yansen’s ”five-star hotel” was actually a Shaxian County snack shop!’

She wasn’t a picky eater, though. The moment the owner brought her chicken leg with rice, she began to wolf it down.

”Slow down, no one’s going to fight you for it. If that’s not enough, we can order another,” Chen Yansen said, watching Song Yuncheng with a teasing grin.

Song Yuncheng rolled her eyes and didn’t say anything. She took a sip of soup before remarking, ”The minimum pay of six yuan an order seems pretty high at first glance. But when you factor in picking up the food and then delivering it, a round trip of six or seven kilometers, it’s really not that much.”

”Six yuan isn’t bad, Miss,” a Kuai Pao Rider at the next table couldn’t help but chime in. ”It’s usually only four. The company is giving us the full delivery fee because of the Spring Festival.”

”It’s tough work, delivering food,” Song Yuncheng sighed.

”It’s tiring, for sure, but the pay is good. The company covers our social security and insurance, and with the base salary, we make eight or nine thousand a month. It’s way better than working in a factory,” the Kuai Pao Rider said with a smile.

”There’s a bonus in February, too. I might even make ten thousand this month,” another Kuai Pao Rider added.

”Even more than that. Don’t forget the orders from Kuai Pao Maicai. The top rider at our station did 87 deliveries yesterday.”

”Just 87? That’s not so great. I did 91 yesterday.”

”Dude, are you trying to kill yourself for the money?!”

”Heh, just got lucky. Half of my orders were in the same area, so it didn’t take much effort.”

The riders chatted among themselves.

”Hey, fellas. I heard the company has its annual meeting tonight. How come you aren’t there?” Chen Yansen asked suddenly.

”Look who’s talking. You’re not there either, are you? Attending the annual meeting means losing out on money. We get a two-hundred-yuan subsidy for skipping it anyway. Isn’t it better to use that money to buy something nice for my wife and kids?” a Kuai Pao Rider shot back.

”I wonder if the big boss will be there today. I’d really like to buy him a drink,” another rider sighed, full of gratitude.

”My wife broke her leg a few months ago. Her boss only paid a few thousand in compensation, which didn’t even cover the medical fees. If our company didn’t provide supplementary health insurance that covers immediate family, I would’ve had to sell a kidney.”

”Hey... little brother, has anyone ever told you that you look a little like the big boss?” a Kuai Pao Rider in the corner, who had been staring at Chen Yansen for some time, suddenly asked.

”Of course! The station manager hired me just because I look like the big boss.”

Chen Yansen bullshitted, taking a bite of his duck leg.

”No way, man. You look exactly like him,” another Kuai Pao Rider said in astonishment, looking back and forth several times.

”Tell me about it. That’s what all my coworkers at the station say. You think I should go ask the boss if we’re related? What if I’m his long-lost brother?”

Chen Yansen continued his tall tale, and the room full of riders roared with laughter.

Song Yuncheng kept her head down, her pretty face flushed bright red.

The rider who had first asked the question quietly opened Weibo, found a photo of Chen Yansen, and compared it carefully to the man in front of him. The shock in his eyes grew more and more intense.

’Holy crap, it’s really him!’

He put his phone away, edged over to Chen Yansen, and said in a low voice, ”Boss, you didn’t go to the annual meeting?”

Chen Yansen smiled. Seeing the certainty in the man’s voice, he knew the act was up. He admitted it graciously, ”President Pei is with the guys at the annual meeting, so I came to spend some time with you all.”

His words were so sincere they made the young rider’s eyes instantly well up with tears.

”Boss, thank you for giving everyone a raise. I... can I treat you to this meal?” the young rider asked, his face flushed with emotion.

”In that case, I’ll take you up on that. Owner, another order of braised dried tofu, please,” Chen Yansen said, raising his hand.

”Gao Bo, are you mistaken? He just looks like the boss, he isn’t the real boss. You’re actually treating him?” a colleague beside him said, tugging on Gao Bo’s arm.

”Are you guys stupid? You can’t even recognize your own boss.” Gao Bo’s face darkened, speechless at his colleagues’ cluelessness.

At his reminder, the others quickly pulled out their phones, their eyes darting between Chen Yansen’s face and their screens.

A moment later, a chorus of voices rose in unison: ”Happy New Year, Boss!”

”Sit down, everyone, let’s talk! No need to be so formal,” Chen Yansen said, waving his hand.

With that, he turned to the rider who had mentioned his wife’s broken leg. ”You earn seven to eight thousand a month. Why would you have to sell a kidney?”

”I bought a house back in my hometown during the National Day holiday last year. All my savings went into the down payment. The property hasn’t even been delivered yet, so I can’t easily sell it,” the rider answered with an embarrassed chuckle.

”Didn’t the company’s legal department get involved?” Chen Yansen asked.

”They did. That bastard of a boss ended up paying out another sixty-thousand-plus,” the rider answered honestly.

”Good. The company keeps over a hundred legal advisors on staff, and they’re here to serve you guys. Are you having any other difficulties?”

Chen Yansen asked softly.

”No,” the rider said, shaking his head. He was too embarrassed to bother the big boss.

’He’s just being polite. It would be shameless of me to take him seriously.’

Chen Yansen saw his hesitation and patted his shoulder. ”Go ahead and tell me.”

”Well... my wife’s leg has healed, but she can’t do any heavy work now,” the young rider stammered.