Chapter 269: Poaching Employees, Signing Contracts!
After greeting the viewers in the live stream.
Jiang Tao did not disappoint them, taking out the auspicious ingot he brought from his hometown and handing it to Zhang Bo for appraisal.
“Wow! Good stuff! Buddies, do you see this? This thing is genuinely good stuff!”
“Auspicious ingots, also known as furnace opening ingots, are equivalent to commemorative coins from the Qing Dynasty!”
“Currently, the market price of Brother Jiang’s auspicious ingot is…”
Due to live stream rules, Zhang Bo did not directly state the price but typed a series of numbers on the computer beside him.
600,000!
This number perfectly matched the value given by the system, not a penny more, not a penny less!
Seeing the price Zhang Bo gave, Jiang Tao also smiled.
Of course, the reason he smiled was not because of how much the auspicious ingot sold for, but because he felt he had made a friend worth cultivating.
Although Jiang Tao and Zhang Bo had known each other for just over two months, not even three, and had met no more than 10 times.
The two brothers were also five or six years apart in age, not in the same age group.
Yet, both felt they had met too late and were sincere enough with each other, which is why they became good friends.
After reaching middle age, people gradually shift their focus in life to their marital relationships and family.
They drift apart from, or even break ties with, many friends they used to party and drink with.
This makes it difficult to make true friends.
Jiang Tao was also like this.
As he entered middle age, he preferred to spend more time and energy accompanying his family.
Although he and Xu Li were separated for long periods due to work.
After work each day, he rarely went to play cards or drink with Wang Zhihao, Shan Yufei, and Zhang Chao.
He preferred to spend time alone in his rental room video calling Xu Li and chatting with her and Jiang Xue.
Zhang Bo and Li Ming were not married yet and had not started their own families. In their value systems, friendships were still prioritized.
In the interactions between the three brothers, Jiang Tao, who paid more attention to family relationships, actually put in far less effort than Zhang Bo and Li Ming, making it unequal.
Under such circumstances, it was very rare to have made two good friends like Zhang Bo and Li Ming.
“Wow! 600,000! Such a small thing is worth 600,000, enough to buy a 100-square-meter house in our county town!”
“My hard-earned savings from over ten years are not even enough to buy such a silver ingot?”
“We’re rich, we’re rich! Open the door, open the main gate!!”
“Envy!”
“Brother Jiang, how much did you buy this auspicious ingot for? How much will you earn?”
“Host, ask Brother Jiang if this auspicious ingot is for sale? I’ll take it for 600,000!!”
Upon hearing Zhang Bo’s quoted price for the auspicious ingot, the netizens in Zhang Bo’s live stream instantly became excited again.
Some were jealous, some envious, and some showed interest in buying, with some even proposing to purchase it.
Most of the fans or viewers in Zhang Bo’s live stream were fellow enthusiasts who liked antiques and collectibles, and there were also some wealthy individuals among them.
Since taking Jiang Tao’s advice to start live streaming, he had sold over a dozen items in the stream, adding another sales channel.
“If anyone is interested, you can send me a private message, and I’ll add you to our antique appraisal group.”
“We can discuss it after the stream ends. Brother Jiang definitely brought this to sell today.”
“Brother Jiang also brought another item today, but this isn’t an antique, it’s something quite special.”
“It’s a Bitcoin private key containing 2 Bitcoins. If interested old friends can also send me a private message to discuss.”
“Everyone please wait a moment, Brother Jiang has to go, I’ll go see him off first.”
After telling the viewers in the live stream, Zhang Bo got up to see Jiang Tao to the door.
Zhang Bo did not immediately transfer the money for the auspicious ingot and the Bitcoin private key to Jiang Tao; they were consigned to him.
After these two items were sold through his channels, their shop would only charge a tiny service fee.
Of course, only Jiang Tao could enjoy this treatment; others could only dream of it.
“Brother Jiang, drive carefully on the road. Let’s get together some time.”
“Okay, you go back to work, see you.”
Jiang Tao smiled and waved goodbye to Zhang Bo, then strode towards where he parked his car.
At the same time, Jia Guilin, the designated driver he had arranged, called to say he had arrived at the parking lot.
Sure enough, when Jiang Tao reached the entrance of the parking lot, he saw a familiar figure waiting there from a distance.
Jia Guilin!
This man, who was rated by System Brother as having a “designated driver’s physique,” was trustworthy in his driving skills.
Jiang Tao had specifically sought out Jia Guilin several times recently.
They had gone from strangers to acquaintances, and now they were considered semi-friends.
“Good afternoon, Manager Jiang!”
Jia Guilin also saw Jiang Tao when he looked up and quickly put on a smiling face to greet him.
After all, he was his patron, and maintaining reverence was appropriate.
The last time Jiang Tao hired Jia Guilin to drive Xu Li and the others back to the Capital City from his hometown, Jiang Family Village.
Jiang Tao not only reimbursed Jia Guilin for his travel expenses but also for his accommodation and food.
Jiang Tao paid him over 3,000 yuan just for the designated driving service.
After safely delivering Xu Li and the others to the Capital City and completing the task, Jiang Tao separately sent Jia Guilin a red envelope of 888 yuan.
Jia Guilin had been a designated driver for four or five years and had never encountered such a generous client as Jiang Tao, thus he deeply respected him.
“Master Jiang, thank you for waiting.”
Jiang Tao smiled and greeted Jia Guilin, then tossed him the car key in his hand.
“No, I just arrived less than two minutes ago. Manager Jiang arrived at the perfect time.”
Jia Guilin caught the car key tossed by Jiang Tao and said with a flattering smile.
The two walked and chatted as they headed towards the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon.
After finding the car, Jia Guilin opened the driver’s door and got into the driver’s seat, while Jiang Tao opened the rear door and sat in the back seat.
After they got in the car, it started and drove towards the Old Li Used Cars wholesale market on the South Third Ring Road.
“Master Jia, how much can you earn in a month as a designated driver?”
On the way, Jiang Tao, sitting in the back seat and bored, chatted with Jia Guilin.
“If I’m diligent, I can earn thirteen to fourteen thousand a month. It’s all hard-earned money, and it can’t compare to a big boss like you, Manager Jiang.”
Jia Guilin answered Jiang Tao’s question while looking straight ahead and driving, not forgetting to flatter him.
“How about this, Master Jia, come work for my company as my driver. I’ll pay you 15,000 yuan a month.”
Jiang Tao himself likes to drink a little wine when he has nothing to do and really needs a dedicated driver.
A monthly salary of 15,000 yuan was a drop in the bucket for him, completely insignificant.
Of course, Jiang Tao valued Jia Guilin’s “designated driver’s physique” attribute the most.
It was precisely because of this attribute that he offered such a high salary.
Even in a Tier 1 super city like the Capital City, it wouldn’t be difficult to find a driver for seven or eight thousand a month.
The salary Jiang Tao offered Jia Guilin was almost equivalent to what a regular driver would earn in over two months!
“Insurance will also be provided according to our company’s standard for ordinary employees, legally paying you the five insurances and one fund.”
Jiang Tao was quite generous when it came to corporate operations and treating his employees.
In the recent period, as he had completed several special missions, in addition to the growth of various physical data.
The amount on his salary card had soared from the initial 10,000 yuan to the current 280,000 yuan!
In other words, 280,000 yuan of “exclusive salary” would be deposited into Jiang Tao’s salary card every month.
Jiang Tao could not use this money for personal consumption; it could only be used to purchase office supplies and office equipment for the company, and to pay the salaries of his employees!
Currently, Jiang’s Food Factory has only a little over a dozen employees, with a total monthly salary of less than 200,000 yuan.
With a 280,000 yuan salary card, there was still over 80,000 yuan left unspent!
Paying Master Jia Guilin, the “designated driver’s physique,” a salary of over 10,000 yuan.
This was also the result of Jiang Tao’s careful consideration.
Jia Guilin felt as if he were dreaming upon hearing the salary and benefits Jiang Tao offered.
He had previously driven for a leader in a company, and he did so for 10 years!
Even so, his gross salary was only over 7,000 yuan, less than 8,000 yuan!
After deducting the five insurances and one fund, his take-home pay was only four to five thousand!
When his children were young, this income was barely enough.
Once the children grew up and started attending various cram schools.
His salary was not even enough to pay for one cram school class for his child.
Therefore, to earn more money to support his family.
He had no choice but to quit his previous job and start working as a designated driver.
Other drivers in the same profession worked a maximum of 12 hours a day, which was considered very diligent.
Jia Guilin wished he could work 16 hours a day.
Only leaving 8 hours for eating and sleeping to meet basic human needs.
As for spending time with his wife and children, his family… he didn’t have that kind of time!
Mortgage, car loans, children’s tuition, cram schools, future university fees, finding a partner, getting married…
There were still many expenses waiting in the future, Jia Guilin dared not slack off at all!
Now, a job with higher income and relatively less effort had fallen into his lap like a pie from the sky.
Jia Guilin was not only excited but also somewhat disbelieving, thinking he was hallucinating.
“Master Jia, you don’t need to reply immediately. Think it over carefully when you get home tonight. I’ll wait for your good news.”
Jiang Tao was unaware of Jia Guilin’s many thoughts and did not understand the salary standards in the designated driver industry.
He thought Jia Guilin was hesitant because he wasn’t completely satisfied with the salary he offered.
“Manager Jiang, you, are what you just said about the salary and benefits, true?”
“To be honest, my highest education is junior high school, I didn’t even go to high school.”
Although Jia Guilin desperately wanted the offer from Jiang Tao.
He still truthfully confessed some of his personal circumstances to Jiang Tao in advance.
“Hahaha, Master Jiang, you worry too much. The job of a driver depends on skill, not education.”
Jiang Tao couldn’t help but laugh upon hearing Jia Guilin’s self-confessed “background.”
He valued Jia Guilin’s “designated driver’s physique.”
Let alone having only a junior high school education, even if he only had a primary school education or was illiterate, it wouldn’t matter.
If he can drive well, he’s a good driver.
“Then, then thank you, Manager Jiang, for this opportunity! Thank you! Thank you so much!”
Jia Guilin knew in his heart that this opportunity was absolutely a rare one in his life.
If he missed this chance, there might not be another one.
“You’re welcome. Then it’s settled. Today will count as Master Jia’s first day of work.”
“I’ll have my assistant prepare a labor contract later, and you can go sign it.”
“Okay, Manager Jiang! Please take care of me in the future!”
“No problem.”
The two chatted as they went, and Jiang Tao was very satisfied with Jia Guilin’s professionalism as a driver.
Jia Guilin was also very pleased with his new boss’s generosity and approachability.
Soon, the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon arrived at the entrance of Old Li Used Car Dealership near the South Third Ring Road.
Jia Guilin found an available parking space at the entrance and parked the car.
They got out of the car together and walked towards the entrance of the car lot.
Upon reaching the entrance, Jiang Tao saw four outdoor streamers on the open-air parking lot, streaming live to their mobile phones on stands.
The streamers spoke very quickly, their words flowing like a torrent, their mouths moving non-stop.
“Brother Jiang! You’re finally here! Please come in, please come in! I’ve been waiting for you for ages!”
Li Ming, who came out of the office nearby, also eagerly invited Jiang Tao into his office for a chat upon seeing him.
Before returning to his hometown for the Qingming Festival, Jiang Tao and Li Ming had reached a preliminary agreement for investment cooperation.
Jiang Tao would invest 6 million yuan in Old Li Used Car Dealership for a 10% share.
Furthermore, this 10% share would only entitle him to dividends and would not allow him to interfere with the company’s operational model.
Back in his hometown, Jiang Tao had already transferred the funds to Li Ming, and they had also signed an electronic contract online.
In fact, the cooperation between the two parties had already begun for over a week.
Jiang Tao’s visit this time was simply to understand the recent situation at the car lot.
After all, he had invested 6 million yuan in the car lot, and it wouldn’t be right not to visit at least once.
“By the way, Brother Jiang, have you chosen a suitable candidate on your end yet?”
After entering the house and chatting for a bit, Li Ming asked Jiang Tao with a smile.
When the two brothers agreed to cooperate, they had already discussed this.
After the cooperation began, Jiang Tao would also send a representative to be stationed at the car lot to assist Li Ming with daily work.
It was said to be assistance, but in reality, it was a “confidant” that Jiang Tao arranged to be there.
Even when good friends partner in business, it’s the same.
Being upfront from the start is always the best approach.
After all, it was an investment of over 6 million yuan.
Relying solely on friendship and camaraderie to maintain it would be too fragile.
Nowadays, siblings turn against each other because of business or money, and there are many such cases.
Let alone friends like Jiang Tao and Li Ming who are not related.
Therefore, there should be legal constraints in place.
Moreover, it was Li Ming himself who suggested that Jiang Tao send someone to be stationed at the car lot.
His open and upright conduct further increased Jiang Tao’s good impression of him.
He felt that this friend was reliable and worth cultivating.
