“Boss, I worked until ten o’clock last night and finally got the machine adjusted… Here’s the final payment and the client’s receipt… Boss, don’t you think I should get some overtime pay for this too?” David Carter shamelessly asked, looking like a total rascal.

Because of his mother’s connection, David Carter lacked a bit of respect for the boss, so he dared to bring up the issue of overtime pay so directly. But Brian Cooper was also a seasoned businessman; that old relationship only made him comfortable hiring David Carter, but as for overtime pay…

“Chengzi, I treat you like my own brother. You’re working for your brother, and you’re still haggling over a little bit of overtime pay? Back in the day…” Brian Cooper launched into his “remember the hard times” routine, earnestly advising David Carter to remember how hard it was to find a job back then, and to cherish the happiness of a stable income now, further urging David Carter to contribute more to the company…

But no one took these words seriously. Although Brian Cooper looked solemn as he spoke, he was really just joking around. Having retired from the subdistrict office, Brian Cooper most envied the old subdistrict leaders, and his favorite pastime was imitating their lofty tone, talking about ideals and dedication. But this imitation always carried a mocking flavor. After a while, everyone understood the boss’s quirks. For example, today, Elaine Bennett was, as usual, cracking jokes on the side, David Carter was, as usual, standing there like a model student, seriously helping the boss harshly criticize his own selfishness and forgetfulness of the revolutionary legacy, while also taking the chance to poke fun at the boss’s stinginess, hypocrisy, and selfishness…

The three of them spoke entirely in the language of meeting reports. Anyone passing by might think some organization was holding a big meeting here. After listening for a couple of sentences, most people would clutch their stomachs and stagger away, unable to stop laughing.

The whole morning passed in this bantering atmosphere. As they bickered, they also tidied up the shop, took inventory, and wiped the display windows. It wasn’t until the client manager Helen Foster arrived that the morning’s “organizational meeting” finally came to an end. Of course, Helen Foster’s arrival also meant that the entire company’s staff was now present.

Client manager Helen Foster was the least punctual person in the company, but she had the right to be so bold, because she was the one bringing in business. Since she brought in money, the boss never cared whether Helen Foster showed up on time. Only if she disappeared for several days would he call to ask about “business progress.” And whenever Helen Foster showed up early at the company, it meant she had landed another big deal.

Helen Foster’s arrival interrupted the little skit among the three. The boss pulled Helen Foster aside to whisper in the back, and by then, more customers were coming into the shop. Elaine Bennett busied herself greeting customers, while David Carter ran back and forth fetching things—sometimes going next door to get supplies, sometimes arranging deliveries.

By noon, Helen Foster and the boss had already worked out the profit split for this order. Apparently, the profit was substantial, and the boss was in a great mood. He generously instructed David Carter, “Hurry up, assemble five computers and deliver them tonight to Room 1106, 11th floor, Xinlong Building. The client needs them urgently. Tomorrow, they’ll need another batch of typing and copying equipment. I’ll go get the supplies. Lunch is on me today—everyone eat at the company. Quick, get this batch ready first.”

This kind of assembly work was part of David Carter’s job—after all, David Carter was a manager, even if not a very high-ranking one.

These days, there are as many managers as dogs. Elaine Bennett, who worked the counter, called herself “Sales Department Manager”; David Carter was “After-Sales Department Manager”; Helen Foster was “Client Department Manager”—the whole company had four people: three managers and one boss. Everyone was an official, but no one had any subordinates.

They shuttled between companies, gathering parts from various places, then assembled the machines and installed the software… Once the five computers were ready and labeled with the client’s requested brand, the order was complete. Soon after, Brian Cooper tossed the company’s minivan keys to David Carter: “The client’s still at work, so hurry up. If you can get everything installed tonight so they can use it tomorrow, I’ll give you a bonus.”

As for bonuses, Brian Cooper was always talking about them. Of course, the chances of actually getting one were pretty high—just don’t expect too much, because Brian Cooper often treated overtime pay and bonuses as the same thing.

David Carter had a driver’s license. His driving skills weren’t great, but he was always very careful. In the months he’d been driving the minivan, there had been a few minor scrapes, but none were his fault. This caution and attention to detail made Brian Cooper often feel lucky he’d hired David Carter—it was worth it. So even though David Carter had only been working for six months, Brian Cooper already felt comfortable handing him the car keys.

These days, it’s really hard to find someone you can trust! If it weren’t for David Carter’s careful and thorough work, and the fact that he could be completely relied on, then never mind that David Carter’s mother was just Brian Cooper’s teacher—even if he were a close relative, whether or not he’d be hired would depend entirely on Brian Cooper’s mood at the time. After all, one more employee means more expenses, and especially an employee who dares to slap the table and talk to you about overtime pay—that’s just annoying.