“Gentlemen, Mark Newman does have a point. With such good shovels, you definitely couldn’t buy them for three yuan at the agricultural supply company, right? If Mark Newman and his group sold them at too low a price, it would disrupt the market, and I’m afraid even Master Bolton wouldn’t be happy about it.” Henry Carter stepped forward to help explain for Mark Newman.

Actually, the group led by 蛮牯 had already adjusted their expectations about the price. Henry Carter was right—such high-quality steel, selling a shovel for three yuan really wasn’t expensive. Any lower, and blacksmith shops like Mr. Bolton’s wouldn’t be able to survive. At first, they insisted on the price because they didn’t want to compromise with Mark Newman’s group. Now that Henry Carter had spoken up, they decided to go along and said, “Since Little Master Carter has spoken, we have nothing more to say. But you young guys can’t just ask for any price you want. At most, you can’t charge more than what Mr. Bolton charges here.”

“Why not? The steel we use is better than Mr. Bolton’s.” The tall Harold Young muttered. These young men weren’t as polite as Henry Carter, and even called their elder Mr. Bolton by name.

“All right, Harold Young, the price is close enough.”

Henry Carter turned back to work things out on this side. Seeing that Henry Carter had spoken, Mark Newman and the others didn’t insist further and agreed to sell the remaining seven or eight tools, after quenching, to 蛮牯’s group at the same price as similar products from Mr. Bolton’s blacksmith shop.

The next thing was for everyone to take turns using Mr. Bolton’s forge to heat-treat the tools. They all worked until nearly evening before finishing the job. Besides getting their own farm tools repaired, 蛮牯’s group also bought the remaining eight tools from Mark Newman and his group. 蛮牯 counted out 27 yuan and 50 cents and handed it to Mark Newman, then left happily with his companions.

“We’ve struck it rich!” Watching 蛮牯 and his group walk away, the young men were overjoyed. The deal had gone so smoothly, and every tool sold for a higher price, meaning they’d made a few extra yuan out of thin air.

“Come on, Henry Carter, this is your share.” Mark Newman, the leader of the three young men, was in charge of dividing up the money they’d earned. He pulled out a ten-yuan note from the pile and handed it to Henry Carter. Harold Young and Leonard Miller couldn’t help twitching their lips at the sight. The total was less than thirty yuan, and yet Mark Newman was giving Henry Carter ten yuan—wasn’t that a bit too generous?

But then they thought about it: if Henry Carter hadn’t helped today, not only would they not have earned that 27.5 yuan, they might even have lost money. Henry Carter’s skills had truly impressed them, and with his abilities, taking ten yuan didn’t seem unreasonable.

Mark Newman was thinking the same as Harold Young and Leonard Miller, but he also had another idea: he wanted to get to know Henry Carter better and see which unit he belonged to, maybe even recruit him as a partner. Since he’d decided to try to bring him in, he certainly wouldn’t be stingy with a little benefit.

Henry Carter looked at the ten-yuan note in front of him and waved his hand, saying, “I don’t need it. You guys put in so much material, and there’s not much real profit. I just lent a hand, it’s not worth taking this money. But, Mark Newman, you should thank Master Bolton even more. Strictly speaking, you’re competitors, but Master Bolton not only let you use his forge, he even helped you himself. You used so much of Master Bolton’s coal, you should show some appreciation, right?”

“No need, no need.” Mr. Bolton, who was nearby, quickly shook his head when he heard Henry Carter’s words. To be honest, at first he really didn’t want to help Mark Newman and his group, because by selling farm tools, they were taking his business. But later, he learned such good quenching techniques from Henry Carter that the competition from Mark Newman’s group didn’t matter anymore. If anything, he should be thanking Mark Newman and the others.

“Old Zhang, Henry Carter is right. We used your coal, so we should thank you. But we brothers didn’t earn much—these three yuan are for you to buy cigarettes.” Mark Newman wasn’t as generous with Mr. Bolton as he was with Henry Carter. He pulled out a two-yuan note and a one-yuan note and handed them to Mr. Bolton, settling the coal bill.

Chapter 5: Turns Out We’re Family

With everything resolved, Henry Carter, Mark Newman, and the others naturally didn’t linger in Mr. Bolton’s shop. Mark Newman insisted on stuffing the three yuan into Mr. Bolton’s hand, then pulled Henry Carter away. Mr. Bolton chased after them, thanking Henry Carter profusely and inviting him to come over for a meal whenever he had time, to which Henry Carter gladly agreed.

“Henry Carter, where did you learn that skill?” After leaving the blacksmith shop, Mark Newman and the others surrounded Henry Carter, peppering him with questions as they walked.

“I learned it at technical school,” Henry Carter replied simply.

“Tsk tsk, going to technical school really makes a difference. Sigh, my old man wanted me to go to technical school back then, why didn’t I listen?” Mark Newman said with a tone of regret.

“Come on, fatty, you couldn’t even do multiplication—how could you have gotten into technical school?” Harold Young bluntly exposed Mark Newman’s boasting.

“By the way, you guys all work at a factory, right? Which one?” Henry Carter asked them.