Chapter 569: A Happy Ending for Everyone
Adrian Hawthorne returned a few days before the summer harvest, later than he had anticipated. As a result, his plans had to change. He wouldn’t be able to help with the harvest anymore. He had to unload the goods on hand. For a businessman, the greatest fear is accumulating dead stock. Once you have excess inventory, you have to clear it out, even at a loss. Otherwise, it just keeps piling up, and all your capital gets tied up.
As soon as he got back, he learned of Howard Thorne’s good news. Adrian Hawthorne’s family had also received packages of white sugar and longan. The engagement gifts for both the bride’s and groom’s families were the same, all prepared by the groom’s side. It was like an invitation; accepting the gift meant you were obligated to attend the wedding banquet. It was a matter of etiquette.
As soon as the train car arrived, Adrian Hawthorne called for Clayton Xavier. They were heading to Wraven to deliver the shipment. This entire batch of goods had been acquired on credit from Madman Ye, so he needed to collect the payment as quickly as possible. Clayton Xavier was of the same mind.
His grandmother had also been teaching him a great deal about the ways of business lately. It was all based on her own personal experience. The business world was a treacherous, ever-changing sea, and the human heart was even harder to read. All sorts of unexpected things could happen. To succeed in big business, one had to cultivate an unflappable mindset. Clayton Xavier had learned a great deal from her and admired his grandmother more and more.
’Grandma just wasn’t born in the right era. If she lived in this new, more equal society, free from the chaos of war, her talents would have surely led to accomplishments no less than Grandfather’s.’
"Where are the goods?" Clayton Xavier asked.
"In Wraven. I had the freight car sent directly there," Adrian Hawthorne replied.
It would have been too much of a hassle to transport that much fabric from Vessaria to Wraven, so sending it directly was far more convenient.
"Let’s head over now, then. I’ll go find Director Wood," Clayton Xavier said, a flicker of excitement in his eyes. He would soon have over seven hundred in his pocket.
Adrian Hawthorne nodded. "Let’s go together."
Tang Xiaonan, who had been listening from the side, anxiously piped up, "I want to go too! Mr. Hawthorne, Mr. Xavier, please take me with you! I promise I won’t cause any trouble. I’m begging you..."
’I’m going to die of boredom at home! I really need to get out for some fresh air.’
Adrian Hawthorne was in an agreeable mood today. He didn’t think for long before consenting. He also decided to bring Goldie Thorne along. If things went smoothly, they would be collecting the full payment today, and it was always more convenient to have an adult around.
In the end, however, they picked up two more tails: Jim Thorne and Patrick Thorne tagged along as well. Patrick Thorne had known for a while that his younger brother and uncle were in business and making good money. He’d been itching to join in, but his studies were too important. So, he had suppressed his desire and waited until summer vacation.
Adrian Hawthorne had spent the past few days making arrangements in Wraven. He had rented an abandoned warehouse and hired someone to clean it out. The goods were still at the train station, just waiting for a truck to come haul them away. Clayton Xavier went to the machinery factory to find Director Wood. Upon hearing that the fabric had arrived, Director Wood was refreshingly direct, immediately dispatching a factory truck to pick up the shipment.
Director Wood was even more eager than Clayton Xavier. He stood to gain several hundred from this shipment. Even after giving the factory director and the party secretary their share, he would still pocket nearly a hundred for himself. His monthly salary was only around forty, fifty at most with a bonus. This was an easy two months’ pay. Plus, it would improve his relationship with the leadership and keep the factory workers happy. ’What a win-win-win situation! Only a fool would pass this up!’
Adrian Hawthorne had Director Wood inspect the goods. The patterns and colors this time were even more beautiful, and the variety was extensive—far better than the fabrics sold in the department store, and cheaper too. Director Wood was thoroughly satisfied and decisively signed off on the payment.
What delighted Director Wood most was the invoice—it was a legitimate, blank one. He could fill in any amount he pleased. The potential for maneuvering here was significant; if he played his cards right, he could pocket several more months’ worth of salary.
Of course, he’d have to discuss it with the leadership; he couldn’t make that decision on his own. But this only made Director Wood even more pleased with the transaction. He was already thinking about the presents for the Mid-Autumn Festival. ’Maybe I’ll just get more fabric. The workers love it, after all.’