Chapter 842: The Taste of Hard Work
He could order these two fellows around for half a day after spending just dozens of dollars – this made Luke very happy.
Walking over to the side, he took out two pairs of utility gloves and tossed them over. Then, he pointed at a small flat cart on the side. “You can use that to move the trash. It’s easy. Get the rubbish to the door first. When Charlie’s cousin arrives later, we’ll move it to the car.”
Then, he returned to the other side of the lounge behind a part.i.tion and started digging.
The trash heap was in a corner by the door, and wouldn’t stop Luke from renovating.
Crestfallen, Charlie and Rachael put on their gloves and got to work.
The cart that Luke gave them wasn’t big, but it was st.u.r.dy. They hadn’t done any moving before, and didn’t know how to make use of tools like rope or sacks to increase their efficiency.
The trash fell off the cart as they worked, and it was highly inefficient.
Luke didn’t remind them.
They were strong; they could do several more trips. They had n.o.body to blame but themselves for not using their heads.
Half an hour later, there was the sound of people talking at the door.
Luke stopped working and came out from behind the part.i.tion to see a young woman talking to Charlie and Raqael.
She was slim, and not tall.
She was very pretty.
Of course, it was only a pa.s.sing observation.
As she spoke to the two boys, the woman looked around and saw Luke coming out.
She waited until Luke reached the door before she stretched out her hand. “h.e.l.lo, Mr. Luke. My name is Claire Temple, and I’m Charlie’s cousin. I’m really sorry about today.”
Her movements weren’t fl.u.s.tered at all. She didn’t express any guilt, but more helplessness instead.
Luke let go and said, “Mm, h.e.l.lo, Miss Temple. You know what happened with Charlie?”
“Charlie has done too many stupid things for me to be agitated anymore.” She smiled bitterly. “You don’t have to pay him for this job. I’ll help out until you’re done renovating this place.”
Luke interrupted her. “Miss Temple, this is a deal I made with Charlie and Raqael. They’re the ones in the wrong. I don’t need anyone else to compensate me.”
Seeing that Temple was about to speak again, he continued, “I’m a man of principles. They’re taking my money, they have to do things seriously, you know what I mean?”
After a moment of silence, Temple agreed. “Alright, but consider me as just helping out.”
Luke chuckled. “This is a business transaction. If you don’t want the money, you don’t have to come. I’ll find someone else.”
Temple frowned before she nodded helplessly. “Okay, I’ll work hard.”
She then looked at her cousin, Charlie, and his best friend, Raqael. “They’ll work hard, too. I called Raqael’s mother before I came. She’s happy that Raqael found an official job.”
Luke finally smiled. “That’s for the best. Also, you’re just the driver. Don’t steal Charlie and Raqael’s jobs, alright?”
Charlie and Raqael: Despair.jpg.
Looking at the two boys, Temple realized that the young man was using this “job” to deal with these two loafers.
Thinking this, she really didn’t plan to help.
Rather than let these two boys go off to nick things, it was better to let them enjoy the taste of “hard work.”
For the rest of the morning, Luke was busy making a racket inside while Temple supervised Charlie and Raqael outside.
It was almost noon when Selina returned.
Looking at the old pickup truck at the door, the two boys who were moving the rubbish, and Temple, who was ordering them about, she found it a little strange.
She stopped the car by the road and walked through the open door. “Luke, you found these people to move things?”
Luke said from behind the part.i.tion, “Yeah. They just so happened to be looking for odd jobs, so I had them move out the construction rubble for me, otherwise it would be in the way.”
Selina walked over and pushed aside the plastic sheeting. Looking at Luke, who was busy in the pit, she said with a smile, “Those two don’t look like hardworking people.”
Luke chuckled. “They wanted to pick out a few things from our place as small gifts, when they were taught a lesson by an enthusiastic senior. The woman is Claire Temple; she’s the cousin of the shorter guy, Charlie. She also has authority over the taller one, Raqael. She’s responsible for supervising them to make sure that they don’t get their hourly pay for nothing.”
Selina burst out laughing.
Ten dollars was indeed twice the minimum salary, but if renovation workers were to do it, the salary would be more than double.
Also, looking at their expressions, it was like they were in a labor camp.
They weren’t happy with the hourly pay at all.
After that, Selina pulled another flat cart out of the house to move a huge pile of food and necessities inside.
Panting, Charlie and Rachael watched as Selina took out elastic ropes and boxes from the house and easily tied everything together and piled them onto the cart; she was done in two trips.
The two of them exchanged dismayed looks. Why did it feel like something wasn’t right?
Temple sighed. Where did your brains go? It’s been a few hours, and someone even gave you a live demonstration, but you still look muddled.
Uncultured. How scary! Temple couldn’t help but curse her cousin and his friend in her heart.
But just like Luke, she didn’t say anything, either. It would be best if the two of them didn’t cause too much trouble.
After a simple lunch, Luke and Selina were busy the whole afternoon. Only then did Luke put down his tools, and he walked to the door with a wad of cash.
Looking at the two boys who had collapsed at the door, he nodded in satisfaction. “You did well today. Here’s your pay.”
He divided the bills into three. After placing two thin stacks on the two boys, he gave the third thick stack to Temple.
Temple looked at the thick wad and didn’t reach for it. “What’s this?”
Luke said, “Your pay today is a hundred bucks, which is the same as theirs. The rent for the car is 300 bucks, including fuel. Finally, there’s 500 for the waste disposal company. I called to ask them.”
With an exasperated sigh, Temple accepted the cash.
She had paid the waste disposal fee with the intent of compensating Luke, but he wouldn’t accept it at all.
Remembering how Luke emphasized that he was a man of principles, she didn’t insist.
She had just lost her job, and indeed didn’t have much money. 500 dollars was already a lot for her.
After giving her the money, Luke walked over to the two boys and patted their shoulders. “We’ll start work at nine tomorrow, and finish at five. Don’t be late.”