"Brother Wu! Brother Wu!"
Just after Wu Jianjun left the office and reached the workshop floor, someone called out to him.
"Come on, let's talk outside."
It was Lei Dashí, another full-time security guard at the factory and also his comrade-in-arms.
Once they stepped outside, Lei Dashí hurriedly asked, "Brother Wu, did the new boss ask if we're from the mainland? What's his attitude toward us?"
"He didn't ask if I was from the mainland."
Wu Jianjun shook his head. "But when Mr. Lin said he wanted to hire more security, he specifically mentioned he preferred ex-soldiers. So I think he already knows—we're just not talking about it openly."
Lei Dashí brightened. "So the new boss—Mr. Lin—doesn't look down on us!"
"Of course not. Otherwise, why would he let me hire more people?"
Wu Jianjun grinned. "He wants to hire six more guards. Old Li and the others fit perfectly. Once I bring them in, they'll finally have steady jobs instead of hauling crates at the docks every day."
"Only six, huh? Too bad it's not more."
Lei Dashí was happy for their friends at first, but soon sighed—six spots weren't enough. Many of their fellow veterans would still be left struggling. Most of them could only do hard labor, and those jobs weren't stable—some months they barely made enough to support their families.
"Don't be greedy," Wu Jianjun said, giving him a light slap on the back of the head. "For a factory this size, hiring ten guards in total already shows the boss takes security seriously."
He looked up toward the second floor where Lin Baicheng's office was. "And seeing how much he values safety, once the business grows, he'll need even more people. Even if we're not guards then, we could work in assembly or logistics—as long as it's a stable job, that's enough."
Hearing that, Lei Dashí silently prayed for the new boss's success. If Lin Baicheng could earn big money and expand the factory, more of their comrades might find work too.
Both men understood something clearly: in Hong Kong, it was rare—almost a miracle—to meet a boss who didn't look down on mainlanders. And to have met two in a row? That was pure luck.
That evening, at the Lin family's tea restaurant.
After dinner, Lin Baicheng told his mother, Zhao Huilan, not to wash the dishes yet and gathered everyone together.
He decided to be honest with his family—he told them everything: selling the copyright of his novel, using his Star Daily shares as collateral for a loan, and buying the arcade factory to make his own games.
The reason he'd waited until now was simple: he knew his family would object. But since he had already done it, there was no turning back. Better to present them with a fait accompli.
When he finished, everyone sat in stunned silence.
Father Lin Haishan and Mother Zhao Huilan were especially shocked. They knew his novel was popular, but not that popular—enough to earn HK$1.5 million just from publishing rights! And the bank loaned him another HK$2.5 million on his shares.
What shocked them more was how quickly he had spent the money—nearly HK$3 million gone in a blink to buy a factory, leaving almost nothing in reserve.
After a long pause, his sister Lin Shufang was the first to recover. "Little brother, you said you bought the arcade factory to make games? Then you're not writing novels anymore?"
"I'll finish the current one soon—probably within a week," Lin Baicheng said. "As for after that… it depends on how the game does. If it makes money like I expect, I'll focus on games. If it doesn't, I'll go back to writing."
"So writing novels is just a money printer to you, huh?" Zhao Huilan said with exasperation. She was worried. "Son, your novel's doing fine. Why risk everything on some game? If it fails, that's a huge loss! With that money, you could've bought us a nice home instead. At least that would be safe."
She wasn't greedy for luxury—just practical. Buying a house meant security. No matter what happened in business, they'd never be left with nothing.
"You're an adult now," Lin Haishan added calmly. "I won't lecture you. Just remember—steady steps, don't rush."
He had a hunch that maybe his son truly had a head for business. And if he could lift the Lin family into Hong Kong's wealthy circles… well, that would be ancestral blessing indeed.
"Dad, Mom, I'll remember," Lin Baicheng said seriously. In truth, he also planned to buy a home once his first game succeeded—not just to comfort his parents, but to give them a better life.
"Big bro, you're amazing! I'll count on you to pay for my study abroad someday," his younger sister Lin Qin said, clinging to his arm with a grin.
She'd always dreamed of studying overseas, but their family couldn't afford it before. Tuition was one thing—living expenses abroad were another story.
"As long as your grades are good, I'll cover everything," Lin Baicheng promised, thumping his chest. "England, America, wherever you want. Even if I have to sell the factory, I'll pay for it."
Education, he believed, should never be compromised.
Their parents beamed with pride. After years of hardship, seeing one child successful and the other with the chance to study abroad was everything they could've wished for.
That night, one more decision was made—his elder sister, Lin Shufang, would start working at the factory the next day as the financial manager.
Finance was a sensitive matter, and only family could truly be trusted. Though she doubted her own ability at first, Lin Baicheng reassured her: "I just don't trust outsiders. I'd rather have you watch every dollar for me."
Hearing that, Lin Shufang agreed at once. She would guard her brother's hard-earned money with care.