Chapter 8

The butcher caught himself reacting too aggressively, so he grinned sheepishly. Excited, he grabbed Josh's hand and said, "You're brilliant! Why didn't I notice such a great opportunity? I won't give you free meat anymore, but I'll definitely give you a discount. If I overcharge you, I'll chop my own fingers off!" Josh smiled and said, "Thank you." "Thank you? We should be thanking you!" The butcher suddenly remembered something and turned to yell at Gary, "And you. Don't ever set up here again, or you'll get beaten every time we see you!" "No." Josh stopped him and said, "What he did was wrong, but these workers need his lunch boxes too. My sandwiches are a bit expensive, so the workers can't eat them every day. If you chase him away, the workers would either go hungry or have to walk way too far for food." Even Gary was shocked. After everything that had happened, Josh was defending him. And he was making perfect sense too. "Kid, I'm completely sold!" The butcher turned back to Gary again and said, "See that? That's the difference between you and him. You screwed him over, and he's still thinking about you and the workers. Got anything to say?" "I get it!" Gary hung his head low, and he meant it. He really did understand now. "Young man, I'm sorry. I was wrong. I got greedy." "It's nothing big. People can change. Everyone wants to make money, I get it. But we're in different lanes. People buy my sandwiches for something special and your lunch boxes to fill up. There's no conflict there," Josh said. Gary nearly cried. He had never met anyone so understanding in his life. He then promised Josh that he would fight anyone who messed with him from then on. And Josh could eat his lunch boxes for free! Josh just smiled quietly. In business, more friends meant more opportunities. Even with the upper hand, there was no need to destroy someone. Success would come through harmony. When the factory workers got off shift that evening, they kept their word and came to buy sandwiches. Despite his trashed stand, they were surprised to see Gary helping Josh out. "Those butchers wanted to run me off and ban me from selling here. But this young man said if I left, you'd either go hungry or have to walk too far. That wouldn't be right. I've learned my lesson. I was small-minded before and did him wrong." Hearing this explanation, the workers' opinion of Josh skyrocketed. His offering of free food at lunch showed generosity. The fact that he let Gary stay showed character! He was just a teenager, but he was more mature than most adults! "This kid's going places!" someone praised. "So buying his sandwiches now is like helping a future big shot then?" another joked. Everyone laughed, and the mood lightened up. As Josh lifted the pot lid, the aroma of his secret spices mixed with meat released, which made the tired workers' mouths water. Many who had tasted it yesterday couldn't forget it. Now that they were sure it wasn't diseased meat, they couldn't wait to buy it. They didn't just buy one sandwich. Some bought three or even five at a time. Josh had tried to estimate demand, but he had underestimated these workers' buying power. Maybe he had many customers because of the good atmosphere that day. But with so many customers, his hundred-plus buns sold out fast. Those who missed out were disappointed after queuing so long. Josh thought for a moment, then said, "You guys probably have empty bottles at the factory, right? For those who didn't get to buy my sandwiches, how about you bring bottles over and I'll fill them with broth? It would taste great with buns too and is free. It'll be my way of making it up to you!" This touched the workers even more. They had never met such an honest businessman in a world of cheats. After another busy spell, the day finally ended. Josh counted his money and broke into a huge grin. Despite giving away lots of buns, soup, and pickles at lunch, costs weren't high. It was only about 20 dollars in total. He would have to pay 30 dollars to the butcher for the discounted meat, and the buns were about 15 or 16 dollars. The total costs were under 70 dollars. But his income was 120 dollars! He had earned a profit of 40 to 50 dollars even after the extra 20 dollars spent at lunch! With a few tens of dollars of profit in one day, he could make 800 dollars in ten days, which was way faster than expected! Meanwhile, his parents worked a whole month to earn less than his single day. Josh marveled at the power of being in the right time and place! Of course, location was key. Only factory workers could afford to spend like this. Anywhere else in town would have been impossible. Humming happily, Josh wheeled his cart home. He couldn't wait to see his parents' faces when they saw how much he had made and to share the news with Janice. But the Holts' door was shut tight. After hesitating, he decided to head home first instead of knocking. Entering his yard, he didn't see his parents. When he called out, Ava ran out. "Josh, you're back! Have you eaten yet? I'll cook right now!" Josh instantly noticed how anxious she was. Frowning, he asked, "What's wrong? Why are you so nervous? Where's Dad?" "He… he's not feeling well, so he went to bed early. Go wash up. Food will be ready soon." Ava seemed eager to change the subject. She then turned to go inside. Josh wasn't stupid. Ava's poor acting skills couldn't fool anyone. He immediately realized something was wrong. He rushed inside and pushed open his parents' door. "Dad, what's wrong?" Josh approached the bed. Hearing his voice, Oliver panicked. He hurriedly said, "Nothing's wrong! You haven't eaten yet, right? Your mom will make you some food." His reaction made Josh more suspicious. He lit a candle. Seeing his father hiding under the covers, he pulled them back and was shocked to see his father's face swollen and red. His eyes seemed puffy from crying too. "What happened?" Josh's face darkened. "Who did you fight with?"