Chapter 27 Dividing Money, Dividing Meat, Dividing Dignity

The twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, the Little New Year.

With the loudspeaker and Security Department incident finally settled,

"red star · warm sun" had completely become a bestseller at the base.

To avoid attracting unwanted attention, Lin Xi decisively handed over all sales channels to Dongfeng Department Store.

The supply price was 32, and the suggested retail price was 38.

He left a profit margin of 6 yuan for Sun Dafu to handle connections, provide endorsements, and bear the risks.

Lin Xi "retreated behind the scenes."

As of today, cumulative shipments reached 492 units.

After deducting gifts, wear and tear, and a small mandatory management fee,

the total revenue figure in the ledger on the desk froze at—

16,200 yuan.

In an era where being a ten-thousand-yuan household could make the front page of the newspaper, this was a massive sum of money.

Lin Xi closed the ledger, and the cap of his fountain pen made a crisp "click" sound.

"Close the door."

Sun Erga rushed over and shut the large iron gate tightly.

He even moved a door bar to lock it firmly.

The air in the workshop solidified.

Only the "crackling" of bursting coal and heavy breathing remained.

"Crack-crack, pop-pop—"

Liu Guihua's fingers flew across the abacus; even though she had already calculated it three times, fine beads of sweat still broke out on her forehead at this moment.

Lin Xi sat behind the only desk, his fingers lightly tapping the tabletop,

"I know what you're all waiting for."

"Everyone has worked hard this month." Lin Xi's voice was steady, without a hint of emotion,

"Our Service Center doesn't do empty talk or make hollow promises."

"I said before, if you work with me, you'll have meat to eat."

Lin Xi picked up a payroll sheet: "When your name is called, come up to sign and collect your money."

"Wang Dapao."

The man, built like a black iron tower, took a step forward, his palms covered in sweat, which he rubbed repeatedly against his trouser legs.

"Base salary of 18, plus piece-rate commission and technical bonus of 49.2 yuan."

Lin Xi counted out a stack of money from his bag.

"68.6 yuan."

*Hiss—!*

A synchronized sound of sharp intakes of breath echoed in the workshop.

68.6 yuan!

That was two months' salary for a third-grade worker!

Wang Dapao tremblingly took the stack of money; it was thick and warm.

This wasn't just money; it was the highest affirmation of his hands.

"Th... Thank you, Brother Lin!"

This man, who could pinch aluminum plates with his bare hands, found his tongue tied at this moment.

"Wang Yu."

"Present!" The tech geek pushed up his glasses and walked up with a dazed look in his eyes.

"Core Contribution Award for Circuit Design."

"Same as above, 68.6 yuan."

Lin Xi handed him the money, but the boy didn't even glance at it, casually stuffing it into his pocket.

His eyes were fixed on the "Introduction to Digital Circuits" at the corner of Lin Xi's desk.

He was an obsessive.

Lin Xi nodded inwardly.

"Liu Guihua, Sun Erga, financial and coordination work, hard work allowance plus commission."

"58.4 yuan each."

"Other team members, 48.6 yuan each."

As each name was called, "Great Unity" bills were distributed one by one.

An electric current named "Ecstasy" permeated the entire workshop.

Those who received the money either held it under their noses to sniff the scent of ink or counted it over and over again, fearing it was a dream.

Zhao Xiaoliu, who usually idled about, was now clutching his money, squatting in a corner and sobbing.

He slapped himself as he cried:

"Damn it, I really lived like a dog before!"

Satisfied already?

Lin Xi looked at this group of coworkers who were almost going mad and pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket.

This is just the beginning.

Money is just a number.

In this era of material scarcity, the real "nuclear weapon" was still to come.

"Alright, stop wailing." He walked to the cart covered with a canvas in the center of the room.

With a cigarette in his mouth, he grabbed a corner of the canvas and whipped it off!

*Whoosh—*

Silence.

A deathly silence.

Even Zhao Xiaoliu's crying stopped abruptly; his mouth was half-open, and he forgot to wipe the snot bubble hanging from his lip.

What greeted their eyes was a mountain!

Strips of red and white pork were stacked neatly;

Whole dressed chickens and pressed salted ducks were shiny with oil;

Dozens of bags of Fuqiang flour were piled into snow-white towers;

Cases of Erguotou and Malted milk extract;

There were even White Rabbit Cream Candies that couldn't be bought anywhere in this era!

The air was filled with the smell of meat and sweetness.

This rich and overbearing aroma caused a violent spasm in the stomachs of these people who had lacked oil and fat for years.

"One portion for everyone." Lin Xi's voice sounded like heavenly music.

"5 catties of pork, 2 catties of mutton, one chicken and one duck each."

"20 catties of Fuqiang flour, 10 catties of sweet potatoes, 2 catties of peanut oil."

"One portion each of candy, MSG, and white liquor."

Lin Xi pointed to the soap and towels in the corner:

"Those are for the wives and children at home; everyone take one set."

"Additionally—"

Lin Xi paused, his gaze sweeping across the crowd,

"For those with more than three people in their household, the meat and flour are doubled."

*Thud.*

Sun Erga's legs went weak, and he knelt directly on the ground.

It wasn't that his bones were soft, but that this happiness came too fiercely.

"Brother Lin... this... is this all for us?"

Sun Erga asked tremblingly.

"Is it for me to eat alone?" Lin Xi raised an eyebrow.

"I only have one mouth; I couldn't finish it even if I stuffed myself to death."

"Whoa—!"

This time, things truly exploded.

Nothing was more real than holding meat in one's arms.

At this moment, Lin Xi's image in their eyes was no longer that of a manager; he was a Living Bodhisattva, a second parent!

Liu Guihua held a five-catty piece of pork belly, clutching the Malted milk extract in her hand.

She suddenly lowered her head, her shoulders shaking violently.

Large tears splashed onto the pork.

"Big Sister Liu, it's almost the New Year, why are you crying?" Lin Xi handed her a piece of rough paper.

Liu Guihua looked up, her eyes as red as a rabbit's.

"Manager Lin... I... I'm happy."

She wiped her face, her voice choked with emotion:

"You don't know, my husband is a regular worker, and he's always looked down on me for being a 'freeloader' at the Service Center. He thought it was embarrassing and that I had no status."

"For these twenty years, I've had to watch his face every time I went home, not even daring to speak loudly."

"But now..."

Liu Guihua sobbed, but a spark of pride belonging to the mistress of a house bloomed on her face:

"Last night... it was the first time in twenty years of marriage that he took the initiative to pour foot-washing water for me."

"He said... 'Wife, is it too hot?'"

The whole room fell silent.

Sun Erga stopped laughing, and Wang Dapao's eyes also reddened.

In these times, money was not just purchasing power.

It was the right to speak at home, the backbone when walking on the street.

It was the confidence to be respected as a "human being."

In this marginalized Service Center.

They were once the jokes of the base, the scraps, the trash.

But today, with this pile of meat and money, Lin Xi had pieced back their shattered dignity, bit by bit.

"Follow Manager Lin!" Wang Dapao suddenly raised his fist and roared at the top of his lungs,

"Whoever the hell dares to touch Manager Lin, I, Wang Dapao, will be the first to fight them to the death!"

"To the death!!"

The roar was so loud that the snow on the roof came rustling down.

This kind of die-hard loyalty was bought with money, but even more so, it was won with heart.