America: Starting with Daily Intelligence-Chapter 19 - Moving Work

Black homeless man on the opposite street suspiciously looked around, only daring to reclaim his spot on the street once Allen Zhang had left the alley and confirmed he was gone.

Picking up the equipment, paper currency, steel coins, and even shoes that someone had lost, all scattered on the ground.

Muttering under his breath in annoyance, "That guy must be crazy, right? Bro."

"Who cares, at least he didn't hurt us or even take our money. That's what's most important, buddy! Otherwise, I can't imagine what it would be like not being able to afford drugs."

"Just the day before yesterday, Rod was sitting peacefully by the roadside when suddenly a lunatic pounced on him and stabbed him over thirty times! He bled out and died right there! Before dying, he was even stripped of his pants and humiliated."

Several of the Black homeless men were still somewhat shaken.

Life on the streets is like this; even if you evade sexually transmitted diseases from promiscuity, syphilis, and avoid participating in Zero-Dollar Purchase, and safely beg relying on manual labor, you can still be suddenly attacked by someone with mental illness!

Sometimes, you're sitting in your tent doing nothing when suddenly someone bursts in and violently assaults you.

The source of this c𝓸ntent is frёeweɓηovel.coɱ.

If you dare fight back, they stab you with a knife!

There are always people looking to take revenge on society.

It's unavoidable.

Even Black himself can't protect himself, let alone those clean-cut white and Asian youngsters.

...

At 3:29 PM, Allen Zhang precisely timed his arrival at Green Word Shelter.

He saw several charity trucks parked by the roadside, truck drivers holding a cup of coffee, leaning and chatting jovially. A familiar blonde figure, wearing jeans and sneakers with a perky butt, was carrying a box nearly her height into the shelter.

"Hey, Rena, need help?" Allen walked over, waving and greeting.

Rena, who was sorting old clothes, looked up at the sound, surprised to see a familiar face: "Allen? What are you doing here? Wait, you actually have money to buy new clothes?"

Only then did she notice some changes in Allen Zhang since their first meeting.

Much better prepared.

His outfit was all upscale brands, which would cost at least tens of dollars even in a discount store.

Could he have changed so much in just one day?

Where did you get the money?

Rena hesitated: "You haven't done something bad outside, have you, Allen?"

Just the day before yesterday, he had nothing but a pair of swim trunks, but today he's fully equipped, even sporting a pair of DG sunglasses.

Are you sure you are dressed as a homeless man and not a tourist?

"How could that be! I just got lucky and found a valuable bottle."

Allen Zhang showed her the receipt to prove his innocence.

"$260? A bottle of tequila picked up can sell for so much?" Rena was somewhat surprised.

But recalling Dominic often fluctuated between deep poverty and sudden wealth, even once finding a Cartier men's watch and selling it at a pawnshop for $2900, nearly a month's salary for an ordinary person.

She quickly accepted it.

The industry he was involved in was unusual; it wasn't strange to find anything in a trash bin if you were lucky.

"So, you came here in your new clothes just to show off to me? To prove you can live a normal life?" Rena smiled.

"That's not my intention."

Allen Zhang shook his head, "Today is Saturday, and many agencies are closed, I couldn't find any other job apart from collecting cans. Rena, are you the only one here at the shelter?"

"Of course, all my colleagues have gone home to rest, only I am working overtime because I live here," Rena nodded in response.

"Then the shelter must be short-staffed, right? Since we're all acquaintances, would you consider hiring me to help out?" Allen Zhang suggested with a smile.

"I'm just an employee at the shelter, not the boss. Since we know each other, shouldn't you be offering to volunteer generously?" Rena said, unable to suppress a laugh.

"However, the shelter does provide each employee with a subsidy and shopping vouchers. This makes it convenient for employees to shop daily and participate in various charitable donation activities, and to employ industrious homeless people to work in the community."

Rena glanced back at the several trucks; there was quite a lot of cargo, and she didn't know how long it would take to finish unloading by herself since the driver was only responsible for delivery, not unloading.

She decided to hire Allen Zhang to help her.

"I can offer you a wage of 25 US dollars per hour to help me with the moving work. What do you think, Allen?" Rena extended the invitation.

"Of course, serving a beauty is my honor! Working with such a beautiful lady like you will definitely be refreshing and health-boosting!"

Allen Zhang readily agreed.

He was an undocumented immigrant without even a work card, unable to find any job, and even if he found work through Chinese agencies, those were just low-paid illegitimate jobs—from digging foundations and carrying bricks to lashing steel for roofing, the most he could get in a day was between 70-120 US dollars, even though it was supposed to be 100-300 on paper.

All taken by the agencies.

And he would be dead tired after a day's work.

Jobs in Chinatown restaurants were even less reliable, where fellow countrymen might stab you in the back.

Rena offering him an hourly wage of 25 dollars, though the amount of goods wouldn't take long at all, was still a very generous arrangement.

What a kind person!

Rena just laughed out loud, "Ok, let's start then. The time now is 15:35, how much money you will earn from your boss today depends on your performance! But don't let me find you intentionally slacking off, or else I'll give you the sack!"

"All I have is one fat eel for labor."

He slipped through the back door successfully.

Allen Zhang took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, and started working right away.

Initially, Rena did not understand what he meant by saying that, but after being busy for a while, she suddenly realized.

She stood by the door of the shelter's warehouse, arms crossed in front of her chest, staring intently at Allen Zhang moving goods back and forth.

"What's wrong, Rena?"

Allen Zhang turned back in surprise and inquired, "Is there something wrong with the way I'm working?"

"No, you're working very hard! And you're very strong too!"

Rena raised a middle finger towards him, "But because you flirted with your boss during working hours and made crude comments, I've decided to dock your pay! From 25 dollars an hour to 20 dollars an hour."

"Why? No!! Rena!!"

Hearing that his wages were being cut, Allen Zhang felt as if the sky was falling.

I've been working hard for almost half a day and now you talk about a pay cut? Do you wield the Dragon Slayer Sword? Why does it hurt so much with one strike?

Rena smiled gently, "Don't worry, Allen, even though it's not 25 dollars an hour, I'm still considering letting you stay here for meals and showers. Would you prefer 25 dollars an hour, or 20 dollars an hour plus dinner and a shower?"

"Can I have both?"

Allen Zhang asked with hopeful eyes, "I still need a tent and other daily supplies, and although I already have enough money to buy them, it's always better to save when I can, as I know how to be frugal."

"No!!"

Rena immediately refused him.

Then added, "You can have a shower and a meal after work, and you can also pick a good quality tent to take away. But 25 dollars an hour is not possible."

Allen Zhang did the mental math, this was definitely a huge gain!

A brand-new two-person tent costs at least 50 dollars.

With this amount of work, even if wasted time will surely not exceed three hours.

It's all profit.

You do know how to convert goods into wages to help others.