Chapter 25:
A pile of known and unknown patents evidently couldn't be decided upon in just two or three minutes. Lin Qi reached a verbal agreement with the law firm, intending to prepare the necessary materials and then commission the firm to register at the Social Services Bureau together.
Actually, he could register patent information without the lawyer's company, but there were some issues he might not be able to resolve entirely. For instance, the applicability of patents within the state, federal patents, global patents, and various related terms. To avoid potential loopholes in the future, it was best to have a lawyer accompany him.
After discussing these matters, he returned to the warehouse. Richard and the other two industrious worker bees had returned for another round within the two-plus hours he was gone.
Boxes and boxes of coins seemed particularly impressive. Even though they were just coins, and also precisely because they were coins, the shimmering gloss associated them directly with wealth.
The primary issue now was counting the money. Perhaps he could have the coin sorter made while simultaneously getting the patent registered. His next step wasn't just Mr. Fox's business but the entire Sabin City's businesses, a big deal.
Lin Qi examined the coins under a UV lamp, cleaned them with detergent, and let them dry, waiting for Mr. Fox's people to collect the coins.
Before their arrival, Lin Qi would call Mr. Fox once more to ensure that the person coming to collect the goods was indeed from Mr. Fox.
More than 1,600 bucks were accounted for in the morning, much faster than yesterday, especially Richard, whose speed and quantity were almost equal to the other two combined, being the most hardworking one.
The other two workers were slower in exchanging coins. They had asked Richard why he could always convert all the money in his pocket into coins quickly and efficiently. Richard always wore a foolish smile and said it was just about going to different places more.
Lin Qi knew his trick but didn't expose it. Richard had reduced a portion of his income to change the whole amount of money into coins, not being stingy.
Though it seemed like his profit had decreased, in reality, due to the increased speed and quantity, his income surpassed others by far.
In a relatively fair environment, a certain income disparity could spark competitiveness among people, which was actually a good thing.
Lin Qi's entire day was consumed by this small company. In fact, he didn't need to stay in the office the whole day. However, until now, Vera couldn't yet be fully trusted, and some things others might not be able to do. For now, he had to toil hard on his own.
At the initial birth of any micro-enterprise, the first people those bosses often exploit are themselves. In this process, they gradually learn the correct methods of exploiting workers - through practice on themselves - and eventually take the most resolute and firm step towards becoming capitalists.
Later on, after Lin Qi dropped off Vera at home, he returned to the warehouse district. After shutting off the power, he quickly made a seemingly rodent-chewed short circuit point and then flipped the circuit breaker.
After a brief sound resembling a continuous high-frequency vibration, the just-lit light once again dimmed. Lin Qi calmly walked to the desk and picked up the phone.
Before long, an electrician from the warehouse area arriveda man in his thirties who seemed quite experienced. He first checked the fuse box, removed the blown fuse, reported the situation to Lin Qi, and then began searching for the point of the short circuit.
At the same time, he handed Lin Qi a clipboard with a stack of forms, which were the standard electrical repair forms used in Sabin City and even throughout the entire state.
By filling out these forms, electricians would receive a bonus at the end of the month, apart from their basic salary. The more forms they had, the more bonuses they received.
Incentive systems were essentially a form of exploitation. However, compared to other more blatant forms, people actually preferred this one.
While the electrician wasn't paying attention, Lin Qi tore off the top sheet and slipped it into the desk drawer. Then he started filling out the repair form on the second sheet.
After about ten minutes, the electrician found the point. He looked at it and advised Lin Qi, "You've got rats in your warehouse, sir. I suggest you hire a pest control company to get rid of them. Otherwise, they might continue damaging the wires here..."
Rats chewing through wires wasn't a rare occurrence; it happened frequently each year, and the electrician was accustomed to it. He continued replacing the wires while advising Lin Qi, "I have a business card here. If you're considering it, you can contact them, mention my name, and they'll offer you a suitable discount!"
He glanced back at Lin Qi, who was filling out the form, and quickly separated the wires, replacing them.
Later, he checked the form filled out by Lin Qi, tore off a portion, and handed it to him. Sometimes, the department would scrutinize these repair orders randomly. The power company wouldn't blindly pay the electricians according to these forms; they would always find some issues to refuse payment for a portion of the work.
Meanwhile, he also handed a business card to Lin Qi, who naturally accepted it, shook hands, and saw the electrician off.
He didn't immediately pay for the repairs and labor costs. By month-end, the power company would send the other part of these repair forms to the bank. With the bank having collection services, their service fee was much more economical and secure than immediate payment and the uncertainty and high additional labor costs involved in collecting it. Therefore, the bill would be sent directly to the warehouse by month-end.
As for the possibility of someone moving away overnight to evade the bills, it was highly unlikely. When Lin Qi rented the warehouse, he paid a sufficient deposit and advance rent. It wasn't worth losing this money just to avoid a few additional costs.
On his way back, he casually chose a stationery store and bought a large-sized clipboard and some oil paper used for printing promotional posters.
One side of the oil paper was slightly rough, with a thin layer of wax on the other side. Pressing the stencil onto the paper and giving it a push with the ink roller, a small ink poster capable of creating extensive stains would emerge.
This kind of oil paper was similar to the electrician's repair orders; the wax surface would protect the paper from irreversible damage caused by water-based or oil-based stains.
As per Lin Qi's request, the store owner cut out a small portion. After that, Lin Qi returned to the temporary rented room with the clipboard, a stack of blank oil papers, and an empty repair form.
After eating a bit, he changed into the electrician's attire he had bought earlier. These items were available in many places and weren't classified as restricted items; anyone had the right to purchase them.
Then, he placed the repair form on top of the oil paper and secured it using the clipboard before lowering the brim of his cap and leaving the back of the small bar in the darkening evening.
Approximately twenty minutes later, he appeared around Michael's community.
He felt that the News Head's suspicious actions yesterday evening indicated he might take action soon. It was an opportunity but also required him to be cautious.
Lin Qi was never a good person, at least according to his own judgment and that of the judges. But he also believed he wasn't a bad person. All those who ended up in dire straits because of him actually died due to their own greed.
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