Ch.167 Arrival

Perhaps it was the candy that did the trick, but both of them felt a lot better. At least they weren't trembling involuntarily anymore and were relatively calm as they arrived at their destination. Emerging from the subway station, they both felt as if they'd been through an ordeal. Though young, they couldn't fully articulate the feeling, but it was like they had taken a stroll at the gates of hell.

"We're almost there, the dock is just over there. Look, there are a lot of people," Steve said to Bucky, and also to reassure himself. He was only appearing to be calm.

"Thank goodness, they're normal people. Look at their eyes."

Bucky pulled him along to run a bit. Seeing that these people had lively expressions and were smiling, they finally relaxed.

"This place feels different from everywhere else. This is where normal people should be."

Steve also breathed a sigh of relief, like someone who had survived a shipwreck and finally saw land.

"Come on, let's go see if we can find someone in charge and see if there's any work we can do."

Bucky pulled him again. The earlier fear was now forgotten, and the thought of getting food was their top priority.

Indeed, just as Bucky had guessed, last night was merely a simple registration, and there was still a lot of follow-up work to be done today.

For example, some people had been assigned to tractor or airplane manufacturing plants, which were not in New York. Last night, they were simply notified to go home and prepare, but today there were work numbers, ID badges, some basic supplies, and relocation allowances to be distributed.

If you want people to work for you, at the very least, you need to ease their worries. Let them settle their homes so they can work without concerns.

These large warehouses had been used over the years to store grain and serve as logistics supply stations. Currently, even if you had money, food was hard to come by in the market, so Wilson Enterprises provided the supplies.

Family members of employees could use their work numbers to register and purchase essential goods here. The money Su Ming gave to the employees would eventually flow back into his own pocket.

If you weren't an employee or a family member, you wouldn't be served. Although this policy might seem unfair, the farm's food supply was limited. According to Gin's calculations, it could only sustain his own people each year.

However, this also had its benefits, as it fostered a sense of belonging and pride among the employees. They would feel lucky and proud to be part of Wilson Enterprises.

Even though these plants weren't too far away and you could take the train back on weekends, transportation in this era was inconvenient. It always felt like traveling far away, and knowing that the company would take care of their families gave them peace of mind.

These warehouses at the docks were purchased by Su Ming. In the future, they would serve as shipping and transshipment points. Since they were currently empty, they were being used as temporary offices.

Steve's small frame made him a bit self-conscious, but Bucky was much bolder and more outgoing.

He pulled Steve through the crowd. There were so many people here that the winter air was thick with the smell of sweat, like a heap of sea fish packed together.

They weaved through the gaps, making turns left and right, and finally squeezed into the warehouse, where rows of people were distributing items. And in the back, the food they longed for was piled up.

For the few days that the workers were still in New York, Su Ming naturally provided meals. He didn't mind the cost; as long as the stock market kept falling, the money he made from shorting stocks would continue to grow enormously.

"Wow, Steve, look over there! The food is piled up like a mountain."

Bucky immediately spotted the paper-wrapped packages, just like the ones from yesterday. His eyes sparkled, and he began to swallow his saliva.

Steve saw it too, but he was thinking about something else. The work here was orderly; it didn't seem like there was any need for extra help.

At that moment, a bearded man nearby noticed them. Although he looked fierce, the thick calluses on his hands suggested he was just an honest worker, likely a former coal shoveler or cargo handler.

"Hey, kids, what are you doing here?"

He crouched down, putting his duffel bag on the ground, and spoke to them.

Steve shrank back a bit, as he wasn't good at talking to strangers. Bucky answered the burly man's question instead.

"Sir, we're here looking for work."

The burly man laughed heartily, ruffling their hair, but Bucky shook him off and glared at him. The bearded man didn't mind; instead, he found it amusing. "Last night, some other kids came looking for work too, but Wilson Enterprises refused them. Their boss doesn't hire child labor."

"Why not? We might not be able to do much, but we eat less and don't need as much pay."

Bucky couldn't understand. There were child laborers all over New York—selling flowers outside movie theaters, mopping floors in hotel lobbies, wiping car windshields at intersections. If they were farm kids, they'd have been helping to milk cows years ago.

Not to mention the newspaper companies hadn't rejected them from doing odd jobs before.

The burly man didn't answer them directly but asked another question instead, "If you know about this place, it means at least one of your parents works for the distillery, right?"

"Yes, our fathers should be here, but there are so many people we haven't seen them yet," Bucky answered.

"That explains it. The company gives extra money to employees with children, called a settlement allowance. The boss believes kids need to grow strong and learn, not do heavy work at an inappropriate age."

The bearded man dragged his duffel bag forward a bit as the line continued to move, and his turn was coming up.

Steve was thoughtful, nodding. "That sounds a lot like what my dad told me. He wants me to study."

"Haha, I don't fully understand it, but I respect it. You know, I used to work in a factory, feeding those big stamping machines. There were a few kids in the workshop," the bearded man said, rubbing his chin as he moved forward, recalling his past. "But they weren't strong enough. That work wasn't meant for them. Many got seriously ill, and one unlucky kid—crunch!"

Steve and Bucky both instinctively shrank their necks. They knew exactly what "crunch" meant. They'd heard stories of how those giant machines often devoured children. If they were lucky, they'd end up disabled; if not, they'd die on the spot.

Su Ming didn't hire child labor because he needed efficiency. Everyone was a cog in the machine, and any weak link would be a liability.

Besides, it was too unethical. There was no need to save a few bucks by risking kids' lives. It was better to give families with children a little extra in settlement allowances, which would win over their loyalty.

Although child labor was common and wouldn't be banned by Roosevelt until 1938, Su Ming didn't want to get involved in such a dirty business.

Bucky thought for a moment, took off his hat, and twisted it in his hands. "We're not looking for that kind of work. We just want to do some temporary work for a few days. We can read and write, so maybe we can help with signs or something."

"I see... Well, I can't say for sure. I'm new here too. You should ask the guys in charge when it's your turn. They're old hands, so they should know."

Bucky nodded. He understood, though he was a bit disappointed. He'd been eager to start working right away.

"Thank you, sir," Bucky said, expressing his gratitude while glancing around to avoid being spotted by his father. But soon, he noticed two men standing at the back of the warehouse, one wearing glasses and the other a portly older man. They seemed to be the ones in charge, judging by their attire.

"Sir, are those two gentlemen in charge?"

The bearded man looked up and quickly nodded. "Yes, the guy with glasses should be. I saw everyone listening to him yesterday."

Bucky smiled and tugged on Steve's arm. "Thanks again, kind sir. We'll go try our luck."

"Heh, go ahead. Even if you don't get the job, I'm sure they'll give you some food for making the effort to come here." The burly man hoisted his duffel bag again and continued in line. He knew the two kids were just as afraid of hunger as anyone else here.

But who among them wasn't?