Chapter 825: Sparrows and Swans
The workers had an accident, which Bai Shishi never wished for.
Seeing the families of these people injured was also not something she wanted.
Bai Shishi felt these people were very pitiful and knew that compensating them was only right. Initially, she offered sixty-seven hundred thousand, which was already sufficient. Out of sympathy, she raised the amount to eight hundred thousand.
But to her surprise, they demanded an even higher price, truly showing their insatiable greed.
After these people quieted down, they seemed a bit flustered and subtly looked toward a person sitting on the right side.
Though the action was discreet, Lin Tian observed it clearly.
The person sitting on the right was a young man in his thirties. Lin Tian had seen him in the documents before and had an impression of him; he seemed to be Lv Min. He was a worker from a village surrounding Kanyue City with no notable background.
After glancing at him, Lin Tian then ignored him. This guy was probably the smooth talker who gathered everyone to extort money.
Bai Shishi’s gaze swept over these people, then she said, "I can give the deceased’s family one million and an additional one hundred and fifty thousand to the injured’s family. It’s not for any other reason, just out of pity for your plight."
"Hmph, wouldn’t it have been better if you had agreed earlier? You have so much money, isn’t it right to compensate a bit more?"
A discordant voice sounded from the audience, but this voice resonated with many people. It could be seen in their eyes.
Hatred for the rich!
Lin Tian laughed, suddenly feeling that the saying ’there is always something detestable in pitiable people’ was so apt.
These people are really shameless!
Lin Tian stood up, his eyes sweeping over the audience, and said, "Some might think, given our wealth, it’s right for us to pay more. Don’t you think your mindset is particularly shameless?"
"What are you saying? Isn’t it right to compensate when someone dies! What are you talking about!"
"Apologize to me!"
"Heh, apologize? You wish. Lin Tian leaned on the table with both hands and said, "Should we pay more because we are wealthy? Your thinking constitutes moral coercion! Why should we? Just because I’m rich? Should I give you more compensation? Is it wrong for me to have money? Should I be a savior just because I’m wealthy?"
"Take yourselves, working at Qiansimei, the salary and benefits are undisputedly good, enabling a decent life in Kanyue City. But when you see beggars on the street, would you give them two hundred yuan? Without you telling me, I know you wouldn’t! Even if two hundred yuan is neither much nor little for you, for those beggars, it’s a considerable sum. And you wouldn’t give it."
Looking at the audience, Lin Tian said, "So, what right do you have to despise me?"
"..." The audience was speechless, wasn’t it your fault? How did this turn onto us?
"Now, the money is already promised to you. Please register your card numbers with the staff, and by the afternoon, the money will be transferred. You don’t have any other issues, right?" Lin Tian asked.
"Is this all over?" Someone hadn’t quite grasped the situation yet.
Looking at the person speaking, Lin Tian asked, "Isn’t one million enough?"
"..." Once again, silence. If only it was known it would be this easy to get a million, they would have asked for more, but now it was too late for regrets.
Bai Shishi also stood up, saying to the family members, "Alright, the company still has some matters to attend to, so I won’t be accompanying you. There are snacks and coffee in the company lounge; feel free to help yourselves. If you want to tour the company, I can have Lin show you around."
"Let’s go." Lin Tian took Bai Shishi by the arm and walked out; he really didn’t want to waste any more words on these people.
Before leaving the hall, Lin Tian’s keen ears could still catch some people cursing, but he ignored it.
Truly insatiable!
Back in the lounge, Bai Shishi looked at Lin Tian with a reproachful glance, "What’s with your bad habit? You gave them the money and yet said those words, wasn’t that deliberately provoking those family members? Now there are so many reporters downstairs; if they go down and say whatever, it’ll be troublesome again."
"Did I just swear?" Lin Tian asked back.
"It seems not..."
"Did I curse them?"
"Still not..."
"But I remember, I gave them the money. Yet they cursed for a long time with a filthy mouth. Tell me, shouldn’t it be me who’s angry?
"But, but... "
Lin Tian hugged Bai Shishi’s fragrant shoulder and said, "There are no buts. We don’t need to cater to others; it’s already courteous enough that I didn’t curse them out. We are swans, and they are sparrows, so I don’t stoop to their level. Besides, I can’t stand seeing you wronged. You saw how arrogant they were just now, didn’t you feel better saying something?"
"So glib! All this sweet-talking, I don’t know where you learned it from to coax me."
Bai Shishi suddenly felt that having such a man, capable in both social and domestic spheres, around was a very fortunate thing.
At least, the worries and troubles were more than halved.
Suddenly, Lin Tian said, "If these people go down and smear our company now, it’s a very foolish thing to do."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because if they don’t do it now, someone will eventually pay them to badmouth us. If they do it now, wouldn’t they be missing out on a sizable payment?"
Bai Shishi rolled her eyes and couldn’t help but chuckle, "I really don’t know what your brain is always brewing, but it does make some sense."
"And even if they were to badmouth us a lot in front of reporters, there’s nothing to fear."
"Why?"
Lin Tian tapped Bai Shishi’s head, "Why do I feel you’ve gotten dull from being with me? You forgot, there are surveillance cameras in the hall. If those people talk about our bad attitudes to reporters and it’s exposed online, we could also upload the surveillance video. Can you imagine what would happen then?"
"What would happen?"
"Are you really dumb or just pretending?"
"Stop blabbering! Just tell me!"
"You saw the situation in the hall earlier. We’ve been respectful enough to them; no matter who sees it, we’ve done all we could. Looking back at them? Ungrateful, morally coercive; even anger should have a limit, right? The eyes of the world are clear, and with such stark contrast, people will surely believe us!"
Lin Tian’s mouth curved into a smile, "I didn’t give them so much money for nothing. The reputation we gain is invaluable!"