“If you want to open a branch, you will need to hire new employees. This is giving me a huge load of work.” Though Blake said that, the tone of his voice was relaxed, and there was even a hint of teasing. He continued, “I’ve done so much, you better give me a raise next year!”
“After you finish dealing with the opening of the new branch, I will give you 5% of our stocks as a bonus. How’s that?” Dai Li asked seriously.
Blake saw the solemn look on Dai Li’s face and realized that Dai Li wasn’t joking. He was pleasantly surprised and said, “Li, you sure are a generous boss.”
Dai Li was very satisfied with Blake’s performance. As a professional manager, Blake had performed magnificently in the time he had been in charge. Business increased, and the center became more well-known. Handing over specialized work to the professionals had been the correct decision.
Giving Blake a 5% stake in the company was Xiao Yunan’s proposal. When it came to being a boss, Xiao Yunan was much better than Dai Li. Xiao Yunan managed a one hundred billion dollar company. Just a few tips from her would last Dai Li a long time.
To be a good boss, there was no need to do everything on your own or to have any specialized professional skills. Knowing how to use the correct people was the key. For example, a talent like Blake. Rather than giving him a raise, it would be better to provide him with a stake in the company. Once he had shares in the company, he would naturally work harder to manage the fitness training center.
The 5% shares really motivated Blake, and his mood instantly shifted to become more excited. He said, “About the location of the new branch, I suggest that we open it near a college. If there is a need, we can rent the facilities from the nearby college, such as the track and field stadium. We can save a lot of money this way.”
“Okay, we will do as you say.” Dai Li’s voice changed, and he said, “I need to go back to China for a few days. I will let you handle things here.”
As they were speaking, the doorbell rang and Taylor walked in.
“Li, do you have time? I want to speak with you,” Taylor said.
Understanding, Blake stood up and said, “I’ll get out of here.”
After Blake left, Dai Li and Taylor were left in the room.
“Li, I’ve given it some thought, and I’ve decided to open a boxing gym,” Taylor said, looking anxious and serious at the same time.
Dai Li stared at Taylor with an odd look. “You want to teach others how to box? This is a pretty good idea. With your status as a world-class boxing champion, you should attract a lot of people.”
“No, you misunderstand me. I don’t plan to make any money. I want to open up a boxing gym and teach the kids in youth detention centers how to box for free,” Taylor said.
“Just like what Angie did for you in the past?” Dai Li asked.
Taylor took a deep breath and nodded. “You know, because I used to be in a youth detention center, I know that the kids in there aren’t bad people. A lot of them lost their parents, and that was why they went on the wrong path. If someone gave them the right guidance, they might have a chance.”
“So you want to open a boxing gym, and then teach them how to box so that they can become boxing champions like you?” Dai Li’s expression became solemn.
Taylor nodded. “Compared to them, I am lucky. I met Angie, and he brought me out of the re-education through labor camp. He taught me to box, which is why I became the boxing champion Taylor, and not the drug addict Taylor, smuggler Taylor, or thief Taylor… Angie has already been gone for over a decade, but I am starting to understand him more and more. Understanding what he did back then. He chose to help me because he didn’t want me to go down the wrong path. He didn’t want me to become a criminal and rot in prison, or get my brains blown out in a gunfight. Whether or not I could become a boxing champion wasn’t important. Practicing boxing was something legitimate that he found for me to do. Something practical that I could do, and not just lay around doing nothing.”
Taylor took a deep breath, and his expression became sorrowful. “I’m not looking to train the next boxing champion. I don’t even expect to train the next professional boxer. I only want to carry out Angie’s last wish, to finish what he hadn’t finished. I can help those lost kids find something to do. Such as regular boxing training. To keep them away from crime, away from drugs, at least give them a chance to grow up away from crime. To use their two hands to earn a living for themselves.”
Dai Li stared at Taylor. In his mind, Taylor was simple-minded and impulsive. Someone who did things recklessly without considering the consequences. As it turned out, he didn’t know Taylor at all. Taylor had a noble side to him.
Taylor chose to become Angie’s successor after he became famous. Dai Li couldn’t help but start to admire Taylor.
Taylor continued to say, “Although I am a boxer, I have no idea how to start a boxing gym, and no one to help me, so I want to ask for your help.”
“What do you need me to do? Just say the word!” Dai Li said.
“After I start my boxing gym, I want to borrow some of your people, at least until my boxing gym can operate properly. I am unable to find someone suitable to run a boxing gym on such short notice,” Taylor said.
“No problem. Let me think…” Dai Li pondered for a minute, then said, “Jones, Payton, and Tiger, you know all three of them. Pick one of them. All three of them are good. They all have their own strong points. When I open another branch, I am also considering picking one of the three to be the manager of the branch.”
“Give me Chris Payton then! I am more familiar with him,” Taylor replied.
“You have a good eye… Come to think of it, if it weren’t for Payton, I wouldn’t have been put in the police detention cell, in the same detention room with you—”
Taylor interrupted Dai Li, “Can you not bring that up? That is a very embarrassing memory for me.”
…
On the signboard, the words “Kevin Taylor’s Boxing Gym” were written. Beside it was a cartoon version of Kevin Taylor’s head.
“I never thought that Kevin would retire when he had just reached his peak again. And start a boxing gym, of all things. It’s a gym that focuses on recruiting troubled youths, too. Those are all troublesome kids,” Ayres said, while he patted the hand of an old woman beside him.
She was Ayres’ wife. She had once been paralyzed, but was finally starting to walk using a cane. She was there to accompany her husband during the opening ceremony of the boxing gym.
“Ayres, Kevin is retiring. I would also like to congratulate you on your retirement. Again. What are you preparing to do next?” Dai Li turned his head and said, “If you are willing, you can continue to stay at my fitness training center.”
“If I were to continue working, how would that be considered as retirement?” Ayres shook his head. “These two years, I earned a good salary from Taylor. I plan to use this money to travel the world with my wife. What do you think about having the Great Wall of China as our first stop?”
“You want to go to my motherland on vacation? How long do you plan to stay there?” Dai Li asked with interest.
“Two weeks? What do you think?” Ayres held up two fingers.
“If you only intend to walk around, it should be enough. In two weeks, you should be able to see some of the more significant sites,” Dai Li said. He saw Chris Payton coming from a small distance away.
“Chris, are you used to the new working environment?” Dai Li asked with a smile.
“They are all a bunch of troublesome kids, and almost all of them have been in a youth detention center. Some of them were even in gangs, but I can manage. I also grew up in that sort of environment,” Payton answered.
“That is true.” Dai Li patted Payton on the shoulder and continued to say, “Do this well, help Taylor build up the boxing gym, and after two months, when we open the new branch, I have reserved a managerial position for you.”