Zeke curled his lips and said, “One of them is a knucklehead and the other is a smartypants. What kind of job can they find? They can’t do anything after leaving the army, so they’re just floating around.”
However, knowing that Zeke was joking, Alex waved his hand and replied, “If my guess is correct, they’re like you. They want to live a lifetime of indulgence and freedom, and refuse the work that has been arranged by the organization, right? I don’t know how others evaluate them, but in my opinion, they’re both talented people!”
Of Zeke’s two comrades-in-arms, one was called Hansel Collins and his nickname was Big Collins. Coming from the countryside, he looked like a very simple and honest man.
The other one was called Rock Jenkins and was from Quill City. Although he is from the city, he was as guileless as Hansel.
The two were very flattered by what Alex said.
Hansel gave Alex a thumbs up before he immediately smiled at Zeke, saying, “Did you hear that? We call it indulgence, not stupidity. We just love freedom. It’s not as if we can’t do anything right! Do you know why you were hospitalized? It was because you talk so much that even the heavens can’t stand it anymore. You’re suffering from the wrath of God!”
Rock nodded and added, “That’s right, Zeke. If not for your injury, I would’ve taken action when you said those words. Don’t think that you’re invincible just because you won several fighting championships in the army. I don’t care about rankings. Did you know I went easy on you when we fought?”
“Go easy my *ss!” Zeke said defiantly. “Do you dare to compete with me now?”
“Bring it on. Do you really think I can’t beat you?”
Hansel shook his head. “I’m speechless. We’re in a hospital yet you two still want to fight. I just have one thing to say… Can I join too?”
Listening to the bickering of Zeke and his old comrades, Alex subconsciously remembered Felix Moore. He was also a person with friends and he knew that this was normal between good brotherhood, where the better the relationship, the more one would shoot their mouth off. To outsiders, it would sound like a fight, but it was actually the embodiment of their brotherhood.
When they were almost done bickering, Alex said to Zeke, “I’m in urgent need of talents now. Why don’t you make an introduction and ask for your two old friends to help me? Not only these two but if your other comrades-in-arms are interested, I’m willing to hire them too!”
“What’s the use of hiring these two?” Zeke waved his hand. Then, he pointed at Alex as he said to Hansel and Rock, “This is my bro, Alex Cohen. We practically grew up wearing the same pants. He’s a business tycoon now with several industries that have a market value of over 100 million under his name. As long as you call me Big Bro, you can follow him with me!”
“Shoo shoo shoo. You’re younger than me and not as handsome as me. Why should I call you Big Bro?”
Hansel tossed a few insults at Zeke before he came up to Alex and asked curiously, “Mr. Cohen, I heard that Zeke’s Range Rover was a gift from you?”
Alex nodded. “That’s right. What about it?”
“To be honest, Rock and I didn’t come here today to visit Zeke but to see his car instead! Although there’s nothing outstanding about him, his car is really quite handsome… So that I can drive a car like that one day, I’ll definitely follow a boss like you. I’ll stick with you from now on!”
“Really? That’s great! Welcome!”
Once Alex happily shook hands with Hansel, he turned to look at Rock. “What about you, Rock?”
Rock scratched his head and said, “I’m actually different from both of them. I don’t care about fame and fortune, and I’m not in a hurry to find a job. I just want to do something fun…”
“Ah?” Secretly feeling that things were not looking good, Alex hurriedly asked, “Is… Is there a ‘but’?”
With a smile, Zeke said, “Rock Jenkins, it’s easier said than done. You’re from the city. You have a house, a car, and some savings, but no damn pressures or worries. As for Hansel and I, we both come from poor families. If we don’t strive hard, we won’t even be able to get a wife!”
Hansel rolled his eyes too as he said to Rock, “Your method of showing off how rich you are isn’t bad. Tell us, how do you plan to have fun?”
Rock winked at Zeke and Hansel before he said smugly, “You should know that. To me, fighting for credit with the both of you is my greatest joy…”
Zeke and Hansel replied in unison, “Get out!”
“Haha. I like how you two can’t do anything to me even though you hate it.” Rock let out an infuriating grin while he turned to Alex with his right hand extended. “Boss, from now on, I’m one of your men… No, I’m one of your staff. It’s my first time in a workplace, so please take care of me.”
Happiness had come too suddenly as Alex excitedly shook hands with Rock. “Welcome aboard!”
To Alex, inviting Hansel Collins and Rock Jenkins was a spur-of-the-moment decision. After all, he did not even know them before coming to the hospital. He thought that they would want to consider it before giving a reply, so they might not necessarily agree. Yet it did not cross his mind that not only did they make a decision on the spot, but they also readily agreed, which instantly solved his urgent needs. Although he still did not understand them, as the saying went, birds of a feather flock together. If they were good brothers with Zeke, their characters would not be far off.
As for their strengths, even if they were not as good as Zeke, they would not be bad either and that was enough to meet his requirements.
With that, his motivation kick-started. Once he had discussed the pay with Hansel and Rock, he eagerly arranged their tasks. “Currently, I have two job vacancies, both of which are to protect important personnel. One is my father, who is dealing with something in the countryside at the moment, and the other is a close friend who’s helping me to take care of my business in the city. The two of you can discuss amongst yourselves as to who would take which assignment, but until a new task comes along, you’ll have to act as both their driver and bodyguard.”
“I’ll go to the countryside,” Rock said without thinking. “I was planning to go to the mountains anyway.”
Hansel shrugged. “Then I guess my choice is made for me.”
Alex said with a nod, “I like dealing with straightforward people. In that case, the task arrangement is settled. You can decide for yourselves when you want to start work, but… the sooner the better. Let me tell you about the specific job content and precautions first. These two tasks may sound very simple, but not everyone can do them. In fact, only experts like you will be up to the task…”
With Alex’s explanation, Hansel and Rock gained an understanding of the job content and said that they could start work as soon as tomorrow.
After talking about business, Alex was planning to buy two cars — one for his father and another for Felix.
Since Hansel was interested in cars too, he went along with Alex and Big Ken to a Land Rover 4S shop.
Alex wanted to buy two Range Rovers that were the same type as the ones he gave Zeke, but the store did not have any cars available at the moment. This meant that they would have to book them and it would take a week to arrive at the earliest. However, Alex could not wait, so he turned to the Mercedes 4S shop instead.
As soon the three entered, a young man in a suit greeted, “Why, if it isn’t Hansel? Have you finally made up your mind and came to apply for a job?”
Stunned, Alex asked Hansel, “What’s going on? You have acquaintances here?”
“Ah…” Hansel nodded and pointed at the man in the suit while he said to Alex somewhat reluctantly, “His name is Julien Zuckerman. He’s from my hometown and we’ve known each other since childhood, but he’s currently selling cars here. When he learned that I retired from the military and came home, he suggested that I work here as a security guard, but I refused…”
Julien laughed. “You just don’t accept your fate. I told you a long time ago that there’s no use in being a soldier. After so many years of hard work, you can’t even find a decent job after being discharged. You can only be a security guard…”
“From your words, you sound like you look down on security guards.”
“In your opinion, is being reduced to working as a security guard a very honorable thing? Hansel, I know you have high self-esteem, but I still have to tell you the bad news truthfully. My boss has already recruited a security guard, so you’re too late, but… We seem to be short a janitor — the kind that cleans toilets. Since we were from the same hometown, I can ask the boss for you if you’re willing to do some cleaning.”
“Job positions aren’t divided by whether it’s noble or lowly. I don’t know where your sense of superiority came from, but I’m not here to apply for a job today.”
“Then what are you here for?” Julien stared at Hansel incredulously and asked, “Are you here to buy a car? Is that some kind of joke?”
