I'm Rich But don't want to make money

Chapter 4: Fabrics? Use the Best Ones

"Pay wages in advance?"

Lauren Taylor looked at Andrew Carter as if he had lost his mind. It seemed ridiculous to her, but Andrew acted as if it was the most obvious solution.

"Yes, pay in advance. Why not?" Andrew said, rolling his eyes. "Besides, the system only allows me to pay one month in advance. If I could, I'd spend several months' worth of wages right now and be done with it."

Lauren blinked in confusion. Spending money in advance? She had encountered people who delayed wages, but Andrew's logic was entirely new to her. Before she could question further, there was a knock at the door.

Wei Yan stepped in, glancing around before addressing the group.

"All the employees are ready to receive their wages," he announced.

"Well, let's begin with you," said Henry Green reluctantly. At this point, he knew he had no choice but to comply.

Henry picked up his calculator and began calculating Wei Yan's wages.

"Your basic salary, plus performance bonuses, totals $7,870. Does that look correct?"

"Yes, that's about right," Wei Yan replied with a nod, though dissatisfaction lingered in his expression. He knew his performance could have been better if the company hadn't cut costs by using inferior fabrics. Many long-term clients had stopped placing orders because of this, leading to a noticeable drop in sales.

He had brought this issue to Henry before, but the former boss had dismissed his concerns, instead blaming the sales team. Over time, two of the three salesmen had quit, leaving Wei Yan as the last one standing.

With his paycheck confirmed, Wei Yan prepared to leave when Andrew stopped him.

"Wait a moment," Andrew called, motioning for him to sit.

Wei Yan hesitated but complied, greeting Andrew politely. "Hello, Mr. Carter."

"Take a seat."

Andrew smiled, flipping through the payroll documents. After a moment, he set them down and said, "Your current basic salary is $3,000. Starting next month, I'm raising it to $4,000. Additionally, your performance bonus will increase by one percentage point."

Wei Yan stared at him in shock, barely able to process the raise. Before he could respond, his phone buzzed. A notification popped up, showing a $4,000 deposit into his account.

Confused, Wei Yan glanced at Andrew. "Mr. Carter, next month hasn't started yet…"

Andrew cut him off. "That's just the base salary. I can't calculate your performance bonus until the month ends."

"But why pay in advance?" Wei Yan asked, still puzzled.

"Simple," Andrew replied. "I know a change in management can cause instability. Paying wages in advance ensures that everyone feels secure. As for performance bonuses, those will still be calculated at the end of the month."

Andrew sighed, his expression tinged with disappointment. "I'd planned to include performance bonuses in the advance payment, but the system flagged it as a violation, so I had to stop."

Wei Yan felt a surge of gratitude. "Thank you, Mr. Carter. I'll work even harder from now on."

"Good." Andrew smiled. "Now, go and send in the next person."

---

A New Kind of Boss

As each employee stepped into the office, a peculiar pattern emerged. First, they would receive their previous month's salary from Henry. Then, Andrew would pay them the next month's salary in advance—complete with a raise.

The employees left the office one by one, looking both delighted and bewildered.

Henry, overhearing Andrew's generous raises, felt a pang of humiliation. This new boss wasn't just spending money—he was doing so in a way that highlighted Henry's frugality.

Meanwhile, Lauren, who had initially been skeptical of Andrew's methods, now regarded him with quiet intrigue. She couldn't help but think, This guy must be filthy rich to treat money so casually.

By the end of the day, all the employees had been paid, and Andrew leaned back in his chair, exhausted. Despite his efforts, he had only managed to spend a little over $100,000.

Checking his system panel, he saw that $423,700 remained. "Still so much left," he muttered under his breath.

---

Planning Ahead

As Andrew pondered his next move, Henry approached him.

"Mr. Carter, I still have some matters to attend to, so I'll be taking my leave. If you need anything, feel free to ask Wei Yan. He knows the company well."

Andrew nodded. "Very well. Safe travels."

After Henry left, Andrew called Wei Yan back into the office.

"Mr. Carter, is there something you need?" Wei Yan asked, hurrying over.

"Yes," Andrew said. "I'm new here and unfamiliar with the company's operations. Can you tell me if there's anything urgent that requires funding?"

Wei Yan's eyes lit up. He had been waiting for the right moment to bring up the issue of fabrics. Without hesitation, he replied, "The company urgently needs a batch of better fabrics."

Andrew's expression remained calm. "How much will it cost?"

"If we use the same materials as before, it'll cost about $80,000," Wei Yan estimated.

Andrew frowned. "Only $80,000? That's not nearly enough."

Wei Yan hesitated before explaining, "If we switch to higher-grade fabrics, the cost will increase significantly. However, it might reduce profits."

Andrew waved off the concern. "Forget about profits. Tell me, how much would it cost to use the best fabrics available?"

Wei Yan was momentarily stunned. This wasn't the response he had expected. Most bosses prioritized profits above all else, but Andrew seemed entirely focused on spending money.

"Using premium fabrics would cost around $300,000," Wei Yan said cautiously.

Andrew's face lit up with excitement. "Perfect! Make the arrangements immediately."

Wei Yan nodded, a newfound respect growing for his unconventional boss. For the first time in a long while, he felt optimistic about the company's future.