Chapter 15 – A New Business Direction
"Ah… understood," Yang Wendong said. Seeing Elena's firm tone, he knew she truly didn't want to accept any bribes.
He wasn't the kind of person to sacrifice his own interests to help others. What he admired most were win-win relationships—where both sides benefited. Like providing employment to the poor if he ever grew his business.
Still, he couldn't help but respect people like Elena—those who genuinely chose to help others, even when there was nothing in it for them.
Elena continued, "Mr. Yang, your traps are now officially being used by departments under the Hong Kong government. I can vouch for you, but after this, it's up to the warehouse managers to decide whether they want to continue ordering.
"I should also warn you—there are companies that already manufacture rat poison and metal traps. Some of them are already starting to move in. They've caught wind of this new government extermination effort."
"I figured," Yang Wendong nodded.
He knew the clock was ticking. The moment his traps drew attention, competitors were bound to appear—especially established businesses.
Elena went on, "Your product has one advantage: it's new. And no one else has it yet.
"But if it becomes widespread and others start copying it, you'll need to think about how to stay competitive."
"I understand," Yang Wendong replied seriously.
This wasn't news to him. His bamboo trap didn't have a patent. And even if it did, enforcement was basically non-existent in 1958 Hong Kong.
He knew that all his recent success had only come because he'd acted quickly and found an opening.
"Still," Elena added, "your design is low cost, low risk, and easy to distribute. It's especially useful for facilities like warehouses. So you're in a good position—for now."
"I appreciate the opportunity," Yang Wendong said with a respectful nod. "I won't forget it."
Elena smiled. "Saving the government money is part of my job. Your traps do that."
After a short pause, Yang Wendong added, "Miss Elena, if I ever have the ability, I'll give back. I'll find a way to offer poor people—especially those in the shantytowns—a steady job and a way to eat."
In Hong Kong, the people living in shack settlements had it bad—but at least they had a roof over their heads.
There were others who had nothing at all. And when storms or fires swept through, even the shanty homes could vanish overnight—leaving families completely homeless.
Yang Wendong knew that a few years down the line, a major fire would sweep through Hong Kong's shantytowns. The media coverage would draw international attention and force the British colonial government to act.
But the real tragedy wasn't the fire—it was what came after.
Under pressure from foreign press, the government would tear down many shack communities. They promised to build public housing, but most of the poor never saw any of it.
Instead, government-connected people snatched up the housing and rented it out—for profit.
That was the reality of 1958 Hong Kong. No individual could change it. Yang Wendong certainly couldn't—not yet.
"I'm glad to hear that," Elena said softly.
For now, Yang Wendong could only focus on escaping poverty himself. Changing the world would have to wait.
If he wanted a future, he had to secure it one brick at a time.
Hong Kong had endless opportunities. The trick was surviving long enough to grab one.
That afternoon, he and his crew returned to the first warehouse, the one in Jordan District. Thanks to Elena's earlier introduction, the guards let them in without a fuss.
A local staff member pointed them toward the storage area and left them to work.
The four of them quickly got to assembling the traps and setting them up around the warehouse.
Just as they were finishing, a white man walked over—it was Brian, the warehouse manager who had spoken with Elena that morning.
He looked around and saw the traps they had placed.
"Why are the traps all along the walls?" he asked curiously.
Yang Wendong was surprised. "Where did you used to put them?"
"Near the food, of course," Brian replied. "That's where the rats go, isn't it? But we stopped using poison because it's too dangerous, and the cages haven't been very effective either. That's why we're trying your traps."
Yang Wendong nearly sighed aloud. "Mr. Brian, no matter what method you're using, you should never place traps directly next to food. It's not effective—and it's risky."
No wonder their results had been bad. They didn't even understand the basics.
To be fair, these warehouse managers lived comfortable lives. Most of them had never dealt with rats personally. They lacked both common sense and experience.
"Then why along the walls?" Brian asked.
"Rats are naturally cautious," Yang Wendong explained. "In the wild, they have many predators. So their instincts tell them to move close to walls. That makes them feel safer.
"That's why we place traps in corners and along the sides of the room—it dramatically improves the chances of catching them."
Brian nodded slowly. "That actually makes a lot of sense. Pity we didn't know this earlier. We've lost quite a bit of inventory over the years because of rats."
Yang Wendong didn't reply. He knew there was no use lecturing—just doing the job well was enough.
After a moment of silence, Brian asked, "What's your name again?"
"Yang Wendong," he replied.
"Mr. Yang, I'd like to propose something," Brian said. "Rather than just buying your traps, I want to outsource our rodent control work to you entirely."
"Me?" Yang Wendong asked, surprised.
"Yes. Your product works, but more importantly, you clearly understand the behavior of rats. My staff don't know what they're doing—and frankly, they have other work to worry about.
"Outsourcing this job to someone like you makes sense."
Yang Wendong was stunned—but excited.
This was it.
This was the model that extermination companies in the future would use: long-term contracts to manage pest control for large facilities.
This was his next step—his next opportunity.
And possibly… the true beginning of his fortune.
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/johanssen10