I am a master in India

Chapter 46 Boss, you are a good person.

Ron Sur, CEO of Mumbai Travel Information Company.

The customs officer looked him up and down. He was tall, with fair skin and gray eyes. His light blue shirt was clean and tidy, and his trousers and leather shoes were also meticulously maintained.

"What's the matter?" He took the business card and shook his neck habitually.

"Actually, I want to learn about the airport's investment attraction."

"what?"

“See those restaurants and craft shops over there? I’d like to start a tourism company here, just like I did at Victoria Station.”

"A travel agency? Victoria Station?"

“Yes, this is my second branch, and in the future it will be spread all over India!”

Wow, that tone sounds unusual. The customs officer glanced at the business card in his hand again, and his expression relaxed a little.

“So, you came to me.”

"I'd like to meet the person in charge here. Perhaps you can help?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Please say."

"Your last name is Sur."

"Extended to the Sun God, Surya."

"That's no problem." The customs officer smiled warmly.

"Oh, thank you, but why?" This made Ron a little confused.

"I am from Odisha. The Konark Sun Temple is just north of Puri. When I was a child, my family and I often went there to pray."

"Wow!" Ron's eyes widened. "Look, we are brothers."

"That's right, brother!" The customs officer hugged his shoulders affectionately.

The two of them hugged each other warmly and patted each other's shoulders, like old friends who had suddenly met again after many years of separation.

"What do you think of what I just said?"

"Leave it to me. Singh, the director of the administrative office here, and I are old friends."

"That's great, brother!" Ron calmly stuffed a few US dollars into his pocket.

The green color was so pleasing to the eye. The customs officer's neck moved even faster.

"Let's have dinner together on the next sunny day."

"No problem, I'll wait for your call."

They shook hands and said goodbye, but Ron turned around after only two steps.

"By the way, brother, I still don't know your name?"

"Harry Chopra, just call me Harry."

"Okay, brother Harry."

The two waved goodbye again, smiled, and nodded their heads, their synchronization rate astonishingly high.

Damn, religion is such a magical thing. Things went much more smoothly than Ron had imagined.

Just because they were close to the same god, Harry agreed to act as a matchmaker for him without hesitation.

Tsk, how should I put it, it's just magical. Ron couldn't guess the third brother's train of thought at all.

However, one thing is certain: the surname Chopra means warrior and represents the Kshatriya caste, which comes right after the Brahmins.

Like everyone else here, the men wore stiff leather shoes and suits, and the women wore expensive silks.

They looked high-spirited and serious, running in and out of the office building busily with serious expressions.

The post-rain sun shone on the polished glass and brass facades of airline offices and other businesses, separated by iron bars by the tattered, sweating street vendors.

In Mumbai, one street often separates two worlds, which coexist without interfering with each other, yet are surprisingly harmonious.

Mumbai's monsoon is expected to continue for several more weeks. The torrential downpour has practically plunged all of South Mumbai into a slushy mess. News reports indicate a slum has been flooded again, and the Gateway of India is now connected directly to the Arabian Sea due to rising water levels.

Even though the fortress where Ron was located had good infrastructure, the cobblestone road at the entrance had completely lost its former beauty, and it was common for rainwater to reach up to the ankles.

Due to the heavy rain, business at Mumbai travel information companies has plummeted. Even many trains at Victoria Railway Station have been suspended due to the rain.

Ron, who had nothing to do, was checking the accounts in the company's office in the fortress area. He had hired three clerks and an accountant for the company a week ago.

"Have the payments from the Epson LS Hotel and the Asia Star Hotel arrived yet?"

"Yes, but they are a little dissatisfied with the current commission because we bring far fewer tourists than before." replied the new accountant Harus.

Ron waved his hand nonchalantly, "Tell them that after the monsoon comes the peak tourist season. We are already the largest tourist reception company in Mumbai."

This kind of dispute wasn't the first time. Ron's business was bad, and the hotels and restaurants weren't doing well either.

His company's monthly profit used to easily exceed 70 rupees, but now it has been cut in half. If the heavy rains in September continue, the situation will only get worse.

"How many people are still taking jobs at Victoria Station?"

"There are less than 20. The others have either returned to their hometowns or their houses in the slums are leaking and they are unable to work for the time being."

"Salaries are calculated on a daily basis. If someone is in urgent need of money, just pay them in advance."

"Yes, Mr. Sur." Accountant Harus looked at him in surprise, seeming to be hesitant to speak.

"What's wrong?" Ron glanced at him.

"You're a good man, boss."

"Tsk~" Ron sneered.

"Really, I've never seen a boss who took the initiative to pay his employees. You know, no one cares about those Dalits."

"I'll pay whoever brings profit to the company. It's that simple. Okay, prepare the latest accounts. I want to see how long we can last."

Is he a good boss? Ron himself doesn't know the answer. There's a harsh truth: he's the only official employee in the entire Mumbai Travel Information Company.

Yes, when it was busy, dozens of people worked under him, but Ron was the only registered contract worker.

Everyone else, including the accountant Harus, the three clerks and Anand and his friends, were just outsourced staff or temporary workers.

Ron did this because India has some of the strictest labor laws in the world.

That is, Indian companies are basically unable to fire any employee, even if he is frequently absent from work.

There is no reason, it is the law and it has the strong support of the government and the general public.

Once a textile company in Mumbai fired an alcoholic who often absented himself from work. The alcoholic appealed the decision, and the textile company spent 15 years and a lot of manpower to win the case.

Such high costs force most companies in India to adopt outsourcing to avoid labor law sanctions.

Ron was also afraid. The three brothers had a lot of tricks. Especially the local guides who were always on the streets. If someone was determined to take his salary without working, Ron really didn't have any good solutions for the time being.

So the safest approach is to be like everyone else, all temporary workers, and I will be the only one in charge.

The strange thing is that no one has objected so far. They have become accustomed to this practice.

However, Anand and his friends had no interest in becoming regular workers. During the rainy season, they could leave Ron without any burden and earn extra money.

For example, they would help the rich unclog their sewers or clean their clogged toilets. People from the lower classes had their own ways of survival in any season.

If they were asked to sit at Victoria Station every day and only earn a dozen rupees, some of them might not be happy.

In short, everyone had all kinds of weird ideas, so Ron just lay down and let them do whatever they wanted.

If you come to work for a day, he will give you the basic salary, if you don’t come, you won’t get any.

"Ron, look what I brought you?"

Mary came trotting in from outside holding an umbrella, a magazine tightly in her arms.

"Lonely Planet?" Ron's eyes lit up.

The bad luck brought by the rainy season that lasted for more than a month seems to be finally leaving.

(End of this chapter)