Morning sunlight streamed through a square foot window, piercing the dimness of the basement. The yellow rays occasionally illuminated a passing mosquito. The weather in June was unbearably hot, and the humid basement reeked of mold.
Despite the environment giving Li Leqin a rash, he had no other choice; it was the only place he could afford. Two years ago, after the outbreak of the Pacific War, Li Leqin lost his financial support. His family, far away in Jiangsu, could no longer fund his studies as they had before. As a self-funded student, government scholarships were out of the question.
"I just need a job..." Li Leqin muttered to himself once again.
His eyes fell on a nearby newspaper, unable to look away. There were plenty of job advertisements, but how many factories were willing to hire a Chinese engineer? Even if he was a graduate of New York University, it didn't seem to make much difference.
Watching the sunlight slowly shift across the dank basement, Li Leqin sighed deeply. He stood up, washed, and dressed in his best clothes. Smiling into the mirror, he practiced, "Hello, my name is Leqin, Li..."
His smile concealed a hint of almost imperceptible bitterness. Soon, he left the basement and bought a copy of The New York Times at the street corner.
As usual, he read the paper while walking, until an advertisement caught his eye. "Karl Metalworks is hiring various engineers and workers, offering excellent compensation. Interested parties please call..."
Anyone would be drawn to this ad because it was written in Chinese. As an engineer, Li Leqin immediately recognized that the ad was handwritten and then photographed for printing. American newspapers definitely didn't have Chinese typefaces.
The Chinese job advertisement made Li Leqin nearly jump for joy. "My goodness! This is specifically for our people, meant for hiring our own!"
The ad, being in Chinese, naturally targeted the Chinese community. A seemingly simple job posting quickly caused a stir among Chinese communities in New York and other cities. The community wasn't large, so news spread quickly, especially among those stranded in the U.S. due to the war. Whether they were self-funded students who had to drop out for financial reasons or government-sponsored students who had completed their studies, they all flocked to New York.
They all headed to Karl Metalworks. After all, for them, this was a once-in-a-lifetime job opportunity.
When Li Leqin arrived at Karl Metalworks by bus, he saw a crowd outside the company gate—mostly Chinese, speaking in Cantonese, Fujianese, or Mandarin, excitedly discussing the opportunity. Inside the company's office building, the hallways were equally packed. As soon as he got there, Li Leqin bumped into some familiar faces.
"Wenli."
"Le'an."
"Jiade..."
Not only did he see friends who studied engineering like him, but he also ran into a fellow townsman.
"Jing'an, you too? Aren't you studying English and American literature?"
"Hey, Le'an, I figured such a big company wouldn't only need engineers, right? They must need someone to handle paperwork too," Zhao Jing'an adjusted his glasses and said. "Working here as a clerk is surely better than waiting tables at a restaurant!"
"Ha, if you can even find someone to hire you as a waiter. You know, someone might point at you and shout 'Japs' while you're serving."
"Japs" was a derogatory term for Japanese people.
"Ha ha, then I'll wash dishes in the back."
These seemingly simple conversations revealed the hardships Chinese people faced finding work in America. They had to be better and more outstanding than others, while also enduring various injustices and discrimination.
"Do you know why this company posted the job ad in Chinese?"
"I heard the company was bought by a Chinese businessman, so they're specifically hiring Chinese people."
"To think a Chinese person could run such a large factory in America, it's truly a source of pride for our people!"
For a moment, the hallway was filled with admiration. This wasn't flattery; it was heartfelt. In those days, running such a large factory in America was indeed praiseworthy.
Not only was it commendable, but it also attracted attention. The Chinese job advertisement wasn't just an ad; it was a piece of news. Even The Wall Street Journal reported on the ad and the story behind it.
"How did he acquire such a large factory without spending a cent?" Song Peilun exclaimed in amazement, reading the newspaper.
"How can a Chinese person carry out such shrewd maneuvers in America, seizing someone else's business, and even be praised in the newspapers as 'quite resourceful'?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Fuxi, who was having breakfast, responded. "Song, you might not know, but this is how America works. For Mr. Karl, the factory wasn't an asset but a liability. If he continued to hold onto it, he would be dragged into bankruptcy. During the Great Depression, many millionaires and even multimillionaires went bankrupt in this way. Bank interest, property taxes—these add up, and even multimillionaires can't hold out for long."
Unlike Song Peilun, an engineering expert, Wang Fuxi, who studied economics, not only understood economics but also America. He had lived and studied in the U.S. for fifteen years and witnessed how many millionaires were ruined during the Great Depression.
"So, giving away the company with all its equipment and land for free was the best choice. And Mr. Li didn't take on no risk either. If he fails to secure orders and can't revive the business, the factory could drag him into bankruptcy as well..."
"So, even this seemingly free benefit comes with risks, potentially leading to financial ruin. But it's still quite a novel thing," Song Peilun remarked, shaking his head.
Suddenly, Wang Fuxi seemed to think of something and said to Song Peilun, "Song, since he posted the job ad in Chinese to accommodate our compatriots, shouldn't we help him out? After all, our company has plenty of orders."
"You mean we should give him our orders..."
Gazing at the newspaper, Song Peilun frowned and spoke softly, "But he lacks experience. The company's orders are significant. It might be hard to justify this to the board."