The Supreme Soldier in the City-Chapter 551 - 562: 2nd Uncle-in-law Laid Off

Emma Campbell immediately said: "Aunt Mary, if it weren’t for your care all these years, I wouldn’t have known what to do. Emma has always been very grateful to you. In the past, Emma had no ability and couldn’t repay you. But now that James is here, Emma’s situation has improved a lot. How can Emma forget you?"

"You child, as long as you have this thought, that’s enough. It’s so hard to make money now. How can you spend it so recklessly? Sigh, Uncle John and I earn less than 600 Dollars a month combined, and this situation is even worse. Your Uncle John is about to be laid off again."

With that, Aunt Mary sighed heavily.

Emma Campbell puzzledly said: "Isn’t Uncle John working at the tax office?"

"He used to, but you know your Uncle John is just a driver, not officially on staff. Even though he’s worked at the tax office for over twenty years, as a non-staff, he’s essentially a temp worker. He earns little, and if they say they don’t need you, then you’re out of a job, with absolutely no way around it."

Emma Campbell frowned slightly and said: "My uncle has worked for over twenty years. According to labor laws, shouldn’t he have been converted to permanent staff long ago?"

"Labor laws are just a joke. Just the other day, they started some labor dispatch scheme, and those scoundrels at the tax office transferred the original staff to a labor dispatch company, which then sends them back to work at the tax office. That way, even though they’re working at the tax office, they have nothing to do with it, so what do they care about labor laws?"

"This is a government enforcement department, how can they break the law knowingly?" Emma Campbell widened her eyes.

"It’s these law enforcement departments that don’t obey the law, and that’s why there’s no solution. If you work in any company and the company doesn’t abide by the law, you can go to the labor bureau. But this is also an enforcement department, and the labor bureau doesn’t handle it. Just like that, your Uncle John works hard for many years, only to be dismissed casually. Is there any justice in this?"

Aunt Mary became increasingly agitated and angry. Emma also felt at a loss, understanding the complexities of employment issues, especially in departments like the tax office, where getting a permanent staff position is extremely difficult. If Uncle John doesn’t have a job, relying solely on Aunt Mary’s odd jobs income will be far from adequate.

At this moment, the sound of a door being unlocked was heard as a middle-aged man walked in, wearing a lost expression, with his head lowered, not seeing James Brown and Emma Campbell.

"Uncle John." Emma stood up to greet him.

The man, naturally, was Uncle John. Hearing Emma’s voice, he finally raised his head, showing a trace of surprise, and said: "Emma, why are you here?"

Aunt Mary chimed in: "Emma brought her boyfriend to visit us. By the way, what did your workplace say?"

Uncle John nodded to James Brown, forced a smile, then sighed heavily and said: "What more could they say? They said they don’t need staff anymore, and they might give some compensation, maybe around eight thousand Dollars."

With that, he flopped onto the sofa, looking distressed, and took out a cigarette.

James Brown immediately took out his cigarette and said: "Uncle John, have this." As soon as he took it out, he suddenly remembered Lucy Campbell, as these were the cigarettes she left for him.

Uncle John accepted the cigarette, and James lit it for him. He inhaled deeply, not discerning the quality, and said: "You can’t reason with them. I think I’ll find another job."

Aunt Mary angrily slapped her thigh, saying: "Those damned scoundrels, they’re corrupt and greedy, not caring about others’ lives. Now that the leaders drive themselves, they find having drivers inconvenient and lay them off. I hope they crash their cars one day."

Aunt Mary had an apparent fiery temperament, unlike Emma Campbell. But as ordinary people, apart from venting some grievances at home and cursing officials occasionally, they had no other recourse.

James Brown didn’t understand the labor law intricacies and wasn’t sure if these events were compliant or not, so he didn’t interrupt. If he were to help Emma’s relatives, it wouldn’t necessarily mean going back to that tax office; working elsewhere would be the same. Like the Yawk Family, their large enterprise certainly wouldn’t refuse a driver.

"Alright, let’s not dwell on this. Even if I don’t work here anymore, I won’t be unable to find another job. If things get tough, I’ll drive a taxi; I can earn three to four thousand a month doing that, I’ve already asked around."

Uncle John was a man who believed in hard work. Although he had lost his job and felt deeply troubled, he didn’t want to worry his wife too much, and he carried himself with the demeanor of a responsible man.

James Brown then interjected: "Uncle John, if you’re looking for a job, I could possibly..."

James was about to say he could help, but Aunt Mary suddenly slapped her thigh in excitement, saying: "I just remembered someone—an old classmate of mine who works at the tax office, and I heard he’s an official. I’ll contact him and see if he can help."

Uncle John’s eyes brightened and said: "Why didn’t you say this sooner?"

Aunt Mary excitedly said: "I just didn’t remember until I saw Emma. I’ll call him right away."

James Brown still didn’t understand why seeing Emma triggered her memory of the old classmate, but since Aunt Mary didn’t elaborate, he didn’t ask.

Aunt Mary made the call and after chatting for a while, she hung up happily and said: "I’ve arranged it; let’s invite him for lunch today."

Uncle John inquired eagerly, "Did he say it’ll work out?"

Aunt Mary replied joyfully, "It’ll work out. He said it’s no big deal; paying that bit of money monthly is inconsequential for the tax office. It’s just that most leaders now drive themselves and don’t need drivers. He can make a call and resolve it."

Seeing Uncle John and Aunt Mary so excited, James didn’t need to say much more, and watching them, he felt as though, despite wanting to be an ordinary person, he hadn’t truly become one. Ordinary people like Aunt Mary and Uncle John who strive day in and day out, experiencing joy and sorrow for the sake of living, represented true ordinary life.

After the excitement passed, Aunt Mary held Emma’s hand and said: "Emma, you and your boyfriend came to visit; Aunt Mary should host you properly. But we’ve caught your Uncle John’s situation at the moment, so let’s have something simple at home for lunch, and I’ll make you something nice for dinner."

Emma immediately said: "It’s alright, Aunt Mary and Uncle John, you both are busy. I just came to see you with James, and we’ll leave shortly."

"That’s not right; you rarely come to Aunt Mary’s house and brought your boyfriend. You can’t just leave like that; your boyfriend might say that Aunt Mary doesn’t value you."

Uncle John quickly said: "Let’s go together then; it’ll show we value them."

Aunt Mary thought about it and nodded: "That’s true, let’s go together."

Emma quickly said: "Isn’t that inappropriate?"

Aunt Mary smiled: "It’s fine, let’s go together."

With this hope, Aunt Mary shifted the conversation to James Brown, inquiring about his background. Learning that James was a department manager at a company, she was very pleased.

"James, Emma is a good girl. But her father is too unreliable. I know Emma is a filial child, and her father might bring you trouble. In Emma’s name, please be more tolerant."

James Brown immediately said: "Aunt Mary, don’t worry. Uncle Charles has already quit gambling."

"He actually quit gambling?" Aunt Mary was skeptical. She deeply disliked her brother-in-law. If it weren’t for him, her sister wouldn’t have died so young, and Emma had suffered so much hardship because of him.

Emma quickly said: "Aunt Mary, my dad really quit gambling. It’s been a long time since he’s been there, and he found a job as a watchman. Although he doesn’t earn much, he no longer causes me trouble."

Aunt Mary widened her eyes in surprise and said joyfully: "That’s wonderful, a great thing! You’re a good child, and I was worried you wouldn’t find a good match because of your father. Now I can rest easy."

James Brown earnestly said: "Aunt Mary, rest assured, a good girl like Emma, I’ll definitely treat her well and not let her suffer even a minute. Emma’s father is also my father, and I’ll take good care of him."

Emma’s father had indeed quit gambling, but it was mainly because he was genuinely frightened by James Brown, or else quitting wouldn’t have been so easy. A son-in-law like him is indeed rare.

"Great, seeing Emma happy, I won’t need to worry anymore."

By Eleven o’clock, the four of them left the house, hailed a taxi, and went to a mid-priced hotel in the City Center. They couldn’t afford a ritzy place, where dining would cost a fortune, and offering such hospitality was already quite extravagant. They would never come here unless it was for the job issue; Emma’s aunt and uncle were definitely unwilling to spend on eating here otherwise.

After booking a private room, Emma Campbell and her boyfriend, Uncle John, and Aunt Mary waited in the lobby. Before long, their awaited guests arrived—two people, one being Aunt Mary’s classmate, while the other seemed relatively young, not yet thirty. Upon seeing Emma Campbell, the young man’s eyes lit up, displaying a strong sense of covetousness.