Chapter 503
, Section 1: A Pleasant Conversation
Chapter 503, Node 1: A Pleasant Conversation
The Changhong factory was quiet, with a thick layer of snow on the roof. The roads and open spaces in the city were all covered in clean, white snow.
It's obvious that no one has come to the factory in the last couple of days.
Wang Qiang has been working in the city since he was 18 years old. Seeing this desolate place now, how could he not feel heartbroken?
"Please excuse my poor appearance. A few years ago, our factory was quite lively, especially during the Spring Festival when we distributed rice, flour, cooking oil, and other New Year's goods. It was packed with people."
Wei Dapao felt a pang of sympathy.
In the past, it was always said that the workers were the factory directors, and the factory was like their home.
Many families consist of three members, and their relatives and friends all work at the same factory.
When the waves of the times crash down, they strike large areas, leaving many unable to float.
Braving the wind and snow, the group arrived at the factory office.
As the Lunar New Year approached, only the factory director's office in the entire office building had a dim light on.
dong dong dong.
"Enter."
As soon as Lin Xiaohe opened the door, she saw an elderly man with white hair sitting at his desk, looking solemn as he fiddled with the abacus beads in front of the account book.
"Factory manager, I am Wang Qiang from Workshop 4."
"I know you, the model technician from two years ago." The old factory director forced a kind smile. "Have you encountered any difficulties?"
As he spoke, he reached into his pocket.
With the Chinese New Year approaching, what else could the workers want besides money when they went to the factory manager's office?
He pulled out a wad of loose change, estimating it to be less than 50 yuan, and said apologetically, "The factory doesn't have much money left in its accounts. Take this money and go home to have a good New Year."
"No, no, no! How could I let you pay out of your own pocket? I found a job, this is my boss, he wants to come and take a look at the factory," Wang Qiang introduced Lin Xiaohe.
The old factory director breathed a sigh of relief.
To be honest, he had to squeeze out that 50 yuan.
The factory workers aren't getting paid, and neither is the factory manager!
Since the spring of 79, with the first clap of thunder, everything grew wildly. The southern coastal areas became prosperous at a visible speed, skyscrapers sprang up, and wealth myths emerged one after another. Even the military could engage in business.
In the 90s, a wave of people leaving their hometowns to start businesses swept across the country, with countless individuals plunging into the commercial world. Overnight, thousands of development zones and industrial parks sprang up nationwide.
The real estate market is booming, the stock market is booming, fundraising is booming, there's a boom in everything, it's as if the air itself is filled with the smell of money, you can invest in anything, and you can use any kind of money.
However, all of this came at the cost of a bloody history of being dumped with foreign industrial goods, a severely over-issued currency and out-of-control credit, with money flooding the market like a raging torrent. This far exceeded the needs of the real economy, and prices ran rampant like a wild horse.
Prices in Anning County have naturally skyrocketed.
On the one hand, factories are unable to pay wages, and on the other hand, prices are rising. It can be said that this year-end is quite difficult for most enterprise employees in the county.
Lin Xiaohe's conversation with the old factory director was not highbrow or sophisticated from the start; instead, it was very down-to-earth.
The two talked about Lin Xiaohe's experiences in the county town during this period.
"Nearly half of the uncles and elders in our compound have stopped going to work and gone off to find their own way to make a living."
The factory manager sighed, "You guys are doing alright; the finance department is already processing your wages. But for companies like ours, it's a different story. Even the most skilled cook can't cook without rice."
Nearly half of government employees have chosen to take unpaid leave, which has reduced the financial pressure to some extent.
But Changhong couldn't do that. Even if they argued with everyone, they still couldn't sell their goods and had no money. So ultimately, they still needed to increase their revenue.
Lin Xiaohe: "Why can't we sell our products in the south?"
Clearly, the factory manager was well aware of his own limitations: "If our products are outdated, the higher the price, the less market there will be. The more we produce, the more money we lose."
"Can't you lower the price?"
"How are taxes reduced? To give a simple example, in the steel industry, apart from steel companies in our province whose taxes remain unchanged, other provinces either have tax cuts or receive subsidies from above."
Some things can't be done the way they want. If a task is assigned from above and you're not allowed to do it, you can't get it done.
They stopped there, and the two did not discuss the issue further.
Lin Xiaohe finally revealed his purpose: "I do have a way to revitalize our factory, but as far as I know, the problems in our factory are not only with the products, but also with the management."
The implication is that without the protection of authority, even if Lin Xiaohe had the means...
There's no way to resolve the money issue, nor is there any way to move this matter forward.
The old factory manager didn't quite understand Lin Xiaohe's meaning. He simply told her, "If you're really capable, I'll risk my reputation to pave the way for you. Anyway, I'm about to retire. The reason I've been staying here is because I can't bear to leave the thousands of workers in the factory. At times like this, whoever has the ability to take over this responsibility, I'll stand guard for them until the very end!"
The old factory director made it very clear: as long as Lin Xiaohe could demonstrate her talent and prove that she was indeed capable of leading Changhong Factory out of its predicament, he would be willing to pull strings and hand over the factory to Lin Xiaohe!
Lin Xiaohe didn't express anything through the drawing. No matter how eloquent her words were, the key was to look at her actions and abilities!
The conversation lasted until 9 p.m.
In winter, it gets completely dark by four or five o'clock. By nine o'clock, it's pitch black, but thankfully the factory still has a few dim streetlights.
The old factory director didn't go home to sleep at night; he had to watch over the factory's machinery and equipment.
Lin Xiaohe and her group then walked home under the moonlight.
"Wang Qiang, your factory director is a good man."
Wang Qiang tucked his hands into his sleeves, hunched his neck to ward off the cold, and covered his nose and mouth with a scarf. His voice sounded muffled: "Yeah, I know."
Wei Dapao, less adept at salesmanship than Wang Qiang, lagged behind the two: "Wang Qiang, your factory manager is truly a good person."
At the very least, he's much better than their paper mill manager.
During this time, he followed Lin Xiaohe around, and he always heard Lin Xiaohe talk about acquisitions and whether or not to make any acquisitions.
Yesterday, through connections, he finally found out that the big boss who acquired the paper mill was the original factory manager's distant cousin.
Damn it, who would believe there's nothing fishy going on here?!
Wang Qiang: "I know our factory manager is a good person, and so is Boss Lin."
Mr. Lin?
Oh, Lin Xiaohe!
Wei Dapao chimed in, "Boss Lin is a good guy, and he's fair about the money."
They'll agree to whatever amount they want, and settle the bill on the same day—better than many men!
Lin Xiaohe smiled helplessly.
Wang Qiang boasted about himself because he hoped he could find a way to make Changhong Factory a success.
Why is Wei Dapao saying the same thing?
"Wang Qiang, do you know any other laid-off workers? Preferably from different industries, so that it's easier to integrate resources."
Wang Qiang didn't know him; his social circle was entirely within the Changhong factory. But Wei Dapao knew quite a few people.
The paper mill was among the first to go bankrupt, and Wei Dapao looked for work everywhere, getting to know quite a few people in the process.