The workers were startled, and the machine noise gradually subsided.

Qiu Fengxian stumbled and rushed toward the warehouse again.

When he pushed open the warehouse door and saw the mountain of sweaters and dresses without the crucial "seven" logo, his vision went black and he almost fainted.

Several thousand pieces!

And the production line is still producing continuously!

These... these are all costs! All unsold inventory! All scrap!

Qiu Fengxian staggered to the vault, picked up the sample he had bought, and searched it over and over. Sure enough, he found an extremely exquisite artistic character "柒" embroidered with a special needlework above the side slit of the skirt.

It was so small, so inconspicuous, yet so deadly!

It was like an insurmountable chasm, shattering all his speculation and wishful thinking.

"It's over...it's all over..."

Qiu Fengxian stared at the warehouse full of "scrap metal," his voice trembling uncontrollably.

His mind went blank as he recalled the state of the No. 1 Garment Factory two years prior.

Because of a warehouse full of unsold goods, they almost had to close the factory gates.

His dejected shadow was reflected on the cold cement floor of the warehouse.

Qiu Fengxian's legs went weak, and he slowly slid to the ground, his back against the cold cargo box. Tears streamed down his face like broken beads, but he couldn't let them fall. All that remained was a heart full of regret, like ice water in the dead of winter, chilling him from head to toe.

Meanwhile, in the office of the First Garment Factory.

After seeing Wang Dahai off, Zhang Guoqiang's face broke into a wide smile, and he felt incredibly happy.

Looking out the window at the bustling scene of machines whirring and workers working tirelessly in the workshop, he felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude and admiration for Zhou Qiqi.

He grabbed the old-fashioned telephone on the table, his fingers spinning rapidly on the dial pad, and dialed the number for the military dependents' area.

When the call connected, he said in a loud voice that he wanted to find "Master Zhou Qiqi," his excitement barely contained.

"Hey? Qiqi! Oh dear, you didn't see Wang Dahai's face just now!"

Even through the phone line, Zhang Guoqiang wanted to gesture a few times, eagerly telling her about his recent victory.

"You wouldn't believe it! This guy used to be so arrogant, but today he's all groveling before me, practically bowing and scraping! He keeps calling me 'Brother Zhang' and 'Factory Director Zhang,' where was he all this time?! I told him to go register in the sales department and wait in line forever! Look at his face, tsk tsk, like he's swallowed a fly!"

As Zhou Qiqi listened to his vivid description over the phone, she couldn't help but smile and chuckle.

"Director Zhang, this is a real victory!"

Zhang Guoqiang slapped his thigh, his voice rising several decibels, filled with heartfelt admiration.

"Qiqi! Your 'Qi' label is a stroke of genius! If it weren't for this label, someone like Wang Dahai would have turned around and gone to buy cheap counterfeit goods wholesale. Why would he come here to be bullied? Your trick has kept away so many wolves and tigers!"

Mentioning that unique trademark, Zhou Qiqi's fingers twitched slightly as she held the receiver, her tone tinged with emotion.

"To be honest, Director Zhang, this is all thanks to Master Ma and her sisters."

When they were discussing making a trademark, Zhou Qiqi's plan was that this double-sided, different-colored, dark-line embroidery technique was something only she knew.

This embroidery technique is not simple to begin with. When she was setting up her stall before, she could only make a few dozen pieces at most, which she could manage by herself.

But now it's a production line, with thousands or tens of thousands of pieces at a time. How can she embroider them all by herself?

I had originally planned to design a simpler embroidery pattern myself, but then I thought that many people would know how to do simple embroidery, and pirated versions would definitely be everywhere. But at that time, I didn't have any other choice.

Who would have thought that at this critical moment, Master Ma would step forward and say that she was from Suzhou and knew this traditional technique!

The news came as a lifesaver for Zhou Qiqi.

What's even more surprising is that not only does Master Ma know how to do it, but her sisters in Suzhou do too!

They all learned their skills from the same master craftsman back then, but later, due to some turmoil, these skills became useless.

Of those women, only Master Ma had the opportunity to come to G City with her husband and get a formal job; the rest were housewives in the small city of Suzhou.

This is such a pity—this is an old Suzhou embroidery technique that can be considered an intangible cultural heritage!

With such skills, how could a master chef stay at home taking care of children and cooking?

Zhou Qiqi immediately made the decision to bring all these masters to the First Garment Factory and pay them high salaries!

The wages she offered were so attractive that no one could refuse them. Within a few days, the women gathered at the factory.

Although she had been a housewife for so many years and had long since put down her needle and thread, when she actually picked up the needle again, she was not at all rusty. She started embroidering as soon as she picked it up, and the character "柒" she embroidered was incredibly beautiful.

Zhou Qiqi immediately signed long-term contracts with them, and Zhang Guoqiang also temporarily vacated a few dormitories in the factory for them to live in.

These women are all in their thirties or forties, and have spent most of their lives taking care of household chores. But the moment they pick up a needle and thread, the light in their eyes is different. It's as if they've come back to life, radiating energy and vitality.

Zhou Qiqi paused, her tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible melancholy and relief.

"Looking back now, if it weren't for us... well, if the First Garment Factory hadn't survived and reopened its production line, skilled craftsmen like Master Ma might have really gone home to take care of their grandchildren or gone to do something else."

"This exquisite craft may slowly be lost. So, the fact that our factory is doing well is not just about making money, but also about... preserving something."

Zhang Guoqiang nodded repeatedly on the other end of the phone, deeply agreeing with the sentiment.

"Yes, yes, yes! Qiqi, you're right! This is very significant!"

Zhou Qiqi quickly snapped out of her reverie and her tone became cheerful and energetic again.

"Their experiences have also made me determined that for the next batch of spring and autumn new products, I want to focus on 'new Chinese style'! I want to combine more traditional elements with modern design to create our own unique style. Okay, inspiration is coming, I need to hurry up and draw the design sketches, otherwise I might forget about it in a while!"

"Alright! Go quickly! Go now! Inspiration is a very precious thing!"

Upon hearing "new product" and "new Chinese style," Zhang Guoqiang's eyes lit up, and he quickly urged her to hang up, afraid of delaying this "Goddess of Wealth's" train of thought.