Chapter 211 Arguing with Reason

"You!" Kang Xiaoxia was so angry that her face turned red, and the knuckles of her clenched fists turned white. If Jiang Haitang had not been quick to hold her shoulders, she would have almost rushed up to argue with Yan Peiwen.

Jiang Haitang could understand her anger. From the tit-for-tat on the train to the malicious swap of booths at this moment, Yan Peiwen's relentless pressure had already gone beyond the scope of personal grudges.

"It's all her fault. She refused to apologize and reflect on herself. It's really too much."

"Let's wait until we get to Huacheng to discuss everything. Now is not the time to start a conflict."

Jiang Haitang was really a little tired. How could she meet such a lunatic on this trip to the Flower City?

The old woman fell into a deep sleep after taking the medicine.

Jiang Haitang stayed by her side, wiping her sweat with a wet towel from time to time. Two doctors also kept watch, fearing that the old lady's condition would relapse.

Someone among the passengers handed over a small paper bag: "Here's some sugar. Add it to water to replenish your energy."

After the old lady took the medicine, her fever subsided in about an hour. Jiang Haitang and the two doctors stayed with her for another half an hour. Only after they were sure that the old lady did not have a recurring fever did they leave and return to their seats.

The next morning, during breakfast, Kang Xiaoxia came over mysteriously, "Sister Haitang, I heard Yan Peiwen had a huge tantrum in the sleeper car last night and even threw his cup!"

Jiang Haitang shook her head helplessly. This Yan Peiwen had never suffered any loss. She didn't know that there are always people better than you in this world!

I don’t know whether it is a good thing or a bad thing for her father to let her go on this trip!

The rest of the journey was basically smooth, and the group soon arrived in Flower City.

Outside Huacheng Railway Station, a heat wave hits us.

Even though she had been here once and was well prepared, Jiang Haitang still felt suffocated by the hot and humid air of the south as soon as she got off the train.

She wiped the sweat from her forehead and looked at the bustling crowd in the square in front of the station: vendors carrying shoulder poles, farmers wearing bamboo hats, and civil servants in uniform...

The vitality of this large southern city is completely different from that of Jincheng in the northwest.

"Sister Haitang, the car is here!" Kang Xiaoxia pointed to two Jiefang trucks coming from a distance. They were the vehicles arranged by the Canton Fair Organizing Committee to pick up the passengers.

Just as everyone was about to load their luggage into the car, a shrill horn sounded from behind.

A brand new Shanghai car was parked on the side of the road. Yan Peiwen walked out of the station carrying a suitcase. Two clerks in Zhongshan suits followed her and attentively helped her open the car door.

"Hey, isn't this Teacher Jiang?" Yan Peiwen glanced at the people from the textile factory who were loading the truck, and a sarcastic smile curled his red lips. "Riding a truck? It must be hard work."

Kang Xiaoxia clenched her fists in anger. Jiang Haitang held her shoulders and replied calmly, "Comrade Yan is different from us. Please go first."

Yan Peiwen snorted coldly, bent down and got into the car.

As the window rolled down, she deliberately raised her voice and said to the driver, "Let's go to the Oriental Hotel first. I need to change clothes before going to the exhibition hall. This lousy train has made me sweat and stink. I'm almost like some people."

The car drove away, leaving behind a foul smell of gasoline.

"Bah!" Kang Xiaoxia spat fiercely at the back of the car. "Isn't it just because he has a father who is an official? Why are you so arrogant?"

"If you want to destroy her, you must first drive her crazy. Don't pay attention to her, we have to hurry." Jiang Haitang clapped her hands and greeted everyone.

Zhao Kai didn't pay much attention to the people leaving. He shouted, "Time is tight. Everyone, please work hard. We must set up the booth before the Canton Fair opens."

In order to save time, the group did not even check in at the guesthouse first, but went directly to the exhibition hall.

Trucks drove through the bustling city, and signs reading "Welcome to the Spring Canton Fair" were posted on both sides of the streets.

When the car stopped in front of the Liuhua Exhibition Hall, a staff member came out to greet them. The group learned that their booth was actually arranged at No. 23, Area C, in the very corner, a position almost blocked by pillars.

Jiang Haitang's heart sank. This position was really too bad. Jiang Haitang was unwilling to believe that no one was interfering.

"This location is too remote..." Zheng Kaihe flipped through the exhibition map with a grim expression.

"I didn't expect that Director Yan would abandon the collective interests and even the reputation of Long Province for the sake of his daughter."

Zhao Kai clenched his fists: "This is really too much. Have they forgotten that we all represent Long Province?"

"It's important to vent my anger. I can't do anything else. But can't I tamper with the booth?" Jiang Haitang sneered.

"What should we do now?" Zheng Kaihe asked.

"Let's take a look at the booth map first." Jiang Haitang spread out the crumpled drawing on the booth, and pointed his finger at position No. 15 in Area A.

"Our Long Province's booth was originally here. I have already confirmed it with the organizing committee." Zhao Kai said tiredly.

"Look at the exhibit categories marked as 'polyester-cotton blended fabrics and chemical fiber products,' they are basically the same as the products we brought."

Zhao Kai suddenly remembered something and pulled out a document from his briefcase. "Here's the list of exhibitors forwarded by the provincial department! Yue Light Industry originally reported silk products, not blended fabrics at all! This is a temporary change of exhibits, the meaning couldn't be more obvious!"

Zheng Kaihe thought of something, and his face suddenly became so gloomy that it seemed as if water was about to drip out.

"Director Zheng, Director Zhao, we can't just swallow this loss. Even if we can't solve the problem in the end, we should still ask. I plan to go to the organizing committee office." Jiang Haitang's voice was calm but revealed an unquestionable determination.

"I'll go with you." Zhao Kai followed with a sullen face, "We can't just let this go."

He is the person in charge of the textile factory and cannot let Jiang Haitang take responsibility for everything.

"I'll go too. Director Zhao and I are the heads of two factories, so we have this obligation!"

"Actually, Director Zheng, you don't have to do this. This time we are targeting the textile factory!" Jiang Haitang persuaded.

"I understand the principle of the lips and teeth being cold. We are here together, and the leaders of the Department of Commerce have made it very clear."

Jiang Haitang did not continue to refuse. After all, the weight of two people was greater.

"Should we discuss it with the leaders of the provincial department first?" Zhao Kai suddenly remembered that there was also a team leader.

"The leader has gone out for something and is not here at the moment, but the issue of our booth cannot be delayed." Zheng Kaihe said with a frown.

I don’t know whether the leader really went out for something or left because he had received some news.

"Then we won't wait." Jiang Haitang thought that the leader might have deliberately hidden away, so she spoke directly.

The three of them walked through the noisy exhibition hall, where delegations along the way were busy setting up their booths.

In front of No. 15, Area A, several young people in fashionable clothes were hanging colorful lanterns, smiling happily and speaking in dialect as they set up the booth.

A young man with slicked-back hair was directing the workers: "Hang that sky-blue piece higher. This piece of cloth is bright in color, so the foreign businessmen will see it as soon as they come in!"

Zhao Kai squinted his eyes and looked at it for a long while, then suddenly sneered, "The warp density of that cloth is at most 200, and the weft density is less than 150. It will deform after washing it twice, and you dare put it in the prime position?"

Jiang Haitang's eyes fell on the poster of the other party's booth, which had a slogan printed on it: "The latest technology from Yue Province" and a few blurry machine patterns.

She calmly took out a small notebook and wrote a few words, with a cold smile on her lips.

Zhao Kai was indignant, but there was no way he could argue with her, so he could only turn his head away.

Jiang Haitang stopped a passing staff member and asked, "Comrade, how do I get to the organizing committee office?"

The staff member looked at her and said perfunctorily, impatiently, "We're all busy setting up the exhibition right now. If you have anything to say, wait until the opening tomorrow."

"We have important matters to report to the leader. If we are delayed, can you take the responsibility?" Jiang Haitang said with a serious face.

"It's a booth allocation error and it has to be resolved now." Zheng Kaihe showed his work ID.

The staff member's expression changed slightly and he reluctantly pointed in a direction.

The organizing committee office was filled with smoke, and several people who looked like cadres were drinking tea and chatting.

Zhao Kai and Jiang Haitang knocked on the door three times before getting a response.

"What's the matter?" a middle-aged man with slicked-back hair asked without raising his head.

"Hello, we are from the Long Province delegation." Jiang Haitang placed the booth notice on the table. "Our booth has been mistakenly moved to Area C. Please correct it."

The man with slicked-back hair finally raised his head and squinted at the notice. "Oh, this one. It's normal to make temporary adjustments when booths are tight."

"Page 17 of the Canton Fair exhibitor manual clearly states that temporary changes in exhibit categories must be reported 72 hours in advance and booth qualifications must be re-examined. Yue Province Light Industry has not reported this, and its exhibits highly overlap with ours. Why then do they occupy booth 15 in Area A?"

"Oh, you can't say that casually. Yue Province's technology is more advanced, and foreign businessmen recognize this. As for your Northwest cloth... it's also quite appropriate to put it in Area C." The man flicked off the ash from his cigarette, not feeling that he had done anything wrong. Instead, his tone was full of sarcasm.

"Are you sure?"

"Sure, what's there to be unsure about? Everyone in the country knows that your Long Province is a godforsaken place. How can you still come up with something good?"

"This is a polyester-cotton blend from our Longjiang Province. The warp yarn is made of long-staple cotton from Xijiang, 60s combed, and the weft yarn is mixed with 18% imported polyester. The light fastness reaches level 4 or above."

Jiang Haitang looked at the man who obviously looked down on Long Sheng with cold eyes, and spoke gently but forcefully.

"The samples from Yue Province were made of ordinary upland cotton, 40 count carded, with a polyester content exceeding 30%. By international standards, this can only be considered inferior."

These words were like a thunderclap, and the office fell silent in an instant.

A bespectacled cadre couldn't help but lean over and ask, "Young lady, you know a lot about fabrics, don't you?"

The man with his slicked-back hair was speechless and became angry and embarrassed.

Jiang Haitang continued to press, "Comrade, can you show me the written notice regarding the booth adjustment?"