"But Cui from the technical department has it tough too. Her mother is also a long-time employee of our factory. Her eyesight is failing, and she's recuperating at home. The whole family depends on Cui's salary. If it's deducted..."

"Director Xie, I believe you didn't manage Little Sun like this when it was first established. Without your iron fist, would those housewives who only know how to gossip have obeyed you? They would have turned on us long ago, and Little Sun would only exist as a small workshop, or probably would have closed down long ago." Qin Xiaoyu's words left Director Xie speechless.

"Am I really getting old? I wasn't like this before." Director Xie sat down, leaning on the table, and sighed heavily.

“This is a chance to make an example of someone to warn a hundred others. If this trend continues, I’m afraid this factory will never recover. Then it won’t just be one family going hungry, but hundreds of people going hungry, and you will be the one to blame.”

"Xiao Qin, do as you say. This afternoon, no, right now, notify them to hold a general meeting!" Director Xie stood up and said decisively.

There's a conference room on the top floor of the garment factory, but today Qin Xiaoyu insisted that the meeting be held in the workshop.

Soon the workers had all gathered, and the huge factory suddenly became quiet and empty, without the sound of machines.

When Qin Xiaoyu and Factory Director Xie walked in, the workers stopped laughing and making noise and quieted down.

"I'll be chairing today's meeting," Qin Xiaoyu announced loudly. A few chuckles followed.

"Heh." Director Fei sneered from the side, casting a contemptuous glance at Director Xie. All the words were conveyed: See, he'd been stripped of power.

"This meeting should have been chaired by Factory Director Xie, but she's too soft-hearted. She can't bring herself to do it to her old friend of so many years. I'm different. I, Qin Xiaoyu, invest to make money. If anyone ruins my path to wealth, I won't be polite!" Qin Xiaoyu's voice grew colder and colder, and the workshop fell silent.

"Take a look at these two clothes, everyone." Qin Xiaoyu took out the trench coat that Master Xu had made and put it on.

"Wow!" A gasp rippled through the crowd. Most of those present were women, and everyone has a love for beauty.

When Qin Xiaoyu put on this dress, she had already surpassed their understanding of beauty. She looked like a beauty straight out of a magazine. The dress was actually real, something they could see and touch. It was amazing; it was a life so far removed from their own.

"Look at this one." Qin Xiaoyu pulled Zhou Yue over and put on the trench coat made in the factory.

In her heart, she said, "I'm sorry, sister."

Zhou Yue was going all out; she put on the coat and stood there casually. Her figure wasn't as good as Qin Xiaoyu's to begin with, which only accentuated the flaws of the trench coat.

These two people, standing side by side, seemed to belong to two different worlds. The workers all understood this.

"Everyone has already made their own comparisons, right? Now let me explain. This dress was designed by Zhou Yue, and the pattern was made by Master Xu, who is famous throughout the city. But this one is from our factory. I don't need to tell you which one looks better, do I?" Qin Xiaoyu looked around, and some people lowered their heads.

"I originally thought that Little Sun Children's Clothing Factory would be weak, but I didn't expect it to be this weak. Even with ready-made samples, they can't make the same clothes. Do you think this is individuality? No! This is shameful! It's humiliating! This is slapping Little Sun in the face! Slapping the face of the people of Little Sun! Is this all the heritage you've been trying to preserve? Is this how you destroy something beautiful? I'm truly ashamed for you!" Qin Xiaoyu had thought it through before the meeting. She was determined to burn her bridges; some things had to be said. Sometimes, a gentle persuasion is more effective than a provocation.

"Director Qin, please be more polite," a woman's voice came from the corner. Others in the crowd began to echo her.

"You want me to be polite? Fine, then show me. You, come out and speak!" Qin Xiaoyu pointed into the crowd.

A plump woman squeezed out.

Which workshop are you from?

"I work in the sewing workshop. My name is Wang Lingling. Give me the sample, and I can make an exact replica!"

"Me too!" someone shouted in response.

"Alright, I'll give you a chance today to prove to me whether Little Sun has any real ability or just a reputation built on empty boasts. Nothing we say now will change anything. You have one day. Meeting adjourned." Qin Xiaoyu instructed Zhou Yue to take the sample to work with the workers, and then the meeting was adjourned.

"I'm sorry, Director Xie, I'm sure you were very upset by what I said." Qin Xiaoyu gave a helpless bitter smile.

"You're right. It hurts to be slapped in the face, but it's time to wake up. We're practically starving to death, and you still care about saving face?"

Qin Xiaoyu stayed in the factory. Although she didn't come out of the office, she could see from the window that the incident had caused a huge uproar in the factory. Workers were going in and out, all discussing it.

Zhou Yue returned at lunchtime.

"How about it?"

"I'm so thirsty from talking. These workers are all good and have potential." Zhou Yue immediately drank a large glass of water.

"That's good. It seems that each workshop needs a refresh."

“You’re right. Some of them are Director Fei’s people. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say they’re deliberately causing trouble. In their eyes, you’re just an outsider. If they want to stop you from taking over Little Sun, they’ll make sure you can’t stay.” Zhou Yue had gathered quite a bit of information.

The results wouldn't be out until tomorrow, so Qin Xiaoyu left the garment factory early in the afternoon. She drove to the train station and heard that Ding Xiaoru had been transferred to a new job in the station's broadcasting room.

"Sister-in-law, come in quickly!" Ding Xiaoru was exceptionally enthusiastic when she saw Qin Xiaoyu.

"How have you been lately?" Qin Xiaoyu asked meaningfully.

"What can we do? For the sake of the child, I've changed jobs and I come home every day. He can't help but behave." Ding Xiaoru does have some tricks up her sleeve, and Qin Xiaoyu couldn't help but laugh, thinking that even the professor couldn't outmaneuver her.

"I'm looking for you because of Xiaojie."

"I know, if you've been alerted, it must be something to do with Xiaojie."

"That guy from Guangdong is a good person. Why don't you go home and try to persuade him?"

"Of course I know. I drive a car and I come into contact with a lot of people from the South. He's really quick-witted. Xiaojie married him, and she'll have a worry-free life and won't suffer any losses. As for being small and thin, that's common over there. It's just that Northeasterners are big, simple, and honest, and we're used to it." It seems Ding Xiaoru still supports her sister, and Qin Xiaoyu is relieved.

“I know, Auntie, are you still worried about Qi Si’s background? Let me be honest with you, ever since he met me, he’s turned all his business into legitimate business, nothing shady. Cheng Fuxing is his favorite subordinate, he won’t lose money. Qi Si is a loyal man, not as scary as you think.”

"Xiaoyu, look, we're all family. There's no point in me saying more. Why don't you arrange for them to have a meal together sometime?" Ding Xiaoru had a sudden inspiration.

"That's a good idea. Let me make the arrangements. I'll call you later." After Qin Xiaoyu got things settled, she headed towards Qi Si's place.