Chapter 175 The Seamstress: The world is muddy, but I am pure; the world is drunk, but I am alone…

Qin Xiangxiang returned to the factory and immediately informed all the workers about the large number of textile orders, including a large number of sandal orders. The entire Feiyan Textile Factory cheered.

Assistant He was overjoyed: "We'll work overtime to boost production! We won't even take a break during the Chinese New Year!"

Qin Xiangxiang: "???" Is this some kind of good news?

"No rest! No rest! Not even during the New Year!"

"Factory manager, we're going to be paying wages in foreign currency at the end of the year."

Qin Xiangxiang nodded. This was the only thing that was comforting. Although the factory didn't have much foreign exchange left after completing the foreign trade orders, it would be able to retain a portion of the foreign exchange after the year-end settlement.

These foreign exchange reserves would also be used to pay employees a foreign exchange wage, which would be a portion of their wages. This wage would be calculated based on their contribution to foreign trade orders. The specifics would depend on the accountant's calculation method, which was similar to the commune's year-end settlement of work points.

The workers at Feiyan Textile Factory were overjoyed, and Sun Qingyuan was also very happy. Yinlin Silk was renamed Dongfeng Silk, and he was proud of it, as it was the "Dongfeng Silk" that he had modified to produce!

Sun Qingyuan also became close friends with Rong Zhijian, despite their age difference, because both of them were criticized for being overly critical, so they found they had a lot in common.

Technician Yang Qian was completely captivated by the current frenzy, her mind constantly wandering between imitation silk and real silk. She was deeply impressed after reading the newspaper.

Can ordinary people wear real silk? That's highly unlikely, as it requires very careful handling... So, is imitation silk really unacceptable?

To be honest, even she sometimes gets tired of serving delicate silk. If there were a sturdy, durable alternative that still retained the feel of silk, she would probably gradually switch to other products.

Is the world really about to change?

The one who couldn't laugh the most was Su Huihong, the seemingly carefree spy sent by Chen Shulan to the Feiyan Textile Factory. Her cheerful exterior was a facade; she was there to be a spy.

However, after staying for so long, they still hadn't found out anything useful, while Feiyan Textile Factory suddenly produced "Dongfeng Silk".

This was practically slapping her across the face repeatedly.

The happiest person was Xue Xiaochuan, who ate and drank every day and seemed to be living a very comfortable life in the Feiyan Textile Factory canteen.

Xue Haiyang found a musical instrument master in Shanghai. He felt uneasy, but still went to tell Qin Xiangxiang about it. "This master's surname is Gu, and his name is Gu Henian. His ancestral home is Shanghai. His family has been running a music store in Shanghai since at least the late Qing Dynasty. They not only sell musical instruments, but are also famous in Shanghai for their superb repair and tuning skills. He is the third generation of the family to carry on the family business."

“He grew up in the music store, had an exceptional hearing, received a good education, and knew some English. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the music store became a joint state-private enterprise, and he became an employee of the music store. Later, because of his capitalist background and his service to the bourgeoisie, he was punished by being made to clean toilets and guard warehouses.”

Xue Haiyang said, "Although his identity is sensitive, his skills are excellent. I have met him. His ears are not those of ordinary people. He can hear things that we cannot hear. He can easily hear the most subtle pitch deviations."

"He can also identify wood! He can tell what it's suitable for just by tapping it. He can pick out materials with better resonance to make musical instruments and instrument parts. He knows everything about wood, strings, and lacquer."

“Previously, their music store specialized in custom-made high-end musical instruments, especially pianos and violins. As long as we invite him over, our factory will definitely have no problem making violins ourselves.”

Qin Xiangxiang was pleasantly surprised: "We've found such a master? And he's willing to come to our island?"

Xue Haiyang: "As long as our factory is willing to accept him, his personnel file can be transferred."

"However... his identity is rather sensitive."

Qin Xiangxiang said, "It's okay. In the future, he will be serving the vast working class and cultivating artists from the working class."

Qin Xiangxiang admired Xue Haiyang for finding such a master craftsman, since her initial idea was simply to make some ordinary violins for the factory workers and their children.

The fact that they could hire a master craftsman who had previously made high-end custom Western musical instruments at such a low cost was unique to this era.

Of course, we should take advantage of this!

Soon, Gu Henian's personnel file was transferred to Feiyan Textile Factory. It was very easy to transfer units now. Many people even swapped positions. As long as it was voluntary, many positions could be swapped. And as long as the unit agreed to transfer in or out, it was easy to change positions.

Gu Henian, who cleaned toilets and guarded warehouses, was willing to be transferred to their island, which can be considered a voluntary demotion to a border island. There was no reason for them not to let him go. In fact, in Shanghai, cleaning toilets is a very precious job. If you don't do it, there are plenty of people who are eager to do it.

"Xue Haiyang, it's truly remarkable that you were able to persuade that master craftsman to come over."

Xue Haiyang chuckled: "This is all thanks to you, factory director. We're so grateful for this batch of Nordic spruce."

Gu Henian and his family arrived on the island by boat. He was quite eager, while his son and daughter-in-law seemed less willing. The couple clearly preferred to stay in Shanghai, but they had no choice but to come along. Feiyan Textile Factory would also provide them with jobs and housing.

Gu Henian was a thin old man, but he always stood up straight, somewhat like a soldier. His fingers were exceptionally long, covered in calluses, yet remarkably nimble.

He wasn't used to making eye contact with people, and his gaze was usually darting away. But when he touched his precious musical instruments, his eyes would become sharp and bright, as if he were a different person.

The Gu family members were not well-dressed; Master Gu was wearing an old, faded Zhongshan suit.

"Hello, Master Gu, welcome to Feiyan Textile Factory and become employees of Feiyan Textile Factory."

"Spruce wood, I want to see the timber."

"Okay, put them all in the warehouse now."

Gu Henian went to look at the Nordic spruce wood in the warehouse, repeatedly exclaiming, "What a waste! What a waste!"

"Such good wood, used for soundproofing... Sigh, let me pick some out. Use the better wood for musical instruments, and the worse wood for soundproofing... Your workers don't know how to choose! They're wasting good wood!"

Qin Xiangxiang was silent for a while: "We are also planning to use this wood to decorate the rehearsal hall... Could you please give us some pointers, experienced craftsmen?"

Gu Henian was stunned: "Renovation? A rehearsal hall?"

He simply couldn't believe that such high-quality materials could be used to decorate a rehearsal hall on such a remote island... It was comparable to a concert hall.

"Good, good, good." Gu Henian never imagined that he would be able to play an instrument under such good conditions in his lifetime.

Better concert halls should use better instruments.

Gu Henian decided to carefully guide the workers to use this batch of spruce wood to make "truly up-to-standard" piano soundboards, soundboards, and so on, as well as violin soundboards and bass bars.

In his opinion, many domestically produced musical instruments are substandard.

Gu Henian said earnestly, "Director Qin, don't touch these timbers for now. Let me take some people to inspect and screen them first. My ears can not only hear musical instruments, but also the defects in timber. In particular, some timbers have hidden cracks inside, unevenness inside, and other problems that ordinary people can't tell, but I can hear them."

"We can't let such good timber be wasted like this!"

Qin Xiangxiang said with delight, "Okay, Master Gu, you can lead the team to do it! There was a batch that was almost turned into hospital beds before, Master Gu, you should go and take a look."

Gu Henian's eyes widened. What? A hospital bed?

"We'll try to apply for another batch of spruce wood next year, so you, the master craftsman, can identify it first."

Assistant He: "?! ...

"Factory manager, you still want more?"

"Yes, of course I want it!"

As the temperature gradually dropped and the year drew to a close, the residential compound underwent a series of personnel changes. Some people left and new residents moved in, including a new family living in a corner unit on the third floor.

The woman in this household is surnamed He and named He Xiuxiu. Her husband is named Liu Zhigang. He Xiuxiu comes from a small rural town with a tradition of embroidery. She is a seamstress herself. She used to work in the collective sewing cooperative in her hometown and later in small clothing factories and other places. She has certain sewing skills.

She was only in her early thirties and felt that she was in the prime of her life, and she was also very ambitious about her career.

When the staff at the military officers' family resettlement office heard that she was a seamstress, they immediately recommended her to the Feiyan Textile Factory on the island.

He Xiuxiu was somewhat dismissive when she heard that Feiyan Textile Factory was a textile factory that had only been established for two years and did not have any senior sewing workers. She did not want to work as a head of a small factory; she longed to work in a large, reputable factory where she could experience more advanced equipment and learn higher-level skills.

So she accepted Zheng Jianguo's invitation from Hongxing Textile Factory and chose to be transferred to Hongxing Textile Factory. However, Hongxing Textile Factory was not on the island, but it didn't matter. Zheng Jianguo offered her the following terms: she could work four days and rest for two days, and she could take the night ferry back the day before her rest and take the morning ferry back on the day she started work.

Zheng Jianguo even claimed that his Hongxing Textile Factory had Zeng Jinfeng, an eighth-grade sewing worker!

"Comrade He, are you really going to Hongxing Textile Factory? Feiyan Textile Factory would be much better. It's closer, and we've contacted a transportation team. There's a fixed bus service every morning and evening. Many family members work at Feiyan Textile Factory. There's no need to choose Hongxing Textile Factory. You're working too hard here!"

He Xiuxiu said firmly, "I can endure this hardship!"

"Okay, we'll respect the family's wishes."

...

Many family members in the residential compound thought she had lost her mind when they learned that the new female seamstress had gone to the Hongxing Textile Factory instead of the Feiyan Textile Factory.

Gao Rong: "Is this crazy? Is she learning acrobatics from that Zeng Jinfeng?"

Gou Qiang: "Zeng Jinfeng is at least a level eight sewing worker. She wants to learn skills from a level eight worker."

"That Zeng Jinfeng used to add syrup to imported buttonhole machines and control the technology so that no one else could learn it. What could she possibly learn?"

After obtaining He Xiuxiu's personnel file, Zheng Jianguo was extremely smug, believing he had turned the tables! He thought Qin Xiangxiang must be short of skilled sewing workers and was desperately seeking them. Now that a family member, He Xiuxiu, had finally come, Zheng Jianguo had managed to bring her in.

Zheng Jianguo made a special phone call to Qin Xiangxiang to boast: "Factory Director Qin, I'm sorry about this. I snatched food from the tiger's mouth. Please don't take offense."

Qin Xiangxiang: "What?"

“He Xiuxiu from your family compound ultimately chose to come to our Hongxing Textile Factory.”

Qin Xiangxiang: "Oh."

Factory Director Zheng was secretly pleased: "You ambitious and enterprising Factory Director Qin, are you feeling the technological crisis?"

Qin Xiangxiang said, "Our factory is busy calculating money and issuing foreign exchange certificates."

Qin Xiangxiang, a lazy bum, has no idea about a technical crisis. In fact, she is currently the best sewing worker at Feiyan Textile Factory.

Irritable.

I hate it when people call me a sewing and textile genius.

It sounds like they were born with a life of hardship.

What if another skilled sewing worker comes along, and like Master Li, discovers that Qin Xiangxiang is a hidden sewing genius?

Not only Gao Rong thought He Xiuxiu's choice was wrong, but even Xiao Ye, who lived in the middle unit on the first floor, thought that this new female relative was wrong.

Xiao Ye: "Is He Xiuxiu born with the fate of a beast of burden?"

"Working at Feiyan Textile Factory is hard enough, but she also has to take a boat to work off the island?"

Xiao Ye thought to herself: The world is muddy, but I am pure; the world is drunk, but I am sober.

"Only I know how to live a comfortable and peaceful life."

Xiao Ye was living a leisurely and comfortable life when she unexpectedly met someone—Lin Xiuqin.