Chapter 278: Poaching talent ensures all citizens can hear these great stories...

Qin Xiangxiang never expected that casually finding a storyteller and setting up an internal factory broadcast system to improve the workers' cultural and recreational life would have such a huge impact.

Normally, this kind of factory broadcast is just like an internal company broadcast or internal telephone communication; it's not anything important.

However, if too many people listen, creating a clustering effect, that can be very dangerous.

This attracted the attention of those above.

"What kind of factory broadcast is this? It's so attractive that a whole bunch of people are coming to listen to the signal."

"If you didn't know better, you'd think you were up to some kind of underground operation."

"This...this is just our own factory's amateur language and arts program. Even the announcer's Mandarin is not standard. The program is just a regular amateur workers' life program, adapted from stories that happened in our own factory, and it also tells the story of the Three Kingdoms."

"The story of your own factory? 'Factory Director Qin'? I think I heard someone talking about this when I came here."

"That's right. Our Feiyan United Textile Factory, whether it's Factory One or Factory Two, has many stories. Here's a script, leader, take a look. This is about our Factory Director Qin outsmarting Liu Manfu—Liu Manfu was our former deputy factory director who embezzled money. He was particularly hateful. He arranged for his relatives to work in the canteen, while he ate special meals, while we ordinary workers..."

"This is the story of our factory receiving diplomatic orders."

"This is the story of our factory, the Mawangdui archaeological excavation site... and the Canton Fair... This is from our factory, the 'Dongfeng Silk' that the leaders personally praised. These are all true stories from our factory."

...

Technicians from the Shanghai Radio Management Committee and staff from the city's radio station were also stunned by these stories. Were these all true stories? They were so dramatic!

"This is practically a legendary tale!"

Is this Factory Director Qin still 'alive'?

Qin Xiangxiang: "??????"

What the heck? What do you mean she's still alive?

"Our factory manager is right here!"

"This story, 'Factory Director Qin's Outwitting Liu Manfu,' just happened this year. Our Factory Director Qin has only been at our factory for less than a year. These reforms are all fresh and exciting, and the Light Industry Bureau even said that our factory's reforms are a model."

The technicians were utterly astonished. "Your factory has truly produced an extraordinary person!"

Secretary Li said with a proud look, "Yes, our Feiyan No. 2 Factory is thriving!"

"Last year, our factory would have gone bankrupt. The workers were demoralized and had no desire to produce anything. Who would have thought that we would actually receive an order from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs? Our workers are eager to bring glory to our country!"

"It's all thanks to Director Qin's leadership that we've achieved such great success this year! That's why we've added more radio programs to the factory—to improve our publicity and boost the morale of our workers!"

"Yes, yes, yes, such deeds should be publicized." The technicians from the Radio Management Committee nodded in agreement.

The factory wants to promote its culture and boost worker morale, which is perfectly legitimate.

"However, the signal source you are transmitting is too strong, and other citizens can also receive your broadcasts, which violates the management regulations."

This isn't actually a violation; the violation is... that too many people listened!!!

If there are too many listeners, they need to be brought under formal management, otherwise it may cause negative impacts.

“Feiyan Textile Factory’s radio program is excellent. If we shut it down or weaken the signal, the surrounding residents will definitely not be satisfied. They still want to hear Director Qin’s stories.”

The leaders of the Shanghai Radio Station were very interested in the broadcast programs of Feiyan Textile Factory and even listened to Gu Zhihuai's program themselves. Therefore, the station director personally intervened and proposed a solution:

First, Feiyan Textile Factory weakened the signal or shut down the broadcasting station, so that the signal could only be controlled within the factory.

Second, Shanghai Radio officially recruited Gu Zhihuai as an announcer and launched a program called "Old Friends' Storytelling" on its mainstream channel.

Third, the radio station will produce several special programs specifically for Feiyan Textile Factory to promote the factory to the public.

"Take the stories from your factory and broadcast them on our official radio station so that all citizens can hear these wonderful stories!"

Qin Xiangxiang: "???"

Qin Xiangxiang suddenly felt like the sky was about to fall.

No, you're poaching people, so why are you digging up those "toe-picking" stories from their factory?

No, no, no, no… "Factory Director Qin's Clever Battle Against Liu Manfu," "Factory Director Qin Eliminates Three Evils," "Factory Director Qin…"

A radio program on a listed company! Everyone in Shanghai can hear the broadcast!! Everyone can hear these stories! Her mother, her father, all the people in the old apartment buildings, the 316 Textile Factory, Li Jianzhi's comrades-in-arms from school... When Qin Xiang thought of that scene, she felt like her whole life was about to be destroyed.

She's too ashamed to face anyone!

Even the most shameless person cannot withstand such a devastating blow.

"It's fine if people go to your radio station, but there's no need for them to go to our factory. This is for internal publicity within the factory."

"Director Qin, you are too modest. Such good stories should be widely publicized so that everyone can know about these heroic deeds."

Qin Xiangxiang felt utterly hopeless: "...I think I'd better forget about it."

"Director Qin, don't be shy, this is a good thing! You've done good deeds, why are you afraid of others knowing?"

Qin Xiangxiang: "...I can only say 'Factory Director Qin,' I can't reveal my real name."

"Okay then."

Gu Zhihuai was recruited by the city radio station, which can be described as a carp leaping over the dragon gate and achieving a leap in life, but he himself could not say that he was very happy.

He was incredibly grateful to Qin Xiangxiang, and he was completely devoted to Director Qin.

"Director Qin, I... I really don't want to leave at all. I was born a member of Feiyan Textile Factory, and I will die a ghost of Feiyan Textile Factory!"

Qin Xiangxiang: "...No need to make it sound so serious. You have great talent, don't let it go to waste. Go to the city radio station, and everyone will be able to listen to your program."

Gu Zhihuai: "Although I am gone, my heart will always remain at Feiyan Textile Factory."

Qin Xiangxiang: "..."

If you tell me less of my story, that's how you repay me!

After Gu Zhihuai left, Feiyan Textile Factory was featured in the newspaper. A reporter came to interview and report on the matter, highlighting Feiyan Textile Factory as a model of "rich cultural life for workers."

Soon, the city radio station had Gu Zhihuai's program, and as a result, all the citizens of the city could hear the story of Feiyan Textile Factory.

Zhou Aodong was working overtime in his office when he heard the story of "Director Qin's Clever Battle Against Liu Manfu" on the radio.

"...But to Liu Manfu, it was like a bolt from the blue! Why?..."

"The Liu family gang in the canteen is in big trouble. Who would have thought that the new factory director's first target would be the canteen, and the canteen has struck right at Liu Manfu's Achilles' heel!"

Zhou Aodong stopped writing with a blank expression. She never expected that she would hear her daughter's "heroic deeds" on the city radio station.

"Is this intelligent and courageous Factory Director Qin really my daughter?"

"She can make corrupt officials tremble with just a few words."

"Upon entering the factory, we pretended to lower their guard, started with the canteen reform, and publicly punished the Liu family gang, making all the factory workers shout 'This is great!'"

...

The more Zhou Aodong listened, the more bizarre it seemed. Her daughter was a "tiger" outside, but every day when she came home, she acted like a "little kitten" in front of her mother.

Now the whole city is listening to her daughter's story of reform!

"Zhou Aodong, is the Factory Director Qin on that radio program referring to 'Let's Think'?"

"Isn't this just like the story that happened after taking over Shangpu Textile Factory? The former deputy director of Shangpu Textile Factory was named Liu Manfu. Director Qin outwitted Liu Manfu, and that's what they're talking about!"

"This is a listed radio station, how could it be fake?"

In the factory where Qin Wutong worked, all the workers listened to the program and knew that it was the story of Qin Wutong's daughter, Qin Xiangxiang.

When Qin Wutong returned home, he repeatedly exclaimed to his wife Zhou Aodong, "All the workers in our factory love to listen to this."

"She even praised me, saying, 'Old Qin, your daughter has really made something of herself!'"

Zhou Aodong suddenly grabbed Qin Xiangxiang as she returned home, "Tell me honestly what happened when you went to Shangpu Textile Factory? You were prepared from the start, targeting the corrupt official Liu Manfu, starting with the canteen to win over the workers? You planned all of this."

Qin Xiangxiang: "..."

"I... actually, I really didn't think about it. I just thought, Mom, I'm your daughter, don't you understand me? I'm a picky eater, of course I want to reform the cafeteria, I want to eat something myself."

"So, what happened on the show was true!"

"So everything that happened in that cafeteria actually happened? You're testing all the chefs, including those who cook in private kitchens, and Liu Manfu's relatives?"

Qin Xiangxiang: "..."

"That's true. Those relatives of Liu Manfu can't cook at all. Their food is terrible, even worse than my dad's."

"So you just had someone clean the toilets?"

Qin Xiangxiang: "...Hmm."

Zhou Aodong: "So, that story wasn't fabricated, Qin Xiangxiang, you're still playing dumb with me!"

"That's really true!"

Qin Xiangxiang: "..."

"My daughter is quite resourceful."

Wu Xueyan listened to the radio, took out her notebook, and meticulously took notes.

"My daughter-in-law is really amazing."

"I really need to learn some techniques from her."

"I have to study hard."

When Xu's mother heard everyone around her talking about Director Qin's reform stories, she felt suffocated.

"Director Qin, this is Qin Xiangxiang, who lives right next door to you!"

"Qin Xiangxiang's story has been broadcast on the radio! She's an amazing person!"

"Could you tell me more about this Factory Director Qin? What kind of person is she? Was she smart from a young age?"

The radio at Feiyan Textile Factory No. 2 was no longer working, but people kept coming and going near the factory, many of them coming to see what was going on.

Even without hearing any stories, Cai Baozi didn't leave. He still came here to sell steamed buns, and it's almost become a fixed spot. Besides him selling steamed buns, there's an old lady selling wontons with a small coal stove, an old man selling fried dough sticks, and a female educated youth making braised food...