Chapter 289 Superstition? Isn't this a bit too superstitious? ...

Sun Xianjin had long coveted the "processing trade" orders in the Pearl River Delta, which is one of the forms of introducing foreign investment and also a type of Sino-foreign cooperative order.

The third type is incoming materials, samples, and parts. Foreign merchants provide raw materials, styles, specifications, colors, and various parts. The fourth type is compensation trade. Foreign merchants provide machinery, equipment, and production technology, and we repay the price of the equipment and technology with the goods we produce or other processing fees.

For domestic factories, processing with supplied materials, processing with supplied samples, processing with supplied parts, and compensation trade are relatively low-risk ways to introduce foreign machinery and technology.

The foreign company provided all the machinery, raw materials, and technology, while the domestic factory only provided labor. In the end, the order was completed, and the factory earned a processing fee, while keeping the machinery and technology.

Although the processing fees earned are relatively meager, the machines and technology are real and reliable, making the risk less. At least you won't be scammed when it comes to the machines and technology.

Sun Xianjin had a long-term vision; he wanted to use these material orders to accumulate capital, learn technology, and improve his management experience.

He heard that there were many factories along the southeast coast where he learned techniques for making suits and jeans.

Generally, these processing trade orders are mainly negotiated with township enterprises and local small factories, and are more popular in the Pearl River Delta. They started around 1976 or 1977 and have been very successful.

Sun Xianjin really wanted to get a piece of the pie, to get investment from Hong Kong businessmen, to upgrade the machines in the factory, and to learn more production experience—he has always been an enterprising factory manager who dares to try new things.

Even if it's just a pile of excrement, you still have to taste it to see if it's salty or not.

"They're talking about Director Ma's iron-fisted reforms, and praising Director Qin... Tsk, one day, the market will be full of stories about 'Director Sun'!"

Sun Xianjin was eager to achieve results and surpass Qin Xiangxiang. He believed that Qin Xiangxiang would definitely do whatever it took to win foreign orders.

This horrible woman.

We must beat her to it.

So Sun Xianjin mobilized all his resources and first went out to receive the young Hong Kong businessman Chen Qidong. Chen Qidong had come to the mainland to seek cooperation on the recommendation of his father's friends, and this first batch of orders was the way forward.

Contrary to Sun Xianjin's expectations, the order Chen Qidong brought was not for jeans or suits, but for 100,000 stuffed teddy bears... damn it, toys.

Although somewhat disappointed, Sun Xianjin still intends to try, hoping that he might be able to import more advanced sewing machines from the toy orders.

Sun Xianjin arranged for a Hongqi sedan to pick up and drop off Chen Qidong, treated him to a meal at an old restaurant in Shanghai, and led Chen Qidong to visit their factory to see the imported textile machines and showcase the craftsmanship of the factory's veteran technicians.

He also prepared a production process plan and made all the necessary preparations.

After visiting the Tenth Textile Factory, Chen Qidong asked curiously, "I heard you also have a Flying Swallow Textile Factory here? I'm quite curious about that Factory Director Qin."

"That Factory Director Qin... is still entangled with the thousand-year-old female corpse." Sun Xianjin knew that people in Hong Kong were quite superstitious, so he deliberately said that Qin Xiangxiang was entangled with the thousand-year-old female corpse, in order to make Chen Qidong wary.

It would be best to have Chen Qidong promote Qin Xiangxiang in Hong Kong business circles so that Hong Kong businessmen would be afraid to cooperate with her.

Chen Qidong: "A thousand-year-old female corpse?"

"Yes, this Factory Director Qin is also a legendary figure in our country. She once went to the Mawangdui archaeological excavation site and personally participated in the restoration of national treasures... Later, some people wrote stories about her connection with the thousand-year-old incorruptible female corpse, saying that the female corpse taught her weaving methods in a dream."

"Wow!" Chen Qidong couldn't help but applaud. "It seems that Director Qin is a man of great fortune."

Sun Xianjin: "??????"

"I want to see this Factory Director Qin with my own eyes!"

Sun Xianjin: "...No."

Aren't you Hong Kong people superstitious?

Helpless, Sun Xianjin could only accompany Chen Qidong to Feiyan No. 2 Factory. At the same time, he also wanted to see what kind of "schemes" Qin Xiangxiang would use to snatch the order from him.

The two arrived at Feiyan No. 2 Factory in a car, where a large crowd had gathered at the steamed bun shop at the factory gate.

Chen Qidong: "This...this is a textile factory? There are so many people outside?"

"This Factory Manager Qin turned the factory entrance into a food street, and there's also a 'Flying Swallow Splendor' next to it, used to display the suits and cheongsams in her factory, all of which are outdated. Boss Chen, you might not even appreciate them. She even displays old machines from the Republic of China era at the entrance as antiques—"

"My God!" Chen Qidong saw the high-end cashmere scarves and shawls in the shop window.

A low-key yet luxurious cashmere shawl draped over a kesi (silk tapestry) cheongsam creates a stunning effect, even though the entire outfit is just sitting on a clothes rack.

"The technology of Feiyan Textile Factory is truly remarkable."

"This is so high-end and beautiful."

"Such fine traditional craftsmanship cannot be found anywhere else in Hong Kong; many older Shanghainese miss it..."

...

"Factory manager, putting our factory's prized possession here has really caused a sensation!"

"There are many people asking about the price, but few actually buying."

Qin Xiangxiang said, "It's fine as long as it looks nice on display. We mainly sell cashmere shawls."

"Director Qin, Director Sun and a Hong Kong businessman are outside. Could you go out and greet them?"

Qin Xiangxiang: "..."

Qin Xiangxiang disliked Sun Xianjin. Sun Xianjin constantly talked about reform, hard work, and efficiency, which was incredibly irritating. Furthermore, Sun Xianjin made sarcastic remarks, suspecting that Qin Xiangxiang had secretly hired a large group of people to write a series of stories titled "Factory Director Qin."

"If only I were thicker-skinned, I could find someone to write a bunch of stories about Director Sun. But alas, I'm a grown man, and I care about my reputation."

Tsk, men's jealousy.

"Director Sun, and what's your name for this boss?"

"This is Chen Qidong, Mr. Chen. He has brought a batch of foreign trade processing orders to seek cooperation. Mr. Chen and I are already discussing the specific details of the cooperation."

Qin Xiangxiang nodded: "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Chen. Director Sun, after you finish this batch of orders, you can find someone to write a story called 'Director Sun,' otherwise I'm afraid you'll be jealous of me all the time."

Sun Xianjin tried his best to keep his expression steady: "I am focused on reform and have never cared about these empty titles."

"Director Qin, I'd really like to cooperate with your Feiyan Textile Factory. I'd like to hear your opinion." Chen Qidong got straight to the point. He felt that Director Qin was more active in his thinking, had more innovative ideas, and was more valuable for cooperation.

Qin Xiangxiang: "Processing orders? Earning processing fees? Our factory doesn't accept those."

Chen Qidong was stunned: "?"

Sun Xianjin was also stunned. He almost burst out laughing. Was Qin Xiangxiang out of her mind?

Qin Xiangxiang said, "We can't even finish all the work in our factory."

"Other orders have to wait in line."

Sun Xianjin: "..."

Chen Qidong was taken aback for a moment, then laughed out loud: "Then I'd be even more eager to cooperate with your Feiyan Textile Factory."

"Director Qin, aren't you worried that missing this cooperation means missing a development opportunity?"

Qin Xiangxiang was speechless: "...I wish I could really miss out on this opportunity for development."

Chen Qidong: "???"

Sun Xianjin: "?!"

"Director Qin, do you always feel like there's an invisible force pushing you forward?"

"It seems so."

"Director Qin, did you feel that you were going to fail this time, but you just happened to be favored by God, and you don't even know why... you actually succeeded?"

Qin Xiangxiang: "...It seems so."

"Do you sometimes feel that your current achievements are not the result of your hard work at all, but rather as if they are all due to luck?"

Qin Xiangxiang was extremely shocked: "Are you like that too?"

"That's right!" Chen Qidong declared. "Boss Qin, you're destined to make a fortune! You have luck on your side! I want to do business with someone like you who is born with good fortune."

Qin Xiangxiang: "??????" I think you're the one with the problem.

Qin Xiangxiang felt that she was a textile genius with the fate of an ox or a horse, and she wanted to try her best to bury her fate.

Sun Xianjin, standing to the side, was completely dumbfounded. A person blessed with destiny? A chosen one? This was pure superstition!

Chen Qidong was now very keen to cooperate with Feiyan Textile Factory and offered a very attractive price. The processing trade and compensation order presented a great opportunity for domestic workers to "make money".

Although the processing fee was meager, it was still a genuine "piece-rate" payment, just like the previous alleyway production teams. However, the alleyway production teams only received seven or eight cents a day, and were paid on a daily basis.

Piece-rate pay is different; it depends entirely on individual ability and effort. Skilled people can earn several yuan, or even more than ten yuan, a day, and easily make hundreds of yuan a month.

The average wage for ordinary people in society is around thirty-eight yuan. The wages and benefits in textile factories and steel mills are slightly higher, and well-developed factories offer even more bonuses...

However, these OEM orders are paid on a piece-rate basis, which allows the workers to earn some extra money.

"Our Feiyan Textile Factory has accepted this processing order."

"Great, I look forward to working with Factory Director Qin!"

Sun Xianjin: "???"

Sun Xianjin was completely baffled throughout the entire process and is still utterly confused. He thought Qin Xiangxiang was a cunning person who would stop at nothing to secure the order... but how did she inexplicably take the order, even though it was Boss Chen who begged her to accept it?

Isn't it said that people in Hong Kong are superstitious?

"I have to thank Director Sun for introducing me to Director Qin."

Sun Xianjin: "..."

Isn't this a bit too superstitious?