Chen Xingling thought for a moment and replied, "First of all, we are a factory and must operate in a factory-based mode."

“You’re not trying to come up with a way to pay the workers, are you?” Ma Dali stared in disbelief: “That—that’s not easy to do!”

Chen Xingling shook his head: "No, if we want to motivate the workers, we can only adopt the piece-rate model and not pay them the same wages."

Ma Dali heaved a sigh of relief and whispered, "Small workshops also use piecework. Generally, you get paid based on how much you make. For example, a pair of pillowcases is priced based on how many pairs you make. The most complicated ones are bedspreads or quilt covers, especially festive ones, which usually take a month or two to complete. Of course, the more complicated the pattern, the more money you can get. But only experienced embroiderers dare to do such complicated patterns, and young embroiderers can't do them."

Chen Xingling took note of it carefully and whispered, "First, we need to recruit two or three experienced and good masters. Good masters are our good reputation. We can ask them to teach and complete some important embroidery works."

"Recruit?" Ma Dali rolled his eyes and asked, "You mean - give them a formal salary?"

"That's right." Chen Xingling explained, "Like workers in other factories, they are paid a fixed salary, such as 30 or 20 yuan a month. If they also complete other important embroidery works, they are still paid by the piece, just like other workers. To put it simply, they are paid a minimum wage."

Ma Dali couldn't help asking, "That's what you mean by letting them come here to be the chefs, right?"

"Yes." Chen Xingling explained: "It's best to hire the most famous and most skilled embroidery masters. Not too many, two or three will be enough. Do you know any of them?"

"I don't know her." Ma Dali answered, "But Sanyue and Sifang know her, so let them lead the way to find her. But - how do we talk to them and get them to agree to join the embroidery factory? I guess you still have to go."

My friend has good eloquence, strong persuasive ability, and speaks with reason and evidence, which makes her more convincing than others, so she is the only one who can take on this task.

"It's not that I don't want to, but I'm afraid I'm powerless." Ma Dali explained: "As far as I know, there is an old aunt who is married for life. She only likes to interact with girls. She doesn't allow men to enter her house, and she doesn't even allow men to pass by her door."

Chen Xingling agreed without even thinking about it, and said cheerfully: "Mr. Sanyue, then let them lead the way for me. I will invite them sincerely. Ask them to help guide the younger generation. They will receive a monthly salary, and the other wages are the same as those in other workshops."

"Same?" Ma Dali couldn't help but hesitate: "I'm afraid not. They are used to making money in their own small workshops, and have their own circles and friends. If there is no higher price to attract them, I'm afraid there is no way to poach them."

Chen Xingling explained everything: "Small workshops have been operating for many years, and their business model has long been popular among the people. If we suddenly offer high prices to snatch embroidery workers, they will definitely be angry, and may even join other small workshops to exclude us and use other methods to fight against us. What we are most worried about is malicious competition. If we raise the price a little, they can raise it higher than us, and the embroidery workers will be panicked, waiting for the price to rise and sit back and enjoy the benefits, which will sooner or later destroy the entire industry chain. We are latecomers, and we are a formal factory, so we must not engage in malicious competition in advance."

Ma Dali raised his eyebrows in surprise, then started smiling.

"I don't think there are so many things to consider and worry about...Is it my fault or you are thoughtful. But - if we don't raise the price, I'm afraid it will be difficult for us to recruit good embroiderers. The younger generation may come here to learn from experienced old embroiderers who have taught them, but others who have already learned embroidery skills may not come."

Chen Xingling shook his head: "We not only have people to impart experience, we also have other supporting equipment. For example, the tools here are all free, and embroiderers don't have to prepare them themselves, nor do they have to pay a master to do it."

Ma Dali's eyes lit up when he heard this and he couldn't help but say yes.

"This is great! When Sanyue and Sifang first started learning embroidery, they spent a few cents to buy a bamboo compass - they were so heartbroken. Many people find that they have to invest before they can make money, and their first reaction is to back off. After all, you may not be able to learn it, but you have to pay money out of your pocket to invest."

Chen Xingling quickly took out a pen and paper and wrote down the first and second points.

"In addition, our factory is spacious, with large and bright windows. We also provide small stools and high chairs for free, and we have kettles to provide warm water every day and night. In addition, we turn on the lights in the morning and evening, and the lights in the factory will be on before 9 o'clock in the evening. Embroidery workers who need it can come to the factory to work overtime at any time."

"Okay." Ma Dali urged: "This is also very good, it must be written down. We will pay for the electricity bill, which is a kind of price competition to some extent. I'm sure many embroiderers will like it. It can have bright lights without having to pay for it yourself, and the key is that it is also good for your eyes!"

Chen Xingling also wrote down his thoughts and asked, "We are talking about flexible employment - housewives still have to prepare three meals a day at home, they can take them home, or they can come to the factory to join in the fun. Employees can make their own arrangements, and we don't have to require all workers to stay in the factory to work. Do you think this is possible?"

"Yes." Ma Dali explained: "Some are young embroiderers, most of whom are not married. They don't have to go home to cook, and they can come back when they go home to eat. Housewives account for about 40% to 50% of the embroiderers, which is the main force. We give them enough freedom, so they like this place more."

Chen Xingling registered again and asked, "Do you have anything else to add?"

Ma Dali smiled a little embarrassedly and whispered, "Actually, if we arrange it this way... Xiuxi Factory is not a very formal factory. Many people are scrambling to get into the factory as workers because they value the stable salary and income, as well as various allowances and tickets. They can get some tickets during the Chinese New Year and other festivals, which makes ordinary people very envious! Aqi and Ayi can take home various tickets from time to time, and you have long been accustomed to it, but you don't know how many people envy this."

"Oh oh." Chen Xingling was embarrassed and explained: "After all, we are a small private factory, not a large state-owned enterprise like the shipyard."

Ma Dali lowered his voice and said, "We are called an overseas Chinese factory, so we can be a little worse, but not too much worse. After all, we are all factories, so there must be some similarities or similarities. Otherwise, how can people recognize us?"

"That makes sense." Chen Xingling nodded in approval: "Since we are a factory different from a small workshop, we must have the characteristics of a factory."

Ma Dali couldn't help but chuckle and asked, "Is there any way for us to apply for rice coupons or oil coupons? They're not many, but they're given out during festivals or Chinese New Year. They're definitely very attractive!"

Chen Xingling rolled his eyes and soon smiled.

"We are a small private factory, so we can't apply for those. But now that you mentioned it, I have an idea. I know some black market vendors. During the New Year and other festivals, we can buy some oil or rice from them and give it to the workers."

Ma Dali nodded repeatedly in surprise, but then hesitated.

"Will... people suspect us? We can't cause any trouble for the factory. If the news gets out, our reputation will be ruined in an instant."

Chen Xingling shook his head: "Don't be afraid, we don't need to tell everyone everything. Besides, my fourth sister-in-law is an overseas Chinese, and she has more channels to get in than other people. As long as we spread this name, it will be difficult for others to suspect."

There are many overseas Chinese living in Chongqing. Rice, grain and oil barrels are sent to the dock all year round. This is a well-known fact and everyone will believe it without too much explanation.

The rice in her supermarket has its own large warehouse, and all kinds of raw oil, corn oil and rapeseed oil are neatly stacked in tons, boxes and barrels in the warehouse.

It is a small factory with only dozens of people. Each person needs a few kilograms of oil and ten kilograms of rice at the end of the year. I don’t know when all the money will be distributed!

"Yes!" Ma Dali laughed and said, "This is the best excuse! We can tell the embroiderers that we will give out rice and oil on major festivals like the Dragon Boat Festival and the Mid-Autumn Festival, as well as the Spring Festival, instead of oil and rice coupons. We will give out the real money, so there's no need to queue up at the food market, and there's no need to pay out of pocket. As long as we tell people about it, I guarantee a lot of people will be tempted!"

Although the wages are not the same, the other small benefits and subsidies, and the most important rice and oil subsidies - are what really make people excited!

Chen Xingling nodded: "Mr. Chen, you will be responsible for promoting these and purchasing the raw materials, and I will be responsible for hiring the embroidery masters."

"Okay!"