Master Ma touched the last bit of material, his eyes reddening slightly:
"Director Zhang, Master Zhou, what... what are we going to do? We've run out of material, how are we going to start production? Master Zhou revised this new style seventy or eighty times before finalizing it. These colors were also chosen by her after numerous trips to the wool mill to compare and select them one by one. The previous wool dresses were just a trial run. This 'Guanghua' series is the key to making the 'Qi' brand famous!"
Her voice choked with emotion, filled with heartache and resentment.
Several older workers nearby sighed and lamented.
"That's right, without materials, the machines have to stop..."
"With work stopped, will we still not be able to pay wages?"
An experienced worker muttered something under his breath, instantly triggering unpleasant memories for everyone.
Those two years when the factory was barely surviving, the feeling of not having enough to eat was unbearable.
We've only had two good days, are we going back already?
The atmosphere in the warehouse suddenly became oppressive and desperate, shrouded in gloom.
Just then, Zhou Qiqi's clear voice rang out, drowning out all the sighs:
"Masters, don't panic."
All eyes immediately focused on her.
She glanced around, her gaze resolute, her tone steady and powerful:
"Don't worry about the wages, everyone. I signed a contract with the factory, it's all in black and white. No matter what happens, whether we work or not, your wages will be paid on the day they're due, and in the exact amount you're owed. Not a penny less! I, Zhou Qiqi, guarantee it with my integrity!"
These words were like a reassuring pill, allowing the anxious workers to breathe a sigh of relief.
But Zhang Guoqiang's worries intensified, and he anxiously said from the side:
“Master Zhou, that’s true, but… without raw materials, we can’t produce, and we can’t ship the goods or get paid! The factory’s daily expenses, rent, utilities, wages… it’s all burning money! If this drags on, how much will you personally lose? Not to mention we’ve signed so many orders; if we don’t deliver on time, the penalties will be huge…”
The factory had been losing money before, but it was a state-owned factory and belonged to the collective.
But Zhou Qiqi is different; she signed a contract for contracting out the work, and she has to bear all these losses herself.
That's why Zhang Guoqiang was particularly worried about her.
Zhou Qiqi took a deep breath and simply said:
"There's no use in getting anxious now. If a problem arises, we just need to figure out how to solve it."
She turned to Master Ma:
"Master Ma, why don't you take the other workers and start producing the sweater dresses? I remember we still have quite a few sweater dress orders."
She then looked at the crowd:
"Everyone, just keep doing what you're doing. Don't stop what you're doing. I'll say it again, you'll receive all the wages and benefits you're entitled to! Focus on your work."
Looking at Zhou Qiqi's calm and sincere face, the workers' panic subsided a little. They looked at each other and slowly dispersed to go about their business.
Zhou Qiqi then waved her hand at Zhang Guoqiang:
"Let's go back to the office and discuss this in detail."
Back in the factory manager's office, Zhang Guoqiang slumped into a chair, still wearing a bitter expression.
He's a straightforward person; he can't keep things to himself, and his worries and joys are clearly written on his face.
Zhou Qiqi acted as if nothing had happened, poured herself a glass of water, and picked up the purchase order on the table to look at it carefully again.
"Director Zhang,"
Her voice was calm, without a trace of anxiety.
"This batch of Australian raw materials has been taken away. Can we apply to our superiors for an emergency additional batch?"
Zhang Guoqiang shook his head like a rattle drum:
“Master Zhou, it’s tough! There’s a quota for imported goods every year, a fixed number, and they’re very precious! Take our batch, for example, you forgot? It was Vice Mayor Zhai, whom you approached, who was concerned about our factory’s reforms, and he specially approved it! We’ve almost used up all the relevant provincial quotas for this year! Now we want to add more at the last minute, but the province can’t just say so anymore. We have to submit another report to higher levels, which will be much slower, and it’s very difficult to get approval. Even if it is approved, by the time it gets approved, it will be too late!”
Since learning about this, he has spent all his time visiting the Light Industry Bureau, except to quickly inform Zhou Qiqi.
He practically wore down the threshold over there, but they only said one thing: no!
Zhou Qiqi nodded, her fingers lightly tapping on the purchase order. Suddenly, her eyes sharpened: "Wait,"
She keenly grasped the key point in Zhang Guoqiang's words, sat up straight, and asked in a deep voice:
"Director Zhang, you just said that this batch of Australian wool was specifically applied for import because our factory finalized its production plan. In other words, without the demand for our 'Guanghua' series, this batch of material would never have appeared in the warehouse of the No. 1 Wool Textile Factory in the province, right?"
Zhang Guoqiang paused for a moment, then nodded. "That makes sense..."
"Don't you think it's too much of a coincidence?"
Zhou Qiqi raised her eyes, her gaze clear and bright, a cold smile playing on her lips.
"We had just sent out the samples when orders started pouring in like snowflakes. Suddenly, a sister company appeared and signed a huge foreign trade order, specifically requesting the exact same Australian wool that is extremely rare on the market?"
"Their information network is incredibly efficient, and their tastes are so similar..."
She looked at Zhang Guoqiang and asked, word by word, "Do you know which company is the one that 'hijacked' the deal?"
Zhang Guoqiang shook his head blankly:
"The wool mill is very tight-lipped. They say it's an export order that can earn foreign exchange, but they're afraid of being ripped off, so they absolutely refuse to disclose it. If you press them, they say it's a regulation from above that it has to be kept secret!"
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com