Zhang Guoqiang panicked a little.
Zhou Qiqi sneered:
"What are you trying to do? Wait until we're desperate and have to become suckers! Buy the stolen materials from him at three times the price!"
No rush.
Zhou Qiqi forced herself to calm down.
“Now is not the time to think about that. Yesterday I asked Director Hu of the Materials Bureau to help me investigate the source of the approval slip and see if there is any room for maneuver. She said she would reply to me by noon today at the latest.”
She raised her wrist and glanced at her watch; the hands were already pointing to two o'clock.
"Director Zhang, have you received any calls from the Materials Bureau since this morning?"
Zhang Guoqiang looked distressed.
"From morning till now, the phone has been ringing non-stop like a hotline, all calls urging for delivery and asking about the status. I reckon... Comrade Hu's call can't get through at all."
"Look at me, I'm so busy I forgot about this."
Zhou Qiqi slapped her forehead, "If I can't get through on the phone, then I'll go to the Supply Bureau myself to find her..."
As she spoke, she got up to leave.
Just as I reached the office door, I heard the security guard's voice outside, "Master Zhou! Factory Director Zhang! Someone's looking for you!"
Zhou Qiqi looked up and saw that the person following behind the old man was none other than Hu Chunxiao, who had rushed over in a flurry!
"Sister Chunxiao!"
Zhou Qiqi quickly welcomed them in, "I was just saying I was going to look for you!"
Hu Chunxiao had a flushed face and fine beads of sweat on her forehead, clearly indicating that she had rushed over.
Zhang Guoqiang hurriedly went to pour tea and cut fruit, but she waved him off.
She sat down, took a breath, and said:
"Don't even mention it! I called your factory at noon and tried for almost half an hour, but I couldn't get through no matter what! I know you're anxious for news, so I rushed over here in person before my lunch break was over!"
Zhou Qiqi felt a warmth in her heart and quickly asked, "Sister Chunxiao, is there any news about the approval document?"
Although Hu Chunxiao waved her hand to refuse, Zhang Guoqiang still poured her a cup of jasmine tea, which was at the perfect temperature.
She took the water glass and took a big gulp to moisten her throat before preparing to speak.
But she didn't speak first; instead, she glanced at Zhang Guoqiang beside her.
Zhou Qiqi understood and immediately said, "It's okay, Sister Chunxiao. Director Zhang is one of us, and we can trust him. Just tell us."
Hu Chunxiao then sat down with a sense of relief and lowered her voice: "I asked someone to find out the details. The approval slip was applied for by Qiu Fengxian of the Third Garment Factory in the name of ensuring foreign trade tasks, and it was stamped and issued by the Planning Department of the Provincial Light Industry Bureau."
She paused, a meaningful look in her eyes.
"Yes, there's someone behind this. Director Li of the Provincial Light Industry Department gave his approval. It's said that... he did it to give face to a retired provincial leader who still wields considerable influence. I won't say who it is, but... he's got a lot of power!"
Hu Chunxiao didn't say it explicitly, but Zhou Qiqi immediately understood, and her heart skipped a beat.
A retired leader who has stepped down from the front line?
Even though such people are no longer in office, their protégés and former associates are spread throughout key departments, their influence is deeply entrenched, and their words still carry considerable weight.
Hu Chunxiao's words revealed the truth, but also subtly reminded her that it would be difficult to revoke this approval document by following the proper procedures, and that a direct confrontation might offend people.
"What about the paperwork for that batch of goods? Is it complete? I suspect there's no foreign trade company involved at all."
Zhou Qiqi pressed for an answer.
Hu Chunxiao shook her head:
"I also had someone carefully review that approval slip. At least on paper, all the procedures are complete, the official seal is clear, and the reason given is quite plausible, guaranteeing export earnings. There's no real flaw in it. Trying to find a breakthrough from the approval slip itself is difficult, unless you personally investigate and find out which foreign trade unit doesn't exist, otherwise..."
After finishing these important matters, Hu Chunxiao didn't dare to delay any longer and got up to rush back to work.
Zhou Qiqi escorted Hu Chunxiao to the factory gate and watched him ride away on his bicycle before slowly turning back to her office.
Back in her office, her expression became much more serious.
This is troublesome.
The news brought by Hu Chunxiao means that the path of revoking the approval and taking back the raw materials through official channels is temporarily blocked.
Even if we approach Shen Huaichuan or Vice Mayor Zhai now and use their connections to investigate Qiu Fengxian's forgery and that fictitious "foreign trade order," it will take time!
There's such a powerful figure behind the other party. If we really tear off the mask and investigate, it will involve too much, and the cost—the loss of connections, time, and even the possibility of retaliation—is immeasurable.
Furthermore, how long will it take to get to the bottom of this? A month? Two months?
But the factory simply can't wait!
Every day of production stoppage results in huge losses—rent, utilities, machine wear and tear, wages for hundreds of workers, and the mountain of valuable custom-made accessories piled up in the warehouse!
These are all silently consuming funds!
Not to mention the orders that came in like snowflakes!
They once brought hope, but now they've become blades hanging overhead!
With the delivery deadline fast approaching, if the goods cannot be shipped on time, the combined claims from those newly signed, extremely greedy wholesalers and department stores will be an astronomical figure!
It's enough to completely crush the First Garment Factory, which had just caught its breath!
That would be enough to bankrupt Zhou Qiqi!
All those orders that had been pouring in like snowflakes have now turned into deadly curses.
Looking at Zhou Qiqi's somber expression, Zhang Guoqiang felt as if a heavy stone was pressing on his heart.
He slumped back into his chair, his voice hoarse:
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