On a rattan chair in a sanatorium in Sanya, Lu Shouqian, the factory director of the No. 1 Garment Factory in G City, had a nearly burnt-out cigarette between his fingers, his thick eyebrows furrowed into a deep frown.
He had drunk some alcohol at noon and was fast asleep in his room when he was suddenly woken up by a waiter who said there was an urgent call for him.
I didn't want to answer, but they kept urging me, and I thought it was some leader calling, so I hurriedly went to answer.
Upon hearing Wu Shufen's loud voice from the other end, he immediately pursed his lips, his thick lips drooping downwards.
"That factory is barely surviving, what serious thing could possibly happen there? Wu Shufen, why are you always making such a fuss!"
"Something really big has happened!"
On the other end of the phone, Wu Shufen, the factory director's secretary, gripped the receiver so tightly that her nails almost dug into her palms.
She had called the sanatorium a few days ago but couldn't reach Director Lü. Now that she had finally found him, she quickly and excitedly told him about the contract signed between Deputy Director Zhang Guoqiang and Zhou Qiqi.
Lu Shouqian squinted, looking nonchalant.
Although he was the factory manager of the No. 1 Garment Factory, he really didn't want to deal with the mess in the factory. Two years ago, he handed it all over to Zhang Guoqiang to manage, while he hid in this sanatorium for peace and quiet.
Even so, the factory workers kept coming to him to ask for his wages, disturbing his peace. Therefore, he didn't want to hear a single word about what was going on at the factory.
Hearing Wu Shufen say this, he didn't even lift his eyelids, and slowly opened his mouth.
"So what if he signed? It's just hiring a designer. We've hired designers before, and he's caused a lot of trouble these past two years. When has it ever come to a conclusion? Why are you so agitated?"
"That's all, I'm hanging up!"
He was about to hang up when he said that.
"No, no, factory manager! Listen to me! This time it's really different!"
Wu Shufen was so excited that she raised her voice to the highest register.
"Women just love to make a fuss."
Lu Shouqian's ears ached from her shrill voice, and he pulled the microphone far away. But seeing how agitated she was, he didn't hang up. Instead, he pulled it back and said impatiently.
"Alright, alright, go ahead and tell me."
"Wait a minute~"
Wu Shufen carefully put down the receiver, tiptoed to the door to peek out, and heard that the neighbors were still having a heated discussion and no one was paying attention to this side. She then tiptoed back to the telephone, gripped the receiver tightly, covered her mouth and lowered her voice.
"A few days ago, I went to Deputy Factory Director Zhang's office and secretly looked at that contract. It wasn't just about signing a designer's contract; it was something like... a joint venture... Lotus... even..."
Although Wu Shufen was the factory director's secretary, she only had a primary school education. She could recognize a few characters, but she knew nothing about contracts or business. When this was mentioned, she stammered for a long time and could not give a clear answer.
Factory Director Lü grew increasingly impatient and started yelling that he was going to hang up and go back to sleep. Only then did Wu Shufen suddenly remember and shout back.
"I remember now, it's called joint venture! It means we sell our factory's inventory together with that woman, and once it's sold, we have to share the profits with her!"
Lu Shouqian, who had been listening listlessly, immediately widened his eyes upon hearing the word "money" and asked a question.
"What? Divide the money? Divide the money from our factory? How much? Shufen, explain yourself! Who are they?"
He sat up straight, asking questions while slowly buttoning his shirt.
He hadn't even had time to button his shirt properly; it was haphazardly stuffed into his belt, revealing his round, protruding belly.
Wu Shufen's face showed a hint of pride. She blinked and thought carefully before speaking solemnly.
"She's a young girl, only twenty, with a foxy look. She said something like, if the inventory sells out and our factory makes a profit, we'll give her 15%!"
Factory Director Lü was extremely nervous just now, fearing that Zhang Guoqiang would collude with outsiders to swindle money from the factory, but after hearing this, he immediately deflated.
"What? The inventory is sold out? What are you dreaming about?"
He instantly relaxed, leaned back in his chair, and the buttons on his stomach almost popped off.
As the factory manager of the No. 1 Garment Factory, he knew the factory's situation all too well. The reason the factory had been losing money year after year was because the accumulated inventory could not be sold and would only pile up more and more.
He simply didn't believe that a twenty-year-old female designer could solve this problem.
Wu Shufen continued rambling on.
"Factory manager, what do you think we should do? Will you come back to take charge? Zhang Guoqiang doesn't respect me at all while you've been gone! He didn't even give me the factory's advanced worker award this year; it went to that Master Ma who should have retired long ago... Now he wants to distribute our factory's money to outsiders!"
"Alright, alright, stop chanting, it's giving me a headache."
Factory Director Lü was getting impatient, but thinking about the money in the factory, he lowered his head and thought for a while before frowning and giving instructions.
"Keep an eye on this matter. The factory's money must not be distributed to outsiders. I am the factory manager. No matter what contract Zhang Guoqiang signs, it is invalid unless I approve it."
"Okay!"
Wu Shufen agreed with great determination, but Zhou Qiqi, who always wore a beautiful dress, couldn't help but appear in her mind. She gritted her teeth and thought fiercely.
"You little vixen! Trying to swindle money from our factory! No way!"
Achoo!
In the next office, Zhou Qiqi was busy discussing the pattern with Master Ma when she suddenly felt a chill and sneezed.
Deputy Factory Director Zhang Guoqiang hurriedly closed the window and added some hot water to her teacup.
"No need, we're almost done talking, we don't need to drink anymore."
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