Chapter 22 Jinjiang's Exclusive Red Star Plastics Factory
Wang Huiting leaned over to take a look and said, "They are indeed all in the same area, about five or six kilometers apart. The bus doesn't go to Auntie's place, so it will take us more than an hour to walk there."
This distance wasn't far for Su Ruyi. In this life, when she was in junior high school, the walk from home to school was about the same distance.
During her school years, she brought her lunch to school every morning, so she didn't have to come back at noon and would walk back from school in the afternoon.
"How about we stop by my aunt's house later?" Su Ruyi suggested.
When the two left the guesthouse, they took their luggage with them and checked out of their room.
Since I don't have much luggage anyway, this gives me more freedom.
“Sure, I’ve been to my aunt’s house with my dad before, I know where it is.”
After Tong Aihua started working, she couldn't go to help during the busy farming season, but she would bring a few kilograms of meat to Tong Dahua's house to nourish the family.
Wang Huiting went there a few times when she was a child, but she stopped going as she grew up.
Her aunt's family didn't say anything and treated her and her older sister very well, but the villagers would point fingers at her, so Wang Huiting didn't want to go.
Following the directions on the map, the two walked for about ten minutes and then saw the plastics factory.
The plastics factory stood there all alone, but the surrounding area was well-maintained and there were no weeds in sight.
There is a cement road leading to the plastics factory, which looks newer than the main road, probably because it was recently renovated after the factory was built.
Trees were planted on both sides of the road, but they were newly planted and the saplings were still very small.
The factory occupies a large area, and all the buildings are single-story, but they are all very well-organized.
From a distance, you can tell that the place is very well-organized, and there is a section with a strong sense of daily life, which is probably the factory staff dormitory area.
Overall, it doesn't look like the kind of makeshift team that just threw things together haphazardly.
This feeling was unlike any factory Su Ruyi had ever seen before; it inexplicably felt somewhat familiar.
As soon as the two approached the gate, they felt they were being watched.
A tall, handsome young man walked out of the guardhouse. He had sharp, clear eyes and a distinct military bearing.
In that instant, Su Ruyi realized what that sense of familiarity was.
Everything here is managed in a very military style, from the layout to the personnel, it all exudes that kind of atmosphere.
After getting to know him, I felt that he also had a soldier's air about him, so I was sure he was a veteran.
He was meticulous and cautious in his work, and he didn't let his guard down just because he was facing two young girls. However, his attitude was gentle; he was just very serious about his work.
Su Ruyi was curious. Wasn't this a private enterprise? Why did it have the feel of an arms factory?
Su Ruyi had met people who started factories after retiring from the military, and some of them even practiced so-called military-style management, but none of them did it in such a authentic way. After all, even if you are willing, the workers may not cooperate.
Upon learning the purpose of their visit, the gatekeeper called over someone nearby and asked him to pass on a message, while also inviting Su Ruyi and Wang Huiting to rest for a while in the guardhouse.
Wang Huiting whispered in Su Ruyi's ear, "Sister, the owner of this factory treats his employees quite well."
How did you figure that out?
"The uniform that this security guard is wearing is made of very fine materials and has a better design than the ones used to be in the textile factory."
When the textile factory was doing well, the benefits were very good. They provided work clothes, and the quality was quite good.
Su Ruyi wholeheartedly agreed; she had noticed it just now as well.
The gatekeeper was of average appearance, but his upright posture and neat clothes made him look very energetic. Standing there, he resembled a young poplar tree, exuding a strong sense of righteousness.
Su Ruyi: "Judging from this, the owner of this plastic factory must be quite kind. If the other employees are similar, then this owner is truly generous."
Private enterprises are different from state-owned enterprises; they prioritize profit.
Being so generous to employees suggests he's a decent person, not the kind of heartless boss.
However, there is another situation where employees have to pay for their own uniforms, which is also quite common.
The factory was very efficient; the two didn't have to wait long before someone came and took them inside.
This person was a girl; it's unclear whether it was arranged on purpose.
"My name is Ma Hui. May I ask what business you are here to discuss?" Ma Hui asked politely and warmly.
As a second-generation factory worker, Wang Huiting immediately sensed the difference.
Both the factory area and the employees are very different; everything is in perfect order.
When Wang Huiting was young, things were pretty good at the factory, and everyone was in high spirits. But the factory was still a bit chaotic; some people would brag and forget about their work, while others would smoke while working.
Every year, the factory holds several meetings to emphasize discipline, but the effect is minimal. Everyone goes about their business as usual, remaining lazy and undisciplined. Some people have never paid attention to safe production in their entire lives.
Her mother and stepfather were honest people who were always busy, while some people were very idle and went home after a day without doing anything.
I didn't see that scene here; everyone was busy with their own things.
Ma Hui seemed to be consciously leading the two girls towards the vicinity of the factory, allowing them to see the general layout inside. She did not neglect them because they were just two young girls, and wanted to show them the best side of the factory.
"You don't need to worry about the quality of our products. We are very rigorous in every process and we carefully inspect them before they leave the factory."
Su Ruyi: "What kind of plastic products does your plastic factory mainly produce?"
"Currently, we mainly produce household items such as plastic basins, plastic cups, and plastic bags. Although our plastic factory is newly built, we have many types of machines, all of which are imported from abroad. As long as the quantity is sufficient, we can customize according to customer needs."
Upon hearing this, Su Ruyi knew that the plastic factory did not currently have a particularly advantageous main business.
The plastic products currently being manufactured are relatively simple to produce.
But Ma Hui is very confident in the machines in the factory. She probably has some channels to get the machines, but whether she has the talent is another matter.
Those who have channels to import machines all have connections.
While many people have become successful by starting from scratch these days, there are also quite a few who come from privileged backgrounds and have access to various resources and channels from the very beginning of their businesses. These people have a much higher probability of success and take far fewer risks than those who truly start from nothing.
Many of those later tycoons did not truly start from scratch.
Su Ruyi nodded without saying anything, and did not reveal her purpose to Ma Hui. She observed the factory's situation the whole way.
Seeing that Su Ruyi didn't speak, Wang Huiting also remained silent.
Ma Hui led the two into the conference room. While she went out to pour them tea, Wang Huiting whispered:
"This factory seems quite reliable; it's better managed than our furniture factory."
"It looks alright on the surface."
Upon hearing this, Wang Huiting immediately understood the deeper meaning.
"Sis, do you think they're just all show and no substance?"
"I'm not sure if it's just a surface gloss, but at least from what I saw just now, this factory doesn't seem to have much business."
Su Ruyi had been to many factories. In her previous life, many people in her village ran factories. After the demolition, although everyone lived in different places, and she even moved to the scenic suburbs, the whole village would still gather together every year when the dividends were distributed. She was the only representative from her family, so she would attend every year.
During the gathering, she listened to many factory owners talk about their factories. Therefore, she had some understanding of the situation in factories, and she sensed something was wrong after just one walk around.
She couldn't quite pinpoint exactly what was wrong, but based on her experience, the factory's operations probably weren't as well-organized as they appeared.
In any case, it's best to be cautious.
She only has so much capital, she can't afford to be scammed.
Shortly after Ma Hui poured tea for the two, a kind-looking woman in her thirties or forties walked in.
"Hello, I am Zhao Xianghong, the deputy director of Hongxing Plastics Factory. Welcome to our factory."
Zhao Xianghong warmly extended her hand to the two of them, and Su Ruyi and Wang Huiting quickly stood up to shake hands in return.
"You've come to our factory to discuss business? I didn't expect you to be so capable at such a young age. You look to be no more than seventeen or eighteen?"
When Zhao Xianghong saw the two women, she felt a little disappointed. If she hadn't known beforehand, she would have thought they were there to look for work.
But then again, I thought the two young girls were so bold to come looking for me, and I felt that the younger generation was truly formidable.
Moreover, these days, any business deal is a good deal, as long as it makes money.
Su Ruyi smiled and said, "I didn't get into university, so I thought about starting my own business."
"That's a good term, 'starting your own business.' Now is a period of development for our country, the perfect time for young people to venture out," Zhao Xianghong praised. "What type of goods are you looking to stock?"
"Do you have hula hoops in your factory?"
"Hula hoop?"
Zhao Xianghong and Ma Hui exchanged a glance; neither of them had ever heard of this thing before.
Su Ruyi said, "To put it simply, it's just a ring made of plastic tubing. It's both a toy and a fitness device, and adults and children can play with it. This thing is very popular in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, and it's gradually becoming popular in the provincial capital as well. This thing was invented by foreigners and it's very popular abroad as well."
Zhao Xianghong and Ma Hui really didn't know this. Their factory was located in the suburbs, which had the disadvantage of being out of touch with the outside world.
Although I often go out to explore the market, the information I receive is still limited.
Zhao Xianghong is a complete novice when it comes to plastic products. She has never worked with this before and is still in the learning stage. However, there is no need to mention this to Su Ruyi.
“I’ve never seen this before, but from what you’ve said, the process doesn’t seem complicated. Our factory should be able to make it.”
They have machines that can make plastic pipes, but it's still better to get a sample to check before making a decision.
The other party made it sound so simple, but who knows if there are other processes involved?
"A key characteristic of hula hoops is that they are brightly colored and vibrant."
Zhao Xianghong laughed and said, "That's even less of a problem."
"The Asian Games are about to begin, and hula hoops will definitely become popular all over the country. If you seize this opportunity, you'll definitely make a fortune."
Su Ruyi's words were not an exaggeration. In the early years, hula hoops saved countless hula hoop factories. Many factories increased production, but the supply still couldn't meet the demand.
Su Ruyi's uncle made a lot of money selling hula hoops back then. He built a very large and tall house at home, and later made a fortune from the demolition and relocation compensation. He was the family that received the most compensation.
If it's just a private customization for her, Su Ruyi doesn't have enough capital; a small quantity would result in high costs.
But if she could get plastic factories to also be interested in this market and be willing to invest in production, and only need a small portion of the goods, then the cost would be different.
Anyway, hula hoops have only become popular in the last two months, and the provincial capital is already showing signs of this trend. It's not a big deal for her to reveal it in advance; it can even make it easier to get supplies in the future.
Zhao Xianghong simply smiled and offered no comment.
She didn't even know what that thing was, so how could she believe it just because a young girl said a few words?
Su Ruyi wasn't in a hurry. Zhao Xianghong would definitely need to investigate to find out what a hula hoop was and how much it cost to make it before the two of them could continue their discussion.
"Let's make a budget first, then come back tomorrow and we'll discuss it in detail."
Su Ruyi smiled and agreed, "Okay, I hope to hear good news from you."
She wasn't in a hurry to continue the conversation, as it wasn't very meaningful at the moment.
Setting aside business, Zhao Xianghong acted like a warm-hearted older sister, inquiring about Su Ruyi's situation.
"You don't sound like a local?"
"Yes, I'm from Nanyue Province, but my dad is from Qing Province. He was sent to the countryside as an educated youth in my hometown. My dad's family owns a furniture factory in Liulin County."
Su Ruyi explained her situation truthfully, but did not mention that her father had passed away.
This also put Zhao Xianghong at ease. These days, there are quite a few factory scams, and the factory had to be cautious about someone like her who suddenly appeared and wanted to make something new.
Even if they take the money and the goods at the same time, if she puts down a deposit and then runs away, what use are these things? Without a channel to sell them, the factory will still suffer losses.
"Liulin County? We have people from Liulin County working in our factory."
Ma Hui said, "Liu Fangqi, who lives in our dormitory, is from Liulin County. What a coincidence!"
Now it was Ma Hui's turn to shine; she could respond to anything Zhao Xianghong said.
After chatting for a while and probing each other's backgrounds, Su Ruyi prepared to take her leave.
Before I could even lift my buttocks, I heard a commotion outside.
"Will the factory still pay our wages this month? We haven't heard anything. We're all waiting for our rice to come out. They're just trying to get us to work, but they haven't said anything about our money!"
"Exactly! Why isn't the factory giving us an explanation? There must be something fishy going on!"
"Let's go, we have to get an explanation from the factory. We can't keep working like this for nothing!"
The sound was getting closer and closer, clearly heading towards the office area.
Zhao Xianghong's face was very unpleasant, and she apologized to Su Ruyi with a stiff expression:
"I have some things to take care of at the factory. Don't worry, our factory takes this very seriously and will definitely give you a satisfactory answer."
Zhao Xianghong hurriedly left, leaving Ma Hui to entertain them.
Ma Hui looked somewhat embarrassed and didn't know how to deal with the situation.
But the outcry from outside was growing louder and louder, and it was impossible to keep it a secret.
Ma Hui simply confessed honestly: "Our factory was scammed a while ago and lost a lot of money. A couple of days ago, the news reported on the factories in the provincial capital that went bankrupt this year, so the workers in the factory were a bit scared, which is why today's incident happened."
Wang Huiting glared: "Didn't you pay the workers' wages?"
Many factories in the county are currently on the verge of collapse, but people feel that the government will not abandon them, so they are not too worried.
But this plastics factory is different; it's a private enterprise, and if it goes bankrupt, there's no government backing it up.
"Absolutely not! Our factory manager has been raising money to help everyone get through this difficult time, and he hasn't shortchanged the workers. We usually pay wages on the 25th, so it's still early and that's why there's been no movement."
As Ma Hui spoke, her expression turned somewhat unpleasant, clearly showing her dissatisfaction with the people causing trouble outside, but she stubbornly refrained from complaining in front of the client.
After all, the fact that the workers are protesting also indicates poor management.
Who could have imagined that such a coincidence would happen to the two of them?
Ma Hui felt gloomy and prepared to leave with the two men, thinking that this business deal was probably ruined.
A lot has happened at the factory recently. We finally got some business coming in, which we thought was a good omen, but little did we know that trouble would break out.
Today, a major client is coming to visit and discuss cooperation. If this deal goes through, their factory will be set for life! The deadline is fast approaching, isn't this just a waste of time?
Ma Hui was extremely anxious, but she still had to keep smiling and see Su Ruyi and Wang Huiting off.
She had intended to avoid those people, but they had already reached the office door and she ran into them.
Two security guards were already in place, but because they were dealing with employees from their own factory, they only stopped them to maintain order and did not use any forceful measures.
Although they were few in number, they clearly had some skills, managing to hold off a whole group of people.
This also allowed Su Ruyi and Wang Huiting to remain calm and unconcerned about being caught in the crossfire when facing a large group of angry people.
However, this situation made Su Ruyi frown deeply. This was too embarrassing. She had just praised the factory for its proper management, and now, in such a short time, someone was causing trouble.
Most importantly, she needs to know if the factory is reliable and won't negatively impact her business.
Su Ruyi had wanted to leave earlier, but now she wants to stay to see how the factory handles this crisis and to assess whether it is suitable for cooperation.
Su Ruyi wants to make quick money with hula hoops, but she also needs to ensure a stable supply of goods for a certain period of time.
Su Ruyi pulled Wang Huiting aside, not wanting to get involved in the factory's affairs.
Wang Huiting whispered in Su Ruyi's ear, "We really misjudged him just now."
Although her voice was very soft, Ma Hui could still tell what was going on from her lip movements, and felt extremely embarrassed.
"Director Zhao, just give us a straight answer: can our factory hold on? Workshops three and four have been on holiday for many days already. Is our factory going to collapse? You can't let the people in workshops one and two work for nothing every day!"
"Exactly! It's one thing for us in workshops one and two to help out those in workshops three and four before, but we can't do all the work, can we? It's pitiful that they're disabled, but it's not our fault! Why should we get the same salary as them? That's so unfair!"
"Why hasn't Director Wei shown up yet? What good is it to have an old woman here all the time? I've said it before, you can't have women as leaders, they can't get anything done."
"If I had known that the managers were all women, I would never have come to this factory!"
A group of people were chattering away, saying all sorts of things, making a lot of noise.
Zhao Xianghong, with a stern face, shouted loudly, "Everyone, quiet down! Listen to me first."
Her voice was gentle, but even though she had raised her voice, she still couldn't control the situation. No one took her words seriously, and the noise continued.
These people are clearly causing trouble on purpose; they are not here to raise or resolve issues.
Su Ruyi also noticed several people exchanging glances, clearly intending to cause trouble.
Su Ruyi never expected that they would come for them.
"Director Zhao, these two aren't your clients again, are they? Our factory was ripped off by two women last time. Now you're doing business with women again? Are you afraid our factory hasn't been ripped off enough already?"
"Exactly, what kind of business can a woman do? It's laughable."
"These two women are definitely not good people. We can't just let them go like this."
Su Ruyi: ...
This tactic was so low that she couldn't stand it anymore; it was clearly done on purpose to provoke her.
What did this plastics factory do to deserve this?
Indeed, real business warfare is this crude and straightforward.
"Zhou Huarong! Wang Daikui, Li Xiaolan," Zhao Xianghong called out loudly, "If you have any opinions, stand up and speak up, don't hide in the crowd and cause trouble!"
Calling them out by name did make them a little more cautious, and they stopped making as much noise as before.
Zhao Xianghong glared at Zhou Huarong: "Tell me, when has the factory ever failed to pay you your salary? When your mother was sick, the factory even went to visit her and paid you three months' salary in advance. Isn't that right?"
Everyone turned to look at Zhou Huarong, making him stand out in the crowd.
At that moment, the factory gate opened, and a car drove in, getting closer and closer.
Someone in the crowd gave Zhou Huarong a wink, and Zhou Huarong, who had been somewhat at a loss, immediately perked up and shouted:
“I’m so worried about our factory because I’m grateful to it. If things continue like this, our factory is doomed! It’s all show and no substance; nobody’s actually doing any work. Creditors are knocking on our door every day, and the goods we’re shipping are all shoddy, not a single one is up to standard. I heard the factory leaders are even planning to sell the factory! The factory isn’t giving us any explanation. How can we feel at ease? As a member of the factory community, is it wrong to care about it? Is it wrong for us not to let malicious people ruin our factory?”
The crowd became excited again and started shouting loudly. There were only a dozen or so people, but they made it sound like there were hundreds.
Su Ruyi also noticed something was wrong and looked toward the car.
Oh, it seems today's farce wasn't aimed at her, but at a bigger fish.
Su Ruyi didn't want to leave anymore. She felt that the whole thing was strange and wanted to observe it further.
Anyway, she probably can't leave now.
Wang Huiting, who was standing to the side, didn't understand what was going on, but she still watched the commotion with great interest, only regretting that she hadn't brought a handful of melon seeds.
The two women didn't take anything for granted; they deliberately found a corner where they could advance or retreat as needed, so that if a conflict broke out, they wouldn't become innocent bystanders.
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