Chapter 123 Internal Troubles Arose Again
Director Sun was a middle-aged man in his forties, wearing a neatly ironed white shirt, black trousers, and a shiny watch on his wrist. He nodded slightly, his tone polite but distant: "Comrade Gu, I've heard a lot about you."
Deputy Director Li cleared his throat and said, "Now that everyone is here, let's get started.
Today's meeting is mainly to discuss cooperation on the next batch of tooling orders. Yuanda Labor Protection Factory has given a very competitive quotation, but we have been cooperating with the military workshop for a long time, and we also need to consider quality, reputation, and stability.
Director Sun took over the conversation. "Deputy Director Li is right. Competition is what drives industry progress. Our Yuanda factory has ten years of production experience, over 200 workers, and three production lines. We can guarantee the timely delivery of large orders."
He paused and glanced at Gu Qiuyue. "And our quote is 15% lower than the military workshop. It's not because we cut corners, but because of the cost advantage brought by large-scale production."
Wang Erzhu interjected, "Director Sun is too modest. The spirit of the Military Dependents Workshop is admirable, but it's a 'makeshift operation' after all, so it's inevitable that the quality will fluctuate. I heard there were problems with the last batch of gloves."
The conference room suddenly became quiet. The only sounds could be heard: the tireless chirping of cicadas outside the window and the slight squeaking sound of the electric fan.
Zhang Xiumei was so angry that her face turned pale. Just as she was about to open her mouth to refute, Gu Qiuyue gently held her hand.
Gu Qiuyue's expression remained calm. She nodded slightly to the leaders before speaking slowly, "Thank you, Director Sun and Comrade Wang, for your concern for our military families workshop. Competition is indeed the norm, and we welcome all fair competition. As military families, we understand better than anyone what quality means—it can even affect the lives of the people."
She gestured for Zhang Xiumei to distribute the samples she had brought to everyone present: "This is a sample of our latest workwear. Please have a look, leaders."
Deputy Director Li picked up the sample and examined it carefully. He stroked the texture of the fabric with his fingers and checked the density of the stitches against the light. The stitches were fine and even, the fabric was thick and crisp, and the buttonholes were delicately locked. It was obviously a grade higher than the sample brought by Yuanda.
Gu Qiuyue opened the folder and took out the qualification documents. "This is the certification document for our military workshop, including the certificate issued by the army, past order records, and letters of commendation from three units. Although our scale is not as large as that of a large factory, every military wife regards this job as part of supporting national construction. Our sense of responsibility is our greatest advantage."
Regarding the price, she produced a detailed costing sheet: "Our quote is based on high-quality fabrics and reasonable labor costs. Prices that are too low either cannot guarantee quality or cannot sustain supply. Military workshops never sell inferior goods as good ones."
Finally, she turned to Wang Erzhu, her eyes sharp. "The glove incident that Comrade Wang mentioned did happen, but it was an isolated incident, and we resolved all the issues before delivery. The people involved have been dismissed, and we have also improved our quality inspection procedures."
She pulled out the quality control instructions Xie Shiyu had prepared. "This matter has never been made public. I'm curious, how did you get such detailed inside information?"
Wang Erzhu was speechless for a moment, his eyes flickering, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table, and he stammered, "Well... there's always some rumors in the industry..."
Director Sun tried to smooth things over, saying, "It's all hearsay, don't worry about it. But Comrade Gu, the price difference is there, and the factory also has to consider costs..."
At this moment, there was a knock on the conference room door, and the secretary poked his head in: "Director Wang, there's a call for Comrade Gu Qiuyue, saying it's her classmate from Beijing University."
Gu Qiuyue's heart moved, but she remained calm: "Sorry, I'll go answer the phone."
Coming to an office window, Gu Qiuyue picked up the phone and heard a familiar voice coming from the receiver: "Classmate Qiuyue, this is Chen Jianming. I heard from my teacher's wife that you guys are in some trouble?"
Gu Qiuyue briefly explained the situation, and the other party immediately responded, "It just so happens that our bureau is bidding for a batch of workwear next week. I trust your quality. If we can't reach an agreement here, come and contact me directly." Chen Jianming's voice was steady and powerful. "It's not easy for you military families to start your own business. I will definitely support you if I can."
Gu Qiuyue thanked him and hung up the phone, feeling relieved.
After a moment, she returned to the conference room and calmly sat down. "That was my college classmate just now. He now works at the Pingcheng Light Industry Bureau. Their company has recently had a large demand for workwear. After hearing about the quality and reputation of our military workshop's products, they expressed great interest and hope to discuss it in detail as soon as possible."
She paused and looked at Deputy Director Li. "Of course, we have a pleasant cooperation with the No. 1 Middle School factory, and we give priority to old partners. However, if the factory does have concerns due to price factors, we can understand."
The atmosphere in the meeting room suddenly became subtle. Director Sun's smile became a little stiff, and Wang Erzhu changed his sitting position uneasily. After Deputy Director Li and Director Wang exchanged opinions in a low voice, they announced a recess for discussion.
In the end, the meeting did not make a decision on the spot, but Gu Qiuyue could see from Director Wang's encouraging eyes that the situation had turned around.
Walking out of the factory building, the bright summer sun shone down on her body, bringing a bit of heat. Zhang Xiumei breathed a sigh of relief: "Qiuyue, you are amazing! I was so nervous just now. That call came at the perfect time."
Gu Qiuyue smiled slightly. "Thanks to Shi Yu for preparing the information for us in advance. But Sister Xiumei, this matter is not over yet. Yuanda will not give up easily. Wang Erzhu knows us so well, he must have a backup plan."
The two returned to the family compound, and before they entered the workshop, they heard a quarrel not far away.
"You're running around like crazy every day. What kind of person is that? You don't even care about your family anymore. Your husband trains all day, and when he comes home he can't even have a hot meal. What did I marry you for?!" Wu Xiaohua's mother-in-law's loud voice could be heard clearly from a long distance away. "A woman isn't at home taking care of her husband and children, but is always out in the public eye. It's bringing shame to our Zhao family!"
Wu Xiaohua stood aside, her eyes red, but she stubbornly bit her lips and refused to bow her head. Several neighbors tried to persuade her, but the old lady became more and more excited, and her fingers almost poked her daughter-in-law in the face.
More and more people gathered around, some showed sympathy, while others did not take it seriously. It was obvious that this dispute had touched upon similar conflicts in many families.
Gu Qiuyue and Zhang Xiumei looked at each other, and their relaxed mood sank again.
It seems that after solving the external troubles, internal troubles have arisen again. This entrepreneurial journey is much more difficult than imagined.
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