Chapter 332 Pretending to be a Returning Businessman in a Historical Novel (5)
The next morning, just after Zhou Jue had finished breakfast, a green jeep pulled up right on time in front of the Friendship Guesthouse.
Director Li and Section Chief Zhang came over in person, their faces beaming with even warmer smiles than yesterday.
"Miss Zhou, did you rest well?"
"Very good, thank you for your concern." Zhou Jue carried her leather handbag, wearing a neat suit trousers with a white shirt and a light trench coat, looking both capable and stylish.
"That's good, that's good." Director Li opened the car door for her with great enthusiasm: "The car is ready. Today we'll go to the silk reeling factory in Hongxing Commune first. That's the old foundation of Yancheng's silk products."
Section Chief Zhang also sat down in the front row and turned around to say, "The factory director and technicians are all waiting. They didn't sleep well all night when they heard you were coming."
Zhou Jue smiled but didn't reply.
As the jeep drove out of the city, the road gradually became bumpy.
The view outside the car window changed from gray buildings to rolling fields and scattered villages.
More than an hour later, the car stopped at the gate of a compound with a sign that read "Red Star Commune Silk Reeling Factory".
Before the car had even come to a complete stop, a group of people in blue overalls surrounded it.
The leader was an elderly man with gray hair but a vigorous spirit. When he saw Director Li get out of the car, he immediately shook his hand.
"Director Li! We've been waiting for you!"
His gaze quickly passed over Director Li and landed on Zhou Jue, who was getting off the bus behind him. His eyes held curiosity, anticipation, and a hint of barely perceptible nervousness.
"This must be Miss Zhou, right?"
"Hello, factory manager, I'm Zhou Jue." Zhou Jue extended his hand proactively.
The old factory director was stunned for a moment, then quickly wiped his hands on his clothes before cautiously shaking her hand.
"Welcome, welcome! Ms. Zhou, welcome to our factory for guidance!"
Surrounded by the factory director and a group of technical experts, Zhou Jue entered the factory building.
A wave of heat, a mixture of the fishy smell of silkworm cocoons, the grease from machinery, and the steam, hit me.
The deafening roar made people's ears ring.
The female workers stood in front of rows of steaming machines, their hands flying in the water, pulling out the silk threads from the cocoons and gathering them into silk threads.
Their movements were quick, yet they possessed a mechanical quality developed over many years.
Zhou Jue's gaze swept over the old, peeling machines, over the dim light bulbs on the workshop ceiling, and over the slippery water stains on the ground.
She didn't speak, but listened quietly as the factory director, in an almost shouting voice, introduced the factory's glorious history and production situation.
"The raw silk produced by our factory is absolutely top-notch in the province! We exceed the national targets every year!" The factory director patted his chest, his face full of pride.
Section Chief Zhang chimed in, "Yes, Miss Zhou, our mulberry silk here is a long-standing tradition, and the quality is guaranteed!"
After touring the workshop, the group arrived at a simple conference room.
Several enamel mugs were placed on the table, filled with freshly brewed tea, the tea leaves bobbing up and down in the water.
The old factory director solemnly pushed a yellowed report in front of Zhou Jue.
"Ms. Zhou, here are our output and yield rates from last year. Please take a look."
Director Li and Section Chief Zhang both held their breath, their eyes fixed on Zhou Jue.
This is a crucial first step.
Zhou Jue didn't look at the report. She picked up her teacup, blew on it gently, and looked at the old factory director.
"Factory manager, may I ask you a few questions?"
"Ask away! Ask away!"
"Just now in the workshop, I noticed that the three process areas—from boiling cocoons to reeling silk and then spinning it into strands—are separate and quite far apart. Workers have to push carts back and forth to move the silk, right?"
The old factory director was taken aback: "Yes...yes, that's how the factory was originally built."
"How much time will be wasted in the process? Have you calculated it?" Zhou Jue's voice was calm.
A bead of sweat trickled down the old factory director's forehead.
He hadn't really thought about that question.
Zhou Jue didn't wait for his answer and continued, "And your products, from your introduction, are mainly raw silk materials, right?"
"Yes, we mainly supply raw materials to the upper-level textile factories."
"Have you ever thought about making some finished products yourself?" Zhou Jue put down his teacup. "For example, combining our local embroidery techniques to make scarves, handkerchiefs, or even clothing?"
"Make the finished product yourself?" The old factory director and the technicians present were stunned.
How...how is this possible?
They're just a raw material factory; they don't have the technology and equipment.
“Miss Zhou, this…” Section Chief Zhang couldn’t help but say, “Our factory’s equipment is all old-fashioned and can’t make such delicate things.”
"Equipment can be replaced, technology can be learned, but people are the most important."
Zhou Jue stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the busy workers in the factory area.
"What I see is that you have the most skilled industrial workers, which is your most valuable asset."
She turned around, her gaze sweeping over every bewildered face in the conference room.
"The unreasonable layout of the factory has led to low production efficiency."
"With a single product line, we can only stay at the bottom of the industrial chain, resulting in meager profits."
"The management model is rigid, lacks market awareness, and the enthusiasm of workers has not been fully mobilized."
With each word she spoke, the faces of everyone present grew paler. The old factory director's lips trembled; he wanted to retort, but couldn't utter a single word.
Because everything Zhou Jue said was true.
Director Li's heart sank. It was all over. This first step was going to be a disaster. Could the investment and factory construction still proceed?
Zhou Jue then changed the subject, his tone softening.
"However, these problems also mean enormous potential."
She sat down again, leaning slightly forward.
"What if we redesign the factory and introduce automated production lines to improve production efficiency?"
"What if we established our own design department and developed silk products that cater to international market trends, thereby increasing the added value of our products?"
"What if we establish modern management and incentive systems that motivate every worker to work hard for their own income?"
The conference room was silent; everyone was stunned into a blank mind by the blueprint she had drawn.
"Smack!"
Director Li slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly, his face flushed red with excitement.
"Great! That's very well said!"
He looked at Zhou Jue with genuine admiration and longing in his eyes. He knew that since Miss Zhou dared to say these things, it meant that she had seen them and could even do them. This was an opportunity!
"Miss Zhou! We...we...we never even dared to imagine what you've said!"
Section Chief Zhang's hand holding the pen was trembling slightly; the notebook was already filled with densely packed words.
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