Chapter 68 A New Milestone
The next day, the sun shone brightly in the courtyard. Jiang Suining had rested for a night and had recovered most of her energy.
She went to the neighboring regimental commander's house before breakfast. The regimental commander's wife was very welcoming to her.
Jiang Suining presented the gifts: an elegant silk scarf and a bottle of French brandy for the regimental commander. "Sister-in-law, this is a small token of my appreciation. Thank you for taking care of me when I was at the labor protection factory, and thank you, Commander Zhang, for your support of Lu Ye."
Even though Sister-in-law Lian couldn't refuse, she accepted the gifts. Looking at the exquisite silk scarf and the foreign liquor, she exclaimed, "Xiao Jiang, you're a celebrity on our island now! You've become successful and still remember your old colleagues. This sentiment is more precious than any gift!" Her attitude was even warmer and more respectful than before.
Afraid of delaying her sister-in-law's work, she only sat for a short while, briefly talked about some interesting things abroad and the situation at the fashion show, before getting up to say goodbye.
Next, she went to the seaweed farm to find Zhuang Hongjuan.
When Zhuang Hongjuan saw her, she was so happy that she rushed over and hugged her: "You're finally back! Tell me, what's it like abroad?"
"Oh my! This is too precious!" Zhuang Hongjuan waved her hands quickly as she looked at the exquisite doll and music box she had never seen before.
"It's for the child, it's nothing much." Jiang Suining stuffed it into her hand, and then took out a gift for Zhuang Hongjuan herself: a bottle of French perfume with a light floral scent. "Keep this, and dress yourself up every now and then."
Zhuang Hongjuan held the gift, her eyes slightly red, and nodded vigorously: "Sui Sui, thank you for always thinking of us, mother and daughter."
"Look at what you're saying. Speaking of which, we're from the same hometown, both from Jiangcheng." Jiang Suining shook her hand.
After leaving the farm, Jiang Suining went to the military unit where Lü Aiguo worked. She asked the soldier on guard at the gate to pass on a message, and the two finally met.
"Senior sister, you've returned in triumph!" Lu Aiguo joked with a smile.
"Come on." Jiang Suining smiled and handed him a paper bag. "Here you go, a Montblanc fountain pen and a few original architectural theory books. They're probably hard to find in China. I hope they'll be helpful for your research."
Lu Aiguo took the book and his eyes lit up when he saw the classic black fountain pen and the thick original book. He was so happy with it that he exclaimed, "You really understand me, Senior Sister! This gift is so touching!" For these two people who have memories of the future, it was a gift more precious than any luxury item.
Finally, Jiang Suining returned to Haifeng Company.
When the employees saw her, they excitedly surrounded her. She asked Xiao Wu to help distribute the several large boxes of beautifully packaged French chocolates and some postcards with Fontainebleau scenery to each colleague.
"This is just a small token of my appreciation. Thank you all for staying at your posts while I was abroad. You've worked so hard!" Jiang Suining said sincerely. "We'll give everyone bonuses once our next batch of foreign trade orders are secured!"
Cheers and shouts of gratitude erupted in the office. The chocolates were sweet, the postcards were fascinating, and the boss's concern and promises warmed everyone's hearts.
Sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating the smiling faces of everyone. Jiang Suining looked at all of this, her heart filled with peace and satisfaction.
***
Before the lingering charm of Fontainebleau had fully dissipated in the sea breeze of Nan'ao Island, a real wave of commerce had already surged in.
Just as Jiang Suining had predicted, the halo effect brought by the international fashion week was enormous. First, good news came from Mr. Jean Renoir that the number of orders had increased. Although the number was not earth-shattering, it had opened a solid channel to the Western market for "Haifeng".
Immediately afterwards, seemingly overnight, telegrams, phone calls, and even purchasing agents from department stores and trading companies in major cities across the country flocked to this once remote island like migratory birds.
The rudimentary "Haifeng" office and the three production lines of the labor protection factory that were originally contracted were instantly pushed to their limits.
The sewing machines in the workshop kept running day and night, and the workers worked in shifts, but they still couldn't keep up with the snowflakes of orders pouring in.
The warehouse, which had been well stocked with specialty fabrics such as "Haiguang Silk," quickly ran out, and the emergency communication phone lines with textile factories kept ringing.
Jiang Suining stood at the entrance of the noisy workshop, looking at the bustling scene inside. She felt both happy and worried. She was happy that her business was experiencing explosive growth, but worried that the existing production capacity and structure could no longer support such rapid development.
"At the labor protection factory, three production lines are already at their limit; there's no room for expansion." Liu Hong, with her pregnant belly and tired face, but still sharp eyes, was in charge of production coordination and knew best about the current predicament.
Jiang Suining tapped her finger lightly on the table, thinking of another state-owned garment factory on the island that was larger in scale but not doing so well: "Nan'ao Island Garment Factory, let's talk to them, contract it out, or form a joint venture, and make use of their production lines and skilled workers."
This decision was bold, but not impossible. After all, the labor protection factory initially agreed to cooperate with her because they couldn't pay wages.
Meanwhile, Jiang Suining once again stepped through the bank's doors. This time, she was no longer the self-employed individual who needed to carefully articulate her dreams, but a star entrepreneur carrying international orders, letters of intent from distributors nationwide, and the halo of being a key enterprise supported by the municipal government.
She was received by the branch manager himself, who was very welcoming and made the process exceptionally smooth. Jiang Suining paid off her previous small loans ahead of schedule, demonstrating her good credit, and then submitted a detailed expansion plan based on international orders and domestic market feedback, along with a loan application.
"Manager Jiang, no, General Manager Jiang, we understand your situation. The city has already spoken to you; 'Haifeng' is a model of reform and opening up in our city, and we must support you!" The bank manager smiled as he signed the application. "The funds will be in place as soon as possible. We hope you seize this opportunity and reach even greater heights!"
With the huge loan approved smoothly, Jiang Suining didn't catch her breath and immediately began negotiations with the state-owned garment factory.
The negotiation process was not smooth sailing, involving many thorny issues such as personnel placement, equipment evaluation, and management model. Finally, with the coordination of the municipal government in consideration of protecting local enterprises and promoting employment, the main production line of the factory was successfully contracted under relatively reasonable conditions, and most of the skilled workers who were willing to stay were accepted.
The first step in capacity expansion has been taken steadily.
The success of the "Breath of the Sea" series is certainly due to the ingenuity of master craftsmen like Zhong Tailor and Grandma Su, but the core concept and overall planning were all created by her alone.
With the business volume surging and the product line needing to be diversified, it is necessary to maintain the unique oriental aesthetic of "Haifeng" while also meeting the needs of different markets. Relying solely on her drawing skills will eventually lead to a lack of inspiration and make it impossible to form a sustainable brand competitiveness.
She needs her own design team.
This idea was quite ahead of its time in the early 1980s, when most garment factories were still stuck in the production model of copying designs and had little concept of "designers".
Jiang Suining thought of the power of the media again, and she contacted Su Qing from the city TV station and Lao Chen from the Nan'ao Island Daily.
"Reporter Su, Reporter Chen, I have to trouble you again." Jiang Suining laid out her thoughts: "'Haifeng' can't develop by relying on me alone working behind closed doors. We need to attract more talented and creative designers, regardless of their style or background, and even some artisans with special traditional skills."
Su Qing and Lao Chen are now close partners and friends of "Haifeng", and they immediately expressed their support upon hearing this.
"This is great! It's a chance to build our own design capabilities!" Su Qing said excitedly. "I can highlight your recruitment plan in our upcoming feature report, targeting the entire city and even the whole province!"
Old Chen stroked his chin, his thoughts expanding further: "Recruiting only on this island is too limited. I have friends in the provincial newspaper and newspapers in several other cities. I can send the job postings there. With the policies relaxed now, talent mobility is much more active than before. Maybe we can really attract some top talent!"
Soon, notices about "Haifeng Commerce and Trade sincerely recruiting designers and traditional craftsmen" spread throughout Nan'ao Island through television screens and newspapers, and radiated to the surrounding cities.
The announcement specifically mentioned the success of "Breath of the Sea" in Fontainebleau and "Haifeng's" commitment to integrating Eastern aesthetics with modern design, which is undoubtedly very attractive to many design enthusiasts and craftsmen who have dreams but no way out.
Just as Jiang Suining had hoped, the "casting a wide net" approach yielded remarkable results.
Over the next two weeks, applicants came in droves. Some were middle-aged people who had graduated from arts and crafts colleges; some were experienced but constrained veteran technicians who had worked in state-owned garment factories for more than ten years; and some even came from other places because they had seen reports about the Fontainebleau Fashion Week and were drawn to Jiang Suining’s design concepts.
Jiang Suining personally served as the chief interviewer. She did not set rigid test questions, but instead talked with the applicants to understand their aesthetic preferences, understanding of clothing, views on the "Haifeng" concept, and practical skills.
She selected Zhou Xiaoyun, a young girl skilled in meticulous flower-and-bird painting with an exceptional sensitivity to color, whose brushstrokes could depict the elegance of the East; Zhao Gong, a middle-aged designer who had worked in a Shanghai garment factory and had extensive knowledge of Western silhouettes and three-dimensional tailoring, who could compensate for the team's structural shortcomings; Qian, a retired cultural center cadre with in-depth research on ethnic minority costumes and patterns, who could bring rich ethnic cultural nourishment; and three other young designers, each with their own focus but all possessing a solid foundation and innovative spirit.
Moreover, the recruitment also attracted some special talents, including Wenxiu, a young embroiderer from the water towns of Jiangnan who is skilled in Suzhou embroidery. Her needlework is delicate and skillful, no less than that of Grandma Su; and Master Jin, a craftsman whose family has been silversmiths for generations and who can create exquisite metal accessories.
Ultimately, six designers with different backgrounds, ages, and areas of expertise, along with Wenxiu and Master Jin, formed the core design and craftsmanship team for the initial establishment of "Haifeng".
"Welcome everyone to 'Haifeng'!" Jiang Suining stood in front of a simple whiteboard, her gaze sweeping over each new member. "I know that you come from different places and have different experiences and ideas. Here, I don't want to set any rules for you. My only requirement is that you maintain your pursuit of beauty, respect our cultural roots, dare to innovate, and also have reverence for craftsmanship."
She turned around and wrote the eight characters "Inheritance, Innovation, Integration, Craftsmanship" on the whiteboard.
"Our goal is not just to produce clothes, but to create a contemporary fashion language that belongs to us Chinese. 'Breath of the Sea' is a beginning. In the future, we also have 'Soul of the Mountain', 'Whispers of the Wind'... We want the world to see that the beauty of the East is endless."
Her words were like pebbles thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples in the hearts of the new team members. They saw in this young female boss a broad vision and unwavering belief unlike any other organization they had ever worked with.
***
The spring breeze of 1981, carrying warmth and the damp scent of sea salt, swept across the entire Nan'ao Island.
The afterglow of the Spring Festival has not yet completely dissipated, and orders are pouring in from all over the country.
The newly formed design team is showing its talent, with several sketches of the autumn new products that blend the artistic conception of traditional ink painting with modern clean lines, giving Jiang Suining a glimpse of richer possibilities for the brand's future.
After the contract was signed, the production line of the Nan'ao Island Garment Factory ran day and night, operating simultaneously with the three-day production line of the Labor Protection Factory, producing day and night.
Jiang Suining sat in her bright and clean new office, her fingertips tracing a draft of a newly prepared, substantial foreign trade contract, a subtle smile playing on her lips.
The phone rang urgently, interrupting her thoughts. Zhao Zhenhai's hoarse but excited voice came from the other end of the line: "Manager Jiang, everything's basically settled here! The refrigeration system's linkage debugging is scheduled for tomorrow morning. We're just waiting for the tide level to rise!"
"Okay, I'll be right there." Jiang Suining put down the phone briskly, quickly signed the several urgent documents in her hand, instructed Wu Yue to keep an eye on the progress of the new sample garment, grabbed her coat and canvas bag, and walked out with a brisk pace.
The jeep bumped along the newly paved gravel road on the island. On one side was a bustling town full of life, and on the other side was a natural landscape of reefs and waves crashing on the shore.
As soon as the car came to a stop at the edge of the Black Stone Bay construction site, the distinctive smell of the sea, cement, and metal oil hit us.
Zhao Zhenhai was standing on a temporary scaffold, gesturing to several workers below and giving loud instructions on securing the final pipeline. His lean frame was wrapped in oil-stained work clothes, and his brows showed the focus and tenacity unique to technical workers.
Master Chen Yongqiang was half-squatting in front of the control cabinet, with various tools scattered around him. He had a piece of chalk tucked behind his ear and a multimeter in his hand. He was measuring and recording the dense circuit diagram bit by bit. His gray hair trembled slightly in the sea breeze. His focus was as if he were performing a precise surgical operation.
"Manager Jiang!" Zhao Zhenhai, with his sharp eyes, spotted her and nimbly stepped off the overpass, wiping the sweat from his brow. "You've come at the right time. Most of the tough issues have been resolved. Now we just need to wait for the water and electricity to be connected tomorrow to see if this big guy can run smoothly."
"Engineer Zhao, Master Chen, thank you for your hard work." Jiang Suining strode forward, her gaze sweeping over the winding silver pipes, thick cables, and complex control panels flashing indicator lights. "Is all the preparation work in place? Have you found any potential problems?"
Hearing this, Chen Yongqiang looked up, pushed up his reading glasses that had slipped down to the bridge of his nose, and frowned slightly as usual: "The main body, Lao Zhao and I have checked it several times, and it should be fine. It's just that the control signal still jumps occasionally and is not very stable. Before Engineer Lü returned to the army, he specifically instructed that if this problem is not completely solved, it's like putting a weak rein on a wild animal, and it may cause problems at critical moments."
It was a signal problem again. Jiang Suining's heart sank slightly. Lü Aiguo had also been busy lately and hadn't had time to come to the construction site to check. The team had lost a capable assistant who was proficient in automatic control, which also cast an uncertain shadow over this final debugging.
She paused for a moment, her voice low but carrying an undeniable decisiveness: "There can be no room for complacency. Engineer Zhao, Master Chen, tonight we must organize all our manpower and concentrate our efforts to thoroughly investigate all lines, especially the interfaces, shielding, and grounding of signal lines. If we need more manpower or special testing equipment, I will coordinate immediately."
"Understood!" Zhao Zhenhai's stubbornness was completely ignited. "Manager Jiang, don't worry! I'll take some people right away and go through all the cable trenches again, open every junction box and tighten it again! Even if we have to turn this rocky beach upside down, we'll find this damn problem!"
Night fell quickly, swallowing the last rays of the sunset between the sea and the sky. At the Blackstone Bay construction site, several high-powered tungsten iodine lamps were set up, illuminating the area around the warehouse as bright as day. The lights attracted unknown small flying insects that buzzed and hovered around, further highlighting the busy and focused figures of the workers.
Zhao Zhenhai led a few young men from the electrician team and jumped directly into the somewhat damp cable trench. With flashlights in hand, they measured the resistance section by section and rewrapped the joints they thought might be unreliable with insulating tape. Sweat mixed with mud covered their work clothes.
Chen Yongqiang sat in the temporary control room, looking at the blueprints and instruments, directing the workers outside to simulate sending various commands, and carefully observing every subtle fluctuation of the signal on the screen, trying to locate the fault.
Jiang Suining did not remain uninvolved. She stayed in the makeshift shed that served as both office and rest area, reviewing Haifeng's marketing plan for the next quarter under the dim light.
Time ticked by in the tense wait, until the moon was high in the sky and the sound of the tide became clearer. Suddenly, a commotion mixed with exhaustion and extreme excitement came from outside!
The door to the work shed was pushed open with a bang, and Zhao Zhenhai stormed in, covered in mud and reeking of sweat, but his face was beaming with the smugness of someone who had won a battle: "Found it! You bastard, you hid it really well! It's that transition junction box buried in the crevice of the rocks before the main control line enters the warehouse! Damn it, the waterproof sealant wasn't applied evenly, and moisture seeped in, oxidizing the copper cores of several terminals inside, causing poor contact!"
Chen Yongqiang, who was following behind him, also breathed a sigh of relief, and the deep wrinkles on his face smoothed out: "We cleaned the contacts again, did triple waterproof sealing, and just did a half-hour simulation test. The signal is as stable as if it were nailed down!"
Jiang Suining's tense shoulders instantly relaxed, and a huge wave of exhaustion and even greater relief swept over her at the same time.
She stood up and said sincerely, "That's great! Engineer Zhao, Master Chen, and every worker outside, thank you for your hard work! I'll have the canteen send over some hot ginger soup and meat buns right away. Everyone eat and drink your fill, and take a few hours to rest! Tomorrow, we'll fight the last tough battle!"
The next day, before dawn, the sea was just beginning to lighten with the pale glow of a fish's belly.
The crucial moment for joint commissioning finally arrived. Not only were all the personnel on the construction site on high alert, but the director of the island management committee, relevant leaders from the municipal light industry bureau and science and technology commission, as well as several local officials who had been paying attention to this novel project, also arrived at the scene early.
A crowd had gathered around the control shed, talking in hushed tones, their eyes fixed on the heavy, insulated door that was about to open. The atmosphere was solemn yet enthusiastic, as if they were waiting for the unveiling of a new era.
Jiang Suining stood in the control booth, side by side with Zhao Zhenhai and Chen Yongqiang. Her heart was beating a little fast, but she deliberately kept her breathing steady. Her gaze swept over the instruments whose pointers were constantly fluctuating, and finally settled on the curve representing the temperature inside the warehouse that had not yet been started.
"Report! The tide level has reached the predetermined height!"
"Open the inlet gate!"
"Start the No. 1 turbine!"
As Zhao Zhenhai gave his calm and powerful command, like a captain issuing orders, the familiar sound of water surging roared up again. The water turbine power generation system, modified with phosphate coating technology and a multi-maze sealing structure, began to rotate steadily, continuously converting the ocean's eternal kinetic energy into electricity that drives everything.
"Power generation is stable, and output is normal!"
"Start the main refrigeration compressor unit!"
A deeper, more powerful roar arose as the large refrigeration compressor began to work, and powerful refrigerant was forced into the winding pipe system.
At this moment, everyone's heart was in their throat. The control room was completely silent, with only the sound of machines running and the accompaniment of waves. Countless eyes were fixed on the screen that was slowly drawing the temperature curve.
-5℃, -10℃, -15℃...
"The temperature inside the warehouse continues to drop evenly, with the maximum temperature difference between the east and west zones being less than 0.5 degrees Celsius, which meets the design requirements!"
"The evaporator is frosting evenly, and the pressure at all monitoring points on the pipeline is normal!"
"All feedback signals from the control system are clear and stable!"
One by one, the key data points were clearly and excitedly reported by the monitoring staff, each sound like a heavy hammer blow, shattering the last remaining doubts.
Outside the control shed, the leaders wore relieved and appreciative smiles, and began to exchange affirmative opinions in hushed tones. The workers clenched their fists, their eyes filled with excitement and pride.
When the pointer of the thermometer inside the warehouse finally settled steadily at the preset -18℃ mark, and remained unchanged for the next hour without any fluctuation, the pent-up emotions burst forth like a flood breaking through a dam!
"Good heavens! We actually managed to get this huge thing done!"
The workers could no longer contain themselves, cheering and jumping for joy. Some of the older, more experienced workers even turned away and used their rough hands to wipe away tears of hardship and joy from the corners of their eyes.
Contrary to his usual seriousness, Zhao Zhenhai opened his arms and gave Chen Yongqiang, who was also flushed with excitement, a tight hug, patting him hard on the back.
Jiang Suining slowly walked out of the control shed. The warm and bright spring sunshine instantly enveloped her, dispelling the last trace of gloom that had been weighing on her heart for days.
"Comrade Jiang Suining! Congratulations! On behalf of the Management Committee, I extend my warmest congratulations to you and all the comrades who participated in the construction!" The Director of the Management Committee walked forward with a beaming face and shook her hand firmly. "The success of this cold storage is not only a milestone in your personal career, but also an extremely successful exploration and practice for Nan'ao Island, and even the whole city, in the utilization of new energy and the integration of technological innovation with the real economy! It is of great significance!"
"Thank you for your recognition and support, Director!" Jiang Suining responded with a smile, her tone humble yet firm. "This is the result of the joint efforts of the entire team, and it is also inseparable from the favorable policy environment created by leaders at all levels. We have only taken the first step. The real test is how to operate it well and make it truly play a role in the economic development of the island and the increase of income for the villagers."
With the completion of the cold storage facility, she knew that her era had entered a new milestone.
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