Chapter 216: Trading Life for Foreign Exchange
The merchants' eyes lit up and they came forward to ask for details.
Jiang Haitang answered the questions calmly one by one, occasionally picking up a pen and paper to write and draw, as professional as a senior engineer.
Zheng Kaihe looked at this scene and breathed a long sigh of relief. Then he remembered that there was still a translation problem that had not been solved. He planned to go to the post office to call the factory later.
In the next few days, Jiang Haitang became a "star" at the Canton Fair.
During the day, she helped translate and explain technology at the machinery factory booth, and at night she rushed back to the textile factory booth to organize samples and check orders. She only slept four or five hours a day and was almost going crazy from being busy.
That afternoon, she had just signed an additional order for the machinery factory and was about to return to the textile factory when she suddenly felt dizzy.
She held onto the edge of the booth, her fingertips trembling slightly, and the loom in front of her began to blur.
"Mr. Jiang, why do you look so bad?" Zheng Kaihe happened to see it and quickly handed him a glass of water. "Are you exhausted? I'll ask Xiao Zhou to take you back to the guesthouse to rest."
Jiang Haitang shook her head and was about to speak when her stomach churned.
She waved her hand: "It's okay, maybe I'm a little uncomfortable with the climate. I'll just go wash my face."
But just as she reached the bathroom door, her legs went weak and she almost fell. Fortunately, Kang Xiaoxia came and supported her.
"Oh my God!" Kang Xiaoxia looked at her pale face, angry and anxious, "You are exchanging your life for foreign currency!"
She half-supported and half-helped Jiang Haitang as they walked back, muttering to herself, "Look at you, your eyes are almost as dark as a panda's! You have to rest today no matter what. I'll keep an eye on the textile factory for you. If the machinery factory dares to call for you again, I'll tear apart Zheng Kaihe's abacus beads!"
Jiang Haitang leaned on her shoulder and smiled weakly: "Don't blame Director Zheng. I'm also an employee of the machinery factory. Isn't it my duty to do something?"
"Is money more important or foreign exchange more important?" Kang Xiaoxia slapped her in annoyance.
"Maybe I just forgot to eat breakfast." Jiang Haitang suspected that she had hypoglycemia.
Kang Xiaoxia sighed and took out an oil-paper bag from her bag: "Luckily I brought you some candy. Eat something quick to fill your stomach."
The sweetness of the sugar bag spread on the tip of her tongue, and Jiang Haitang's strength slowly recovered.
"Let's go back. The booth must be empty."
"Can't you just take a break? The machinery factory not only exceeded its export targets, but also established long-term cooperative relationships with many countries. Even if you don't take care of it now, it won't be a big problem."
Jiang Haitang smiled and said, "The translator from the machinery factory will be in place tonight, so I won't have to run back and forth like this."
Not wanting to be criticized by Kang Xiaoxia any further, Jiang Haitang quickly changed the subject: "Xiaoxia, have you felt... that it seems particularly quiet these past few days?"
Kang Xiaoxia was stunned for a moment, then realized: "You mean Yuecheng?"
"Yeah! Yuecheng is too peaceful, which is actually not right." Jiang Haitang lowered her voice.
"Zhao Kai said that Big Brother Lu asked someone to say hello, and there are special people watching them. I guess they won't have a chance to get close."
Jiang Haitang felt a warm feeling in her heart. Lu Liangchen was always like this, not saying much but arranging everything perfectly.
After regaining some strength, Jiang Haitang returned to work.
Just at this moment, Wu Huiting came.
"Haitang, why do you look so bad?" Wu Huiting was shocked when she saw Jiang Haitang's face as pale as paper.
Wu Huiting wore a beige suit today, which made her stand out in the guesthouse filled with blue, gray and black. However, she did not wear any jewelry. As businessmen, foreign businessmen followed the local customs and kept a low profile tacitly, in keeping with the country.
Jiang Haitang thanked him with a smile, poured a cup of tea and handed it to him: "I thought you wouldn't come to this Canton Fair."
"Something delayed me, and since I was going to talk to you anyway, there was no point in coming earlier, so I waited a few days. Your blended woolen material is better than last year. My garment factory has ordered 200 coats made of this material."
Jiang Haitang's eyes lit up. "We just installed a new machine. The yarn is more uniform, and the coats we make are crisp and breathable."
"That's great, I'll sign the contract soon."
As she spoke, she was surprised to see Jiang Haitang neatly stacking a pile of wool sweaters and nylon socks in the most conspicuous position of the booth.
"Haitang, when will you be able to produce nylon socks? Aren't you mainly promoting blended woolen materials?"
"Just recently, we set up a new sock workshop." Jiang Haitang smiled and picked up a pair of socks to show Wu Huiting.
Wu Huiting touched the soft socks and said, "These socks are really good quality."
"Would you like to consider it?"
Wu Huiting shook her head. "I only process clothing, so I don't need socks. However, I have a friend arriving tomorrow who might need some. I'll recommend some to him then. He's also very interested in your sweaters. If he takes a liking to them, I believe they'll bring you good profits."
"Thank you for your support!" Jiang Haitang thanked him sincerely.
"There's no need to be so polite between you and me. Haitang, are you really not going to consider following me to Hong Kong for development? The development in Hong Kong is indeed much better than here."
Jiang Haitang shook her head. "I love my current job, and I hope to contribute to the development of my country in the future."
Wu Huiting pinched the socks and said, "You're very creative. These socks must have used a unique reinforcement process, right? They're much more wear-resistant than the socks currently on the market."
Jiang Haitang smiled and said, "Did you discover this? It's true. The wear resistance has increased threefold, but the cost has only increased by 10%."
While the two were talking, someone happened to pass by. When he heard Jiang Haitang say that the wear resistance had increased three times, he couldn't help but stop.
Wu Huiting said, "Yes, I believe these socks will have a great market."
"Thank you for your good wishes."
"When you're done, let's go have a meal together. I don't plan to stay long this time. I'll be leaving in two or three days."
"Is it that urgent?"
"Yes, my factory is expanding and I need to keep an eye on it all the time. I'm worried if I leave for too long."
"I wish your business will prosper." Jiang Haitang offered his blessing politely.
"Haitang, the domestic textile industry is currently focusing on developing production technology for chemical fiber raw materials. Your factory should also develop in this direction. However, you missed the first batch of base construction, which will cause your development to lag behind."
Jiang Haitang didn't expect that a Hong Kong businessman would say these things to her.
"This is a unified arrangement made by the state. However, thank you for your reminder. We will actively strive for it." Some things cannot be said too bluntly.
"I believe you can do it. I hope we can have new cooperation in chemical fiber fabrics in the future."
"That day will definitely come." Jiang Haitang didn't know whether she was saying this to Wu Huiting or to herself, but she did have this idea.
Wu Huiting looked at the light in her eyes and suddenly sighed, "Honestly, Haitang, if you're willing to develop in Hong Kong, I'll offer you a salary ten times higher than your current salary. The market there is huge, and there are many opportunities."
Jiang Haitang shook her head, her smile gentle but firm. "No, I still feel more at ease in China. As you know, our country's textile industry has a weak foundation and needs people to catch up. I want to stay in the factory and watch our own fabrics catch up with international standards step by step."
Wu Huiting left Jiang Haitang two books on chemical fiber fabric research. "I guess you're interested in these two books, so I brought them here especially for you."
Jiang Haitang thanked him happily, she really needed to master this knowledge.
Wu Huiting smiled and said, "Why are you being so polite to me? Oh, by the way, I know a friend who's in the general merchandise business. He'll be arriving tomorrow. Should I ask him to come over and take a look at your socks?"
"Thank you so much!"
After seeing Wu Huiting off, Jiang Haitang fell into deep thought.
In early 1973, the country began to plan the construction of the first phase of the "Shanghai Petrochemical General Plant", the first large-scale petrochemical fiber raw material base; in September of the same year, the "Sichuan Vinylon Plant", a large-scale chemical and chemical fiber joint venture for the production of vinylon, was planned to be built in Sichuan. It mainly produces acetylene, makes vinyl acetate, and then polymerizes it into polyvinyl alcohol.
In August last year, Liaoyang Petrochemical Fiber Corporation broke ground for construction, using petroleum as raw material and adopting a process route mainly focusing on extracting aromatics.
In the next few years, projects such as Tianjin Petrochemical Fiber General Plant and Shanghai Petrochemical General Plant began construction. After these plants were officially completed and put into production, production lines for ethylene, propylene, aromatics and other products would be opened, greatly improving the technical level and self-sufficiency of chemical fiber raw material production.
With the rapid development of these factories, the remaining textile mills will be at a disadvantage for a period of time.
According to the trajectory of the previous life, once chemical fiber raw materials are sufficient, traditional textile factories will be in trouble if they do not transform.
Jincheng Textile Factory did miss the construction of the first batch of chemical fiber bases, but it may not be without opportunities.
The country will also approve the second and third batches of chemical fiber projects in succession. If Jincheng Textile Factory can get one of them, it will be able to turn the situation around.
However, the most important thing now is to secure the orders from the Canton Fair.
Just as I was thinking about it, a tall foreign businessman came over. He picked up a pair of nylon socks and examined them carefully, then touched the texture of the wool sweater. He asked in English, "Beautiful Chinese lady, can you introduce these products to me?"
Jiang Haitang immediately perked up, smiled, and replied in fluent English, "Sir, look at the diamond pattern on the sole of these socks. They're made with double-stranded reinforced yarn, making them three times more wear-resistant than ordinary socks. The wool sweater is made of 32-count combed yarn, and the shrinkage rate is controlled within 3%..."
She introduced the product very seriously and the other party was obviously satisfied.
"Excuse me, how much do these goods cost?"
"Nylon socks are twelve dollars a dozen, and wool sweaters are eighteen dollars a piece. Discounts are available for larger quantities."
The merchants listened very carefully, picking up socks and sweaters from time to time to look at them.
"I need 5,000 dozen socks and 3,000 wool sweaters, but the price must be 10% lower than the quotation."
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