Yu Wan's situation was completely unknown to Li Jin, whose mind was entirely occupied by the busy affairs of the shop. The shop was extremely busy, with customers coming and going in a constant stream, and Li Jin was as busy as a spinning top, having no time to pay attention to anything else.
However, Li Jin knew in her heart that she needed to hire more shop assistants. Without hesitation, she picked up a pen and wrote down the job information on a piece of paper, detailing the job duties, requirements, and benefits.
At the same time, Li Jin did not forget her other important plan—to open a factory. She knew that the factory could not be located in the city center, not only because of the high costs but also because of the inconvenient transportation. So, during this period, she frequently went to the suburbs, looking for a suitable factory site.
After learning about Li Jin's idea, Yu Zhenzhen was full of confidence and expectations for her daughter's career, and she expressed her full support without hesitation. Although Yu Zhenzhen herself was also very busy with work, she still felt sorry for her daughter who was so tired every day.
To make it easier for Li Jin to get around, Yu Zhenzhen offered to let her daughter use her car. However, Li Jin firmly refused her mother's offer. She knew that if someone with ulterior motives found out, Yu Zhenzhen would definitely be punished. Therefore, she preferred to take the bus or ride a bicycle, tirelessly inquiring about suitable factory locations.
A month has passed, and Li Jin looks at his detailed records of the area, rent, surrounding environment, and transportation conditions of each factory. Some locations are in good places, but the rent is too expensive, exceeding Li Jin's budget; others have reasonable rents, but are too remote, making it difficult to transport raw materials and for workers to commute.
One day, she heard about an abandoned textile factory that was supposedly being sold at a low price. Li Jin and Yu Zhenzhen rushed over there. The factory gates were tightly shut, and the walls were covered with mottled moss. Inside the factory, the old machines stood silently, as if telling a story of past glory.
Li Jin's eyes were filled with excitement as she carefully examined each factory building, calculated its area, and planned the location of each workshop.
Li Jin was thinking of refurbishing these old machines; they might still be usable, which would save a lot of money. Besides, the place was big enough, making future expansion easier. While the surrounding transportation wasn't particularly convenient, minor road repairs wouldn't be a big problem.
Li Jin told Yu Zhenzhen about her idea, and Yu Zhenzhen said that it was okay, and that if Li Jin needed money, she could tell her, and she would definitely support her wholeheartedly!
With her mother's support, Li Jin became even more motivated. In the days that followed, she negotiated the transfer with the original textile factory manager, contacted machine repairmen, and even found a construction team to renovate the factory area.
Meanwhile, Li Jin's job posting for shop assistants also received responses, with many young women applying. Li Jin took time out of her busy schedule to personally interview several hardworking and enthusiastic girls. She provided them with brief training and then put them on the job, while she devoted herself entirely to the factory's operations.
Thanks to Li Jin's efforts, the transfer of the abandoned textile factory was successfully completed. The construction team also officially entered the site to renovate and upgrade the factory area. The machine repairmen also began to get busy, dismantling, cleaning, and repairing the old machines.
However, just when everything seemed to be going smoothly, trouble struck one after another... The construction team responsible for the road repairs suddenly informed Li Jin that due to rising raw material prices, the agreed-upon road repair costs would increase by 30%. This unexpected change put Li Jin's budget under immediate strain.
Standing in the factory area, looking at the construction site, Li Jin felt extremely anxious. But she knew she couldn't back down; she had to find a way to solve this problem!
Standing in the factory area, Li Jin, though anxious, quickly forced herself to calm down. She knew that while the sudden increase in expenses was troublesome, it wouldn't necessarily be an obstacle to opening the factory. After all, with her years of running the shop and Yu Zhenzhen's secret support, she actually had considerable savings.
She first approached the construction team leader again and earnestly said, "Mr. Zhang, I understand the pressure the rising raw material prices are putting on you, but our cooperation is based on integrity and mutual benefit. I can increase your fees appropriately, but 30% is really too much. I can only afford a 15% increase at most. How about this? Consider the extra amount as my gratitude for your diligent road repairs. Besides, if my factory does well, there will be many more projects in the surrounding area, and we might have the opportunity for long-term cooperation."
After listening to Li Jin's words, Mr. Zhang pondered for a moment. He understood that Li Jin's words made sense. Although the 15% increase was less than expected, it could still alleviate some cost pressure. Moreover, if they could truly cooperate with Li Jin in the long term, it wouldn't be a bad thing. So he nodded and said, "Okay, Mr. Li, based on what you said, I agree."
Having resolved the road repair costs, Li Jin immediately threw herself into other tasks. She personally oversaw the machine repair progress, working with the technicians to study the performance of the old machines and ensure the refurbished machines operated efficiently. She also meticulously oversaw the factory's renovation, carefully arranging everything from the workshop layout to the warehouse planning.
Under her strict supervision and proactive promotion, all tasks proceeded smoothly. Soon, the road repairs were completed, and the brand-new, flat, and wide road surface facilitated the transportation of raw materials and the commuting of workers. Inside the factory area, the renovated workshops looked brand new, and the old machines once again emitted rhythmic roars, as if announcing their rebirth.
After training, the recruited workers sat skillfully at their posts, operating the machines with focused concentration. Li Jin stood at the workshop entrance, watching all this, his heart filled with satisfaction and pride.
In the late autumn of 1981, the warm sunshine bathed the earth as Li Jin's garment factory officially opened. The opening day was a grand affair. Li Jin invited relatives, friends, business partners, and local residents. Seeing this once-abandoned textile factory transformed into a vibrant garment factory, everyone gave Li Jin a thumbs-up.
After opening, Li Jin, with her unique vision, designed a series of novel clothing styles. These garments were immediately well-received by the market. Orders poured in, and the factory workers worked overtime to fulfill them, their faces beaming with the joy of a bountiful harvest.
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