Chapter 245 Second question: Where to go from here? (Bug fix): Should we stop earning foreign exchange?
The first to react were the young employees who were eager to go abroad.
Their first instinct was to try and secure more opportunities for themselves: "Mr. Zhao? Can you let us go to Singapore?"
Wow, climbing this wall like that, he doesn't seem to feel any psychological pressure at all.
Singapore is great, a garden city.
Many viewers in China have watched Singaporean dramas.
Films like "The Journey," "Palette," "My Fair Lady," and "Three Faces of Eve"—oh my, what a beautiful country, how rich!
Going to Singapore is also a good option.
But their fervor frightened Boss Zheng.
Anyone who enters a ribbon factory where the lighting conditions are already poor, and is stared at by those hungry, wolf-like, green eyes, will feel a chill run down their spine.
Mr. Zheng refused without hesitation: "No, I'm not an immigration agent."
Is it possible to immigrate to Singapore now? Yes, it is.
In the 1990s, Singapore faced a demographic crisis no less severe than Japan's, and the government hoped to address its increasingly serious demographic problems by attracting new immigrants. Simultaneously, it aimed to upgrade its domestic labor market by bringing in highly skilled talent.
However, the people Singapore wanted were not ribbon factory workers at all.
To put it bluntly, why would low-skilled workers who struggle to make a living in China think that the Singaporean government values them?
Mr. Zheng shook his head again and offered advice: "I suggest you don't immigrate there either; you won't find a job."
These people create no value; they only make Singapore a mess.
Everyone immediately lost interest and waved them away, saying, "You can't even take us abroad, what are you doing here? Go away, we don't welcome you."
Another group of employees who wanted housing were still persistent: "What about you? How big of a house can you give us?"
Mr. Zheng was getting a headache from the noise and was even more confused: "What house? I'm here to invest in building a hotel."
He became wary. "Your resettlement is the responsibility of your government. Don't ask me."
Good heavens! He built a hotel using the site of an old factory; surely he's not going to be responsible for the food, drink, and lodging of everyone in that factory?
He turned to the general manager of the development company: "Mr. Zhou, is there some misunderstanding?"
Mr. Zhou was equally bewildered; he had no idea what the ribbon factory was up to. And who was this Mr. Wang?
He turned his gaze to the factory director, frowning: "What's this?"
The factory manager quickly replied, "Director Pang recommended him; he called me yesterday."
Who is Director Pang? Wang Xiao didn't know either.
It's estimated that we'll only be introduced to each other when things are completely settled and she treats us to a meal as a thank you.
Mr. Zhou frowned even more: "He didn't even tell us."
This is the awkward situation of the era of land acquisition through agreements.
All transactions are conducted behind closed doors. It's common for a piece of land to be watched by several parties at the same time, each with their own contact.
The factory manager didn't care: "We're just following orders from our superiors."
A worker with sharp ears nearby simply shouted at the top of his lungs, "That's right, we've already reached an agreement. This is our factory, our land!"
Chief Zhou didn't like hearing that. He glared at him and emphasized, "This is state land! How this land is planned is up to the state!"
Goodness.
Although the status of workers as the elder brother declined somewhat in the 1990s, they still had a strong sense of self-confidence in 1994, before the nationwide mass layoffs.
"What country's land belongs to the people! Our factory's land is, of course, our property to decide."
Wang Xiao remained aloof, not uttering a single word, clearly leaving the employees to lead the charge.
General Manager Zhou was no match for the sheer number of people. The employees, one after another, could have drowned him with their spittle.
Knowing the terrifying power of the people's tactics, he dared not confront them head-on, but instead focused on capturing the leader first—or rather, the main person responsible.
He pulled the factory manager aside and said anxiously, "What are you trying to do? The policy of 'shifting from secondary to tertiary industries' has been in place for a long time. Hotels, high-end hotels catering to foreign businesses—our district is in dire need of those. Are you trying to disrupt foreign investment?"
He solemnly warned, "Let me tell you, what you're doing is extremely serious. You're going against the country's policies!"
The ribbon factory was very popular for a period of time in the 1980s. The fact that the factory director's ancestors were wealthy meant that he was worldly-wise and would not be easily intimidated by big titles.
He immediately retorted, "Our General Manager Wang is also a foreign investor, a joint venture with Russia. We brought in foreign investment ourselves, so the district should be praising us."
General Manager Zhou choked for a moment, then immediately began to appease him: "Old Feng, let me be frank with you. This foreign investment is very rare; we worked hard to secure it. How about this, regarding the resettlement, in addition to what the district already gave us, we'll give you another 5 million. Isn't that generous? Your factory has always wanted to introduce new equipment but lacked the funds, right? Now with this 5 million, it will definitely be like a tiger with wings, taking off!"
Of course, we should fight for our own interests.
If Director Pang had given him prior notice, then his arrival with his men now would be seen as disruptive.
Since Director Pang didn't say anything, everyone went their own way.
The land was 40 mu (approximately 6.6 acres). According to current market prices in Beijing, commercial land costs 1.2 million yuan per mu. However, because of its prime location, they managed to negotiate a price of 1.5 million yuan per mu, which would amount to 60 million yuan for 40 mu.
With such a large sum of money, even after deducting the factory's resettlement fees, there's still a lot that can be done.
Now, let's put up another 5 million, and that'll be enough to buy peace.
But the factory manager's appetite had already been inflated, and he didn't even look at 5 million.
"After our factory moves out, will the hotel next door be able to take over our sales business?"
Mr. Zhou was taken aback by the question and blurted out, "What does your factory's sales have to do with the hotel?"
If it were a towel factory, maybe he could help mediate. After all, hotels need towels and rags, so could they stock some?
Your family owns a ribbon factory!
The factory manager shook his head and pointed at Wang Xiao: "But Mr. Wang is in charge of our sales and he guarantees our goods!"
Wang Xiao was called out by name, and nodded and smiled slightly at President Zhou.
The latter asked incredulously, "You're in charge of sales for the ribbon factory?"
Wang Xiao's smile remained unchanged: "Yes, the factory is having difficulties. I took over the land from the factory, so of course I can't just ignore it."
General Manager Zhou looked at her suspiciously, then pulled the factory manager aside and warned him, "Don't get carried away. She's saying nice things now, but what will you do when the land is hers and she goes back on her word?"
He raised his hand, "Don't bring up the contract. If someone wants to hold you back, it's very easy; they can always find a reason."
When it comes to scheming and plotting, no one can rival these capitalists.
The factory manager remained unmoved: "Each of our factory employees still owes her 36,000 yuan for a house. We're now penniless!"
This is a joke from that era.
Since the late 1980s, due to the serious problem of triangular debt, a saying has become popular in society: Huang Shiren, who collects debts, is the most miserable, while Yang Bailao, who owes debts, is the most powerful.
Mr. Zhou was speechless again, and it took him a while to find his tongue: "And what's going on with this house payment?"
The workers, eager to take possession of their 38-square-meter apartments, chattered on and on about the details.
Now, their demands are simple.
We don't object to you building a hotel.
But you have to build each of us a 38-square-meter house on the spot.
President Zhou became agitated: "Isn't this just being a scoundrel? There's no such logic in the world!"
A factory with over 2,000 employees, and each person gets 38 square meters. Are they building a hotel here, or are they doing charity work?
Everyone pointed at Wang Xiao in unison: "But the boss built houses for us."
When Wang Xiao was called upon, he still had a gentle smile on his face: "Of course, everyone has dedicated their lives to the ribbon factory. It's not everyone's fault if the factory is not doing well. We can't just let the workers go because the country wants to shift from secondary to tertiary industries."
The veteran employees loved to hear this and chimed in, "That's right! We haven't been slacking off at work."
General Manager Zhou suspected he'd encountered a swindler, but didn't want to offend Director Pang by exposing him on the spot. So, he pulled the factory manager aside again to speak: "We're all on the same side, so let's not just talk the talk. You know perfectly well that the ribbon factory's products can't compete with those from the south; the production costs of those township enterprises are just lower. Everyone knows this. How can she guarantee your factory will always have orders? What will you do when you can't hold on any longer?"
The factory manager emphasized, "We still owe her money!"
"Oh, by then, all of this will be minor issues. I'm just asking you, what are you going to do on that day?"
In 1994, although the mass layoffs had not yet begun, some factories had already gone bankrupt and workers had been laid off.
The factory manager couldn't say that President Zhou was worrying unnecessarily, so he turned to Wang Xiao and asked, "President Wang, what are you going to do if our factory can't hold on?"
Wang Xiao chuckled: "When that day comes, I'll arrange jobs for the employees of the ribbon factory."
Wow! The scene erupted in an uproar.
This wasn't mentioned in her resettlement plan.
She said slowly and deliberately, "My plan here is to build staff housing and then use the remaining land to build an electronics market. Such a large market will definitely need people to work. Once it's built, we'll recruit workers, and if anyone is willing, they can come and work at the market."
Mr. Zhou's eyes lit up instantly, as if he had found a solution. He pointed at Mr. Zhao and said, "Once the hotel is built, we'll be hiring."
However, Mr. Zheng was uncooperative and laid out the unpleasant truth upfront: "We are a hotel catering to foreigners, and we have requirements for the education and appearance of our employees. We cannot just hire anyone."
He dared not acquiesce.
When Chinese government officials are trying to fool people, they'll say anything.
What will he do if these employees come back and try to take advantage of him?
He was only there to acquire land for hotel development. He paid the land transfer fee as required, and he didn't want to get involved in anything else.
Mr. Zhou was almost choked to death.
But he wasn't unaware of the ribbon factory's situation. How many of the factory's employees, after being reassigned, could find work on their own?
Oh dear! He wanted to slap himself. Why did he have to bring up what to do if the factory couldn't stay afloat?
They're digging their own grave.
Mr. Zhou was so anxious that he scratched his head and tried to ask Mr. Zhao for help.
But Mr. Zheng felt that everyone should do their own job. He was just here to invest, and the planning and resettlement were the responsibility of the Beijing government. Why should he overstep his bounds?
But this Ms. Wang, has she gone mad? Or is this the mindset of businesspeople from a socialist country?
She wants the land for the factory building, so why should she care about the original factory workers?
This is the responsibility of the government and the factory themselves!
Just as President Zhou was racking his brains for a solution, a piece of paper was handed to him.
It turns out that while the two were exchanging words, Yang Tao had already secretly drawn up a comparison chart on the side.
According to their plan, the housing and employment issues of the ribbon factory workers can be resolved.
But hotels, by their very nature, do not possess such a function?
Yang Tao also specifically noted: "The electronics market aligns with the national plan for developing high-tech industries and has a positive effect on industrial upgrading." While hotels do belong to the tertiary sector, where exactly does this industrial upgrading manifest itself?
Wang Xiao smiled slightly beside him: "When we came up with this plan, we were actually thinking about the 'retreat of secondary industries and advancement of tertiary industries,' but where should the tertiary industries be relocated to? I think the government's intention is simply to relinquish the factory land, not to withdraw from industry altogether. If the land is relinquished, and the factories become marginalized along with the land itself, then what will happen to the workers, and how will our industrial development proceed?"
She sighed softly, "I hope our experiment can provide some small reference for other organizations."
These words instantly enlightened President Zhou.
Reform, reform of state-owned enterprises.
Since the 1980s, the reform of state-owned enterprises has become a top priority. But frankly speaking, the results so far have not been very good.
The biggest problem is that state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are burdened with excessive costs, and some small and medium-sized enterprises have lost all market competitiveness. But what will happen to their employees if they close down?
The resettlement of personnel has always been a major headache.
Because these workers are basically not competitive in the labor market.
As for their education, most of them have a high school education or below, so they can't get good jobs.
But if you ask them to work as nannies or hourly workers, they're, after all, from state-owned factories, so they have their own pride, a strong sense of ownership, and are unwilling to serve others.
It's just difficult in every way.
If the case of the electronics market is successful, it can be said to have set a model for the reform of state-owned enterprises and collective enterprises, and they can really learn from it when they operate in the future.
But Mr. Zhou still had doubts: "Can the electronics market really hire them?"
"Of course," Wang Xiao laughed. "They still owe me money. If I don't have work, who will pay me back?"
Mr. Zhou laid it all out upfront: "Can they even work in the electronics market? It's high-tech, do they really know how?"
He spread his hands and pressed them down, warning the employees, "Don't be so quick to brag. Don't you know your own limitations?"
This is something that's making everyone a little apprehensive.
Those who are willing to stay in China with their houses are generally older and not very well-educated.
You can't blame them; the historical circumstances were what they were, and they didn't want things to turn out this way.
Wang Xiao nodded firmly: "Of course, high technology is also made by individuals. There were also comrades with low levels of education who participated in the atomic bomb project, but without their contributions, we would not have been able to build the atomic bomb."
Oh my, those words really brought tears to the eyes of the veteran employees.
Since the market economy was established, they have been constantly criticized and haven't heard anyone affirm them or praise them so warmly and sincerely in a long time.
With a boss who's so good at talking, it's no wonder he makes money.
An older worker chimed in, "We can learn if we don't know how. If I really can't learn, I'll have my kid take over my job. He's young, he'll definitely learn. Don't worry, I'm not going to renege on my promise."
Wang Xiao laughed and said, "Alright, then the son will pay for the father's debts."
The employees in the room all laughed, and the atmosphere instantly became joyful.
Ah, how wonderful! This is the kind of atmosphere a factory should have, like home.
Wang Xiao wasn't worried at all that the ribbon factory workers wouldn't be able to handle the work in the electronics market.
What kind of business did the electronics market do in the 1990s? To put it simply, the main business was selling computers.
These days, branded PCs are expensive, and their performance may not meet customers' needs. Therefore, anyone with a little knowledge of computers will assemble their own, also known as building a PC.
Is assembling a computer difficult? To someone who has never done it before, it certainly seems quite advanced.
But this job is actually not as difficult as repairing the loom in the workshop.
For example, Ma Huateng went to Shenzhen to develop his career after graduating from university in 1992. He started by assembling computers for people in Huaqiangbei.
At the time, he thought that as a college student, he should be able to handle computers and outperform his junior high and high school classmates.
Then, he was knocked down.
Most jobs in this world are repetitive and not as glamorous as outsiders imagine.
That's why they say the world is a giant makeshift operation.
Mr. Zhou must be feeling extremely anxious right now.
He felt that this reform experiment was a very good example and that the district government should strongly support it and make it a model.
For a moment, I was afraid that he was a scammer. Sigh, these days, what kind of person wouldn't a scammer dare to cheat? Even government ministries have been scammed before.
He remained silent, which made Boss Zheng feel immense pressure, forcing him to remind him, "President Zhou, I'm going to run a hotel catering to foreign guests."
The word "hotel" isn't the key point; the key point is that it involves foreigners!
What does "involving foreign affairs" mean? It means that it can accept foreign exchange, just like a friendship store.
This matter was quite attractive in January 1994.
Just last year, the RMB exchange rate plummeted, depreciating from 5.76 to 8.61.
What does this mean? It means that the country needs foreign exchange and must find ways to retain it.
Against this backdrop, the word "foreign" in the name of a hotel becomes especially appealing.
Mr. Zhou was instantly plunged into an even deeper dilemma.
Choosing the electronics market, protecting employment, and ensuring the resettlement of workers are in the interests of the people.
Choosing hotels catering to foreigners earns foreign exchange and safeguards national interests.
Both are precious, so which one should I choose?
Yang Tao suspected that the CEO of the development company had lost his mind; why was he fussing over something like this?
"Don't we earn foreign exchange in the electronics market?" She pointed in the direction of Yabao Road. "How many speculators flood into Beijing every day? Don't they need electronic products?"
Are you kidding me!
Mr. Zhou then realized what was going on and immediately smiled broadly: "Yes, yes, that's exactly right."
He had already calculated the costs and benefits in his mind, and naturally, the electronics market was still the better option.
So he cleared his throat, put on a smile, and joked with Boss Zheng, "Well, Boss Zheng, we have another piece of land, 45 mu, not far from here. It's a chemical plant. Shall we go take a look?"
Even if the transaction isn't about business, there's still a sense of righteousness. Acquiring land isn't something that can be done overnight.
But Wang Xiao said in a serious tone, "If you don't think this factory is suitable, you can take me to see it."
Chemical plants sound scary, but if proper harmless treatment is done, they're not such a big deal.
Mr. Zheng was very unhappy, genuinely feeling that businessmen in socialist countries had abnormal thought processes.
He forced down his anger, his voice hard: "No need for you to worry, I'll go see for myself."
Wang Xiao's smile remained unchanged: "Alright, you're busy, I won't bother you any longer."
She then turned to President Zhou, "When do you think would be a good time for us to sign the contract?"
If Mr. Zhou were to speak from his conscience, it would have to be immediately.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Money is only money when it's in your own pocket; otherwise, it's just numbers.
But he just abandoned Boss Zheng (sigh, I feel like I'm a Chen Shimei, a notorious figure in Chinese folklore), and it would be really inappropriate to abandon him now; it would offend people too much.
The country now attaches great importance to foreign investment from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and Singapore.
So Mr. Zhou smiled broadly again: "How about this afternoon? I'll accompany Mr. Zheng to see a few more plots of land. I'll definitely be back at the company this afternoon."
Wang Xiao nodded: "Okay, see you this afternoon."
The workers at the ribbon factory were getting impatient listening to their back-and-forth banter.
After finally seeing the two uninvited guests off, everyone eagerly pressed them for details about the house and going abroad.
When will the house be built? When will they be able to move in?
The younger employees were more anxious, pushing the older staff to the back and shouting, "Rome wasn't built in a day, what's the rush? Let us ask about going abroad first."
"Alright!" Yang Tao shouted through the megaphone, "Quiet down, everyone. Let's divide into groups and decide where to go. Going abroad isn't something that can be done in a short time."
The young employee became agitated: "What do you mean? Just because we drove the Singaporean boss away, you think you can act with impunity?"
"What do I mean?" Yang Tao, who had always been the model child, rarely showed any fear in front of her peers. She turned around and yelled, "If we send you abroad now, what will you do? Can you speak English, Zulu, or Swahili?"
The employees fell silent.
He still remembered the two English phrases he learned in junior high school and knew the 26 letters of the alphabet.
But what exactly are Zulu and Sili?
"It's Swahili! The language of Tanzania. English and Zulu are the common languages of South Africa." Yang Tao instantly understood how her boss felt about her, and she couldn't hide her disdain for the academically challenged student. "You know nothing, you understand nothing, and you go abroad completely clueless. Do you think your ancestral graves are too small, and you have to go abroad to starve to death?"
Xiao Gao and Xiao Zhao couldn't help but burst out laughing, and quickly turned their heads away.
Good heavens! This girl has a sharp tongue.
Yang Tao, oblivious to everything, continued to lecture the underachieving students in the class, adopting the air of a class monitor: "You've done all the preparations perfectly, yet you just blurt out that you want to go abroad. Acting without thinking is irresponsible to yourself and your family!"
The factory manager chimed in, "Yeah, Wang Qiming can at least work as a dishwasher in a Chinese restaurant because he can speak English. You guys can't communicate, how are you going to work abroad? Alright, stop arguing, come over and register first, and decide what you want to do."
Once the whereabouts of the personnel were determined, he could readjust the production team and resume production.
Sigh, let them go if they want. A few hundred fewer people means a few hundred fewer burdens, a few hundred fewer paychecks and benefits, and a few hundred fewer hairs on his head.
When it came time to register, the veteran employee couldn't bear to do it and advised his apprentice and the young worker he usually got along well with: "Don't be impulsive. This is such a big matter. Go home and discuss it with your parents first. Don't make a decision on your own so that you won't regret it later."
Some people didn't take it seriously, while others listened and asked their bosses for leave, saying they needed to go home and ask.
With the employees busy, Yang Tao was finally able to extricate herself from the crowd.
She ran up to the boss, her face beaming with excitement.
Wang Xiao was much calmer than her, and slowly asked her, "What are you planning to do next?"
Yang Tao said without hesitation: "We need to further refine the resettlement plan for employees, including those who are going abroad and those who want to stay in China and get housing. We need to finalize the guidelines on how to implement this plan."
Yes, what she said makes a lot of sense.
Having a plan is one thing, execution is another. Those who can effectively implement a plan truly have real skills.
But the boss didn't show any satisfaction; instead, he stared at her and asked, "Anything else?"
here we go again.
Yang Tao instantly recalled the nightmare that had tormented her all night by the question, "What else?"
What else...?
Wang Xiao took a deep breath, trying not to get angry. Getting a toothache and blisters from the fever would affect her eating, and she would be the one suffering.
She spoke softly, her smile as enigmatic as a wicked queen looking at Snow White: "Everyone wants to go abroad, so why don't they go themselves and instead come to us?"
Yang Tao hesitated, stammering, "Because...because they can't get their passports?"
As soon as she said it, she knew she hadn't hit the nail on the head.
There are plenty of people who travel abroad without passports, so where do human smugglers come from? They come from serving this demand.
So, the key reason why people who want to go abroad can't is that they don't have the money! Because going abroad is very expensive; you need at least tens of thousands of yuan to go.
Wang Xiao pressed on again: "Then why are some people able to travel abroad at their own expense? Where does their money come from? Don't think about other places, think about Beijing!"
Have I wasted my time here for months?
I've never been this nervous, not even when I defended my thesis at university.
Her throat was dry, and her mind raced, trying to find ways to make money.
Borrow...borrow money? The boss doesn't do high-interest lending, he won't deal with that.
Selling pigs? Uh, are you crazy? Where in Beijing do people raise pigs?
Yes, they sold their children, their houses, and their land!
The buying and selling of people is not allowed, and they have no land; the only thing they can sell is their private houses.
In Beijing, the ownership of welfare housing and cooperative housing allocated by work units belongs to the work unit, and private individuals have no right to trade them.
So, what can be sold are all private and ancestral properties, those that were confiscated but returned in the 1980s!
Wang Xiao chuckled twice when he saw that she had finally come to her senses.
"Stop standing there, get to work! If you keep waiting, the daylilies will get cold!"
Sigh, she really doesn't like teaching students; it's too exhausting.
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Good morning! Ah Jin is a terrible student too. When calculating the development plan, he got one number wrong, so he had to start all over again. It made my eyes go numb. Yeah, that's right. Although development plans aren't written out in the novel (too dry, looks like padding), you still need to do research when writing, otherwise the logic won't hold up.
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