Chapter 204: Qin Xiangxiang gave too much, hiding her true abilities.
When Qin Xiangxiang suggested purchasing unsold embroidery pieces, it terrified Zhou Meilan, the production team leader.
"Your factory can really make purchases?" Zhou Meilan's eyes lit up. Her production team was worried about not having a sales channel. If Qin Xiangxiang could help sell them, she would call him "daddy".
Qin Xiangxiang said, "Our textile factory has a garment workshop. I think these embroidered pieces can be improved and processed into clothing."
Zhou Meilan: "These are all embroidery techniques. They probably can't be sold domestically; they can only be exported. And you..."
When it comes to exports, Shanghai and Guangzhou are the only two remaining ports for foreign trade. Even if they try to sell their goods in Shanghai, they can't get them to go. Zhou Meilan is worried that Qin Xiangxiang will have a backlog of goods, which will affect the factory's profits.
Qin Xiangxiang: "Our factory undertakes orders from the Canton Fair, and completes at least one million meters of foreign trade orders every year."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Meilan immediately looked up at the strikingly beautiful young woman beside her with an expression of admiration: "Comrade Qin, you are truly remarkable!"
"You guys are the real deal, we're just amateurs."
Fearing that Qin Xiangxiang would suffer a loss, Zhou Meilan sold these stockpiled embroidery pieces to Feiyan Textile Factory at a very affordable price so that they could be used to make garments.
Li Jianzhi looked at the embroidered pieces from the side, hesitant to speak. He thought that some of these embroidered pieces could be selected to make "handbags".
Women in this era don't carry bags, but in the future, which woman won't need a luxury handbag?
Li Jianzhi picked up a piece of embroidery. He thought to himself that he had learned some crafts, so why not make a "husband's high-end custom handbag" for his wife?
"Team Leader Zhou, our factory needs to modify these embroidered pieces before they can be used in garments. Could you recommend a skilled embroidery craftsman, preferably one I can take with me to the island? Age is not a problem."
Actually, family background isn't a problem... but Qin Xiangxiang didn't dare ask this directly.
They want people with bad family backgrounds? She wouldn't dare.
Qin Xiangxiang said, "There are few people in our area who know how to embroider, and there are no skilled seamstresses."
“I’ll inquire if there’s anyone suitable, someone who knows embroidery, right?” Zhou Meilan immediately agreed. Her lips moved slightly, as if she remembered something, and then she hesitated.
“There’s something I didn’t want to say, but…” Zhou Meilan glanced at Qin Xiangxiang in front of her, thinking that she was a “big customer” and could not be offended easily. So she hardened her heart and pulled her to a secluded corner, where the two of them talked.
Li Jianzhi, sitting on the steps by the door, raised an eyebrow, wondering if they were going to recruit talent again.
His wife, Qin Xiangxiang, seems to possess a "gacha talent," excelling at summoning people and always managing to draw golden-quality divine cards for her.
Last time I drew a gold-quality item—Shen Wenbo.
What kind of box will we get this time?
"Team Leader Zhou, what do you want to tell me?" Xianyu thought curiously. Was he going to introduce her to some talent?
Zhou Meilan: "Others don't know, but I do. There's an old lady who sweeps the streets in our neighborhood. She's also a handyman in our neighborhood's production team. She usually does things like sweeping, boiling water, and organizing the warehouse."
“When I first arrived, I also thought she was an ordinary person. Later, when I was organizing the embroidery pieces in the warehouse, she couldn’t help but remind me a few things, and that’s when I realized she was quite extraordinary.”
"I later learned that she was from a branch of a Suzhou manufacturing family. She learned techniques such as kesi (silk tapestry), Suzhou embroidery, and Nanjing brocade from a young age. She was the most talented among her generation in the family and was quite remarkable in the early 1950s. She had also participated in important cultural relic protection work and replicated and restored a large number of precious ancient textiles for the museum."
Qin Xiangxiang couldn't help but exclaim, "Oh my god!"
Holy crap, they really don't treat me like an outsider!
Qin Xiang thought to herself: Is this what they mean by "money makes the world go round"? She spent a sum of money to buy embroidery pieces, and they introduced her to such a great master.
"Her family was later impacted, and although she was already married, she was still affected. Her husband was a history professor, which also implicated her. Later, in order to make a living, the couple came to Shanghai to stay with relatives and friends. After her husband passed away, she found an inconspicuous odd job and did it for ten years."
"She rarely speaks, but when her team members encounter problems, she often offers a few words of advice unintentionally. She is a person who is cold on the outside but warm on the inside."
"Her children are all married and don't have much contact with her anymore; she's always alone..."
Zhou Meilan said these things because she felt that it was a waste of talent for the master craftsman to stay on the street as a handyman. In addition, she heard that Qin Xiangxiang's Feiyan Textile Factory had so many foreign exchange orders every year. The remote areas were better off and less affected by the impact. Moreover, there was a shortage of master craftsmen, so it was a good opportunity for him to go there and make a difference.
Of course, the main reason is that Qin Xiangxiang gave too much.
Buying these stockpiled embroidery pieces was a lifesaver for Zhou Meilan. In addition, Qin Xiangxiang said she wanted to renovate them and go to the Canton Fair, and she didn't have any technical talent... Zhou Meilan was really worried that she wouldn't be able to sell them!
Qin Xiangxiang: "What's this person's name? Team Leader Zhou, could you help us make the connection and invite him back to be our technical consultant?"
"Her surname is Lu, and her given name is Lu Suxin."
Qin Xiangxiang's heart was burning with excitement. This was a master who was skilled in both kesi (silk tapestry) and Suzhou embroidery! She had also participated in the restoration of cultural relics. If she were to modify the patterns, perhaps she could make a fortune internationally.
And who knows, she might be able to wear a cheongsam again in a few years. Putting everything else aside, Qin Xiangxiang originally wanted to wear the most exquisite clothes at a low cost, something that money can't always buy.
Flies rub their hands together.
Qin Xiangxiang asked Zhou Meilan to take her to see Lu Suxin. Lu Suxin was born in the early Republic of China and had a certain elegance of that time. This Master Lu always wore a faded blouse with neatly mended collar and cuffs, black cloth shoes, and her hair was styled in a meticulous bun. Her eyes were calm and gentle.
She was slender, quiet, and had a low profile, making it difficult for people around her to notice her. It was hard to imagine that she was actually a master embroidery artist.
"Master Lu, this Factory Director Qin would like to invite you to be a technical consultant at the factory."
Zhou Meilan spoke softly to Lu Suxin.
The old woman with silver streaks in her hair glanced at Qin Xiangxiang, her gaze calm and undisturbed.
"I don't have that ability."
Lu Suxin appears gentle and mild-mannered, but in reality, she is quite aloof and proud. Because of her superb skills and lack of flattery, she was once criticized as a "feudal remnant".
She couldn't learn to flatter, but she was also afraid of getting into trouble again because of her outstanding skills. However, when faced with the request of this "technical consultant," her heart was far from as calm as it appeared.
Zhou Meilan whispered, "Their Feiyan Textile Factory is on an island, the conditions are quite good, the environment is relatively safe, and the factory is currently lacking skilled technicians. They would like to ask you to come and give them some pointers. Your craftsmanship also happens to have a successor..."
Qin Xiangxiang chimed in, "Yes, Master, we can't let your excellent skills go to waste."
"Come to our factory, you can find any apprentice you want, you can become our technical consultant and enjoy expert treatment!"
Factory Director Qin thought to herself, their factory doesn't have much else, but it has the most fresh-faced "naive young men".
The Red Star Textile Factory had a level-eight female worker in charge, but the best sewing skill in their Flying Swallow Textile Factory was actually that of the factory director, Qin Xiangxiang. It was truly heartbreaking to hear and tearful to see.
Invite Master Lu over and train more talented people; we can have as many young apprentices as we want.
Lu Suxin: "Craftsmanship is the foundation of an artisan, not a commodity to be traded. If you have no interest in this path, you should go back."
Qin Xiangxiang immediately replied, "I meant it!"
She certainly wanted to wear Suzhou embroidery clothes.
“It’s better to have a few apprentices than many.” Lu Suxin paused for a moment. “If you, as the factory manager, want to ask me for help, that’s fine. You have to seriously learn from me for three months. You don’t need to be an expert, but you have to know the business. Otherwise, forget it.”
Qin Xiangxiang: "..."
—I panicked.
Is this some kind of job where I hire a tutor for myself? What if it turns out to be another tutor, and I suddenly discover that she's actually an embroidery genius?
Qin Xiangxiang was in a panic. Should she sell herself for this? Zhou Meilan, on the other hand, was all smiles. In her opinion, what was three months of training? This was a good thing!
"Xiao Qin, what are you waiting for? Just agree!"
Qin Xiangxiang blurted out, "Okay, I'll learn."
Xianyu silently shed tears, thinking to himself, "I really went all out. Was it worth it? Could I be shooting myself in the foot?"
Then she thought, it's alright, I'll just hide my flaws! I must learn to hide my flaws.
Zhou Meilan: "Everyone is happy!"
Qin Xiangxiang forced a few smiles, but her heart remained unsettled for a long time, with a very ominous premonition.
She returned to Li Jianzhi's side and told him what had happened.
Li Jianzhi immediately said, "Great news, great news!"
Qin Xiangxiang stepped on his foot: "Don't you understand your wife?"
Li Jianzhi couldn't help but chuckle.
He suppressed a laugh: "Life is full of disappointments, eight or nine out of ten. Take it easy."
Qin Xiangxiang: "..."
Qin Xiangxiang had lost all interest in sightseeing at the moment. She was a little worried, especially about what the next three months would bring.
"Let's go home." Her heart sank.
Li Jianzhi: "Aren't we going to eat something delicious?"
Li Jianzhi: "The only thing in the world that should not be missed is delicious food."
"Eat!" Even if the sky falls, eat first.
Qin Xiangxiang and Li Jianzhi decided to secretly go out for a meal, and also have coffee and cream cake.
Li Jianzhi: "If we go for coffee after dinner, it will be hard to fall asleep at night, but that's okay, we have lots of fun things to do at night."
As the two were leaving, a young member of the production team suddenly called out to Qin Xiangxiang.
"Are you Factory Director Qin? Can I work at your Feiyan Textile Factory? I know embroidery! I want to work as a factory worker at your textile factory!"
"These are the embroidered pieces I made."
"My name is Yin Pingping."
Qin Xiangxiang took the embroidery piece from her hand and found that it was quite well embroidered. A brilliant idea came to her mind: "Our textile factory is on an island. Would you like to work there?"
“I do!” Yin Pingping nodded.
Something unusual must be going on. Qin Xiangxiang didn't care about Yin Pingping's reason for wanting to go to the textile factory at the moment, guessing that it was to avoid disaster.
"If you can accept that, then you are welcome to come to our Feiyan Textile Factory."
Yin Pingping left happily.
Qin Xiangxiang and Li Jianzhi walked forward to the corner, and suddenly another person appeared behind them. Qin Xiangxiang turned around and saw that it was a familiar person.
"Qin Xiangxiang, you mustn't accept that Yin Pingping, she's a huge problem!"
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