Chapter 257: The strategy is weak, pitiful, and helpless.
Li Jianzhi and his son, Xiaopang, unloaded things from the trunk of the jeep. They had brought a lot of goodies: a whole box of seaweed and pork floss bread, braised duck feet, braised duck heads, and other braised goods packaged in oil paper, as well as boxes of shrimp chips, rice crackers, seaweed sheets, pork jerky...
The aroma of the food makes your mouth water.
"It smells so good, like meat."
"Are those all food?"
"...Truly worthy of being Little Fatty's mom!"
...
Besides the food, there were also the recently popular "top scholar" coats, patchwork embroidered shirts, a stack of beautiful silk scarves, and foam sandals—these are rare finds even in Shanghai, and they were just casually carried upstairs.
"And cream cake!"
Qin Xiangxiang gave a packaged silk scarf and a cream cake box to Officer Li. The two drivers also gave her a cream cake as a thank you for bringing the family back.
"This...this is too precious, this silk scarf..." Officer Li was stunned by the hazy ink painting pattern on the silk scarf. This...this...is this kesi (silk tapestry) technique?
Qin Xiangxiang said, "It's nothing special. It's a practice piece made by our factory workers. It's not traditional kesi (silk tapestry), but a silk scarf made using the shadow weaving technique that I came up with. The workers made quite a few while practicing. It's not worth much. Please accept it, Li."
Li's demeanor completely changed. This General Manager Qin was truly a capable person, with extraordinary skills.
Mrs. Xu watched the whole thing unfold. Her facial muscles twitched, and she managed to force a smile before stepping forward: "Xiangxiang's back? You're really getting more and more successful... This comrade just called you... the factory director?"
Qin Xiangxiang glanced at her and said indifferently, "The two factories merged, and I became the general manager."
An elderly woman surnamed Wu, who was always curious and nosy, quickly asked Li Jianzhi, "Comrade Li, think about it, you're a leader in a big factory now? How many people are you in charge of?"
Li Jianzhi: "It's like being a regimental commander, in charge of several thousand people."
"Whoa!"
Wang, a technician living in the next building, squeezed through the crowd and immediately became an authority, claiming to know the inside story: "You don't know! Qin Xiangxiang is really amazing. Foreigners are scrambling to buy the clothes and slippers from their factory! Hundreds of students from their factory have been admitted to key universities, so the clothes they produce are called 'top scholar coats'."
Qin Xiangxiang said, "If there aren't hundreds, then there are only a few dozen."
The crowd exchanged bewildered glances. Qin Xiangxiang! That was Qin Xiangxiang! Everyone had watched her grow up. This lazy, pretty girl had become a remarkable figure in just eight years.
He was featured in the newspaper, became a model worker, and now he's the factory director!
Two cars took her home, accompanied by leaders from the Light Industry Bureau. This pomp and circumstance was unprecedented in the entire workers' new village.
"Zhou Aodong, your daughter has made something of herself, a really great one!"
"The student surpasses the teacher!"
Zhou Aodong looked his daughter up and down, but no matter how he looked at her, she still seemed to be the same lazy girl she used to be. She hadn't changed at all.
Not only did she have doubts, but everyone in the workers' new village also had doubts.
"Qin Xiangxiang looks... the same as before."
"She doesn't look tired at all. I just looked closely and she doesn't even have dark circles under her eyes."
"Qin Xiangxiang has always had good sleep. There used to be an elderly man in the building next door who had a stroke many years ago. He's gone now. Oh, speaking of that stroke-stricken old man, he used to be in a wheelchair and would yell loudly every afternoon, disturbing people's naps. But Qin Xiangxiang, she just slept like a log. She said she didn't hear anything."
"Her son, Little Fatty, has changed a lot; you can't tell the difference when you think about it."
Amidst the chatter of the crowd, Qin Xiangxiang returned home and shared the pickles, snacks, and bread she had brought back with her neighbors.
The elderly Granny Wu grabbed Qin Xiangxiang's hand: "Xiangxiang, you've made something of yourself now, can you help us, the educated youth who returned to the city, find a way?"
“They didn’t pass the college entrance exam and can’t find jobs… It’s not good for them to just sit here like this every day. If you can, please help them.”
Qin Xiangxiang wrapped her coat tighter around herself: "Let me see, the factory might be hiring more... Ugh, this is such a hassle."
As soon as she spoke, many neighbors' eyes lit up, as if she were speaking heavenly music.
Many families have former educated youth who are unemployed, and the waiting list at the resettlement office for these youth is endless.
But Qin Xiangxiang in front of us has the opportunity to bring people work!
The once lazy and pretty girl in the building is now "General Manager Qin," who drives a car, manages two factories, and can decide the livelihoods of countless people.
After dealing with the neighbors, Qin Xiangxiang felt utterly exhausted every day. Luckily, she had canceled tomorrow's meeting, otherwise, how could she possibly survive?
Li Jianzhi, on the other hand, was in high spirits. He took his son, Xiaopang, and his father-in-law, Qin Wutong, to buy groceries, preparing to cook a big meal that night to celebrate the family reunion.
Qin Xiangxiang took her little girls to take a bath. After the bath, the four of them lay down on the bed, feeling very comfortable. If their hair hadn't been wet, they would have almost fallen asleep.
Zhou Aodong walked in carrying a well-collected document about the "Shangpu Textile Factory," and tossed the kraft paper file into his daughter's arms. "This is the information I collected for you. Take a look at it carefully and tell me your thoughts."
Qin Xiangxiang shoved the file bag onto the bedside table and mumbled, "Mom, I'll look at it tomorrow."
Zhou Aodong was furious: "You've become the factory director, and this is how you behave?"
"Mom, things will work themselves out."
Zhou Aodong asked suspiciously, "Are you confident you have a plan?"
Qin Xiangxiang: "...If you say so, then so be it."
What kind of mental preparation are you making now?
Qin Xiangxiang: "They might have made preparations."
Zhou Aodong: !
"Then tell me, and I'll help you make a decision."
Qin Xiangxiang replied perfunctorily, "Mom, that's not necessary. It's my own responsibility."
"You even kept this from me? I'm your own mother!"
"If you have any good ideas, tell me and let's discuss them together. Let me see your leadership skills." Zhou Aodong sat down next to Qin Xiangxiang, her face suddenly becoming incredibly gentle, and her tone of voice becoming incredibly soft.
Qin Xiangxiang trembled slightly: "..."
She had never seen such a gentle mother before. Returning to Shanghai was like a little lamb falling into her own mother's tiger's den.
"Mom, you should just go back to being normal. I don't have any leadership skills at all; I learned them all from you!"
Xianyu immediately started flattering him.
Zhou Aodong: "But Mom can't guess what you're thinking. Just tell Mom directly, okay? Mom will always be on your side. You can come to Mom with any problems you have."
"Mom will always be your warm harbor."
...
Qin Xiangxiang shuddered involuntarily as she listened to the wolf grandmother's coaxing tone towards Little Red Riding Hood.
"There are four rebellious factions in this Shangpu factory, with four leaders in total. They've been rallying the workers, saying they're going to give you, the new factory manager, a hard time! Have you found out anything about these four leaders?"
"You must divide and conquer."
Qin Xiangxiang: "?!"
What? Four leaders, and they want to intimidate her? Well, I'll just have to wait a few more days.
When Officer Li returned to the Light Industry Bureau, he told the bureau's leaders that Qin Xiangxiang had to postpone the meeting due to family difficulties, and that the joint venture between the two factories should be done gradually.
"This Factory Director Qin is indeed facing family difficulties. Her husband is a military officer and can hardly take care of the family, while she has four children... It's too much to put such a heavy burden on her shoulders."
Thinking about Qin Xiangxiang's "persona," Officer Li felt extremely sad. He felt that it was inhumane for the Light Industry Bureau to place such a heavy burden on a young, beautiful woman with four children.
"Then let's postpone it for a few days. There's no rush."
After Officer Li left, the leader of the Light Industry Bureau rested his chin on his hand and said, "Is Qin Xiangxiang facing any difficulties? She is clearly a very capable woman, a true heroine, and definitely not someone to be underestimated."
"But she showed weakness and postponed going to the factory for the meeting."
"That's it!" The leader clapped his hands. "Brilliant! This Qin Xiangxiang is a real genius!"
"This is a true master of manipulating people's hearts and minds. She must be well-versed in literature and history. What is this called? This is called 'drawing the bow but not releasing the arrow, yet leaping forth as if ready to pounce'!"
"She's waiting! Waiting for the forces that are resisting the new factory director to fall into chaos, for people inside the factory to distrust each other, and for more people to look forward to the arrival of the new factory director and accept his leadership. Haha, this means that even though she hasn't actually gone there, her popularity and prestige have already reached the factory before she has."
"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!"
"At such a young age, to have such cunning, patience, and character is truly admirable."
The leaders of the Light Industry Bureau paced back and forth in their office, becoming more and more excited as they thought about it, finding the plan to be brilliant!
"The Light Industry Bureau must cooperate fully with Comrade Qin's strategy!"
As he spoke, he picked up the phone and called the 316 Textile Factory, praising Qin Xiangxiang to the skies on the phone. The textile factory immediately transferred the call to the workers' village, allowing Zhou Aodong to speak with the leaders.
"Comrade Zhou, you've raised an extraordinary daughter! Her methods and strategies are truly admirable!"
"Be neither arrogant nor impatient, but courageous and resourceful!"
Zhou Aodong: "What?"
The leader of the Light Industry Bureau said, "I understand what she meant. She's capable! The Light Industry Bureau will fully cooperate with her work. Comrade Zhou, you should let your daughter do a good job!"
“Xiao Zhou, your daughter is much more capable than you. Young people are quick-witted.”
"We have already figured out everything she has done since she came to Shanghai."
Zhou Aodong: "??????"
When her daughter came back, she took a bath, ate and drank, lay in bed, and kissed this daughter and that daughter. What exactly did she do?
"Qin Xiangxiang, tell me! What exactly did you do?"
Qin Xiangxiang: "? Mom, I didn't do anything after I got home."
"I'm right under your nose, what can I do?"
Qin Xiangxiang held her daughter Qinghe on her left and her little girl Qinglan on her right. The mother and daughters huddled in a corner, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes glistening with tears, making her appear:
Weak, pitiful, and helpless.
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