Chapter 266 A Shocking Discovery: Mom, I think you're the one who's gone mad! ...
The empty promise Qin Xiangxiang made naturally reached the Shanghai Light Industry Bureau. The bureau had been paying close attention to this female factory director's reforms and learned that she actually had the ambition to secure "Ministry of Foreign Affairs orders."
The entire Light Industry Bureau was in an uproar.
Even the leaders of the Light Industry Bureau who had previously praised Qin Xiangxiang couldn't help but remark, "Isn't this female factory director afraid of taking too big a step..."
"Women are usually modest and cautious, and don't like to boast. But this General Manager Qin is far too ambitious."
"If this were ancient times, Qin Xiang would be considered a female 'hero,' and she reminds me of Cao Cao."
In the eyes of the people at the Light Industry Bureau, Qin Xiangxiang has now become "Cao-Xiangxiang-Cao," a very remarkable female tyrant.
“In the past, a person like Qin Xiangxiang would only exist in legendary novels and in the mouths of storytellers!”
In the 1970s, when entertainment options were extremely limited, Qin Xiangxiang suddenly became a "headline figure" in the Municipal Light Industry Bureau. Throughout history and across the world, people who dare to set ambitious goals have always been admired.
Some mocked, while others praised.
At that very moment, a deputy director of the Logistics Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs happened to be on a business trip in Shanghai. He heard about this female factory director who had made such ambitious pronouncements from people in the Light Industry Bureau and about her "strategic" reforms.
"Deputy Director Lin, look at this young and capable female factory director. She's got a big mouth, actually saying she'll make uniforms for you!"
What was said in jest was taken seriously by the listener. This Deputy Director-General Lin was worried about the uniforms for the delegation that was about to visit Western Europe—this was precisely why he came to Shanghai, a city with the most developed light industry, and whose textile and garment industry was second to none in the country.
However, after visiting many long-established state-owned factories, he felt that the clothes produced in these factories were too rigid, lacked distinctive features, and were unsatisfactory.
Many diplomats have complained that the work is flawed, monotonous, and boring, and that some changes should be made.
"Hey, since you all say that female factory manager is so capable, I'll go and see what new tricks this old factory can come up with?"
With this in mind, Deputy Director Lin made a last-minute decision to "take a casual look" at Feiyan No. 2 Factory.
Because it was a last-minute decision and Feiyan No. 2 Factory was notified in advance, the factory staff only found out when Li, an official from the Light Industry Bureau, accompanied Deputy Director Lin to the factory gate.
This was a complete surprise inspection!
"My God—" Officer Li got out of the car in disbelief and walked around the gate of Feiyan No. 2 Factory several times. He remembered that the last time he came here, the area under the wall was like a garbage dump. Now the wall has been repainted and the garbage dump has been turned into greenery.
"Your factory is different now, has it been renovated?"
"Our new factory manager ordered a massive cleanup! Now the factory environment is great, and they've even put sandalwood incense in the toilets!"
"The musty smell in the workshop has dissipated, and now it smells of tea. Everything is bright and clean."
Officer Li was visibly shocked. "I had heard about Director Qin's various reforms from the Light Industry Bureau, but seeing it with my own eyes is definitely better than hearing it from my ears."
"This female factory manager is incredibly capable!"
Upon hearing this, Deputy Director Lin was filled with curiosity: "What's wrong?"
Officer Li immediately told him about the changes at the Shangpu Textile Factory, which greatly surprised Deputy Director Lin.
The two outside were taken aback, while Qin Xiangxiang and the others were "taken aback" inside the factory!
Qin Xiangxiang, who was happily slacking off, was shocked: "People from the Light Industry Bureau have come?"
This is probably one of the downsides of living in a big city: various leaders can just walk out with one foot in the left corner and suddenly show up for an inspection, as easily as eating or drinking.
At this moment, Qin Xiangxiang was in a dark room with a group of experienced craftsmen, all gathered around an old-fashioned projector. This also highlights the advantage of living in Shanghai, where there are many imported dubbed films and numerous internal channels for importing dubbed films.
There are also some clothing reference clips, such as diplomatic meeting clips, to learn the etiquette, as well as the posture, sitting posture, and handshake width, all of which are very particular.
Some of the experienced craftsmen in the factory talked to Qin Xiangxiang about the etiquette of those elegant gentlemen and ladies in the past, their requirements for custom-made clothing, and also told her various celebrity gossip stories, which gave Qin Xiangxiang a good gossip session.
This is the fun of "legally slacking off"!
"Factory director, people from the Light Industry Bureau have arrived. I heard that a leader from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also with them."
"Factory manager, did you really get help from the Light Industry Bureau? Are we trying to secure an order from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?"
The veteran workers in the screening room were all dumbfounded. So fast?! They hadn't really taken it seriously before, thinking the new factory manager was just playing around, or even delusional. There were so many light industrial textile factories in Shanghai, why would it be their turn?
But now, people from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have arrived!
The factory manager trusts them way too much! Their Factory Manager Qin is a man of action! He gets things done right away!
Even if they fail this time, they still admire Director Qin and this woman who dares to think and act.
However, these experienced workers didn't know that Qin Xiangxiang was also completely bewildered, though the dim lighting concealed the confusion on her face.
Qin Xiangxiang: "?"
She was just making empty promises, yet she actually attracted people from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?
Is this reasonable?
However, since everyone had already arrived at the factory, Qin Xiangxiang could only take the Party Secretary and a few experienced workers to greet them. They met with Director Li from the Light Industry Bureau and the Deputy Director of the Logistics Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Officer Li said, "This deputy director is currently on a business trip in Shanghai, inspecting various long-established state-owned textile factories, and is ordering uniforms for the delegation members who will soon be visiting Western Europe."
"He heard about your deeds at the Light Industry Bureau and said he wanted to come to the factory to take a look."
"Director Qin, you have quite the reputation!"
Qin Xiangxiang was speechless: "..."
"Our factory has only made a few sample suits so far," Qin Xiangxiang said, her words carrying a heavy burden. One of them was even made by her own hand. The suit tester was her exclusive guinea pig, Li Jianzhi.
Men should dress smartly too, and since suits aren't worn often, Qin Xiangxiang pays special attention to both aesthetics and practicality.
Her man's handsome face should also be tidied up and captured with a camera.
The master craftsmen at Feiyan No. 2 Factory brought out three sample suits from the factory, one of which was the one Qin Xiangxiang made herself. It was tailor-made to Li Jianzhi's size, and the cut was very handsome and beautiful.
This is an irresistible temptation for any man.
Deputy Director Lin was also a man, and sure enough, when he saw the suit, his eyes widened, staring at it with an insatiable hunger, just like the Golden Pool Monk staring at Tang Sanzang's brocade cassock.
"This outfit—the design is quite novel."
Deputy Director Lin touched the suit and discovered some ingenious designs. The elbows and knees, which are prone to wear and tear, were padded with elastic pads made by Qin Xiangxiang to ensure that the suit fabric would not wrinkle easily when sitting or standing, allowing for greater freedom of movement.
Qin Xiangxiang was purely considering aesthetics; she thought wrinkles were too ugly and that suits needed to have a good cut.
The lining is even more intriguing, featuring a subtle jacquard pattern—a modified piece of Song brocade scraps from the factory. Meanwhile, the inside of the cuffs is embroidered with tiny doves and olive branches in the same color silk thread.
When the clothes were being trial-made, Qin Xiangxiang had many requirements, such as:
"The clothes should be soft and comfortable to wear."
"The depth of the pocket needs to be changed, and the way you put your pen should look nice and attractive, not bulging out like a fool."
"The underarm area also needs special consideration; it shouldn't be too noticeable when sweating..."
...
Based on these requirements, the initial suit samples were made with practicality, comfort, and aesthetics in mind, which precisely addressed the pain points of traditional uniforms.
Officer Li stared wide-eyed: "This...this garment must be too complicated to make, with embroidery on the cuffs! This is too much work, which female worker made it?"
"This piece you're holding is the work of our factory director, Mr. Qin!"
Li, the clerk, was utterly astonished. What? The factory manager's skills?
"Factory Director Qin can also embroider?"
“Our factory manager is not only skilled in Suzhou embroidery, but also in kesi (silk tapestry); she even invented a shadow tapestry technique.”
"What an amazing person."
Deputy Director Lin insisted on trying it on, even though they didn't have his size. He was reluctant to take it off when he looked in the mirror after putting it on.
"These clothes are very comfortable to wear, and they allow for free movement!"
"The design looks good when you sit down."
"And this, it looks really nice with a pen inserted!"
...
After trying them on, Deputy Director Lin took all of their samples with him, saying he wanted to take them to Beijing to participate in a clothing competition.
Qin Xiangxiang was completely stunned: "The clothes I made for my husband... are gone?"
She suspected that this Deputy Director Lin had come to steal her clothes. Li Jianzhi was tall, and most men couldn't fit into his size, but Deputy Director Lin still managed to take Li Jianzhi's clothes.
“I suspect that this director of some department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs came here to steal clothes. There were clearly several sets in different sizes. I said I would keep this one, but he insisted on taking it back to Beijing to show other people the craftsmanship of this ‘female tyrant’ factory director.”
"He took away the clothes I had painstakingly made!"
Li Jianzhi comforted her, "Our family is really amazing. Maybe this trip to Beijing will win the bid for your clothes, and you'll actually get an order from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."
"I've praised you for a long time. Just look at your work, it's the work of a master."
Qin Xiangxiang: "? Your clothes are gone, Li Jianzhi, we made plans to take pictures!"
"Make more if you run out."
"Easy for you to say! You do it, you do it, you do it!"
Li Jianzhi: "Okay, I'll make a set of matching outfits for us, so we can wear them out for photos."
"You dare to do it, but I wouldn't dare to wear it. Humph, have some self-awareness!"
When Zhou Aodong returned home, he learned that people from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had gone to his daughter's Feiyan No. 2 Factory and taken away several sample outfits to take to Beijing for the election... Zhou Aodong's mind began to wander.
Her daughter had taken over a run-down textile factory, a mess that nobody wanted, but somehow she was quickly noticed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
If they win the bid, will the sun rise in the west?
Zhou Aodong: "Am I crazy, or are you crazy...? My daughter is that capable?"
Qin Xiangxiang said, "I don't know why, it just suddenly turned out like this."
Zhou Aodong suffered a heart attack for three seconds: "..."
"Qin Xiangxiang, tell me the truth, you've already made a meticulous plan, haven't you? This is all part of your plan. Your factory has experience in foreign trade, and you also have a network of informants. You knew about the delegation that was about to visit Western Europe, and you even asked around to find out that the Director of the Logistics Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was coming to Shanghai for inspection. All of this was under your control!"
Qin Xiangxiang: "??????"
"Mom, I think you're the one who's crazy!"
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