Chapter 316 Flying Swallow Market is here, and I deeply condemn my eating...
"Why...why are there so many people?"
Qin Xiang had just finished the procedures at the factory office window and returned to the warehouse when he found an astonishing crowd at the entrance.
Construction workers who had finished their work, truck drivers with dusty faces, local youths wearing Dacron floral shirts, and residents carrying shopping baskets... a cacophony of voices, the sounds of vendors calling out, children playing, and all sorts of noises mingled together, creating a bustling atmosphere.
Their own factory-run snack stall, with its large pot of dark brown braising liquid bubbling away, exuding a rich aroma of meat mixed with the scent of star anise, is the most tempting place in the area.
The steamers next to us were stacked high, almost taller than a person. When the steamer was lifted, a plume of white steam shot straight into the sky, and the aroma of dough and meat filling wafted out.
The bean sprout noodle stall next door is even more tempting, with a broth made from pork bones and a fresh soup made from carefully selected bean sprouts—an absolutely exquisite flavor that MSG can't replicate.
"I want braised pork... and some pig's ears too."
"Give me a bowl of bean sprout noodle soup."
"I want three big meat buns."
...
Besides their own food stall at Fei Yan Textile Factory, there were also scattered stalls set up with all sorts of colorful tarpaulins and plastic sheets. Some sold seasonal fruits, some sold small biscuits, porcelain basins, nylon stockings... and even calendars printed with the images of Hong Kong celebrities!
Qin Xiangxiang: "???!!"
Where did they take her? Is this still the entrance to their special economic zone factory office? This is a bustling downtown area!
"Director Qin? You're the director?" When she returned, someone even tried to offer her a cigarette, but when they realized she was a female director, they were surprised and stood there dumbfounded.
"Yes, I am the factory manager of Feiyan Textile Factory."
Qin Xiangxiang walked into the factory office window she had hastily set up in a daze. Instead of choosing a honeycomb office building, she found an old warehouse in a godforsaken corner, and managed to attract such a large flow of people in just a few days.
"Director Qin, there are too many people outside right now, and it's not easy to drive them away. They've all come from afar to make a living..."
“Some families are indeed struggling financially. I couldn’t bear to hear their stories.”
"Factory manager, some people say they are willing to pay the booth fee."
Qin Xiangxiang was completely stunned.
They've made a huge mess of things.
In Shenzhen, many places with high foot traffic have long been filled with stalls. These people, lacking good locations, can only sell their wares here on a mobile basis. Now, they've come to the entrance of the Feiyan Textile Factory, which is a natural advantage. Many truck drivers, taxi drivers, and small truck drivers come here to buy meat buns and braised meat. These people have high incomes and are willing to spend money, so their income from setting up a stall here has increased several times over!
Many stall owners were afraid of being kicked out, since it was a rare opportunity to find such a good location. They couldn't wait for Qin Xiangxiang to collect the "stall fee" and secure the location so that others wouldn't take it away.
"Director Qin, you're just causing trouble for the special economic zone!"
The bustling activity at the Feiyan Textile Factory's office window in the Special Economic Zone attracted visits from local industrial and commercial bureaus and street management personnel.
Qin Xiangxiang was speechless: "I don't want to cause trouble either, why don't you help disperse the people?"
Several industry and commerce officials and street officials looked at each other in bewilderment.
"this……"
"This is an unprecedented scene of prosperity."
Qin Xiangxiang: "..."
The officials were in a dilemma. Should they ban or expel this unprecedented and bizarre scene? That would not be in line with the experimental spirit of the special economic zone to "revitalize the economy."
If left unchecked, they will all be operating without licenses.
"We'll go back and report the details."
Another day passed, and finally a decisive local leader made the decision: "Director Qin, you've caused some trouble, but you've also added vitality to the special economic zone! How about this, your Feiyan United Textile Factory, a large state-owned factory, will take the lead in organizing all the stall owners and processing 'individual business licenses' in a unified manner. We'll handle this as a special case and centralize the approval process!"
In the special economic zone, the central government encourages "revitalizing the economy," and anything that is beneficial to revitalizing the economy and improving people's livelihoods is allowed to be explored.
"Director Qin, you're in charge of organizing a Flying Swallow Market!"
Qin Xiangxiang looked confused: "???"
No, aren't you being a bit too casual?
Does this mean that what started as an unlicensed business gathering has inexplicably transformed into a legitimate market?
"Alright, Wang Youyou, you gather the stall owners together."
Now, a massive operation began. Wang Youyou used a megaphone to register vendors, and more and more vendors came to sign up. Qin Xiangxiang led a group of people to organize the materials.
Qin Xiangxiang stared at the documents in her hand, her mind filled with thoughts of: Where am I? What am I doing?
In just one week, dozens of fixed stalls with brand-new business licenses appeared at the entrance of Feiyan Textile Factory, and "Feiyan Market" gained its own legal status in Shenzhen Special Economic Zone.
"Li Jianzhi, I will have to wait a while before I can go back."
"Our factory office window is all set up... and a 'Flying Swallow Market' has appeared here."
...
Li Jianzhi chuckled: "Wife, you're a business genius! You have an eye for business; you can turn a dilapidated warehouse into a whole street."
Qin Xiangxiang: "You're rubbing salt into my wounds."
Li Jianzhi: "Versailles is forbidden."
"You haven't seen this before. There are so many people coming and going here, it's a constant flow of transient population..."
Li Jianzhi smiled slightly: "I understand, honey, please be careful. How about this, your security issues really need to be taken seriously. Now that the factory office window has been set up and a small market has developed outside, I'll contact a few old comrades-in-arms and ask them to introduce a group of reliable veterans to work as your security guards, is that alright?"
"Okay, have them come over and contact me directly. The procedures here are quite complicated, and there are a lot of scammers! You can easily fall into a trap if you're not careful. Have them come over directly, and I'll send someone to pick them up."
Li Jianzhi smiled indulgently: "Okay, I guarantee I will complete the commander's mission."
"Darling, I miss you."
Qin Xiangxiang blushed: "Don't be so clingy. Okay, I miss you too. Bye."
After hanging up the phone, Li Jianzhi smiled and reminisced for a while. Then he dialed a long-distance number to the capital and contacted Li Qianjin, an old comrade-in-arms from the army who was now working in the General Staff Mobilization Department.
"Old Li, it's me, Li Jianzhi."
"Old Li, what brings you to call me all of a sudden?"
Li Jianzhi: "I'd like to ask you for a favor. My family members set up a stall in the Pengcheng Special Economic Zone, and before we knew it, it had developed into a small market. Now that the stall has grown, the situation is chaotic, and I'm not too comfortable with those women. Do you have any soldiers under you who have just been discharged this year, whose families are from the south, who are quick-witted, and skilled? Could you send a group of them over there to ensure their safety and provide them with food?"
After a moment of contemplation on the other end of the phone, he said, "Pengcheng, that's a great place! It's a problem for many veterans to be resettled back in their hometowns. Many people want to try their luck in the south, but they just don't have the connections. You're not asking me for help, you're giving me a helping hand in my time of need! Okay, I'll remember this. I'll pick a group of top soldiers for you from among the veterans from Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, and Hunan."
"You, the female family member, are Factory Director Qin, right? You're quite remarkable."
The news spread like wildfire shortly after Li Jianzhi made the call. In those days, two or three years after Shenzhen was designated a special economic zone, many people considered it a place rife with gold but also full of unknown risks.
Now, there is a leader, the director of a state-owned factory, who is also the wife of a naval commander... and the famous "Director Qin," who has already established himself there and needs manpower.
This undoubtedly points out a bright and promising path for many young men who are about to take off their military uniforms and are filled with confusion about the future.
"Me? I was chosen?"
"Me? Go to Shenzhen? I...I...I'm willing!"
...
This batch of over twenty demobilized soldiers, who were selected, knew they were about to go to Shenzhen, to the special economic zone, and to work under the famous "Director Qin." It was as if a pie had fallen from the sky and hit them on the head.
Being able to get a job in a state-owned textile factory after being discharged from the military is already like winning the lottery; for them to get a job in a state-owned textile factory in a special economic zone is truly a stroke of incredible luck.
“Some people in my family have always wanted to try their luck in Shenzhen, but they are unfamiliar with the place and don’t dare to go. If I can establish myself there, I can also bring my family with me. Our hometown in the mountains is too poor and the life is too hard.”
"It's the same in the mountains back home; there's no electricity."
...
"Twenty of them came?"
"Including me, there are only twelve people from our factory who came."
Li Jianzhi: "There's no other way, wife. There have been quite a few soldiers being discharged in recent years. Can you help us settle them down?"
"Here, I deeply condemn my behavior of living off a woman."
"Wife, Commander, please help me, they've come to me for help."
Qin Xiangxiang: "..."
Originally, there were only twelve of them, and they planned to leave a few here to manage the special economic zone's factory office window. Now, more than twenty veterans have arrived, and the operation has expanded endlessly.
A week later, two military trucks carrying these young and strong men, along with their simple luggage, were delivered directly to the entrance of the Feiyan Textile Factory in Shenzhen Special Economic Zone.
They got off the bus and stood in two neat rows, dressed in faded old military uniforms. Their posture was upright, as if they were still in the barracks. Their eyes were sharp like soldiers and full of hope for the future. They stood in front of Qin Xiangxiang.
They all saluted in unison:
"Good morning, Director Qin!"
Qin Xiangxiang: "..."
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