Chapter 329 Is Agent Feiyan "Infiltrating" from Home? ...
"More specialized? They all boil down to the same thing: mathematics."
To do data analysis, the most essential subject that you can't do without is still mathematics, the "grandfather" and "ancestor".
Can we still discuss analysis without actual data?
In fact, changes in data can reveal a great deal of information.
Qin Xiangxiang: "..."
Hearing the word "mathematics" makes her head spin.
In the whole family, it seems that only three people really love math:
Li Jianzhi, Li Qingfeng, Li Qinghe.
There are three people who don't like math:
Qin Xiangxiang, Li Qinghui, Li Qinglan.
The match ended in a 3v3 tie.
It's no wonder that Qin Xiangxiang actually has some "mathematical talent"—her children are all "balanced" in mathematics.
In early 1984, Qin Xiangxiang went to see her eldest son, Li Qingfeng, who was a sophomore at Fudan University and would be a junior in the fall. She asked him if he knew any university students specializing in data analysis.
Li Qingfeng: "There really is one, Mom. She might be the talent you're looking for. She's a math major, Sun Xiaoyan. She's particularly obsessed with data analysis and spends almost every day in the school library."
Qin Xiangxiang blushed slightly: "..."
She doesn't go to the library very often, let alone spend every day there.
"She's spending all her time in the library doing math problems?"
“Wrong!” Li Qingfeng shook his head: “To say she’s obsessed with data analysis is a strange thing. I’ve run into her several times in the library. She likes to analyze industrial data in the Economic Daily, as well as train freight timetables and even weather reports.”
Qin Xiangxiang rested her chin on her hand: "What can we analyze from this?"
"It's roughly about analyzing changes in ore transportation volume to deduce Baosteel's production capacity trend for the next quarter, and then predicting future fluctuations in steel prices..."
Qin Xiangxiang: "?????????!!!!"
I can't believe you can analyze it like this.
Qin Xiangxiang's eyes lit up. This was truly a talent! Mathematical data analysis—it seemed like an indispensable professional.
If it were someone like Xu Xiaoman, they would actively seek out information, which is considered human reconnaissance; but this math prodigy predicted the news in advance based on various information, which is considered data analysis.
We must focus on both talent development and economic growth.
...Anyway, their supply and intelligence network was actually a makeshift operation, so they tried to save as much as possible.
That day, in a corner of the Fudan University library, Sun Xiaoyan, a mathematics student, was using her notebook as usual to predict the probability of rainfall next week through a "mysterious process," which was her personal hobby.
In fact, she couldn't help but praise herself in her heart. If she were in ancient times, she would be destined to be a "fortune teller," predicting rain and weather... In ancient times, that was a matter of probability for fortune tellers, but in modern times, she has her own unique way of calculating.
The department head suddenly came looking for us at that moment:
"Sun Xiaoyan, get ready quickly! Director Qin from Feiyan United Factory specifically asked to see you!"
Factory Director Qin? Is that the "Factory Director Qin" who frequently appears in TV dramas, radio, and newspapers? In an economics class at Fudan University, I even used this Factory Director Qin as a case study. She is a legendary figure known throughout the country.
Such an important figure, wanting to see her?
Sun Xiaoyan's head buzzed, and she almost dropped the book in her hand. With a nervous heart, she followed the department head to the office and met the rumored "Factory Director Qin".
The woman before me was even more beautiful than in the newspapers and on television. She was wearing a high-quality cashmere sweater, and her eyes crinkled when she smiled.
Qin Xiangxiang: "Is it Sun Xiaoyan?"
Yes, yes.
"I heard you're good at data analysis. Our factory needs someone who can do data analysis. Could you try to help us out?"
Sun Xiaoyan was stunned for a moment. She, she, she was still just a student! For her, work was still a yearning for a bright future. But the factory director in front of her was the director of a factory with tens of thousands of employees!
Even after graduation, she might not be able to get assigned to the other party's state-owned factory. In terms of salary and benefits at that time, going to Feiyan United Factory was undoubtedly a very good place.
Is the other party asking her to come and help out? Or do they hope she can stay at the factory in the future?
"Director Qin, of course I'm willing!"
Fame is a double-edged sword. Although people are afraid of becoming famous, just as pigs are afraid of getting fat, when "Director Qin" becomes a golden living signboard, he can attract talents without much persuasion.
Thus, Qin Xiangxiang gained another valuable talent for his materials intelligence center. Since Sun Xiaoyan was still a student, it could only be considered an off-campus part-time job. The school was happy to see such "off-campus expansion" and was very interested in the "materials intelligence allocation and analysis" that Qin Xiangxiang mentioned.
"Sun, go over there, this is your chance!"
Sun Xiaoyan arrived at the temporary office of the "Flying Swallow Material Adjustment Center" and then at the old office of the Shangpu Textile Factory. Inside, there were telegraph devices similar to those used by spies in the past, making Sun Xiaoyan feel as if she had transformed from a college student in the 1980s into a Communist Party agent during the Republic of China era.
Sitting at her workstation by the window, Qin Xiangxiang had a thick stack of reports brought to her. The reports included data on raw material purchase prices, transportation costs, and inventory turnover for the Feiyan United Factory over the past three years, along with some miscellaneous clippings, train timetables, and even port tidal tables for cargo ships…
Sun Xiaoyan: "???" She was dumbfounded. This messy data was completely different from the clean and orderly data statistics in the library.
Qin Xiangxiang blinked at her. Having heard that this girl could estimate Baosteel's output and steel price fluctuations based on which trains and what kind of ore were being transported, Qin Xiangxiang had found all sorts of data that she thought were useful for her.
—My intelligence agents, help me pick up the scraps!
Qin Xiangxiang: "Besides these 'dead data,' you also have a partner, Xu Xiaoman, who is a retired communications soldier and is also good at reconnaissance and eavesdropping. He is your 'living ears' and will report all kinds of small information he finds to you."
At that moment, Qin Xiangxiang felt a slight sense of "excitement" even in this small office.
It feels like they're really doing "underground work".
Despite the chaotic mess of data before her, Sun Xiaoyan, a young female college student, was deeply attracted and fascinated by this underground intelligence work that resembled "spying."
Because the most popular novels in the 1970s were spy novels.
Qin Xiangxiang said, "Since you've just started working, I'm afraid you're not familiar with it yet. As the factory manager, I'll be there to assist you. You can ask me any questions you have."
Qin Xiangxiang, who was originally lazy and didn't like taking on tasks, was also attracted by the exciting work of "gathering intelligence".
She also wanted a real-life version of "A Pair of Embroidered Shoes" (X).
Alright, from this moment on, the "Flying Swallow Underground Intelligence Organization" is established!
"Factory manager, I will definitely work hard!" Sun Xiaoyan, a female college student, was initially hesitant in the face of the complicated situation, feeling that she was not up to the task.
But with the legendary "Factory Director Qin" right in front of her, who had already "taken the lead," how could she possibly back down?
Even when faced with a jumble of data, one can still meticulously analyze it to build a model and uncover the true information hidden beneath the surface.
"Alright, from now on, I'm an underground spy, and I'm going to do underground intelligence work." Qin Xiangxiang, still feeling this thrilled, couldn't help but say this to the man beside her even after returning home and before going to sleep.
She lay on the soft pillow, her heart pounding wildly. The old Republican-era architecture of the Shangpu Textile Factory was perfect for this kind of intelligence work; it had the perfect atmosphere!
Meanwhile, the deputy chief of staff of a certain naval base command: "..."
Having a "spy wife" sleeping next to you—is this some kind of "infiltration" in your own home?
Li Jianzhi: "Our home has become like the Tianjin Railway Station."
Qin Xiangxiang: "???"
"The situation in Tianjin is too complicated."
Qin Xiangxiang: "We're also members of the Shanghai underground Communist Party, aren't we? Where did you go?"
Li Jianzhi: "Dai Li's plane has crashed again."
As is well known, in every spy film, Dai Li's plane crashes once, and it's unknown how many times he has died in crashes.
Qin Xiangxiang: "...I think the situation in your head is more complicated."
Driven by the thrill of "intelligence gathering," Comrade Qin, the special agent, happily embarked on his initial exploration of intelligence work.
First of all, she was also wondering, is "intelligence work" really useful?
Within a few days, Xu Xiaoman had already gathered some intelligence, such as the recent heavy rains in East China, which were expected to reduce the construction site start-up rate, leading to a chain reaction: a decrease in cement demand in the short term, and transportation costs that might rise due to rainy road conditions...
Not to mention college student Sun Xiaoyan, even Factory Director Qin, Secretary Li, and others were completely baffled by this intelligence.
"It seems like we know a lot of things, but what can we do about it?"
Secretary Li also joined the "Flying Swallow Special Intelligence Group." Even though he was a middle-aged man, he found it very exciting: "In the past, those bosses would have several, or even a dozen, different intelligence reports before making a decision. As the leader, we also had to find important information that was beneficial to us from these complex intelligence reports."
Qin Xiangxiang: "Secretary Li is right."
Sun Xiaoyan: "???!!"
Are they coordinating supplies or conducting underground intelligence analysis? Why does it feel so exciting?
Soon, Sun Xiaoyan got the hang of her work and made some predictions, but many contradictions also arose.
For example, based on the data she collected, Sun Xiaoyan analyzed: "Steel prices may rise next month."
Meanwhile, Xu Xiaoman heard another piece of news: "I heard rumors that a major factory will be selling off its 'inventory steel' next month."
Secretary Li: "???"
Sun Xiaoyan: "???"
Qin Xiangxiang: "??????"
...
"My God, how do we do intelligence work like this?"
If you receive two completely contradictory intelligence reports, how do you make the right decision, or is the future simply unpredictable?
So, is the price of steel going up or down?
"The reality is just too complicated."
Qin Xiangxiang said, "Sun Xiaoyan, your data analysis is important, and the rumors and gossip that Xu Xiaoman collected are also important. We need to incorporate them all and consider them comprehensively. Xiaoyan, you should build a new predictive model."
Although it is often said that plans can't keep up with changes, having forecasts can at least significantly improve the accuracy rate.
Sun Xiaoyan gradually combined the official economic data she collected with the rumors collected by Sun Xiaoman to make predictions.
Soon, Sun Xiaoyan discovered a "bargain opportunity" from economic data from various regions. The data showed that there was a backlog of glass inventory in a certain area, and Xu Xiaoman also confirmed through her intelligence network that the local factory manager was indeed trying to use connections to clear out the inventory.
Qin Xiangxiang immediately instructed the purchasing agent to contact the local factory and purchase a batch of high-quality glass at a cost 20% lower than the market price.
"Factory manager, it's 20% below market price! That's 20%!" Secretary Li and the others were overjoyed. In the past, there would never have been so many "bargains" to be found.
Previously, without a dual-track pricing system, prices varied wildly across the country. To save on these costs, even if several purchasing agents worked themselves to death, they might not be able to find the perfect bargain every time.
This is a great victory for the intelligence work of "Flying Swallow Special Agents"!
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