Chapter 166
After all, He Shengnan is the factory director of Xiang Yanghong. Although she likes and admires Qin Xiang and is grateful for Qin Xiang's help to Xiang Yanghong, she is in this position and she must consider Xiang Yanghong.
The current dilemma has been solved, but He Shengnan also knows that this situation is only temporary. When Qin Xiang has sufficient funds and government support, perhaps he will open his own factory.
What should Xiang Yanghong do then?
He Shengnan had no other choice but to find a way out on her own. Qin Xiang was very talented in business and had a good vision. If the factory could reach a second cooperation with Qin Xiang, it would only benefit it.
Qin Xiang's eyes grew more serious. "Please tell me. As long as it's mutually beneficial, I'll naturally consider it."
He Shengnan looked at the young woman in front of her without a trace of disdain. She composed herself and said, "Two months ago, I reported this to the city government, and now several of our designers have gone to the provincial university to study design. But the training period is only six months, and I'm not sure what kind of results they'll achieve. So I'd like to open up another avenue and buy design drafts from you. What do you think?"
Seeing Qin Xiang's surprise, He Shengnan was also worried that Qin Xiang would not agree, so she quickly added, "Of course, all the design drafts will still be based on yours. Just give us two or three designs every quarter on time and in a fixed quantity. I'll figure out the rest later."
He Shengnan didn't say this method explicitly, but Qin Xiang could guess it.
It was no secret that she was holding a design competition at school with great fanfare. There must be people in Ningcheng who were studying at Tsinghua University. After they came back and promoted it, no matter how He Shengnan knew about it, she must have been inspired.
Qin Xiang was able to hold a competition at school and collect design submissions. As a factory director, He Shengnan, while unable to afford such a large sum of money to hold a competition, could still follow Qin Xiang's example and collect design submissions at school. The provincial university was closer to Ningcheng, making it easier to operate. Even if it wasn't as prestigious as Tsinghua University, it was still a nationally renowned institution, and its design students weren't necessarily inferior to experienced designers from major factories.
I have to say, He Shengnan's brain works very quickly. If there is no other way, just follow others and learn.
Who is the best person to learn from?
It is best to learn from Qin Xiang.
Qin Xiang is a self-employed person, but he has developed his business to its current scale in just over a year, which is something that most people cannot do.
He Shengnan didn't shy away from this and said helplessly, "I'm helpless too, but I can't go to a university in the capital, so I can only use my connections to start with the provincial university. But I have a hunch that even students majoring in design at the provincial university may not design clothes better than yours. I trust your vision more, so after I came up with this idea, I wanted to ask you first. If you're really too busy, I can only accept everything from the school."
This sentence really praised Qin Xiang directly. It not only stated his own way out but also expressed his affirmation of Qin Xiang.
Qin Xiang thought about it and felt that this matter would indeed not do her any harm.
She had no shortage of money to earn from selling her designs; after all, she was already providing them to Yangcheng Guan Zhihong. Providing them to Xiang Yanghong was tiring, but it was her specialty, so a little hardship was no big deal.
This approach can also deepen the cooperation between the two sides.
Qin Xiang thought for a moment and said, "You know, I have to balance my studies and career right now. I also have to provide design drafts in Yangcheng, and I also have to have them on my side. I can only guarantee a few design drafts every quarter. They might be my own designs, or they might be ones I received from classmates, but I will guarantee the quality of the drafts. I don't care about anything else, but I have to provide the supply here. The deadline can be set at one year for now, and we can talk about the rest later. Perhaps after a year, you can set up your own design team."
Seeing her agree, He Shengnan was overjoyed and nodded quickly, saying, "Of course. I can also promise you that I will never supply clothes produced based on your designs to cities where you have branches. Of course, if you open a new store later, I won't be able to control that."
Qin Xiang laughed, "Of course, that's what I should do."
He Shengnan is a person who works very efficiently. She didn't know how long Qin Xiang could stay here, and perhaps she was worried that Qin Xiang would refuse, so she immediately asked someone to draft a supply contract.
During this time, He Shengnan also talked to Qin Xiang about her plan. She was indeed going to the provincial university to collect design drafts, but she was not sure about the popular styles, so she hoped Qin Xiang could help her keep an eye on them.
Qin Xiang shook her head. "I can help you once with something like this, but are you willing to leave such an important matter in the hands of an outsider? Director He, instead of asking me to be the judge, why don't you develop a keen eye yourself? You can tell whether a style will be popular with the public just by looking at it."
Seeing He Shengnan's hesitation, Qin Xiang smiled and said, "Actually, you'll understand after seeing more. And market positioning is also very important. You need to investigate where the goods are supplied and what level of clothing the customers in that area can accept."
As for her own branches, although they were all located in cities along the route from the capital to Ningcheng, Tan Xiu would observe the local fashion trends after setting up shop in each location, gathering a wealth of information. Therefore, even though they were all branches of Xianglian, the types of goods they stocked varied greatly, and Qin Xiang would also prioritize her designs. Even when she received designs from school, she would focus on selecting designs that would suit her store, rather than simply choosing the best and most fashionable.
There were some things Qin Xiang didn't need to say much about, as He Shengnan knew them all. She asked casually, and when Qin Xiang refused, He Shengnan didn't insist.
It is not easy to get the design draft from Qin Xiang.
For over two months, the factory had been shipping loads of clothes out of the factory, and it wasn't without its envy. Several factory leaders even suggested to He Shengnan that they could secretly have other workers produce the clothes while still doing the contract work, and then sell them to others. As long as they didn't admit it and took a while to get the time difference, they could just say that the other factory was producing the clothes based on Qin Xiang and her team's styles.
This does sound like a good thing and can bring enough benefits to the factory. To put it bluntly, it is freeloading and Qin Xiang's design is taken for free.
But He Shengnan knew Qin Xiang quite well, and after thinking it over, she rejected the proposal.
This would indeed allow the factory to temporarily resume production, and everyone would be happy. However, this kind of thing could not be concealed at all. Once Qin Xiang knew about it, she would probably immediately stop placing orders with them for OEM.
Several leaders felt that even if Qin Xiang knew, she wouldn't tear herself apart. After all, Xiang Yanghong controlled the fabrics, which gave them an advantage, and the workers were all skilled, so the clothes they made would be of good quality.
He Shengnan was not optimistic. She knew very well the current situation of the state-owned factories outside, and she often heard complaints from other factories when she went to the city for meetings.
They had the advantage of fabrics and workmanship, but there were so many garment factories across the country that far surpassed them. Furthermore, Mao Yuxiang from Qinxiang's office had been following their purchasing director around, and was already familiar with the fabric controls. Furthermore, although the young woman was young, she was very particular and stubborn, ignoring others' advice. It would be very difficult to secretly import more fabric for clothing under her nose.
Qinxiang has ten stores and three shops in the wholesale city. Although the number is not large, the shipment volume is huge.
Qin Xiang had no shortage of money or connections. With a boyfriend who was a wealthy Hong Kong businessman right there, how could she not introduce him to someone else? If Qin Xiang wanted, her boyfriend would probably be able to quickly fund and build a factory. And He Shengnan knew that if it weren't for their past friendship, Qin Xiang wouldn't have chosen Xiang Yanghong as her OEM.
So in the end He Shengnan didn't give in, and even tried to persuade several leaders.
Of course, He Shengnan was not going to tell Qin Xiang about this matter. Time will tell how well she does.
She, He Shengnan, is not such a heartless person, nor is she the kind of person who would lose sight of the big picture for the sake of small gains.
The contract was quickly completed. Qin Xiang checked it carefully, added two more clauses, and then signed it.
The second cooperation between the two parties also began.
He Shengnan breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Let's go, let's have lunch together at noon."
Not only the two of them went there, but also Miao Xiaofeng and Director Feng and several other leaders.
The factory is now richer, and the places we use to entertain guests are much better than before.
However, Qin Xiang was determined not to drink outside. But Miao Xiaofeng surprised Qin Xiang. She had a good alcohol tolerance and drank two glasses without blushing or panting.
After dinner, Qin Xiang refused He Shengnan's offer to send her off and went back to the hotel with Miao Xiaofeng. When they arrived at the hotel, Miao Xiaofeng told her what she had inquired about.
"I overheard a worker whispering that someone had suggested to Director He that they secretly produce some of our styles and sell them elsewhere, but Director He refused."
Qin Xiang understood, but it also gave Qin Xiang a reminder.
There was no such thing as copyright protection back then, and since their clothes sold well, there was no guarantee that no one would imitate them.
She is not afraid of imitation, but she is afraid that someone will do something bad and cause trouble for the people in her shop by bringing poor quality products.
For this reason, Qin Xiang instructed Miao Xiaofeng, "Find a way to add an extra procedure to our clothes and add a small label of the Yige brand."
After thinking for a while, Qin Xiang simply took out a pen and paper, and after much deliberation, he casually drew a pattern. "Have the factory produce some small labels of this specification, and sew them onto the clothes when they are sewn. Let them choose the appropriate position for the tops and pants."
Miao Xiaofeng quickly wrote it down and said, "Okay, I'll do it right away."
Qin Xiang stopped her and said with a smile, "You should take a break in the afternoon after drinking."
Miao Xiaofeng herself was still unhappy. "I think what you said is quite right. The sooner we can produce it, the sooner we can feel at ease. We have some clothes in the warehouse. I'll see if I can add them."
After saying that, he went to work in a hurry.
Qin Xiang saw that Miao Xiaofeng was full of energy and in a good mood. She smiled, then turned around and went out to make a phone call.
The call was to Tan Xiu. Although Tan Xiu was still in the capital, she would visit the various branches from time to time. Qin Xiang mentioned the problem, which also attracted Tan Xiu's attention. "I understand. I will go there again in the next two days and explain it to them in person. By the way, I will also check the situation of other stores in the market."
Qin Xiang nodded in satisfaction. "Your idea is good. Go for it. If you need money, go get it from He Liping."
Tan Xiu smiled and said, "Okay."
Qin Xiang now has quite a few employees under him, but old employees like Tan Xiu are also actively improving themselves and enhancing their abilities in order to keep up with the pace of their boss. They are not willing to be just an ordinary clerk.
As for Tan Xiu herself, she has worked her way up from a clerk to a store manager, and now to the general manager of a branch, and she has never dared to be careless.
Their growth is inseparable from Qin Xiang's encouragement, especially Tan Xiu and Miao Xiaofeng who became Qin Xiang's employees at the same time. Miao Xiaofeng was doing very well in Ningcheng, so she naturally did not want to be outdone.
After calling Tan Xiu, Qin Xiang called Mi Hongjun again.
There were probably not many people in the wholesale city at this time, but in order to develop, the wholesale city required merchants not to close during the day, so Mi Hongjun assigned the personnel to take turns on duty after 12 o'clock, and the others went back to rest.
Unfortunately, when Qin Xiang called, Mi Hongjun was not there, and Liu Xiaocao was on duty there.
According to Liu Xiaocao, Mi Hongjun's girlfriend came and he left with her as soon as he got off work.
Qin Xiang was in a daze for a moment. It had been several days since she left the capital, so it was normal for Hao Jingjing to arrive.
Mi Hongjun was not there, so it was useless for Qin Xiang to tell Liu Xiaocao. So she asked Mi Hongjun to call her again when he came back.
After hanging up the phone, Qin Xiang went back to her room to sleep.
After sleeping until around five in the afternoon, Qin Xiang simply went out for a walk in Ning City.
In order to promote economic development, Ning City has also opened several night markets, both large and small.
Miao Xiaofeng came to accompany her, and at this time Zhao Ping also came from the provincial capital.
The day before yesterday, when Zhao Ping passed by the provincial capital, he asked for leave to go back and visit his family. He didn't expect to come back so soon.
Qin Xiang smiled and said, "Didn't I say I'd give you a few more days off?"
"It's okay at home, so I'll go back to the team early." Zhao Ping felt a little uncomfortable, and there was no expression on his face.
But Qin Xiang could still vaguely see something unusual in his expression.
"If you encounter any problems, you can tell me. It's much better to work together than to think alone."
Qin Xiang spoke sincerely, but Zhao Ping blushed, "It's really okay."
It’s not that Zhao Ping didn’t want to say it, it’s just that he didn’t know how to say it.
When he went back to visit his family this time, his mother urged him to find a partner. She felt that he was almost 30 years old and it was not a good thing for him to run after this female boss all day. He was not young anymore and it was time for him to get married and have children. There was no point in delaying it any longer.
Moreover, many people knew that he was making money outside, so when they saw him return, they would come to his house to propose marriage. Some even brought young girls to his house for him to see.
If it weren't for this incident, Zhao Ping wouldn't have stayed for just two days and had to rush back.
On the one hand, I was worried about Qin Xiang being alone here, and on the other hand, I was really afraid of the people from my hometown who wanted to propose marriage to her.
Who doesn't want to get married, but he also understands that he doesn't have the ability now and can't provide her with a stable life. What if he finds a partner and gets married, and the other party asks him to leave Qin Xiang?
Qin Xiang had been very kind to him, and even if he asked to change to another position now, Qin Xiang would definitely agree, but he couldn't do such a heartless thing.
He also wants to save more money. Once he has enough money to buy a house, it will not be too late to consider it.
As for age, there's nothing that can be done about it. At worst, he can just find a young woman of the same age.
Zhao Ping is an ordinary-looking man and doesn't like to reveal his thoughts, so Qin Xiang couldn't see anything except that little change.
Since the other person was unwilling to speak, she had no way of asking further questions, so she nodded and said, "Okay, if you have any difficulties, just tell me."
Miao Xiaofeng joked, "Brother Zhao is not young anymore. He must be urged to get married when he returns."
Qin Xiang was surprised, then suddenly realized and laughed, "Is that really the case?"
Zhao Ping's face looked uncomfortable.
Qin Xiang said, "This is a good thing. If you find someone suitable, then make a deal. I will definitely give you a big red envelope when the time comes."
After a pause, he looked at Miao Xiaofeng again and said, "You two have found the right person. I will give you a big red envelope when you get married."
Now it was Zhao Ping and Miao Xiaofeng's turn to feel embarrassed.
The two looked at each other, feeling helpless. Miao Xiaofeng smiled awkwardly, "Brother Zhao is a little older. I think I'm still young, so there's no need to rush."
Zhao Ping: “…” It really hurts.
But at this time, Zhao Ping rarely refuted, "In our village, girls are all married by the age of eighteen or nineteen, and Xiaofeng is twenty, right?"
Miao Xiaofeng: “…”
The corners of her mouth twitched, "Brother Zhao, you don't have to say that."
Zhao Ping really stopped talking.
Just once is enough for such hurtful words to hurt each other.
Qin Xiang was happy and shopped more enthusiastically.
She bought a lot of things with Miao Xiaofeng, including food and daily necessities, both useful and non-useful.
Some are prepared to be taken back and given to others as gifts.
It was only nine o'clock in the evening when they returned to the hotel. Miao Xiaofeng had rented a single room here. When Mao Yuxiang came back, they lived together. When Mao Yuxiang didn't come back, she lived there alone. Qin Xiang didn't want to let her go back alone at this late hour, so Zhao Ping took Miao Xiaofeng back.
The two of them weren't actually very familiar with each other, mainly because Zhao Ping was a quiet person. On the way back from the trip, he was silent as if he didn't exist.
When they got there, Miao Xiaofeng said, "I'm sorry, Brother Zhao, I shouldn't have mentioned your age."
Zhao Ping didn't care. "It's okay. I'm used to it."
The two fell silent again. Miao Xiaofeng waved her hand and said, "See you later."
Pushing the door open, Miao Xiaofeng couldn't help but sigh.
What Zhao Ping said was right. Young girls started looking for partners when they were 18 or 19. Although the Marriage Law stipulates that 20 is the marriageable age for lesbians, they have already found a husband at 18 or 19. Some of them hold a wedding banquet first and then get the marriage certificate when they reach the marriage age.
She was twenty years old. If she hadn't reached an agreement with her family to give them money every month before getting married in order to leave home, her family would have been anxious to marry her off in exchange for a dowry.
However, Miao Xiaofeng didn't want to think about finding a partner. She saw through it. When a woman gets married, she just has to serve a whole family. It's better to be single and happy.
Wash your face, go to sleep, work hard, and buy a house in the capital in the future.
Over the next few days, Qin Xiang wandered around Ningcheng again, and accompanied by factory staff, she visited the workshop to observe the workers at work. She found the workshop very hot and stuffy, so she took the initiative to pay for a few fans to be installed.
As a result, the workers who did OEM work for Xiang Yanghong became more favorable towards Qin Xiang, and none of them failed to praise Qin Xiang.
When He Shengnan learned about this, she thanked Qin Xiang several times.
Qin Xiang said politely, "The weather is hot, this is to be expected, and it is also to improve the enthusiasm of the employees."
In the afternoon, Mao Yuxiang came back exhausted. She was very happy to see Qin Xiang there, and came to report to Qin Xiang that night.
"Boss, you're here just in time. I just happened to have a discovery to report to you."
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