"The taste is good, but the jam must taste the same as it does now, and we need to know under what conditions it can be guaranteed for the longest time."
Zhang Limin took out a small notebook from his pocket and began to write it down carefully.
Are there any others?
Gu An'an thought for a moment and said, "I just looked at the various workshops. On the one hand, we need to pay attention to hygiene and wear uniform work clothes and work hats throughout the process. On the other hand, some of the staff in one workshop are a bit lax. If they are still like this after receiving foreign exchange orders, then Factory Zhang will have to consider whether he can complete the orders on time and whether he can guarantee the quality."
These words made Zhang Limin blush. Ultimately, the employees' lax discipline was due to his poor management.
Sales at the factory were dismal; the products they produced couldn't be sold, and nobody was motivated to work there.
"Factory Manager Zhang can provide some incentives. Those who perform well will receive more at the end of the month, while those who are lax in their attitude or deliberately cause trouble will have points deducted. If they do this repeatedly, they will not be able to change their ways, unless they don't want this job anymore."
Zhang Limin considered the pros and cons, then nodded and said, "Okay."
Even if he encounters difficulties, he is determined to make a change this time.
If things don't change, they'll really fall behind.
"Gu Zhiqing, Comrade Xiao, I'm so sorry to have taken up so much of your time. I've already asked the canteen to prepare lunch. Shall we eat first?"
The food factory has a canteen. Zhang Limin specifically instructed that the canteen should prepare small meals for them, and the taste was really good, especially the dish of braised meat.
"Our cafeteria chefs are quite skilled."
Zhang Limin was satisfied with this point. "Master Li's ancestors were imperial chefs. In the past, he would definitely have had great fortune. Now... well, let's not talk about that."
He still admires capable people, but the thought that talented people are being overlooked always makes him feel a little uneasy.
"Don't laugh at me, but the recipe for extending the shelf life was also given to me by Master Li."
Gu An'an became interested and, after asking some questions, felt even more that Chinese culture was profound and extensive. This recipe was much better than the messy additives of later generations. The only drawback was that it was a bit more expensive.
But none of that matters. As long as the product is good, we can earn back double.
“Master Li is being wasted in the canteen. I think the factory could hire him as a technical consultant and develop some canned meat products or something.”
Xiao Yuheng chimed in, "If it's canned meat with this flavor, I'd be willing to buy it."
Zhang Limin was also tempted by what they said, but he sighed when he thought of Master Li's situation, "Brother Li might not be willing."
Gu An'an could understand; everyone has a story these days. "If Master Li has concerns, he can stay out of the spotlight for now, while still receiving his benefits. Maybe the darkness will pass someday."
By 1976, the authorities would take action, and those who had been undergoing labor reform in the countryside would gradually return to their posts.
It'll only be a year or two. We've survived so many years already, there's nothing to be afraid of.
"I'll talk to him later, Gu Zhiqing. I'll offer you a toast with tea instead of wine."
Gu An'an was willing to help because she sensed Director Zhang's dedication to the factory and the country.
Without countless people like her, she wouldn't have experienced those later years.
Of course, no one can stop the outbreak of the apocalypse.
After finishing his meal, Zhang Limin felt a little embarrassed when he remembered his old friend's request. "Well, I don't know if Village Chief Wang has told you, but the textile factory also wants to ask Gu Zhiqing to take a look."
“Old Xiao and I are good friends. It would be great if you could give him some advice. If you can't, that's okay too. We old guys have too limited vision. We need to learn from you young people.”
Since things had come to this point, Gu An'an didn't say anything to disagree, "Okay, let's take a look around."
The food factory and the textile factory are not far apart, only about a ten-minute bike ride, which is just enough time to digest your food.
"Old Xiao."
It was clear that the two manufacturers had a good relationship; Zhang Limin only knocked symbolically before opening the door.
"Old Zhang."
The textile factory director, Xiao Heping, looked to be about the same age as Zhang Limin, but his hair was slightly sparse, probably due to his "exceptionally intelligent" baldness.
After greeting Factory Manager Zhang warmly, Director Xiao turned his attention to Gu An'an and the other person.
"Is this the Gu educated youth you mentioned?"
Xiao Heping subconsciously thought that Zhang Limin was talking about Xiao Yuheng. After all, Gu An'an was too beautiful and too young, while Xiao Yuheng seemed more credible.
Zhang Limin knew what he was thinking. "Old Xiao, you can't judge a book by its cover. Although Gu Zhiqing is beautiful, she's definitely not just a pretty face."
With that said, Xiao Heping finally recognized the person. After all, he was quite old and hadn't seen anything, so he was able to accept it more quickly.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Gu, it was just my prejudice as an old man."
"This only proves that the physical appearance I inherited from my mother is quite deceptive."
A single sentence resolved the awkward situation.
After a brief chat, Director Xiao led the group to the workshop. "As you can see, Comrade Gu, our factory's products are quite homogeneous these days. We can't compete with the big factories, let alone at trade fairs or even in China."
“I didn’t originally intend to make any changes, mainly because I couldn’t find a direction to change. Yesterday, I was having dinner with Lao Zhang and we talked about the food factory. He highly recommended you, so we’re taking the liberty of asking you to come and take a look.”
Looking at the textile factory today, Gu An'an realized that in many aspects it was even inferior to the workshops of later generations, and there was a lot of room for improvement.
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