That year the flowers bloomed 1981

Chapter 1303 You've made a great deal!

Upon learning of the Eighth Machinery Factory's debt situation, Li Ye's first reaction was to stay away from such a poorly performing but heavily indebted unit. After all, it was just as unreliable as someone who earns 3,000 yuan a month but insists on using credit cards and Alipay to buy LV bags.

However, during the subsequent "investigation and investigation" process, Li Ye gradually changed his mind.

First of all, Director Kong said that we can use various methods to try to prevent all the original debts from falling on the shoulders of the First Branch Factory, as long as the First Branch Factory can lead these two thousand people to find a new way to make a living.

Then, when Li Ye inspected the production workshop, he confirmed that the production equipment was basically intact and all the technical personnel were on duty, indicating that the Eighth Machinery Factory did indeed have a certain technical production capacity.

Perhaps because Director Kong had been trying his best to act as a paperhanger, the morale of the frontline workers was also good. They answered Li Ye and the others' questions honestly, without any negative emotions.

If we disregard the debt issue, this kind of unit can at least start production immediately after being taken over.

During lunch, Director Kong, along with two key leaders from his unit, spoke frankly with Li Ye and Lu Zhizhang.

"Director Lu, Director Li, when you asked us to provide you with information on your employees, we did consider some issues. But as you know, it's really difficult to keep things confidential within an organization."

"Our unit has a huge bunch of relatives and extended family members sitting in the office. When I ask my subordinates to organize documents, out of ten people, eighty of them are scheming."

"That's why I've repeatedly requested to meet with you in person so we can explain the situation and come up with a feasible solution."

"."

Lu Zhizhang and Li Ye exchanged a glance, then asked with a smile, "So, Director Kong, what do you think would be a feasible solution?"

"That depends on your requirements!"

Factory Director Kong frankly stated, "I know you are unwilling to take on so much of our factory's external debt, and I've also heard that your branch factory is unwilling to accept too many management personnel."

"Regarding the first question, we will do our best, but with so much foreign debt, it is impossible to resolve it all, no matter how hard we try. We hope you can understand."
The second problem is the real headache. I hope your branch factory can play the bad guy and cooperate with us to solve it.”

"."

Li Ye was quite surprised.

He initially had some reservations about Director Kong, who recklessly borrowed money, but now he just felt that the other party was "actively trying to survive."
Having left himself in a mess, he had to ensure everyone's survival before he could have any hope of making a comeback.

Now that he has finally seen a glimmer of hope in the No. 1 factory, he is truly thinking about the No. 1 factory's future.

Regarding the debt, Director Kong wasn't lying. He wouldn't agree to defaulting on all those debts, as the creditors and banks wouldn't allow it. He could only weigh various factors and try to reduce the acquisition cost of the branch factory.

There are techniques to being a scoundrel. You can either not pay a cent at all, or pay back three out of ten. You can decide for yourselves!

The second point is even more difficult. If what Director Kong said were to get out, the employees in this unit might all call him a "traitor".

Li Ye thought for a moment, then tentatively asked, "You just mentioned the plan for those who stayed behind, so who have you decided to be in charge of staying behind?"

Factory Director Kong readily pointed to his two other colleagues: "The three of us are all fine. You can appoint whomever you prefer. If it's really hard to decide, the three of us can draw lots."

"."

Li Ye raised his glass and said frankly, "Director Kong, I'd like to toast you!"

"No, no, I should be the one toasting you, hahaha~"

"."

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Li Ye and Lu Zhizhang spent the whole day at the Eighth Machinery Factory and felt it was a pretty good experience.
He felt that these units, which needed to be merged with the branch factory to survive, seemed like a burden, but if he sorted them out, they could still be turned into valuable assets.

But when they went to the second merged unit the next day, it was a completely different experience.

The second unit to be merged was the Red Star Manufacturing Plant, located in the northern suburbs of Beijing. It was a bit far from the first branch factory, and the roads were somewhat difficult to navigate, so Li Ye and the others arrived more than ten minutes late.

When Li Ye arrived at the factory gate, he found that there were no welcoming banners or employees greeting him; it seemed like just an ordinary, normal day.

Lu Zhizhang chuckled and said, "It seems that this Factory Director Han is the kind of pragmatic person you like, Li Ye, who doesn't engage in formalism!"

Li Ye couldn't help but laugh and said, "Yeah, I like people who are pragmatic. As long as they are really capable, I really like them."

When the convoy arrived at the factory gate, it stopped briefly, and Lu Zhizhang's driver got out to ask the gatekeeper about the situation.

Then the gatekeeper said, "Our leader was waiting for you at the gate, but you didn't show up on time, so we thought you weren't coming." Lu Zhizhang chuckled and got into the car, explaining, "The road was a bit rough, which caused a slight delay. Sorry!"

The gatekeeper glanced at Lu Zhizhang, tilted his head, and said, "Should I call a leader to come out and greet you, or should you just go directly there?"

"Could you give us directions? We can get there ourselves."

"Oh, see that building? That's the office building."

"."

Li Ye and the others actually went there on their own.

Lu Zhizhang laughed in the carriage, "It seems they don't really welcome us!"

Li Ye chuckled and said, "Then let's hurry up and leave later, so we don't freeload here."

"Hahahaha~"

When the convoy from the First Factory arrived at the office building of the Red Star Manufacturing Plant, the other party had already come out to greet them.

The factory director, Han, seemed to be a very upright person. He received Li Ye and Lu Zhizhang with neither arrogance nor servility. Without much small talk, he led Li Ye and the others to visit the workshop.

"Our factory has always strived for pragmatism. As long as our workers are hardworking and dedicated, there's no obstacle we can't overcome. Even though the market has been bad these past few years, we try our best not to add to the country's difficulties."

"Our factory's current financial situation is much better than other companies, and our debt is at a relatively low level compared to others in the industry."

Listening to what Director Han said, Li Ye felt that he was quite "proud".

If we try not to cause trouble for the country, doesn't that still create more trouble?
If your debt level is relatively low compared to others in the industry, does that mean you still can't repay your debts?
Moreover, when Li Ye and his group visited the workshop, they encountered a completely different treatment than the day before.
When questioned by Li Ye and Lu Zhizhang, the workers in the workshop mostly ignored them, and even looked at them with the same wariness one would show to thieves.

This is very unpleasant.

But what's even more upsetting is yet to come.

Li Ye said he wasn't going to freeload a meal here, but since they had made arrangements in advance, he couldn't be impolite.

The meal was simple: eight dishes and a soup for six people, at the level of a cafeteria stir-fry.

Factory Director Han raised his glass and said, "The company is a bit strapped for cash, so please bear with us. We hope you'll understand."

"Of course, of course, our branch factory also uses this standard to entertain guests."

Li Ye and Lu Zhizhang both expressed their understanding, since no one was short of food.

After a few drinks, Factory Director Han said with emotion, "To be honest, when I received the notice from the ministry to prepare for the merger, I was very reluctant. Hongxing Manufacturing Plant was a 30-year-old factory, and it's just gone like that."

"However, since the ministry has made a decision, we must support its work. The ministry needs to develop, and so do we."

"From now on, we'll be colleagues, so I'll just say something polite: our company is only facing temporary difficulties. As long as we all work together, we'll definitely turn things around."

"Director Li is so young, he has a bright future ahead of him."

"."

Li Ye couldn't drink the wine in his hand anymore.

He understood what Director Han meant.

The ministry needs achievements, and so does your branch factory. Merging us into their factory would be a win-win situation for everyone, and you'd be getting a great deal. Li Ye, being young, needs results even more to support your advancement.

We haven't reached the point of no return; it's just that the higher-ups want us to merge, so we're going to go along with it and merge with you.

However, it seems that Director Han did not consider that the more mergers the branch factory made, the greater the results would be. The branch factory would only choose one of the three units that were interested in cooperating to merge with.

Because merging three units at once might seem like a bigger political achievement, the branch factory couldn't handle it all.

This is similar to the phenomenon of "blackening" in France. Too many outsiders flooded in all at once, and the locals couldn't control them. Before long, they became a minority.

(End of this chapter)