1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 292 There's No Other Way But to Elope (6.3k words combined)

After Xia Yao and Wang Wei finished lunch, Wang Wei was in a hurry to go back and finish the financial statements. She had nothing to do at noon, so she planned to play with Momo for a while longer.

Then, I started chatting with Zhou Yan's grandmother.

The old lady was a very kind person, talkative and humorous. We talked about Jiading silk and the prosperity of Suzhou during the Republic of China era. She even invited us to her home to see the few silk quilt covers she had kept.

They had even made a pact that when Zhou Yan was free, and she was free too, they would go to Zhoucun to see the old lady's collection and look at the big white goose and tabby cat in Momo's painting.

While they were chatting, two middle-aged men came out after finishing their meal, greeted Momo and the old lady, and asked her if she was a designer.

Xia Yao looked at the two men with a wary yet polite expression and asked, "Who are you two?"

These two men, speaking with Hong Kong accents and wearing down jackets, with the slightly overweight one on the left wearing a large gold Rolex watch, clearly weren't locals.

"Oh, sorry for the abruptness. My name is Zhuang Huayu, and this is Lao Yao, Yao Licheng. We do some business in Hong Kong and were invited to Jiaozhou to investigate investment opportunities. We happen to be involved in the clothing and fabric business. I just saw the purse you gave to little Zhou Momo and thought it was quite artistic. I'd like to talk to you about your design." Zhuang Huayu took out a business card and handed it to Xia Yao.

"This is my business card." Yao Licheng also took out a business card and handed it to Xia Yao, smiling and saying, "Don't worry, young lady. We met Zhou Yan at the Municipal Economic Commission's dinner party yesterday and came here for dinner because of his reputation. He's not a bad person. My main business is the clothing business. I have factories in Guangzhou and Hong Kong, and my garments are mainly sold to Hong Kong and Southeast Asia."

“Licheng Group is indeed very famous, with several brands that are well-known both domestically and internationally. Mr. Zhuang’s Victoria Harbour Star Banquet is very beautiful. I was fortunate enough to dine there, and the night view was fantastic.” Xia Yao stood up after looking at the business card and nodded slightly to the two of them. “My name is Xia Yao. It’s a pleasure to meet you both.”

Zhuang Huayu and Yao Licheng looked surprised and a little confused.

If this were the daughter of one of their friends, speaking these words so naturally and confidently, they would at most think that the other person had good upbringing.

But this is a small town under Jiaozhou, a southwestern township 4,000 miles away from Hong Kong. A young woman in her early twenties said these words after seeing their business card.

The business card didn't intimidate her, but her two sentences stunned them.

Calm, composed, confident, and poised, the young woman's demeanor made them set aside their bossy attitude and the scrutiny of elders.

"Miss Xia has been to Hong Kong?" Zhuang Huayu asked.

“Yes, I accompanied my mother to Hong Kong to see an art exhibition the year before last, and we spent about a week there,” Xia Yao nodded.

"Oh, I see." Zhuang Huayu nodded. In this day and age, to be able to go to Hong Kong to see an art exhibition, this girl must come from a good family. He wondered which master of traditional Chinese painting she was the daughter of.

"Is Miss Xia a fashion designer at Jiaozhou Textile Factory?" Yao Licheng asked.

"I'm an intern at the textile factory, and now I'm a senior at the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, majoring in advertising design. I came into contact with fashion design after coming to the textile factory, and my skills are not yet enough to call myself a fashion designer." Xia Yao shook her head with a smile, and then introduced: "When I was designing the Jiading Dashou brand, I had some ideas and thoughts, so I drew up the design drawings and communicated with the design department to implement them, which led to this sample. It's my first time making one, so it's still quite rough."

Zhuang Huayu and A Yao Licheng nodded repeatedly, their eyes shining even brighter.

This girl is really talented!
Students from the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute started doing brand design for textile factories during their internships, and also took on the work of designers.

The key point is that the sample that was delivered to the market looks quite nice.

Aesthetic sense determines a designer's potential.

Silk and traditional Chinese painting have a natural affinity.

So it makes sense that he's from the Academy of Fine Arts.

"Mr. Yao, are you here in Jiaozhou to find a silk factory to cooperate with? I remember that Licheng Group has two brands that specialize in high-end silk products." Xia Yao looked at Yao Licheng and said, "Our Jiaozhou Textile Factory is the largest silk factory in Jiaozhou. Based on Jiading silk, with traditional culture as its soul, we innovate and bring forth new products. It is an enterprise that integrates silk, textiles, printing and dyeing, and clothing. Our products are exported to Europe, Japan and other places."

Yao Licheng laughed upon hearing this, and looked at Xia Yao, saying, "You're an intern in the brand department, how come you're doing sales work again?"

“The textile factory doesn’t have a formal brand department yet. I’m currently under the marketing department, so it’s within my job scope.” Xia Yao smiled and said, “Jiazhou has convenient water transportation. Mr. Yao’s garment factory is in Guangzhou, and water transportation is the cheapest way to transport goods. This is one of the advantages of Jiazhou Textile Factory.”

Yao Licheng nodded repeatedly and laughed with Zhuang Huayu, "Old Zhuang, the textile factory's best marketing talent is actually a brand designer."

Zhuang Huayu smiled upon hearing this, looking at Xia Yao with some curiosity: "When we visited the textile factory yesterday afternoon, why didn't we see the Jiading silk series products you mentioned? The people introducing the products to us talked more about how advanced the production line was, how much output it had, and which countries it was sold to."

Actually, all the silk and textile companies we visited after arriving in Sichuan weren't that different; without differentiation, they all seemed mediocre. However, the Jiading silk series you mentioned, and this little purse you designed, really impressed us.”

“The Jiading silk series is a project I started after I came to the textile factory, and it’s been less than a month. We’ve already drawn more than a dozen drawings and made some small samples, but we still need to make adjustments. It’s still quite a distance from becoming a finished product,” Xia Yao explained. “The factory won’t show immature products to you bosses. If you two are interested in the Jiading silk series, I can ask the leadership to show some of the samples and drawings to Mr. Zhuang and Mr. Yao.”

Zhuang Huayu and Yao Licheng nodded slightly after listening. This explanation was indeed plausible, and Xia Yao's speaking skills were quite high.

The old lady didn't say a word, but she nodded slightly, her eyes full of admiration as she looked at Xia Yao.

Yao Licheng said, "I'm quite interested. If possible, I'd like to see Miss Xia's brand design concept for Jiading silk, as well as the products that have been implemented."

Zhuang Huayu glanced at him and nodded, "Then I'll go take a look too."

"Okay, please wait a moment, I'll go and inform my supervisor that I don't have the authority to receive you both." Xia Yao nodded, then turned to the old lady and said, "Grandma, I'll come to see you again next time."

"Okay, my dear, you go ahead with your work, we'll see you next time." The old lady nodded with a smile.

Xia Yao smiled. The old lady's tone when calling her "good girl" was so gentle, just like her grandmother's. She reached out and patted the little one's head. "Mo Mo, your sister is leaving."

"Okay, goodbye, sister!" Zhou Momo waved her little hand.

"This girl's words are impeccable, clear, and poised. She's still a college student, so she's truly a talented individual," Zhuang Huayu remarked with a touch of admiration.

Yao Licheng nodded in agreement: "Indeed, I wasn't really interested in the Jiaozhou Textile Factory at first, but after hearing what she said, I really want to do some more research."

"He who eats another's food is bound to do his bidding; that's absolutely true. I certainly can't let this fish go to waste today," Zhuang Huayu laughed.

Yao Licheng paused for a moment, then smiled.

"Grandma, have you been selling braised meat in Suji before?" Zhuang Huayu turned his gaze to the old lady beside him and asked with a smile.

"Yes, it's been sold for decades..."

……

Xia Yao went to the cafeteria first, found Lin Zhiqiang who was eating, and told him about it.

Lin Zhiqiang took it very seriously. He quickly ate the rice in his bowl and, without even washing the lunchbox, took Xia Yao to find Du Zhenghong.

"Huh? So suddenly? Well... I'll go make some preparations now. Should I apply to the Municipal Economic Commission first?" Du Zhenghong was pulling out his folding recliner, preparing to take a nap, when he heard this and stood up abruptly, his mind still a little dazed.

"The factory manager went to Chengdu for a meeting today. You and I will be in charge of receiving him, and Xia Yao will accompany him and give him a tour." Lin Zhiqiang said to Du Zhenghong, "Both Zhuang Huayu and Yao Licheng have clothing businesses under their names. In particular, Yao Licheng's Licheng Group is in the first tier of the industry. Its products are mainly sold to Hong Kong, Japan and Southeast Asia, and it has several well-known brands."

If we can establish a partnership with Licheng Group, our new production line might be able to operate at full capacity. We must seize this opportunity.

"Yes, that's right." Du Zhenghong nodded and gave Xia Yao a thumbs up: "It has to be Xia Yao. She's only been here for half a month and she's already created such an opportunity for us."

"Director Du, you flatter me. Mr. Zhuang and Mr. Yao are still waiting at the factory gate. Why don't we go and welcome them in first, and then you can contact the Municipal Economic Commission later?" Xia Yao said with a smile. "The Municipal Economic Commission is in charge of attracting investment. They also came to our textile factory for research yesterday. I think the comrades at the Municipal Economic Commission would be happy to see the cooperation facilitated."

"That's right." Du Zhenghong nodded and looked at Lin Zhiqiang: "Director Lin, what do you think?"

Lin Zhiqiang nodded and said, "Have the marketing department staff get ready. We'll go pick them up first."

After making the arrangements, the three of them headed towards the door.

Zhuang Huayu had a pleasant chat with the old lady. Although she was quite old, she had her own logic and approach to selling braised food. Her ability to dominate Suji, radiate to surrounding towns and villages, and even influence Jiaozhou was not just due to the good taste of the food.

He only had some involvement in the clothing industry, mainly working as a distributor for Lao Yao's brands. Therefore, after confirming Lao Yao's interest in Xia Yao and Jiading Dachou, he had no intention of competing for them.

He was actually hoping that Lao Yao could recruit Xia Yao to Hong Kong, because Zhou Yan might be happy to go to Hong Kong.

"Mr. Zhuang, Mr. Yao, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." Xia Yao brought Lin Zhiqiang and Du Zhenghong over and introduced them: "This is Lin Zhiqiang, the deputy director of our textile factory in charge of technology, and this is Du Zhenghong, the director of the marketing department."

"Mr. Zhuang, Mr. Yao, hello." Lin Zhiqiang and Du Zhenghong stepped forward, shook hands with the two men, and then invited them to come in for a tour of the factory.

"Director Lin, your designer Xia Yao is very talented. She only used a purse and three minutes to make us very interested in the Jiading silk series. She is a rare talent." Yao Licheng said with a smile as he entered the factory.

"Xia Yao is a student at the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute. She ranked first in her major for three consecutive years and won the national calligraphy and painting competition for high school students. She is indeed a rare talent." Lin Zhiqiang nodded with a smile.

Zhuang Huayu and Yao Licheng seemed to understand something. Indeed, he had a foundation in Chinese painting, and his skill level was quite high.

"Miss Xia Yao has such high attainments in traditional Chinese painting, why didn't you continue your studies and develop your skills, but instead applied for an advertising design major?" Yao Licheng asked with some curiosity.

"Due to my personal career planning and choices, I prefer challenging work, so I chose advertising design," Xia Yao replied with a smile. "Of course, every step I've taken counts. Over ten years of experience in traditional Chinese painting has given me a deeper understanding of traditional culture, allowing me to quickly find design inspiration from countless famous paintings. I think this will be my most valuable asset in the design industry." "That's indeed your advantage, something other designers would find difficult to learn," Yao Licheng nodded. "With this kind of thinking, I believe you will become an excellent designer in the future, whether it's fashion design or advertising design."

"Thank you." Xia Yao smiled and nodded.

Lin Zhiqiang's lips curled up slightly, a look of pure pride on his face.

Du Zhenghong hesitated to speak, but ultimately chose to remain silent.

Yesterday, he was responsible for accompanying the factory manager to receive the inspection team. Even then, the two bosses didn't praise him like this.

The marketing department mobilized urgently and displayed the four samples they had made in the past two days. Xia Yao went back to her office and picked out a few of the design drawings she had made for the Jiading silk series.

Yao Licheng and Zhuang Huayu first looked at the sample, and soon they saw the fabric that Xia Yao had used to make the purse for Zhou Momo. The plum blossoms and patterns were particularly harmonious, and the overall effect of the fabric was also quite good.

Plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums—the Four Gentlemen series—are common themes, but while the themes are ordinary, the paintings are extraordinary.

The two stood there for a long time, exchanged glances, and both saw amazement in each other's eyes.

"Is that a design sketch that Miss Xia is holding, but it's not yet finished?" Yao Licheng asked, looking at the sketchbook Xia Yao was holding.

“Yes, there are four more design drawings here, for the Jiading silk series. Because the patterns are relatively complex, samples haven’t been produced yet.” Xia Yao nodded, spread the catalog on the table, and took out four design drawings.

Yao Licheng stepped forward and looked at it, his eyes immediately lighting up.

He entered the clothing industry at the age of twenty, turned a near-bankrupt clothing factory into the number one in Hong Kong, expanded into the Japanese and Southeast Asian markets, and gradually became what others called a clothing tycoon.

He had met many great fashion designers, but few had been so bold in using color and pattern elements on silk.

Xia Yao's design drawings are more like traditional Chinese paintings, full of charm and giving people a lot of room for imagination. However, from an empirical point of view, they seem to be unreliable.

It's not as certain as plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, or chrysanthemums.

I suppose the leaders of the textile factory thought the same way, so they made four samples of plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums, and these four pieces were left on paper.

"I think this main image can be framed and hung in my study. It's so beautiful. The lotus pond under the moonlight has an exquisite artistic conception, and the color scheme is also very comfortable. If it were made into a silk duvet cover, it would probably sell very well," Zhuang Huayu exclaimed.

“Pajamas, robes, cheongsams, duvet covers, scarves… there are so many things you can make with them. The artistic conception is truly exceptional; it’s the best lotus series I’ve ever seen.” Yao Licheng nodded in agreement, moving his hand across the paper like a canvas. “You could even cut out a section and make it separately; it would be quite outstanding, like this twin lotus, this blooming lotus, this corner of the lotus pond. And this hundred flowers painting is also so rich in content…”

Yao Licheng looked up at Lin Zhiqiang and asked, "Director Lin, all of these will be put into production, right?"

Lin Zhiqiang looked at the design drawings spread out on the table, his scalp tingling slightly, but he quickly smiled and said, "Mr. Yao, this design is quite complex. It's difficult to present the entire painting using jacquard weaving. We can choose to present it using printing and dyeing, which is more cost-effective and will produce a better result. We have the most advanced printing and dyeing technology in China."

"For small patterns, we can produce them using the jacquard technique, provided there are confirmed orders. Our textile factory's technology is sufficient to produce them."

“Communicating with leaders who are technically skilled is quick and easy.” Yao Licheng nodded. Having worked in the garment industry for many years, he has a good understanding of the level of the silk industry in mainland China.

He looked at the design drawings and thought for a while, then nodded and said, "You should call the comrades at the Municipal Economic Commission and tell them that Yao Licheng is preparing to sign an order with Jiaozhou Textile Factory, and ask them to come and go through the procedures."

"Huh?" Du Zhenghong was somewhat shocked. They've already closed a deal?

Damn! He hasn't even had time to notify the Municipal Economic Commission about their inspection.

He turns on the light faster than he boils water!
However, being the head of the marketing department, he reacted quickly, nodding immediately: "Okay! I'll make the call right away."

Lin Zhiqiang was also surprised by Yao Licheng's straightforwardness. He was even prepared to bargain and prove his ability.

Yao Licheng didn't ask any questions and immediately prepared to place the order.

Of course, the details of the order will need to be finalized later.

However, directly notifying the comrades from the Municipal Economic Commission to come over indicates that their intention is already very strong.

For Jiaozhou Textile Factory, a major foreign exchange earner, domestic sales orders are even rarer than export orders.

The export market is very competitive now, and expanding sales channels was their goal set at the beginning of the year. They didn't expect to achieve it by the end of the year.

"That's great! Our textile factory will definitely make the products according to your needs." Lin Zhiqiang shook hands with Yao Licheng happily.

Yao Licheng smiled and said, "You should thank Miss Xia Yao. She is undoubtedly an excellent designer. The Jiading silk series is outstanding. I placed the order based on these four designs."

All eyes in the conference room turned to Xia Yao, filled with a mixture of envy and admiration.

Lin Zhiqiang nodded with a broad smile: "That's right, we will recognize and reward her in accordance with the company's articles of association."

Xia Yao had a smile on her lips, and she was naturally in a wonderful mood, feeling that her efforts had been seen and recognized.

"Ms. Xia Yao, could you please tell us about your design concepts for these pictures, and how you considered the brand building of Jiading silk that you just mentioned?" Yao Licheng said, looking at Xia Yao.

“No problem.” Xia Yao stepped forward and explained the inspiration behind the paintings, as well as the results of her research on Jiading silk, and how to integrate the centuries-old craftsmanship into the brand.

Yao Licheng nodded repeatedly, his gaze towards Xia Yao full of admiration.

……

Municipal Economic Commission Office Company.

"What? Yao Licheng is going to sign a contract with Jiaozhou Textile Factory? Didn't he and Zhuang Huayu go to Suji to have dinner with Zhou Yan? How did they end up doing business?" Chen Ming asked, somewhat surprised, as Lin Qing entered the room.

Lin Qing said, "The textile factory called and said that Yao Licheng and Zhuang Huayu came to us on their own initiative. They probably had an idea after yesterday's survey, and they went to Suji today to do another inspection before deciding to place an order."

Chen Ming nodded with a smile: "This is a good thing. Yao Licheng's Licheng Group is quite powerful in the garment industry. Guocheng has been trying to secure the order, and it's not easy for Jiaozhou Textile Factory to get it. Lin Qing, you go there yourself and have Xiao Wang drive you to finalize this matter."

"Yes, Director." Lin Qing replied, then turned and quickly left.

"This Zhou Yan is quite capable," Chen Ming chuckled, then continued reading the documents.

……

When Zhou Yan came out of the kitchen after finishing her work, she heard from the old lady that the purses Xia Yao made had aroused the interest of Zhuang Huayu and Yao Licheng, and that she had taken them to visit and investigate the textile factory. Zhou Yan was surprised, but also thought it made a lot of sense.

Xia Yao's aesthetic sense and painting skills are absolutely top-notch. Silk and traditional Chinese painting are a perfect match, and a businessman like Yao Licheng must have excellent taste.

Zhou Yan thought to himself, "If I can close the deal, Xia Yao will be very happy, right?"

“This little girl is so pretty, skillful, and well-mannered. I think she likes you quite a bit. You should treat her well and take the initiative.” The old lady looked at Zhou Yan and said earnestly, “Of course, don’t do anything reckless. She’s obviously a sensitive person. She can sense if you’re nice to her. Acting rashly might scare her away.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan sat down next to the old lady and earnestly asked, "Grandma, do you think I have a chance with her? Her family must be well-off. She's from Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. Her mother and grandfather are both masters of traditional Chinese painting, and her father works at a bank."

"In the old days, this would be considered an unequal match. A rich girl meeting a bent-legged boy like you would have no choice but to elope," the old lady said with a smile.

Zhou Yan: "..."

"But that's all from the old days. Your grandfather followed the instructor with a gun, fighting against that cannibalistic class. Now, the Chinese people are the masters of their own destiny, the working class leads everything, and there is no distinction between peasants and painters." The old lady looked at Zhou Yan with pride and said, "You are the grandson of a soldier, the son of a peasant, and a self-made individual. She is an excellent intellectual. You are a perfect match."

Zhou Yan's back straightened without him even realizing it, as if he had been injected with a surge of energy.

The old lady gently patted his hand: "I can tell from her that her family is well-educated, but you also need to show your ability and responsibility so that they can entrust their precious daughter to another family four thousand miles away."

“I understand, Grandma.” Zhou Yan nodded solemnly.

Taking responsibility and demonstrating commitment are more valuable than any sweet words.

……

After a busy afternoon, Yao Licheng finalized the first batch of orders. However, since the textile factory did not have samples yet, the specific details still needed to be discussed between the two parties. But that would have to wait for the person in charge of Licheng Group's Yangcheng factory to come and talk. The framework had been roughly set.

While Yao Licheng's secretary and Lin Zhiqiang were discussing contract details, he walked to the conference room door, looked at Xia Yao who was holding a brochure, and said, "Ms. Xia Yao, I wonder if you have decided on a job after graduation?"
I admire your talent and would like to invite you to join our Licheng Group. You can choose between advertising design and fashion design.

You can freely choose the work location: Hong Kong or Guangzhou. I will pay you according to the salary standards for senior designers in Hong Kong, starting at 10,000 RMB per month.

(End of this chapter)