Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 319 Factory Director Yu's Helplessness

If we're talking about people who are directly related to tourism, it would be those who set up stalls and run small restaurants around the park. But there aren't many of them; the entry barrier to those areas is quite high, and you need connections.

In the early 1990s, more and more ordinary people started doing business, mainly opening grocery stores and small restaurants. Children of the 1990s should have memories of the wide variety of snacks in grocery stores. Grocery stores flourished in the mid-1980s and declined in the late 1990s, accompanying a generation.

After the meal, Director Yu arranged for everyone to rest at the guesthouse, but Xiao Wei declined.

Factory Director Yu had someone make tea, and everyone sat on the large terrace on the second floor to digest their food. The accountant and Han San settled the bill, while Xiao Wei chatted with Factory Director Yu.

"I have to ask for permission and report every little thing I do, and I have to bribe people to get it done. Although I have the final say in the business, I'm still restricted." Factory Director Yu sighed. "The state-owned sector is completely failing. What's going on? It's because we're too rigid and can't keep up with development. Those people at the top are good at being officials, but when it comes to actually doing things, they just throw things away."

Every little thing has to be shown to exist, no one cares what actually happened. They're all so good at putting on airs, but if you actually let them run the business, they'd ruin everything. The workers are the ones who suffer the most. Their opinions don't matter. If the business goes under, the officials will still live comfortably, while the workers' families will be struggling, barely able to eat. Where can you even complain about that?

Xiao Wei said, "I'm from the countryside, I grew up in the mountains, and I've never been exposed to factories in the city, so I don't really understand them."

Factory Director Yu said, "Our food factories and canneries used to be doing quite well, but they've all fallen apart in the last two years. The products can't keep up, the management is rigid, and the products we produce can't be sold. Nobody talks about how to improve or develop, so we're just dragging on like this, half-dead. All these officials are just dumping goods, just dumping goods."

I was supposed to be retired; I'm 62 this year, and I've been retired for three or four years. But the factory just wouldn't go well, it shut down, and they couldn't pay wages. The factory manager who took over from me went off to get a government job elsewhere, so there was no one in charge. Some of the old folks from the factory came to me for help. What could I do? I couldn't just watch them starve, so I came back to be the factory manager.

I spoke with the heads of the food company, and they wanted me to take charge. Fine, but I had to be the one in charge. In the end, I don't know how they came up with the idea, but they contracted the factory to me. I'm bold, so I figured it was fine. I can't promise anything else, but I know I can handle paying everyone's wages.

Xiao Wei said, "Just by looking at you, Uncle Yu, you're a responsible person. This factory is doing so well now; it's sure to have a bright future."

Factory Director Yu shook his head and said, "When the factory is failing, no one cares. But when it's thriving, more people get involved. Originally, they only told me to be responsible for the wages of the workers on duty. Later, after we made some money, they dumped the responsibility for the retired workers on me. I can't just ignore them; they're all old colleagues. Now they want me to pay a contract fee of 50,000 yuan a year. And who knows what will happen after that? I heard some bosses are thinking of taking it back and sending in new factory directors."

Xiao Wei asked, "No contract was signed?"

Factory Director Yu said, "I signed it. How could I do it if I didn't sign? But the equipment was outdated back then. What you see now are all replacements. If you ask someone for the equipment, they'll negotiate with you. If you don't do it, you have to pay for it yourself. Where would I get that money? There's nothing I can do. This little building was built last year. Why was it built? I stubbornly refused to pay even after I spent the money. Hehe, this little building covered two years' worth of contract fees, so they can only watch helplessly."

Xiao Wei was amused. This old man was quite interesting; he dared to think and act.

Factory Director Yu sighed and said, "That's about it. I reckon my contract will end in five years. I've offended quite a few people. It's bound to cause problems if I don't get the benefits. Who knows what will happen in the future? Have you thought it through? Are you going to continue?"

Xiao Wei said, "I'm worried this won't last. What if I buy the equipment and then it falls through?"

Factory Director Yu glanced at Xiao Wei and said, "Biscuits? There will always be a market for them. Just switch products. You're young and quick-witted, and you own the business. What's the big deal? If this factory were mine, I can't say for sure, but I could easily triple or quadruple your current income."

Xiao Wei said, "Why don't you consider becoming my factory manager, Uncle Yu? You can tell me what to do, and I'll definitely listen to you on business matters."

Factory Director Yu smiled and shook his head, saying, "I'm too old to do this anymore. It's too much trouble to travel all that way. If you really want to work, trust me and I'll find you someone. I trained him myself, and he's about the same age as Xiao Han. Ask him if he wants to go."

Xiao Wei thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "Okay, you can ask for me."

Factory Director Yu said, "That kid's good. He's quicker-witted than me, and he's put in a lot of effort in this business. When it comes to doing business and running a factory, the most important thing is to know how to recognize people. What can a person think and do? You can only succeed if you use people properly. People who can't tolerate others will never amount to anything."

After settling the bill, Han San came over with the check and asked Xiao Wei, "I'm all done on this end, what's the plan for you on this end?"

Xiao Wei said, "I'm talking to Uncle Yu right now. We'll listen to Uncle Yu on the North Korean side. A few lines of equipment will do, since they're just sitting idle anyway. Uncle Yu said he'll help me find a factory manager, and I think that's a good idea."

Factory Director Yu said, "Help me produce about 100,000 jin a month, so I don't have to run around looking for a place. I'll have someone deliver the equipment to you and set it up later. It's the equipment I originally bought, but the payment hasn't been approved yet, so it's just been piling up in the warehouse, haha. Come on, I'll show you around."

Several people went downstairs and came to a row of old houses across the courtyard. Factory Director Yu said, "This is the old factory building. I had just joined the factory when I was about ten years old. There were only about thirty people and two sets of machines in the whole factory." They opened the door and found an empty room inside. The roof was already leaking. Three sets of new equipment were piled up in the middle of the ground and covered with plastic sheeting.

Factory Manager Yu said, "Three sets, I'll give you 100,000 yuan, okay? I don't need your cash, just give me some biscuits. They're 70 cents a pound, and I'll make 10 cents profit when they come back, it's all yours. I'll take the 10 cents after I pay off the initial equipment cost, alright?"

Xiao Wei walked around the equipment, nodded, and said, "Okay, your old man isn't one to let me suffer a loss, so I'll listen to you."

Han San said, "Then you guys sign the contract. I can take it back myself and save you the trouble of hiring a car. Xiao Wei, you can pay half of the shipping cost."

Xiao Wei said, "Okay, let's sign the contract then. Sir, where is that person? Let's get it done together. I'm a little unsure about buying this equipment."

Factory Director Yu checked the time and said, "Okay, let's go to the front office. He'll be back soon; he's gone to order packaging and they're going to start making mooncakes. Aren't you getting any done over there? There are so many government-affiliated factories over there; they all need to distribute mooncakes before the Mid-Autumn Festival."

Xiao Wei was stunned and asked, "Wouldn't it be September or October? Why so early?" Mooncakes usually hit the market a month before the Mid-Autumn Festival.

(End of this chapter)