amaotonovel Chapter 1304 Inspection
Chapter 1304 Inspection
Amidst the howling wind and snow, Lei Dongbao trudged back to the Xiaolei Village team headquarters, his military overcoat covered in snowflakes, and his eyebrows and stubble frosted over. He suddenly kicked open the wooden door, letting in a gust of biting wind that startled the few people inside who were warming their hands around the stove, causing them to look up simultaneously.
"Quick, Sibao, have some wine to warm me up, I'm freezing to death!" Lei Dongbao shouted at the top of his lungs, stamping his feet to shake off the snow, his voice trembling noticeably.
Lei Shigen quickly stood up to give up his spot near the stove. Shi Hongwei handed him a dry towel, while Lei Sibao frantically pulled half a bottle of liquor from under the table and poured it into a rough porcelain bowl. The old Party Secretary put down his pipe, his cloudy eyes full of expectation: "Dongbao, how did it go? Did you manage to get any support policies from County Chief Xu?"
Lei Dongbao took the wine bowl and drank it all in one gulp. The spicy liquid slid down his throat, and his frozen body slowly warmed up.
He let out a long breath, his face gradually regaining its color, and wiped his mouth, saying, "Don't even mention it. You guys didn't see what happened back then. Even Director Yang of the brigade didn't have a seat. I almost couldn't squeeze in."
Disappointment immediately filled the faces of the old Party Secretary and the others. Lei Sibao pursed his lips and muttered under his breath, "They always boss me around, but they don't dare utter a word when they see a high-ranking official."
Though spoken softly, the words rang out sharply in the quiet team headquarters. Lei Dongbao, already seething with anger, slammed his fist on the table, the dishes clattering loudly: "Sibao! You fucking say that again and see what happens!"
Startled by the sudden roar, Lei Sibao nearly dropped the bottle. Before he could react, Lei Dongbao lunged forward and kicked him, sending him sprawling.
"Dongbao! Dongbao, calm down!" Shi Hongwei and Lei Shigen quickly stepped forward to pull the furious Lei Dongbao back: "You know how foul-mouthed Sibao is, don't stoop to his level!"
Lei Sibao scrambled to his feet, clutching his sore backside, and hid behind the old Party Secretary, muttering resentfully, "That's right, we waited for ages and didn't even get a word in edgewise."
"You still dare to talk!" Lei Dongbao was so angry that the veins on his forehead bulged. If Shi Hongwei hadn't been holding him back tightly, he probably would have rushed forward again.
Seeing this, the old Party Secretary quickly tried to smooth things over: "Alright, alright, everyone calm down during the New Year! Dongbao, don't get so worked up. Sibao's mouth does need to be kept in check, but right now we need to think about the important things."
He tapped his pipe: "County Magistrate Xu isn't just here for a meal and then leaving, is he?"
Lei Dongbao barely managed to suppress his anger, sat down again, and ate a few mouthfuls of the now-cold food. After chewing a couple more times, he found it tasteless and simply put down his chopsticks. "Uncle," he said, "this trip wasn't a complete waste. I've seen it for myself; Haozi has really made something of himself. You didn't see it, but that County Magistrate Xu was very polite to Haozi. He even said he'd invite Haozi to visit and inspect various state-owned enterprises in the county on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year."
"What?" The old Party Secretary was stunned for a moment: "Are you sure you didn't hear me wrong?"
"How could I possibly mishear something like that!" Lei Dongbao patted his chest and assured him, "County Chief Xu said it himself. He's going to organize several departments in the county to select a few of the most representative factories for Haozi to visit in person!"
Lei Shigen, Shi Hongwei, and the others exchanged bewildered glances, their faces filled with disbelief. After all, they had practically watched Qin Hao grow up; their ancestors for three generations had all been poor farmers, yet suddenly he had become a guest of honor of the county's top leaders.
The old Party Secretary took a deep drag on his pipe, his eyes squinting through the swirling smoke: "So, Haozi's been doing quite well in Hong Kong these past year or so."
Lei Sibao pouted and muttered, "How could it not be good? They're driving cars now, and there aren't many cars in our county. I heard it's called a 'Crown,' imported from Japan, and it costs tens of thousands!"
"You know nothing!" Lei Shigen said sullenly. "I heard that car is worth at least several hundred thousand!"
"Hundreds of thousands?" Lei Sibao gasped, counting on his fingers for a long time but still couldn't figure out how many years' worth of work points that would be.
The old Party Secretary pondered for a moment, then suddenly made a decision: "Dongbao, why don't you go to Haozi's house tomorrow and try to build rapport? After all, you're from the same village, and you two are practically cousins."
Lei Dongbao nodded: "Okay, I'll go first thing tomorrow morning."
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, just as dawn was breaking, the sound of firecrackers echoed throughout the village. Two years ago, not many families in Xiaolei could afford to set off firecrackers, but after the land was distributed to individual households last year, each family had some extra money, making the New Year celebrations particularly lively.
Qin Hao was awakened by the sound of firecrackers. He rubbed his temples, put on his coat, and went to fetch water to wash up. The icy cold well water instantly sobered him up.
Just as he was wiping his face, there was a knock on the courtyard gate.
"Haozi! Happy New Year!" As soon as the door opened, Lei Dongbao's dark face squeezed in, all smiles. He was carrying a net bag of canned fruit and had a piece of pork tied with straw rope under his arm, weighing at least two pounds.
Qin Hao frowned. In the 80s, this would have been a very generous gift.
"Like I said, I appreciate the sentiment, but you should take the gift back. You can't accept something for nothing."
Lei Dongbao squeezed in with a grin and insisted on putting the things on the table: "I know you've seen too many good things outside and don't think much of these, but this is the best I can offer. My mother even had a fight with me over this during the New Year!"
Qin Hao looked at the package on the table, sighed, turned and went into the inner room. A moment later, he returned with two bottles of Moutai and a box of delicate Hong Kong-style pastries: "Alright, if that's how you put it, I'll accept the gifts. Take these with you later as a return gift, so I don't get scolded by my aunt again."
Lei Dongbao was dumbfounded and waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "I can't accept this."
"Just say what you want to say," Qin Hao said impatiently, shoving the things into his hand. "Why bother with all this nonsense?"
Lei Dongbao scratched his head awkwardly and chuckled, "I knew I couldn't hide it from you."
He carefully placed the Moutai and pastries aside, rubbing his hands together, and said, "Our village just distributed land to individual households, so we have a little surplus grain, but we're still poor. Everyone's thinking of asking the county for some support policies, but you know how it is for us ordinary folks—we can't really talk to the county. Last night, I saw that County Chief Xu was quite polite to you; could you perhaps put in a good word for our Xiao Lei family?"
Qin Hao immediately shook his head upon hearing this: "I can't help you with this."
Lei Dongbao grew a little anxious: "No, Haozi, you grew up in our Lei family, after all."
"Dongbao, let me finish." Qin Hao raised his hand to interrupt him. "Last night was also the first time I met County Chief Xu. Yes, he did need my help, but I've already used that favor to exonerate the Song family. If I go back to County Chief Xu for more policy benefits now, what will he think? It might even backfire."
Upon hearing this, Lei Dongbao deflated like a punctured balloon, his shoulders slumped, and his dark face was filled with disappointment.
Looking at him like this, Qin Hao sighed inwardly. Lei Dongbao was a complex person with a lot of flaws—reckless, stubborn, and concerned about his image. But one thing was certain: he was single-mindedly determined to lead the Xiaolei family to prosperity and a better life.
"Alright, you don't need to put on this act for me." Qin Hao poured him a cup of hot tea. "If you really want to help the Xiaolei family get rich, I can give you an idea."
Lei Dongbao's eyes immediately lit up, and he straightened his back: "I knew Haozi, you still have old feelings!"
Qin Hao shook his head: "The Lei family's foundation is weak; don't expect to rise to the top overnight. Start by firing bricks in a kiln, then make precast concrete slabs, work as a construction team, work hard for a few years, accumulate some capital, and then start shifting to industry. There's a village called Huaxi in Wuxi, Jiangsu; they got there step by step like that, and now their annual output value exceeds 100 million yuan."
"Over 100 million?" Lei Dongbao's eyes widened, his voice trembling. "Haozi, you're talking about Huaxi Village? I've never heard of it before!"
Qin Hao rolled his eyes at him, annoyed. "Stop spending all your time playing cards and chatting nonsense with Lei Sibao and his gang. Huaxi Village has been making headlines since 72. If you want to ask the county for policy support, with so many production teams in the county, why would they support you? You need to have outstanding achievements. With achievements, the leaders above will naturally give you support policies; that's also their achievement."
Lei Dongbao flipped through the magazine with great delight, his eyes growing brighter with each page. Suddenly, he slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "You know, people who've been abroad are really different! I'm impressed! Haozi, I'll definitely read the newspaper more from now on, not missing a single issue!"
Before dawn, it was the fifth day of the Lunar New Year. Yang Xun drove his black Crown to pick up Qin Hao.
When the car stopped in front of the county guesthouse, County Head Xu and several county leaders were already waiting at the entrance.
There was no elaborate welcoming ceremony; County Head Xu warmly shook Qin Hao's hand: "President Lei, thank you for coming so early."
"You're too kind, County Chief Xu," Qin Hao replied with a smile. "Let's get started."
The group got into the car and headed straight for the largest state-owned textile factory in the county. The factory manager, a middle-aged man in his fifties with gray hair, came out to greet them from afar. His face was full of smiles, but his eyes revealed unease.
"Welcome County Head Xu and all the leaders for your guidance!" The factory director's voice was loud, but he couldn't hide his nervousness.
As Qin Hao entered the workshop, his brow furrowed. Amidst the roar of the machines, workers in dirty work clothes chatted in small groups, only hurriedly returning to their posts upon seeing the supervisor. The looms were clearly old, with tape wrapped around many parts, and loose threads and scraps scattered on the floor.
"Our factory is an old one, established in 1958," the factory manager said, wiping his sweat. "We currently have 486 employees and mainly produce cotton cloth and gauze..."
Qin Hao walked to a loom, reached out and touched the freshly woven fabric. It felt rough, and the color wasn't very vibrant. He turned and asked, "Where are these products mainly sold? What's the profit margin?"
The factory manager stammered, "This mainly supplies department stores in this county and surrounding areas; the profit is barely enough to stay afloat."
County Magistrate Xu's expression had already turned grim, but Qin Hao remained calm: "Take me to the warehouse."
The mountains of fabric piled up in the warehouse made everyone gasp. The stockpiled products were covered in a layer of dust, and some had even begun to yellow.
"How long have these been piling up?" Qin Hao asked.
"The longest is over two years." The factory manager's voice trailed off.
Stepping out of the textile factory, County Head Xu's face was ashen: "This is our county's leading enterprise? Chaotic management, inefficient, and with unsold inventory!"
Qin Hao shook his head: "The problem is more serious than it appears on the surface. Aging equipment is secondary; the key issue is that our products lack market competitiveness. Relying entirely on planned orders to clear inventory will inevitably lead to increasingly severe losses as production increases. If we don't produce, even paying workers' wages will become a problem. Ultimately, it's a systemic and management issue. Without solving these two problems, everything else is just empty talk."
The situation was similar for the fertilizer plant and the agricultural machinery plant that followed. The products they produced had a vague market positioning and relied entirely on planned orders to survive. The factory leaders also had the mentality that the more they did, the more mistakes they would make; the less they did, the fewer mistakes they would make; and if they did nothing, they would make no mistakes. They turned a blind eye to everything, since it wasn't their money being spent. Moreover, the chaotic management made it convenient for them to take advantage of the situation.
By the end of the day, County Chief Xu could barely maintain his refined demeanor. He had originally intended to use the inspection as a pretext to get Qin Hao to help secure some foreign trade orders for the county's enterprises, but none of them lived up to his expectations.
As it was getting dark, County Chief Xu was almost in despair when Qin Hao, while inspecting the cannery, suddenly said something to the cannery manager next to him.
How much canned beef does your factory produce in a year?
The cannery manager scratched his head: "It's about a few dozen tons a year. This stuff is expensive, and the sales channels aren't great. Our production line usually runs for half a month and then stops for the other half..."
Qin Hao shook his head and said, "A production of a few dozen tons is not enough. If you can produce a thousand tons a year, I can help you sell your canned goods abroad."
County Chief Xu's eyes lit up: "Does this canned beef sell well overseas?"
“It’s not like we are abroad. There are so many rules about eating. Bread and sandwiches are enough for a meal. Especially in the European and American markets, canned beef sells very well.” Qin Hao added as he finished speaking.
"However, Europe and the United States have extremely high requirements for food inspection. Hygiene and the dosage of additives must meet their standards. Otherwise, the little money you make will not be enough to cover the fines. If you really want to do European and American orders, your entire factory will have to undergo sterilization renovations."
Upon hearing this, the cannery manager lowered his head, not daring to reply. However, County Magistrate Xu waved his hand and said, "Go ahead and do it. I will approve the money for the factory renovation and the purchase of imported equipment. But there is one thing: if you still cannot meet the requirements of foreign trade orders after all these conditions are met, don't blame me for making a painful decision."
"Yes, I promise to complete the mission!"
After receiving the assurance, County Magistrate Xu's expression softened; at least they hadn't been completely wiped out.
On the way back to the guesthouse, County Chief Xu subtly asked Qin Hao, "President Lei, besides the cannery, don't textile factories and chemical plants have any opportunities for export?"
Qin Hao shook his head and said, "County Chief Xu, I'll be frank with what I have to say. Inland cities like our Jinling County don't have shipping advantages. To export, we need to spend huge amounts of transportation costs, especially for textiles and chemicals. The transportation costs for raw materials and finished products account for one-third of the cost. Such products have no price advantage when exported and simply cannot compete with the large textile and chemical factories in coastal cities."
County Chief Xu nodded and said to Qin Hao, "I was too hasty. President Lei, you're right. We must conform to the objective laws of the market economy." (End of Chapter)