Chapter 106 Qinghong

Chapter 106: Qinghong

Yu Dong wheeled her suitcase out to report to HR. Just then, Wang Chuang entered with a stack of documents. Seeing Yu Dong and her face, he was stunned, his eyes wide.

Even after Yu Dong had left, he kept craning his neck, trying to catch another glimpse.

Pulling his head back, he entered the office, looking dumbfounded, and asked Jiang Luo, "Who was that? Her? She's so damn beautiful!"

"Did she come to discuss something with you?"

"Is she newly hired?"

Jiang Luo scoffed, "Look at you."

Haven’t you ever seen a beautiful woman?

He explained, "She’s from Singapore, newly hired to help expand the market and set up Vilanido retail counters."

"Oh, oh."

Wang Chuang was also very busy and quickly dropped the subject. Standing by the desk, he handed the documents to Jiang Luo, saying, "Here, take a look at this."

Jiang Luo took them and looked through them. They were the recent fabric procurement lists and cost analysis.

Jiang Luo looked them over and said, "Hmm, the last few batches of fabric have been quite expensive."

"Guess what."

Wang Chuang built suspense and said, "Several of these fabrics, especially the lightweight denim fabric you wanted recently, are available at that factory in Tongcheng."

Which factory? Naturally, he meant the large textile factory they had previously collaborated with but later had a falling out with over a minor issue.

That textile factory had an outstanding invoice that Shengfei hadn't paid.

Wang Chuang propped himself on the desk: "A few colleagues and I discussed it. Procuring these materials from Guangzhou is just too expensive and slow."

"Since Tongcheng has them, it’s best to source it locally. It’s closer and much cheaper."

Wang Chuang proposed, "We had that falling out with their Director Liu before."

"I was thinking, maybe I’ll go over there, take him out to dinner…"

Jiang Luo shot him a dangerous look: "If you dare bribe that Liu bastard, I’ll shove your head so far up your ass."

Wang Chuang: "……"

Jiang Luo tossed the papers in front of Wang Chuang: "We need fabric, but they should be the ones coming to us, begging us."

Wang Chuang picked up the papers: "Isn’t that backwards?"

Jiang Luo continued working on designs with his head down: "I need fabric. What, are they making fabric just to let it collect dust?"

Jiang Luo said calmly: "Just wait. They’ll come begging me."

Wang Chuang didn’t understand: "How do we make them beg?"

Jiang Luo taunted: "Brains are for thinking, not just for sitting on your neck as decoration."

Wang Chuang slumped against the desk: "Tell me, then."

Within days, in the classified sections of several major daily and evening newspapers in Tongcheng, an ad appeared with this content:

Haicheng Juxiang Town Shengfei Clothing Factory urgently needs XX/XX/XX and other types of fabric. Urgent.

Interested parties may contact 021xxxx888.

That day, several newspapers carrying the ad were placed as usual by the secretary on the desk of Kong Weihong, the owner and factory manager of Qinghong Textile Factory.

Another couple of days passed, and on this day, Kong Weihong summoned Liu Jiao, the office manager, into his office. Pointing at a newspaper on his desk, he tapped it aggressively with his finger: "What is this? What is this? I’m asking you, what is this?"

What? What?

Liu Jiao was confused.

He leaned over, cocking his head, squinting to read. It turned out to be a published ad, stating an urgent need for fabric.

Liu Jiao didn’t immediately connect this "Shengfei" with anything, too busy appeasing his boss. He hurriedly said, "Oh, oh, this—I hadn’t seen it before."

"I know, I know. I’ll have my team call right away and ask what fabric their factory needs…"

"Motherfucker!"

Kong Weihong grabbed the newspaper from the desk and smacked Liu Jiao’s face with it: "How the fuck are you doing your job?! Huh? I’m asking how you’re doing your job!"

"Haicheng is right next door! Right in our backyard!"

"Are your fucking eyes and ears up your ass? You didn’t even know about such a big clothing factory with ten-million-yuan in investment right next door? Huh?!"

"Do you want to die?!"

"Not making money—are you saving the fabric they produce to wrap your whole family’s corpses?!"

Liu Jiao: "…………"

Liu Jiao thought to himself: Huh? Haicheng? A big clothing factory? He hadn’t heard about it, really hadn’t.

Liu Jiao quickly bowed apologetically: "It slipped through the cracks, I was too busy. I was wrong, wrong. I’ll send someone right away to ask about this factory and find out what’s going on."

"It must be newly built, not long ago."

"Otherwise, there’s no way I wouldn’t know."

"Please calm down, calm down."

"I’ll go find out right away, make calls and establish contact."

"Don’t worry, I…"

Kong Weihong jabbed a finger at him: "Go find out clearly, see who the boss of this factory is, what his name is."

"Within a week, I want to be drinking at the same table as this factory’s boss."

"If you can’t manage it, get the fuck out, as far away as you can."

"Okay, yes, yes. I’ll go right away."

Liu Jiao quickly turned and left to inquire about this Haicheng clothing factory called Shengfei.

While arranging for someone to investigate in Haicheng, he pondered the name "Shengfei." The more he said it, the more familiar it sounded, as if he’d heard it somewhere before, but he didn’t think too much about it.

Not long after, the person sent out to investigate called back, confirming that there was indeed such a factory in Juxiang Town under Haicheng. The factory was still under construction but had already hired workers and was already operational. Recently, they had indeed been experiencing a fabric shortage, and many nearby textile workshops, large and small, had come to line up, waiting for Shengfei’s staff to meet them and accept their materials.

Upon hearing this, Liu Jiao, the Office Manager, immediately rounded up his team, fabric samples, and contracts, and rushed to Juxiang Town in the factory’s car.

Liu Jiao was clever enough to call Shengfei in advance, introducing himself as from Tongcheng’s Qinghong Textile Factory, mentioning the year it was established, its scale, investment amount, and daily production. The implication was clear: they were a large factory, not a small workshop, and they wanted to discuss major business deals face-to-face with the boss.

The car sped along, and they arrived at Shengfei in a hurry. After registering at the gate, they drove in.

Getting out of the car, Liu Jiao looked around and saw how massive Shengfei was, with a vast area still under construction. He thought gleefully, "If we seal this deal, we’ll hit the jackpot. Haha, bonuses out the wazoo!"

But when he followed a secretary named Lu to the big boss’s office, stepped inside, and looked up, ready to greet with a smile, Liu Jiao was stunned—that, that was Jiang Luo!?

Jiang Luo sat behind the desk, his expression deadpan when he saw Liu Jiao. "Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in," he said.

Jiang Luo instructed Xiao Lu, "No need for tea."

Xiao Lu left without serving Liu Jiao any tea.

Liu Jiao stood there, completely mortified.

He hadn’t forgotten how things had ended with Jiang Luo last year.

After all, Jiang Luo was the first person he had hinted at kickbacks to, only to be ignored and told to screw off.

Liu Jiao had originally thought that with his factory’s many big clients and Jiang Luo being just a small workshop owner, and with them in Haicheng and Tongcheng respectively, they would never cross paths again after their fallout.

Who would have thought that the roles would be reversed on them like this?

Liu Jiao couldn’t just turn and leave, so he stood there with a nervous chuckle. "Mr. Jiang, long time no see. It’s really been a while."

Jiang Luo tilted his head, ignoring the pleasantries, and said mockingly, "To what do we owe this visit, Director Liu?"

Liu Jiao pasted on a smile, stepped forward, and placed the fabric sample book on the desk in front of Jiang Luo.

"I’m here to discuss cooperation, of course."

Jiang Luo didn’t even glance at the sample book, his tone cold. "I wouldn't touch a deal with you, Director Liu."

He then raised his voice, "Xiao Lu."

Xiao Lu pushed the door open and entered.

Jiang Luo turned away from Liu Jiao. "See him out."

Liu Jiao felt completely humiliated.

He didn’t stay long and left without taking the sample book, thinking that maybe Jiang Luo would look at it if he left it behind.

But as he got into the car, Jiang Luo’s secretary ran out and returned the sample book to him.

Sitting in the back seat, Liu Jiao tossed the book aside and sighed. "It’s over. It’s over."

It’s over—the Shengfei Factory belongs to Jiang Luo.

It’s over—he’s offended someone.

It’s over—the cooperation is off.

It’s over—if the factory director finds out, he’ll have his hide.

Liu Jiao’s head was pounding.

But Liu Jiao was, after all, the Office Manager of a large factory. Though he usually got the red carpet treatment and was often flattered, he knew when to eat humble pie when things got serious.

Back at the factory, Liu Jiao thought it over repeatedly and finally decided to humble himself and apologize to Jiang Luo.

The next day, he went back to Shengfei Factory, bringing expensive gifts, intending to apologize to Jiang Luo. If words weren’t enough, he was prepared to drink as punishment—as much as it took. If necessary, he’d even beg Jiang Luo in tears.

Pride be damned; it was time to throw it away.

Most importantly, he didn’t want to lose his job.

But when he arrived at Shengfei Factory, the guard refused to open the gate for him. Liu Jiao left with nothing to show for it.

Liu Jiao had no choice but to stomach his pride and call Jiang Luo. The call went through, but as soon as the other end heard it was him, they hung up immediately.

After several attempts, all ending in hang-ups, Liu Jiao sighed, realizing he had truly offended Jiang Luo badly.

Liu Jiao tried another approach, asking other colleagues from the factory to contact Shengfei Factory.

But as soon as Shengfei Factory heard it was Tongcheng’s Qinghong Textile Factory, they refused to cooperate and hung up.

Liu Jiao was breaking out in a cold sweat.

A few days later, Liu Jiao was called into the office by Kong Weihong, who asked about his progress with the Haicheng garment factory. Liu Jiao considered lying, feeding him a line to placate his boss and buy himself more time.

But as soon as he started boasting about making headway, Kong Weihong grabbed an ashtray from the desk and hurled it at him. "Bullshit!"

"Do you think I don’t know their factory won't give you the time of day!?"

"Zhang Ping told me everything!"

Zhang Ping was the newly promoted mid-level manager in charge of business, and he didn’t get along with Liu Jiao.

"He said you, you, you had worked with the boss of that Haicheng factory before!"

"You tried to shake him down, and he ignored you."

"Now we're screwed! Now we're screwed!"

"He’s running a big factory! A big factory! Such a huge garment factory!"

"And they’re cooperating with all the textile factories around, large and small! Using their fabrics!"

"Everyone's but ours! Everyone's but ours!"

Kong Weihong cleared his desk throwing everything at Liu Jiao. "You fucking idiot! Dipshit!"

"Such a big garment factory, and we’re such a large textile factory right nearby, yet we're not doing business!"

"All because of a fool like you, how much money you've cost me! How much!"

"Get the hell out of here!"

In Juxiang Town, at the nicest restaurant near Shengfei Factory, in a private room on the third floor, Jiang Luo walked in. Kong Weihong greeted him with a smile, shaking his hand warmly. "Mr. Jiang, you’re truly young and impressive, truly exceptional."

"At such a young age, you’re already building an empire and being the boss. We old guards are truly in awe, truly in awe."

There were others in the private room; Kong Weihong had specifically invited them. They included a director from the Juxiang Town Tax Bureau and several local business owners from Juxiang Town, among whom were the owners of two textile factories that had partnered with Jiang Luo.

The purpose of putting together this gathering was naturally to build connections with Jiang Luo and make him feel that everyone was on the same side.

Jiang Luo also played along, exchanging pleasantries with Kong Weihong: "President Kong, you've really made me wait—it's been hard to get a meeting with you."

Kong Weihong quickly responded, "Just a series of unfortunate timing, but here we are now."

He added warmly, "You’re in the garment business, I’m in fabrics—we're closer than anyone, don't you think?"

"Come, have a seat."

That evening, the dinner was such a lively affair that anyone unaware might have thought the table was full of brothers.

Kong Weihong, his face flushed from drinking, raised his glass and called out to Jiang Luo, "Come, brother, let me share another drink with you."

Jiang Luo found it amusing and knew that Liu Jiao was about to be in trouble.

After the dinner ended and the others gradually left, only Kong Weihong, Kong Weihong's secretary, and Jiang Luo remained in the private room.

Once Kong Weihong’s secretary also stepped out, Jiang Luo sat on the reception sofa beside the dining table, watching as Kong Weihong picked up a small briefcase from beside his feet, placed it on the coffee table, opened it, and pushed it forward toward Jiang Luo.

Kong Weihong said, "President Jiang, a small token of my appreciation."

Jiang Luo glanced down, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Finally, today wasn’t a Hongmen Feast—this small case of cash wasn’t intimidation from someone in a higher position.

Jiang Luo had truly transitioned from dealing with Li Fengrui to Kong Weihong.

Jiang Luo straightened up, reached out, and with a "snap," shut the briefcase, indicating he accepted.

He said with a smile, "You’re too kind, President Kong."

"With such a large and impressive textile factory like Qinghong, how could Shengfei not cooperate?"