pertwk Chapter 88 A sucker?
Chapter 88 A sucker?
Chen Mingyuan was engrossed in a pile of documents when he looked up and saw it was him. A complex expression appeared on his face, and he pointed to the chair opposite him.
"Sit down and wait two minutes while I finish reading this."
"Okay, Section Chief Chen, please go ahead with your work."
Liu Jianguo sat down properly, placing his hands on his knees, but his gaze involuntarily drifted to the several official documents on Chen Mingyuan's desk.
His heart was pounding like a drum, fearing he might hear some bad news.
About five minutes later, Chen Mingyuan put down his pen, rubbed his temples, took out a cigarette from his pocket and tossed one over, then took out a lighter and lit it.
"Is it about your factory's unpaid wages again?"
"Well......"
When Liu Jianguo saw the lighter in his hand, he was slightly taken aback. No wonder he felt like he had seen the lighter somewhere before when Zhang Beichuan took it out that day!
It turns out that Chen Mingyuan had one of these things!
"Yes, but not entirely."
"Not entirely?" Chen Mingyuan looked at him curiously.
Liu Jianguo leaned forward, his tone urgent, and without bothering with pleasantries, went straight to the point.
"I convened a meeting with worker representatives these past few days. Everyone was very emotional, but we managed to come up with a temporary solution. A young man named Zhang Beichuan is interested in contracting our Dongfeng factory."
Chen Mingyuan's originally tired eyes flickered slightly, and his body leaned forward slightly.
"Contract it out? Tell me more about it."
"This Zhang Beichuan plans to take over the factory and transform it into a lighter assembly plant. Take a look at this; it's the sample he provided."
As Liu Jianguo spoke, he carefully took out a lighter from his pocket and handed it over with both hands.
The moment Chen Mingyuan saw the lighter, he froze on the spot.
This lighter is exactly the same as the one I'm using now, except for the outer casing.
His memory was suddenly pulled back to that afternoon not long ago, when he returned to the county town to visit his elderly mother and bought two lighters for 25 yuan from a young man on Jiefang Road.
It was precisely because of this lighter, which no one had ever seen before, that the leader liked it very much.
In addition to his usual contributions, he has risen from a clerk to his current position as section chief.
He was secretly delighted, thinking he had met a benefactor on his way home!
Chen Mingyuan was shaken, but he didn't show it on his face. He just kept stroking the lighter and asked in a deep voice.
"He said he wanted to set up a lighter assembly plant, and that's what they'll produce?"
"Yes!" Liu Jianguo nodded quickly, seeing his interest. "Comrade Zhang said he can get his hands on the key components. The factory will mainly be responsible for producing the fuselage and assembling it. The initial estimate is that with mass production, the cost can be controlled to around two yuan!"
"Two dollars?!"
Chen Mingyuan was genuinely surprised this time, and his voice unconsciously rose.
The bulky kerosene lighters at the supply and marketing cooperative cost eighteen yuan, while this lightweight and easy-to-use gadget only costs two yuan to produce.
If it really works out, the profit potential is simply unimaginable.
If this were to happen, Dongfeng Factory would not only be revived, but might even become a star enterprise in the city!
"Absolutely true! That's what he told me!"
Liu Jianguo carefully observed Chen Mingyuan's expression and saw a glimmer of light flash in his eyes after his initial surprise. Feeling much more at ease, he quickly steered the conversation back to the most difficult part.
"However, Section Chief Chen, Comrade Zhang also mentioned his difficulties. He is willing to take over the contract and is also willing to prepare start-up funds for production. But he can't cover the wages owed by the factory, so he proposed a solution."
Chen Mingyuan, intrigued, nodded repeatedly.
"Stop beating around the bush, just say what's on your mind!"
Liu Jianguo explained Zhang Beichuan's idea of paying in installments in detail, while carefully observing Chen Mingyuan's expression. The more he looked, the more his heart sank.
After hearing this, the slight excitement I had just felt because of the lighter was pulled back by reality.
Chen Mingyuan leaned back in his chair. Zhang Beichuan was unwilling to advance the workers' wages, and the Second Light Industry Bureau was equally unwilling to do so.
The bureau was also short of funds, so it was naturally willing to let the contractor pay in advance, and then gradually deduct it from the profits paid in each year.
But given the current situation... installment payments seem to be the only way to move forward, which is better than letting the factory shut down completely and the workers causing trouble every day.
But this Zhang Beichuan is so young, and he doesn't seem to have much capital, only about ten thousand yuan in start-up capital. Can he really make it work?
The office fell silent for a moment, with only the sound of Chen Mingyuan's fingers tapping on the desk.
Liu Jianguo's heart was also in turmoil.
After a long while, Chen Mingyuan picked up the two lighters on the table again, weighed them in his hands, and pondered.
Well, it's better to have someone willing to take on this hot potato than to keep holding onto it forever.
This lighter is a really good thing, which shows that Zhang Beichuan at least has some connections and vision.
Whether Zhang Beichuan can manage the Dongfeng factory after taking over is not something he should be concerned about.
If something goes wrong, the blame will ultimately fall on Zhang Beichuan, and it won't have much to do with him.
Although he didn't want to do this, if he couldn't solve the problem at Dongfeng Injection Molding Plant, he wouldn't be able to hold his position as section chief for long.
People have to think about themselves.
As for the preliminary agreement between Zhang Beichuan and the factory on a phased payment plan for the overdue wages, the factory can raise a portion, and Zhang Beichuan can advance the portion for the month when work resumes. The workers' representatives also agreed.
Although this plan is not ideal, there is no better option at the moment, and getting the factory running will save a lot of trouble.
To get rid of this hot potato, the department will have to spend some money to make up for it.
That means you have to rely on yourself and ask the bureau chief for special approval for funds.
"How about this?" Chen Mingyuan said, his voice regaining its composure.
"Prepare detailed materials including the plan, lighter samples, and Zhang Beichuan's personal information. I'll report to the bureau leaders. In any case, if someone is willing to take over and find a way to get the factory up and running, it's a way out."
Upon hearing this, Liu Jianguo felt a weight lifted from his shoulders and quickly stood up.
"Great, Section Chief Chen! I'll go back and prepare the materials right away!"
Seeing that he was about to leave without stopping, Chen Mingyuan quickly called him back.
"Let's get a good understanding of Zhang Beichuan's situation. Hopefully, this Zhang Beichuan is truly capable and not just someone who talks the talk!"
"Okay, I'll definitely look into it carefully!"
Chen Mingyuan waved his hand, indicating that he could go about his business.
Watching Liu Jianguo leave with a sigh of relief, he picked up the delicate lighter on the table, stroked it carefully, and muttered to himself.
"Since you've brought me good fortune once, I hope you can do it again. Otherwise, Zhang Beichuan, the contractor, will truly be a sucker!"
With Chen Mingyuan's verbal affirmation, everything was progressing as expected, and Liu Jianguo's steps were much lighter when he left the Second Light Industry Bureau.
But when he arrived at Beichuan Department Store at the address Zhang Beichuan had given him last time, he was surprised by the bustling scene inside.
The store was packed with people; it was even more bustling than a department store.
Liu Jianguo, who was standing outside the door, overheard a few words. They were all asking about things like televisions, flashlights, and watches.
After finally squeezing his way in, he quickly asked, "Comrade, is Comrade Zhang Beichuan the owner here?"
Lan Baojun, who was greeting guests, glanced at the man curiously.
"Yes, what's wrong?"
Liu Jianguo's face lit up with joy. "I work at Dongfeng Injection Molding Factory in the city. He gave me the address last time, telling me to come here if I needed anything."
"I see." Although Lan Baojun didn't understand how Xiao Chuan had any connection with the injection molding factory in the city, he still said politely, "He wasn't in the shop this afternoon."
"Huh? He's not here? When will he be back?"
Lan Baojun thought for a moment, figuring that Xiao Chuan's trip to the county bureau to receive the commendation shouldn't take too long, and glanced at the time on the wall.
"They should be back around four or five o'clock."
"Oh, okay, I'll wait for him."