Chapter 1901

Chen Changchun was over fifty years old. More than ten years ago, when he took over as the textile factory director, he was just over forty, in the prime of his life.

He hadn't lived a good life for many days before the economic system reform arrived, with the planned economic system and the market economic system running in parallel, which is commonly known as the dual-track system.

At first, he didn't care. The tasks assigned to the factory by the higher-ups kept them too busy to have time to think about any market economy. But it was this kind of thinking that made him miss the best development opportunity.

In 1978, reform and opening up were proposed, and the private economy developed in twists and turns, gradually increasing. Enterprise production increased, competition intensified, and the shortage of production materials became more and more serious, promoting a very serious polarization of prices.

Market prices soared, while planned prices were significantly lower than the market. As a result, a batch of "daoye" (speculators) was born.

Those at the top of the pyramid could get approval documents and supply vouchers from relevant departments with a few cigarettes and bottles of wine, and then sell them to private enterprises for tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions.

Those in the middle of the pyramid showed their magical powers, getting quotas for scarce durable consumer goods within the plan from state-owned enterprises, and then reselling them on the spot at several times the price.

Those at the bottom of the pyramid were some local bullies. What they got were scarce durable consumer goods that had been resold at a markup, and then they took them to the market for wholesale.

And the Jiangzhou Textile Factory was also famous, so naturally, it couldn't escape the fate of connected people coming with notes to demand quotas and then reselling them at high prices.

If at that time, Chen Changchun could have paid even a little attention to the market economy, he could have made a fortune, but he didn't. He was still immersed in planned supply, always thinking that with the state's backing, the factory would definitely continue to flourish.

It's just that I don't know when it started, but the textile factory's products, whether it was newly developed fabrics or patterns, would have similar products appear on the market in less than two months, and they were of better quality and cheaper.

As a result, those speculators who clung to the textile factory disappeared because they couldn't make money. When the market economy was completely liberalized and planned quotas were canceled, Chen Changchun suddenly discovered that the products he was proud of couldn't be sold on the market.

A large amount of products were unsalable, and the heavy pressure of more than nine thousand employees meant that in less than two years, the textile factory couldn't hold on.

Just two months ago, he sold the inventory products at a low price far exceeding the market and paid the employees their last half-month's wages.

After Chen Changchun finished the call with Deng Deng Zhangli, he silently put it down and then started sitting there in a daze.

He thought he would work steadily in this position until retirement.

But he never dreamed that the result would be like this, and the once glorious factory had collapsed in his hands.

Click!

I don't know how long it had been, but Chen Changchun picked up a cigarette and lit it, then got up and came to the window, looking at the scenery outside. His spirit was in a trance again, and I don't know what he thought of, but crystal tears hung in his eyes.

In those days, during commuting hours, thousands of employees poured into the factory area; what a spectacular sight that was. And now, except for the security department, most of the employees were idle at home.

"Clap clap clap..."

The office door was knocked on gently, and Chen Changchun shouted without looking back.

"Come in!"

Factory Party Committee Secretary Bai Wenyou pushed the door and came in. He was not tall and a bit fat, but he was not old, only forty-one or forty-two years old.

"Old Chen!" Bai Wenyou came to Chen Changchun's side: "You received Mayor Deng's call, right?"

Chen Changchun nodded silently: "Received it."

Bai Wenyou also looked up at the window and said sadly: "With Zhou Andong taking over our factory, logically speaking, we should be happy, but I don't know why, my heart feels empty."

Chen Changchun didn't speak, the cigarette in his hand was burning, but he didn't smoke it, his eyes were empty, without any focus.

After a while, Bai Wenyou said faintly: "It's fine, with Zhou Andong taking over, perhaps the textile factory can regain its glory, and the rice bowls of thousands of employees can be preserved. By then, we won't be considered sinners."

Chen Changchun's hand shook, and the burning cigarette butt burned his hand. He lifted it up and saw that the burned area was a bit white and faintly painful.

"What did you just say?"

Bai Wenyou, who was originally very sad, was almost broken by Chen Changchun, and all sad emotions were gone.

"So, I've been rambling for a long time, and you haven't heard a word."

Chen Changchun collected his mood and smiled: "Zhou Andong being able to take over our factory is the best result."

"Yes, that's what I think too." Bai Wenyou nodded: "It's just, where should we go?"

Chen Changchun was silent for a moment: "If Zhou Andong needs it, I will stay in the factory, even if I serve as a workshop director."

Bai Wenyou was stunned for a moment and didn't speak for a long time.

Chen Changchun tilted his head and looked at him: "What about you, submitting to the city's arrangements?"

"I haven't thought about it yet." Bai Wenyou shook his head slightly: "Perhaps, I will choose to stay here like you, if Zhou Andong agrees."

"Actually, I'm just unwilling to accept that the factory was destroyed in my hands."

Looking at the scenery outside, Chen Changchun's tired eyes gradually brightened.

"If I stay, one day Zhou Andong can make the textile factory regain its glory, and I will have no regrets in this life. Otherwise, I would have to take my guilt into the coffin even if I died."

Bai Wenyou asked: "Are you so sure that Zhou Andong can lead the textile factory to regain its glory?"

"Not sure." Chen Changchun raised his hands and rubbed his face hard: "But Zhou Andong can give me confidence and give me hope."

"That's also true." Bai Wenyou said softly: "The Midas touch, the god of marketing, that's not just empty talk."

Chen Changchun laughed, and it was obvious that he was much more relaxed.

"Let's go, call everyone from the security department, finance department, and logistics duty, and have a simple welcome ceremony."

Bai Wenyou said: "Mayor Deng said not to hold any welcome ceremony."

Chen Changchun turned and walked out: "The leader doesn't let us do it, but we can't really do nothing."

Bai Wenyou was just saying it; how could he not understand this principle?

After all, the textile factory was once a famous large-scale second-tier enterprise in the country, and the number of times it received higher-level leaders every year was too many to count with two hands.

There were banners and colorful flags, but it was definitely too late to redo the words on the banners, so they could only gather people and bring those small colorful flags to the gate.

These employees didn't look very good, because Chen Changchun only told them that leaders were coming to inspect the factory, which caused everyone's dissatisfaction.

A middle-aged woman muttered and cursed: "I don't know which dead bastard is running over to take advantage of the situation when the factory has already gone bust; aren't they afraid of choking to death while drinking?"

A young man next to her sneered and said: "Where does the factory have money for them to ruin? They're coming for nothing."