Chapter 360: Chapter 360: Reported

The Spring “Southern Trade Conference” is generally scheduled for April 25th, while the Autumn one spans from October to November, and the exhibition lasts for a long time.

This is one way Hua Country earns foreign exchange each year, with one-third of the foreign exchange income coming from it.

Jiang Xingye learned from Xu Qinghuan that Hua Country has such an opportunity to showcase its products.

After the spring began, the Shangjiang Team started major constructions. First, two more buildings were erected at the educated youth point, and after Lin Yufei and Yu Xiaomin got married, they moved out from Xu Qinghuan’s place.

Chen Dewen and Qiao Xinyu got married at the beginning of March. After the New Year, they obtained their marriage certificate, took time off to return to Shen City, held a banquet there, and came back to host a few tables for guests. Now, the two live in the expanded house of Chen Dewen.

The Four Sisters Clothing Factory has now recruited more than ten people, becoming quite sizable. Jiang Baohua partitioned a large room from the team office, put a sign at the door, and the factory workshop was set up there.

Xu Qinghuan’s place has become completely serene.

It’s a weekend today, and it started raining. The weather is still very cold, and a thin layer of ice forms on the ground after the rain water touches it, both in the morning and evening.

Qiao Xinyu and several others came over to her place to chat, and Yu Xiaomin brought seeds and cookies sent by the Lin Family. It was the first time she received something from her in-laws, and her feelings were quite mixed—happy yet a little bittersweet.

This family is her in-laws, and people often say in-laws are hard to get along with, while one’s own family feels closer. But for her, the first warmth of family she felt came from her in-laws.

Jiang Xingye boiled water and poured tea into each person’s tea mug.

“Mainly to discuss something internal with you first.” He glanced at Xu Qinghuan, who was cracking melon seeds with her lips slightly pouting. The way the seeds were held between her lips reminded him of a scene, causing his heart to heat up, and he awkwardly looked away.

Xu Qinghuan looked back at him and immediately knew what he was thinking. Under the table, she lightly nudged him with her toe.

Jiang Xingye remained unmoved.

“I also heard from Huanhuan that there is an import-export trade fair in East Province, Nanwu City, on April 25th. I have an idea—can we also exhibit our products and make deals with foreigners?”

“Brother Xing wants to get into exporting?” Chen Dewen was enthusiastic, “This is good news, we can also earn foreign exchange. However, that foreign language babbling from foreigners, we don’t understand it at all. Do we need to hire a translator?”

Jiang Xingye felt a hidden excitement within, but his demeanor was particularly composed, “No need to worry about that; I’ll figure out the translation. If we want to do this, we need to act quickly. It’s said that a booth at the ’Southern Trade Conference’ is hard to come by—this is the first issue.

The second is after we get the booth, we need to set up the booth; third is preparing for transactions with foreigners, and we need to be extremely cautious with this.”

Why be so cautious about this?

Xu Qinghuan said, “We really need to be extremely cautious. Every year, many foreigners come to the expo. Some are genuinely there for business, but a lot are there to cheat and scam.

We haven’t been in business long, have limited experience, and in our eagerness to earn foreign exchange, many have been deceived.”

There were fraudulent buyers, those who wouldn’t sign contracts or pay deposits, those who placed orders and then reneged, and those who took the goods without paying, disappearing without a trace.

Xu Qinghuan recounted the historical cases of those who had been deceived, and even Jiang Xingye looked quite serious.

“Don’t think that dealing with foreigners is just a matter of exchanging money and goods. The domestic market is among our people, and if something goes wrong, we can negotiate and find ways to remedy the loss;

but dealing with foreigners, losing can be a serious blow. They won’t just give a gentle warning; sometimes it’s a matter of life and death. So, if we’re entering the Southern Trade Conference, we need to be especially vigilant.”

Zheng Siqi was ambitious, “If they want to cheat us, let them try. I want to trick them too.”

Dai Yifeng was even seriously considering this possibility, “The key is that the money is in their pockets. Getting them to take it out won’t be easy. But, where there’s a will, there’s a way, old Zheng, think of something!”

Zheng Siqi laughed, “We have time, let’s think slowly. Speaking of which, since we’re going to be dealing with foreigners, should we start learning foreign languages?”

Xu Qinghuan said, “I think it’s a good idea. It’s not just useful now, but it’ll have great uses in the future.”

After discussing, Zheng Siqi and Chen Dewen thought about ways to enter the Southern Trade Conference, which might require finding someone in the city.

Jiang Xingye said, “I’ll let Haozi also think of a way.”

Jiang Baohua was quite shocked when he heard they wanted to sell their products to foreigners at the Southern Trade Conference, dropping the pipe from his hand, “What is the ’Southern Trade Conference’? Selling to the foreigners? Would they want our iron lumps?”

Jiang Xingye said, “At that time, the ’Southern Trade Conference’ will not only have foreigners but also many of our Hua Country people. People from various provinces and cities will be there. Letting our products go out is something that benefits us sooner rather than later.”

The authorities wanted Jiang Baohua to become the commune director, but he had elderly family members to care for, and he was not very ambitious for the position. He had already refused when the organization talked to him twice.

Accountant Li Mancang persuaded him, “Uncle Baohua, I think being the commune director isn’t such a bad idea. If you pick up this responsibility, the production team encounters issues, you can make things much easier for these young people!”

Li Mancang also had his own motives. If Jiang Baohua went to be a commune director, he would certainly need his own team, and there might be opportunities for him then.

As for the position of team leader of Shangjiang Team, Li Mancang had thought about it but knew it was pointless; the team would definitely remain in the hands of someone with the surname Jiang—it had been a tradition for many years.

Jiang Baohua was rare in his consideration, and Jiang Xingye also advised, “Uncle, if you go to be the commune director, while I’m still here, I can support you, so don’t worry about keeping the position steady.”

“So should I go?” Jiang Baohua was a little uncertain.

“Go ahead, why not? Remember when Director Tang was a deputy director, how prestigious it was, and we were eager to make connections? If you become the director, our Shangjiang Team will stand out. For years, which of the commune’s directors wasn’t appointed from above?” Li Mancang got more excited as he spoke.

Jiang Baohua wiped clean the pipe he picked up, filled it with tobacco that Jiang Xingye acquired from Xu Qinghuan as a gift, took a firm puff, and a hint of anticipation appeared in his eyes, “Then… I’ll reluctantly agree when the people from above come.”

The person coming to do ideological work didn’t arrive, but someone came to investigate Jiang Xingye.

Along with it, Jiang Baohua also had to undergo investigation.

The one who came was Xu Ruiyang, who had been promoted to Director of the Educated Youth Office, “Captain, Comrade Jiang, we received a report saying that the relationship between Xu Qinghuan and Comrade Jiang Xingye was forced. Regarding this matter, we’d like to hear the involved parties’ perspectives.”

Both were somewhat dumbfounded, feeling like they were listening to a myth.

Jiang Xingye was so angry his face turned ashen, and Jiang Baohua asked, “Director Xu, do you know who made this report? What right do they have to say this?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep