Chapter 161: Recruiting Talent
"We don’t have the formula yet, but we have the talent. Plus, I brought back quite a few samples from abroad, so I’m sure we’ll have it soon." Xie Changning was very confident in her team.
Hearing this, Xie Changyi knew that Xie Changning’s team had talent in this area.
And it was talent that specialized in this very niche!
"I heard a beggar came to your chemical factory a couple of days ago?" Xie Changyi thought for a moment, finally zeroing in on a particular person.
The story of a beggar going to see Xie Changning at the Anong County Daily Chemical Factory was no secret. Everyone had told it to Xie Changyi as a funny anecdote.
Xie Changyi knew what kind of person Xie Changning was.
If the person had truly been a beggar, she would have offered some help and then sent them on their way.
But since the person hadn’t left, it must have been because they were a talent in this field.
So, Xie Changyi was curious. What kind of talent was this "beggar," and why would they have been reduced to begging all the way in Anong County?
"She’s no beggar. She’s a ’nose’ who was framed and expelled from her school abroad." Xie Changning hadn’t expected news of Qiao Tiantian to have already reached Chuncheng.
’So much for "far-reaching fame."’
Xie Changning told Xie Changyi about Qiao Tiantian. After listening, Xie Changyi scoffed, "Those kinds of tactics are commonplace overseas. Qiao Tiantian’s situation isn’t an isolated case. Plenty of people have been expelled and driven out of schools because of similar false accusations."
An education their families had sacrificed so much to support, ruined just like that by those damn foreigners!
Xie Changning was aware of the situation abroad and nodded slightly. "As long as someone has talent, I won’t turn them away." It didn’t matter to her if Qiao Tiantian had studied the same curriculum as the other foreign students; as long as she had the skills, Xie Changning wanted her!
This move was also a message to everyone around her: she didn’t look down on students who were expelled midway through their studies.
As long as they had studied at a vocational or technical school abroad, she would take them!
"That’s good, too. At least she studied abroad, so she understands some of their production processes and knows how to extract fragrances... Speaking of which, the scent of your facial soap is so long-lasting and pleasant. Was she the one who blended it?"
Xie Changyi was very fond of the facial soap produced by Xie Changning’s factory.
The scent wasn’t overpowering, and it lingered for a long time.
Many women had given rave reviews for the facial soap from Xie Changning’s factory. At the recent trade fair in Chuncheng, Xie Changning had not only signed orders with foreign clients but with domestic ones as well.
State-owned department stores from all over the country had placed orders with Xie Changning.
The orders weren’t large, however, so Xie Changning didn’t refuse them.
It was normal for department stores in the country to frequently run out of stock, so Xie Changning didn’t feel much pressure.
"Our current production capacity is a bit low, but I recently found some repairmen for the factory and gave them ideas for modifications. Once all the changes are complete, our capacity should increase by fifty percent."
Xie Changyi nodded, her eyes filled with admiration for Xie Changning.
That fifty percent increase was not to be underestimated. It could boost daily production by thousands upon thousands of units!
When that time came, their products would be distributed not only abroad but also domestically. The facial soap from the Anong County Daily Chemical Factory would have its own dedicated customer base!
Xie Changyi grew a little excited just thinking about it!
Xie Changning’s current plan was to get a laboratory up and running first. She was no longer satisfied with doing research on the workshop floor. She needed a separate lab and professional talent to lead her people in development!
"Once the foreign currency payments come in, I’ll have someone start renovating the lab. I’ll also contact my former professor then."
As she spoke, Xie Changning looked at Xie Changyi. "Sister, do you have anyone else you can recommend? Even those who were framed and forced to drop out of school abroad are fine. As long as they’re talented, I’ll take them."
Xie Changning’s words made Xie Changyi lower her gaze and ponder for a moment before looking up at her sister.
"There is someone, but he’s been out of the field for many years. I don’t know if he’s still up to it." Xie Changyi had a friend abroad. Back when the country was going through difficult times, he had a simple, single-minded desire to complete his studies and return home to help the motherland become prosperous and strong.
However, because his talent was too great, he was targeted by people overseas.
His professors at the foreign university used this as an opportunity to invite him to stay at the school and work for other countries.
He refused on the spot.
The consequence of his refusal was that he was driven out, expelled for an utterly absurd reason, making it impossible for him to survive abroad. He couldn’t even return to China.
It was only in the last two years that the foreign powers relaxed their surveillance on him, giving him a chance to come home.
However, returning at this point had already dealt him a devastating blow. He had become completely demoralized...
Xie Changyi recounted the man’s story to Xie Changning. "Back then, many of our top academicians had returned from overseas. When the foreign powers couldn’t keep them, they started a campaign to suppress our talented international students..."
Xie Changyi grew furious every time she thought about it.
Xie Changning sighed. She now understood why Xie Changyi had looked so troubled just now. The man’s talent was truly immense, but he had also truly become a wreck.
Xie Changning was unwilling to give up on such a talent.
"I believe the spark of patriotism lives in the heart of every one of our countrymen. He won’t stay dejected for long. I want to meet him."
After a moment’s thought, Xie Changning decided she would go see this person.
Seeing that Xie Changning had no intention of looking down on the man, Xie Changyi breathed a sigh of relief. "Alright, I’ll take you to meet him."
Xie Changyi’s expression made Xie Changning raise a slight eyebrow. She had a feeling her sister didn’t just hold this man in high regard; she cared about him deeply. ’Could it be that they missed their chance at a relationship because of what happened back then?’
The moment Xie Changning said she wanted to meet him, Xie Changyi didn’t hesitate for a second. She immediately led Xie Changning out the door to see this "talent" she had spoken of.
Xie Changning saw through it but didn’t say a word, quietly following behind Xie Changyi to meet the man.
The man lived in an adobe house on the outskirts of Chuncheng. From a distance, they could already smell the reek of alcohol coming from inside. The man had clearly taken to drinking, or rather, was drowning his sorrows in it.
Xie Changyi pushed the door open and went inside.
"Wang Changsheng, I brought someone to see you."
The skeletal man, who had been passed out on the table, stirred. He opened his hazy, sleep-filled eyes and looked toward Xie Changyi standing in the doorway.
Xie Changning saw clearly how, upon seeing Xie Changyi, the man subconsciously sat up straight and tried to hide the bottle in his hand, not wanting her to see it.
"Don’t bother hiding it. I already saw."
"I... I just had a little. Not much."
He muttered his defense, his confidence shriveling up like a mouse before a cat.
Only when Xie Changyi stepped inside did he notice someone else behind her. This person looked very similar to Xie Changyi; they were clearly sisters.
He grew even more flustered.
A look of regret appeared on his face. ’If I’d known she was bringing family, I wouldn’t have let myself be seen in this ghastly state!’