Chapter 95: Double Salary Benefits

The lunch ended quickly, and everyone dispersed in haste.

Despite his bad mood and the long journey he had endured that morning, Wu Ya still carried his fatigue and heavy gloom as he headed straight to Chensi.

Huang Silu had already left, taking Qiao Ya with him.

Only Liu Qian remained, partly out of a sense of guilt, and partly because she wished to accompany Wu Ya.

So the two of them shared a rickshaw and soon arrived at the Chensi Textile Factory.

“Director Pei, I’m back.”

“Oh! Boss Wu, you’ve settled everything so quickly? How did it go? With such swift action, I assume everything went smoothly?”

Director Pei was indeed a consummate professional. His polite compliments were laced with genuinely pleasant inquiries.

“Heh, that’s exactly why I’m here! Director Pei, the three most advanced assembly lines will arrive in three days! You’ll need to free up a sufficiently large space for the production workshop!”

Three assembly lines? And the most advanced ones at that?

Director Pei was stunned.

Before Wu Ya left, he had confided in him somewhat to gain his support—only 300,000 yuan! To him, Wu Ya’s plan seemed nearly impossible.

At best, he thought, Wu Ya could purchase two assembly lines, and those would be ordinary machines, paid for in full.

Yet from Wu Ya’s expression, he saw the result: the deal was done! Otherwise, Wu Ya wouldn’t have come here so promptly. He would have visited several places first, which would have taken time.

So a deal completed this quickly must mean the full payment was made, forgoing any mortgage.

But to his astonishment, Wu Ya really had purchased three of the most advanced assembly lines for just 300,000 yuan?

That was a fortune worth millions!

This breathtaking feat only deepened his admiration for Wu Ya.

Such a young man, yet cutting through thorns and brambles, turning the seemingly impossible into reality.

By paying only a down payment, he had secured equipment worth millions!

After serving as factory director for over a decade, Pei felt humbled.

“Director Pei? What are you thinking about?” Wu Ya asked, noticing the dazed look on Pei’s face and smiling inwardly.

What could he be thinking? Nothing but shock and admiration.

“Oh, well… hmm. You really opened my eyes! Young people are truly remarkable! We of the older generation are truly past our prime. Alright, I’ll notify the staff immediately to clear out a warehouse to serve as your workshop!”

Snapping back to attention, Director Pei walked out of his office, marveling the entire way.

He even personally went to arrange things for Wu Ya.

“Wu Ya, Sister Chai’s sales have been increasing day by day. Once the equipment arrives, production must start immediately. Should we begin recruiting workers now?”

Finally, Liu Qian seized the opportunity to speak.

Along the way, she had been cautious, wary of Wu Ya’s grim expression, afraid that any careless words might upset him.

A smart young woman knows when to be gentle and when to stand firm.

She also knew when she could be willful and when she could let loose.

“Hmm… yes, we need to recruit workers quickly. Training alone will take several days. Once the machines arrive, practical operation will take another two or three days. The tailor shop has already been working at full speed, yet it still can’t keep up with the growing market demand. So we must squeeze every bit of time out of these processes.”

Hearing this, Wu Ya fell into thought.

Assembly lines.

This was the first time such advanced equipment had been introduced into the Suiyan District!

Consequently, almost no one knew how to operate them.

Though Chensi Textile Factory was a medium-sized enterprise, their machines were not assembly lines.

They still used single-row, outdated weaving machines!

His current problem was that the machines needed to be operational immediately upon arrival, instantly creating value.

This urgency was not born of reckless greed, but because market demand was pressing.

Sister Chai called every day, asking for more goods.

Yet training and practical operation were unavoidable challenges that forced him to compress the timeline.

At that moment, Director Pei returned.

He had regained his composure.

The more Wu Ya’s business prospered, the more advantageous it was for him.

Wu Ya had contracted his factory but preserved his position.

Not only did he avoid unemployment, but he also generated profits for the community and paid the workers’ wages.

Therefore, cooperation was what he must—and gladly would—offer.

“Director Pei, there’s one more thing I need your help with.”

Wu Ya’s eyes brightened when he saw Pei.

Having spent half his life in the textile industry, rising from the front lines to factory director, Pei naturally had a deep understanding of machinery few could match.

What type of workers would get up to speed fastest? Sewers or weavers?

Perhaps Director Pei was the most authoritative person to answer this.

“What is it?”

Hearing that Wu Ya had another request, Pei’s enthusiasm returned instantly.

“I need to recruit workers as soon as possible! The three lines will run in three shifts. But there’s a problem: I don’t have time for extensive training. As soon as the equipment arrives, production must start. So which kind of workers will be able to operate the assembly lines most quickly?”

“Well...” Director Pei furrowed his brow, but a glint of cunning flashed in his eyes.

Textile factories mostly employed female workers.

Male workers? They were either laborers or machinery repairmen.

And Pei himself had been a mechanic.

Having dealt with machines for decades, when Wu Ya told him about the new assembly lines, he had already studied them out of habit.

The concept of analogy applies.

Any product upgrade happens gradually.

It’s impossible to completely abandon the old equipment’s framework at once.

This upgradable assembly line was basically an ordinary line with improved modules added.

So as an experienced mechanic, Director Pei thoroughly understood the assembly line’s structure.

Naturally, he already had an idea of what type of workers would be best suited to operate it.

His hesitation was merely a show to make the matter seem especially challenging.

The purpose was to elevate his own importance, to gain more attention from Wu Ya.

“This problem was solved only after my thoughtful consideration!”

“Heh, that old fox!” Wu Ya smiled faintly in his heart.

Pei’s little ploy was no secret to him.

After all, he had lived two lives; he had seen all kinds of people.

But knowing this, he still had to give Pei face.

Otherwise, Pei’s importance wouldn’t be recognized, and his enthusiasm would be dampened.

There was a long journey ahead, and Wu Ya needed much help from him.

“As for assembly lines, no one in Suiyan District really understands them yet. So deciding which workers are best suited requires knowledge of the assembly line’s structure. For that reason…”

“Director Pei! I know you’re an old mechanic, and there’s no machine in Suiyan District that can stump you! So you must be able to solve this problem for me, right? Oh, I knew you’d be my benefactor! From the moment we met, we just clicked!”

While Director Pei was still shaking his head, explaining the difficulty, Wu Ya cut him off.

Such flattery made him giddy.

“Heh heh heh, of course! Most people are complete novices when it comes to assembly lines, but I’m no ordinary person! I started as an apprentice at sixteen. Within a year, I was the top mechanic! The following year…”

“Director Pei, I’ll leave the question of which workers are best suited to you. They must quickly master the assembly line operation. My only requirements are that you provide enough workers for the three lines, running three shifts. For this, I’ll pay you an additional 800 yuan per month to manage the operation. Does that work?”

Wu Ya’s time was pressing; he had no patience for history lessons.

He interrupted again, stating his terms and offering a salary.

An extra 800 yuan monthly salary, plus management responsibilities!

From today onward, Director Pei would receive double pay!

The community would return him his rightful wages from the monthly contract fees he paid.

Wu Ya would also pay him separately for managing the assembly lines.

He would instantly become part of the high-income bracket!

To earn over a thousand yuan a month at that time was a feat even dual-income households struggled to achieve.

In one year, that was enough to become a ten-thousand-yuan household.

From a factory director on the brink of collapse, Pei would soar into the ranks of the well-to-do.

This dazzling transformation took less than half a month.

Everything felt like a dream.

For someone like Director Pei, accustomed to officialdom, income alone was thrilling.

Management, however, was what truly quickened his pulse.

And now, Wu Ya had entrusted him with that authority.

Managing three assembly lines!

Three shifts—that meant at least two hundred workers.

Enough to rival another Chensi Textile Factory.