Chapter 397: No Way Out
Chapter 397: No Way Out
When the lithography machine arrived in the New Territories, the "Walkman" product development team of Zhonghe Electronics was officially established, and Chinese-American engineer Gates Lee served as technical consultant.
Taiwanese engineer Lu Zhenhua serves as team leader, and factory director Lin Fuwang serves as deputy team leader.
Tsinghua researcher Cao Fenye serves as deputy team leader, and there are as many as 23 researchers.
Director Lin, who is in his early forties, used to run a video store on Yau Ma Tei Street. He is a technical expert who came from a "folk scientist background" and has amazing talent. He can even solder circuit boards by hand.
He was Yin Zhaotang's confidant and served as military supervisor.
As for the Walkman, there was Sony's prototype machine available for reference and research. In theory, there was no difficulty, and the only problem left was production.
Sheung Shui Wai, Little Peach Garden Restaurant.
Yin Zhaotang, Ah Lok, Zuo Shou, Chu Dezhong, Wu Jingfeng, Ding Jiahao and Liao Zhihong had a small gathering.
Ah Lok was responsible for the smuggling of spare parts from Japan. Wu Jingfeng, as the manager of the provincial and Hong Kong logistics department, was responsible for importing spare parts from the mainland and approving funds to buy land and build factories.
Liao Zhihong was the representative from the New Territories and discussed land prices and recruitment issues.
In the past two years, the trade volume between the province and the port has increased, trucks at the port have been running back and forth day and night, and with the development of the manufacturing park, the economy of the entire Sheung Shui Wai has improved significantly.
In a town with a population of tens of thousands, every income of restaurants, convenience stores, hotels and hotels is counted. Whether the economy is good or bad, the villagers are well aware of it.
Every night, the number of trucks waiting in line to cross the border becomes a new economic barometer.
The development of the manufacturing industry has given the young people in the New Territories many ways to make a living. In addition to farming, they can also work in factories. They don't have to leave their hometowns and go to the city to work. Their lives can be considered affluent.
Liao Zhihong drank a few glasses of wine and said, "Ah Tang, the Liao family is not the kind of people who raise the price. The price is still the same as it was back then, one hundred acres, eight million Hong Kong dollars."
"The down payment is three million, and the rest should be paid within a year."
Four years ago, Prince Rong spent five million Hong Kong dollars to buy seventy acres of land in the New Territories. Now, Chung Hop Electronics only needs eight million to buy one hundred acres of land.
Yin Zhaotang felt that he owed him a favor, so he raised his glass and said, "Thank you, Brother Zhihong."
Liao Zhihong waved his hand and said, "Brother, no need to thank me. There are tens of thousands of people in the Liao family who rely on you for a living. It is a good thing for us that you are willing to continue to buy land and build factories in Sheung Shui."
"Without factories, restaurants, grocery stores, and stables will all close down."
"It's just that one hundred acres is a lot of land. Some of it is sloping and barren, so it takes some effort to level it."
One hundred acres is equal to forty hectares, which is enough to build a very large factory and meet the expansion needs of Zhonghe Electronics in the next ten years.
The location is adjacent to the sneaker factory, and the roads and logistics can be shared. The price is also very cheap. We can't expect the villagers to pay for their leveled farmland and residential land, right?
Reasonable industry is to develop and expand cities, not to devour them. If farmland is really taken, not only will the price be high, but it will also damage the ecology and will be protested by a large number of villagers.
Yin Zhaotang said: "It's a good thing that you can get a big profit by putting in a little effort. After the factory is built, I will set aside a piece of land to build a workers' school to solve the problem of education for the children of the factory workers."
Liao Zhihong's face was full of joy: "Thank you very much, Atang."
These are his political achievements, which affect his position in the Liao family and also affect the Liao family’s position in the Heung Yee Kuk.
Supporting the development of factories is like planting a money tree. The construction of the factories will be contracted by a construction company in the New Territories. The recruited workers will be given priority in the New Territories, and their food, clothing, housing, transportation, consumption and entertainment will all remain in the New Territories.
Besides, selling land is to make money. If the price is not raised, it just means that the profit is not absolute. The best business is the one where you make money together.
The Liao family has been entrenched in the local area for hundreds of years, has many talented people, and is well versed in the ways of development.
He puffed on a cigar with his left hand, exhaled slowly, and mentioned something: "Mr. Liao, the factory will be put into production in two months at the latest, and it is expected that more than a thousand workers will be recruited."
“In terms of manpower, we need to step up a bit.”
Liao Zhihong frowned and asked, "It's going into production so soon?"
Yin Zhaotang said: "There are a lot of miscellaneous goods on the market. It will be easier to make a name for yourself if you launch them earlier."
Liao Zhihong nodded: "I will try my best."
There are more than a thousand workers on just one production line, including transportation, assembly, technology, packaging, sales, etc. The factory has over a hundred people, and also has administrative, cleaning, and chef staff.
With a population of over a thousand, the corresponding supporting team needs to be expanded, and there must also be dormitory management and security.
Key technical workers are mainly drawn from within the factory, while engineers can only be poached or recruited from campuses in Hong Kong Island and take years to train.
Those recruited externally are assembly line workers and supporting personnel. The former are called "general workers" and the latter are called "odd jobs". They can be promoted to "skilled workers", "team leaders", "workshop supervisors", etc.
The promotion process for general workers is separate from that for "technicians". Unless general workers learn technology and become technicians, they can never be promoted to superiors of technicians.
Because the leader of the technicians is called "foreman", their salary is comparable to that of engineers. They are blue-collar backbones and middle-level management directly under the factory director.
The next morning, Chung Hop Electronics recruitment advertisements were plastered all over the streets of Sheung Shui Wai.
The starting salary for general workers is HK$1.5, for handymen it is HK$ to HK$, and for technicians it is HK$. They are also promised two meals and overtime pay of times the hourly wage.
The remuneration is very generous, comparable to that of low-level civil servants in Hong Kong Island and higher than that of workers in the urban service industry.
Moreover, the advertisements clearly describe the career advancement channels and even include a clause that fully sponsors workers to take college entrance exams.
In a region with healthy manufacturing and industry, it is normal for workers' salaries to be on par with public servants. Blue-collar workers' salaries should even be higher than those of public servants. Only then can the local economy be considered developed.
The British Hong Kong government adhered to a policy of high salaries to maintain integrity, but in reality it was sucking the blood of the people and feeding public officials.
Ordinary Hong Kong people cannot pass the civil service exams and cannot become lawyers or doctors.
The best way out is to join the financial industry, do sales, or join a fleet and transport goods. There is not even a chance to be a worker.
Now there is a good factory, and there are thousands of villagers willing to work there.
There were also parade buses with big-character posters recruiting people and loudspeakers playing as they paraded throughout the New Territories.
The Human Resources Department followed the requirements and, except for some positions, gave priority to young people who could read and write. There were long queues at several recruitment sites every day, and many of them were fathers who brought their sons to participate in the recruitment.
Gao Yongsheng is a truck driver who works for a fleet called "Xunda". Every time he goes to the mainland, he is charged according to the location.
Since I don’t have my own truck, I don’t earn much. But thanks to the rise of provincial and port logistics, I have enough food and clothing and can support my family of five.
Occasionally, if you spend the night in the mainland, you can still have some money to help your younger brother find a girlfriend, but it is nothing compared to those "car owners" who have mistresses in the mainland.
As he traveled around town for many years, he neglected to discipline his children. His eldest daughter got pregnant at the age of sixteen and ran away to Kowloon with her boyfriend.
One of his two sons was already attending a juvenile reformatory, and the other was arrested by the police for running an underground gambling den and was only released on bail after he paid the money.
Gao Yongsheng was seen wearing a red T-shirt, holding a bottle of wine in his hand, and wearing flip-flops. He walked and cursed: "Fuck your mother, you don't do your job all day, but learn to join the triads."
"Well, they come out to make a lot of money, and you come out to make half a month's salary for your dad in one go."
Gao Da lowered his head, followed behind his father, and muttered, "I will make a name for myself one day." Gao Yongsheng was drunk and sneered, "To make a name for myself, I will learn from your boss, participate in horse show, help the gang leader to kill people, and not even have a lawyer. I will be thrown into the reformatory for three years, right?"
"You son of a bitch, do you know that those bastards are just looking for juvenile offenders to save money and trouble, so they specifically ask you to fight!"
Gundam retorted: "Didn't you also hang out in a club before?"
Gao Yongsheng has a scar on his arm: "Can the current world be the same as before?"
Gao Da was dissatisfied and said, "I just want to make more money for the good of my family."
"For the good of the family, don't mess things up." Gao Yongsheng's wine bottle was empty, he walked unsteadily, and could only curse at others. The father and son broke out into a quarrel.
Gundam clenched his fists, realizing that he had no way of explaining it to him. He saw a few hooligans with the same surname as him, smoking cigarettes and queuing up at the door of a tile-roofed house.
He simply slipped his feet into the crowd on the side of the road and called out, "Ah Hui, A Yong."
Ah Hui was very surprised and asked, "Dazi, you came out?"
Gundam wanted a Jianpai and said impatiently, "You damn policeman, call my dad. It's obvious that I can be fine after sitting for a few months, but I still got scolded."
Ah Yong said enviously, "Dazi, is your dad coming to bail you out?"
Gundam was a little proud, but pretended to be annoyed: "Yeah, you are so long-winded, what are you doing, line up to be the Oiran!"
Ah Hui smiled and said, "I'm not a courtesan, I'm looking for a job. The Zhonghe Electronics Factory is hiring workers, with a monthly salary of 3,000 yuan."
Gundam looked shocked: "Three thousand Hong Kong dollars?"
They were all blue lanterns with the prefix "Hongshun" in the countryside, and usually did some work such as soliciting customers and counting numbers. The wages were pitifully low, and they were mainly provided with food and drink, and two packs of cigarettes.
When there are new girls working in the place, they occasionally get the benefit of a trial period, and usually they use pornographic magazines to masturbate.
The pocket money I get is less than 300 yuan, and 1,000 or 2,000 yuan is an astronomical figure.
Ah Hui nodded excitedly: "Yeah, three thousand Hong Kong dollars a month, damn, he doesn't even know how to spend it, he's going to be rich."
This salary is considered high in the city, and a lot of people are scrambling to compete for it, and it is not even possible for a country boy to get it. But now you can get a job in the countryside with a salary of 3,000 Hong Kong dollars, and it also includes food and accommodation. You can imagine how attractive it is.
Gundam's face was excited, but he was a little unsure: "Will it be very tiring?"
A Yong said: "As long as I have money to spend, why should I worry about being tired?"
The backbone of the society who have made quick money and enjoyed the glory will never be willing to work in the factory. But the blue lanterns on the periphery of the society, when they are at their most glorious, are just a dozen people walking on the street together.
Although it looks very glamorous with a lot of people, in fact, no one has ever tasted the sweetness, and there are just a lot of hard work.
They joined the Triads because there was a lack of space for them in the countryside. Now that there are good jobs right at their doorstep, anyone can tell the difference between good and bad.
But Gundam was determined to be a big boss, and he was overwhelmed by his idol image. He hesitated and said, "If I go to work in a factory, my brothers will look down on me."
"Big Brother Xi often says that only people without skills go to work."
Ah Hui smiled and said, "Hong Sheng's boss Chengdu is queuing up in front, what are you worried about?"
Ah Yong cursed out loud: "What the hell are you pretending to be! Zhonghe Electronics is a big factory jointly opened by Lao Zhong and Shenghe. They pay salaries on time every month, and there are many underworld bosses inside."
Gaoda's eyes lit up: "Yeah, just treat it as a job transfer. If there is anything, ask Big Brother Xi to settle the account with Shenxiantang."
Several people lined up together to sign up, registered their names and addresses, received an entry slip, and reported to the electronics factory together the next morning.
Tianping Village.
Uncle Bo came back home with crutches and put a job recruitment flyer on the bedside: "If you are still a man, don't lie in bed all day, find a job and support yourself."
Weng's Restaurant.
Tao Xiumei slammed the bone-chopping knife on the table, raised the knife and shouted proudly, "Take the things back. Neighbors, don't give gifts."
late at night.
After drinking to his heart's content with his fellow students, Gaoda quietly opened the door, returned home, took out an envelope from his pocket, and left it in his parents' closet.
Inside was 5,000 Hong Kong dollars that he got for taking the blame for the boss.
He followed the big guys in the reformatory just to make money to buy a truck for his father.
The bad guys entrenched in the countryside had more time and more people, so they received the news the fastest and became the main force of the workers.
Some followed the crowd and entered the factory, some were forced by their parents, and some seized the opportunity to make "big money".
The more workers the factory recruits, the fewer thugs there are on the streets, and the fewer new blood there will be in the gangs.
three days later.
Hung Shun Medical Clinic, Luen Wo Road, Fanling.
Thirteen Hongshun bosses gathered on the third floor, sitting under the golden sign of Hongshun Tiandi, smoking cigarettes. The atmosphere was low and gloomy.
"Ah Xi, there are more than sixty of you who have defected, and there are two hundred including the Blue Lanterns. Don't you think you should give an explanation to the society?" Tai Ziyun, the leader of the United Dao Hall, asked loudly.
Chuixi, with a bulging belly and a face full of flesh, was like a dead pig that was not afraid of boiling water. He rolled up his sleeves and shouted, "Explain?"
"Okay, I'll explain!"
"Once I get out of this door, I'll take my brothers into the factory, arrest those bastards who have defected, and stab each of them three times. Is there anyone who supports me?"
Yuanling Hall Master Beng Zuitian knocked on the table and said solemnly: "Don't make a fuss. I called everyone here to think of a solution, not to see who can spit more!"
The headmaster Qi Junzheng's face was as gloomy as water: "When Zhonghe Electronics Factory recruited workers, 313 people from the 49th Society left. If you count the Blue Lanterns, the number will double."
"If it recruits two more workers, will the society be closed down directly?"
Prince Yun said: "Dad, 49 out of 270 members of Wansheng Hall have quit the club, which is more than half of the club. We really need to delist."
This is the wave of the times. A wave comes down, obviously not targeting anyone, but it will destroy all the old and obsolete things.
Hung Shun was once a large gang with over 10,000 members. Even though they were defeated by the Yi Qun due to a dispute with the Chaozhou Gang over a gambling license and had to retreat to the countryside to survive, they still retained five branches in Fanling, United Road, Sheung Shui, Yuen Leng and Kam Tin.
There are a total of 1,050 people on the underwater roster, including more than 3,000 Blue Lanterns, who own industries such as the Lianhexu Vegetable Market, Yuanling Casino, and Sheung Shui Oil Station.
The real small-name restaurant "Wanshengtang" was about to disappear just because its location was in Sheung Shui Wai.
There is no way out ahead!
(End of this chapter)