Fusion System: Rebirth in a Courtyard - Bird Fighting Chronicles

Chapter 184 Schemes by Competitors - Four Rumors Erupt

The celebratory atmosphere of signing the annual supply contract with Hongxing Home Appliances lasted for three whole days at the Chenqing Precision Manufacturing Joint Venture. The red banner hanging at the workshop entrance, which read "Warmly congratulates on becoming a core supplier of Hongxing Home Appliances," was still fluttering in the wind. Workers would always stop to look at the newly posted list of commendations on the canteen wall. To reward their outstanding contributions during the probationary period, Lin Chen not only gave extra bonuses to all members of the technical and quality inspection departments, but also engraved the names of Uncle Wang and Liu Guangtian on the workshop's "honor roll."

On the morning of the fourth day, Lin Chen had just stepped into his office when the phone on his desk rang urgently. The anxious voice of Manager Wang from the Southern Agricultural Machinery Parts Distribution Center came through the receiver: "Director Lin, something's happened! Yesterday, my warehouse suddenly received a batch of anonymous flyers claiming that Chenqing's bearings were made with substandard materials, causing a large number of returns of washing machines from Hongxing Home Appliances. Now, three small and medium-sized home appliance factories that cooperate with me have suspended their orders, saying they'll wait for you to clarify before shipping!"

Lin Chen's fingers tightened slightly around the receiver as he glanced out the window—in the morning mist, several people in unfamiliar work clothes were loitering at the factory gate, seemingly holding flyers or something similar. "Manager Wang, could you please read the contents of this flyer to me? Also, could you please verify the details of those three clients? I'll investigate immediately." Hanging up, he pressed the intercom button. "Su Qing, come to my office immediately."

When Su Qing pushed open the door, she was already holding a crumpled flyer, clearly just received from the security guard. She placed the flyer on Lin Chen's desk, her expression grave: "The security guard said that around 7 a.m. this morning, two men on tricycles were handing out these at the factory gate and in the surrounding streets and alleys. Now they've spread throughout the nearby hardware market. Look at the content; it's written in such detail."

Lin Chen picked up the flyer and examined it closely. It was a pale yellow sheet of paper printed with inferior ink. The title, written in bold black font, read, "Warning! Chenqing Bearings Cuts Corners, Hongxing Appliances Urgently Returns Products." The text detailed that "Chenqing allegedly reduced the thickness of the bearing steel from 2mm to 1.5mm to cut costs, causing abnormal noises and jamming during washing machine operation. Hongxing Appliances has returned 5000 sets of substandard products." The flyer also deliberately noted at the end, "According to insiders, Chenqing's technology is inadequate; they only obtained supply qualifications through connections." There was no signature in the lower right corner, but the printing quality was rough, with obvious machine marks, suggesting it was hastily printed by a small printing factory.

"The content is riddled with flaws, but it's highly targeted," Lin Chen analyzed, tapping his fingertips on the table. "First, the bearings we supplied to Hongxing Home Appliances are 3mm thick, not the 2mm stated in the flyer; second, Hongxing Home Appliances' first batch of orders is still in production, so how can there be any talk of 5000 sets being returned; most importantly, the term 'insider' is clearly intended to mislead public opinion and question our qualifications."

Su Qing had already opened the customer ledger and quickly flipped to the information of the three customers whose orders had been suspended: "These three are Shunde Minsheng Electrical Appliances, Zhongshan Huaguang Hardware, and Foshan Jiale Accessories. They are all small and medium-sized customers we've developed in the last six months, with a combined monthly order volume of around 8 sets, accounting for 15% of our total orders. Their cooperation threshold is relatively low, making them most susceptible to rumors." She looked up at Lin Chen, "Could it be that some of the manufacturers we eliminated during the last bidding process are behind this?"

Just as Lin Chen was about to speak, the office door was pushed open, and Xiao Zhang from the technical department rushed in breathlessly: "Director Lin, something bad has happened! The two technicians who worked the night shift last night are missing, and the operating procedures and recent technical parameter records for the No. 3 grinding machine they were responsible for are also gone!" "Were they Master Sun and Master Li?" Lin Chen immediately realized—these two were skilled technicians who had been poached from a state-owned factory in a neighboring city three months ago, specializing in the core operations of precision grinding machines, and they had just received a raise last month.

Su Qing immediately produced the payroll records and attendance sheets: "They clocked out normally yesterday, and their wages have been settled. I'll go to HR to check their employment files to see if we have their contact information." Lin Chen stopped her, his gaze sharpening: "No need to check. Considering the flyer incident, this is clearly a premeditated attempt to poach employees and spread rumors. Only one person could do both, and with such a deep understanding of our clients and technical positions."

"Zhao Defa from Xinyuan Hardware?" Su Qing blurted out. Xinyuan Hardware is a long-established hardware factory in Zhangcheng. The boss, Zhao Defa, started out making agricultural machinery parts and has a certain network of connections in the area. Last month, during the supplier bidding for Hongxing Home Appliances, Xinyuan Hardware was eliminated because its products did not meet the precision standards. Zhao Defa was present at the time and even publicly questioned Chenqing Factory's technical capabilities, saying, "How could a small factory that started out halfway through its career possibly do better than our 20-year-old factory?"

Lin Chen stood up, walked to the window, and dialed Director Li's number in the Quality Inspection Department of Red Star Home Appliances. Director Li's hearty laughter came through the receiver: "Director Lin, are you here to tell me some good news? Your first batch of sample test data is excellent, and our purchasing department is preparing to make you an advance payment." After Lin Chen explained the situation directly, Director Li's tone immediately became serious: "That's utter nonsense! Not only have we not returned the goods, but we're also preparing to place additional orders. I'll have the office issue a clarification notice immediately, and then call those small and medium-sized home appliance factories to testify."

After hanging up the phone, Lin Chen looked at Su Qing: "The most urgent task is to proceed in two steps. You are responsible for compiling our core evidence—including copies of the contract with Hongxing Home Appliances, quality inspection reports for all batches, and raw material purchase vouchers. In particular, you need to compile the production records of Master Sun and Master Li to prove that they only had access to basic operations and did not master our core technologies. I will arrange for someone to investigate the production situation of Xinyuan Hardware, especially whether any similar precision grinding machine operators have been added recently."

Su Qing immediately sprang into action. She opened the filing cabinet in her office, inside which were neatly arranged quality inspection reports and production records categorized by date. To ensure the authenticity of the evidence, she specifically sought out the equipment calibration certificate and raw material spectral testing report issued by the Provincial Institute of Metrology, both of which were legally valid third-party certifications. While organizing the work records of Master Sun and Master Li, she discovered a crucial detail: the core parameter adjustment authority for the No. 3 grinding machine, which the two were responsible for, was always in the hands of Uncle Wang. They had to fill out a parameter application form before each operation, and thus had no access to the complete technical solution.

Meanwhile, Lao Chen, whom Lin Chen had sent to investigate, returned. Lao Chen was a long-time employee of Chenqing Factory and had previously done business in the Zhangcheng Hardware Market, possessing extensive connections. He brought important news: "Zhao Defa did indeed buy two second-hand precision grinding machines from out of town last week. Just yesterday, Xinyuan Factory posted a job advertisement at its entrance, seeking skilled grinding machine operators with 20% higher pay than ours. Also, I heard from a friend at the printing factory that Xinyuan Factory did indeed print 10,000 flyers there the day before yesterday, with content exactly the same as the ones we received."

"The chain of evidence is basically complete, but we're still missing the most crucial link—the product quality issue with Xinyuan Hardware," Lin Chen pondered. "Zhao Defa dares to be so arrogant because he thinks we can't produce solid evidence against him. Old Chen, go to the hardware market again and try to buy a set of recently produced bearing samples from Xinyuan, the newer the better."

Around noon, Old Chen returned with a set of bearing samples from Xinyuan Hardware. Lin Chen immediately took the samples into the testing room, and Su Qing followed, holding a similar bearing from Chen Qing's factory for comparison. Inside the testing room, a digital micrometer, hardness tester, and surface roughness meter were already prepared. Lin Chen first measured the dimensions, and when the data was displayed on the screen, Su Qing couldn't help but frown: "Outer diameter error 0.02mm, inner diameter error 0.018mm. This is even worse than the precision of the sample they used in the tender; it doesn't meet Hongxing Home Appliances' requirements at all."

The subsequent hardness test further illustrated the problem. Chenqing's bearings achieved a Rockwell hardness of HRC62, while Xinyuan's bearings only reached HRC55, far below the industry standard of HRC58. Lin Chen used the system panel to perform a composition analysis on Xinyuan's bearings, and the results showed that its carbon content was only 0.6%, while the impurity content was as high as 0.08%, clearly indicating the use of inferior steel. "Zhao Defa is using all his energy for crooked methods. His own product quality is substandard, so he tries to suppress his competitors by spreading rumors."

Just then, the office phone rang again. This time it was Mr. Zhang, the owner of Shunde Minsheng Electric Appliances. His tone was much gentler than in the morning: "Director Lin, Director Li from Hongxing Home Appliances just called me and said there's nothing wrong with your products. However, we're still a little worried, since the rumors are spreading so widely. Could you provide some concrete proof?"

Lin Chen immediately seized the opportunity: "Mr. Zhang, thank you for your trust. We're planning to hold a quality observation meeting at the factory this Friday, inviting all our customers and industry association experts to visit. We'll not only showcase our production processes and quality control system, but also compare our product quality with that of other manufacturers. If it's convenient for you, please come and see for yourself. We'll answer any questions you may have on the spot."

After hanging up the phone, Lin Chen and Su Qing exchanged a glance, both seeing the determination in each other's eyes. Su Qing immediately drafted invitations for the quality observation meeting, typed them out, and arranged for them to be delivered to various client companies as quickly as possible. Lin Chen then gathered the key personnel from the technical and production departments to arrange the demonstration process for the meeting: "Uncle Wang, you are responsible for preparing the technical demonstration, showing the principles of our alloy fusion technology on display boards; Liu Guangtian, you arrange for the cleaning of the workshop and the debugging of equipment to ensure that all equipment is in optimal condition during the observation; the quality inspection department should prepare the on-site testing, allowing clients to see the precision of our products firsthand."

At 3 PM, Hongxing Home Appliances officially released a clarification announcement. The announcement clearly stated that "the bearings manufactured by Chenqing Precision are of qualified quality, with all indicators exceeding contract requirements; there were no returns, and the cooperation between the two parties was excellent." The announcement was stamped with the official seal of Hongxing Home Appliances and included test data for the first batch of samples. The announcement was quickly faxed to various customer units, and those who had been hesitant began to resume order inquiries.

But Zhao Defa didn't stop there. That evening, the gatekeeper of Chenqing Factory discovered that several unidentified individuals had splashed ink on the red banner at the factory gate and written the words "Quality Fraud" in crooked, large characters on the wall. Liu Guang was furious and was about to rush out to confront them when Lin Chen stopped him: "Don't fall for their tricks. The more they do this, the more it shows they're guilty. We'll change the banner, clean the wall, and prove ourselves with actions."

At 8 PM, the workshop was still brightly lit. After learning that someone was spreading rumors and slandering the factory, the workers weren't panicked; instead, they were spurred on. Uncle Wang was leading the technical department in creating technical display boards, Liu Guangtian was leading the workers in cleaning the workshop floor, and the quality control department was organizing the equipment and samples for on-site testing. Su Qing was in her office checking the guest list for the observation meeting. When she saw the name "President of the Zhangcheng City Hardware Industry Association," her eyes lit up: "Lin Chen, President Wang of the industry association is known for his impartiality. If we can get him to witness this, Zhao Defa's rumors will be completely disproven."

Lin Chen immediately dialed Chairman Wang's number. Chairman Wang had already heard about the competition between Chenqing Factory and Xinyuan Factory and had received a lot of feedback from within the industry. He told Lin Chen, "I was originally planning to visit your factory. Your technological innovations have had a great impact on the industry. I will personally attend the observation meeting and bring several technical experts from the association to help you make a fair evaluation."

The next morning, a new red banner was hung at the entrance of Chenqing Factory, and the walls were repainted white. Lin Chen had just arrived at his office when he received an anonymous package containing a set of internal production reports from Xinyuan Hardware. The reports clearly recorded the start dates and salary standards of "Sun Moumou" and "Li Moumou," as well as the production records for the most recent batch of bearings, with the "steel purchase cost" marked as far below market price. Clearly, someone within Xinyuan Factory disapproved of Zhao Defa's actions and secretly sent evidence to Chenqing Factory.

Holding the report excitedly, Su Qing said, "With this, we can prove that Zhao Defa not only spread rumors but also cut corners in the work. I'll contact the Market Supervision Bureau and submit this evidence so they can investigate." Lin Chen shook his head, "No rush. We'll display this evidence publicly at the observation meeting, letting all the clients and industry experts see it. That's the only way to completely destroy his credibility."

On Wednesday afternoon, Zhao Defa suddenly called Lin Chen, his tone smug: "Director Lin, I heard you're holding a demonstration meeting? Want me to support you? To be honest, doing business is about connections, not fancy technology. If you're willing to give me half of the Red Star Appliances orders, I'll help you clear up the rumors, how about it?"

Lin Chen sneered, "Boss Zhao, I advise you to take better care of your factory. I've already obtained your production reports; I don't need to elaborate on the shady dealings, do I? If the market supervision bureau gets involved, you might not only lose orders, but you might also lose your factory." Zhao De on the other end of the phone was stunned for a moment, then became furious, "Don't try to scare me! I've been in Zhangcheng for so many years; you're not someone a newcomer can compare to me!" He then hung up the phone.

Lin Chen hung up the phone and said to Su Qing, "Zhao Defa will definitely try something underhanded at the observation meeting, so we need to be prepared. Have two people handle the order at the scene, and make three copies of all the evidence, one for Chairman Wang, one for the Market Supervision Bureau, and one for the media reporters. Also, contact the industrial channel on TV and see if they can do a special report so more people know the truth."

Thursday was a busy day at Chenqing Factory. In the workshop, a new slogan, "Quality is the lifeline," was hung up, and transparent protective railings were placed next to the precision grinding machines for the convenience of guests. In the conference room, a long conference table was set up as a display stand, neatly displaying bearing samples, quality inspection reports, raw material spectrum charts, and copies of work records from Master Sun and Master Li from Chenqing and Xinyuan. At the factory gate, a welcome sign was erected, which read "Chenqing Precision Manufacturing Quality Observation Meeting," and a temporary registration table was set up next to it.

As evening fell, Lin Chen was inspecting the technology display boards when Uncle Wang hurried over: "Director Lin, I just heard at the hardware market that Zhao Defa told several small media outlets that our demonstration meeting was a 'show,' and even said he would bring reporters to 'expose' us." Lin Chen smiled slightly: "Good timing. Let the reporters see for themselves who's really putting on a show. Double-check our core technology data to make sure every number is accurate."

Su Qing then walked over, holding a package: "This is from Hongxing Home Appliances; they said it's a surprise for us." Lin Chen opened it and saw a gleaming gold plaque inside, with the words "Excellent Supplier" written on it in large characters. It was signed by Hongxing Home Appliances Factory and bore the signature of Director Li. "Great! With this, our observation meeting will be even more convincing."

As night fell, the lights in Chenqing Factory's workshops remained on. Lin Chen stood in the center of the workshop, watching the busy workers, his heart filled with emotion. From eight people at the start of the business to more than fifty now; from a simple old factory building to a modern workshop; from a small, unknown factory to a core supplier for Red Star Home Appliances, this journey has been made possible not only by the support of the system, but also by everyone's commitment to quality and pursuit of technology.

Su Qing walked to his side and handed him a cup of hot tea: "Don't be too nervous. All preparations are complete. No matter what tricks Zhao Defa plays tomorrow, we can handle it." Lin Chen took the teacup, looking at the moonlight outside the window: "I'm not nervous, I'm just thinking that after this incident, we not only need to consolidate our market position, but also establish a more comprehensive technology security system and crisis response mechanism. Only when we are strong enough can we be unafraid of others' schemes."

The quality observation meeting was held as scheduled early the next morning. Customers from all over the country, experts from industry associations, and reporters from television stations arrived at Chenqing Factory one after another, forming a long queue in front of the registration desk. At nine o'clock sharp, the observation meeting officially began. Lin Chen gave the opening speech. He did not directly address the rumors, but instead started by talking about the entrepreneurial experience of Chenqing Factory, showing comparison photos of the old factory buildings to the modern workshops, and telling the story of how the workers overcame technical difficulties.

When Lin Chen displayed the "Excellent Supplier" plaque and clarification announcement awarded by Red Star Home Appliances, enthusiastic applause erupted. During the subsequent workshop tour, guests witnessed firsthand the operation of precision grinding machines, saw quality inspectors using precision instruments to test products, and saw the clear production numbers and quality inspection marks on each bearing. Uncle Wang, in front of the technology display board, explained the principles of alloy fusion technology in simple terms and demonstrated a comparative wear resistance test using Chenqing and Xinyuan bearings—the Chenqing bearing remained smooth after a thousand rotations, while the Xinyuan bearing showed obvious wear marks after only two hundred rotations.

Just then, Zhao Defa rushed in with several reporters, shouting, "Don't be fooled! Their technology is stolen, and their products are substandard!" Lin Chen calmly looked at him: "Mr. Zhao, you need evidence. What's your basis for saying our technology was stolen? And can you produce the test reports for our substandard products?"

Just as Zhao Defa was about to speak, Chairman Wang of the industry association stepped forward: "Boss Zhao, we've already reviewed all of Chenqing Factory's quality inspection reports and third-party certifications, and we even tested their products on-site. The quality is indeed up to standard. But you, we received a report that Xinyuan Hardware is cutting corners. The market supervision bureau is already investigating your factory." He then produced a copy of Xinyuan Factory's internal production reports. "These are your production records, right? The steel costs shown are far below market prices, and the impurity content exceeds the standard. How do you explain that?"

Zhao Defa's face turned deathly pale, and he dropped his camera. At that moment, television reporters swarmed around him, microphones shoved into his hands. Lin Chen stepped forward, picked up the microphone, and said, "Distinguished guests, fellow journalists, since its establishment, Chenqing Factory has always adhered to the principle of 'quality first, technology as the foundation.' We welcome fair competition from all our peers, but we will never accept malicious rumors or unfair competition. Today's observation meeting is to prove that true corporate reputation is not gained by slandering competitors, but by superior product quality and an honest business philosophy."

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience. Mr. Zhang, the owner of Shunde Minsheng Electrical Appliances, stepped forward and firmly grasped Lin Chen's hand: "Director Lin, I'm completely relieved! We'll resume our orders immediately and sign a long-term cooperation agreement with you." Other customers also expressed their intention to increase their orders, while media reporters surrounded Lin Chen and Chairman Wang, beginning their interviews and reports.

Amidst the pointing fingers and whispers of the crowd, Zhao Defa slunk away from Chenqing Factory. Later, according to industry sources, Xinyuan Hardware was fined heavily by the Market Supervision Bureau for cutting corners, and its production license was revoked. Zhao Defa was forced to close the factory and leave Zhangcheng.

After the observation meeting, Chenqing Factory saw a surge in orders, not only resuming previously suspended orders but also gaining more than ten new clients. Lin Chen and Su Qing stood by the office window, watching trucks loaded with bearings drive out of the factory gate, their faces beaming with satisfaction. "This crisis has actually strengthened our reputation," Su Qing said. Lin Chen nodded: "It also serves as a reminder that in the turbulent business world, only by staying true to our original aspirations can we go further. Next, we must seize this opportunity to expand production, develop more advanced precision bearings, and capture a larger market share."

As the sun sets, golden sunlight spills onto the factory buildings of Chenqing Precision Manufacturing, making the "Chenqing Precision Manufacturing" sign shine brightly. Inside the workshop, the hum of precision grinding machines rises once more—a melody belonging to those who strive, and a prelude to Chenqing Factory's ascent to even greater heights.