A whirlwind marriage with a high-ranking official: Lights out, don't force me to take the initi

Peter adjusted his glasses: "Yes, there is indeed a greater shortage of manpower in Southeast Asia. With Linda's abilities, this adjustment won't affect her business progress."

"Yes, that's what I mean." Michael took a sip of his drink, his gaze returning to the dazzling lights outside the window. "She's always been a capable person, and we don't need to worry about her too much."

Peter crossed out a line in his notebook, then added, "So, the replacement designer will be transferred from the Singapore branch?"

"Hmm, that designer who just came back from London, a bit less experienced, but enough." Michael waved his hand casually. "Tell Linda that this is a group-wide arrangement, and tell her to prioritize the big picture."

"Okay, I'll take care of it right away."

Peter closed his notebook, picked up the stack of magazines, and left.

The next morning, at the front desk of the International Hotel.

Cai Shan received a message saying that there was a phone call from Hong Kong that needed to be answered.

She called back, and Peter answered.

"Ms. Cai, there's an adjustment regarding the designer reassignment that I need to inform you of. Designer Feng, who was originally scheduled to support Linda, has been temporarily reassigned to the Southeast Asia branch. The replacement is a British designer transferred from Singapore..."

Cai Shan's voice suddenly rose: "What? Designer Feng is the one we've been communicating with all along. He understands the mainland market and Hong Kong's aesthetics very well! Now we've replaced him with someone who just came back from London and lacks experience. Peter, you know how important our exports and design progress are to the mainland! How could you suddenly change him?"

Peter spoke in a bureaucratic tone over the phone: "The pressure to meet performance targets in Southeast Asia is also very intense, and the group needs to prioritize the optimal allocation of overall resources. Linda's factory isn't fully operational yet, so resources will definitely be allocated to the most urgent areas first. Given Linda's capabilities, I'm confident any designer can work well with her."

"Please tell Linda that this is the group's final decision, and ask for her understanding and cooperation."

Cai Shan tightened her grip on the microphone.

She roughly guessed the reason, took a deep breath, and said, "...Okay, I understand."

She hung up the phone, went upstairs to Lin Wanzhi's room, and knocked on the door.

"Please come in."

Cai Shan pushed open the door and went in, her face looking rather pale.

Lin Wanzhi was sitting at her desk reviewing documents when she looked up and immediately sensed something was wrong: "What's wrong?"

"Designer Feng was transferred to Southeast Asia by Michael." Cai Shan paused for a moment, "and we were given a replacement from England."

Lin Wanzhi was silent for two seconds, took a deep breath, and slammed the pen in her hand onto the table.

She crossed her arms and sneered, "Hmph."

"Okay, I understand. You can go back now," Lin Wanzhi said coldly.

"Linda, shall we try again? Should we apply to the group headquarters?" Cai Shan asked anxiously, without moving.

"You want me to report to a higher-ups?" Lin Wanzhi looked up at her.

"No, no," Cai Shan quickly waved her hand.

Lin Wanzhi continued, "There's no solution to this problem. Since Michael can make this personnel change, he must have a reason and evidence. He doesn't act easily, and when he does, it must be logically sound. If we appeal to higher authorities over this matter, we'll only give them ammunition."

Lin Wanzhi nodded, stood up, and walked to the window. "Let's use this designer."

"But if that's the case," Cai Shan hesitated for a moment, "wouldn't it be difficult for us to reach the goal of 600,000 in terms of design?"

Lin Wanzhi stood by the window, looking at the gray sky outside, a faint smile appearing on her lips: "He just wants to create pressure and difficulties for us."

"If we don't meet our performance targets, won't that affect Huitong Group? Why is Michael treating us like this?" Cai Shan asked, puzzled.

Lin Wanzhi turned her head, her gaze as calm as still water: "It's Huitong Apparel that's affected, not Michael personally. Do you understand what I mean?"

Cai Shan shook her head: "...I still don't quite understand, Linda."

She paused, a cold glint flashing in her eyes: "He doesn't care whether I can reach 600,000. In fact, it would be better for him if I couldn't."

"He would rather Huatong Apparel earn less than keep his position as the sole partner in the Far East."

"Even if the British Group makes less money, he'll still be the company's biggest employee. But if I take over, his position will be in jeopardy."

Cai Shan looked at her, his brows still furrowed, as if there were still some things he couldn't figure out.

Lin Wanzhi turned her head and looked out the window.

Outside the window are the streets of Harbin, with pedestrians coming and going.

She raised her chin: "Look at what those people are wearing?"

Cai Shan followed her gaze and saw that the streets were almost entirely black, blue, and gray, with similar styles. There was little difference between men's and women's clothing, and it seemed as if everyone was wearing work clothes or Zhongshan suits, with hardly any color to speak of.

Cai Shan nodded: "I saw it."

"Did you see how many of them there were?"

Cai Shan nodded again.

"This place is about to experience at least the next decade of economic growth." Lin Wanzhi turned to Cai Shan, "How big do you think this pie will be?"

Cai Shan was taken aback: "But aren't they now prohibiting large-scale domestic sales? Foreign companies can only trade foreign exchange; aren't they protecting mainland businesses?"

"That's right, that's how it is now." Lin Wanzhi raised an eyebrow. "That's why he needs to make a plan. That's why he's desperately looking for loopholes in the media, looking for every possible opportunity. He wants to do publicity, influence aesthetics, and penetrate the fashion world."

She tapped her finger on the windowpane: "He wants people in the mainland to see Huitong Apparel when they first encounter information about fashion. He wants people in the mainland to subconsciously associate high-end fashion with... Huitong Apparel."

Cai Shan gasped, "How much publicity would that require? How much groundwork would that need to be laid?"

"That's what partners at this level need to consider," Lin Wanzhi sneered. "Their goal isn't the foreign exchange earnings in the short term, like a year, after the factory is built and put into operation."

"The goal of the British Group is to fully capitalize on the benefits that everyone in this land enjoys from high-end clothing."

"Even without products, he wants to make the people here yearn for 'Huitong Apparel.' Do you understand?"

Cai Shan looked at Lin Wanzhi with a shocked expression.

She never imagined that the reason why Huitong Apparel became the fastest-moving foreign-invested enterprise in mainland China was precisely because of this.

The goal is to associate high-end clothing with "Huitong" as soon as everyone develops an aesthetic awareness.

Seeing Cai Shan's shocked expression, Lin Wanzhi laughed: "Just figured it out? For the British... this is their usual tactic."

Lin Wanzhi sneered: "To put it bluntly, this is an 'aesthetic colonization' of fashion and clothing."