Across the Liao Winds: From the Audio Room to the Censorate

At three in the afternoon, Jiagu Kasha stared at the spectrum analysis on her computer screen, tapping out a string of settings on the keyboard. In her headphones, the test audio for a "noise-canceling microphone sample" that had arrived that morning played on repeat. As the company's youngest procurement manager, she was in charge of its most important purchase of the year: a complete, custom-built audio recording and amplification system worth 23 million yuan for one of the country's top orchestras. The core components, the "line array speakers" and "multitrack recorder," had to be sourced within three months, after supplier selection, sample testing, and contract negotiations. Any delay would not only affect the orchestra's annual tour, but also leave the company liable for up to five million yuan in penalties.