Wang Mingliang hadn't expected that Lu Chuyu wasn't just planning to acquire aquatic products from Dayu Town, but also intended to invest in Dayu Town and build an aquaculture farm on Tongtian Lake.
Although it would be affiliated with Master Lu's Food Factory in Shanghu Town as a subsidiary unit, the tangible benefits were a real windfall for Dayu Town.
Dayu Town was right next to Tongtian Lake. Over the years, they had tried building artificial aquaculture farms before, but they lacked advanced technology and had no understanding of ecological farming. As a result, while the output of aquatic products under artificial farming increased day by day, it came with deteriorating water quality, foul odors, and rampant algae blooms in the lake.
They had begged and pleaded for the provincial government to step in, and after experts were brought in, they were told it was caused by high-density farming.
You see, Tongtian Lake was the mother lake of Dayu Town. The people of Dayu Town had relied on Tongtian Lake to make a living for generations, so naturally they couldn't just stand by and watch Tongtian Lake be destroyed—that would be something future generations would curse them for.
Over the years, all the money earned from artificial farming had been spent on pollution interception, retiring aquaculture operations, restoring water flow, dredging, and increasing greenery to restore the ecological water quality of Tongtian Lake. It was like drawing water with a bamboo basket—all for nothing.
Wang Mingliang looked at the scientific ecological farming plan that Guo Ran had handed him, somewhat puzzled. He roughly understood the model of combining aquatic plants with Chinese mitten crab ecological breeding—aquatic plants could purify water quality, inhibit excessive algae growth, provide habitat for the crabs, especially during their molting period, and the plants themselves served as natural feed.
Similarly, the crabs' waste could become nutrients for the aquatic plants, forming an ecological cycle. He understood all of that, but what was fish-pig ecological farming? Wasn't the fish supposed to be made into dried fish snacks for people to eat?
Although Wang Mingliang was full of doubts, it didn't dampen his excitement and joy.
Did this mean they were also going to build a pig farm in Dayu Town? What great news!
Guo Ran naturally noticed Wang Mingliang's confusion—he had enough social awareness for that—and took the initiative to explain, "Initially, our food factory planned to build the pig farm at Beiquan Production Brigade, but later, considering ecological farming, we decided to build it in Dayu Town instead. Pig manure can serve as fertilizer, promoting the growth of plankton, providing natural feed for filter-feeding fish while also purifying water quality. The scraps from producing dried fish snacks, like the innards, can be processed into pig feed, forming another cycle."
Wang Mingliang nodded. "Good. As long as the ecological environment of Tongtian Lake isn't damaged, Dayu Town will give our full support and full cooperation."
"Please rest assured, Director Wang. We would never do anything so short-sighted as 'cutting down trees for firewood and leaving future generations to suffer in the sun' or killing the goose that lays the golden eggs."
.
Caesars Palace's dividends for this quarter had already arrived in her account, and Lu Chuyu had exchanged another 100,000 US dollars using Emotion Points. Now, 10,000 Emotion Points was a piece of cake for her.
The first batch of Master Lu instant noodles—both cup and bag versions—had come off the production line and been packed into the factory warehouse. Both the cup and bag packaging had the brand story printed on them. Any customer who saw the brand story and became curious about her 'Master Lu Instant Noodles' would give her a chance to earn 1 Emotion Point.
So now, Lu Chuyu no longer felt any heartache about exchanging Emotion Points for US dollars.
What she was most short of now was capital.
Naturally, Lu Chuyu's plan to invest 200,000 US dollars in Dayu Town to build an ecological farm couldn't bypass Shanghu Town, since the farm was to be registered under Master Lu's Food Factory in Shanghu Town.
When Guo Weihua learned about it, his feelings were mixed. Although this was equivalent to expanding the food factory, the money was going into Dayu Town's pockets.
200,000 US dollars—that wasn't a small sum. Why couldn't their Shanghu Town be next to Tongtian Lake? That old fox Wang Mingliang really had hit the jackpot.
Qian Changjiang's expression wasn't great either. "I said it before—Wang Mingliang never has anything good up his sleeve. Secretary Guo, you should have seen it today. When that old fox Wang Mingliang came over to sign the contract, the way he was strutting around… it was unbearable to watch."
"Forget it. We're brother towns after all. The people of Dayu Town haven't had it easy these years—all the money they made from artificial farming was poured right back into fixing the damage. No matter what, it's now a subsidiary unit of our Shanghu Town food factory, under our factory's jurisdiction.
It's also equivalent to expanding the food factory. By the way, I heard from Deputy Factory Director Guo that Ms. Lu is also planning to invest in a poultry farm—chickens, ducks, geese, that sort of thing. Let's keep an eye on it so Wang Mingliang doesn't scheme his way into getting that for Dayu Town too."
Qian Changjiang let out a sigh. "Just mentioning it makes me angry. Beiquan Production Brigade had everything going for it—the right time, the right place, and the right people. If it weren't for the fact that the brigade leader of Beiquan Production Brigade had made an enemy of the Lu family, and if they could have gone through the Lu family's connections, a chicken and duck farm could have easily been built at Beiquan Production Brigade."
Guo Weihua frowned, feeling restless himself. He waved his hand and said, "Forget it, I'll go probe Ms. Lu's stance myself. It just so happens the first batch of instant noodles is already produced, so I can use that as an excuse to discuss sales. Li Zhuzi has been diligent and responsible in his position all these years; we can't very well remove him from his post just because his family has a personal grudge with the Lu family."
Qian Changjiang nodded in agreement. As Party members, they naturally couldn't sacrifice their own comrades just because foreign investors had money—what kind of nonsense would that be?
The frontline workers at the food factory operated on a three-shift rotation system: morning shift, afternoon shift, and night shift.
The morning shift ran from 8 AM to 5 PM, the afternoon shift from 5 PM to 1 AM the next day, and the night shift from 1 AM to 8 AM. Each shift included a one-hour break, during which workers could either return to their dormitories for a quick rest or eat at the worker's cafeteria.
The three-shift rotation wasn't fixed; it rotated every month.
Workers received one paid day off per week, which could also be accumulated for extended rest. If they had personal matters or fell ill, they could request leave and swap shifts with another team, which required applying to their shift supervisor.
Considering that many workers weren't from Shanghu Town—some even came from the city—Lu Chuyu, wanting to embody the corporate culture of "people-first, treating workers like family," personally paid out of pocket to purchase 30 bicycles from the city's department store. She had someone print the words "Shanghu Town Lu Shifu Food Factory—Official Use" prominently on each bike. Any factory worker who lived far away could borrow one in advance by applying at the logistics department's worker inquiry office.
The factory provided them to workers free of charge.
Of course, if workers damaged or lost the bicycles during use, they would still have to compensate at full price.
Lu Chuyu didn't want to gamble on human nature; settling these matters in advance would save a lot of trouble later.
This incident once again made the Nanhu Daily, earning Lu Chuyu another substantial batch of Emotion Points.
Nanhu City, Red Flag Machinery Factory Family Compound.
"Yue'e's back? Did you buy a bicycle?"
Feng Yue'e had a smile on her face as she parked the bicycle. "I've only been working two weeks and haven't even received my wages yet—how could I afford a bicycle? This is a worker benefit from our food factory. Workers who live far away can apply in advance to borrow one of the factory's bicycles. See, it even has our factory's name on it."
"How much did it cost?"
"Worker benefits don't cost anything. Auntie, I'll head home first—we can chat later."
Feng Yue'e's face was full of pride. After graduating from high school, she hadn't been able to get into the Red Flag Machinery Factory, and she didn't want to wait at home for the so-called opportunities the factory leaders mentioned, nor did she want to make things difficult for her mother by taking her job.
Back then, when her mother wanted to transfer the job to her, her sister-in-law had brought her own family over to make a huge scene, giving the entire machinery factory compound a good laugh at their family's expense.
Her brother, whom she'd thought was close to her, had also shrunk into a corner without saying a word—and that's when she saw things clearly.
Two people who share a bed can't be that different. If her brother had truly been willing, would her sister-in-law have dared to cause such a fuss? No one was a fool.
Fortunately, the food factory had been hiring at just the right time. But because she—a child of one of the city's top machinery factory families—had applied to work at a foreign-invested food factory, quite a few people in the compound had gossiped behind her back.
They said she was embarrassing the machinery factory, said she was too ambitious, said she was at the age where she should get married instead of stirring up trouble at home.
Feng Yue'e held a fire of determination in her heart. She was going to work hard at the food factory. So what if it was a joint venture? The country had already reformed and opened up—the policies had changed long ago. She was a modern youth, and she would keep pace with the nation.
What good was a state-owned factory anyway? It was rotten beneath the surface—she knew exactly who had taken her spot.
Besides, could it offer 35 yuan a month?
And she was a skilled worker. Once her three-month probation ended and she was confirmed in her position, she'd earn 78 yuan a month. Her father had worked at the machinery factory for most of his life, and his monthly wage was only 65.7 yuan.
"Yue'e's back! The supply and marketing cooperative had pork today. Your brother knew you had the day off, so he got up early to queue up and buy some. I've made your favorite—pork stew with vermicelli."
Mother Feng said as she took the box of cup noodles Feng Yue'e was carrying.
Feng Yue'e knew what her mother was getting at. She glanced at her brother, who stood nearby looking uncomfortable, pressed her lips together, and didn't respond. Some things, once they happened, had happened—there was no such thing as making up for it afterward.
Mother Feng opened her mouth as if to speak but ultimately said nothing more. What her eldest had done truly chilled people's hearts.
She had only these two children in her life, a son and a daughter, and they'd been close since childhood. Who would have thought her eldest would change like this after getting married? She sighed and patted Feng Yue'e's hand. "Wash your hands—let's get ready to eat. Your father's on duty today, so we don't need to wait for him."
Feng Yue'e gave a soft "Mm" in response.
"Sis is back! What's this good stuff? Is this the bucket instant noodles your factory produces? I saw it in the Nanhu Daily—it's different from the bagged ones at the supply and marketing cooperative. The packaging looks so festive."
Sister-in-law Feng acted as if nothing had happened, supporting her waist as she came out, clearly about to open the box.
Feng Yue'e snatched it back directly. "No need for you to trouble yourself, Sister-in-law. Wouldn't want to hurt the baby in your belly. This is something I brought back to honor Mom and Dad."
She had the utmost disdain for Sister-in-law Feng's pretentious act—walking around with her hand on her waist all day when she wasn't even showing yet. She wasn't afraid of jinxing her own fortune.
Turning to Mother Feng, she said, "When Dad comes back tonight, just soak it in hot water from the thermos and it's ready to eat." With that, she walked straight past Sister-in-law Feng, whose face had already turned sour, and put the instant noodles in Mother Feng's room.
"Feng Zhaoyang, look at your sister's attitude! Does she even treat me as her sister-in-law?"
"Enough!"
Mother Feng slammed her chopsticks down on the table, took a deep breath, and looked at Sister-in-law Feng. "With all the things you've done before, did you ever act like a sister-in-law? Now that you see a bargain, you want to come crawling back? Do you think good things just fall into your lap?"
Seeing that Mother Feng was truly angry, Sister-in-law Feng didn't dare say another word and stormed back to her room.
"If you want to eat, sit down and eat. If not, get back to your own room. Your sister finally has a day off to come home. If you stir up more trouble, you and your wife can both get out."
Mother Feng glared at Feng Zhaoyang, who sat at the table like a wooden dummy, and her anger flared.
Feng Yue'e, however, wasn't affected much. When you don't hold out hope, you can't be disappointed.
Even her mother's defense of her just now didn't mean much in her heart—after all, if her mother had truly been determined to give her the job back then, she wouldn't have had to volunteer to give up the succession to spare her mother the dilemma.
At the end of the day, a daughter just wasn't as important as a son.
But her parents hadn't shortchanged her either, so she'd still fulfill her filial duties. That was just how it was.
Early the next morning, a tantalizing aroma drifted out of the Feng family's window. Within moments, children from neighboring households began crying one after another.
Never mind the kids—even the adults couldn't help but swallow hard at the smell.
Those on good terms with the Feng family came knocking directly, asking what delicious food was being made this early.
Mother Feng didn't hide anything. Smiling, she showed them. "This is from my Yue'e's joint venture factory. They make instant noodles—beef flavor. Look how rich the broth is, and these big chunks of meat are quite chewy."
"That aroma is something else. The instant noodles from Beicheng and Haishi at the supply and marketing cooperative really can't compare. When do they start selling?"
"Yue'e, how much do your factory's instant noodles cost? Is there an employee discount or anything? If it's not too expensive, bring some back for your aunt later. My little grandson has been crying for ages."
Feng Yue'e smiled and said, "Our factory is different from the state-owned ones—there's no internal purchase policy. These buckets were distributed as employee benefits so the workers could get a taste first. They should be available at the supply and marketing cooperative in a while. The bagged ones with a 2-liang noodle cake are priced at 6 mao, and the bucket ones with about 2.4 liang of noodles are 1 kuai 2."
"What? That expensive? The most expensive instant noodles in Haishi are only 4 mao. Your factory selling them at that price—you'll end up stuck with them. Yue'e, I'd advise you to think about your future. Keep an eye on when the machinery factory is hiring. That food factory of yours probably won't last long. Don't end up with unpaid wages."
"Exactly. Only a fool would buy at that price. If they can't sell, they'll definitely go under—either they'll cut prices or shut down. What's the use of all that fuss about benefits at that joint venture? Can it compare to our machinery factory? Our machinery factory is the largest production base for small-bore multi-cylinder diesel engines in South China."
Feng Yue'e smiled without saying much. Arguing with them now would only invite ridicule.
She knew very well—their factory was preparing to export overseas and earn foreign exchange.
…
Guo Weihua looked at the boxes of instant noodles stacked in the warehouse, anxiety written on his face. The machines on the production line were running almost nonstop, and within days, the warehouse would be full.
Although the province supported the joint venture and the department store and supply and marketing cooperative were willing to cooperate with the factory, the pricing was simply too high, and the cooperation was now at a standstill.
Looking at Lu Chuyu, who wore a calm expression, Guo Weihua couldn't hold back and asked directly, "Ms. Lu, have you truly decided not to budge on this?"
Lu Chuyu nodded and smiled. "Secretary Guo, you've tasted Master Lu's beef instant noodles. Is there any instant noodle product on the market in China today that can compare in flavor? The reason my family's thousand-year-old recipe is priced at this level is precisely because I took into account the purchasing power of the Chinese people. And this price won't stay fixed—it will rise year by year."
When Guo Weihua heard Lu Chuyu mention the taste of Master Lu's instant noodles, he unconsciously swallowed.
One had to admit, even freshly made beef noodles couldn't match the aroma of this Master Lu beef-flavored instant noodle. But the department store was now in cahoots with the supply and marketing cooperative, only thinking about squeezing prices down—there was nothing he could do about it.
"Secretary Guo, no need to worry. I've already contacted my special assistant Amelia in the United States. By my calculations, the instant noodles from our food factory should already be in the hands of the purchasing manager of Taylor, Incorporated, the third-largest retail distributor in the US.
Trust me—as long as his taste buds aren't broken, he'll place an order with our food factory. I'm actually worried the stock in our warehouse right now won't even be enough for export.
Originally, I was thinking that since we Chinese produce our own instant noodles, we shouldn't let foreigners eat them before our own people do—that's why I set such a low price. But since the department store and supply and marketing cooperative are still deliberating, we might as well wait a bit longer."
Lu Chuyu wore a nonchalant expression, as if she couldn't care less about the domestic Chinese market, and even shrugged.
Guo Weihua, meanwhile, was stunned by the sudden surprise.
After all, one second he was worrying about the stock sitting unsold in his hands, and the next he was told—don't worry, we're about to export and earn foreign exchange for the country.
Who wouldn't be dazed by that?
He truly never imagined that while he was unaware, Ms. Lu had already contacted the purchasing manager of Taylor, Incorporated, the third-largest retail distributor in the US. Ah, his luck was finally turning around.
Just as Lu Chuyu had said, Ryan, the purchasing manager of Taylor, Incorporated in the US, had originally just wanted to impress his girlfriend. After all, America had plenty of popular instant noodle brands, and even as a purchasing manager, he wouldn't import instant noodles from a backward country for personal reasons—even if that instant noodle brand was invested in by a young lady of the Haras family.
Moreover, that young lady of the Haras family was merely an unrecognized illegitimate daughter. She was just lucky enough to inherit family wealth, receiving a few hundred thousand dollars in dividends each year—but that was all.
But who could have guessed that Master Lu instant noodles would taste so irresistibly good? He swore to God, he had never eaten such delicious instant noodles in his entire life.
Ryan felt this was his chance to shine, so he sent the remaining instant noodles directly to the board of directors. Just as he'd anticipated, Master Lu instant noodles successfully conquered the directors' taste buds, earning him praise from the board—and this year's bonus came early.
Oh, heavens, his Amelia was truly a little angel.
Perhaps he should settle down now; Amelia might really be good wife material.
"Oh, darling, I have to admit—at first I underestimated your boss Miss Haras's instant noodle brand. The taste is absolutely wonderful.
All of America—no, the whole world—probably can't find instant noodles this good. Especially the spicy beef flavor. Could you please, darling, help me make the connection? We at Taylor, Incorporated want to become the exclusive agent for Master Lu instant noodles in Europe and America."
Amelia was painting her nails in her office at the time. Though her heart was racing with excitement when she received her boyfriend's call, after years of working as a front desk receptionist at Caesars Palace, she had the skill of remaining composed under pressure. This was the perfect moment to play hard to get.
"Darling, you know my boss has many business connections back home. I'm sure no one could refuse a product that's a guaranteed money-maker. Taylor, Incorporated becoming the sole agent for the entire European region might be a bit difficult."
"Of course, darling, I need your help." Ryan then showered her with sweet words to coax Amelia, and she knew exactly how to play her cards.
"Darling, you know I love you very much. For you, I'm willing to plead with my boss. Our personal friendship runs deep—leave it to me, darling."
…
Under Lu Chuyu's authorization, Amelia, in her capacity as special assistant to the chairman of Shanghu Town Master Lu Food Factory, signed an agency contract with Taylor, Incorporated.
Shipping and customs duties would be borne by Taylor, Incorporated. The retail price for bagged instant noodles was set at $2, and cup noodles at $3.8.
To fully expand the market, Taylor, Incorporated went ahead and placed a massive order of $8 million.
Lu Chuyu stared at the order amount and felt a headache coming on. Over a million cases of bagged and cup noodles combined—even if the machines ran until they smoked, it would be nearly impossible to ship them to the US before Christmas.
Expanding the factory, adding production equipment, and recruiting workers were all urgently needed.
"Secretary Guo, I'm afraid we've run into a bit of trouble."
Upon receiving Lu Chuyu's call, Guo Weihua felt his whole world crumble at those words. His mind was filled with a single thought: it's over, the export-for-foreign-currency plan must be in jeopardy.