Su Minzhi picked up another box—this one even more elegantly packaged, with the words “Smart Baby” printed across the front.
“And this one?” she asked.
“This one is even better,” Chen Zhihua replied enthusiastically. “It’s a nutritional drink designed specifically to improve children’s intelligence. It contains DHA, lecithin, and other nutrients essential for brain development. In Hong Kong, many parents start giving this to their children as early as two years old.”
Su Minzhi felt a faint stir in her heart.
As a mother, of course she wanted her daughter to be healthy and bright. Niannian was doing well in school now, but if there was something that could support her development, she would certainly be willing to try it.
“What about the production cost?” she asked instinctively, slipping into her professional mode.
Chen Zhihua hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice:
“To be honest, the cost isn’t high. The main ingredients are basic nutrients, and the technical barriers aren’t that high either. What really matters is people’s awareness and perception of such products.”
As he spoke, he couldn’t help watching her for a moment.
This mainland female cadre was nothing like the rigid bureaucrats he had imagined. Her questions were sharp and relevant. And the understated intellectual beauty she carried was a stark contrast to the heavily styled women he often saw in Hong Kong.
His words made Su Minzhi thoughtful.
Years of working at the Foreign Trade Commission had exposed her to countless import applications—she understood product cost structures very well.
If these seemingly high-end nutritional beverages didn’t actually cost much…
Why didn’t the mainland have anything similar?
“Mr. Chen, do you think these products would have a market in the mainland?” she asked cautiously.
Chen Zhihua’s eyes lit up—not just because of the business potential, but because of this woman’s perceptiveness.
“Of course there’s a market! And a big one. Mainland parents are increasingly concerned about their children’s education and health. They just don’t have good options. If there were a suitable product priced within reach of ordinary families, the demand would be enormous.”
He paused, then added,
“But right now the problem is: imported products are too expensive, and domestic ones are too simple with limited nutritional value. The market lacks something in between.”
Watching her pensive expression, he thought privately:
This Comrade Su isn’t just beautiful—she’s smart. If she weren’t a government official, she’d make an excellent business partner.
Su Minzhi nodded thoughtfully.
He was right. She recalled her own experience buying drinks for Niannian—options were indeed limited.
Either cheap yet low-nutrition sodas and powdered juices, or the occasional overpriced imported drink from Friendship Stores.
“Comrade Su,” Chen Zhihua said suddenly, shifting to a friendlier tone, “to be honest, the procedures are really complicated. I’ve been to so many departments and filled out countless forms. But I understand—the country has to ensure quality and safety for imported goods. It’s rare to meet someone as professional and patient as you.”
Pulled from her thoughts, Su Minzhi merely gave a faint smile at his compliment and returned to her work.
“Mr. Chen, I need to carefully review the documents you submitted. If everything checks out, you should receive a response within a week.”
“That’s wonderful. Thank you, Comrade Su.”
He stood, reluctant to leave. “Oh—if you have time, I run a small showroom here in Shanghai that displays new products from Hong Kong and Taiwan. You’re welcome to visit anytime. It might even help with your work. You can bring your family as well.”
He took out an elegant business card. When he handed it over, his fingertips brushed lightly against hers—a small, fleeting contact that sent a faint ripple through him.
Su Minzhi accepted the card politely. “Thank you. I’ll visit if I have the chance.”
After Chen Zhihua left, she remained in her office alone, staring at the colorful beverage packages on the table, a new thought stirring inside her.
Behind these seemingly simple products lay huge commercial opportunities. More importantly, if China could produce nutritional drinks tailored for children, it would meet real needs—giving countless families better choices.
She picked up the bottle with the little bear printed on it and examined the ingredient list.
She wasn’t a food expert, but after years of work she understood basic product components.
There was nothing mysterious—just vitamins, minerals, and basic nutrients.
“If the technical barrier isn’t high, why hasn’t anyone in China made something like this?” she murmured.
She recalled what Chen Zhihua had said:
The key is concept and awareness.
Perhaps mainland companies simply hadn’t noticed the market potential—or lacked the technology and marketing.
The end-of-work bell rang.
She gathered her files and placed the beverage samples carefully into a drawer.
On her way home, the conversation replayed in her mind. His words were like seeds taking root, prompting a thought she had never considered before:
Maybe she could do something different.
When she got home, she found Niannian drawing comics in the living room, her little face adorably focused.
Su Minzhi walked over and gently stroked her hair.
Niannian looked up, curious. “What kind of special drink?”
“Well…” Su Minzhi considered how to explain it in a way a child could understand.
“A drink that helps kids grow strong and smart. It has lots of nutrients to help you become healthier and cleverer.”
Niannian blinked.
In her mind, this sounded like the functional drinks or probiotic beverages she knew of in her past life.
“There’s really a drink like that?”
Looking at her daughter’s sincere eyes, Su Minzhi’s resolve strengthened.
Maybe she could do something meaningful for children.
That night, she lay awake for a long time. The conversation with Chen Zhihua looped in her mind.
If one day, Chinese children could easily buy drinks that were nutritious, delicious, and affordable—not luxuries, but everyday items for ordinary families—how wonderful would that be?
This was the first time Su Minzhi truly became aware of the beverage industry.
It was the spark—the beginning of her entrepreneurial dream.
She didn’t yet realize it, but this thought would one day change the entire course of her life.
Yet the seed had already been planted, quietly waiting for the right moment to break through the soil.