"Manager Xiang? What brings you here?" Sun Wenshi stood up in surprise.
"I heard Director Sun had quite the successful business today," Xiang Tianyi remarked casually as he walked over to a nearby chair, sitting down without waiting for an invitation.
"Ha, my little venture is nothing compared to yours," Sun Wenshi replied without taking offense. He and Xiang Tianyi were friends despite their age difference, and their interactions were always relaxed.
Sun Wenshi knew Xiang Tianyi had a bit of a spoiled young master’s temper, but he wasn’t a bad person at heart.
"Oh? Then why do I hear Director Sun has recently latched onto a golden opportunity?" Xiang Tianyi prodded deliberately.
"Enough with the act. Get to the point," Sun Wenshi said, sitting across from him.
"How did you get in touch with that woman?" Xiang Tianyi asked.
"Don’t just call her ‘that woman.’ She has a name," Sun Wenshi retorted, already knowing exactly who Xiang Tianyi was referring to.
"Already defending her?" Xiang Tianyi raised an eyebrow.
"It’s not about defending anyone. Comrade Song Nianchu is an outstanding woman. Thanks to her, my supply and marketing cooperative hasn’t seen business this good in ages." Sun Wenshi couldn’t stop grinning.
But the happier Sun Wenshi looked, the darker Xiang Tianyi’s expression became.
After all, he had been the first to recognize Song Nianchu’s business potential.
"Didn’t your cooperative already have my fish cans?" Xiang Tianyi frowned.
"Speaking of which, I was about to look for you. Do you know how much trouble your cans caused my cooperative? Yesterday, a customer came to return them. If it weren’t for Comrade Song smoothing things over, my cooperative would’ve been branded as selling counterfeit goods." Sun Wenshi shot Xiang Tianyi a pointed look.
Xiang Tianyi: "..."
His expression soured further.
"Come on, why are you making such a fuss over a young woman? Just because she turned down your partnership?" Sun Wenshi shook his head.
"So you’re happy to be her platform, promoting her products for her?" Xiang Tianyi scoffed.
"Why not? Her products are good and bring me profit. I have no complaints." Sun Wenshi shrugged.
"You’ve always lacked vision," Xiang Tianyi muttered.
"You’re right. I’m just a small-time director of a supply and marketing cooperative. I’m content managing my little corner. Your grand ambitions are beyond me." Sun Wenshi waved him off.
Xiang Tianyi fell silent.
"So, what exactly did you come here for today? Not just to congratulate me on my good business, I hope?" Sun Wenshi studied Xiang Tianyi, secretly amused.
Xiang Tianyi was notorious for his shrewdness. If they weren’t in different industries, Sun Wenshi doubted they’d even be friends.
"I’ve consulted many experts and even studied her products, but none of the flavors I’ve replicated come close to hers," Xiang Tianyi finally admitted.
"See? That just proves how exceptional Comrade Song is. She told me she developed both fish can recipes in her village." Sun Wenshi grinned even wider.
If even Xiang Tianyi couldn’t compete with her, partnering with her was a guaranteed win.
Though Sun Wenshi’s words irked him, Xiang Tianyi had to admit Song Nianchu’s fish cans were a success.
"How much are you ordering from her daily?" Xiang Tianyi asked.
"Yesterday, I ordered a hundred cans of each. Today, two hundred." Sun Wenshi answered honestly.
"Tell them tomorrow to deliver five hundred of each."
"That much? My cooperative can’t sell that volume all at once." Sun Wenshi frowned.
"Who said it’s for you?" Xiang Tianyi arched a brow.
"If not for me, then who?" Sun Wenshi pretended not to understand.
Xiang Tianyi: "..."
He fixed Sun Wenshi with a heavy stare, refusing to speak.
Sun Wenshi finally cracked, laughing.
"If you want to place an order, why not contact her directly? Why go through me? Isn’t that just extra trouble?"
"Just tell me if you’ll do it or not." Xiang Tianyi was growing impatient.
He had kicked her out before, assuming she’d regret refusing his big order and come crawling back.
Instead, she hadn’t budged and had now teamed up with Sun Wenshi.
How could he swallow his pride and go begging a young woman for reconciliation now?
"Fine, fine. I’ll talk to her tomorrow." Sun Wenshi saw right through him, his smirk widening.
"Good. I’m leaving." Having said his piece, Xiang Tianyi didn’t linger. He wasn’t about to let Sun Wenshi keep mocking him.
He knew exactly what the man was thinking, even if he didn’t say it aloud.
"Not staying for tea?" Sun Wenshi offered.
"No need." Xiang Tianyi stood and left.
Sun Wenshi watched him go, chuckling to himself. In all these years, this might be the first time he’d seen Xiang Tianyi outmaneuvered by someone else.
Comrade Song was truly something.
...
The next day, when Wu Gang and his team delivered the goods, Sun Wenshi informed them they’d need seven hundred cans of each the following day.
Wu Gang’s jaw nearly hit the floor. After a long pause, he stammered, "Director Sun, are you sure? Seven hundred of each?"
"Absolutely." Sun Wenshi nodded.
Two hundred for his cooperative, five hundred for Xiang Tianyi—seven hundred in total.
"That’s a huge amount. We still supply the state-run restaurant. I’ll need to check with Nianchu first and get back to you this afternoon. Is that alright?" Wu Gang didn’t dare make such a big decision alone.
"Of course." Sun Wenshi agreed.
Wu Gang and his team rushed back to the village after finishing the delivery. The moment they entered the village office, Wu Gang blurted out, "Nianchu, I’ve got incredible news!"
Song Nianchu, who had been taste-testing a dish, turned around.
"Nianchu—" Wu Gang and the others had run the whole way and were still catching their breath, unable to form a complete sentence.
"Take your time," Song Nianchu said, setting down her chopsticks.
Wu Chunsheng, being younger and quicker to recover, spoke first. "Director Sun at the cooperative wants seven hundred cans of each tomorrow."
"Seven hundred?" Song Nianchu blinked in surprise.
"Good heavens! Are you sure you heard right? Maybe he meant seven hundred total?" Hua’s eyes widened in shock.
"No, we confirmed it. Seven hundred of each," Wu Gang said, finally catching his breath.
"Why would he suddenly order so much? Could there be a problem?" Aunt Wu looked at Song Nianchu worriedly.
But Song Nianchu just smiled. "There won’t be any problems."
She already had a guess why Sun Wenshi had placed such a large order.
"Really? But how could the cooperative sell that much so quickly?" Aunt Wu frowned.
