Early the next morning.
Song Nianchu got up bright and early. First, she went with Wu Gang and the others to make their delivery. Before she could even inquire about the cooperation with the supply and marketing cooperative, Manager Li from the state-run restaurant brought up the order quantity first.
"Starting from today, add another hundred cans of each for me," Manager Li announced loudly.
"Sure thing," Song Nianchu agreed readily, then handed over the prepared fermented black bean smoked fish cans she had brought. "Manager Li, I can mass-produce this fermented black bean smoked fish now. Would you like some too?"
"Yes, give me three hundred cans of that as well," Manager Li nodded with a smile.
"Alright, I'll deliver them all to you together tomorrow," Song Nianchu felt today was truly a lucky start.
She had originally come to see Sun Wenshi, but Manager Li had given her a pleasant surprise.
"Nianchu, you've been looking radiant lately. Your village's fish cans are really famous now. It feels like everyone in the city knows about your Qinghe Fishing Village," Manager Li's look at Song Nianchu was completely different from a month ago.
A month ago, he thought Song Nianchu was a bit clever and her skills were decent, but he hadn't paid it much mind.
But over this past month, the cans from their Qinghe Fishing Village had become wildly popular. When the supply and marketing cooperative also started selling the cans, he knew he had underestimated this young girl.
He gradually realized that this girl had partnered with him earlier precisely to use his platform to advertise for herself.
But there was nothing to complain about. He had agreed to the cooperation himself, he had made money from it, and he wasn't about to turn around and ruin a good thing.
"We're all from Qinghe County, after all. What's more, I really have to thank you for this, Manager Li. Don't worry, if our village develops any new flavors in the future, we'll definitely supply them to you first," Song Nianchu said with a beaming smile.
"You better remember your words. Don't turn around and give them to the supply and marketing cooperative instead," Manager Li's tone rose slightly at the end.
"Manager Li, rest assured. Tomorrow, I'll supply our fermented black bean smoked fish only to you," Song Nianchu intended to maintain a good cooperative relationship with Manager Li.
The supply and marketing cooperative only served customers within Qinghe County, but Manager Li's state-run restaurant had many out-of-town guests.
Once the market in Qinghe County became saturated, she would need to rely on Manager Li's customers to open up sales channels elsewhere.
"That's more like it," Manager Li was quite pleased by her words.
"Well, Manager Li, you must be busy. I need to go purchase ingredients now," Knowing Manager Li didn't like her mentioning Sun Wenshi, Mu Shi'an didn't say she was going to see him.
"Alright, you go ahead," Manager Li nodded.
Song Nianchu then turned and left.
Just as she stepped out the back door of the state-run restaurant, she saw Wu Gang and the others waiting outside.
Nowadays, their deliveries didn't require Manager Li's personal inspection anymore, but since Song Nianchu hadn't been around for a while, she had gone to see him in person.
"Ah-Chu, the goods have all been handed over. We can go to Director Sun's place now," Wu Gang said.
"Let's go," Song Nianchu didn't linger and hurried straight to the supply and marketing cooperative.
Song Nianchu and her team always made deliveries through the back door, and usually, there were specific people to handle the handover with them.
But today, as soon as they approached the back door of the cooperative, they saw Sun Wenshi standing at the entrance, looking into the distance as if waiting for someone.
"Director Sun, are you waiting for us?" Song Nianchu quickened her pace to approach him.
"Yes, indeed I was waiting for you. Come on, let's go inside and talk," Sun Wenshi had calculated that the contract had ended and Song Nianchu would surely come in person, so he had timed his wait at the door to greet her.
"Brother Gangzi, you guys go ahead and deliver the goods first," Song Nianchu instructed Wu Gang and the others.
"Okay," Wu Gang nodded.
Only then did Song Nianchu follow Sun Wenshi to his office.
"Have some tea," Sun Wenshi poured a cup of tea for Song Nianchu.
However, Song Nianchu noticed another teacup beside it, still half-full, suggesting Sun Wenshi had just received another guest.
Song Nianchu's eyes flickered slightly, but she didn't ask. She picked up her cup and took a sip.
"Comrade Song, you've come in person this time to inquire about the cooperation, I presume," Sun Wenshi initiated the conversation.
"Yes, the one-month contract has ended. I wanted to come personally to ask about the follow-up cooperation, Director Sun," Song Nianchu nodded.
Sun Wenshi tactically picked up his teacup and took a sip, seeming somewhat hesitant.
"Director Sun, there's no need to hesitate. Please speak frankly," Song Nianchu prompted.
Sun Wenshi then set down his cup.
"Comrade Song, you're a straightforward person, so I'll be direct with you."
"Please go ahead," Song Nianchu nodded.
"I would like to have the exclusive sales rights for your Qingheyuan products," Sun Wenshi said, enunciating each word clearly.
"Exclusive rights?" Song Nianchu frowned.
"Yes. From now on, I can take on all the products your village produces. We can even discuss the price further. But the only requirement is that you cannot authorize anyone else," Sun Wenshi stated.
Song Nianchu's fingers lightly rubbed the teacup. She could mostly guess that the one who proposed this was likely Xiang Tianyi.
That guy really couldn't let go of her Qingheyuan. First, he wanted to rebrand it, now he wants exclusive rights. His goal is singular: to get Qingheyuan under his control.
"Comrade Song, you can name your price on this matter. And you don't need to worry about future sales volume at all. We'll take as much as your village produces," Seeing Song Nianchu silent and pensive, Sun Wenshi couldn't quite read her mind and quickly added.
"Director Sun, it's not that I don't want to agree. You know our Qingheyuan products first started selling at the state-run restaurant. It was Manager Li who gave us that opportunity."
"Now that more and more people like Qingheyuan, if I were to tell Manager Li at this point that I'm giving exclusive rights to someone else, wouldn't that be a slap in the face?" Song Nianchu didn't want to burn bridges with Sun Wenshi at this juncture.
In business, there are no permanent enemies, and she still wanted to do business with him.
"I understand. But the state-run restaurant definitely can't handle as much volume as I can. Your village makes these cans originally to improve the villagers' conditions. I believe Manager Li would understand," Sun Wenshi said with a smile.
"Is that so? Then perhaps Director Sun, you could go explain it to Manager Li?" Song Nianchu inquired.
Sun Wenshi immediately fell silent.
How could he dare? If he went to see Manager Li, he'd probably be thrown out immediately, and Manager Li would surely fight him tooth and nail afterwards.
"Director Sun, I appreciate your offer very much. However, having exclusive rights also puts a lot of pressure on you. Isn't our current cooperative model working just fine?" Song Nianchu said, taking another sip of tea.
"Well..." Sun Wenshi's expression turned troubled.
"Director Sun, if you haven't fully considered it, that's alright. We can pause our supply for a couple of days. It's the same if you tell me after you've thought it through," Song Nianchu used a tactical retreat to advance her position.
