"Uncle Zhenggui, what do you think of this fishing net?" Song Nianchu inquired.
Wu Zhenggui carefully examined the net in his hands. Though the material was old and its durability questionable, the woven mesh showed no irregularities, and the knots were impeccably tied.
"This... it's even better than what we make by hand," Wu Zhenggui murmured, his hands trembling slightly as he held the net.
"This machine can weave small nets with just one person operating it. For larger nets, someone might need to help organize the fishing lines. But Shi'an said that using this machine, a large fishing net can be completed in about seven days." Song Nianchu dropped another bombshell.
"How many days did you say?" Wu Zhenggui snapped his head up.
"Seven!"
"This..." Wu Zhenggui stared at the machine with burning intensity, momentarily speechless.
This little thing could weave a large fishing net in just seven days?
"The components here aren’t fully equipped, so this is the best I can do for now." Mu Shi'an added from the side, his tone tinged with regret—as if he were entirely dissatisfied with the result.
Wu Zhenggui turned to look at him, his gaze as if he were beholding some rare creature.
"Can this machine still be improved?" Song Nianchu, oblivious to Wu Zhenggui’s reaction, asked Mu Shi'an in surprise.
"Yes," Mu Shi'an nodded.
"Then why didn’t you mention it earlier?"
"The parts I need aren’t cheap," Mu Shi'an admitted frankly.
"If we could gather all the parts you require, how much faster could it get?" Song Nianchu brushed aside the cost, focused solely on the outcome.
Before Mu Shi'an could answer, she added, "Don’t hold back—give me the highest efficiency you can achieve."
"If all the necessary parts are secured, the upgraded machine could produce one large fishing net per day," Mu Shi'an said after a moment’s thought.
"O-one day?!" Wu Zhenggui felt his legs go weak.
If every villager could produce one large net a day, wouldn’t their village prosper beyond measure?
No one would ever go hungry again.
"However, that’s under ideal conditions. Given Qinghe County’s current resources, gathering all the parts I need would be quite difficult," Mu Shi'an interjected.
Wu Zhenggui snapped out of his daze and shook his head.
"That’s alright! This machine is already more than enough!"
He didn’t dare hope for one net a day—seven days was already a blessing.
But Song Nianchu quietly filed the idea away in her mind.
To thrive in any industry, productivity must evolve with the market—even staying ahead of the curve to avoid being left behind.
For now, this net-weaving machine was sufficient, but Mu Shi'an wasn’t the type to hoard knowledge. If others asked about the machine’s design, he’d gladly share it.
Soon, it wouldn’t just spread across Qinghe County—it might even reach other provinces.
Mu Shi'an was right—this could help countless people, and she had no reason to stop it.
But at heart, she was still a businesswoman. Money was the world’s most unshakable foundation.
Mu Shi'an could use his knowledge to aid others, but she had to keep the most advanced technology in her grasp.
After all, only when you were strong yourself could you afford to help others.
Human nature was complex—others might grow powerful, but that didn’t mean they’d lend you a hand.
"Uncle Zhenggui, Shi'an working alone on these machines is too slow. The reason I called you here today is to ask for your help in finding villagers with carpentry experience to assist him. Once we have more machines, every household in our village can have one." Song Nianchu refocused on the task at hand.
After all, the parts Mu Shi'an needed would require a considerable sum of money.
Wu Zhenggui’s face lit up with joy, but before he could speak, he hesitated, glancing between Song Nianchu and Mu Shi'an as if struggling to voice his thoughts.
"What’s wrong, Uncle Zhenggui? Just say it," Song Nianchu found his reaction odd.
Knowing him, shouldn’t he be leaping for joy at such good news? Why the long face?
"Your kindness warms my heart, but... this machine was invented by Comrade Mu. Giving it to our villagers for free—doesn’t that seem a bit inappropriate?" Wu Zhenggui spoke while looking at Song Nianchu.
This wasn’t the same as Song Nianchu teaching the villagers to cook. She was a native of Qinghe Fishing Village—her mother had passed early, leaving only her father.
Sometimes, when he went out to sea for months, the villagers took turns raising her.
Her desire to repay the village moved Wu Zhenggui, and he felt justified in accepting.
But Mu Shi'an was different. His family had been sent down from Jing City as part of the re-education program—he wasn’t even from their village.
How could they take something so valuable from him for nothing?
Understanding Wu Zhenggui’s concern, Song Nianchu blinked, then burst into laughter.
"Uncle Zhenggui, so that’s what’s bothering you? If you really feel uneasy, just buy it."
Mu Shi'an opened his mouth to speak, but Song Nianchu shot him a look, and he fell silent.
"Buy it? But... you know our village’s situation. Where would we get the money?" Wu Zhenggui hunched his shoulders further.
"Then how about this—treat these machines as loans from Mu Shi'an. Once our village sells the nets and earns a profit, we’ll give him a ten percent rental fee. What do you think?" Song Nianchu’s business instincts kicked in.
"Ten percent rental?" Wu Zhenggui was taken aback.
"Yes. For example, if the village earns a hundred yuan from selling nets, Mu Shi'an gets ten as payment for using his machines," Song Nianchu explained more clearly.
"That... could that work?" Wu Zhenggui’s eyes brightened, but he glanced uncertainly at Mu Shi'an. "But would Comrade Mu agree?"
"Don’t worry, Uncle Zhenggui—right now, he listens to me," Song Nianchu lowered her voice.
"Really?" Wu Zhenggui looked skeptical.
Song Nianchu raised her fist meaningfully.
"Uncle Zhenggui, have you forgotten? I don’t just have this face—I’ve got fists too."
Wu Zhenggui: "..."
Ahem.
Wu Zhenggui cleared his throat awkwardly and whispered back,
"Nianchu, he’s got a brilliant mind. Just... don’t damage it when you’re roughing him up."
"Don’t worry, Uncle Zhenggui. I know my limits," Song Nianchu grinned.
Once they settled the matter, Wu Zhenggui straightened up and turned to Mu Shi'an, who had remained silent all this while.
"Comrade Mu, what do you think of Nianchu’s proposal?" His voice carried a hint of nervousness.
