In just one day, Shen Nanchu had resolved everything.
If it weren't for the lack of evening transport back, she wouldn't even have needed to stay the night at the guesthouse.
This efficiency was nothing short of remarkable.
Truth be told, Shen Nanchu could have left this matter to Zheng Tongwei to handle, though it would have taken a bit more time.
Shen Nanchu didn't have much time left in Wang Family Village, so it was better to cut the Gordian knot.
This trip to Daliao City gave Zheng Tongwei a profound understanding of Shen Nanchu's capabilities, and his admiration for her grew even more.
As for the county and town supply and marketing cooperatives, Shen Nanchu handed those over to Zheng Tongwei. With the city-level order setting the precedent, applying the same method used in the city to the county and town levels would be simple and straightforward.
If the big boss has already placed an order, how could those below have the nerve not to?
...
The news that Wang Family Village had secured orders from the city's textile mill and department store spread like wildfire.
The message took wing, reaching every corner of Ning'an Town's villages, large and small, within days.
On the very afternoon Shen Nanchu and her group returned to Wang Family Village,
the office of Town Chief Lin Aimin welcomed two uninvited guests.
Niu Fugui, village chief of Niu Family Village, knocked his pipe against the sole of his shoe and boomed in a loud voice,
"Chief Lin, it's not that we're jealous, but if Wang Family Village can build rabbit sheds and run a factory, why can't we?"
"We heard Wang Family Village landed a big city order. We'd like to go learn from their experience, take a look around."
Qian Mancang, village chief of Qian Family Village, chimed in from the side,
"Exactly! We're all villages in the same town. Good opportunities should be shared."
"We're not asking for a free ride. We just want to see how they raise their rabbits, how they make that shampoo. Then we can start our own industries, bring glory to the town."
Their words sounded lofty, but the envy in their eyes was poorly concealed.
Everyone knew Wang Family Village used to be notoriously poor. Now they were actually eating from the public trough? Where did that leave the reputations of these formerly advanced villages?
Lin Aimin saw right through them. These two weren't here to learn; they were here to nitpick and cause trouble.
But worn down by their persistent pestering, and considering that encouraging village industries was also in line with higher-level directives, he reluctantly nodded.
"Fine. I'll notify Wang Jianguo. You can go the day after tomorrow. Behave yourselves, no causing trouble."
Niu Fugui and Qian Mancang exchanged a glance and smiled, each harboring their own schemes.
If Wang Family Village's methods weren't anything special, they'd just copy them back home. Why should Wang Family Village hog all the benefits?
...
The next day, early in the morning,
Niu Fugui and Qian Mancang swaggered into Wang Family Village, accompanied by their respective village accountants.
Wang Jianguo's expression was sour, his face a picture of utter unwelcome.
Shen Nanchu stood at the entrance of the rabbit shed, her gaze cool as she observed these "uninvited guests."
"Well, Brother Jianguo, your village factory is quite impressive!"
Niu Fugui began, his tone dripping with sarcasm, his eyes skimming over the brand-new rabbit sheds.
"Just wondering if this rabbit fur sells well. Hope it's not all talk and no action, ending in wasted effort."
Qian Mancang followed up,
"Heard you signed a contract with the textile mill? Tsk tsk, city factories are very picky. Better not end up unable to deliver, having to pay penalties instead. That would be a real loss."
In the past, Wang Jianguo would likely have retorted sharply and then clammed up.
But now, with solid orders in hand, his backbone was stiffer.
He planted himself in front of the rabbit shed and declared loudly,
"Chief Niu, Chief Qian, you jest. Our rabbits are a superior breed. Section Chief Luo from the textile mill inspected them personally. Purchase price is nine yuan per jin, delivery starts next month."
"As for your villages, besides growing corn and sweet potatoes, perhaps you should consider some new ventures. Can't rely on the same meager yields every year, can you?"
These words stoked Niu Fugui's anger instantly.
Niu Family Village had the highest grain yield every year; they were the top production village in Ning'an Town.
Now, to be lectured by this perennial straggler was a pill Niu Fugui simply couldn't swallow.
He walked into the rabbit shed and deliberately kicked a cage with his foot.
"It's just long-haired rabbits, right? Doesn't look any different from the hares running around my fields. Can you really sell them for a premium?"
Shen Nanchu's mouth twitched.
Were these hares?
These were Angora rabbits!
Annual wool yield could reach one and a half jin, while ordinary domestic rabbits yielded at most half a jin.
The length, sheen, and softness of this wool—how could ordinary rabbit fur, let alone wild hare fur, compare?
Qian Mancang played along, rolling his eyes beside him.
"Right, Brother Niu, you're absolutely correct."
"It's just rabbit fur, blown all out of proportion."
"And this shampoo, black as soy sauce. Do people actually buy it? Probably just some homemade concoction, right?"
Now Wang Jianguo was truly furious.
They could insult him, but not the products of his Wang Family Village!
Just as Wang Jianguo was about to curse these two old codgers with one foot in the grave,
Shen Nanchu stepped forward.
"Indeed!"
"If our rabbit fur and shampoo are nothing special, then what are you two village chiefs here to see?"
"The road out is right over there. Don't let us keep you."
As soon as Shen Nanchu's words landed,
the faces of the two old men, Niu Fugui and Qian Mancang, flushed red, and they glared at Shen Nanchu.
Shen Nanchu remained unperturbed inside, only frowning slightly.
She was being this provoking, so why wasn't the system adding any aversion points?
It was the same the other day in the city.
Shen Nanchu tried to reach out to the system, but there was no response. Opening the item exchange page, however, showed the aversion points had increased by 10 since before.
How strange.
...
Niu Fugui and Qian Mancang were left speechless.
They had come to pick faults, only to be checkmated instead.
Fortunately, Niu Fugui's skin was thick enough. He smoothed things over himself.
"How could we leave?"
"We're here on a task assigned by the town chief. We must conduct a thorough inspection of Wang Family Village."
With that,
Niu Fugui and Qian Mancang began strolling around the shampoo production workshop.
Zheng Tongwei lowered his voice,
"Should we find a way to kick them out?"
"No need. Even if they look, they won't know how."
Shen Nanchu didn't give Niu Fugui and Qian Mancang a second thought.
Zheng Tongwei and Wang Jianguo nodded in agreement.
Even after watching the process many times and knowing the steps, they still didn't know the exact formula ratios themselves.
Niu Fugui and Qian Mancang swaggered through the entire shampoo factory several times over.
"It's getting late. We should head back after our tour."
"Then we won't keep you."
Wang Jianguo almost wished he could light two strings of firecrackers to speed these two annoying old men on their way.
...
