Chapter 198
“I think that’s a pretty good idea.” Song Nianchu nodded.
“You’re serious? I was just saying it offhand.” Wu Zhenggui hurriedly spoke up.
“There really is a large open space beneath the woods. The only downside is that it’s a little far from the village, but that doesn’t matter. If the woodworking workshop expands in the future, it won’t interfere with the villagers.” The more Song Nianchu thought about it, the more suitable the place seemed.
“You really mean it?” Wu Zhenggui asked again for confirmation.
“Of course. I’ll go tell Shi’an and the others right now. Since the canning workshop needs to be expanded too, we might as well build a proper new woodworking workshop as well.” Song Nianchu’s tone was decisive.
“All right. As long as you and Comrade Mu have no objections, I’m fine with it.” Wu Zhenggui felt that the place was a little too remote, but if the two of them had no objections, he naturally had nothing more to say.
“Don’t worry. They won’t object.” Song Nianchu smiled and went to find Mu Shi’an.
At that moment, Mu Shi’an was shaving a piece of wood in the workshop.
He brought the blade down again and again, each stroke seeming heavier than the last.
“Do you have some kind of grudge against that piece of wood?” Song Nianchu watched him for a while before finally asking.
Startled by the sudden sound of her voice, Mu Shi’an quickly turned around.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, setting down the ax in his hand.
“I came to talk to you about something.” Song Nianchu stepped forward.
“What is it?” Mu Shi’an’s thoughts had been somewhat tangled, but the moment he saw Song Nianchu, they immediately settled.
“Our village and Manager Xiang have signed a contract to jointly build a factory. Once the organization approves it, the canning workshop will be expanded soon. Your woodworking workshop may have to move somewhere else.” Song Nianchu explained.
“Were you talking about this just now?” Mu Shi’an asked.
“We? You mean Manager Xiang and me?”
“…Yes.” Mu Shi’an’s eyes looked slightly unnatural.
“Yes. He came today to inspect the site, and after looking it over, he signed the contract with us right away.” Song Nianchu nodded.
“Why did you suddenly decide to work with him?” Mu Shi’an asked again.
“It wasn’t exactly sudden. I just felt that the timing was right.” Song Nianchu didn’t tell Mu Shi’an what she was really thinking.
“As for the new location of the woodworking workshop, you can decide. Just give us a place to work.” Mu Shi’an didn’t press her further and brought the conversation back to business.
“I’m planning to put the new workshop in the open space beneath the woods. I’ll have a proper woodworking workshop built for you as well. With your skills, the number of orders will definitely increase in the future.” Song Nianchu had complete confidence in Mu Shi’an.
“Whatever you arrange is fine.” Mu Shi’an had no particular opinion about these matters.
“All right. I’ll discuss the specific arrangements with Uncle Zhenggui in detail later.” Song Nianchu knew Mu Shi’an was easy to work with.
“Mm.” Mu Shi’an nodded.
“…”
Manager Xiang’s side moved quickly. In less than two days, the organization’s approval had already come through.
On the third day, he personally brought a design team to Qinghe Fishing Village.
Since the factory would be fairly large, and he wanted it to be as practical and comfortable to use as possible, Xiang Tianyi had specifically hired a designer.
During the site measurements and preliminary design process, Song Nianchu offered the designer a great many suggestions.
At first, the designer looked down on Song Nianchu a little. He assumed that a country girl wouldn’t know anything about design. But after hearing several of her ideas, he immediately took out a notebook and began writing them down.
Xiang Tianyi stood to one side without interrupting them.
As he watched Song Nianchu converse with the designer in such a lively and effortless manner, Xiang Tianyi’s gaze unconsciously settled on her.
She seemed to surprise him with something new every time. The designer was already considered quite well-known in the industry, yet she had managed to get him to accept her suggestions with remarkable enthusiasm.
There were even many details that hadn’t occurred to Xiang Tianyi but that she had thought to point out.
He was now extremely curious about where Song Nianchu had learned so much.
The designer talked with Song Nianchu for most of the day and still seemed reluctant to stop when they were finished.
“Comrade Song, I’ve written down all the suggestions you made. I’ll complete a preliminary design as soon as possible after I get back. I’ll have to trouble you to take a look at it when it’s done.” The designer had completely lost the arrogance he’d shown at the beginning.
“All right.” Song Nianchu smiled and nodded.
“Manager Xiang, we should head back now.” Designer Wu turned to Xiang Tianyi.
He was already impatient to return and work on the design. His mind was overflowing with ideas, and he had to get them down on paper immediately.
Xiang Tianyi glanced at the designer, who was so eager to leave, and his expression darkened slightly.
From the beginning, the man had been clinging to Song Nianchu, asking her question after question. Up until now, Xiang Tianyi hadn’t even had the chance to say more than a few words to her.
Now that his own business was finished, the designer was in such a hurry to leave. Had he even considered whether Xiang Tianyi wanted to go?
“What is it, Manager Xiang?” Designer Wu felt somewhat uneasy under Xiang Tianyi’s stare.
He secretly thought back over what he had said. He hadn’t said anything wrong, had he?
Xiang Tianyi withdrew his gaze with some irritation and turned his eyes back to Song Nianchu.
“Comrade Song, we’ll be leaving for today.”
“All right.” Song Nianchu nodded, then seemed to remember something. “Manager Xiang, wait a moment.”
With that, she hurriedly ran off.
“What did Comrade Song go to do?” Designer Wu asked Xiang Tianyi in confusion.
Xiang Tianyi merely gave him an indifferent look and said nothing.
Designer Wu inexplicably felt as though he had been snubbed, but he couldn’t figure out why.
When Song Nianchu returned, she was carrying two boxes.
One was a gift box of the village’s previously made fish maw soup. The other was a relatively simple little bamboo basket.
Song Nianchu handed the gift box of fish maw soup to Designer Wu.
“Comrade Wu, you should try it. It’s one of our village’s products, and it’s been quite well received outside the village.”
“Qinghe Source’s fish maw soup? I know this. My wife bought some before, but the gift boxes are a little too expensive. She usually buys the individual bottles.” Designer Wu’s eyes lit up the moment he saw the box.
This product was not cheap, and it seemed that customers currently had to wait in line to get it. It was in very high demand.
“Really? If your wife wants some in the future, she can come directly to me. I can give it to her at cost.” Song Nianchu smiled.
“That would be wonderful. If she hears about this, I’m sure she’ll be grinning from ear to ear.” Designer Wu admired Song Nianchu even more now.
Ahem…
Watching the two of them grow more and more cheerful as they chatted, as though he had been completely ignored, Xiang Tianyi couldn’t help clearing his throat.
Song Nianchu looked up. Seeing the displeased expression on his face, she finally handed him the bamboo basket.
“Manager Xiang, this is for you.”
A piece of cloth had been draped over the basket, so Xiang Tianyi couldn’t see what was inside.
“What is this?” Xiang Tianyi asked in a flat tone.