The late spring breeze, carrying the fresh scent of wheat fields, swept across the ridges of the Hongqi Production Brigade, but it couldn't dispel the sudden gloom that had settled in Lin Wanqiu's heart. She had just returned from the renovation planning site of the village primary school; her navy blue suit was still dusty, and stray hairs at her temples were damp with sweat, clinging to her smooth forehead. But now, her usually composed and smiling face was shrouded in a heavy atmosphere. The enthusiasm she had shown while discussing the school building renovation with the village officials had been completely extinguished by the devastating news brought by Old Zhang.

"President Lin, you really need to make a decision!" Old Zhang's voice was filled with barely concealed anxiety, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He clutched a crumpled notice tightly in his hand, his knuckles turning white. "Just now, Boss Li personally called and said that starting next month, the prices of flour and grains will all increase by 30%. He also said that this year's rainfall has been uneven, and the grain harvest may be affected. The subsequent supply can only be 'guaranteed to the best of our ability'—that word 'to the best of our ability' sounds very risky!"

Lin Wanqiu took the notification slip, the coolness of the paper beneath her fingertips mirroring the chill spreading through her heart. The handwriting was hasty yet glaring; the words "30% price increase" felt like a sharp thorn, making her heart clench. She slowly walked to the entrance of the food workshop's raw material warehouse, pushed open the heavy wooden door, and a scent of wheat and grains wafted out. Inside, neatly stacked bags of flour and baskets of grains occupied most of the space, but Lin Wanqiu knew that, based on the food workshop's current production capacity, this inventory could only last for a month at most.

From its humble beginnings as a small workshop, "Natural Flavor" food shop has grown into a leading enterprise supplying three surrounding cities and boosting the income of hundreds of farmers in the village, all thanks to its consistent quality and affordable prices. Over the years, she has always insisted on sourcing raw materials from local farmers and cooperatives, both to ensure the freshness of the ingredients and to help her fellow villagers sell their agricultural products at a good price. However, the sudden and significant price increase of raw materials is undoubtedly a fatal blow.

She ran her hand along the stacks of flour sacks in the warehouse, her fingertips feeling the rough texture of the cloth. Images of the villagers' smiling faces during the harvest involuntarily surfaced in her mind. Those farmers who grew wheat and other grains relied on these produce sold to the food mill each year to supplement their income, pay for their children's schooling, and ensure their elderly parents' medical care. If the food mill reduced its purchases due to rising raw material prices, or raised product prices leading to decreased sales, it was ultimately these honest and kind villagers who would be affected.

"Why did the price suddenly increase so much?" Lin Wanqiu's voice was slightly hoarse. She turned around and looked at Lao Zhang's anxious face. "Did Boss Li say what the specific reason was? Is it just a simple market fluctuation, or is there some other hidden reason?"

Old Zhang sighed and wiped the sweat from his brow: "I pressed him for details, but he only vaguely said that the drought in the north this year was severe, resulting in reduced grain production and higher purchase prices, and that they had no choice. But I still feel something's not right. Although the grain harvest in the surrounding counties is not as good as last year, it hasn't decreased by 30%! Moreover, it's not just Mr. Li's family. I just contacted two other backup suppliers, and they also said they would raise prices, just not by as much, but they both mentioned that the supply was tight."

Shen Tingzhou had arrived at the warehouse entrance sometime earlier. He had just gone to the village clinic to check on the progress of equipment procurement and rushed over immediately upon hearing the news. He was dressed in dark gray casual wear, his posture upright like a pine tree, his face bearing his usual composure. Seeing Lin Wanqiu's furrowed brows, he quickly stepped forward and gently patted her shoulder: "Don't panic, something's definitely fishy. Let's figure out the situation first before we think of a solution."

Lin Wanqiu looked up at him. Shen Tingzhou's eyes were deep and firm, seemingly containing boundless power, which gradually calmed her flustered emotions. She nodded, took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself down: "You're right, we can't panic. Lao Zhang, go and check the grain purchase prices in the surrounding counties again, see if they have really risen across the board. Also, contact the cooperatives we cooperate with and ask about their grain inventory and sales situation, whether they have encountered any cases of buyers pressuring for lower prices or hoarding goods."

"Okay, I'll go right away!" Old Zhang replied and hurried off, as if pursued by enemies.

Only Lin Wanqiu and Shen Tingzhou remained in the warehouse, a heavy silence hanging in the air. Sunlight streamed in through the warehouse's translucent windows, casting dappled shadows on the ground, while dust motes danced in the beams of light, adding to the tense atmosphere.

"Tingzhou, do you think someone might be deliberately pulling this stunt?" Lin Wanqiu said softly, her tone tinged with doubt. "Boss Li has been working with us for three years and has always been very straightforward. There has never been such a sudden price increase or ambiguity. Moreover, it's too much of a coincidence that several suppliers are raising prices at the same time."

Shen Tingzhou walked to her side, his gaze sweeping over the piles of raw materials in the warehouse. He said thoughtfully, "That possibility cannot be ruled out. 'Natural Flavor' is becoming increasingly famous and has captured a significant market share, which inevitably affects the interests of some people. Perhaps someone wants to squeeze our profit margins or even drive us out of the market by raising the price of raw materials."

He paused, then turned to look at Lin Wanqiu, his eyes gentle yet firm: "But you don't need to worry too much. We've weathered many storms, and we'll definitely get through this one too. There are only two paths to dealing with rising raw material prices: either find more stable suppliers with more reasonable prices, or find ways to reduce production costs. If all else fails, we can adjust our product structure and launch some high-value-added products to offset the impact of rising raw material prices."

Lin Wanqiu remained silent. She had considered what Shen Tingzhou had said. But how easy was it? Finding new suppliers would take time, and the quality and supply stability could not be guaranteed; reducing production costs was difficult because the food workshop's production process had already been optimized to its limit, and it would be hard to make any major breakthroughs in the short term; adjusting the product structure and developing new products would also take time, and these were long-term solutions that couldn't address the immediate problem.

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