On the other end of the phone, President Zhao's voice was steady but slightly hesitant: "President Liu, we need to further evaluate your loan application. As you know, the international market is constantly changing, and your group's current expansion plan carries a high risk..." Liu Lu's hand gripping the phone tightened unconsciously. Her tone was firm, yet she couldn't hide a trace of anxiety: "President Zhao, I understand your caution, but our group has a strong technical team and promising market prospects. This expansion plan has been carefully considered, and I am confident that it will succeed."

The air in the bank seemed to freeze, and the serious atmosphere only added to Liu Lu's tension.

She sat opposite President Zhao, straightening her back and trying to remain calm.

Bank Manager Zhao tapped his fingers lightly on the table, making a rhythmic sound that struck Liu Lu's heart with each tap.

“Mr. Liu, I admire your ambition, but a bank’s responsibility is to mitigate risk. We need more data and a more detailed plan to support your application.”

Stepping out of the bank, Liu Lu took a deep breath of the slightly chilly air.

The problem of funding was like a mountain weighing on her shoulders.

Back in her office, she paced back and forth restlessly, her high heels clicking crisply on the floor.

Consultant Wu adjusted his glasses and calmly analyzed, "Mr. Liu, we can consider cooperating with other companies for joint research and development, which can help alleviate the financial pressure."

Liu Lu frowned: "Cooperative research and development can certainly reduce costs, but the risk of technology leakage also increases. Our core technology is the lifeblood of the group, and we must not easily reveal it to others." She walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the bustling city traffic, her heart filled with conflicting emotions.

A series of urgent knocks interrupted Liu Lu's thoughts.

Engineer Sun stood excitedly at the door, holding a file folder in his hand: "Mr. Liu, we..."

The research and development lab was filled with a tense and oppressive atmosphere; the air was so stuffy that it was hard to breathe.

Engineer Sun looked exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes. He clutched the experimental report tightly in his hand, and his voice trembled slightly: "President Liu, we...we've hit a bottleneck. The performance of the new material is consistently failing to meet expectations, which may affect the launch of new products."

Liu Lu's heart sank suddenly, as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.

The funding problem hadn't been solved yet, and now there were problems with technology research and development—it was like adding insult to injury.

Suppressing her anxiety, she walked up to Engineer Sun and patted him on the shoulder: "Engineer Sun, I know everyone is working very hard, but we can't give up. Let's think of another way; there must still be a breakthrough."

The engineers were all dejected, like wilted eggplants.

Liu Lu looked around and saw their tired and frustrated expressions, and she also felt immense pressure.

Just then, a clear voice broke the silence in the research and development room: "Mom, can I use my allowance to help the company?"

Liu Lu turned around and saw her daughter, Liu Bei.

She was holding a piggy bank in her hands, looking at Liu Lu with a serious expression.

Liu Lu felt a warmth in her heart and squatted down to hug her daughter: "Baby, I appreciate your kindness, but things at the company are complicated and can't be solved with money."

Liu Bei blinked her big eyes and pulled a notebook out of her schoolbag: "Mom, I have a lot of little inventions. Do you think they can help the company?" Liu Lu took the notebook, flipped through a few pages at random, and found it filled with all sorts of strange drawings and symbols.

At first, she didn't pay much attention, thinking it was just a child's doodle, but upon closer inspection, she discovered that some of the ideas actually coincided with the research and development direction of new materials.

Liu Lu's heart skipped a beat. She handed the notebook to Engineer Sun: "Engineer Sun, take a look at this." Engineer Sun took the notebook, initially looking puzzled, but as he flipped through the pages, his expression gradually changed from puzzlement to surprise, and finally to excitement.

He suddenly looked up at Liu Lu, his eyes gleaming: "President Liu, this...this is simply a brilliant idea! Perhaps, we can give it a try..."

The atmosphere in the research and development room changed instantly, with the original oppression and frustration replaced by hope and excitement.

The engineers gathered around the laptop and began a lively discussion.

Liu Lu looked at her daughter, her eyes filled with emotion and pride.

Liu Bei shyly hid behind Liu Lu, revealing a sweet smile.

Just then, Liu Lu's phone rang.

She glanced at the caller ID; it was Reporter Zhou…

"Mr. Liu, hello, I'm Zhou Min, a reporter from Caijing Weekly. I'd like to conduct an exclusive interview with you and your group..."

Reporter Zhou's report swept through the business world like a spring breeze, and the name of Liu Lu Group became a hot topic overnight.

Investors seemed to smell the scent of wealth and flocked to Liu Lu Group, expressing a strong desire to invest.

President Zhao, who had previously been cautious about Liu Lu Group's expansion plans, completely changed his mind after seeing the public opinion and the group's strong R&D momentum.

He personally visited Liu Lu, not only approving the previous loan application but also proactively increasing the loan amount, and expressed his full confidence in the future of Liu Lu's group.

In front of the office building of Liu Lu Group, Liu Lu, dressed in a smart business suit, looked at the crowds coming and going with a confident smile on her face.

She knew that she and the group had successfully withstood the test and won market recognition.

Those who had once doubted, ridiculed, or even waited to see her fail now showed expressions of surprise and envy. They never imagined that this seemingly weak woman possessed such strong resilience and courage.

A few days later, a grand business dinner was held in the city center.

Liu Lu attended the event with her daughter, Liu Bei.

The banquet was brightly lit, and well-dressed business elites mingled and chatted amiably.

Liu Lu stood gracefully on the stage and introduced Liu Bei's contributions to the group's new material research and development.

Liu Bei, dressed in a pretty little dress, stood gracefully beside Liu Lu, her face beaming with a confident smile.

Thunderous applause and endless exclamations of praise erupted from the audience.

Liu Bei nestled shyly beside Liu Lu, the mother and daughter sharing this glorious moment.

With ample funding and groundbreaking technology, Liu Lu Group's new products are about to be launched.

All preliminary preparations are complete, and the product is just waiting to be officially launched to the market.

However, the international market is highly competitive and constantly changing. Whether a new product can gain a foothold in the international market and win the favor of consumers remains to be seen.

Standing before the floor-to-ceiling window of her office, overlooking the city's dazzling night view, Liu Lu took a deep breath and murmured to herself, "This is just the beginning..." She picked up her phone and dialed a number, "Hello, is this Mr. Williams? Our new product..."