[Director's wife! Ahhhhh, the Cai Lang couple is actually a hidden Easter egg, it's so sweet!]

[So that's why Director Chen was so tolerant of Gossip Girl on the show; apparently, he'd had his eye on her all along.]

[Director Chen is henpecked; he falls silent as soon as Gossip Girl speaks.]

[What's going on? Is this a reality show for married couples? What is Chai Fei trying to do to get her presence on the show?]

[Please, the person upstairs, go look at the online poll for guest stars. Chai Fei is firmly in first place. Forget about her trying to get attention; even if she participated in a farming reality show, nobody could say anything against her.]

Director Chen added an explanation, "The program's finance manager is on sick leave, so Chai Fei is filling in and temporarily taking charge of the financial matters."

This explanation is redundant.

Regardless of what he said, the staff present and the vast number of netizens in the live broadcast room had already accepted the identity of director Chai Fei's wife.

Jiang Hexi, with great self-awareness, said, "I don't have a knack for making money, so I'm not qualified to speak on this. Next."

Yu Xiangwan then chimed in, "Don't look at me, everyone. I can't say anything meaningful if you do."

Chu Yang bluntly asked, "What do you three think about this?"

Xie Wanyi looked at the two big shots, waiting for them to speak first.

Yan Jie's request to borrow money was impromptu, and the proposed revenue item was not.

"The previous Thousand Family Banquet and mooncake marketing were very successful. Based on that, we are fully confident and capable of making Canglang Village's New Year's goods a hit across the entire internet."

Shen Yingyu convinced most of the production team with just one example:

"Last time, we only worked for about ten days to sell mooncakes, and our revenue reached 190,000 yuan. Not to mention the sales we did more than a month in advance for the New Year's shopping festival."

He declared confidently, "We can afford to borrow 200,000, and we can certainly repay it."

Chai Fei wasn't swayed by these words; she immediately asked, "What kind of New Year's goods do you plan to prepare?"

Yan Jie and Shen Yingyu have always been in charge of the overall direction, but the implementation of specific measures depends on the three business teams.

After receiving the glances from the two men, Jiang Hexi thought for a while before saying:

"For example, the local pork that is highly praised at the Thousand Family Banquet can be made into New Year's goods such as sausages and cured meats and sold online. Yellow beef, as a high-end gift, can be shipped via cold chain and become a good choice for giving as a gift during the Spring Festival."

Chu Yang often mingled with the old women under the camphor trees, and knew the village's specialties like the back of his hand:

“Every household in the village grows millet. According to Grandma Xiang, the rice cake made from millet flour is soft, chewy, and has the taste of the old New Year that she misses. This rice cake is different from the traditional rice cakes on the market. As a New Year's product, it will definitely sell out.”

"What I'm proposing here is a gift pack of dried apricots."

Yu Xiangwan continued:

"More than half of the orchards contracted out in the village are planted with apricots for Buddhist offerings. Anyone who has tasted these apricots will crave their sweet and sour flavor. We can launch a New Year's gift package containing apricot kernels, apricot kernels, dried apricots, and apricot preserves to see how the market reacts."

Chai Fei's mouth watered as she listened, and she interrupted their endless chatter:

How are the prices of New Year's goods determined?

"The goal is to build up the brand of Canglang Village's New Year's goods through low profit margins and high sales volume," Yan Jie replied crisply.

"Remember to bring me the project proposal later for review."

After explaining this matter, Chai Fei responsibly told Director Chen:

"This 200,000 yuan cannot be lent out; it must be used as an investment in the New Year's goods project and transferred to their account."

Director Chen remained silent with a gloomy face. Shen Yingyu slammed down his water glass and interrupted, "making the final decision":

"make a deal."

Laughter suddenly erupted from the stone house.

The assistant director had long coveted the business of the five chaebols, especially when they returned with bags full of souvenirs.

"Director, I support the finance department's decision."

"What's the use of your support? My word is law."

Director Chen gave him a harsh scolding, but when he turned to face Chai Fei, he immediately lost his temper: "Let's settle on this for now, and discuss the specific details later."

[I knew Director Chen was henpecked; he'd only manage a fart after holding it in for so long.]

[The five chaebols made a killing by getting something for nothing!]

I'm completely baffled as to whether Gossip Girl is friend or foe.

[Friend, didn't you see that the loan eventually turned into an investment?]

[They're enemies. The second-generation chaebols' New Year's goods business is incredibly profitable, and this gossip girl is just trying to get a piece of the pie for her husband.]

As evening fell, uncles and aunties came to Jiang Hexi's door with their shopping baskets, all wanting her to give them a haircut.

Jiang Hexi took out scissors and kept cutting around the courtyard with a "snip, snip" sound.

Li Youtian carried a bucket of water in and pushed through the queue, saying:

"Xi-mei, look what good things I brought you."

"Crab!"

Chu Yang squatted on the ground, looking at the crabs crawling around in the bucket, and said, "Uncle, where did you get these crabs? They're so big, they look like they weigh at least three or four ounces."

Yu Xiangwan used a bamboo pole to flip the crab over. "They're all female crabs."

"Let me see what kind of crab it is."

Jiang Hexi put down the clippers and came over, her eyes filled with surprise and delight:

"Uncle Youtian, where did you find these river crabs?"

"In the rocky beach downstream of the shallow water beach."

Li Youtian wiped the sweat from his forehead and whispered to them:

"If you want them, come with me quickly. The river crabs are big and fat at this time of year, and they taste incredibly delicious. If you go too late, the crabs will be caught by others."

This whispered remark was unfortunately uttered by Li Youtian's loud voice, becoming a secret heard by everyone in the courtyard.

Before Jiang Hexi could react, all the uncles and aunties waiting in line for haircuts said their goodbyes, making excuses to leave one by one, saying they would come again next time, but they had already slipped out of the stone courtyard and disappeared somewhere.

Jiang Hexi looked at the courtyard, which had been emptied in an instant, and muttered in dissatisfaction:

"These older folks have no sportsmanship at all."

Not wanting to be left behind, Chu Yang rushed into the house, shouting, "Uncle, besides the bucket and the net, what else do we need to get?"

Li Youtian shouted back, "Take whatever meat you have at home, chicken intestines would be best."

Jiang Hexi jumped into the van and quickly drove it to the door.

The few people who were still sitting inside drinking tea heard the car and, without a second thought, squeezed into the van.

Before Jiang Hexi could shoo them away, Chu Yang rushed over carrying buckets and a net, shouting repeatedly:

"Sis, hurry... hurry up and drive! If we're late, all the crabs will be caught by someone else!"

She had no time to waste, so she called Li Youtian and drove straight to Shitan.