She paused, her gaze sweeping over the villagers below the stage, and continued, "I still remember when the food workshop was first established, it was just Tingzhou and me, making sesame crisps in our own little courtyard. We would get up before dawn every day and work until late at night. At that time, many people didn't have high hopes for us, thinking that a 'widow' couldn't achieve anything. However, the commune secretary gave us support and helped us obtain a business license; the villagers trusted us and sold us their grain as raw materials; and the workers in the food workshop, they were not afraid of hardship or fatigue, and they made every pastry with their hearts... It is because of you that we have been able to get to where we are today."
“Now, our food workshop has more than 60 workers, most of whom are poor women from the surrounding villages. Before, they could only stay at home and work around the stove, without any income, and they had to be subservient to their families. Now, they work in the food workshop and can earn a stable salary every month, which not only allows them to support themselves and their children, but also to buy new clothes and furniture for their homes. They can stand tall again. Seeing the smiles on their faces, I feel that all the hard work has been worthwhile.”
Lin Wanqiu's voice gradually choked with emotion, and the villagers below the stage were also moved by her words, with many eyes welling up with tears. Li Xiulian wiped away her tears and whispered to the person next to her, "Director Lin is right. If it weren't for her, I would still be at home worrying about how to treat my husband's illness and how to send my children to school! She gave us a way to live and gave us hope!"
"We have many plans for the future," Lin Wanqiu said, composing herself. "We plan to expand our factory, add two more production lines, and hire another thirty workers so that more villagers can find employment near their homes. We will also continue to sponsor impoverished students, not only by paying their tuition but also by buying them school supplies so they can focus on their studies. We will develop more new products, combining them with the unique ingredients of our region to create more delicious and nutritious foods, and promote the 'Wanqiu Food Workshop' brand so that more people know about the good products from our region!"
Thunderous applause erupted from the audience and lasted for a long time. The regional leaders nodded in approval, expressing their support for Lin Wanqiu's plan. Sitting in the audience, Shen Tingzhou looked at his radiant wife on stage, his heart filled with pride and happiness—he knew that this woman not only supported their family but also carried the hopes of countless villagers.
After the commendation ceremony, Lin Wanqiu was surrounded by many attendees. Some were business leaders from other companies who wanted to exchange management experiences with her; others were distributors from other regions who wanted to sign supply contracts with her; and still others were reporters from local media who wanted to interview her about her entrepreneurial story. Lin Wanqiu patiently responded to each of them and even took out samples of "jujube paste and walnut cake" and "hawthorn cake" that she had brought, and shared them with everyone to taste.
"This jujube and walnut cake is delicious! It has a delicate texture, a rich jujube aroma, and the fragrance of walnuts. It's even better than what's sold in the city!" A distributor tasted a piece and praised it repeatedly. "Director Lin, our city's supply and marketing cooperative would like to sign a long-term supply contract with you. When would be a convenient time for us to discuss this in detail?"
"This hawthorn cake is also quite good, with a perfect balance of sweet and sour, it's appetizing and refreshing, and very suitable for the elderly and children!" another representative said. "Our company wants to purchase a batch as employee benefits, do you think we could get a discount?"
Lin Wanqiu smiled and said, "Thank you all for your recognition! My husband, Shen Tingzhou, will discuss the supply contracts and procurement details with everyone. He is in charge of sales and management at the food workshop and has more experience than me. We will definitely give you the most favorable prices and the highest quality products to ensure your satisfaction!"
Shen Tingzhou stepped forward, took the documents from Lin Wanqiu, and began discussing with the representatives. Lin Wanqiu then went to the villagers to share her joy at winning the award. Shen Nian'an ran over, hugged Lin Wanqiu's arm, and excitedly said, "Mom, your speech was wonderful! Our teachers all said you are the pride of our commune and a role model for us!"
Lin Wanqiu squatted down, patted Shen Nian'an's head, and said with a smile, "Nian'an, Mom just did what she should do. You must study hard and become a useful person to society in the future, so that you can help more people. That will make Mom proud."
"I will!" Shen Nian'an nodded vigorously, took a piece of paper from her schoolbag, and handed it to Lin Wanqiu. "Mom, this is the math competition registration form from school. My teacher recommended me to participate in the regional math competition. I want to register. Do you support me?"
Lin Wanqiu took the registration form and saw that it read "Regional Middle School Mathematics Competition," filling her with joy. She knew that Shen Nian'an was very talented in mathematics, always ranking first in her grade. She was sure he would achieve excellent results in this regional competition. "Of course, Mom supports you!" she said with a smile. "Don't worry, Mom will buy you the best review materials and study with you, striving to help you achieve great results in the competition!"
Shen Nian'an's eyes lit up, and she said excitedly, "Thank you, Mom! I will definitely work hard and try to win first prize, to bring honor to you and Dad, and to our food shop!"
After finishing his business negotiations, Shen Tingzhou walked over and overheard their conversation. He smiled and said, "Great! If Nian'an can win first prize, Dad will take you to Shanghai and buy you your favorite pen and notebook!"
"That's great! Thank you, Dad!" Shen Nian'an jumped up happily, hugged Shen Tingzhou's leg, and her face was full of anticipation.
As the sun set, golden rays bathed the road home. Lin Wanqiu sat on the back of a bicycle, clutching her certificate of honor and prize money, leaning against Shen Tingzhou's back, feeling his steady gait, her heart filled with peace and happiness. Shen Nian'an rode alongside them on a small bicycle, humming a cheerful tune and occasionally sharing anecdotes from school.
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