-20- Seaweed
"Have you figured out what to do about the factory?" Zhao Jinghuan forced the question out of her throat, primarily to lighten the mood. She didn't really expect Lu Kai to give a concrete answer. Unexpectedly, Lu Kai nodded. "I've figured it out." He paused for a moment before speaking again, clearly a difficult decision. "I thought about asking Dorasi to come up with a new batch of designs. We'll find another factory to make them, and put them online in August when the Mini Awards are announced. If we can do it earlier, of course it would be even better. We won't touch the original batch from Mr. Zhou for now, and we'll still put it in December. There's a four-month gap between the two batches of products. Although it's a bit short, it's not completely impossible." Zhao Jinghuan was stunned for a moment: "If we make another new batch, the cost will be even higher. Do we have to reduce the quantity?" "No, we'll still make 30,000. Otherwise, the banners will be in vain." Zhao Jinghuan frowned at him: "For the tomato banner, right?" Lu Kai smiled helplessly: "It was just a joke. But if we say we'll make 30,000, we have to make 30,000. So it doesn't matter if the cost is a little higher. We've already decided to go to Liangshan. It doesn't make any difference whether we kill one or 108." Zhao Jinghuan shook her head, saying that the difference was quite big: "Killing 108 people is not called going to Liangshan, that's called killing those on Liangshan." She paused, "No, that's called killing everyone who goes down Liangshan, killing everyone who goes down Liangshan." Lu Kai laughed again, but this time he found her jokes funny. He looked up at Zhao Jinghuan and found that her expression seemed even more solemn than his. Lu Kai asked her what was wrong. Zhao Jinghuan said it was nothing, but after a while she added: "I just suddenly felt that, five million, you took such a big risk, just because... you like trendy toys?" Lu Kai said that he did like trendy toys: "But... it doesn't seem to be because of this." "Why is that?" Lu Kai didn't seem to have thought about this question carefully. He thought for a long time before saying: "It's a bit like... living life..." "Living life?" Lu Kai nodded: "Yes, living life. My mother likes to say that the most important thing for people is to live life. But it's hard to live a life that is always upward, probably always ups and downs. So my mother said that the most important part of life is not to move forward, but to move forward." He said: "Then I think that making trendy toys is also a kind of life." Lu Kai said: Life is life anyway, getting married and having children is living, killing and arson... killing and arson are not okay. He paused. "Traveling is also living, working from nine to five is also living, starting a business is also living..."
"Have you figured out what to do about the factory?" Zhao Jinghuan asked this question, mainly to ease the current atmosphere. She didn't really expect Lu Kai to give any specific answer.
Unexpectedly, Lu Kai nodded: "I've thought about it."
He said he had thought it over, but paused for a moment before speaking again. It was obvious that this was a difficult decision.
"I'm thinking of having Dorasi come up with a new batch of designs. We'll find another factory to make them, and have them ready for release in August, when the Mini Awards are announced. Even earlier would be even better. Mr. Zhou's original batch won't be moved for now, and will still be released in December. There's a four-month gap between the two batches, which is a bit short, but it's not completely impossible."
Zhao Jinghuan was stunned for a moment: "If we make another batch, won't the cost be even higher? Should we reduce the quantity?"
"No need to reduce it. We'll still make 30,000. Otherwise, the banners will be wasted."
Zhao Jinghuan frowned at him and said, "For the tomato banner, huh?"
Lu Kai smiled helplessly, "It was just a joke. But if we say we'll make 30,000, we'll make 30,000. It doesn't matter if the cost is a little higher. We've already decided to go to Liangshan, so killing one or 108 people won't make any difference."
Zhao Jinghuan shook her head, saying the difference was significant: "Killing 108 people isn't called going up to Liangshan, that's called killing people going up to Liangshan." She paused, "No, that's called killing people going down Liangshan, killing everyone in Liangshan."
Lu Kai laughed again, this time because he found her joke funny. He looked up at Zhao Jinghuan and found that her expression seemed even more solemn than his. Lu Kai asked her what was wrong. Zhao Jinghuan said it was nothing, but after a while she added:
"I just suddenly thought, five million, you're taking such a big risk, just because... you like trendy things?"
Lu Kai said that he really liked trendy toys: "But... it doesn't seem to be because of this."
"Why is that?"
Lu Kai didn't seem to have thought about this question carefully. He thought for a long time before saying, "It's a bit like... living life..."
"Live life?"
Lu Kai nodded. "Yes, living. My mom likes to say that the most important thing for a person is to live. But it's hard to always be positive in life. There are always ups and downs. So my mom says that the most important part of life is not to move forward, but to move forward."
He said: "Then I think making trendy toys is also a way of living."
Lu Kai said, "Life is life anyway. Getting married and having children is life, and murder and arson... murder and arson are not acceptable." He paused and said, "Traveling is life, working from nine to five is life, and starting a business selling trendy toys is also life."
Lu Kai said, "I'm not sure what Dorasi is thinking, but Wanfeng, Fanqie, and I aren't the kind of people who are particularly passionate. We're not the kind of people who hold up big banners, shout out our dreams, and charge forward relentlessly. We chose to make trendy toys, as if, just because we happen to be able to do it.
He turned his head and looked at the display case that hadn't been moved yet. "Fashionable toys are, after all, just toys. It doesn't make sense to say that designing toys is important or noble. So I always feel that our efforts in making trendy toys are the same as those who work hard, travel hard, and deliver food."
"Few people consider working, delivering food, or traveling to be noble or necessary, but some people do them seriously and diligently. They don't do it for any particularly inspiring or noble reasons, nor are they necessarily aiming for grand, glorious results. They strive to move forward simply because...
"That's how life is."
"It's like God scatters seeds on the ground. If you find yourself a tree, you grow tall. If you find yourself a flower, you become fragrant. And I'm the entrepreneur of a trendy toy studio. I have a great opportunity in front of me. I need 5 million to touch this good opportunity, and I just happen to have 5 million..."
Lu Kai shrugged, trying to conclude: "So, it's not that making trendy toys is worth my risking 5 million, but rather that the very act of 'moving forward' is worth the risk."
He paused here, as if he were savoring what he had just said. He gradually felt that he had said too much and it was a bit disorganized, and for a moment he felt a little embarrassed:
"I, I didn't speak very well."
Zhao Jinghuan shook her head. For a long time, she'd been baffled by this question. She considered herself a hard worker, studying and taking exams seriously, even putting in her utmost effort delivering food. Yet, she always felt her efforts were meaningless.
It was just studying, taking exams, and delivering takeout. In a broader sense, she had not made any outstanding contribution to the progress of civilization and the development of history. In a narrower sense, it seemed that she did not really like these things.
Even now, she has become a member of Waikiki Studio and even Dorama Star. She likes this job, likes Sister Zou Dorasi, and also likes Lu Kai Tomato Evening Breeze. She likes these new colleagues and new friends she has just met who are not very reliable. She enjoys spending time with them, but Zhao Jinghuan occasionally still thinks that Lu Kai, Dorasi and others are fighting for their dreams and realizing their life goals.
But what about myself? Why am I trying so hard to stay with them?
She had discussed this with Ji Anya, who had laughed and said, "What's the point of being blind? We're all just blind, living in chaos." Zhao Jinghuan could only force a dry smile, but she could vaguely sense the contradiction: Perhaps most of the time, we're muddle-headed, drifting with the flow, but there must be a time or two in everyone's life, or a moment or two, when we decide to give it our all.
What we did at that time could be big and glorious, or it could be small or even ridiculous. It could be just like what Lu Feng said, going to work, preparing a travel plan, getting a driver's license, delivering food, writing fan fiction, or even performing a show at the graduation party.
These things seem very everyday and unimportant, but if they are meaningless, then wouldn't it be ridiculous for us to work so hard and so seriously? So it must exist, it's just not specific enough, and most of the time there is no need to explain it clearly.
But it must exist.
Zhao Jinghuan was not a smart person. She did not understand many things, and it was even more difficult for her to explain them clearly. But tonight, she liked the answer Lu Kai gave her very much.
Forward does not necessarily mean upward.
Moving forward is the meaning itself.
She looked at Lu Kai seriously: "No, you spoke very well. Very well."
Lu Kai felt a little shy because of Zhao Jinghuan's serious attitude. He scratched the tip of his nose and avoided Zhao Jinghuan's gaze: "I, what I said is not that good." Lu Kai was a little at a loss. After a moment, he suddenly stretched without warning and too deliberately.
"I'm so tired... How about we take a five-minute break, relax, and then finish packing these last few boxes in one go. I'll go home and sleep."
Zhao Jinghuan nodded and said okay. She pulled out a cushion from behind her and threw it to Lu Kai: "Then let's take a five-minute break."
Lu Kai was lying on the ground, using a cushion as a pillow. He must have been very tired and sleepy. At first, he just wanted to avoid Zhao Jinghuan's gaze. However, after closing his eyes for only a few seconds, he began to snore softly and fell into a deep sleep.
Zhao Jinghuan, who was leaning on the sofa bed, did not sleep. She looked at Lu Kai lying on the floor. The light from above his head fell, highlighting his handsome profile.
Zhao Jinghuan straightened up as if possessed by a ghost, then tiptoed out of bed. She approached Lu Kai like a thief, stopping when they were half a step apart. She bent over and looked at him intently.
She wasn't trying to do anything weird or embarrassing, but her heart was pounding like someone was giving her CPR.
Zhao Jinghuan's eyesight was not very good, but at this moment it seemed as if she had awakened some kind of superpower. She could even see the light hairs standing up on Lu Kai's fair skin. Those hairs swayed gently with Lu Kai's breathing, like soft water plants, which made Zhao Jinghuan feel itchy.
The cell phone in his arms suddenly rang. Zhao Jinghuan was so scared that he jumped back onto the sofa bed.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
