Chapter 140 The arrival of the inspection team: Welcoming the European delegation for their inspection, gradually...
The European delegation's visit was scheduled for early November.
During this period, Shi Wan had a rare moment of leisure.
Although it wasn't exactly a leisurely time either.
She and Xinglin took advantage of the last bit of good weather in summer to renovate all the cats on the farm.
Chen Xi and Lin Yao were also brought in to help.
Su Qing can't do it; she's too busy.
Then they also brought over Aunt Li from the warehouse and Aunt Zhang from the canteen.
Four dryers work together in the activity room.
It took almost a week to wash all the farm cats.
When she was washing up, Wan was so tired that she didn't dream at night and slept very soundly.
I did a live stream for a while, which attracted a bunch of laughing and mocking comments, saying that even the well-behaved kittens on the farm can be naughty when taking a bath.
Shi Wan was furious and embarrassed, and finally turned off the live stream, which attracted a lot of laughter and memes.
After washing the cat, she didn't rest. Miao Xing placed another big order. The order page on the system was long and had a lot of text. Shi Wan scrolled and scrolled until she reached the bottom.
She estimated that if she printed them all out, they could circle the Earth...
Cough, that's an exaggeration.
She and Xinglin went into the three remaining factories in Zone 1 and began producing the goods that Meow Star wanted according to the order requirements. Chen Xi passed by a few times and didn't think there was anything secret inside, but the way she looked at her and Xinglin was very strange.
Shi Wan remained expressionless and offered no explanation.
Garlic bird, garlic bird.
Mengmeng took three or four days to gather all the things Miaoxing needed. Shi Wan thought the delivery was quite fast this time, but when she asked Xinglin, she found out that he hadn't rested at night and had been here watching the delivery the whole time.
Shi Wan: ...
OK.
As usual, I sent a box of the new raw meat and bone product to the cat, and then packed and shipped all the goods.
As usual, I received another extremely long feedback letter from Elder Cat.
Shi Wan finally had some free time.
Before the inspection team arrived, Isabella had temporarily settled in the farm a week in advance with a thick stack of documents, and Su Qing also began working overtime.
"The guests this time include the chairman of the technical committee of the European Pet Food Association, along with two senior experts," Isabella explained in the conference room. "They are very interested in the data system, but their requirements are also very high. They not only want to see the demonstration but also review the source code to verify the reliability of the algorithm."
Shi Wan turned to look at Xing Lin.
He nodded, his face still showing confidence and composure. "Of course, I've already prepared the system architecture documentation, and the algorithm section has detailed comments. Test cases can also be run on-site."
"What about the production process?" Chen Xi asked, frowning. "They will definitely want to visit the production line."
“Prepare to the highest standards,” Shi Wan decided. “Su Qing, you’ll be in charge of the reception process and business coordination. Chen Xi will be responsible for a thorough cleaning and inspection of the production line and warehouse area. Lin Yao, you’ll be in charge of the promotional materials and product displays. Xing Lin and I will be in charge of the technical presentations.”
With a clear division of labor, the farm has once again entered a state of high-speed operation.
The day of the inspection was a clear and crisp autumn day.
Three black cars drove into the farm, accompanied by Isabella herself.
The delegation consisted of six people: three experts, two assistants, and one translator.
Leading the group was Dr. Hans Müller, a German gentleman in his sixties with meticulously combed gray hair and sharp eyes.
As soon as he got out of the car, he looked around and nodded slightly after noticing the farm's environment. He seemed very satisfied. "It's very clean and the layout is reasonable."
Shi Wan and her team greeted them.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the inspection officially began.
The first stop is the data control center.
Xinglin prepared a bilingual demonstration system that smoothly showcased the entire process from customer order placement to formula generation and production scheduling.
Dr. Muller observed very carefully and would occasionally ask questions.
How can data security be guaranteed?
"Multi-layered encryption and access control are employed. Customer privacy data is stored separately, production data and analytical data are separated, and regular security audits are conducted, in compliance with international data protection standards."
What is the algorithm's bias rate?
"The nutritional deviation of the recommended formula on the known dataset is controlled within plus or minus five percent. In actual production, it can be further optimized through manual verification and customer feedback."
How does the system handle differences in nutritional standards across different countries?
"We have established a multi-national standards database that automatically adapts to local standards based on the customer's location. Currently, it supports the three major standards systems of China, Europe, and the United States, and standards for other regions are being added."
Every question was answered professionally and accurately.
Dr. Muller's face gradually showed an expression of approval.
Next, we will visit the production line.
This part was personally explained by Chen Xi, from the quarantine process for raw materials entering the warehouse to the temperature and humidity control in the production process, and then to the testing standards for finished products. Every detail was impeccable.
Dr. Muller even personally inspected the operating records of the ultra-high pressure sterilization equipment, compared the process parameters and test results, and finally nodded in satisfaction, saying, "The process control is very rigorous."
Finally, there was the product tasting session.
Lin Yao prepared an exquisite display stand, with samples of different formulas placed in transparent containers, accompanied by nutritional analysis and raw material traceability information.
The taste testers brought by the delegation were a standard German Shepherd and a British Shorthair cat.
Staff opened the samples on site, and both animals ate them with great relish.
After finishing its meal, the shorthaired cat even rubbed against the staff member's hand and purred contentedly.
Dr. Mueller carefully observed the animals' reactions, reviewed the test report, and finally looked at Shi Wan.
"Ms. Shi, your system has impressed me, but I'd like to know, if we introduce it to Europe, how will you guarantee continued quality control and technical support?"
This is the most crucial issue.
Fortunately, Shi Wan was prepared. "We plan to set up a technical support center in Europe, with Isabella Studio in charge of the initial operation. Key technical personnel will be stationed there regularly, and remote system maintenance and algorithm upgrades will be handled by our headquarters. As for raw materials, we will establish direct cooperation with organic farms in Europe to ensure quality while controlling costs."
She paused and added, "Furthermore, we are willing to open up some system interfaces and cooperate with local nutrition research institutions in Europe to improve the algorithm model. Pet nutrition is a science that requires global wisdom to build together."
This answer clearly impressed Dr. Muller.
He paused for a moment, then extended his hand. "Ms. Shi, I think we can discuss the details of our collaboration more deeply."
The inspection lasted all day.
It was already evening when the meeting ended, and Shi Wan arranged for the delegation to have dinner at the farm's restaurant.
Dinner featured a menu designed by Xinglin, combining Chinese and Western elements, including familiar dishes for European guests as well as exquisite Chinese specialties.
The atmosphere at the dinner table became much more relaxed.
Dr. Muller even discussed technical details with Xinglin. The two communicated quickly in English, occasionally interspersed with German terminology, leaving the others bewildered.
Isabella whispered to Shi Wan, "Dr. Mueller is very picky and rarely approves of a project like this. I think this collaboration is likely to be successful."
Shi Wan felt a huge weight lifted off her shoulders, but she remained calm on the surface. "I still want to thank you for your introduction and preparations."
Isabella was in high spirits. "That's because we are the best partners and friends."
After dinner, the delegation left, and the farm returned to its quiet state.
Shi Wan stood at the entrance of the main house, watching the taillights of the convoy disappear into the distance, and let out a long sigh of relief.
"Tired?" Xinglin walked to her side.
"It's tiring, but worth it." Shi Wan turned to look at him. "Thanks to you today, I was able to answer the technical questions verbatim, but I couldn't answer their questions."
“You’ll handle the strategy, and I’ll handle the technology,” Xing Lin said gently. “We work together very well.”
It's really good.
Shi Wan thought that she and Xing Lin had cooperated perfectly throughout the entire day's inspection.
She talks about concepts and plans, he talks about technology and details; she deals with business issues, he answers professional questions.
The two don't even need to make eye contact to know when it's time for someone to speak.
This kind of tacit understanding cannot be established overnight.
This joy transcends life and emotions; it's a sense of synchronization from a soul-to-soul connection.
Just like the perfect harmony between the left and right hands.
“Xinglin,” Shi Wan said softly, “once the cooperation with Europe is finalized, and once the farm is more stable, we…”
She paused, as if gathering her courage.
Xinglin gazed at her quietly, just as he had always done before.
“…We can try.” Shi Wan finally said, her voice soft but clear, “Try to be more than just friends.”
The evening breeze blowing along the riverbank carries the scent of the distant fields.
Xinglin didn't speak immediately, but just looked at her for a very long time.
Then he reached out and touched the back of her hand very, very lightly.
It wasn't a grasp, just a light touch with the fingertips, as if afraid of disturbing something.
"Okay." His voice was a little hoarse. "It's my pleasure."
Shi Wan's face flushed in the night, but she did not dodge the touch.
Instead, she gently turned her palm over, letting her fingertips touch his.
A very light touch, a very brief pause.
But both of them understood that this was just the beginning.
On the windowsill, Tangyuan squatted there, watching the two people in the yard, its tail swaying gently.
The mountain wind patrolled past, paused for a moment beside the two, and then continued on its way.
In the activity room, Rou Rou and the kittens were asleep.
Jin Dian arrived a little late today. He slipped in nimbly and skillfully, went straight to the activity room, and then lay down contentedly in front of the glass window.
The night breeze swept across the farm, carrying the lingering fragrance of osmanthus blossoms.
Autumn insects chirped softly in the grass, and stars twinkled in the deep blue sky.
It was a very nice night.
The letter of intent for cooperation from Europe was formally delivered the following week after the site visit.
Shi Wan opened the heavy envelope in her office. The pale yellow paper was printed with the logo of the European Pet Food Association, as well as terms in German, English, and Chinese.
Su Qing stood opposite her, so nervous she almost held her breath.
"They really agreed..." Shi Wan read the document word by word, her voice filled with barely suppressed excitement, "Technology transfer, joint research and development, exclusive agency in the European market... all the conditions are better than we expected!"
Su Qing finally breathed a sigh of relief, and, unusually, slumped onto the sofa, completely losing her composure. "My God, I haven't had a full night's sleep in the past two weeks, afraid that I might say something wrong and ruin the cooperation. Dr. Muller is such a meticulous person; he even scrutinizes punctuation marks for ages."
She couldn't help but complain, "This is exactly the kind of stereotype I have about Germans..."
Shi Wan listened to her complaints with a smile, carefully putting away the documents while looking up at Su Qing, "You've worked hard. Once things stabilize, you won't miss out on your vacation and bonus. Once this cooperation is finalized, the farm's landscape will be completely different. We need to be prepared to at least triple our production capacity."
“I’m already making contingency plans,” Su Qing said, sitting up straight and getting back into work mode. “The production line in Zone 2 is already in full swing. We also need to take care of our own shops and other cooperative orders. We can’t favor one over the other. A lot of old customers online are waiting for new products, especially after winning the award. The customer service department’s reports are full of messages urging us to hurry up every day.”
“However, based on the order forecasts from Europe, we may need to add some more production lines. Manager Chen is already looking at land plots; the land on the east side of the farm can be expanded into this area.”
Just then, Chen Xi knocked and came in, holding a tablet computer. "President Shi, Manager Su, I've finished the preliminary plan for the third-phase production line. It will cover approximately 2,000 square meters, including two new production lines and a 5,000-ton cold storage facility. The budget is here, and the construction period is six months. Also, there's this land..."
"You don't need to worry about the land, I'll handle that. You just need to contact the construction company directly, and I'll give you an answer in a week."
As Shi Wan spoke, she took the tablet and quickly browsed through the planning map and budget sheet.
The numbers were large, but she was confident.
The collaboration with Europe has brought not only orders, but also brand premium and capital attention; several investment institutions have already contacted her.
Without much hesitation, she said, "Chen Xi, you're in full charge. Just contact me if you need anything."
Chen Xi nodded, "Okay, Mr. Shi. Also, the raw meat and bone project has received a formal invitation to the Global Pet Nutrition Innovation Award. The award ceremony will be held in Munich, Germany, on the 15th of next month."
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