Chapter 128 (December 28th)
The person who came to us was the owner of a small children's amusement park in another city.
He was visiting the scenic area with his family when he happened to see this stunning water puppet show. After the performance, he went through various channels with the water theater staff to express his desire to meet the backstage crew, saying he had a business deal to discuss.
The staff initially didn't take it seriously and politely declined, but the gentleman came back the next day, speaking very sincerely.
And so, this matter inexplicably ended up with Song Meina.
Su Jun didn't understand the boss's cooperation needs at first. Upon hearing the word "technology transfer," he frowned deeply, feeling that this person was extremely rude. How could he easily transfer something he had spent so much effort researching?
He was about to ask Song Meina to turn this person down, but Lu Xiaoqi thought of something and made a decision: "Okay, then let's meet and chat, it won't hurt us."
She turned to Su Jun: "Let's see what he's up to?"
After Qinghe Ancient Town gained fame, it also encountered numerous business battles, with its competitors primarily using poaching tactics. Song Wu Sao was poached, as were the carpenters from Xiangjia Village, the weavers and embroiderers, not to mention Zhao Feiyan and Li Guinian, who were always in the spotlight.
However, due to special circumstances and the genuine generosity of Qinghe Ancient Town, these competitors never succeeded. On the contrary, two of the previously outsourced intangible cultural heritage workshops in District 5 were poached. But Lu Xiaoqi didn't care; these things couldn't shake her foundation.
Now that she's met someone who's openly discussing cooperation, her curiosity has been piqued, and she wants to meet them.
Since she had said so, Su Jun readily agreed: "Then let's meet him and hear his thoughts."
Lu Xiaoqi, feeling playful, said, "I'll be your assistant then."
She wanted to see if this boss was also trying to poach her.
Su Jun: "...Okay."
So, Mr. Su took his newly appointed assistant to meet this boss surnamed Wang.
"...It's amazing! Mr. Su, to be honest, the moment I saw this performance, an idea immediately popped into my head!" Boss Wang was very enthusiastic towards Su Jun, shaking his hands as soon as they met and then showering him with praise. It was clear that he really liked the water puppet show. "The technique and the effects are just as good as those shows in big theme parks."
Mr. Wang came to Qinghe Ancient Town for the scenery. He knew there would be performances, but he expected various song and dance performances with people as the main focus. He watched these performances with great interest, but he had no other thoughts. He runs a children's amusement park, which is completely unrelated to his main business.
But he didn't expect to see such a spectacular water puppet show, with all the machinery and visual effects rivaling those of foreign IP theme parks, making it highly entertaining.
Mr. Wang didn't mince words. After offering a few compliments, he got straight to the point: he wanted to collaborate with Su Jun to bring this project to his amusement park.
“Of course, I don’t need it that big,” he said, getting more and more excited. “We can make a themed pool, a little smaller, that kids will definitely love! Parents will be willing to pay for it, and it’s much better than ordinary shadow puppet shows or children’s puppet shows!”
Nowadays, parents are willing to spend money on their children, especially on "novel experiences" that are both entertaining and educational, and can also be shared on social media. This performance can teach mechanical knowledge, and the theme is a historical event. As long as it is well promoted, a lot of parents will buy tickets with the idea of broadening their children's horizons and teaching them about mechanics.
Yes, we could hold a mini-lesson on mechanical knowledge after the performance to teach the children how these machines work.
Mr. Wang's eyes lit up more and more as he thought about it: "Mr. Su, what do you think? We can have an exclusive partnership, and the fees are absolutely negotiable!"
After listening, Su Jun frowned slightly. Having heard the details, he felt the idea seemed quite feasible...
Before he could speak, his "assistant" spoke first:
"Mr. Wang, you have such great ideas!" Lu Xiaoqi praised him without reservation.
She thought this Mr. Wang was a talented person, and she needed to learn from his idea of a mechanical mini-classroom.
"Moreover, even parents will find this effect amazing."
Mr. Wang slapped his thigh: "Really! It's suitable for all ages, which will make it easier to sell tickets."
Lu Xiaoqi asked curiously, "If I may ask, in your vision, in which price range do you plan to set the ticket price?"
Mr. Wang glanced at her with some suspicion. He hadn't expected this assistant to be so enthusiastic and talkative. "A lot of talking is good! It'll be a good opportunity to chat and build rapport."
"It can't be too high, or parents won't be willing. For a performance that lasts about ten minutes, an average ticket price of fifty or sixty yuan would be better." Mr. Wang pondered for a moment and gave a figure, as the purchasing power in his city was still quite good.
"Our park is mainly located in second-tier cities, targeting the family market, and the foot traffic is very considerable on weekends and holidays... In terms of investment, we can start with a pilot pool, with a budget of around this amount," he gestured. "As for operation, it can be sold separately or as a featured attraction in the all-inclusive ticket..."
Lu Xiaoqi agreed: "Setting the price too high is indeed not good, as it only allows you to make money in the short term. But setting it too low is also not good, as you have to cover the costs within the cycle."
Mr. Wang immediately recognized her as a kindred spirit: "You're right!"
Next, Lu Xiaoqi kept asking about the current market situation. Although Boss Wang felt that his assistant was being a bit too active, her questions were all on point, and he was happy to explain his business ideas.
The two had a very pleasant conversation.
After a thorough discussion, Mr. Wang left a letter of intent for cooperation and departed satisfied.
As soon as the person left, Su Jun looked at Lu Xiaoqi and couldn't help but chuckle: "You certainly asked very detailed questions."
He asked, "You want to agree to Boss Wang's offer?"
Lu Xiaoqi looked into his eyes and asked him, "You don't want to?"
Su Jun hesitated for a moment: "It's not that I'm unwilling..."
He wasn't stupid; he and his team could make a fortune this way. But he also had his concerns.
"Are you worried that if there are similar performances outside, it will create competition for Qinghe Ancient Town and have a negative impact?" Lu Xiaoqi interrupted him, immediately seeing through his thoughts based on their mutual understanding. "Actually, it doesn't matter."
Su Jun was about to say something when she raised her hand to stop him: "I'm not just being polite, listen to me first."
She stood up, walked to the window, and pointed to the still bustling scenic area outside: "In this day and age, today there is Boss Wang, tomorrow there may be Boss Li or Boss Zhang. Your skills and your creativity, as long as they are performed in public, will definitely be targeted, and even imitated and copied. At that time, shoddy water puppets and mechanical shows may spring up everywhere."
Su Jun agreed, recalling another scenic spot he had seen on a video platform that imitated the mythical bird and the sun chariot, which he found utterly cringe-worthy.
Many types of performances and hospitality practices in Qinghe Ancient Town have been copied by various places, but these imitations ultimately lack the essence and are far inferior to the originals.
"Can you sue them one by one? Even if you could, it would be time-consuming and exhausting. In the end, the public might be more prejudiced against the inferior imitations." Lu Xiaoqi turned around, looking at him intently. "In that case, why don't we take the initiative?"
Collaborating with someone like Mr. Wang isn't simply about selling technology; it's about us providing core technical standards, art direction, and brand licensing. And we still get paid in return.
Aren't many companies making money just from franchise fees?
She remembered something, looked up, and asked, "You hold the patent rights, right?"
Su Jun nodded: "All the applications that needed to be submitted have been submitted."
Qinghe Ancient Town has its own legal department, and it is not one to back down when it comes to these issues. It has long reminded relevant parties to protect their rights.
“That’s absolutely possible.” Lu Xiaoqi had already thought it through a lot. “We’ll lead the collaborative development, preserve the core cultural essence, and seize the market first. Who knows, we might even be able to build a cultural brand in the future, and this would also be part of cultural promotion.”
If Mr. Wang can come up with a mini-lesson on mechanical knowledge, why can't he also talk about the history of puppet shows in the Northern Song Dynasty?
“If we promote it, puppetry might take root in this era and become a new art form. As for your concerns…” Her gaze softened suddenly: “I believe you will have more innovations. By the time it's widely available, our themes might have already changed.”
Moreover, Qinghe Ancient Town has its own core advantages and does not rely solely on a single performance.
If possible, she hopes that the wonderful performances in the ancient town can go out and perform on a bigger stage.
Su Jun looked at the light shining in her eyes and let Lu Xiaoqi say a lot, but in the end, all he remembered was that sentence, "I believe in you." She believed in his abilities, and her trust and understanding of him were so thorough that they even surpassed his own current perspective.
Like a feather, it gently brushed against his heart, bringing a tingling, throbbing sensation.
Su Jun took a deep breath, suppressing the unusual turmoil in his heart caused by her. The corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up, revealing a smile that was deeper and more genuine than usual, a smile that carried relief, admiration, and a hint of tenderness that was hard to detect.
"You've convinced me." His voice was lower and softer than usual, with a slight, teasing smile. "Since the assistant thinks it's feasible, let's do it your way."
Lu Xiaoqi couldn't help but chuckle as she recalled her pretense of identity and her earlier overstepping of boundaries.
She put her hands behind her back and raised her chin: "Of course, President Su, haven't I been a good assistant? Shouldn't you consider giving me a raise?"
Su Jun's smile deepened as he readily played along, even feigning seriousness for a moment before saying, "Hmm, Assistant Lu has a keen eye, quick thinking, and excellent negotiation skills; she's truly a rare talent. As for a raise..."
He deliberately dragged out his words, watching Lu Xiaoqi's eyes widen expectantly before slowly continuing, "If the subsequent cooperation goes smoothly, we'll consider giving Assistant Lu a share of the profits."
Lu Xiaoqi immediately laughed, her eyes crinkling: "That's more like it."
After she left the water theater, she remembered that the new technologies owned by Su Jun and his team were nominally registered under the name of Qinghe Ancient Town. According to their contract, if there were any profits from this part in the future, Qinghe Ancient Town could receive 15% of the profits.
In other words, he should have received a share of the profits in the first place.
Lu Xiaoqi clicked her tongue. This guy really knows how to twist concepts; he's even learned to get something for nothing. He's getting more and more cunning!
Thinking this, a smile appeared in his eyes.
......
The water puppet show was put on trial for three days, and it was finally decided that there would be two shows a day, one during the day and one at night. It was also included as a separate paid attraction in the all-day pass.
After watching the evening show, Zhou Tianran and his two companions felt it was more stunning, combining sound and light effects. This was a consensus among them, hence the evening shows were priced higher than daytime shows.
They spent three or four days in Qinghe Ancient Town, and it wasn't until the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month that they said goodbye to Lu Xiaoqi and embarked on their journeys home.
Lu Xiaoqi was very reluctant to part ways. The four of them got along well in college and there was no backstabbing or exclusion like in other dormitories. It's just that they came from different places and scattered to the four corners of the world after graduation. It's really not easy for them to get together now.
Everyone took turns going up and hugging her.
"It's a deal, once your hotel opens, we'll stay for half a month. Don't complain about us then."
"Then I'll have to stay for a month."
Lu Xiaoqi laughed: "Okay, I wouldn't mind staying for a year or two. I definitely have to come then."
A few days ago, she picked them up one by one from the high-speed rail station, and now she's seeing them off one by one. It's hard not to feel a little sad. It seems that as people mature, they have to face one farewell after another.
However, when she returned to Qinghe Ancient Town and saw that everyone who was free was gathered in the kitchen of Song Sao Fish Restaurant steaming flower buns, the lively atmosphere immediately struck her.
Lu Xiaoqi immediately smiled and asked, "What are you doing?"
She likes the feeling of everyone getting together.
Zhang Ying turned around and waved cheerfully at her: "Miss Lu, we're steaming flower buns with Master Fan Zheng!"
Lu Xiaoqi asked curiously, "Guanmai Hall doesn't have any patients today?"
The number of employees at Guanmaitang is increasing, but the clinic is never idle. Appointments with Zhang Zhongjing and Imperial Physician Gao are released half a month in advance and are highly sought after. The newly arrived Doctor Zhuang, who mainly treats broken bones and sprains, is also gradually gaining a reputation and has a steady stream of patients.
They actually have time to come here to knead dough and steam flower buns?
Lu Xiaoqi spotted several doctors in the crowd and was deeply puzzled.
Zhang Ying explained with a smile, "Today is the 28th of the twelfth lunar month. Dr. Zhang said that our clinic has been working too hard recently, so we're giving them a few days off in advance."
Guanmaitang will be closed during the Spring Festival. They can have a full twenty days off! It's like making up for all the holidays they missed due to overtime work. Zhang Ying is very happy. She plans to sleep in all day, then read novels and play games to catch up on everything she missed!
Lu Xiaoqi nodded and said, "Of course, of course."
Guanmaitang had indeed been working overtime quite a bit before.
"Why are we steaming flower-shaped buns today?"
Fan Zheng raised her head, her face now more serene, and smiled, "On the 28th of the twelfth lunar month, we make rice cakes, steam buns, and decorate with paper flowers. This is a tradition in our area. I chatted with some people today and found that it is the same in many places."
She would come to the fish restaurant every two days to help Sister Song make pastries. Today, while chatting with Sister Song, she mentioned this old tradition, which unexpectedly stirred up many people's memories and interest.
"Yes, yes! Our house was so lively on this day when I was a kid!"
"The steamed buns should all be dotted with red dots, it looks nice and is auspicious!"
"It's not like that where I'm from. It's the age of twenty-eight, when we wash ourselves clean."
"We're going to make rice cakes and fried dough twists."
After a while, someone suggested it, and the kitchen staff spontaneously organized themselves. Sister-in-law Song Wu generously provided plenty of flour, glutinous rice flour, red dates, and red bean paste. Those who wanted to make rice cakes made rice cakes, and those who wanted to make flower-shaped steamed buns made flower-shaped steamed buns.
Fan Zheng was naturally the technical instructor. She was unbeatable in both rice and wheat products. Her skillful hands, which could create "Wangchuan Scenery", made flower buns even more lifelike. Dragons, phoenixes, carp, peaches, ingots... all kinds of shapes quickly took shape at her fingertips, which drew gasps of amazement from the crowd, who gathered around to learn.
Thus, the lively scene that Lu Xiaoqi witnessed upon her return unfolded—not only the people from Guanmaitang who were on holiday, but also the off-duty employees of the fish restaurant, nearby shopkeepers with nothing to do, and even the residents of District 4 who had come to see what was happening, all joined in. Those who knew how to do it helped those who didn't, the experienced chefs taught the younger ones, and everyone laughed and joked, creating a warm yet chaotic scene.
The air was filled with the sweet aroma of flour and the steaming heat rising from the steamer, and the laughter and chatter almost lifted the roof off.
Even Zhang Zhongjing rolled up his sleeves and followed Fan Zheng's example to sculpt little rabbits. Although the finished product was somewhat abstract, he enjoyed it immensely.
Lu Xiaoqi quickly washed her hands. She wasn't very good at kneading dough, but it was worthwhile to practice. She saw Su Jun and Sister-in-law Song standing together, so she joined them.
As soon as they arrived, they heard Sister-in-law Song asking Su Jun, "What was your feeling like?"
Su Jun looked somewhat troubled, struggling to organize his thoughts: "It's hard to describe... It's like at some point, you suddenly feel that things are starting to look clearer, you know you're on the right track, and everything becomes clear..."
It's very mysterious; it can be understood but not explained.
Lu Xiaoqi immediately realized that he was talking about her upgrade.
Sister-in-law Song sighed, "I don't have that moment yet."
Su Jun comforted her, "It's alright, you'll understand when that day comes. It shouldn't be long."
In his view, Sister-in-law Song has been working diligently and constantly improving her cooking skills, and one day she will meet the system's requirements.
Sister-in-law Song was not so optimistic. She kneaded the dough while frowning and said, "If it were just about being diligent, I should have arrived long ago."
Isn't she hardworking? She practically treats the kitchen like her own home, single-handedly transforming what was originally a fast-food-sized fish restaurant into the grand restaurant it is today. Isn't that hardworking enough? Sister-in-law Song's eyes went black.
Lu Xiaoqi was then shocked to realize the impact Su Jun's upgrade progress had had on everyone!
She originally thought that SSR, SR, and R cards were just classifications based on historical popularity, and that there wasn't much difference between them except for the scope of events. She even thought SSR cards had a more disadvantageous three-year time limit. She was surprised that everyone actually valued this and wanted to upgrade.
"Originally, it really didn't matter." Sister-in-law Song gave Su Jun a resentful look. "But now that I see someone else has made a breakthrough, I'm getting itchy to do the same!"
So it turns out that you really can overcome this on your own!
My competitive spirit was immediately ignited.
Su Jun smiled wryly.
Then he was drawn to a word in Song Wu's words, paused for a moment, and raised his eyebrows: "Breakthrough...that's right, it's a breakthrough!"
Song Wu Sao and Lu Xiaoqi both looked up at him.
Su Jun spoke a little faster, confidently telling the two, "It's a breakthrough! This water puppet show is actually quite different from previous ones, incorporating many modern technologies..."
Therefore, this is actually a breakthrough for him in the past.
Perhaps that's why the system's criteria for determining his level changed slightly.
Lu Xiaoqi quietly asked the system, "Is that so?"
She had asked the system how to upgrade an SR character before, but the system's answers were always vague and official. However, this time the system gave a direct affirmation: "That's right. These sealed individuals were originally people whose skills had reached the pinnacle. The only way to obtain a higher level of evaluation is to break through."
This is an experience that Su Jun himself summarized, and he no longer hides it.
Upon hearing this, Sister-in-law Song slammed her hand on the cutting board, causing flour to splatter everywhere, but she didn't care: "That's it, a breakthrough... I should have thought of it sooner."
She's already at a 99-point level when it comes to cooking fish; even if she raises it to 100 points, it's only one point more, so there's not much room for improvement.
"What's this called again?" Sister-in-law Song's confidence returned instantly, "Stepping out of your comfort zone..."
Lu Xiaoqi corrected: "Step out of your comfort zone."
“Yes, I should step out of my comfort zone,” Song Wu Sao said excitedly, having decided on her future path. “I should also explore other fields.”
She glanced at Fan Zheng, then thought of the future ancestor of the kitchen, her eyes shining with excitement. She was eager to try her hand at it, for there were two excellent teachers here!
Lu Xiaoqi put her arm around her: "Fifth Sister-in-law, you're forty-five years old, it's the perfect time for you to learn!"
Su Jun suppressed a laugh: "..."
After steaming the flower-shaped steamed buns and making the rice cakes, the staff at Guanmaitang happily went home. The fish restaurant's servers would bring over the steamed buns later, which could be enjoyed as afternoon tea.
However, before eating the flower-shaped steamed buns, Zhang Zhongjing gathered them together, clearly having something to say.
Everyone felt a mix of nervousness and anticipation. They were nervous because Dr. Zhang was usually kind, but he would become very strict when it came to matters related to patients and diseases. They were also excited because the long holiday would begin after the meeting!
"Those whose names are called, come up." Gao Gongming stood next to Zhang Zhongjing, expressionless, looking very dignified.
The doctors and interns at Guanmai Hall were whispering among themselves:
"What's wrong? Why did you suddenly become so serious..."
"I don't know, did someone make a mistake?"
"No, I haven't heard of that."
Someone even asked Zhang Ying, "What happened?"
Zhang Ying was also bewildered: "I don't know either."
Ironically, she was the first one whose name was called. Zhang Zhongjing waved to her, his expression remaining amiable.
Zhang Ying walked up to them, feeling a little confused and nervous.
Gao Gongming stared at her coldly for one second, two seconds, three seconds... Just when Zhang Ying was about to succumb to the pressure, Gao Gongming's lips curled up into a smile, and he reached out and placed a red envelope in her hand.
"Happy New Year!"
Zhang Zhongjing and the doctor beside him burst out laughing, instantly dispelling the previously oppressive and eerie atmosphere. Everyone then realized that their cold expressions earlier had all been an act.
Go up and collect your red envelope!
"Happy New Year!" Zhang Zhongjing and Gao Gongming personally handed out red envelopes to everyone.
One bold and curious person asked, "Dr. Zhang, don't we have year-end bonuses?"
Why are they even giving out red envelopes?
“The ones distributed in the ancient town are year-end bonuses, while we’re giving out New Year’s red envelopes. They’re different,” Zhang Zhongjing said with a chuckle, stroking his beard. “Everyone has worked hard these past few days. Go back and get some rest, and spend time with your parents.”
Their red envelopes weren't large, ranging from a couple thousand yuan to a few hundred yuan per person; it was just a token of their goodwill.
Everyone then realized that receiving double red envelopes was something to be happy about!
After exchanging New Year's greetings and receiving their red envelopes, Zhang Zhongjing and Gao Gongming asked Zhang Ying to stay behind:
"You stay here for now, we have something to say to you later."
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