The Finale
Several years have passed since the reform and opening up, and seeing the first group of people who dared to try something new ravenously reaping the rewards, others have begun to follow suit.
However, the first batch always has the greatest advantage. If you fall behind, you will fall behind step by step. This group of people are preparing to acquire local industries. Tao Meng was invited, and Wang Shuitao inevitably went out to eat with them a few times, but she refused to go.
Many people were initially interested, but the bright future prospects were unseen and intangible. However, the cash from the acquisitions was right in front of them.
Millions—that's an astronomical figure. Who knows how long it would take to earn that much? Besides, you still have to manage workers and worry about sales. According to these people from the US and R countries, investing this money to make money from money is a good idea.
But the impression that Wang Shuitao had a knack for dealing with foreigners remained in their minds. Her firm refusal tipped the scales of attraction and wariness in their favor, and groups of people came to inquire why Wang Shuitao had refused.
After being acquired by Huiyuan, Pepsi, and Coca-Cola, brands like Xurisheng Iced Tea, Tianfu Cola, and Laoshan Cola all followed the same path: their resources were squeezed, production gradually decreased, they eventually ceased production, and they were forgotten by the market.
But they've all been acquired by others, and the original owners can't dictate what arrangements they make. As for the grand reason of not wanting foreign capital to dominate our market, that won't convince everyone.
Wang Shuitao simply said, "Money is just money. It can certainly buy a better life, but you have all been leaders before, so you know what influence is. Money alone cannot buy influence. A few million is a lot, but it's different from having thousands or tens of thousands of people depend on you for their livelihood. In this life, you can't have only money, can you?"
She wasn't trying to morally blackmail them by asking them to think about what would happen if their employees were fired by foreign companies. Instead, she was saying that people who can provide jobs, whether in the government or among ordinary people, have a status that is incomparable to those who only have money.
He then added, "They talked a good game about this deal, but they came to us, which means they must have something to offer. Otherwise, why wouldn't they keep those millions to make more money?"
Wang Shuitao tried to dissuade everyone who came to her door, but the transactions would not be completely stopped. There were always those who thought it was worthwhile, just far fewer than the foreign investors.
Wang Shuitao naturally came into their view as well.
While Meng Songying was stranded abroad, a media offensive against Taomeng Company also began.
First, they accused Tao Meng of using cheap saccharin made from harmful petroleum instead of sucrose as a raw material in product manufacturing.
The main raw materials for saccharin production include toluene, methylphenidate, o-toluidine, etc., which are all petrochemical products. Saccharin is produced through a series of chemical reactions.
With a little trickery, what you say becomes exceptionally shocking.
Although saccharin is a familiar sweetener, its strong association with petroleum, which powers cars, has caused a huge uproar. Moreover, the fact that a cheaper product is being used instead of a more expensive one is quite different from what was previously advertised.
That's not all. Because Taomeng Company not only sells sugar, but also expanded its production lines to sell desserts and pastries, some of the product instructions clearly state that eggs are produced on the same production line.
Saccharin and eggs together are poisonous!
Once the word "poison" is used, no one cares about dosage. They only think that eating too much can kill a person on the spot, and eating too little will shorten their lifespan by a few years. After dying decades later, who would have thought that it was because of a piece of candy that they lost five years of their life?
For a time, the area outside the factory was filled with people causing trouble.
Initially, the people were hired, but after someone took the lead, the real buyers also appeared.
Because Wang Shuitao remembered the incident where the gatekeeper was bribed, she had been investigating internally to see if saccharin had actually been secretly added to the system. Fortunately, Qian Guang, the security officer who came to Guangfu with Wang Shuitao, patrolled frequently and kept a close watch, so such a thing did not happen.
Qian Guang got married a few years ago and already had a child. Hearing that the old man would have better benefits at the new factory, he brought his wife and child with him. Since they were old acquaintances, he knew Qian Guang's character and abilities.
Wang Shuitao then made him the head of the security section—no, now he should be called the minister of the security department.
For his meritorious service, Wang Shuitao gave him an extra three months' salary as a bonus.
Then, when the actual consumers arrived, Wang Shuitao led the company's leaders and employees to step forward.
They said that as long as you bring the products you originally purchased here, and you have an invoice to prove that they were purchased before, they can buy them back at three times the price.
People thought this was Tao Meng's compensation measure—three times the amount, meaning they'd made twice the profit—and most were ready to withdraw.
But those hired to cause trouble saw this as evidence that Wang Shuitao was about to back down, and hurriedly mingled in the crowd, shouting, "Is this the end?! You people are so heartless! What if we get sick?! Is this little bit of money enough for medical treatment?!"
His companions also chimed in, and even those who had initially thought of giving up began to hesitate again. What they said made sense; medical treatment was not something that could be solved with a small amount of money.
Immediately, many people echoed his sentiments.
Wang Shuitao slowly picked out a candy from a pile of recycled candies, peeled it, and popped it into her mouth. She then said to the people behind her, "Everyone, have a taste."
The crowd behind them lined up in order of rank, and three people came up to complete the three steps of taking the candy, peeling it, and eating it.
A group of reporters suddenly appeared and started snapping photos of the scene.
"Everyone can rest assured that the candy produced by Taomeng is absolutely safe. I taste every batch of food before it is sold!"
Wang Shuitao, holding a megaphone, addressed the crowd in front of her: "Furthermore, I reserve the right to pursue legal action against those who maliciously slander me, and I will sue those who fabricate facts to defame Tao Meng for crimes of insult and defamation!"
Another group of police officers suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
The person who was about to shout something shut up; getting arrested would come at a different price.
These police officers and reporters were, of course, invited by Wang Shuitao.
After the incident in front of the factory was widely reported in the newspapers, the rumors were dispelled. After all, if even the biggest boss dared to eat it, what else was there to say?
The wealthy are definitely the most afraid of death; this is a common subconscious belief.
Of course, this was also thanks to the timely response, which prevented them from waiting any longer. Wang Shuitao, having experienced the internet age, understood that time was of the essence in clarifying rumors.
While she was drawing attention, Meng Songying also reconnected with some of her contacts who had previously gone overseas and brought the production line back with her.
The crisis has temporarily passed, but not fighting back is not Wang Shuitao's style. Moreover, simply retaliating might make people think they are easy to bully.
While feigning exhaustion, she began to tentatively contact the people who had previously wanted to acquire Taomeng, and started to make demanding demands. However, those people were not angry; instead, they thought they had finally seen hope.
Wang Shuitao took the opportunity to investigate the background of these companies.
On the other hand, they are stockpiling large quantities of raw materials.
Because she had previously promised to buy back the sold candies at three times the price, Wang Shuitao anticipated that there would definitely be people trying to take advantage of her. In addition, she was under pressure to purchase production lines, so she mortgaged two factories under Taomeng Company, as well as her advertising branch and land.
However, the effect of advertising herself was surprisingly good, and fewer people came to get the triple return than expected. So, with the remaining money, Wang Shuitao secretly set up a factory right under everyone's noses.
Meng Songying used the excuse that she needed to recuperate after being hurt physically and mentally abroad to handle various matters.
At this moment, on the eve of the Plaza Accord, an agreement issued by the United States, word of it has naturally already spread.
During this era, the dollar appreciated significantly, the trade deficit of Country M expanded rapidly, and it was forced into a recession. Meanwhile, cheap and high-quality industrial products from Country R flooded into Country M, leading to mass layoffs of manufacturing workers in Country M. This has resulted in serious anti-R sentiment in Country M today.
T-shirts and car stickers printed with slogans such as "Boycott Japanese goods" and "Second Pearl Harbor" became popular in the United States, and there was even an incident in which more than 40 Japanese cars were smashed at once.
Wang Shuitao collaborated with a foreign marketing company she had previously worked with, at a time when the US Senate listed R as an "unfair trading nation" and, in an effort to resolve the trade deficit, convened R and other countries to sign the Plaza Accord, further exacerbating the discontent of the US people towards R.
A list was compiled, listing all the companies in Country M that cooperate with Country R, including but not limited to those with employees from Country R, those with some shares held by people from Country R, and those that have projects with companies from Country R.
The Sanjia Group, which framed Taomeng, was among those listed.
Wang Shuitao is not her only competitor; competition naturally fuels the flames.
With the stock price of Sanjia Group plummeting, they naturally had no time to worry about an untapped market and were busy going back to save the group.
After the force receded, Sanjia Group's stock price rebounded somewhat.
But Wang Shuitao's counterattack was not over. After spreading rumors in the United States that a group of traitors were dragging R people to seize the job opportunities of their compatriots, she went on to report extensively in the United States about the situation in the United States, explaining how serious the anti-R sentiment was there.
The newspaper featured a full-body photo of a Chinese man with a bruised and swollen face, curled up on the ground, next to a burly American man waving a huge fist.
Here, the key point to emphasize about the Sanjia Group is that it is a group primarily led by people from the United States.
Similarly, in Country R, there are also companies that want to get a share of the pie after the Sanjia Group collapses. After that, Wang Shuitao won't need to pay the newspapers to register the news like she did on the first day; there will naturally be plenty of others vying to spend that money.
As a result, Sanjia Group became the most disliked opportunist, and its stock price plummeted.
Prior to this, Wang Shuitao raised funds and, through Meng Songying's introduction, met several people in the financial industry. Together, they shorted Sanjia Group. When the stock of Sanjia Group, which Wang Shuitao named "MR United Enterprise," plummeted twice, they made a fortune in the stock market.
Even Wang Shuitao was dazzled by the sight of the workers, who were bustling about like worker bees, and only after watching them for a long time did she regain her composure.
Although Sanjia Group is not going to be delisted, it has been severely damaged and is unlikely to recover. Given the current outrage among the people of both countries, it will probably take more time to change its image.
In the following years, Wang Shuitao embarked on a path of rapid expansion, acquiring sugarcane plantations and sugar beet bases in various places, not just limited to China.
Meng Songying focused on improving production processes and establishing her own research institute to develop various types of sugar and pursue other specialized areas of development.
Examples include livestock papermaking, winemaking, organic fertilizers, circular economy, bagasse power generation, molasses biofuel production, production line machinery research, and intelligent planting.
As the starting point of everything, the Pearl Sugar Factory naturally developed rapidly. Wang Shuitao did not repurchase the shares, since the factories were all separated afterward.
However, a few people still sold their shares to raise urgently needed cash. Out of past relationships, most of them sold to Wang Shuitao.
Those who still hold shares, except for those who are particularly passionate about their work, have basically left the front lines, either enjoying life at home or pursuing their dreams.
In short, while great wealth and status are unattainable, it certainly grants a freedom that people struggling to make a living do not possess.
This naturally includes Wangjiazhuang, whose shareholdings have earned them far more money than they would have made from farming.
Although each person gets a share, it's still less for everyone, but at least when we go out to work, we have the confidence to refuse jobs that are particularly harmful to our health, and we can take better care of ourselves.
Jiang Manyun resigned from her temporary job at the canteen after the policy became more open, leaving her child at home to be cared for by her elders, while she and her husband went to Shenzhen to sell food.
Starting from a small stall, and then owning his own shop, in less than three years, he brought his child over to receive an education in the big city.
Wang Shuitao's sister-in-law, Sun Miao, still works at the tobacco company. The company's performance is getting better and better, and the benefits for its employees are also getting better and better.
Since there was no one else to influence them, the couple kept a close eye on their child's studies. This was the opinion of their most successful sister in the family, so they had to listen to her.
The two children didn't turn out badly. Although they were a bit naughty and didn't like studying much, they always complained that their parents only cared about grades. But these were just complaints that most children their age had.
As for Wang Jinbu, he opened a Veteran's Barbecue restaurant. The name was chosen by Wang Shuitao. To be honest, it's a name that would become commonplace in later generations, but it was quite eye-catching at the time.
The barbecue seasoning recipe was prepared by Chef Zheng, who used to work at a state-run restaurant, and his daughter's father-in-law, who was also a chef. It cost a lot of money, but the results were excellent.
Shenxian County is located in a coastal province, which has developed quite well. Although the factory underwent restructuring, the economy quickly revived with the influx of capital, and the barbecue restaurant's revenue was quite impressive.
Aside from the unavoidable late nights, there's not much to say.
Given Wang Jinbu's willingness to work tirelessly for his family, he would gladly endure even staying up all night.
Wang Datong and Qian Liju stayed in the village, kept a close watch on Wang Shuitao's grandparents to prevent them from causing trouble, which was partly to curry favor with Wang Shuitao.
Their children are all successful, especially their daughter, but they don't benefit from it at all. They are still just as poor, and Wang Shuitao only gives them the bare minimum allowance each month.
Wang Jinbu often visited them, but he only gave them food and drinks and refused to give them money. It wasn't that he was heartless, but that he genuinely cared about them.
Years have passed, and food is no longer a rarity, but the money will most likely be given by Dad to Widow Feng's family. Now, these two families are among the poorest people in Wangjiazhuang.
Wang Jinbu wouldn't give a single penny to outsiders.
Whether the elderly couple regretted their actions is unknown to most people; nowadays, almost no one is willing to pay them any attention.
There was also an old acquaintance, Zhu Qiuguo. After her daughter's biological father was executed by gunfire during the crackdown, he left the Zhang family with all their money and secretly took his daughter to the capital. Because of her outstanding appearance and eloquence, she was hired as a salesperson and worked hard to climb the corporate ladder, eventually becoming a manager. Finally, she took her daughter to the company's headquarters in Hong Kong, completely parting ways with the Zhang family, who instinctively went to Shanghai to look for the mother and daughter after discovering her disappearance.
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In the midst of a favorable trend, even a pig with good luck can fly. Wang Shuitao not only stood at the forefront of this trend, but also had the support of later generations' ideas, and had Meng Songying by her side. It was already one of the leading enterprises in the domestic sugar industry, and the sugar factories under Taomeng had long since extended their reach to Southeast Asia.
For greater development, more money is needed. Taomeng is about to go public, and its estimated share price has reached around 300 million.
It was at this moment that Meng Songying took out a document and placed it in front of Wang Shuitao.
Once Meng Songying signs her name on it, the shares she holds will become jointly owned by the two of them.
"What is this for?"
Wang Shuitao pushed the document back in front of Meng Songying.
Meng Songying went straight to the point: "I want to be with you."
He knew Taozi didn't want to get married, but it didn't matter. Love between them was more important than anything else. Perhaps it was the shadow left on her by her parents' relationship.
A marriage certificate costs only nine yuan, but this certificate is worth tens of millions. He will work hard and it will be worth nine hundred million, nine billion in the future.
The two had been together for many years, but Wang Shuitao understood Meng Songying's meaning. She didn't say much, just told him to wait a few days later, and gave Meng Songying a document.
The two signed their names on the paper, completing this ceremony that belonged only to Wang Shuitao and Meng Songying.
After the company went public, Wang Shuitao and Meng Songying planned to return to Shenxian County to visit the Pearl Sugar Factory, the place where they first met.
The carts that had hauled sugarcane were left to gather dust in the warehouse. New machines were already in place. Cattle from Wangjiazhuang grazed leisurely on the hillside. Even during the busy farming season, a car carrying Wang Shuitao and Meng Songying sped along the newly paved cement streets, heading from the beginning of everything towards a perfect future.
[End of article]
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