For her, if she succeeds, it will not only bring benefits to the village, but also prove her ability, which is a win-win situation.
Seeing that she agreed so readily, Director Zhang guessed that she already had a complete plan in mind. Although there was still a trace of doubt in his heart, he nodded half-believingly.
"Then let's sign the contract tomorrow morning. I still have to report to my superiors and make some preparations."
Xu Qinghe readily agreed and added, "It just so happens that I'm going to the supply and marketing cooperative to discuss cooperation on tofu. I'll also let Director Zhao try this fermented bean curd. I'm sure he'll be interested!"
Now that the cooperation has been basically finalized, things seem to be a foregone conclusion.
Xu Qinghe didn't stay for long. He stood up to say goodbye with a sincere and relaxed smile on his face, without any reluctance.
However, this action made Director Zhang feel an inexplicable sense of urgency, and he always felt that there seemed to be some deeper meaning hidden in Xu Qinghe's words.
What if Old Zhao from the supply and marketing cooperative gets there first? Wouldn’t I miss this rare opportunity?
"Hey, don't leave in such a hurry!"
Director Zhang suddenly stood up, a look of hesitation on his face. "We have to sign the contract sooner or later anyway, and it would be troublesome for you to run back and forth. Why don't we just complete the formalities now?"
"Okay, Director Zhang, it's decided!"
Xu Qinghe responded readily.
She turned around nimbly and sat down again, with a warm smile on her face, looking at Director Zhang with a firm gaze.
Director Zhang felt something was amiss, but couldn't pinpoint the cause. He ordered his staff to quickly prepare the contract. After both parties carefully verified it, they solemnly signed their names.
The contract was in duplicate. Xu Qinghe put away his copy and then neatly arranged several cans of fermented bean curd with different flavors on Director Zhang's desk. He enthusiastically suggested, "Each flavor has its own unique characteristics. Director Zhang, when you report to your superiors, perhaps you could ask them to taste some of these. I'm sure they'll fully support our project!"
Whether Director Zhang chooses to share this unassuming little gift with her superiors or take it home to enjoy, it is all the result of her careful consideration.
Director Zhang had only tasted it briefly, but he could already smell the lingering fragrance on his tongue. He thought it would be a good idea to let his family experience this unique delicacy as well.
Seeing Xu Qinghe's understanding of human nature, he nodded with satisfaction, and was full of anticipation for this cooperation.
It was the end of the month, a pale crescent moon hung in the sky, and the breeze carried the coolness of early autumn. Xu Qinghe set out for the supply and marketing cooperative with a heart full of joy and anticipation.
Her heart felt as if it were illuminated by warm sunshine, because the agreement with the food factory had been finalized. From next month, Fengtai Village's handmade tofu will officially become one of its suppliers.
For her, this achievement is not only a commercial success, but also a recognition of the inheritance of craftsmanship.
Although the shelves of the supply and marketing cooperative were filled with a variety of goods, including ordinary tofu products, what Xu Qinghe brought was handmade tofu that had been carefully ground by generations and had a mellow taste. Its delicate taste and unique flavor were hard to resist even for the experienced Director Zhao.
After tasting it, Director Zhao's eyes flashed with surprise, and he immediately made a decision. Even though the supply and marketing cooperative did not need to purchase tofu from outside in theory, for the sake of this rare quality and the story behind it, he was willing to break the rules and establish a long-term cooperative relationship with Fengtai Village where Xu Qinghe was located.
At the negotiation table, Xu Qinghe spoke little, but every word she said was precious. She convinced Director Zhao with her sincere attitude and excellent product quality, and with almost no effort, she successfully won the second important order from the supply and marketing cooperative.
This victory not only brought substantial economic support to the village, but also made her full of confidence in the future.
After completing the delivery, Xu Qinghe walked into a nearby old state-owned restaurant alone, selected a few signature dishes, and enjoyed a hearty lunch alone.
After the meal, she was very thoughtful and did not forget to pack a portion for her cousin's family who were accompanying her cousin in the hospital, hoping that this small token of her appreciation could add a touch of warmth to their difficult days.
With the lunch box in hand, Xu Qinghe involuntarily quickened his pace and headed straight for the hospital.
Before I even stepped into the ward, the sound of a fierce quarrel could be clearly heard through the crack in the door.
In this tense atmosphere, the voice of a young mother attracted special attention. It was the figure who had been silently guarding the bedside yesterday.
After a brief listening session, Xu Qinghe roughly understood the focus of the argument: faced with the high medical expenses, the young mother was unable to afford it and had the idea of giving up treatment, while the mother-in-law insisted on saving her grandson at all costs. The clash of the two generations' positions turned into a fierce dispute in front of the innocent child.
Although the child was young, he could already vaguely understand the conversation between the adults. When he heard his mother's almost desperate words, tears could not help but slide down his little face, and his sobs were full of helplessness and fear.
Witnessing this scene, Xu Qinghe felt mixed emotions. She knew very well that under the pressure of life, many families had to make difficult choices. No matter how the times changed, such tragedies kept happening, which was very sad.
However, she was even more distressed that the conflicts between adults were so openly displayed in front of such a young life, which was undoubtedly adding insult to injury for the child.
When Xu Qinghe pushed open the door, the first thing that caught his eye was the helpless figures of his cousin's family of three huddled in a corner of the ward. They tried to minimize their presence for fear of being affected by this family storm.
Seeing Xu Qinghe's arrival, everyone seemed to have found support, and the clouds of worry on their faces gradually disappeared. Qin Huixin hurried forward and asked with concern: "Xiaoyue, did everything go smoothly?"
Xu Qinghe nodded slightly as she opened the lunch boxes in her hands one by one. Suddenly, an enticing aroma filled the small space. Even the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law who were arguing outside the ward were attracted by the aroma, especially the young mother. Her eyes showed a desire for food mixed with a hint of imperceptible jealousy and indifference.
Xu Qinghe caught the complex emotions, but she chose to ignore them. After all, the other party was at the center of the emotional storm.
Qin Huixin helped to arrange the food, which was steaming hot and obviously made by a famous chef. Thinking that Xu Qinghe had spared no expense to treat them to delicious food for two consecutive days, all for the purpose of allowing her cousin to recover better and to comfort their tired hearts, Qin Huixin felt both moved and uneasy.
"Xiaoyue, you've done enough for us. We really need to save some money from now on. The food in the hospital cafeteria is pretty good too. You should also think more about yourself."
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