Chapter 179: I’m Just Asking
Su He hung up the phone and returned to her room.
The Exchange System suddenly popped out:
[Host, don’t you think it’s a bit too little to just buy one watch for your sugar daddy fish? I’ve searched a lot of gift ideas suitable for boyfriends—do you want to take a look?]
Su He: “…Alright, show me.”
She had nothing else to do anyway, so she figured browsing wouldn’t hurt.
As a result, she ended up seeing a variety of items both preventing and promoting human reproduction.
Su He: “Get lost!”
The Exchange System felt wronged. Weren’t mating behaviors the core of biological instinct? It had reached this conclusion after researching a ton of data!
Weren’t these the most appropriate gifts to give to a romantic partner?
Why did she tell it to get lost?
At this point, Su He seriously began to suspect—maybe her system was defective!
Otherwise, why was it this dumb?!
Damn, were they using her as a test subject?
Just as she thought of lab rats, a lightbulb went off in her mind—she might’ve just figured out a way to deal with that batch of defective goods!
*
The next morning, Su He took Principal Chen to the Jin Qiao Vegetable Processing Plant.
She went to the gatekeeper and slipped him a pack of cigarettes. “I’m looking for Director Zhou Gang from the drying workshop.”
As she spoke, she showed her work ID from the S City Food Factory.
Seeing the ID and having received a little something, the gatekeeper let them in even without an appointment.
Zhou Gang was in a bad mood. He had just been criticized at the morning meeting over the batch of defective goods. The problem wasn’t entirely his fault—there were issues throughout the production process—but he’d been unlucky enough to be singled out.
While he was still fuming, the workshop statistician, Xiao Li, cheerily said, “Director, someone’s here to see you. A really pretty lady.”
Zhou Gang glared at him and walked out of the workshop, frowning—then he saw Su He.
Because she was quite pretty, he recognized her immediately.
Still, he was annoyed. Why is this girl like a stubborn plaster stuck on me? I already said we couldn’t give her any share—why’d she chase me all the way to the factory?!
But, for Elder Lü’s sake, he still greeted her politely: “Miss, you’re looking for me?”
Su He nodded. “Director Zhou, can we talk privately?”
Zhou Gang was just about to come up with an excuse to refuse, when Su He continued, “I have a way to turn that batch of defective goods from waste into treasure.”
Zhou Gang looked at her suspiciously. No one in the whole plant had been able to figure it out, and this outsider girl claimed she could?
But seeing her serious expression, he led her to a meeting room instead of his own office—his office was inside the drying workshop, and the noise was too loud.
Su He handed over her work ID. “Director Zhou, let me introduce myself. I’m Su He, deputy director of the business department at An County Food Factory. I haven’t had time to remake my ID yet.”
Zhou Gang glanced at it, still unsure what she was up to, and said nothing.
Su He went on: “Let’s speak frankly. I’m here to offer a solution for your defective goods—not just for the current batch, but for future ones too. My only condition is that your factory grants us a fixed annual quota of dehydrated vegetables. Can you make that decision?”
Zhou Gang couldn’t, so he called in Director Lu from the sales department.
Director Lu thought Zhou Gang was being gullible—believing whatever someone says? Those defective goods are only good for composting!
So he came in with a condescending attitude.
Su He smiled and said, “Director Lu, nice to meet you!
Let me introduce myself—I’m Su He, deputy director of the business department at An County Food Factory, and also a business representative for S City Food Factory and S City No. 1 Textile Factory.”
Director Lu: “……”
What kind of resume is that?
Once he saw her work ID, though, his attitude became noticeably more respectful.
This Su He was no ordinary person.
The title from An County Food Factory didn’t mean much. But to be concurrently representing both S City Food and S City No. 1 Textile? That was definitely something.
“Miss Su, I heard from Director Zhou that you might have a solution for our surplus defective goods. If the proposal holds water, I can promise you 2 tons of dehydrated vegetables annually.”
Su He smiled, “Two tons is too little—make it at least five.”
Director Lu’s eyes flickered. “That depends on how valuable your solution is.”
Su He nodded. “Then I’ll get straight to the point. A few days ago, I overheard two researchers on a bus talking. They said the lab mice and rabbits at their institute frequently suffer from diarrhea, delaying experiments.
These lab animals are fed fresh grass and vegetables, which naturally upset their stomachs.
If they ate dehydrated vegetables instead, the problem could be resolved. But high-quality dehydrated veggies are too expensive—the institute can’t afford them…”
Before she could finish, Director Lu cut in, “But they can afford to buy cheap, defective dehydrated vegetables!
Now that you mention it, someone from the animal research institute did ask us about dehydrated alfalfa, but we turned them down due to production load.
There are lots of research facilities in and around S City—plenty to absorb all our defective goods!
And in the future, we won’t have to worry about sales channels for defects again. Why didn’t I think of that?!”
Principal Chen thought, Because you don’t have her brain!
He had assumed the girl was about to hit a dead end—but she turned the whole thing around!
At that moment, Su He added, “Dehydrated vegetables might not be nutritionally sufficient alone. The animal research folks could try mixing in wheat bran or soybean meal. That would improve the nutritional profile and boost sales.”
Director Lu nodded eagerly. “Makes sense, makes sense! Miss Su, this is an excellent suggestion!”
Now he no longer thought Director Zhou was dumb—instead, he praised his insight in recognizing talent.
After they were done talking, Su He said, “Director Lu, then we’ll go ahead and order 1 ton of dehydrated vegetables to start—carrots, red onions, cabbage, and mushrooms. Tomorrow I’ll have our factory director come over to sign the contract.”
Director Lu: “……Alright.”
You’re really afraid I’ll change my mind, huh?
And he wasn’t wrong. Su He was indeed being cautious. If the instant noodles had already gone into production, she would’ve ordered 5 tons right away.
Director Lu finally asked, “By the way, what do you need the dehydrated vegetables for?”
Su He smiled sweetly. “To cook with noodles.”
Director Lu: “……”
He didn’t believe that was the real reason, but didn’t press further.
*
After leaving the Jin Qiao Vegetable Processing Plant, Su He and Principal Chen went to find Director Tian.
Director Tian was chatting with some young workers in the instant noodle production workshop.
The reason was simple—young people were easier to manipulate.
Seeing Su He, Director Tian asked, “Little Su, didn’t you say you’d be here first thing in the morning? Why are you only just arriving?”
Then he added, “Not that I mean anything by it, I’m just asking.”
