Chapter 145

The next day, Wang Yuan’er took her second uncle to Huifengyuan.

Having already sent a message to Manager Yu, they were led to a private room upon arrival. Song San was already there, leisurely sipping tea.

“Good day, Young Master Song. I am Yuan girl’s second uncle, Wang Er.”

In contrast to Wang Yuaner’s distant politeness, Wang Er appeared very enthusiastic, even a bit humble and flattering.

Song San smiled faintly and pointed to the seats across from him. Looking at Wang Yuan’er, he said, “I suppose Miss Wang has made up her mind.”

“Yes, yes, our Wang family is willing to cooperate with the Song family in the fermented tofu business. We hope Young Master Song will support us in the future.” Wang Er quickly spoke before Wang Yuan’er.

“Second Uncle!” Wang Yuaner called softly, shaking her head.

Wang Er sat down awkwardly.

“Jinji has an excellent reputation. As my uncle mentioned, I am willing to cooperate with Jinji. However, regarding the shares…” Wang Yuan’er cleared her throat and slowly explained the ideas she had pondered over the night.

In a cooperation, the primary concern is the shares. The amount of investment determines the share proportion. Jinji was obviously well-prepared, and she could not match Jinji in terms of capital. She could only contribute technology and participate in development to secure her share.

As for the new name for the fermented tofu, she hoped it could be called “Jinhe.”

“Jinhe?” Song San raised an eyebrow.

“Jinji is a century-old brand with a good reputation for soy sauce, white powder, and other products. Even our family uses Jinji soy sauce. But why not take a new path for the fermented tofu? As part of the Jinji brand, presenting it with a new name could be seen as a fresh start, broadening Jinji’s future. What do you think?” Wang Yuan’er looked at him.

Her idea was simple, similar to Huifengyuan, a Song family business with a different name. It was all about presenting a new image.

Song San tapped his fingers on the table, tilting his head slightly as if considering the possibility of her suggestion.

“Actually, deep down, you just don’t want the fermented tofu to only carry the Jinji name, right?” Song San suddenly laughed.

Wang Yuan’er blushed, hesitating before saying, “Only this way can it be considered cooperation. Otherwise, if I take the shares, would it be seen as charity from the Song family? That wouldn’t be proper, would it?”

Song San laughed heartily until Wang Yuan’er’s face turned red. Then he stopped laughing, “Alright, let’s do it your way.”

Hearing this, Wang Yuaner felt relieved and began discussing the details of the cooperation with him. She wrote down all the details she had thought of last night on paper and handed it to Song San, blushing, “These are the details I have thought of for now. Young Master Song, you’re experienced in big business; do you see any additions or changes needed?”

Song San was slightly startled and took the paper. The neat handwriting presented the cooperation details clearly.

According to her ideas, to make good fermented tofu, the materials are essential. If they were to cooperate, it would be best to open a large workshop in Changle Town, using tofu made by the Bai family for convenience.

Once the workshop was set up, she would be in charge of the recipe and technical management of production. Careful selection of personnel would be necessary. As for distribution, Jinji would handle it, but she would also need a certain level of decision-making power.

“Young Master Song knows well that I am only an ordinary country girl. I cannot provide manpower or resources, so that must come from Jinji,” Wang Yuan’er said slowly.

“Hey, girl, how could you forget your second uncle?” Wang Er, who had been listening, couldn’t hold back and shouted out.

With the rare opportunity to establish a connection with the Song family, Wang Yuan’er seemed to be pushing it away. Wang Er, listening, couldn’t help but feel anxious.

“How can you be so foolish?” Wang Er hurriedly pulled Wang Yuan’er aside and whispered, “Since it’s cooperation, our Wang family must also have people involved. Otherwise, we won’t even know if we’re being cheated.”

Wang Yuan’er rolled her eyes, “Do you think they would cheat a small farmer?”

“Anyway, since it’s a workshop, we need people from our side too. I’ll go.” Wang Er wasn’t about to let go of this golden opportunity.

“Second Uncle, aren’t you a junior supervisor? That’s a good career prospect. Why go to the workshop?” Wang Yuan’er said with a hint of a smile.

“I’ll help you manage it.” Wang Er replied without blushing or panting.

“There’s no need for such a big figure like you, Second Uncle. I’ll handle the technical part myself. You should stay focused on being a supervisor!” Wang Yuan’er replied and then turned to Song San with a smile, “Shall we settle it like this?”

Song San, with a hint of a smile, looked at her and Wang Er. He snapped the folding fan in his hand shut and said, “Let’s go with Miss Wang’s plan. I’ll refine the contract, and we can have a witness in a few days. As for the shares…”

“I want thirty percent,” Wang Yuan’er held up her fingers.

Thirty percent, not too much and not too little. The key was that it would establish a relationship with the Song family in the future—a token of favor.

Not greedy at all! Song San thought to himself. Thirty percent was what he had planned to offer, so he agreed.

After discussing a few more details, Wang Yuan’er proposed to leave. Wang Er didn’t want to go, saying, “I’ll have a drink with Young Master Song.”

“Second Uncle!” Wang Yuan’er stomped her foot.

“No harm, just a couple of drinks!” Song San waved his hand with a smile.

Since the main figure had spoken, Wang Yuan’er had nothing more to say and left first. Before she left Huifengyuan, Manager Yu approached her with a smile, holding two gift boxes.

“Mid-Autumn Festival is coming. These are mooncakes made by Huifengyuan. Take them back for the children to try.”

Wang Yuan’er quickly thanked him and added, “Thank you for your guidance, Manager Yu. Without you, we orphans would not have had the fortune to have this cooperation opportunity.”

Manager Yu shook his head and said with a smile, “You are an honest girl. Good people will always have good fortune. If you talk about fate, it actually depends on you.”

Wang Yuan’er humbly said a few words, about to take her leave, but turned and encountered a familiar face.

“Mr. Cui.” She bowed.

“Oh, you’re here too.” Cui Yuan looked her up and down and then turned to Manager Yu, “Where is Song San?”

Manager Yu smiled and pointed upstairs. Cui Yuan nodded and was about to go up but turned back to ask Wang Yuan’er, “What are you doing here?”

“Discussing some matters. Safe travels, Mr. Cui.” Wang Yuan’er bowed slightly and turned to leave.

Cui Yuan watched her disappear and then raised an eyebrow at Manager Yu, “Do I look like a ghost to her?”

“Young Master, you are extraordinarily handsome.”

“Then why did she look at me as if I were a ghost and hurried off!”

Manager Yu thought to himself, “People just don’t know you well yet!”

A few days later, Song San brought a new contract to finalize the cooperation with Wang Yuane’r. They found a witness, signed, and filed the contract, officially finalizing the cooperation.

Word quickly spread that Wang’s family tofu would no longer be made by Wang’s family alone and would instead be produced in cooperation with Jinji. While some people doubted it, they believed it when they saw the two families selecting sites and building a large workshop.

Anyone who understood Jinji’s reputation knew the significance of this partnership. They realized that Wang’s eldest daughter had connected with someone influential.

In a world where many people knew how to maneuver, and seeing Jinji building a large workshop with such a background, many people began scheming.

“If the workshop is established and big business is conducted, surely they will need many workers, right? Yuan girl, can you please secure a position for us?”

“Yuan girl, are you hiring workers for the workshop?”

“Yuan girl, look at my nephew; he is a hard worker. Can you get him a job at your workshop, even if it’s just lifting and carrying things?”

Many people came to seek connections with Wang Yuan’er, including Madam Zheng from the grocery store, who wanted to see if she could get a job for her son. However, this was not something Wang Yuan’er could decide. She had already said that the manpower and resources would come from Jinji and could not go back on her word, as that would mean breaking trust.

So for those who came to seek help, Wang Yuan’er politely and clearly explained countless times that Jinji was in charge of hiring, and she had no control over it.

Not everyone understood her difficulties; some even thought she was arrogant and deliberately unhelpful. This included her second aunt, Madam Zhang!

“Is it so hard to get your cousin a position? What’s the difficulty of being a manager or accountant? It’s all within the family, and he could help you keep the books, but you don’t appreciate it!”

Madam Zhang saw that Wang Fuquan was growing up and about to marry but was still idle and aimless. Seeing the large workshop about to open, she wanted Wang Yuan’er to secure a position for him. However, she didn’t want a heavy labor position but a relaxing managerial position where he could drink tea and keep accounts. Basically, a cushy job where he could collect a salary without working!

When Wang Yuan’er heard this, she almost spat water in Madam Zhang’s face. A managerial accountant, does Wang Fuquan have that capability? Even for a simple errand job, he was considered too lazy!

Furthermore, even if Wang Yuan’er could decide, she would never make such a request.

People need to understand their limits and be content. Cooperation should be based on mutual trust and assistance. Even if she could ask Song San for the accountant position, she would lose face. Cooperation should be based on mutual trust. If Wang Fuquan were capable, it would be fine, but he was just a lazy scoundrel. How could she ruin the cooperation for him?

“Aunt, you know your own son’s nature. I cannot help with this matter!” Wang Yuan’er firmly refused.

The earlier one refuses an unreasonable request, the better. This is an eternal truth!

“So, you won’t help at all?” Madam Zhang gritted her teeth, “Even if your grandmother asks?”

Wang Yuan’er shook her head silently.

Wang Fuquan, standing nearby, snorted and lifted his chin, saying, “Fine, don’t help. I don’t need your help. Who cares about that workshop anyway?” Before Wang Yuan’er could respond, he quickly ran out.

Seeing this, Madam Zhang stomped her foot and cursed, “You ungrateful wretch! You’ll regret this one day, mark my words!”