Traveling through the second dimension, the joy system encourages me to laugh heartily!

But the cold reality is staring her in the face—her company is facing a life-or-death dilemma: it urgently needs a stable sales channel to clear its inventory and recover funds. If this problem cannot be resolved quickly, those villagers who are clamoring to withdraw their shares today may gather even more people to cause trouble tomorrow, making the situation even more difficult to manage.

More importantly, the fragile reputation she and her "Luo Li Co., Ltd." had just built in the hearts of the villagers was rapidly crumbling like a sandcastle.

This is what she least wanted to see, and what pained her the most.

Her original aspiration and ambition was to lead her fellow villagers to prosperity. This was not just a business project, but also a reflection of her ideals.

The foundation of all this is the trust between her and the villagers.

Now, her business has only just begun, and trust is already in jeopardy. The only way to regain the villagers' confidence and continue supporting her is to fulfill her initial promises as soon as possible, distribute the dividends that are due, or at least give them a clear hope of successful product sales and a return on their investment.

The villagers are simple and pragmatic; they only care whether you deliver on your promises. If they don't see results soon, or even if their principal is lost, their confidence will eventually be eroded, no matter how wonderful your vision is.

Therefore, after weighing the pros and cons, the urgency of reality ultimately triumphed over Luo Li's delicate sense of self-esteem.

She stopped getting bogged down in the details and, strictly following Chen Ming's instructions, began to clearly state the numbers:

"Okay, Mr. Chen. Our company currently has a total inventory of over 100,000 cans of canned goods. Among them, pork cans have the largest inventory, with about 63,000 cans, and the ex-factory price is 25 yuan per can; beef cans have the second largest inventory, with about 32,000 cans, and the price is 40 yuan per can; the inventory of specialty venison cans is relatively small, with more than 11,000 cans, and the price is 55 yuan per can."

She paused slightly, then tried to offer a reward: "If... if you are really willing to help me find sales channels, no matter how much business is ultimately generated, I will pay you 20% of the sales revenue as a separate thank-you fee. I know... you may not care about this amount of money at all, but it's still a small token of my appreciation, and I can't let you help me for nothing."

She knew very well that giving money directly as a token of gratitude to someone like Chen Ming might seem a bit vulgar, and he might not even appreciate it, but it was the best way she could think of to express her sincerity.

After she finished speaking, her deep, beautiful eyes, filled with tension and great anticipation, stared intently at Chen Ming, waiting for his response.

"..."

After hearing this series of numbers, Chen Ming fell into a brief silence.

just because,

He did a rough calculation in his mind and found that the total price of these goods was less than three and a half million.

This number surprised him, and even made him feel a little...amused?

Luo Li's seemingly insurmountable problem can be easily solved with just Han Xueyi's allowance for a year!

This is quite different from what he had anticipated, which might require a certain amount of funding.

So much so that he blurted out instinctively, "Is that all the goods??"

?

Upon hearing this, Luo Li was completely stunned, her beautiful eyes widening as she stared speechlessly at Chen Ming.

Do you want to listen to what you're saying? What do you mean by "that's all the stuff"?

This is nearly 3.5 million units of inventory!

For her, for her company, and for many farmers in this village, this is a sum that could determine their life or death! Judging from your tone, you think it's still not enough?!

Luo Li's mind was churning. These mountains of canned goods represented far more than just her personal dreams and hard work.

If it weren't for the fact that many villagers who had watched her grow up or were moved by her vision chose to trust this fresh-faced college graduate when she started her business, and instead contributed their hard-earned savings or even their pigs and cattle, which they had raised year-round hoping to sell for a good price, as shares in her company, it would have been an impossible task for her small startup to achieve its current production capacity of over 100,000 cans in such a short time.

This weighty trust was both her driving force and the heaviest boulder weighing on her heart.

The villagers may be investing their retirement savings, their children's tuition fees, or their hopes of renovating their houses.

Because she deeply understands this, she is even more unable and unwilling to betray this hard-won trust.

Compared to this heavy responsibility, her subtle competitive spirit—the desire to prove to her best friend Han Xueyi that her choice was right—seemed so insignificant and negligible, utterly unimportant.

Therefore, she cherishes very much the helping hand that Chen Ming and Han Xueyi extended at this moment.

After this period of running around and hitting walls, she has come to realize that all the people she knew and had contact with before, including that BMW-driving classmate who just left, were all people who boasted in various occasions about how extensive their connections were, which bosses they knew, and what things they could get done, as if they had all the power and influence in the world.

But when you actually encounter difficulties and seek help with hope, you will sadly discover that the vast majority of them are extremely unreliable, either making excuses or having limited abilities, and ultimately nothing can be accomplished.

If she hadn't blindly believed their promises, she wouldn't have taken such big steps. She could have started with a small-scale ecological farm, which would have reduced sales pressure and prevented the company from falling into its current predicament of near bankruptcy.

Chapter 305: At the request of readers, canned food price reduced by 5 yuan

Luo Li bitterly reflected on her actions, blaming herself for being too naive. She had oversimplified starting a business, underestimated the difficulty of market expansion, and overestimated her so-called "connections." She was also undeniably too young and inexperienced, easily swayed by fabricated images and seemingly appealing promises…

After regaining her composure, Luo Li honestly answered Chen Ming's question:

"Well, for now... this is all the inventory we have."

She worried that Chen Ming might think the scale was too small to be worthwhile, so she quickly added that they would continue to produce: "But we will definitely continue to produce! As long as this batch of canned goods can be sold smoothly and the funds can be recovered, we will be able to purchase the pigs and cattle raised by the villagers who were previously hesitant and did not invest, thus benefiting more villagers."

A renewed glimmer of hope shone in her eyes as she envisioned a future: "If sales can stabilize and create a virtuous cycle, next year, I'll have the confidence and funds to expand the scale of my farm. Then, the villagers who trust us will be able to raise more livestock with greater peace of mind, without worrying about not being able to sell them..."

"..."

After listening to her plan, which focuses on future sustainable development and benefits more farmers, Chen Ming was slightly taken aback.

He originally thought this was just a story of a college student starting a business out of passion and encountering difficulties, but he did not expect that this young woman had thought things through quite far and had a great sense of vision and breadth of mind.

She specifically mentioned "the villagers who did not invest," clearly referring to those who initially did not have a positive view of her and may even have been skeptical and opposed to her.

Even so, when planning for the future, she did not exclude these people. Instead, she planned to continue developing with them and sharing the benefits after she made money and proved herself.

This magnanimity, which sets aside past grievances and focuses on the overall development of the village, made Chen Ming look at her with new respect.

He had only helped out of consideration for Han Xueyi, but now he felt a genuine appreciation for Luo Li herself.

Thinking of this, Chen Ming's gaze towards Luo Li held a new level of seriousness and approval, and he nodded, saying:

“Okay, I’ll support your dream of leading your hometown to prosperity. Later, bring me one can of each of these three flavors to try. As long as the taste is okay, I’ll take all 100,000+ cans of your company’s current inventory.”

"what??"

Luo Li was instantly dumbfounded. Her beautiful face was filled with shock, and her mouth was slightly open, almost big enough to fit an egg.

She originally thought that Chen Ming's so-called "help" meant using his connections and resources to introduce her to several distributors, supermarket channels, or e-commerce platforms to help her establish a stable sales network.

This is the ideal way to solve problems in her opinion, and it is also the foundation for the company's long-term development.

But... this guy completely defied expectations and blurted out, "I want them all?"

This...this is completely different from the plot development she imagined! This isn't introducing sales channels at all; this is clearly...taking over her responsibilities? Or rather, it's another form of "charity"?

Chen Ming found her stunned and surprised expression quite amusing and couldn't help but ask with a laugh:

"What? Judging from your expression, are you reluctant to sell? Or do you simply not want to sell to me?"

Luo Li was pulled back to reality by his question. After a moment's thought, she organized her thoughts and said:

“Mr. Chen, and Xueyi, I am truly grateful for your help. I know this will solve my immediate problem.”

She first expressed her gratitude, then changed the subject and expressed her concerns, "But... if we resolve this by having you buy out the entire deal, I'll feel very guilty, even a little uneasy..."

[Ding! Luo Li's favorability +20, current favorability 10!]

Upon hearing the notification of increased favorability, Chen Ming understood that the girl was changing her opinion of him.

But given her current remarks that seem to indicate she wants to refuse help, it becomes somewhat awkward.

What? You feel bad now that you hear I'm buying them directly? Are you worried I'll lose money? Worried these cans will just sit in my hands? Believe me, I could sell all this stuff in a live stream in minutes…

Chen Ming looked at Luo Li's serious yet somewhat stubborn expression, shook his head with a smile, and said in a teasing tone:

"You're quite kind-hearted. You're barely able to save yourself, yet you still have the mind to think of me... Let me give you some advice: the business world is like a battlefield. With your current kind-hearted attitude, you'll eventually be devoured by those ruthless people who will leave nothing but scraps. Of course, we can't be cunning and deceitful businessmen, but we don't need to be naive either, right? Survival and prosperity are the only real things, and only then can we talk about ideals and the long term."

"..."

Upon hearing Chen Ming's blunt lecture, Luo Li's beautiful mixed-race face first showed a hint of surprise and resentment, as if she wanted to argue her own ideas. Then, a thoughtful expression appeared on her face, because she understood that as a recent graduate starting her own business, she was a complete novice in terms of experience, vision, and methods compared to this unfathomable man in front of her. His views were likely closer to the harsh reality.

Moreover, the fact that the other party was willing to speak so frankly with her must be out of good intentions, reminding her of the cruelty of the business world, and fearing that she might suffer a great loss in the future because of this "embarrassment" and "idealism".

Thinking of this, she didn't feel offended at all; on the contrary, she felt a faint warmth of being cared for.

After all, honest advice is hard to hear but beneficial, and good medicine tastes bitter but is good for the disease.

[Ding! Luo Li's favorability +5, current favorability 15!]

She kept Chen Ming's advice in mind; however, her proud heart and sharp tongue were unwilling to easily admit defeat in words, especially in front of this man who had just described her as a "naive and innocent girl."

Her face instantly switched to an expression of utmost sincerity, and she said earnestly:

"I've learned a lot. A single conversation with you is worth more than ten years of study. Thank you so much, Mr. Chen, for your guidance. You are truly a kind person! I, Luo Li, sincerely wish you booming business, daily profits, and that you become a billionaire soon!"

She deliberately emphasized the words "billionaire" with a barely perceptible tone, making it sound like she was offering her best wishes. However, considering Chen Ming's unfathomable background, the words inexplicably carried a different flavor.

"puff!!!"

Chen Ming, who was sipping tea to soothe his throat, spat out the tea he had just taken a sip upon hearing this "sincere" blessing. He looked at Luo Li speechlessly; this girl was quite vengeful, she could insult people without even using a swear word!

"Hehehehe..."

Han Xueyi, who was standing next to her, was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening and burst into laughter.

While laughing, she quickly took out a soft tissue from her bag and gently wiped the water stains from the corner of her husband's mouth with a smile, her eyes full of mischievous gleam as if she were watching a good show.

Even Xie Wanqing and Hua Qianhui, who had always maintained a quiet and ladylike image, couldn't help but chuckle at Chen Ming's rare loss of composure. They quickly lowered their heads or covered their mouths with their hands, their shoulders trembling slightly, trying their best to suppress their laughter, for fear of angering Chen Ming.

After Han Xueyi carefully wiped Chen Ming clean, Chen Ming glared fiercely at Luo Li opposite him and said:

"You little girl... you look so innocent, but you can be really nasty when you start cursing, all in a roundabout way... that little mouth of yours is quite sharp."

Luo Li originally just wanted to make a joke to retaliate against Chen Ming's impolite lecture and also to test his bottom line on assets.

After all, the title of "billionaire" has completely different meanings for people from different social classes.

For ordinary people, it's an unattainable dream, but for the truly super-rich, it might just be a starting point.

Seeing Chen Ming and Han Xueyi's strong reactions, she immediately understood—Chen Ming's assets must have already exceeded 100 million, and must far exceed the scope of ordinary "billionaires," which is why he thought "billionaire" was a derogatory term.

Thinking of this, Luo Li couldn't help but gasp in surprise.

However, this seems to make sense.

Although she didn't approve of her best friend's choice of the "golden canary" path deep down, she still understood Han Xueyi very well. She knew that, given the values ​​instilled in Han Xueyi by her mother and her own circumstances, her minimum requirement for a partner's financial strength was at least in the hundreds of millions.

It now seems that Han Xueyi not only found him, but exceeded expectations, truly finding a "good man" with unfathomable strength.

This gave her a sense of relief amidst her complicated emotions, as she could also feel a little reassured for her best friend. At least, Xueyi wouldn't suffer materially.

At this moment, the restaurant's waiters began bringing steaming hot dishes to the table.

Just as the five people at the table picked up their chopsticks and were casually chatting while enjoying authentic northern farm-style dishes, a girl who looked to be in her early twenties with a few playful freckles on her face walked into the small restaurant in a hurry, carrying a bag. After searching around for a moment, she walked straight toward their table.

"Sister Luo Li, I've brought the canned food you wanted!"

The freckled girl placed the bag on the empty chair next to Luo Li, her tone light and cheerful.

It turned out that Luo Li had taken advantage of the break in their conversation to send a message to the employees who were still at the company, asking them to quickly bring a few cans of each type of canned food to this small restaurant.

She was always thinking about the important business at hand, and insisted on taking advantage of the break during lunch to let Chen Ming and the others taste her company's products themselves. This reflected both her confidence in the quality of her products and her serious and responsible attitude.

Chen Ming merely glanced at it and continued eating his food slowly and deliberately.

However, Han Xueyi was very considerate of her best friend. She immediately put down her chopsticks, curiously leaned over, and took out a can of venison with a simple and elegant packaging design from the bag. Using the included simple can opener, a rich aroma of meat immediately wafted out.

She picked up a small fork, speared a piece of tempting, juicy venison, and put it in her mouth, chewing it slowly.

Immediately, her eyes lit up, and a look of surprise appeared on her face.

Luo Li had been nervously observing her reaction. Seeing this, she felt a little relieved and asked with a hint of pride and anticipation, "Xueyi, how is it? My canned venison is pretty good, isn't it? I put a lot of thought into the meat quality and seasoning."

Han Xueyi smiled and nodded repeatedly, swallowing the food in her mouth and praising it highly: "Mmm! It's really delicious! The meat is not dry at all, it's very tender, and the spices are just right, without masking the natural aroma of the venison."

She responded to her best friend, then her eyes curved into crescents as she smiled at Chen Ming and said, "Besides, I've heard that venison is a good thing; it can invigorate the spleen and replenish qi, warm the kidneys and strengthen yang! It's very good for the body! Master, why don't you try some? Here, Xueyi will feed you, ah~"

As she spoke, she forked up an even larger piece of venison, and with a sweet, childlike smile on her face, she held it to Chen Ming's lips.

Faced with the beauty's attentive and adorable feeding, Chen Ming had no choice but to open his mouth with a mixture of helplessness and indulgence, accepting the food and then savoring it.

To be fair, this canned venison tastes quite good. The meat is well-prepared, without the overly soft texture often found in canned foods. The seasoning is a traditional savory sauce flavor, with a perfect balance of saltiness and a rich, delicious taste.

While it may not be described as breathtakingly amazing or uniquely stunning, it is definitely a high-quality canned food.

Especially considering its price of 55 yuan per can (500g), compared to the market price of fresh venison which often reaches 40 to 50 yuan per kilogram, plus processing, packaging, and logistics costs, this is a very cost-effective option. It is highly competitive as an everyday consumer product or a travel/outdoor food.

(P.S.: Because some readers felt it was too expensive, we've reduced the price of each can of food by 5 yuan!)

Seeing Chen Ming chew slowly and swallow the venison, Han Xueyi immediately leaned closer, blinked her big eyes, and asked expectantly, "How was it, Master? Was it delicious? Xueyi didn't lie to you, did she?"

At this moment, Luo Li, sitting opposite him, held her breath, her beautiful eyes fixed on Chen Ming with anticipation.

Whether her company can survive this life-or-death crisis, whether the villagers' trust can be regained, and whether the foundation of her dream can be solidified, all now rest almost entirely on this man's next comment.

Moreover, she had come to a complete realization: her best friend, Han Xueyi, had essentially reached the point where everything revolved around this man, and all decision-making power ultimately rested in the hands of this seemingly casual man. His attitude determined the final outcome.