Chapter 140: Three Factories Open Simultaneously, All Stars Praise the Moon

In the early morning at Shanwan Village, the thin mist had not yet fully lifted, yet the village entrance was already bustling.

Lu Qingshan stood at his doorstep, gazing at the three brand‑new factories in the distance, his heart a mix of many feelings. Dingxiang Food Processing Factory, Jingyi Chinese Medicinal Material Processing Factory, and Yuanqi Herbal Drink Processing Factory—three resonant names bearing the hopes and dreams of the whole village.

"Dad, there are so many cars over there!" Xiao Xue perched on the windowsill, eyes wide open.

Lin Yue'e walked to her husband's side and whispered, "Qingshan, are you nervous?"

"Saying I'm not nervous would be a lie," Lu Qingshan rubbed his nose, "but I'm mostly excited. We've finally reached this step."

From afar came the sound of a car; a black sedan slowly rolled up, its license plate causing the villagers to crane their necks to see.

"That's a city car!" Zhao Yongnian's excited voice trembled, "The Secretary is here!"

Sure enough, the door opened and Zhang Zhidong stepped out. This Municipal Party Committee Secretary, whom people usually only see on television, was here in person to cut the ribbons for Shanwan Village's factories.

"Good day, Secretary Zhang!" Lu Qingshan hurried forward to greet him.

"Comrade Qingshan, congratulations!" Zhang Zhidong clasped Lu Qingshan's hand, his eyes full of satisfaction, "Today is an auspicious day, not only for Shanwan Village but also a milestone for Baishan City's rural economic development."

Soon after, the cars of Zhang Xincheng and Liu Yuejin arrived; the County Committee Secretary and the County Mayor were present in person, a first in Shanwan Village's history.

The villagers had gathered early at the factory gates, each face radiating excitement and pride.

"Brother Qingshan, this scene is really huge!" Zhao Tiezhu said with a goofy grin, "I've never in my life seen so many high officials."

"Brother Tiezhu, our Shanwan Village finally has a day of achievement!" Liu Fugui's excited stutter grew worse, "I... before, who could have imagined our shabby village reaching this day?"

Chen Zhiguo, dressed in a crisp police uniform, walked over: "Qingshan, we've arranged all safety measures; there will be absolutely no problems today."

"Thanks for your hard work, Brother Zhiguo." Lu Qingshan patted his old friend's shoulder.

At that moment, several more cars pulled up, and the people stepping out all looked like experts.

"Those are experts from the Provincial Agricultural Science Institute!" Qian Jin excitedly pointed at one of them, "and leaders from the Provincial Food Industry Research Institute!"

Li Jianqiang hurried to Lu Qingshan's side: "Qingshan, today's lineup of experts is truly formidable—experts in food processing, Chinese medicinal material preparation, and beverage production, all top specialists in their fields."

Lu Qingshan nodded, feeling both excited and uneasy. The experts had come to conduct inspections; if the three factories' technology and products failed to earn their approval, Shanwan Village's reputation would be shattered.

"Villagers!" Zhang Zhidong stepped to the front of the crowd, his voice booming, "Today is a joyous day for Shanwan Village and a pivotal moment for Baishan City's rural economic development. Let us witness history together!"

The villagers clapped enthusiastically, their applause echoing through the valley.

The ribbon‑cutting ceremony began. Red silk ribbons were strung across the entrances of all three factories, and Zhang Zhidong, Zhang Xincheng, Liu Yuejin, and Lu Qingshan stood together on the stage.

"Crack!" As the ribbons snapped, firecrackers burst and drums roared.

"May the opening bring great fortune!" the villagers shouted in unison.

Next came the tour segment. Lu Qingshan personally led the group to visit the three factories.

Entering Dingxiang Food Processing Factory, the modern equipment dazzled the experts. The jerky production line ran smoothly, with slicers, dryers, and packaging machines—all operating with precision.

"This process flow is designed scientifically," Director Wang of the Provincial Food Industry Research Institute nodded, "the temperature control and timing are spot on."

Qian Jin detailed beside them, "Director Wang, we've optimized this equipment, ensuring product quality while boosting production efficiency."

Arriving at Jingyi Chinese Medicinal Material Processing Factory, Yao Bai'nian felt right at home. All kinds of preparation, grinding, and extraction equipment were present.

"This ultrasonic extraction device is good," an expert from the Provincial Chinese Medicine Hospital observed carefully, "its extraction efficiency is high and it preserves active ingredients to the greatest extent."

Yao Bai'nian said proudly, "We not only have modern equipment but also retain traditional preparation techniques; the combination yields the best Chinese medicinal material products."

Finally, they arrived at Yuanqi Herbal Drink Processing Factory, where Wang Ming was tweaking a new formula.

"How does this taste?" Zhang Zhidong sampled a freshly produced herbal drink.

"Very good!" Zhang Zhidong's eyes lit up, "it has the fresh aroma of herbs and the mouthfeel of a modern beverage; this product has great market potential."

Wang Ming introduced excitedly, "Secretary, this formula was specially developed for the climate of the Northeast region and human needs; it offers health benefits and a pleasant taste."

After the tour, everyone gathered at the village committee courtyard, where a dozen or so tables had been set up for a celebratory banquet.

"Qingshan, the scale is huge!" Zhang Xincheng said, smiling at the courtyard filled with tables and chairs.

"All the leaders and experts coming here is an honor for our Shanwan Village," Lu Qingshan raised his glass, "This toast is to all friends who support Shanwan Village!"

"Cheers!" the crowd responded in unison.

Halfway through the banquet, Zhao Yongnian hurried over.

"Qingshan, more guests have arrived at the village entrance!" Zhao Yongnian's excited face flushed, "It's reporters from the Provincial TV station and several merchants from big cities; I heard they all want to discuss cooperation!"

Lu Qingshan felt a stir; merchants were already approaching so quickly?

"Yue E, could you help entertain the leaders and experts?" Lu Qingshan said to his wife, "I'll go check the situation."

Lin Yue'e nodded, "Go ahead without worry; I'm here."

Lu Qingshan arrived at the village entrance and indeed saw several cars with out‑of‑province plates. A few well‑dressed people stepped out, unmistakably merchants from big cities.

"May I ask which one is Comrade Lu Qingshan?" the leading middle‑aged man approached.

"I am," Lu Qingshan stepped forward.

"I've long admired your reputation!" the middle‑aged man shook hands warmly, "I am Li Hua, Deputy General Manager of the Shenyang Hualian Commercial Group, here especially to visit you today."

"Deputy General Manager Li, you're being modest; what wind blew you here?" Lu Qingshan felt a bit puzzled.

"Here's the situation: we heard the three factories in Shanwan Village opened today and the product quality is excellent, so we'd like to discuss cooperation," Li Hua's eyes sparkled with excitement, "Our group has over 200 chain stores across the three Northeastern provinces; if your products are top‑notch, we are willing to purchase them exclusively!"

"Exclusive purchase!" The words gave Lu Qingshan a jolt. If they could truly cooperate with such a large conglomerate, the three factories would never lack markets.

"Deputy General Manager Li, what exactly would the cooperation look like?" Lu Qingshan asked cautiously.

"It's simple: we first place an order for a trial sale; if the market response is good, we sign a long‑term contract," Li Hua produced a document, "This is our preliminary cooperation letter of intent; you may review it."

Lu Qingshan took the document, skimmed it quickly, feeling both excited and worried. The order quantity was indeed sizable, but the price was lower than they had expected.

At that moment, another merchant walked over.

"Factory Director Lu, I am General Manager Wang of the Changchun Food Wholesale Market, and I also wish to discuss cooperation with you."

Soon after, several more merchants gathered around, all eager to discuss cooperation.

Watching the bustling scene, Lu Qingshan felt a mixture of emotions. Amid the joy of success, a hint of worry lingered. These people arrived at just the right time—could there be any hidden agenda?

"Qingshan!" Chen Zhiguo emerged from the courtyard, his brows slightly furrowed as he took in the scene at the village entrance.

"Brother Chen." Lu Qingshan walked to his side and whispered, "What do you think of these people?"

Chen Zhiguo examined those merchants carefully, lowered his voice and said, "Don't rush to sign the contract; let me check their background first."

Lu Qingshan nodded, was about to answer when he suddenly heard a clamor coming from the courtyard.

"What's happening?" Lu Qingshan's heart tightened, and he hurried toward the courtyard.