Chapter 311: Smash the Foreign Brands, Starting Today!

In the laboratory of the Yuanqi Herbal Drink Factory, the air was filled with a strange scent that mixed the fresh aroma of herbs with the sweet‑sour fragrance of fruit.

Rows of white workbenches held glassware that reflected a cool light under the lamps.

Li Jianqiang carefully lifted a brown glass bottle from a temperature‑controlled storage cabinet, his hand trembling slightly with excitement.

He poured the amber‑colored, crystal‑clear liquid from the bottle into a small beaker and handed it to Lu Qingshan.

"Director Lu, please try it."

His voice suppressed a huge anticipation, and his breathing softened.

Lu Qingshan did not take it immediately; his gaze first fell on the liquid's hue, and through the light he could see not a single impurity.

A fresh, sweet fragrance tinged with mountain air pierced his nostrils.

Only then did he take the beaker, not gulping it down but placing it to his lips and sipping a tiny mouthful.

The moment the liquid entered his mouth, the corner of Lu Qingshan's brow twitched imperceptibly.

First came a mildly sour fruit flavor that quickly unfolded on his tongue, followed by a complex, highly layered sweetness that rose, warmly enveloping the whole mouth.

That sweetness was not as blunt and dominant as cane sugar; it carried the plant's own lingering after‑taste, rich and long‑lasting.

After swallowing, a faint herbal freshness lingered in his throat.

"Good."

Lu Qingshan slowly uttered a word.

He drained the beaker in one go, closed his eyes to savor it for a moment, then opened them again.

"The mouthfeel is indeed far better than before."

"If its efficacy can match that of the astragalus drink, or even surpass it, then this product is a success."

Li Jianqiang's tense nerves finally relaxed, and his face instantly lit up with a huge radiance.

"The efficacy will only get better!"

He waved his hand excitedly, nearly toppling the nearby rack of test tubes.

"Director Lu, following your idea, we not only replaced cane sugar with berry fermentation liquid, but also, based on the ancient formula provided by Factory Director Yao Bai'nian, added trace amounts of Acanthopanax and Schisandra extracts."

"These herbs synergize marvelously with the flavor compounds from the fermented berries; they not only preserve the taste but amplify the herb's own effects. The energizing, fatigue‑relieving impact is at least thirty percent stronger than the version with just added sugar!"

Lu Qingshan listened and gave a heavy nod.

His eyes revealed a deep satisfaction.

"Engineer Li, you and your team have done an excellent job; prepare a list of personnel for rewards, and give the development team a substantial bonus."

"This product can be prepared for mass production immediately."

He paused, then issued a command that Li Jianqiang could not have anticipated.

"Additionally, immediately compile all experimental data, formula composition, and process flow, and, in the factory's name, go to the provincial capital and the capital to apply for a patent on this formula and process."

"Patent?"

Li Jianqiang was stunned; the word was both familiar and foreign to him.

He knew what it meant, but in his prior understanding it belonged to national‑level key projects or the realm of top scientists.

A new drink formula from a small township factory applying for a patent?

"Yes, a patent."

Lu Qingshan's tone left no room for doubt.

"What we are creating is unique, so we must protect it by the most effective means; this will be the foundation of our future standing."

Li Jianqiang looked at Lu Qingshan's steady, resolute profile and felt a sudden jolt in his heart.

He suddenly realized that Lu Qingshan had never intended merely to make a tasty drink.

He was moving a grand chessboard.

"Got it! I understand, Director Lu! I'll handle it right away!"

Li Jianqiang solemnly replied, his excitement now tinged with reverence.

Lu Qingshan placed the beaker back on the table, but his gaze never left the amber‑colored bottle.

"That's all for the new product for now."

His tone suddenly shifted.

"Engineer Li, we cannot cling only to our tiny plot of land."

"Herbal drinks are our roots, the essence passed down through millennia of Huaxia; this main front must be held, and we must constantly innovate."

"However, we also need to venture into the traditional beverage industry."

Li Jianqiang listened quietly, knowing that what Director Lu was about to say was the real main act.

"I want to send you and Wang Ming on a trip."

Li Jianqiang was startled.

"Out? Where to?"

Lu Qingshan turned, his eyes gazing out the window as if they could pierce the small lab and see a broader world.

"Go to Europe and America, to the major cities of the most developed nations..."

That answer struck his mind like a bolt of thunder.

"Going abroad?"

"To Europe and America?"

In 1980, for an ordinary engineer, that was something one could not even dare to dream of.

"Director Lu, this..."

He was so excited his words became incoherent.

"Wang Ming has a chemical engineering background and is experienced in material proportions; you understand the process and overall R&D, so the two of you make the best combination. Let Teacher Yao and Factory Director Qian oversee the home production."

Lu Qingshan's voice was calm yet powerful, carrying an undeniable penetrating force.

Our pace of opening up will only accelerate; before long, those big foreign brands will flood our market.

What they now sell on their shelves, their people's tastes and consumption habits, will likely be what our market looks like in ten, twenty, or thirty years.

I want you to study, observe, and think.

Lu Qingshan turned his head, his eyes blazing as he stared at Li Jianqiang.

We learn foreign techniques to strengthen ourselves.

While they haven't broken in yet, we must first look back at the path they've taken. Only then can we secure our footing before they arrive, and even… surpass them.

Li Jianqiang felt his blood begin to heat up.

He instinctively fished the ever-present notebook and fountain pen from his jacket pocket.

Chief Lu, you said, what should we look at?

All!

Lu Qingshan's reply was decisive.

Beverages, alcoholic drinks, canned foods, seasonings, shampoo, soap, cosmetics, sanitary products… all daily consumer goods related to people's lives—you must examine, record, and analyze them.

Bring back their products, their formulation ideas, and their market models.

You must go with a mission, and return with substantial results.

Li Jianqiang's hand gripping the pen grew pale at the joints from the force.

He scribbled rapidly in the notebook, each character stamped through the paper.

Alright, Chief Lu! We'll definitely complete the mission!

Seeing Li Jianqiang's flushed face from excitement, Lu Qingshan's face showed a faint smile as he patted Li Jianqiang's shoulder.

Go ahead without worry; funding isn't an issue.

I'll provide the strongest rear support for your technological R&D.

This trip isn't just to complete the mission; it's also to broaden your horizons and see what the outside world truly looks like.

Li Jianqiang slammed the notebook shut, faced Lu Qingshan, and bowed deeply.

Thank you, Chief Lu!

At that moment, what rose in his heart was no longer just excitement.

It was a Sense of Mission born of total trust and heavy responsibility, a surging passion for joining the torrent that creates history.