Dvalin slowly descended onto the rooftop of the West Factory office building.
Lin Yide nimbly dismounted from its broad back.
"Thank you for your hard work, Dvalin." He gently patted Dvalin's dragon head, then intended to seek out Lyney to discuss some matters.
However, Dvalin's expression became a little sheepish. "Um... do you think I could get a raise?"
Hearing this, Lin Yide fell into contemplation.
Dvalin stared intently at Lin Yide, a look of apprehension on its face.
Its mood was a mix of conflicting emotions; it longed for a raise but also feared upsetting Lin Yide.
After all, kind and generous bosses like Lin Yide were hard to come by in this world.
Most people were black-hearted capitalists like Barbatos and Lumine.
After a long silence, Lin Yide finally spoke, "Dvalin, I'm very curious, why do you want a raise?"
Dvalin hesitated briefly before answering honestly, "I want to build myself a dragon palace, but with my current salary, I'm afraid ten years of effort would only be enough to build a simple latrine."
Lin Yide's lips curved slightly, a knowing smile playing on his face. "Dvalin, I have two pieces of news for you, one good and one bad. Which would you like to hear first?"
Dvalin pondered for a moment. "Tell me the bad news first."
Lin Yide's smile deepened. "The bad news is, I've decided not to adjust your salary. After all, we have clear contractual terms."
Hearing this, Dvalin's large head drooped, like a wilted eggplant.
However, Lin Yide's next words sent it into an ecstatic frenzy.
"The good news is," Lin Yide said gently, "West Factory has decided to build you a magnificent dragon palace on Yashiori Island, completely free of charge."
"Boss, you truly are the most generous, most magnificent boss in this world!" Dvalin exclaimed excitedly. "I am willing to serve you for the rest of my life!"
Lin Yide patted its dragon head again, encouraging it. "Keep up the good work! In the future, I'll even grant you shares, promoting you from an employee to my senior partner."
As he spoke, he gestured towards Lyney and the others, who had just approached to greet them. "By then, they will all be your employees, and they'll have to respectfully address you as 'Boss Dvalin' whenever they see you."
Dvalin was utterly captivated by the wonderful vision Lin Yide painted. Imagining humans addressing it as 'boss' filled it with an unprecedented sense of joy.
It even began fantasizing about flaunting its achievements in Natlan, showing those unrefined dragons what a true dragon was.
"Heheheh~~~" Dvalin couldn't help but let out a goofy laugh.
Seeing Dvalin's foolish demeanor, Lin Yide couldn't help but chuckle himself.
He then took long strides, walking towards Lyney.
Seeing Lin Yide approach, Lyney stepped forward to greet him. "Father."
Lin Yide observed Lyney's composed demeanor and nodded in satisfaction. "Well done!"
Upon hearing the praise, Lyney, who usually wore a somber expression, finally allowed a hint of a smile to appear. "It was nothing special; I just managed not to disappoint your expectations."
"Oh, by the way," Lin Yide asked casually, "Where's Lynette?"
"She's currently in Liyue handling some matters," Lyney replied. "We've encountered some issues with our cooperation with Ningguang."
Lin Yide paused for a moment upon hearing this, but then seemed to recall something, his expression returning to calm. He smiled and said, "Let's discuss this in the office."
...
In a sumptuously decorated conference room within Liyue's Jade Chamber, Lynette and Ningguang sat at opposite ends of a long table, the air thick with a subtle tension.
"Madam Ningguang, Liyue's tariff rates on our Fontaine imports are clearly unfair," Lynette stated, a hint of indignation in her voice.
Ningguang smiled faintly, composed and elegant. "Miss Lynette, the opposite is true. I believe the current tariffs are already a special concession to Fontaine. You must remember, the tariff rates on Snezhnayan goods are significantly higher than Fontaine's."
Lynette immediately countered, "But the volume of Snezhnayan goods entering Liyue is already limited, and they primarily consist of high-priced luxury items like leather. Our Fontaine products, on the other hand, are mainly low-profit industrial goods. Excessive taxes will make them unaffordable for ordinary Liyue households."
Ningguang spoke unhurriedly, "Liyue is not like Mondstadt. Mondstadt lacks an industrial foundation, so they were defenseless against the influx of Fontaine's industrial products. Liyue, however, is different. Liyue possesses its own industrial capabilities. Therefore, imposing reasonable tariffs on Fontaine goods not only protects our local industry but also encourages its healthy development."
Lynette understood in her heart that Ningguang's decision was the wisest choice for Liyue. If low tariffs were imposed on Fontaine goods, Liyue's industry would likely rapidly decline, following in Mondstadt's footsteps.
However, for Fontaine, this was not good news. This was because Fontaine was currently attempting a new round of industrial upgrading, a process that required significant manpower and resources. If Fontaine's products could successfully capture Liyue's massive market, then even if the industrial upgrade failed, it would simply be a matter of adjusting their direction and starting anew.
Lynette didn't give up, continuing to argue her point. "However, the tariff rate you've set doesn't truly foster the development of Liyue's industry. On the contrary, it might cause Liyue's industry to become like flowers grown in a greenhouse, lacking a sense of competition and leading to stagnation in its development."
Ningguang remained calm. "If such a situation were to truly arise, we would adjust the tariff rates accordingly."
Lynette was exasperated but utterly helpless.