Jing Shu gave a mischievous smile as she looked at him, her eyes sparkling with a hidden plan. "Alright then, let's settle it this way. From now on, my monthly dividends from Shiyuan will be converted into regular food and living supplies, delivered directly to the Red Nematode Breeding and Processing Factory for internal consumption. As for that extra one percent share you gave me, please convert it into gasoline instead. I have been running short on energy lately."
Qian Duoduo looked surprised, his eyebrows arching high. "You don't want anything else?"
He knew just how valuable Shiyuan's output was to anyone living in Wu City. Every month, the dividends distributed to shareholders were of the top quality, pulled from the best of the harvests. Take Su Mali, for example. Each month she received a variety of fresh vegetables, some eggs, and even milk. It wasn't much in terms of bulk, but it was enough to feed a family comfortably every day.
In other words, just one percent of Shiyuan's monthly dividends could let a family live a better life than most had even before the apocalypse. And Jing Shu wanted to exchange hers for gasoline?
She laughed at his stunned expression. "My mother is the director of the Agricultural Bureau and is about to get promoted to minister. My father runs the Livestock Breeding Center, and I'm the vice president of the Medicinal Herb Association. Our family already grows plenty of things on our own in our small garden. We can't even finish what we have, so there's really nothing we're lacking."
To be honest, even though the vegetables and poultry from Shiyuan were great, nothing could beat what came out of her Rubik's Cube Space. And right now, what she lacked most was fuel. Her household was big, and even with the supplies she had hoarded before Earth's Dark Days, plus the fuel she had gotten from Qian Duoduo afterward, nearly one-third of it was already used up.
Before the apocalypse, she had driven every day with a full tank, filling up tens of cubic meters of fuel in her reserves. But what really drained her supply was that gas-guzzling German MAN RV. She had even installed four extra batteries and eight massive natural gas tanks to save energy, but now that she was living inside it full-time, she needed heating for the cold, power for the lights, and even electricity for the house's generator. It was clear that fuel consumption would only increase in the coming years, while energy sources would become scarcer. Of course, she wanted to grab as much gasoline and diesel as she could while it was still possible.
Qian Duoduo laughed, his voice booming in the quiet room. "Right, I almost forgot about that. Hahaha!"
"What about the synthetic meat project?" she asked, narrowing her eyes slightly as she changed the topic to more pressing matters.
He paused, thinking for a long while before answering, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the arm of his chair. "How about this? The synthetic meat idea is a real breakthrough for Shiyuan. Poultry is still far too rare. Even if we lifted all restrictions on breeding, most people still wouldn't get to eat any meat. Right now, an average meal in Shiyuan is just old rice with red nematodes.
But I still need to consider production costs. Let me have the researchers test it first. If we can find a way to lower the cost, then we will go straight into collaboration. There's no need to talk about selling the formula."
She raised an eyebrow. "Collaboration? You mean profit sharing?"
He nodded. "Yeah. Whether it's for internal sales or external ones, we will split the proceeds seventy-thirty. I will take seven, you take three. I will handle all the raw materials, operations, and sales channels. You don't need to lift a finger—just provide the formula and wait for the profits to roll in.
Of course, there's a risk involved. If the research works, we will split the profits. If it doesn't and the cost is too high, I will have to abandon it. Honestly, I would love to handle this personally, but right now, I don't think I will have the time."
This time, it was Jing Shu's turn to think things over as she sat there in the silence.
She wasn't surprised by the offer. Qian Duoduo's seventy-thirty split was actually generous. Usually, when he held the initiative, it would be eighty-twenty. Seventy-thirty meant a long-term partnership, and once the synthetic meat started selling, she would get her cut for years—maybe even decades.
Meanwhile, he would have to shoulder all the upfront costs, the logistics, the manpower, and all the uncertainty that came with such a project.
"Alright, I will leave the formula with you. But I would recommend two people for the research team. The establishment of the Red Nematode Breeding and Processing Factory owes a lot to them. They're both incredibly capable."
"Oh? Who are they?"
Jing Shu smiled. "My cousin Wu You'ai and her mentor Chu Zhuohua."
"Got it. As long as they're competent, we will take them in. I will have Lao Wang handle the arrangements for their positions."
"Then I will trouble you with that. Also, please convert my dividends from the past six months into regular supplies and send them to the Red Nematode Factory with the next shipment."
Their discussion finally came to an end. Both were satisfied with the outcome of the meeting. Qian Duoduo had secured another future profit stream, and Jing Shu had solved the welfare issue for her factory workers.
How much was five percent of Shiyuan's dividends worth anyway?
It was quite a lot, actually. Someone of her rank received over a hundred kilograms of fresh vegetables each month, several dozen kilograms of rice or flour, a couple of fish, enough milk for a family of three, hundreds of eggs, and even new clothes, bedding, spices, and assorted daily necessities.
By exchanging the luxury items for more basic supplies, she could get a greater quantity overall—and that meant more food for her workers.
To her, those goods weren't appealing at all. They couldn't compare to the products from her Cube Space or the live seafood she had brought back from the US. But for workers who couldn't even fill their stomachs, these items were like a miracle. They would work themselves to the bone for it, maybe even risk their lives.
So why was this such a big win for her?
It was simple.
First, by using five percent of her dividends to reward the workers, she would motivate them to give their all to the factory. A few would enjoy privileges, but that would push the rest to work even harder for their own shot at rewards.
Second, she planned to divide the factory's profits into several parts. One portion of the red nematode harvest would feed the workers.
Another portion would repay government loans—and that was a genius move. Repaying in grain would put her at a loss, since the government's main concern was feeding more people. But red nematodes were different. They were a sustainable food source and reduced the government's burden. And for her, they basically cost nothing to produce.
A third portion would go to Qian Duoduo in exchange for fuel, solving the factory's energy problem.
A fourth portion would be stored away to prepare for the severe famine expected after the fourth year. By then, trading them with the government would be a huge advantage.
And the last portion? That would be sold externally, both to fund the factory and to earn her some extra income. After all, she couldn't stand not having some virtual coins in hand.
As for the sales channels, she wasn't worried. The factory had around a thousand workers, and the rest could take on other jobs—some to collect carrion scavengers and other bugs, others to sell goods. Whether they pushed carts for street sales or acted as distributors for government cafeterias, it didn't matter. As long as they created value, everything would fall into place.