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Su Ning was very attentive to Deputy Director Lin from Fujian, basically showing him around to see the situation.

The aroma of tea wafted through the reception room of the county government guesthouse.

Su Ning handed a hand-bound booklet to Deputy Director Lin with both hands: "Director Lin, this is my initial idea. Please give me your feedback."

Deputy Director Lin took the booklet, the cover of which was neatly titled "Northwest Specialty Food Industry Poverty Alleviation Plan".

The first page contains a meticulously drawn food map...

Beef noodles, mutton stew with bread, oil-splashed noodles, fried dough twists, fried dough sticks, stir-fried mutton, buckwheat noodles...

Each snack is also labeled with its place of origin and special features.

“Interesting.” Deputy Director Lin pushed up his glasses and continued flipping through the pages.

The more I looked, the higher his eyebrows rose...

Cost accounting, store design, training plans, profit distribution mechanisms, and even the concept and planning for franchise stores...

This is no mere preliminary idea; it's clearly a mature business plan.

Moreover, it's a project spearheaded by the governments of Xihai Gu and Ningxia, and it's a chain brand that will also involve private capital. If done well, it will definitely be a popular entrepreneurial project that sweeps the nation.

"Director Su, did you study business management before?" Deputy Director Lin couldn't help but ask.

Su Ning shook his head: "My father worked as a purchasing agent for a supply and marketing cooperative when he was young, so I learned a bit about it from a young age. In addition, my wife mainly helped with the financial calculations; she is an accountant."

Deputy Director Lin then noticed Shui Hua sitting quietly in the corner taking notes.

How could this quiet and pretty young woman have such a meticulous mind?

"Could you elaborate on your 'one store leading one household' model?" Deputy Director Lin asked with interest.

Su Ning's eyes lit up, and he took out a small wooden box from his briefcase: "Boss, let's taste it and talk at the same time."

As soon as the wooden box was opened, a rich fragrance immediately filled the entire room.

Inside, several kinds of Northwest specialty pastries are neatly arranged, golden and shiny, with different shapes.

“This is…” Deputy Director Lin’s breathing suddenly quickened, and his finger trembled slightly as he pointed to one of the spiral-shaped fried foods.

“Fried dough twists, a traditional snack here,” Su Ning explained, “made with high-quality flour and egg whites…”

Deputy Director Lin had already picked up a piece and put it in his mouth.

With a crisp sound, his expression suddenly froze, and his eyes turned red at a visible speed.

"It's the taste..." Deputy Director Lin murmured, his voice choked with emotion, "Twenty years... it hasn't changed at all..."

Shuihua keenly noticed the leader's unusual behavior and quietly handed him a handkerchief.

Deputy Director Lin thanked him, took off his glasses, and wiped his eyes.

"Sorry, I lost my composure." He calmed himself down. "When I was working in the countryside in Xiji in 1975, my landlady often made this for me. After returning to Fujian, I never found the same taste again."

Suning and Shuihua exchanged a glance, both seeing the surprise in each other's eyes.

Unexpectedly, a simple snack became the key to breaking the deadlock.

“Boss, this is exactly what I want to do.” Su Ning pressed his advantage. “There are many traditional delicacies like this in Northwest China, but due to poor transportation and lack of promotion, they remain unknown. If we could standardize and brand these foods, and open chain stores in Fujian…”

"It solves employment problems, spreads culture, and also drives the planting of raw materials." Deputy Director Lin picked up the conversation, getting more and more excited as he spoke, "What a wonderful 'one store leading one household' model! Each store employs a migrant worker from Northwest China and purchases agricultural products from their family, forming a closed loop!"

Shuihua added softly, "Moreover, it can also be run as a husband-and-wife shop. We've calculated that a small shop of ten square meters requires an initial investment of about five thousand yuan, and the investment can be recouped within six months."

Deputy Director Lin exclaimed in admiration, "This is true 'teaching a man to fish'! Director Su, you and your husband are truly..."

"You flatter me, leader! The success of this plan is inseparable from the support of the leaders in Fujian."

"Don't worry! It definitely will."

Deputy Director Lin's approval of the project completely changed the atmosphere of the meeting.

Deputy Director Lin certainly didn't expect such a pleasant surprise upon arriving in Xihai Gu, and his work thereafter will definitely go very smoothly.

The three talked until late at night, and Shuihua silently refilled the tea eight times.

When the guesthouse staff came to urge him on, Deputy Director Lin reluctantly stopped talking.

"Director Su, it's settled then!" Deputy Director Lin shook Su Ning's hand. "The first batch of pilot projects will be held in Xiamen and Quanzhou. I'll bring five experienced workers here to learn the trade, and you can select ten young people to go to Fujian for training. I'll take care of the funding!"

……

On the way back, Shuihua leaned on Suning's shoulder, tired but satisfied: "Brother Ning, can it really work?"

“We definitely can.” Su Ning looked out at the starry sky. “Director Lin said that Fujian people love to try new things. Our fried dough twists will surely open up the market.”

Shuihua suddenly remembered something: "Right, we need to convince the aunties in the village to share the recipe first. Grandma Ma's fried dough twists are amazing, but she's never shared them with anyone..."

The next morning, Shuihua visited the village's clever women from house to house.

At first, when they heard that their ancestral craftsmanship was going to be "sold for money," the older generation shook their heads.

Seventy-year-old Hui grandmother Ma even chased Shuihua out of the door: "You little brat! How can you just pass on the things of our ancestors?"

Undeterred, Shuihua went again the next day with the fried dough twists she had made herself.

She respectfully asked Grandma Ma to taste and give her feedback, making five trips in a row, and finally won over the old woman.

"Never mind," Grandma Ma sighed. "My son broke his leg in the mine, and we're almost starving. If only this skill could actually earn money... Sigh!"

The village office was bustling with activity more than ever before on the weekend.

Grandma Ma and several of her elderly friends demonstrated the process of making traditional snacks such as fried dough twists and fried dough sticks, while Shuihua and a few literate young girls took notes.

Su Ning then set up a video camera borrowed from the county cultural center, saying he wanted to "preserve precious video footage."

"Kneading the dough requires three kneads and three rests..."

"Put the oil in the pan when it's about 60% hot..."

"The timing of sprinkling sesame seeds is very important..."

The elders meticulously passed down the secrets from their ancestors, while the young people diligently took notes.

The air was filled with the aroma of flour and sesame oil, and laughter filled the air.

Just as the event was reaching its climax, the courtyard gate was suddenly pushed open.

Ma Hanshui, however, barged in with several village officials, his face grim.

"Nonsense!" Ma shouted angrily. "You're just going to sell your ancestral craftsmanship to outsiders like this? How can you face your ancestors?"

The lively scene froze instantly.

Grandma Ma's hand trembled, and the fried dough twist that was just taking shape fell to the ground.

“Uncle Ma, you’ve misunderstood,” Suning stepped forward to explain. “We’re not selling the formula; we’re collaborating on development. Everyone who contributes the formula will receive a share of the profits from future stores…”

"Hmph! Don't give me that crap!" Ma Hanshui sneered. "Who doesn't know what your Su family is up to? You tricked everyone out of their formulas, and then you'll open your own factory and make money off them!"

A commotion began to rise in the crowd, and several women who had already signed the consent form whispered nervously to each other.

Seeing this, Shuihua immediately took out a prepared contract: "Aunties, it's written in black and white in this contract that the formula will forever belong to the contributor, and we only have the right to use it. Each family is guaranteed a minimum dividend of no less than five hundred yuan per year!"

Five hundred yuan! In Xihai Gu in 1991, this was equivalent to half a year's income for a strong laborer.

The women's eyes lit up immediately.

At this moment, Su Ning also smiled and explained to everyone, "In addition, this project was initiated and invested in by the Xihai Gu County government. Although there is indeed some private capital involved, it is definitely a government-led poverty alleviation and wealth creation project. Once this project is established, everyone can contract and join, and then everyone can open shops in various places. Family shops and husband-and-wife shops are not a distant dream."

"I'll sign!" Grandma Ma was the first to step forward. "My three grandsons are waiting for their meals!"

Once someone takes the lead, others follow suit.

Ma Hanshui was naturally left out in the cold, his face turning ashen.

He never expected that he, who had always been the one to have the final say in the village, would be ignored by a group of women today.

"This is outrageous!" Ma Hanshui stormed off, yelling, "Let's see how you explain yourselves to your ancestors!"

After this incident, the preparations progressed rapidly.

The catering team sent by Deputy Director Lin from Fujian arrived quickly and began training ten young people selected from the county vocational school.

Most of these young people are children from impoverished families. They were both excited and apprehensive when they heard for the first time that the fried dough twists they made could be sold to the seaside.

"You should rotate your wrist like this..."

"People from Fujian prefer sweet flavors, so the amount of sugar can be adjusted accordingly..."

"The packaging design should highlight the concept of 'original Northwest ecology'..."

The training room was bustling with activity, with Suning and Shuihua working late into the night every day.

It is necessary to coordinate the needs of all parties and also to soothe the disappointment of those families who were not selected.

The most troublesome one is Li Dayou, who spreads rumors everywhere that Suning "tricked young people from the village into going to Fujian to work as laborers."

"Ignore him." Ma Defu unexpectedly stood up to speak for Su Ning. "Once the first batch of people send money back, the rumors will fall apart on their own."

……

The day before their departure, the ten young people and their families were invited to the county to attend a farewell banquet.

Deputy Director Lin made a special trip from Fujian, bringing with him a cooperation agreement and an advance payment.

When each family representative pressed their fingerprint on the contract and received a prepayment of 200 yuan, many elderly people were moved to tears.

"Son, do your best in Fujian!"

"Remember to write back often..."

"Learn the skill, come back and open a branch!"

The sounds of admonition, weeping, and laughter mingled together.

Shuihua was busy distributing the "emergency kits" she had sewn herself to everyone...

Inside were commonly used medicines, a sewing kit, a note with emergency contact information, and even some yellow soil from the fields back home.

The next morning, the county bus station was bustling with people.

Ten young people, wearing big red flowers on their chests and carrying uniformly distributed bags, boarded a bus bound for Yinchuan, watched by their relatives.

From there, they will transfer to a train to Xiamen.

Grandma Ma held her grandson's hand, tears streaming down her face: "Gouwa, have you remembered how Grandma taught you to make fried dough twists? When you get to Fujian, don't embarrass us Northwesterners!"

The young dog nodded vigorously: "Grandma, don't worry! Once I've made some money, I'll take you to Xiamen to see the sea!"

This remark caused those around him to both laugh and cry.

Su Ning stood to the side and quietly took Shui Hua's hand: "After we get through this busy period, shall we go to Fujian for a visit? I heard that the sunset on Gulangyu Island is especially beautiful."

Shuihua blushed and nodded, her eyes glistening with hopeful tears.

The bus slowly started, carrying ten anxious yet hopeful hearts, heading into the distance.

Outside the car window, the crowd seeing them off lingered, reluctant to leave.

Some waved their arms, some covered their faces and wept, and many more stood on tiptoe, wanting to catch a glimpse of their loved ones.

As Su Ning watched the car drive away, she suddenly remembered what her father often said: "In this life, you should always do something for others."

At that moment, he truly felt the weight of those words for the first time.

Shuihua leaned gently on his shoulder: "Brother Ning, let's go home."

“Okay, let’s go home.” Su Ning put his arm around his wife’s shoulder. “We’re going to the immigration site tomorrow. Li Dayou said the newly dug well has started producing water.” The two walked side by side out of the station.

The rising sun cast their shadows long, long, on the dirt road.

In the distance, someone's radio was playing that familiar song, "The Story of Spring."

The spring breeze of 1992 was quietly blowing through the gullies and ridges of Xihai Gu, bringing a breath of fresh air from afar and also bringing hope to this land.

……

Inside the county government auditorium, a red banner hung high: "Inauguration and Signing Ceremony of Northwest Style Food Culture Co., Ltd."

Suning stood on the podium, his fingers trembling slightly.

He was wearing a brand new navy blue suit today, which Shuihua had specially bought from the Yinchuan Department Store.

The audience was packed with people—county leaders, township officials, representatives of farmers who had signed contracts, and Deputy Director Lin, who had come especially for the occasion.

In the last row, more than a dozen media outlets aimed their cameras and microphones at the podium.

"Now, please let County Head Yang and General Manager Su sign the cooperation agreement!" the host announced loudly.

Today, Suning is not only the deputy director of the Xihai Gu Poverty Alleviation Office, but also the general manager of Northwest Style Food Culture Co., Ltd.

Amid applause, County Chief Yang walked onto the stage with a broad smile and sat opposite Su Ning.

The staff brought over two gold-embossed contracts and placed them on a table covered with red velvet.

Suning took a deep breath and picked up his pen.

He already knew the contract terms by heart: the county government would invest 30% of the shares with poverty alleviation funds, the Su family brick kiln would invest 35% with equipment and cash, and the farmers would invest 35% with formula and raw materials.

This model of "government guidance + enterprise operation + farmer participation" was absolutely unprecedented in the impoverished areas of Northwest China in 1992.

After signing, the two stood up and shook hands.

The flashes of light instantly lit up the room, blinding Suning.

In a daze, he saw splashes of water from the front row of the audience...

She was wearing a light red polyester shirt today, clapping enthusiastically, her eyes red-rimmed.

"Next, please welcome Ms. Li Shuihua, the company's Chief Financial Officer, to introduce the project's financial plan!"

Shui Hua was clearly caught off guard by this arrangement and looked at Suning in alarm.

Encouraged by Deputy Director Lin, she walked onto the stage with a blush on her face.

At first, her voice was barely audible, but as she went on to explain, it became more and more fluent and confident, after all, she had a strong man supporting her.

"...According to calculations, each store has an average daily turnover of about 300 yuan, and after deducting costs, the monthly profit can reach 3000 yuan. Franchisees pay a 20% management fee, and the company's annual revenue is projected to be..."

There were bursts of exclamations from the audience.

These figures are astronomical for officials in impoverished counties.

County Chief Yang whispered in Deputy Director Lin's ear, "Old Lin, we've struck gold!"

After the signing ceremony, a fleet of tractors and donkey carts carrying farmer representatives drove in a grand procession to the newly built "Northwest Style" food factory on the outskirts of the city.

This factory was converted from an abandoned grain warehouse, and a brand-new sign has been hung at the entrance.

"This way, everyone!" Su Ning led the tour group into the workshop. "This is the disinfection area, this is the raw material pretreatment area, and over there is the packaging area..."

In the spacious and bright workshop, the stainless steel equipment gleams.

The workers in white coats were adjusting the machines. When they saw the leaders come in, they stood up straight nervously.

Grandma Ma, leaning on her cane, shakily touched a vacuum packaging machine: "This...this lump of iron can really transport our fried dough twists to Fujian?"

"Not only can it be transported to Fujian, but it can also be stored for up to six months without spoiling!" Technician Xiao Zhang proudly explained, "This is the latest preservation technology developed by Lanzhou University!"

After visiting the factory, the group went to the adjacent research and development center.

This place is more like a traditional kitchen, with lamb stewing on the stove and various kinds of dough laid out on the cutting board.

Five elderly people with white hair...

They are all recognized as culinary masters in their respective villages...

He is currently instructing several young people on how to record the recipe.

"This is the core competitiveness of our 'Northwest Flavor'," Suning explained to the leaders. "We have standardized and scientized the traditional recipe, which not only preserves the original flavor but also enables mass production."

Deputy Director Lin took a bite of the freshly cooked mutton sauce and his eyes lit up: "This is the taste! It's more authentic than any Northwest restaurant I've ever had in Xiamen!"

Just then, a technician rushed in excitedly: "It's a success! The vacuum-packed noodles with minced meat sauce have passed the shelf life test and reached 180 days!"

The R&D center instantly erupted in excitement.

Grandma Ma wiped away her tears and held the technician Xiao Zhang's hand: "Children, you have carried forward the skills of our ancestors!"

Xiao Zhang scratched his head sheepishly: "Grandma Ma, it's because your formula is so good. We just used scientific methods to make it go further..."

That evening, the county government held a grand celebration banquet.

After a few rounds of drinks, County Chief Yang patted Su Ning on the shoulder: "Little Su! How's the preparation for the flagship store in Xi'an going?"

"The renovation is complete, and staff training will end next week," Suning reported. "We plan to open on the 1st of next month, just in time for National Day."

"Great!" County Chief Yang exclaimed, beaming. "I'll bring the entire county team to support you then!"

In a corner, Ma Hanshui and Li Dayou huddled together and whispered to each other.

"See that? That kid's all the rage now!" Li Dayou said sourly. "I heard the government alone invested two million!"

Ma Hanshui said with a gloomy face, "Who knows how much shady stuff is going on here? A brick kiln owner, suddenly starting a big company..."

"How about... we write a report?" Li Dayou lowered his voice, "We'll say he embezzled poverty alleviation funds!"

The two were whispering to each other when they didn't notice the water splashing past them from behind.

The tray in her hands trembled slightly, and the tea almost spilled.

After the banquet, Su Ning and Shui Hua returned to their temporary dormitory...

A small bungalow next to the factory.

Shuihua closed the door and immediately told Su Ning what she had heard.

"Don't worry," Su Ning comforted her. "Our accounts are clear and transparent, and can withstand scrutiny."

Shuihua bit her lip: "Brother Ning, I always feel... things are going too smoothly. Uncle Ma and the others won't really try to sabotage us, will they?"

Just as Su Ning was about to answer, there was a sudden, urgent knocking on the door.

When the door opened, there was Ma Defu, who reeked of alcohol.

"Brother Defu? It's so late..." Shuihua asked in surprise.

Ma Defu walked straight into the room and plopped down in a chair: "Su Ning, someone's trying to mess with you."

It turned out that Ma Defu noticed his father and Li Dayou's unusual behavior at the banquet, and deliberately pretended to be drunk to eavesdrop, learning that they were planning to join forces with several village officials to write a letter of denunciation.

"The letter is already written; it'll be sent to the Discipline Inspection Commission tomorrow." Ma Defu rubbed his temples. "It'll say you falsified investment reports, withheld farmers' money, and embezzled public funds..."

Shuihua's face turned deathly pale: "How could they do this? We clearly..."

"Thank you for bringing the news." Su Ning calmly poured Ma Defu a cup of tea. "But the innocent will clear themselves. Let them investigate."

Ma Defu suddenly looked up: "Are you stupid? This is a critical period for the company's start-up. A single whistleblower letter can cause banks to cut off loans and customers to cancel orders!"

The three remained silent for a long time.

Finally, Shuihua said softly, "Brother Ning, let's make the accounts public. Let the whole village see where every penny went."

"Fine! Let's follow other people's paths and leave them with no path to follow."

The next morning, detailed accounts of "Northwest Style" were posted at the entrance of the village committee—income, expenditure, and dividend distribution plan were all clearly displayed.

The onlookers were abuzz with discussion, and many expressed their sympathy for Suning.

"Look at the Su family kid, he's leading everyone to prosperity, and some people are still envious!"

"Exactly! My daughter works at a food processing plant and earns eighty yuan a month!"

"Director Ma has gone too far this time..."

Under public pressure, Ma Hanshui had no choice but to temporarily back down.

But he told Li Dayou privately, "Just wait and see, that kid definitely has something going on!"

……

A month later, the "Northwest Style" flagship store next to the Bell Tower in Xi'an was brightly decorated and grandly opened.

County Head Yang personally cut the ribbon, and various media outlets rushed to report on it.

At the shop entrance, Gouwa demonstrated his skill in making fried dough twists, attracting a large crowd of onlookers.

"Distinguished guests, please savor the authentic flavors of Xihai Gu!" Su Ning, dressed in ethnic attire, introduced the dishes to the customers.

A middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses took a bite of the fried dough twist and his eyes lit up: "Delicious! It's even more authentic than what I had in Lanzhou!"

Upon hearing this comment, Shuihua in the back row burst into tears.

She remembered her childhood, when she had to wait until the New Year to eat a piece of fried dough twist; she remembered how her father almost married her off to An Yongfu to earn money for alcohol; she remembered the dizzying feeling of happiness when she first ate the fried dough twist that Suning brought her...

"What's wrong?" Su Ning appeared beside her without her noticing.

Shuihua shook her head and wiped away her tears: "I'm just... so happy."

The restaurant's revenue exceeded 5,000 yuan that day, setting a new opening record for restaurants on the street.

At the celebration banquet that evening, Deputy Director Lin announced even more exciting news: the Xiamen and Fuzhou branches will open simultaneously next month!
"We want to spread the flavors of Northwest China all over the Southeast coast!" Deputy Director Lin shouted, raising his glass.

After the banquet, while Shuihua was sorting out the accounts, she found a remittance slip deep inside the safe—amounting to 50,000 yuan, payee "Fujian Shanhaijing Trading Company," with the remarks column stating "equipment payment."

She frowned, not recalling that the company had ever purchased such a large quantity of equipment.

“Brother Ning, this…” She took the remittance slip and found Su Ning, who was packing his luggage.

Su Ning's expression remained completely natural: "Oh, that's... the equipment supplier introduced by Uncle Lin. I forgot to put it in the company accounts, I'll add it later."

Shuihua was skeptical, but seeing Suning's tired face, she didn't ask any further questions.

Ten days later, the "Northwest Style" branch on Zhongshan Road in Xiamen entered the final stage of renovation.

Suning and Shuihua stood at the store entrance, gazing at the surging sea not far away.

This was Shuihua's first time seeing the sea, and the salty, damp sea breeze made her feel a little uncomfortable.

"Will we succeed?" Shuihua asked softly, clutching the photocopy of the remittance slip tightly in her hand.

Su Ning gazed at the horizon where the sea met the sky, his eyes filled with a profound look: "Actually, we have already succeeded."

The waves crashed against the rocks, splashing up white foam.

Further away, a giant ship is slowly leaving the port, heading towards the wider ocean.

In 1992, the spring breeze of reform and opening up was in full swing in southern China.

On the barren Loess Plateau in Northwest China, a seed has already sprouted and will eventually grow into a towering tree.

...(End of chapter)