Official title: Refused to stay at the university, started his career in a rural town.

"What do we do now? Everyone, please share your thoughts!"

After Zhou Guodong finished speaking, he picked up the jar, blew away the tea leaves, and took a sip.

"Secretary Ma, I think the most urgent task is to expand the supply of goods. We should mobilize every village and household that can go up the mountain to collect them. Our committee members can divide the work into sections, with each person responsible for one or two villages, setting tasks and deadlines."

Sun Xiaohong pushed up her glasses.

"We also need to keep up with the publicity. Everyone has seen the effect of Mayor Yang's article. My idea is to strike while the iron is hot and write a few more articles to submit to provincial and municipal newspapers. Also, I'll contact the county radio station to see if we can do a special feature on it."

Zhao Dayong has a loud voice; when he speaks, the room buzzes.

"If you ask me, we can't just rely on picking. Wild crops are always limited, so we have to cultivate them! Mushrooms can be grown, wood ear mushrooms can be grown, and walnuts and chestnuts can also be grown. Our township has a lot of mountains and slopes, so growing grains isn't feasible, but these are perfect for it."

Han Zheng rarely spoke; he leaned back in his chair and tapped his fingers twice on his knee.

"Planting is a long-term plan, but right now the most urgent thing is to control the quality. If there isn't enough stock, we can gradually buy more. But if there are quality problems, once a batch of products is shipped out, the brand will be ruined."

He glanced at Yang Fan. "Committee Member Yang, what do you think?"

All eyes turned to them.

Yang Fan put the jar down.

"Secretary Han is right, quality is the bottom line."

He closed the notebook in front of him, looked up, and said.

"The first step, as Committee Member Zhou suggested, is to divide the work into sections and assign tasks."

"The second step, as Committee Member Sun said, is that the publicity cannot stop, but this time we will not write articles, but stories. We will write about the mushroom pickers in Qingping Township, the tea-frying craftsmen in Nangezhuang, and the old man who divides walnuts in Lijia Kiln. Stories will spread farther than articles."

Sun Xiaohong made a note in her notebook and nodded.

"The third step," Yang Fan paused, then said in a heavy voice, "is the brand!"

He turned around.

"Right now, there isn't enough stock, so some people are getting anxious, and when they get anxious, things get chaotic. When things get chaotic, some people will try to pass off inferior goods as superior ones, some will raise prices privately, and some will bring mountain products from other places to pass off as Qingping mountain delicacies."

The meeting room fell silent.

"If these things happen, the Qingping Mountain Delicacies brand will be ruined in six months at most."

Zhao Dayong couldn't hold back any longer. "Mayor Yang, what do you suggest we do?"

Yang Fan said in a deep voice, "We don't supply directly to small vendors; we only supply orders of 5,000 jin or more!"

Zhao Dayong was taken aback. "Not supplying? Then we—"

"It's not that we don't want to cooperate with small vendors, it's that we can't let them get their goods directly from the villages. What we need to do is—unify the distribution channels."

"The county fruit suppliers, the city supply and marketing cooperatives, and the reputable companies in the provincial capital—these are the major distribution channels. They purchase in large quantities, offer stable prices, and have brand endorsement. Small vendors should contact these major channels for their needs. We are only responsible to these major channels."

Zhou Guodong frowned. "Won't the small vendors have any objections?"

"It's understandable that you have objections," Yang Fan said, looking at him. "But we need to do the math. How much is the 'Qingping Mountain Delicacies' brand worth?"

"If anyone can come and get the goods now, the prices will be chaotic. Zhang San will sell for twenty, Li Si for fifteen, and Wang Wu for ten. In the end, no one will make any money, and the brand will be ruined."

He paused.

"But if we only go through major channels, we set the price, they set the distribution channels, and we control the brand. This year it sells for 22, and next year with better quality and more refined packaging, it can sell for 32 or 42. At that time, everyone who grows mushrooms, picks wood ear fungus, and harvests walnuts will be building new houses."

Zhao Dayong fell silent.

Han Zheng leaned back in his chair and tapped his knees twice with his fingers.

"Committee Member Yang's words make sense."

Sun Xiaohong nodded as well.

"Regarding branding, Mayor Li mentioned that in coastal areas, a village's tea, once branded, can sell for over a hundred yuan per kilogram."

Zhou Guodong hesitated for a moment.

"But...the villagers need the money right now, is it reasonable to ask them not to sell to small vendors privately?"

Ma Liangchen picked up the enamel mug, blew away the tea leaves, took a sip, and then put it down.

"It makes sense! Even if it doesn't, it has to make sense! This is for the long-term benefit of Qingping Township!"

"Tell the elders in those villages and clans: making quick money will ruin the future of Qingping Township!"

"Whoever's doing this, should keep an eye on it!"

Everyone fell silent.

Zhou Guodong blushed and fell silent.

Li Chang'an took over the conversation and continued to encourage everyone.

"The brand that Minister Sun mentioned is located in a village where the tea is purchased, processed, packaged, and priced uniformly. There are not just one car, but a whole row of cars parked at the entrance of the village."

He turned around and looked at the people in the conference room.

"Our Qingping has been poor for so many years. Now that we finally have something to fight for, we can't just smash it ourselves."

Li Chang'an added, "I agree with Yang Fan's opinion! Unify channels, control prices, and build a brand."

Ma Liangchen looked at everyone.

"Any other objections?"

Zhao Dayong raised his hand. "I agree."

Sun Xiaohong closed the notebook. "Agreed."

Han Zheng nodded.

Zhou Guodong finally raised his hand. "...Agreed."

Ma Liangchen stood up.

"Then it's settled. Starting tomorrow, each village will be assigned to a specific person. Zhou Guodong will be responsible for Nangezhuang, Sun Xiaohong for Zhaojiaping, Zhao Dayong for Lijiayao, and Lao Han for Wangjiaping..."

He looked at Yang Fan.

"You'll be in charge of overall coordination and dealing with purchasing companies; that's no small task! Report anything that happens, and the township will provide full support!"

Yang Fan nodded.

"Yes."

After the meeting, Yang Fan was kept behind by Ma Liangchen.

Ma Liangchen held the enamel mug; the tea had gone cold. He didn't refill it, just held it there.

"Yang Fan".

"Um."

"Some people will criticize you for what you said at the meeting today."

Yang Fan did not respond.

"Small vendors come to buy goods, cash on delivery. If the villagers see the money and you don't let them sell, they'll curse you for blocking their path to wealth." Ma Liangchen put down the jar. "Are you ready?"

"Ready!"

Yang Fan smiled and said, "Secretary Ma, I said on my first day that I'm here to get things done!"

Ma Liangchen stared at him for a few seconds, then picked up the jar, found the water was cold, and picked up the thermos to refill it.

"Go."

Yang Fan left the office. In the courtyard, Geng Yan was squatting under the locust tree smoking. When he saw Yang Fan, he stood up.

"Mayor Yang, what did you say at the meeting?"

Yang Fan squatted down, looking at the busy crowd not far away, their faces beaming with joy, and couldn't help but say.

"Unify distribution channels, control prices, and build a brand. We won't accept orders under 5,000 kilograms!"

"Huh? This?"

"Secretary Geng, starting tomorrow, you need to keep a close eye on every single shipment entering the warehouse. Whether we win this battle or not depends on you!"

"yes!"

Yang Fan stood up, dusted off his trouser legs, and looked at the villagers with some concern.

"Take some time to advise them not to rush into putting the money in their pockets. The better days for Qingping are yet to come."

Geng Yan stared at the ground and stomped out the cigarette butt.

"Alright! Mayor Yang, you're smart, I, Old Geng, am convinced. Whatever you say, we'll do!"

Outside the courtyard wall, the blazing sunlight turned the mountains of Qingping golden.

The tea gardens on the mountain, the orchards at the foot of the mountain, and the mushrooms, wood ear fungus, walnuts and chestnuts covering the mountain all seem to be full of vitality.