Rebirth 70: I am a Koi

"What did you say? This is impossible!" I stood up suddenly, and the documents in my hand fell to the ground with a "bang".

"Jinli, don't be anxious, just listen to what I have to say..." On the other end of the phone, my old classmate, Lao Zhao, who now works at the Municipal Agriculture Bureau, spoke in a heavy tone.

"What could be worse than this?! The flood has finally receded and the base is in ruins, and now you tell me that the prices of our agricultural products have plummeted, this..." My eyes went dark and I could hardly stand.

Bai Hanchuan quickly supported me and said to me in a sharp tone, "Lao Zhao, what's the situation?"

Lao Zhao sighed and explained, "This is a nationwide market fluctuation. Our province has been severely affected. Vegetables and fruits in many places are unsalable, so prices naturally cannot go up. I got the news that the price of our batch of vegetables has dropped by at least 30%..."

30%! What does this mean? It means that our months of hard work will go to waste, and the capital chain for rebuilding the base will be completely broken...

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. Now was not the time to panic. I had to find a solution as soon as possible.

"Hanchuan, gather everyone for a meeting immediately!"

The atmosphere in the conference room was solemn, and everyone's face was filled with anxiety and uneasiness.

"Everyone knows the current situation. The sharp drop in market prices has made things worse for us." I said straight to the point, "I called everyone here to brainstorm and see if there is any way to overcome the difficulties."

"How about...we lower the price? It's better than letting it rot in the fields." suggested an old employee.

"No!" I shook my head. "Lowering prices will only cause us to suffer greater losses and disrupt the market order, which is not conducive to our long-term development."

"Then what do you say we should do? What else can we do in this situation?" another employee said excitedly.

Yes, what else can I do? I looked at the anxious faces in front of me, and my heart was filled with a sense of powerlessness.

At this moment, Lin Xiao stood up, cleared her throat, and said, "I have an idea..."

Everyone immediately looked at her, a glimmer of hope in their eyes.

Lin Xiao took a deep breath and said slowly: "My idea is that we can..."

Her voice became quieter and quieter, and finally almost inaudible, but I could clearly see a determined light flashing in her eyes. Lin Xiao took a deep breath and said firmly: "My idea is that we can adjust the planting structure, reduce the planting area of ​​vegetables and fruits, and plant some cash crops with high market demand and stable prices, such as medicinal materials and spices. At the same time, we can also open up new markets, such as contacting some food processing factories to further process our agricultural products and increase the added value of our products."

Her suggestion was like a bolt of lightning, illuminating the depressing atmosphere in the conference room.

"That's an idea, but..." An old employee looked embarrassed. "Growing new crops requires a lot of money and time, and we are not familiar with the planting techniques of these crops. The risk is too great."

"Yes, and the market conditions are unclear now, so a hasty transformation would be very risky," another employee echoed.

Although Lin Xiao's suggestion was bold, not everyone agreed with it.

At this time, the mysterious ally who had been silent all this time slowly spoke up: "I think we should stick to the original planting plan and wait for the market to pick up. After all, the vegetables and fruits in our base are of high quality and have a good reputation in the market. As long as we can persist, we will definitely be able to overcome the difficulties."

His words were steady and powerful, like a shot of adrenaline, rekindling hope in those who were originally somewhat shaken.

The new ally nodded in agreement: "Yes, the current market fluctuations are only temporary, and we can't lose our composure. Moreover, if we switch to planting other crops now, we will lose our competitive advantage when the market recovers."

Two completely different opinions, two completely different choices, put me in a dilemma.

I turned to look at Bai Hanchuan, hoping he could give me some advice. He remained silent, his brows furrowed, his deep eyes flashing with complex light, as if he was also weighing the pros and cons.

The meeting room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Everyone's eyes were focused on my husband and me, waiting for the final decision...

"I've decided..." Bai Hanchuan finally spoke, his voice low and firm, "We..."

"I've decided..." Bai Hanchuan looked around at everyone with a firm gaze, "We can't be intimidated by the current predicament, nor can we blindly follow the crowd. Xiaoxiao's proposal is very constructive, but given the current situation, it is more appropriate to proceed step by step."

He paused and continued, "First, we must concentrate on completing post-disaster reconstruction and resuming production as soon as possible. Secondly, we will gradually adjust the planting structure and try to plant cash crops with stable market demand in stages and on a small scale to reduce risks. At the same time, we must strengthen market research, understand changes in market demand, and provide a basis for the next decision."

Bai Hanchuan's decision was like a stabilizing force, and the originally tense atmosphere in the conference room gradually subsided. Everyone expressed their agreement and began to actively discuss the specific implementation plan.

Seeing everyone regain their confidence, I finally felt relieved. I understood that Bai Hanchuan had chosen a safer path, which was less risky and more in line with the actual situation of our base.

After the meeting, I walked over to Bai Hanchuan, gently held his hand, and whispered, "Thank you. I know you are under a lot of pressure."

He held my hand in return, his deep eyes full of tenderness and determination: "We will face it together."

In the following days, we began the reconstruction work in a race against time. Bai Hanchuan led the workers to work day and night to repair the damaged greenhouses and plant vegetable seedlings. I was responsible for communicating with customers, striving for their continued cooperation and promising to resume supply as soon as possible.

At the same time, I also actively contacted the media to publicize our base and increase the popularity and reputation of our products. I know that only by building my own brand can I be invincible in the market competition.

In order to open up new markets, I began to try to contact some food processing factories, hoping to further process our agricultural products and increase the added value of our products. Although I encountered many setbacks, I did not give up. I believed that as long as we persevere, we can always find a new way out.

It was late at night, but the lights were still on in the office. Bai Hanchuan and I sat face to face, sorting out today's work, with thick files piled up on the desk.

"Are you tired?" He raised his head and asked with concern.

I shook my head, picked up the water cup on the table and handed it to him: "Drink some water, we can still hold on."

He took the water cup, raised his head and drank a few sips, then put it down and looked at me firmly: "Lili, we..." "Lili, we can't just sit there and wait for death." Bai Hanchuan put down the water cup, his deep eyebrows revealing a trace of fatigue, but also more determination. "This market fluctuation came strangely, I always feel that it's not that simple."

My heart tightened, I put down the documents in my hand, and looked at him worriedly: "You mean..."

"I suspect someone is manipulating the market behind the scenes." Bai Hanchuan said calmly, but could not hide a hint of anger. "I have been investigating these days and found that a batch of low-priced vegetables suddenly appeared on the market. Although the quality is not as good as ours, the price is ridiculously low. It is obvious that they are suppressing the market maliciously."

"How could this happen?" I felt a chill in my heart. We had finally come out of the shadow of the flood, but we were once again pushed to the forefront. Who was so cruel as to want to kill us?

Bai Hanchuan held my hand, the warmth of his palm conveyed strength: "Don't worry, I have found some clues, I believe we can find out soon. You have to be more careful during this period, I am worried that the other party will harm you."

I held his hand in return and nodded firmly: "I will, and you should be careful too."

Outside the window, the night was dark and the wind was howling, as if foreshadowing a bigger storm was coming. My heart was heavy, and an unprecedented sense of crisis gripped me tightly.

"Dong dong dong..."

A hurried knock on the door broke the silence of the night. My heart skipped a beat and an ominous premonition came over me.

"Boss Bai, Manager Mu, something bad has happened..." Lin Xiao pushed the door open in a panic, his face pale and his tone hurried, "Something happened..."