74: Live-streaming e-commerce

Entering May, the temperature in Shanghai rose rapidly, making the weather muggy and humid.

In a private room on the second floor of a street-side teahouse, the window was half-open, letting in the clamor of the market and the aroma of tea.

Lu Fan sat by the window, facing a serious-looking middle-aged man wearing a faded, old military uniform.

He was Chen Hairong, a purchasing agent from the Xiangnan Garrison Headquarters.

"Boss Lu, although you were introduced by Fourth Young Master Tang, military supplies are no small matter, and there are no jokes in the military.

You claim to have something ten times better than ordinary field rations? If you can't produce it, you know the consequences."

Chen Hairong's gaze was sharp, and his speech was direct—the iron-blooded nature of a soldier was palpable.

"Officer Chen, don't worry. Seeing is believing."

Lu Fan calmly took several Compressed Biscuits out of his briefcase and placed them on the table: "This is it, military Compressed Biscuits."

Chen Hairong suspiciously examined the square, palm-sized items wrapped in silver foil.

The packaging was certainly elaborate, but having worked in military procurement for many years, he knew that things with overly fancy packaging were often more show than substance.

He picked up one of the "biscuits"; it felt heavy and hard, like a brick.

He frowned deeply: "So hard?"

"Officer Chen, hardness is precisely one of its advantages." Lu Fan smiled slightly and tapped another piece on the table a few times.

"Look, it's very sturdy, not easily broken. During transport and storage, it won't be damaged by bumps or crushing."

He tore open the packaging, and the biscuit remained intact. "Ordinary field rations, after long-distance travel, would likely turn into powder and be inedible."

Chen Hairong sneered and stood up: "How are you supposed to expect soldiers to eat something this hard! Nonsense~~"

Lu Fan picked up a large, coarse porcelain bowl prepared on the table and placed the biscuit inside.

Then, he lifted the teapot and poured scalding boiling water directly over the compressed biscuit; the water instantly submerged it.

"Now, look at this."

Chen Hairong leaned over and stared into the bowl, watching the hard biscuit rapidly swell and soften in the boiling water.

In less than a minute, it was like a sponge saturated with water, its volume increasing several times over.

The biscuit, which had just been rock-hard, was now a large bowl of thick, paste-like mush.

"This..." Chen Hairong was somewhat surprised.

He had seen parched rice soaked in water, but he had never seen such a small piece of something instantly turn into so much.

Lu Fan picked up the spoon from the table, scooped up a spoonful, and put it into his mouth: "Officer Chen, this is how it's eaten."

Saying this, he picked up a new spoon and handed it over: "You can try the taste. Although it can't compare to hot meals and dishes,

it certainly isn't bad, and it's highly nutritious and extremely filling."

Chen Hairong hesitated for a moment, took the spoon, and tasted a bite.

The taste wasn't exactly delicious; it was a savory mix of pure grains and oil, with a dense, thick texture.

This thing was indeed not unpleasant to eat, and the first taste was even a little addictive.

Chen Hairong sat back down and took another spoonful. After a few bites, the heat quickly spread through his stomach, and the feeling of fullness was intense.

Seeing the situation, Lu Fan elaborated on the advantages of the compressed biscuit: "Officer Chen, this thing has extremely high caloric content.

This small piece alone is equivalent to the total calories of an ordinary soldier's ration for an entire day.

During long marches, emergency missions, or when supplies are difficult, a soldier carrying a few of these won't go hungry for days.

Most importantly, this item is highly resistant to storage and rich in nutrients."

Important points must be reiterated and emphasized.

Chen Hairong put down the spoon, his expression becoming focused: "Rich in nutrients?"

"Absolutely. Soldiers are fighting on the front lines; their nutrition must be guaranteed." Lu Fan took out the ingredient list, handed it over, and began to speak eloquently.

"The main ingredients of this compressed biscuit are flour, oil, sugar, salt, and essential vitamins."

Hearing that this ingredient was included, Chen Hairong became agitated and exclaimed: "Vitamins?"

As someone who had studied abroad, he knew deeply that supplementing vitamins was crucial during intense combat.

They can effectively alleviate physical discomfort and help quickly restore physical strength.

But then again, if the product is excellent, the price will naturally be high.

Even the great powers of Europe only equipped their elite troops with top-tier military rations containing vitamins.

Lu Fan answered confidently: "It must be! If anyone suffers, it shouldn't be the soldiers.

Without them defending the country, we would all become slaves of a conquered nation, so what money would there be to earn?"

Hearing this, Chen Hairong felt warmth in his heart, yet his mind remained exceptionally clear.

He quickly calculated: small volume, light weight, long storage life, resistant to damage, explosive caloric content, easy to eat... this item was practically tailor-made for the pain points of military logistics.

"Price?" Chen Hairong composed himself and got straight to the point.

Procurement wasn't the issue; the price was the key.

"One kilogram, one silver dollar." Lu Fan quoted the price.

This time, Lu Fan did not ask for an exorbitant price; he stuck strictly to the mission requirements.

In modern times, 500 grams of this cost less than 15 yuan. Strictly calculating based on a twentyfold profit, one kilogram would be about 1,000 yuan.

"What?!" Chen Hairong nearly stood up. "That expensive! A ton of ordinary field rations only costs a dozen copper coins.

Is this stuff made of gold?"

"Officer Chen." Lu Fan did not back down and looked directly at him. "The calculation isn't done that way."

Seeing this, Chen Hairong slightly frowned and asked in a deep voice, "Then tell me, how should this be calculated?"

Lu Fan spoke confidently: "One kilogram of Compressed Biscuits can feed someone for at least three meals; if you are frugal, five meals is not a problem.

Furthermore, I never claimed this was a regular ration. If soldiers ate this all year round, even the landlord's family wouldn't have enough grain."

Chen Hairong waved his hand, signaling Lu Fan to continue.

Seeing this, Lu Fan began to praise his own product: "It is life-saving food!

It is an energy block that, at a crucial moment, allows a soldier to walk dozens of miles further or endure a few more hours.

It is a strategic material that reduces the burden of baggage and extends the resupply interval.

One silver dollar buys a soldier's survival and combat capability in extreme environments. Is that expensive?"

The familiar live sales rhetoric spilled out, making Chen Hairong's heart surge with emotion.

Lu Fan picked up the soaked mush in the bowl and continued tirelessly: "This one piece can last a whole day.

There's no problem for a soldier to carry five pieces on him, right?

With this five-day ration guarantee, how much expense does it save your logistics?

If you calculate it this way, do you still think this price is expensive?"

Chen Hairong fell silent. The advantages of this item were too obvious; it was revolutionary.

"It's not expensive. If I were to sell this stuff in Europe, the price would at least double, if not triple.

And they'd be fighting over it, believe me."

This sales pitch, delivered like a live product broadcast, was definitely the most emotionally invested Lu Fan had been in years, bar none.

Chen Hairong took a deep breath, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the tabletop as his mind raced with calculations.

After finishing a cigarette, he suddenly looked up, his eyes devoid of hesitation, showing only a soldier's decisiveness: "How much stock do you have?"

"One ton~~"

"I'll take it!"

"No problem. Delivery at Sihang Warehouse in one hour." Lu Fan reached out and shook his hand firmly. "It's a deal!"