180: Chapter 180 Fellow Travelers

Zhao Yang was stunned for a moment, thinking he had misheard.

"Just one? President Shen, Cangyun County has eleven townships."

Shen Feiyu leaned back in her chair, picked up her coffee, took a sip, and said unhurriedly:

"County Magistrate Zhao, I know there are eleven townships. But have you thought about what the consequences would be if eleven online shops were selling similar products at the same time?"

Before Zhao Yang could speak, Shen Feiyu answered for him:

"You would be fighting against yourself. You would ruin a perfectly good brand."

Zhao Yang fell silent.

Before, he had only thought about having each township open its own online shop, selling their own local specialties, letting a hundred flowers bloom.

Thinking carefully about what Shen Feiyu said, it was indeed the case.

Cangyun County's specialties were just a few things: rock fungus, Maofeng tea, walnuts, wood ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and cured meat.

If eleven townships were selling these same things back and forth, what else would it be but the left hand fighting the right?

"President Shen, thank you for the reminder. Perhaps I was too impatient and didn't think of this."

Zhao Yang immediately thanked her, his attitude sincere.

Shen Feiyu took a price quote from her drawer and spread it out on the table.

"County Magistrate Zhao, designing a webpage costs between five hundred and one thousand. For twenty products, one page per product, the web design alone would start at ten thousand."

She paused and tapped the price quote a few times with the tip of her pen.

"Eleven online shops would be one hundred and ten thousand. And that doesn't include the later maintenance and updates."

Zhao Yang gasped.

One hundred and ten thousand.

The fifty thousand he had on hand wasn't even enough for the web design fees.

"Therefore," Shen Feiyu said, taking back the price quote, "only do one. Concentrate resources and build this one into a brand. Once the brand is established, then consider the matter of township branches."

Zhao Yang looked straight at Shen Feiyu; this woman was interesting.

Leaving him, a sucker, un-fleeced—could it really just be for the sake of his mother-in-law?

It shouldn't be just that.

Could it be that his charm was too great? Had he moved President Shen?

But President Shen's eyes were clear, without a trace of impurity.

He paused and asked the question he was most concerned about:

"Then, adding in professional photography and product packaging design, how much would it cost in total?"

When asking this, Zhao Yang felt very uneasy.

He had already prepared for the worst.

If the poverty alleviation funds were not enough, he would pay out of his own pocket.

Shen Feiyu looked down at her phone and hung up an incoming call.

"County Magistrate Zhao," Shen Feiyu said, putting down her phone, her tone becoming increasingly gentle, "because of our connection with President Lin, the photographer's travel fees to Cangyun for the shoot will be waived entirely. Just treat it as him going to gather inspiration and collect material."

Zhao Yang's eyes lit up, and he pressed:

"What about the packaging design?"

Shen Feiyu's eyes narrowed slightly, and the corners of her lips curled up slightly.

"County Magistrate Zhao, to be honest, your words—'Let the common people of Cangyun live a good life'—were said with such sincerity that they moved me."

She paused, as if making a decision.

"I will provide the packaging design as a personal gift. No charge."

Zhao Yang opened his mouth, words of gratitude ready on his lips.

Shen Feiyu didn't give him a chance to interrupt and continued:

"For the web design, I will only charge the cost price of ten thousand."

Zhao Yang never expected that Shen Feiyu was not just a pure businessperson.

She had the temperament of an artist, and even more, the dream of using art to benefit ordinary people.

He stood up and reached out to Shen Feiyu.

"Teacher Shen, thank you."

Shen Feiyu shook his hand; her hand was cold, but her grip was firm.

She curled the corners of her lips, "Why did you change the way you address me?"

Zhao Yang was frank, "What you are doing is not the way of a merchant, but like an artist carrying a dream."

Shen Feiyu nodded seriously, "In a sense, we are both dream chasers."

Zhao Yang laughed, smiling very happily.

At the same time, the little abacus in his heart was clicking away.

"Teacher Shen, since we are like-minded, can I make one more presumptuous request?"

Shen Feiyu pursed her lips and said playfully:

"County Magistrate Zhao, you'd better call me President Shen!"

Zhao Yang was stunned.

Then he realized she was joking.

"Teacher Shen, I would also like to ask you to design a trademark for these local specialties. I have already thought of the name: Yunling Brand."

"I want to get it as soon as possible, so I can go to the Provincial Administration for Industry and Commerce on Monday to apply for the trademark. After all, coming to the provincial capital isn't easy."

"That's the way to do it! Exquisite packaging, a unified brand—it will open up the market in the city very quickly." Shen Feiyu did not spare her praise.

She lowered her eyes for a moment, then quickly raised them:

"However, designing a trademark is not as fast as you imagine. I will strive to have it ready by Monday morning."

"Thank you, Teacher Shen."

"Don't thank me too early. Cooperate well. If the photos don't turn out well and the products don't sell, it will be my face that gets shamed."

Zhao Yang nodded with a smile: "I will personally keep an eye on things in Cangyun; I will absolutely not let you lose face."

He extended a sincere invitation, "Teacher Shen, I would like to invite you to a meal in my personal capacity to express my gratitude. When would be convenient for you?"

Shen Feiyu's phone rang again. She glanced at the screen and raised her hand to hang up.

"County Magistrate Zhao, I am indeed busy here. Let's talk about it when there is time."

'Let's talk when there is time' basically meant there was no time.

He didn't insist, smiled, and said:

"Alright. Then we'll wait until Cangyun gets rich. In the future, all our business will be placed with you. At market price, no discounts allowed."

Shen Feiyu smiled, her eyes gleaming:

"County Magistrate Zhao, I look forward to that day."

Coming out of Fenghua Creative, Zhao Yang stood at the entrance and looked up at the sky.

In July in Jiangzhou, the sun hung brightly in the sky, hot enough to make one's scalp tingle.

But he felt bright inside, as if washed by mountain spring water.

He took out his phone and sent a text message to Lin Xuecen:

"Mom, things are settled with President Shen. Thank you."

In less than ten seconds, Lin Xuecen replied with one character:

"Mm."

Zhao Yang stared at this one character for two seconds and couldn't help but laugh.

His mother-in-law was cold and decisive in business, but she was actually very warm-hearted.

Just as he was about to put his phone in his pocket, a call from Liu Heng came in.

"County Magistrate Zhao, I have finished the task you entrusted to me. Out of thirty-seven people, six were finally selected. I have sent the list to your phone."

Zhao Yang opened the text message, looked at the six names, and frowned slightly.

Six people, eleven townships, one online shop.

There were few people, but they were elite.

He called Liu Heng back: "You've worked hard, Director Liu. The personnel will be decided like this for now."

After hanging up, Zhao Yang stood on the side of the road, watching the bustling traffic of Jiangzhou.

His phone vibrated again.

This time it was a text from Jiang Nan: "Are you done talking? Did it go smoothly?"

Zhao Yang replied with one word: "Smooth!"

Jiang Nan: "Come to our mom's place for lunch!"

The 'our mom' she mentioned referred to Du Lanxin.

Knowing he had returned and hadn't had time to see his mother and his brother's family, Jiang Nan had already gone ahead.

This wife of his was truly thoughtful.

Zhao Yang was moved and immediately replied: "Love you, baby!"

"Why so cheesy? Drive slowly on the road."

The Passat merged into the traffic of Jiangzhou, the air conditioning vents blowing cold air.

The back of Zhao Yang's shirt was still soaked with sweat.

But he felt steady inside, as if he had planted a seedling in a barren field.

What he didn't know was that Shen Feiyu didn't leave the office immediately after he left.

She sat back down in front of the computer and looked at those twenty-three ugly photos again and again.

Gradually, ideas for designing the trademark began to form in her mind.

She picked up her drawing pen and quickly sketched out drafts on paper, feeling free and fluid.

She was very satisfied with almost every sketch.

To do design, one needs full passion and a heart full of emotion.

Shen Feiyu didn't know how long it had been since she had felt this way.