The Yinhai Observation Bureau is located in the city center, making it inconvenient to employ monsters for labor reform, so they simply hire people for construction. The Huaijiang Observation Bureau, on the other hand, is located in the suburbs, where public transportation is scarce due to its desolation, leading to a more relaxed approach to work.
Inside the cafeteria, the monsters were still chattering away. One moment, a little bug was advocating for independent bathrooms, the next, Wu Changgong was contemplating installing a seawater system in the bathroom, then Hong Ximing suggested adding more manpower to finish the construction sooner, and Miao Li complained about the difficulty of finding enough labor-reform monsters skilled in renovation. The noise was incessant.
Hu Chenrui took charge of maintaining order: "Everyone's ideas are great, but we have limited funds, so let's focus on the essentials."
"Let's make the living conditions more comfortable then," Hong Ximing suggested. "At least it won't be miserable in the winter. If we build it well, we won't have to redo it."
Having tallied everything, Niu Shi began to calculate the costs: "If we want a nice renovation, it's going to cost a bit more."
Chu Zhishui pondered for a moment, then said, "Isn't there still some money in the company account? Apart from the income from Danshan, the online store has been profitable recently."
The online store was now on track, with the flavored ginger candy and scalp nourishing cream maintaining good sales. There was a steady income every month, which had yet to be distributed as performance bonuses.
Wu Changgong asked, "He Shougui, how much money is left in the account?"
"Eh, what's salty?" He Shougui asked, looking confused. His vacant stare and irrelevant response suggested, "If the seawater is salty, then we shouldn't install a bathroom."
"..."
Chu Zhishui, seeing He Shougui playing dumb, whispered to him, insisting that the money for the bathroom couldn't be spared: "He Shougui, He Shougui."
Normally slow to react, He Shougui quickly rushed over. He leaned in to whisper with Chu Zhishui, "Chief Chu, didn't we agree to keep that money for the Spiritual Civilization Award? In my experience, once you start spending, it's hard to stop. It's like money is water and there's no end."
He Shougui had managed the finance department for many years and knew the ins and outs of spending. Even though employees promised to save, they would turn around and damage public property like Miao Li. He couldn't afford to be too accommodating.
"But it's a place to live, we have to tidy it up," Chu Zhishui sighed. "We still have a few months, maybe we'll have more income by the end of the year. It's not right to hoard all the money."
He Shougui was initially torn, but hearing about the potential income, he felt more at ease and was no longer resistant to spending. After all, it was the staff dormitory, and he could live there too. Everyone wants their home to be a bit better.
In the end, everyone agreed on the plan after discussion: a two-story building without an elevator, each dormitory would be a studio with a bathroom, aiming for one room per employee. The renovation would focus on comfort and quality, which of course meant an increase in costs.
Niu Shi confirmed, "We might have one or two extra rooms, which could accommodate visitors on business trips."
Once the matter was settled, Hu Chenrui happily announced, "So it's decided. We'll start construction once we have the materials. Let's also give a round of applause to our newly established Economic Development Department, who made it possible for the staff dormitory to be included in the bureau's construction plans."
Everyone in the room was clapping enthusiastically, especially with the prospect of their new homes in sight. The applause was thunderous, and the atmosphere was extremely warm, with only the Economic Development Department seeming rather perfunctory in their applause.
Jin Yu was clapping absentmindedly, "So much money is just spent like that?"
The reality felt unrealistic to him. Jin Yu felt that he would never earn that much money in his lifetime, yet a single meeting had depleted such a massive amount.
Xin Yunmao did not clap. He looked at Chu Zhishui and asked, "Have you thought about how to make more money?"
Chu Zhishui had just mentioned that there might be more income before the end of the year.
Chu Zhishui admitted, "Actually, I haven't thought about it."
Xin Yunmao was taken aback, "Then you..."
"But I'm as confident as the God King. I inexplicably feel that we can make a fortune."
"?!"
In reality, Chu Zhishui was also heartbroken over the disappearance of the large sum of money. But sometimes, that's how things are. The more money you make, the less you care about spending it. When you're poor, you're always scrimping and saving, and you can get by. But when you have a little money, you start to act recklessly and are prone to impulsive spending. Initially, they said they would use the money from selling ginseng, but the more they discussed, the more they wanted the best, and they ended up spending even more.
But now that the staff dormitory plan has been finalized, she couldn't back out. Besides, it was indeed worth it.
Looking forward, if there's no money, then continue to make money. That's how everyone lives their lives.
After the meeting, each department left the cafeteria and officially began their morning work.
In the Economic Development Department, Chu Zhishui was sitting in front of her computer, browsing the online store data, considering whether to launch the ginseng foot soak powder as soon as possible, hoping to make some money before the end of the year.
Of course, if the sales of ginger candy and nourishing cream significantly increase, there would be no need to rush to launch new products. The ongoing problem has not been production, but sales. This is like farmers not making money from farming. The solution is not to plant more, but to consider the entire vegetable and grain market.
Jin Yu suggested, "Then why not increase the live broadcast time? Strive to boost sales?"
"Live broadcasts are just a means to maintain exposure. If we want to attract more traffic, we need other channels. The online world changes in the blink of an eye, and hot topics pass quickly." Chu Zhishui knew that the influence of the short videos was limited, and converting all cat lovers into online shop customers was not an easy task.
Xin Yunmao sat in the back, he suddenly spoke, "If it really doesn't work, you can make a wish to me."
If it's a wish to make money, it's not that difficult.
"Thank you, but no," Chu Zhishui said, "Thank you, next."
"Hmph."
As it was almost lunch break, Chu Zhishui received a call from Wang Yiwen. She quickly told Jin Yu to go to the cafeteria for lunch without waiting for her, and hurriedly stepped outside the office to talk to her friend.
Over the phone, Wang Yiwen's voice was filled with joy, "How have you been? I just started my new job, and it's pretty good, much more reliable than Long Zhi."
"It's been alright. I just spent a lot of money, and now I'm broke," Chu Zhishui said, "Hurry up and steal your boyfriend's money to support me."
Wang Yiwen joked, "You can forget about that. He's barely managing to support me, let alone you. You should count on me to support you."
Chu Zhishui pushed her luck, "So, could you also support our department on the side?"
"?"
After Chu Zhishui and Wang Yiwen finished their playful banter, they started discussing the situation in the New Perspective Video.
Wang Yiwen was poached with a high salary, and now she is an executive at New Perspective Video, holding a certain share of the company. Her original role at Long Zhi was to handle business profits, helping the company convert traffic into money. False prosperity data can't make money, it can only be monetized through advertising, business cooperation, and other means.
"Qi Chang and his team are determined to compete with Long Zhi. You don't know that our plans are directly benchmarked against Long Zhi. Tsk, tsk," Wang Yiwen said, "We are currently in the early stages of burning money fiercely, much more generous than Long Zhi. If I were still at Long Zhi, it would be over. The discounts offered by competitors are too large, and no matter what you think of, you can't beat them throwing money around."
Chu Zhishui comforted her, "But weren't you poached? That's great, you've been undercover for years, and now you can clear your name."
New Perspective Video has just been launched and needs to make a name for itself. Not only are they spreading ads like crazy to attract users, but they are also offering concessions to partners in various business channels, hoping to quickly establish a mature system and compete with Dragon Knowledge Video for the existing market.
Qi Chang and his team are different from ordinary entrepreneurs. They brought money and a mature team, directly copied the model of Long Zhi, and then added some new ideas, saving a lot of trial and error energy and time. They have stable funds and extensive connections, as long as they can seize business opportunities and closely follow the latest changes, they will always stand on the undefeated ground.
Chu Zhishui felt lucky to have succeeded in starting her own business, because there are always such people in the market. Novices just starting out find it hard to arm wrestle with these veterans. Even though Dragon Knowledge Video has developed, it still faces this kind of competition.
"What do you mean undercover for years? I worked at Long Zhi not to be their mole, they were both tools for me to make money," Wang Yiwen leisurely said, "It would make more sense if I were your mole. Aren't you close with the Huaijiang Poverty Alleviation Department? I heard you helped a friend of mine make some connections last time."
"I'm pretty familiar with them," Chu Zhishui honestly said, "I even went to collect their Agricultural Poverty Alleviation Award."
Director Qin had warmly invited her to Yinhai to receive the award, which gave her the opportunity to meet Wang Yiwen on a business trip.
"That's even better then, I heard in a meeting just now that cooperating with these departments also supports each company," Wang Yiwen said, "You gather the local businesses and send them to me, then I'll put you in the high-exposure section, riding the wave of this money-burning advertising trend. After all, New Perspective is still in its early stages, so it won't be forced to profit."
Qi Chang and his team's main goal now is to make a name for New Perspective Video, they haven't entered the stage of racking their brains for money, so they will be more friendly to users and businesses.
New Perspective Video cooperates with various businesses, but since Wang Yiwen is familiar with Chu Zhishui, she will definitely prioritize promoting her friend's side.
Chu Zhishui was taken aback and said, "Does this count as a clandestine deal with a New Perspective executive? Would Qi Chang care about this?"
"I'm shearing the capitalists to help build socialism, what's wrong with that?" Wang Yiwen declared with conviction, "At least your side is selling poverty alleviation products, Qi Chang is also following national policies, they're not losing out either!"
"Alright, wait for me to call Director Qin in the afternoon. Once we finish our work, I'll give you the stuff."
"It's better to be quick. There's a big event coming up on Xintou, similar to a shopping promotion festival. The traffic will be particularly large, and we need to start warming up in advance."
Chu Zhishui responded understandingly. After discussing with Wang Yiwen, she hung up the phone and returned to the room.
The office was quiet, as it was lunch break. Jin Yu and Xin Yunmao were nowhere to be found.
Chu Zhishui returned to her seat. She picked up her phone and realized that she had been chatting for a long time. First, she caught up with Wang Yiwen, and then they talked about their work. Now she might have missed the meal time, and there might not be any food left in the cafeteria.
She fell into contemplation, wondering whether to eat some snacks in the office and just make do with lunch today.
Just then, Xin Yunmao returned from outside. He pushed the door with one hand and held something behind him with the other. Seeing her still sitting in the room, he frowned and said, "Why aren't you eating?"
Chu Zhishui opened the drawer and started rummaging for snacks, explaining, "I forgot while chatting with a friend."
"Is it the same friend from last time?" Xin Yunmao paused for a moment, his eyes flickering, and asked, "The one you met in Yinhai in the evening?"
Chu Zhishui was surprised, "How do you know?"
Because when she received the call, she was obviously so happy that even her steps when she went out to talk were relaxed. There were only a few people who could make her so carefree.
Xin Yunmao didn't answer directly. He walked to Chu Zhishui's desk and lifted the lunch box in his hand, whispering, "Eat."
Two meat dishes and two vegetable dishes were packed in the lunch box, along with a box of rice and a small bucket of soup. The hot food fogged up the plastic bag, and the familiar aroma of cafeteria food could be smelled even through the box. Ever since the cafeteria's food prices returned to normal, the menu arranged by Niu Shi every week has never disappointed.
Chu Zhishui untied the plastic bag and took out the lunch box. As soon as she opened the lid, she smelled the tempting spicy chicken, which instantly woke up her hungry body. The remaining box contained vegetables, a perfect combination of meat and vegetables, delicious and healthy.
"Thank you, did you get this from the cafeteria?" Chu Zhishui saw the familiar lunch box and exclaimed, "You actually know how to get food?"
She had brought food for Xin Yunmao before, but this was the first time he had brought food for her.
Xin Yunmao always felt that her words implied that he was a fool. He crossed his arms and pouted unhappily, "What's so hard about it?"
She seemed to always think that he couldn't take care of himself. He was just unfamiliar with modern equipment, not ignorant of human life.
"But you've never been to the cafeteria before." Chu Zhishui knew he didn't eat, so it was normal for him not to go to the staff cafeteria.
Xin Yunmao: "I went there this morning and I'm familiar with it now."
The bureau held a general meeting in the cafeteria in the morning. Xin Yunmao went in and took a look around, quickly understanding the internal structure. There was nothing unusual.
When Chu Zhishui saw the meal he had brought back, she felt a motherly sense of satisfaction, touched by the fact that her child was no longer introverted and was willing to interact with other monsters. She chatted with him casually while enjoying her meal, "Did you get this from Brother Niu?"
Niu Shi and Xin Yunmao were both in the logistics department, and the two monsters were somewhat familiar with each other. She usually also asked Brother Niu for meals.
Xin Yunmao shook his head and calmly replied, "No, it was that bird who served it."
"That bird?" Chu Zhishui searched her mind in confusion. She didn't know who he was talking about and guessed, "Could it be Sister Hong?"
She didn't know who the bird monster in the bureau was. If she were to guess based on the name, it seemed only Hong Ximing fit the bill.
Xin Yunmao nodded, "She even asked me if it was for you."
Hong Ximing, after all, is the director of the human resources department. She knew Xin Yunmao's true identity and naturally understood that the deity didn't need to eat.
Chu Zhishui's expression stiffened slightly, "What did you say?"
"Of course, I told the truth."
"..."
Thinking of the faces of the monsters at the meeting, Chu Zhishui took a deep breath, harboring a glimmer of hope, she tentatively asked, "There were no other people around at the time, right?"
Surely no one in the bureau would know about this, right?
"There were no other people." Xin Yunmao added, "But there were a lot of monsters, all watching."
"???"
As soon as Xin Yunmao entered the cafeteria, he was the center of attention, but he went to get his meal as if nothing was amiss, not caring about the gaze of the monsters. But this time, it seemed that they were not fearful or alert, but rather excited, and he didn't know what they were so excited about.
The deity has a strong ability to discern malice, but he couldn't figure out this emotion of the monsters. It wasn't entirely good, but it was very subtle.
No one can explain the joy of gossip, but as soon as gossip appears, the spectators are very excited, even more absorbed than the people involved.
When Hong Ximing saw Xin Yunmao, she enthusiastically took the spoon and insisted on helping him scoop food. When she heard it was for Chu Zhishui, she was even more excited and filled several boxes with food, as if she was afraid that the head of the Economic Development Department would go hungry.
After hearing the whole story, Chu Zhishui could already imagine the intense gazes of the monsters enjoying the show. She couldn't help but massage her forehead, "I probably won't want to go to the cafeteria for a while."
If she went to the cafeteria for a meal tomorrow, she might also have to face these gazes. They might even ask her why Xin Yunmao didn't come to eat, which made her scalp tingle and feel restless just thinking about it.
Xin Yunmao was silent for a moment, as if he was thinking about something. He blinked expectantly, "Since you've made a wish, should I bring you food every day?"
"What wish? I didn't make a wish." Chu Zhishui was embarrassed and annoyed, "Do you want to make things even messier?"
The rumor had already started, and he was still bringing food every day. Was he trying to make things worse?
Thanks to the department, she was now known in the bureau for her tarnished reputation, carrying the burden of the unwritten rules of the subordinates.
The Black Cat Sheriff, through his superb rumor-mongering skills, his evasive narrative gaps, single-handedly shatters the aloof persona of the demon world's deity, Xin Yunmao, at the global conference, dropping a bombshell that causes the bamboo demon's house to collapse on the spot. This top-notch tracking method, the subtle revelation copy, the precise timing of the bombshell, all can be described as perfect.
What is it for human paparazzi to follow celebrities? That's just child's play.
The demon cat paparazzi is the strongest, not at all fearing the divine artifact Dragon Bone Umbrella, always fighting on the front lines of the demon world's melon field!
