Upon hearing the proposal to host a crayfish festival, Zhang Tianxing was immensely excited. This was a prime opportunity to expand their scale and production.
If successful, his crayfish ponds would need to be enlarged, and it was highly probable that the supply of crayfish seedlings next year would be insufficient.
It was uncertain if he could even retain enough for his own cultivation. However, the immediate priority wasn't the thought of expanding cultivation.
Instead, the focus was on devising a strategy to have the government lead this initiative. After all, his crayfish association was merely a civilian organization.
Its influence was not that significant. Furthermore, even if the crayfish festival were successfully held, the current leadership's résumés would be significantly enhanced.
Zhang Tianxing believed the leaders possessed the foresight, but they needed tangible achievements, while he needed increased crayfish sales.
A partnership would be mutually beneficial, satisfying both their needs. In the process, the people of Zhonghai would also reap benefits.
As people came and went, any endeavor could be profitable with sufficient foot traffic. Diligence breeds success, and with an idea, one can figure out how to achieve it.
When Zhang Tianxing presented the idea of promoting the inaugural crayfish festival at the crayfish association, everyone was astounded.
This young boss, Zhang, was remarkable. The recent crayfish essay contest had already sparked a wave of crayfish sales.
And at the international trade fair, the orders Zhang Tianxing brought back were mostly distributed among them, sharing the gains.
Since joining the crayfish association, Zhou Fuqing felt immensely fortunate about his decision.
He was glad he had chosen the crayfish association.
Those who had previously mocked him for having too much money to spend were now filled with envious admiration.
He had been busy lately, but happily so. In the past month and a half, his business had surpassed that of the entire previous year.
Zhou Fuqing couldn't help but be secretly surprised by this outcome, but upon witnessing Zhang Tianxing's business, he quickly tempered his joy.
Why? Simply because Zhang Tianxing's business was far more prosperous. Moreover, young Zhang had the crayfish sales, which accounted for the bulk of his income, with the barbecue restaurant's crayfish sales serving as an added bonus.
It was only right that others enjoyed the bounty; in this day and age, success depended on capability. Without it, even with opportunities, one couldn't seize them.
A wolf travels a thousand miles for meat; a dog travels a thousand miles for scraps. This was an eternal truth. He resolved to maintain a good relationship with young boss Zhang.
Achieving so much at such a young age, he was no less impressive than Gan Luo of ancient times.
Gan Luo became prime minister at twelve, while this young man had achieved significant success by eighteen.
Although Zhang Tianxing had not made any explicit claims, everyone was speculating about one thing: Zhang Tianxing's net worth had likely surpassed that of a ten-thousand-yuan household.
His speed of earning money was comparable to robbing a bank.
Robbing a bank carried risks; this did not, aside from the hard work.
However, hard work in pursuit of wealth was not an issue. As long as money was being made, even extreme fatigue was bearable.
The only thing to fear was not making money; then, all the toil and hardship would be for naught.
Observe his strategic vision: first opening a barbecue restaurant, then selling crayfish, and then targeting international customers to break through domestic public opinion.
This approach was something no one else had considered. They all thought young boss Zhang was merely paving the way for others, but they underestimated him.
Young boss Zhang's export strategy had thoroughly stumped these individuals. Who knew it could be done this way?
No one had anticipated that debunking the rumors about crayfish would be so simple, yet it had eluded everyone.
Then came the crayfish essay contest, and now the proposal for the government to host a crayfish festival.
At first thought, it seemed incredible, but upon further reflection, the matter held immense potential.
...
Upon hearing the report, Fang Youliang clapped his hands excitedly, "This is a brilliant idea, but we have another even more crucial task to undertake."
Hearing this, Deputy Director Wei of the Agriculture Bureau perked up. If the groundwork was laid, and the execution was perfected, his deputy status would naturally be elevated.
Thanks to the outstanding performance of Zhang Ji Crayfish, the county leadership was highly satisfied with Deputy Director Wei.
Not to mention anything else, his handling of the Zhang Ji Crayfish situation had been exceptionally skillful.
The county benefited tangibly without incurring public criticism.
The matter was handled effectively, without offending anyone, and even garnered praise. Such an individual was bound to be promoted.
Moreover, if this crayfish festival were to be successfully held, Yangcheng could instantly become a tourist city.
This would allow it to shed the label of an agricultural county.
Consequently, it could become a city with its own unique identity, and crayfish represented their current opportunity for transformation.
Fang Youliang attached great importance to this crayfish festival.
The environmental constraints here limited development; agriculture could only progress so far.
Heavy industry was not feasible due to the environment; if heavy industry were introduced here, it would soon become a polluted cesspool.
Fortunately, Zhang Tianxing's suggestion was excellent, and the young man was promising.
Indeed, success in this world doesn't come without reason. It explained why this young man had secured so many orders at the international trade fair.
It was clearly due to his capability and charisma, proving his success was not accidental but inevitable.
Everything was proceeding according to plan.
Now, with crayfish, everything was in place, awaiting the opportune moment.
They had the reputation, the gimmick, and the narrative. While culture could not be forced, they had successfully organized a crayfish essay contest.
It could be said that the progress made was beyond ordinary imagination, especially considering all this was accomplished within a mere two months.
Otherwise, why would Zhang Tianxing be earning so much? Zhang Tianxing and his four companions had also put in considerable effort.
They slept past two in the morning and woke up at six, with no choice, as dawn broke early, around five-thirty.
Effort yields rewards, especially during this sweltering summer, toiling in scorching kitchens.
It was no exaggeration to say that spending half an hour in the kitchen would leave you drenched, sweat pouring uncontrollably.
Hot, so hot, this was the characteristic of summer.
Zhang Tianxing submitted the proposal for the crayfish festival and then ceased to concern himself with it.
He clearly understood his position: he was merely a prospective university student.
Moreover, he was just a small business owner. To dictate to the government would be inviting trouble.
It could be stated without reservation that the number of people involved in the crayfish industry was slowly growing.
This was due to the recent popularity of crayfish, even eclipsing domestic consumption, which would be a shame.
They were highly welcomed by foreigners, leading to questions about cultural differences between domestic and international customs.
Some people found the rise of crayfish to be puzzling.