C15 Black Workshop

Before dawn had even broken, Lee Zhi was roused from sleep by Dong Xiaorou's call.

She pointed to the bald man beside her and introduced him with a calm demeanor, "This is my junior brother, Feng Liang. Just call him Heizi."

Lee Zhi sized up the newcomer, estimating him to be well over six feet tall. Standing next to Heizi, Lee Zhi had to crane his neck to meet his gaze. His skin was the deep tan of a lifelong seaside dweller, and his muscular build could rival those of online fitness models.

He seemed straightforward and trustworthy, not one to play tricks or be underhanded—at least, that was the impression he gave off.

Lee Zhi nodded, smiling at Heizi. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-four!" Heizi's voice was a resonant baritone.

"And what did you do before?"

"I served a few years in the army. After that, I joined the villagers to fish at sea. When you started this factory, Senior Sister suggested I come help you out." Little Liang was concise, yet he managed to convey all the essentials Lee Zhi was curious about in just a few sentences.

"You're a veteran?" Lee Zhi said with a smile. "Fishing with the villagers must have been quite profitable. So why did you decide to..."

He was cut off mid-sentence by Dong Xiaorou, who interjected with a stern face, "Sure, fishing at sea might pay more than working for you, but it's at the mercy of the weather. Here, the pay might be less, but it's stable. Boss, I've brought him to you. Can we get a clear answer?"

Her implication was clear: Lee Zhi's many questions were unwelcome, but she refrained from being too blunt in front of her junior brother, sparing Lee Zhi's feelings.

Lee Zhi touched his nose, chuckling awkwardly. "Of course, I'd be foolish not to take on someone Dong Xiaorou vouches for. Stay with us at the factory. We're just getting off the ground, and it's just the three of us. Let's start with a monthly salary of three thousand dollars. We'll discuss bonuses later. Any issues with that?"

He turned to Heizi as he spoke the last part.

"No problem," Heizi responded. It seemed Dong Xiaorou had briefed him well, as they had already settled the matter the night before.

Glancing at the clock, Lee Zhi noted it was still before sunrise, around 4:30 AM. The docks were already bustling with early risers. Soon, it would be the peak of activity for the day.

"We need to head to the docks to get supplies!"

They had a large order of fish balls to fulfill by noon, and any delay would be problematic.

They wrapped up their business at the docks by six o'clock, having purchased six hundred kilograms of fresh fish, selected with the help of Dong Xiaorou and Heizi.

"Fish prices are a bit steep today—two dollars and eighty cents per kilo," Dong Xiaorou reported to Lee Zhi upon returning to the factory.

The slight increase in raw material costs was negligible against the substantial profit margin of the fish balls. Moreover, Heizi's performance had impressed Lee Zhi. He was a real workhorse, effortlessly carrying four hefty crates of fish at a time, a man of few words but great capability. Lee Zhi had taken an instant liking to him.

After a busy morning, the trio had the tourists' pre-ordered fish balls packaged and delivered to the entrance of Fish Head Island Village, ready for pickup. They operated on a cash-and-carry basis, settling each order as it was completed. As for the total earnings, Lee Zhi hadn't bothered to count.

"Take a break and have some water!"

The tourists had already picked up over half of the fish balls they ordered.

Heizi was at the factory since there was no stall to run in the morning, while Dong Xiaorou and Lee Zhi waited at the entrance of Fish Head Island Village for tourists to collect their orders. Dong Xiaorou had wanted to move the gas tanks and such, but Lee Zhi had advised against it.

The petty cash from retail sales no longer impressed Lee Zhi. Bulk sales were the real deal!

"So, what's your plan now?" Dong Xiaorou asked, sitting next to Lee Zhi.

Lee Zhi sensed that Dong Xiaorou wasn't entirely opposed to him. He didn't know her full story, but he felt it was destiny that brought her to him today. He chuckled to himself, wasn't it?

"What's next? We'll sell fish balls, of course. We'll make our factory's fish balls a nationwide hit and grow our business!" Lee Zhi replied with a grin.

Dong Xiaorou furrowed her brow and gave Lee Zhi a look, asking in a level tone, "Don't you think our factory is missing something?"

"Missing something?" Lee Zhi paused, then ventured, "You mean transportation? Yes, we're short on that. I'm planning to take Heizi to the city this afternoon to buy a pickup truck."

The lack of transport was a clear inconvenience at the factory, something Lee Zhi had already recognized. They needed not just a truck, but also a few electric tricycles for flexible and convenient short-haul trips.

Dong Xiaorou shook her head. "It's not just about transportation, which we do need, but it's not urgent. There's something else that you need to address immediately!"

"What is it?" Lee Zhi asked, puzzled.

Dong Xiaorou countered, "You really don't know?"

Lee Zhi shook his head, frustrated. "I'm at a loss here. Just tell me, what is it?"

With an exasperated roll of her eyes, Dong Xiaorou said, "My dear boss, you're running a factory that produces fish balls. Don't you realize you need to register for a license, get a production permit, a health permit, and a fire safety permit? Maybe no one's bothered you during trial production, but if you scale up... do you want to be running an illegal 'black workshop'?"

Slap!

Lee Zhi smacked his forehead hard. How could he have forgotten such a crucial thing? The factory wasn't even registered yet. The fish balls they were making were essentially unlicensed products. He could vouch for the quality and safety, but would others trust it?

And even if they did, would the authorities let him get away with it?

In a word, his 'black workshop' was illegal, and it could be shut down at any moment.

Lee Zhi was beside himself with regret. He couldn't believe he needed an employee to remind him of such a significant oversight. He had failed in his duties as a boss!

"I'll take care of it this afternoon, no, I'll do it right now. I need to get back and have Heizi shut down the machines," Lee Zhi said, rising to leave.

Dong Xiaorou grabbed his arm, pulling him back. "What's the rush? I haven't finished talking. Relax, we're not that pressed for time."

Lee Zhi was genuinely worried. If someone reported his factory and it got shut down, what would he do? His entire livelihood depended on the success of the factory.

"Besides getting the factory registered, we need to create a brand as well. The fish balls we're producing are aimed at the premium market, and they won't be cheap. That means we have to focus on product quality and ensure the packaging is top-notch as well," Dong Xiaorou paused briefly before continuing her analysis. "If we're going to sell these in large quantities, we'll need our own branded packaging. We can't keep using these plastic bags, can we? It just doesn't reflect the high quality we're aiming for."

"Absolutely!" Lee Zhi agreed, nodding vigorously. Dong Xiaorou's insights had sparked new ideas for him.

On the sandy shores at the entrance to Fish Head Island Village, the two of them embarked on their first significant brainstorming session for their business venture!