Chapter 364: Food Company Dividends, the Entire Clan Enriched

Chapter 364: Food Company Dividends, the Entire Clan Enriched

While the grand ancestral hall inauguration ceremony was taking place in the Ye Deng Clan, Bobai added two new towns, Zhongsu and Datong, bringing the total number of towns in the county to 19 and the number of towns to 15, covering 312 village committees and 7 street resident committees, finally making it one of the most populous counties in the country.

At this time, Deng Shirong was discussing the factory location for the mooncake factory with the Food Company's general manager, Deng Changyu.

Now, with instant noodle factories in Bobai, Wuhan, and the next year in Tianjin, the current demand for instant noodles in the country is already met. The pace of building new factories can slow down a bit, and wait until sales increase further before expanding production capacity.

There are too many food types waiting to be produced by the Food Company. Since instant noodles no longer require much attention, mooncakes, a food with a special place in people's hearts, should be prioritized.

After driving around the main urban area of the county, the two finallyFinallyDDeng Changyu asked, "Ninth Elder, what do you think of this place?"

Deng Shirong replied, "It's fine, let let's choose this spot. You go and discuss it with the relevant departments later."

Deng Changyu nodded, "Alright."

Deng Shirong asked, "How much money does the Food Company have on its books now?"

Deng Changyu replied, "Over 43 million."

Deng Shirong said, "It's not long until the New Year. The initial fundraising for the Food Company emptied the clan's pockets, and many clan members even went into debt. The New Year dividend from the passenger transport company only slightly alleviated their financial pressure.

The clan needs to divert rivers, build roads, and construct villas, all of which require a lot of money.

Since the Food Company now has ample funds, we should give a dividend to the clan before the New Year, so everyone can have a happy New Year!"

Deng Changyu said, "Alright, no problem. Ninth Elder, how much should we distribute this time?"

Deng Shirong said, "We need to keep a substantial reserve in the company's account for emergencies, so let's distribute2000 yuan per share. That way, the clan members won't lack funds."

Deng Changyu couldn't help but laugh, "When we initially raised capital for the Food Company, it was 1000 yuan per share. Now, with the first dividend being 2000 yuan per share, besides getting back the principal, everyone also received a profit equal to the principal. How could anyone still lack funds, everyone is rollingrichDDeng Shirong also smiled, "It's good that everyone is prospering. Our clan's toughest times are behind us, and we won't face the situation of emptying everyone's pockets again."

Deng Changyu expressed his gratitude, "Speaking of this, I must sincerely thank you, Ninth Elder. If not for your reminder, I wouldn't have today’s prosperity!"

Deng Shirong said, "Your capabilities justify your shares. The Food Company is still in its early stages. Work hard and strive to make our company a leading national brand."

Deng Changyu said enthusiastically, "Ninth Elder, I will definitely work hard. With your leadership, our clan's ship will surely sail smoothly to the other side of the ocean."

Deng Shirong smiled, "I don't know if our clan's ship will reach the other side of the ocean, but I am confident it won't capsize or have any accidents."

Thinking of the increasingly chaotic social order, Deng Shirong warned, "When you go to the bank to withdraw money, it's best to discuss with the bank to have them send the armored car to transport the money back to the village. This way, we can avoid leaks and prevent any criminal elements from getting ideas, which would be disastrous."

DengChChangyu said confidently, "Ninth Elder, who would dare to rob the Ye Deng Clan in Bobai?"

Deng Shirong shook his head, "We can't be careless. Although few dare to challenge us, for those who are reckless, they might even dare to defy the state. Even with our clan's influence, we can't let our guard down.

For everyone's safety, we should avoid transporting so much cash ourselves and have the bank help with the safest transport.

Deng Changyu, hearing this, thought about recent armed robberies, and agreed that vigilance was necessary. If a few tens of millions were robbed, the clan would suffer greatly, and no one could bear that responsibility.

"Alright, Ninth Elder, I understand. I will talk to the bank and ask them to send an armored car to transport the money to the village."

"We are already the bank's super VIP customers with the Food Company and the passenger transport company. They won't refuse such a small request."

"They definitely won't refuse. If they dare to, we'll switch banks immediately."

"Alright, then it's settled. You make the appointment with the bank to have the money delivered to the village by the 16th of the twelfth month, before two o'clock in the afternoon."

"Alright."

...

Beijing.

Tsinghua University.

As the holiday season approached, various hometown associations at the university began to mobilize, preparing to travel home in groups.

The Guangxi Hometown Association was no exception. One afternoon, while having lunch in the cafeteria, they gathered to discuss their plans for traveling home together.

The person organizing the hometown members this time was the newly appointed president, Deng Yongsong.

Deng Yongsong's social skills were on par with his second brother, and he was one of those people described in the future as "social butterflies." It was his strong social skills, combined with political acumen, that allowed him to become a department-level official in his previous life, despite only having a vocational school diploma.

In this life, he stepped onto the grand stage of Tsinghua University with his father's full support and the example set by his second brother. He thrived at Tsinghua, making many like-minded friends.

After the previous president of the Guangxi Hometown Association graduated, Deng Yongsong smoothly took over the position.

At the moment, there were a total of 18 members of the Guangxi Hometown Association at Tsinghua University.

Since Tsinghua had many programs that lasted five years, the average number of students per grade was less than four, making the number relatively small.

Deng Yongsong got straight to the point, saying, "Fellow hometown members, the holidays are coming up. Who plans to go home for the New Year? Please raise your hands."

"President, I'm going home."

"President, I'm also going home."

"I didn't go last year, so I definitely need to go this year."

Soon, six hands were raised—five men and one woman.

Deng Yongsong nodded and said, "Alright, you six can travel together. Make sure to stay safe on your journey."

The only female among the six, Li Haiyan, asked, "President, you didn't go home during the summer or winter breaks last year, and you're not planning to go home this winter either, right?"

Deng Yongsong shook his head and replied, "The train ride takes several days and nights, and the round trip would mean spending about a week on the train. Just thinking about it is terrifying. I won't go home. Besides, I have many brothers and sisters, so the New Year at home will still be lively even without me."

Li Haiyan pondered for a moment and said, "Then I won't go home either. Zhou, you guys go ahead!"

Zhou Jian, from Liuzhou, teased, "Yan, you changed your mind so quickly. If the president had said he was going home, you probably would have changed your mind too, right?"

Li Haiyan shot him a glare and said, "Zhou, don't say such things. The president has a good point. I originally planned to go home to spend the New Year with my parents, but my family has many siblings, so one more or one less of me doesn't make a difference. It's better to stay at school and avoid the hardship of the journey."

Bao Wenxin, from Beihai, nodded and said, "That's true. Our hometown is so far from Beijing. A train ride takes three to four days. Even though our bodies can handle it, the journey is exhausting. It's better not to go if we can avoid it."

The other members who didn't plan to go home also agreed. If the journey weren't so arduous, most of the members would have wanted to go home to spend the New Year with their parents.

But thinking about the hardships of the journey, many changed their minds about going home.

Thus, due to Li Haiyan's change of heart, only five members decided to go home for the New Year.

After these five members gathered to discuss their travel plans, the others who would stay at school also began to plan how to spend the holiday.

Ding Jingyi, the senior member from Baise, suggested, "President, fellow hometown members, why don't we all go to Shichahai? I heard that ice skating there is very interesting."

Bao Wenxin asked, "What's ice skating like? I've only heard my dormmates talk about skiing."

Li Haiyan, a bit apprehensive, said, "Falling while skiing might not hurt, but falling while ice skating probably would hurt, right?"

Zhou Jian said, "Ice is hard, so falling will definitely hurt. But we'll be wearing a lot of clothes, so we don't need to worry too much. The main issue is that ice is much slicker than snow. For us who have never tried it, we'll probably just fall a lot and won't get to enjoy the fun of ice skating."

Ding Jingyi said, "No one is born knowing how to do it. If we don't know how to skate, we can learn. We have a whole winter break, and I believe we can all learn in a few days. The opportunity is rare, and once we graduate and leave Beijing, it will be very difficult to experience ice skating or skiing again unless we move to the north."

Deng Yongsong added, "Ding, you have a point. Ice skating or skiing is very attractive for us southerners. Let's take some time during the break to visit Shichahai. If we enjoy it, we can stay longer. If we find it boring, we can try something else. What do you think?"

Li Haiyan said, "Sure, let's try it."

Zhou Jian said, "Trying is good. As contemporary college students, we should be bold in trying new things."

Bao Wenxin said, "I have no objections. Let's go and see what ice skating is like."

The other members also agreed. As President Deng Yongsong said, if they enjoy it, they can stay longer; if not, they can try something else.

Everyone reached a consensus, and then they began to discuss some detailed issues.

After the discussion was almost complete, they finished their meal and dispersed.

When Deng Yongsong returned to the dormitory, Qiu Yongnian asked with a smile, "Minister, if you're not going home for the New Year this year, why don't you come and celebrate with us? Your second brother will be there too, and the two of you can keep each other company."

Deng Yongsong shook his head and replied, "No, I'm just afraid of the long journey, so I won't go home for the New Year. What's the difference between going to Fujian and going home?"

Qiu Yongnian was not surprised by this response. He had not planned to go home this year either, but with his family starting a shrimp farming business under the support of the "second brother," a county leader, and his parents writing that they had made a lot of money, he naturally had to go back to check on the situation.

Tan Chuan suggested, "Brothers, the holidays are coming up soon. Why don't we all go out for a meal tomorrow?"

Zuo Chuanfeng agreed, "Sure, we should gather together."

Deng Yongsong added, "I agree. We're already in our third year, and we only have one and a half years left. After that, we'll all go our separate ways, and it will be harder to gather like this again. Let's cherish the time we have now!"

Yu Zhenping said, "We should indeed cherish it. One and a half years will pass in a blink, and opportunities for such group gatherings will be rare."

Qiu Yongnian and Hua Haiyang had no objections, and thus the dormitory gathering was decided.

...

Nanning.

The New District Government was holding a standing committee meeting, with the agenda focusing on personnel appointments.

An hour later, the meeting ended.

As the committee members were leaving, Chen Donglai called out, "District Chief Song, please stay behind."

Song Yu was slightly surprised to be called by the Secretary, but she maintained her composure and responded, "Sure, Secretary."

After everyone else had left, Song Yu asked somewhat nervously, "Secretary, what do you need?"

In the political arena, a higher rank can be overwhelming. Although the Secretary was only half a level above her as Deputy District Chief, the difference in power was significant.

Moreover, she knew that the Secretary had a deep and mysterious background, so it was natural for her to feel a bit nervous when questioned by such a leader.

Chen Donglai smiled, "Don't be nervous. I didn't keep you for official business, but to ask about a personal matter."

While her mind raced, she still managed to say, "Secretary, if you have any questions, I will answer them to the best of my ability."

Chen Donglai, with a smile on his face, asked, "District Chief Song, you graduated from Peking University. Do you know your Peking University alumnus, Deng Yunheng?"

Song Yu had not expected this question, but she answered without hesitation, "Yes, I know him. We are not only alumni but also from the same county. We have a good relationship. Do you know this alumnus of mine, Secretary?"

Chen Donglai was pleased to have asked the right person. He smiled and said, "I haven't met this alumnus of yours, but I had dinner with his father a few days ago. He mentioned that his second son graduated from Peking University and is now serving as the Deputy County Chief of Fuqing County in Fujian. Since we have a Peking University graduate in our district government, I wanted to ask if you know this alumnus."

Song Yu suddenly understood, "I see!"

Chen Donglai continued, "District Chief Song, your alumnus is already a deputy-level official at a young age, which is quite impressive. I'm very interested in him. Could you give me an objective evaluation from various aspects?"

Song Yu nodded, "Of course. My alumnus is very outstanding. He was one of the few prominent figures in school, known to all the seniors, juniors, and peers.

He excelled academically, had a cheerful and generous personality, and was sincere in his dealings with others, earning the admiration of his teachers, classmates, and friends."

Chen Donglai nodded frequently, impressed by the qualities of someone who could become a Deputy County Chief at such a young age. He then asked in detail about Deng Yunheng's performance in school and even inquired about his background and connections.

Song Yu answered all his questions, and her responses were consistently positive—nothing but praise.

After gaining a thorough understanding, Chen Donglai smiled, "I have a good grasp of the situation now. Thank you, District Chief Song."

Song Yu smiled back, "It's just a small matter, Secretary. No need to be polite. If there's nothing else, I'll return to work."

She did not pry into why the Secretary was interested in her alumnus. If the Secretary wanted to tell her, he would have. Since he did not mention it, it was inappropriate for her to ask.

Chen Donglai nodded, "Go ahead!"

After Song Yu left, Chen Donglai returned to his office and picked up the phone to call his sister's house.

The call was quickly connected, and his sister's voice came through.

After exchanging pleasantries, Chen Donglai recounted the information he had gathered. He concluded, "Sister, it seems Deng Yunheng is truly outstanding. Have Weiwei take more notice of him. He has achieved this much through his own efforts despite coming from a rural background. If he and Weiwei get together, your husband can give him a boost when needed, which could help him reach very high positions. His prospects are truly limitless."

At the entrance of the newly built Ye Deng Clan ancestral hall, more than two thousand chairs were neatly arranged. Only the chairs for the main stage were set up, with no tables elsewhere.

In previous clan meetings, only the main stage had chairs, and other clan members had to stand. Now, with the new ancestral hall completed and equipped with sufficient chairs, everyone would have a seat during the meetings.

Today was the grand day of the Food Company's first dividend distribution. All clan members had been notified in advance. Despite the meeting being scheduled for 1:30 PM, most clan members had finished their lunch early and gathered in groups to attend the dividend distribution meeting.

They gathered and discussed how much the dividend would be.

"Does anyone know how much the dividend per share will be today for the Food Company?"

"I haven't heard anything specific, but with our instant noodle business booming and reportedly making a lot of money, this dividend might return all the money we initially invested."

"It would be great if we could get back all the money we invested. Although we aren't short of money now, we owe a lot to our relatives and friends. Life feels incomplete with these debts. If we get back all the invested money, we can pay everyone back and still have a substantial amount left over, making life much more comfortable."

"I'm looking forward to it too. Owning money to others is uncomfortable, even if no one is pressing for repayment. It's hard to relax when you're in debt."

"As the old saying goes, 'Debt-free, body light.' After today's dividend, I believe we won't owe anyone anymore."

"..."

Amidst the clan members' discussions, Deng Shirong also arrived at the main stage with his smoking pipe.

Seeing the clan head appear, a clan member immediately asked, "Clan Head, how much will the dividend per share be today for the Food Company?"

Deng Shirong placed his smoking pipe and smiled, "Considering we have many projects coming up and everyone will need money, today's dividend is 2000 yuan per share. After receiving this dividend, I believe no one will lack money anymore. From today on, none of our clan members will be short of money."

Upon hearing this, the entire venue erupted in excitement!

"Good heavens, 2000 yuan per share! That means we not only get back our initial investment but also earn an equal amount in profit?"

"Hahahaha, that's fantastic! With this much money coming in, we won't be short of money anymore."

"Awesome! In just over a year, we not only recovered our investment but also made a profit equal to our initial investment. This business is truly amazing!"

"It's all thanks to the Clan Head. Without his leadership in starting the Food Company, we wouldn't be where we are today!"

"The Clan Head is truly remarkable and so good to us. If someone else were in charge, they would keep all the profits for themselves. Our Ye Deng Clan is blessed to have such a leader."

"Without a doubt, if the Clan Head has any requests in the future, I will follow them without hesitation."

"Agreed! If the Clan Head asks us to do anything, whether it's climbing a mountain of knives or jumping into a sea of fire, I won't even flinch. I wouldn't deserve the name Deng if I did."

"..."

All the clan members were excited and genuinely grateful to Deng Shirong for leading them to prosperity. Those with larger shares, like Deng Changbao, Deng Changxiong, Deng YunGui, and Deng YunQiang, were especially elated, their faces flushed with excitement.

While everyone knew the Food Company had made a lot of money, the money hadn't been distributed yet, so they hadn't had control over it. Now, with the money about to be distributed, these large shareholders would instantly become wealthy, making it hard not to be excited.

As the clan members cheered, a large bus appeared, followed by an armored car. The appearance of the armored car, especially when the fully armed guards got out, naturally drew more exclamations from the clan members.

Having the bank's armored car to transport the money was something the clan members hadn't expected.

...

PS: Dear readers, the burst yesterday was quite intense, so today I'm providing 6000 words to give you a break.

The double-vote period for the monthly tickets ends in just 5 hours. Each vote counts as two until midnight, so if you still have monthly tickets, please cast them now. With your support, the author will find opportunities to burst again! ^_^

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end