Chapter 28 Research

Chapter 28: Late Night Disruption

The commotion was particularly jarring in the late-night silence. Gu Yu listened for a moment before getting up and heading downstairs. Xie Xinyi, having lost all sleepiness, followed him to the living room.

The two of them reached the downstairs area and saw Gu Kai sitting on the sofa, animatedly sharing the day’s events with Dad Gu.

“Dad, isn’t this a case of the flood washing away the Dragon King’s temple? (family fighting family) The person who saved Xiao Ying turns out to be the very one I was looking for.”

He spoke excitedly, his voice booming. “When I saw him at the military plant today, he still had injuries on his face. I only found out about it recently—what a coincidence.”

The Gu household typically turned in after nine, and here he was, arriving at this hour, loudly discussing matters that had nothing to do with the family.

No one cared why he had gone to see Gao He or how it related to Gu Ying. Moreover, when Gu Ying was seriously injured before, he hadn’t shown the slightest concern—not even a word of sympathy. Now, after meeting someone irrelevant, he showed up at the Gu family home in the middle of the night, boasting and chattering. It was hard to tell what his true intentions were.

Xie Xinyi glanced at the wall clock. The next moment, she heard Gu Yu impatiently cut Gu Kai off.

“It’s so late. Can’t this wait until tomorrow?”

His tone was firm, paying no mind to Dad Gu, who was sitting nearby and listening patiently. He essentially kicked him out.

Gu Kai’s mouth hung open, as if he wanted to say more, but Gu Yu’s retort froze the smile on his face. He awkwardly stifled his laughter and said with a whining tone, “I wasn’t considerate. I was just so eager to share this coincidence with Dad that I forgot everyone needs to rest.”

After playing the victim, he didn’t forget to glance at Dad Gu beside him, wearing an apologetic and pitiful expression that even Xie Xinyi, as a woman, couldn’t mimic.

What a green-tea man—a man who pretends to be innocent—his tactics were exceptionally shrewd.

Comparing him to Gu Yu—one came across as aggressive, the other as pitiable—no wonder Gu Haoyi always sided with the elder son and paid little attention to the younger one.

With Gu Yu’s elder brother behaving like this, he was practically the real-life “other man” who evoked sympathy, playing the weakling to force Gu Yu, the “original spouse,” into acting out and earning disdain, ultimately winning the affections of Gu Haoyi, the “fickle man.”

Xie Xinyi felt indignant on behalf of her husband. But before her concern could fully form, Gu Haoyi, upon seeing his elder son’s pitiful expression, immediately turned his criticism toward his younger son.

“Your elder brother rarely visits. What kind of attitude is that?”

He didn’t slam the table, but his furrowed brows and stern reprimand were chilling enough.

Wen Shuhua, who had been drawn by the noise, anxiously tugged at Gu Yu’s sleeve. Grandma Gu, awakened by the commotion, also made her way over with the help of Nanny Wang.

“What’s all this noise in the middle of the night? Aren’t you afraid the neighbors will hear and laugh at us?”

The elderly woman looked weary, clearly roused from sleep. Leaning on Nanny Wang’s arm, she sat on the sofa. After glancing at the furious Gu Haoyi, she fixed her sharp eyes on the fidgeting figure on the sofa.

“Xiao Kai, coming over so late—surely you didn’t just come to discuss such trivial matters with your father?”

Her tone was gentle and her attitude not particularly stern, but the sharp look she directed at Gu Kai sent a chill down his spine, making him stumble over his words.

Grandma Gu had married Old Mr. Gu at eighteen, and the two had supported each other through difficult times. Having weathered many storms, she carried an imposing aura that commanded respect without anger, especially when her piercing eyes fixed on someone—it felt suffocating.

This was the first time Xie Xinyi had seen the old lady like this. Since her first day in the Gu household, Grandma Gu had always been kind-faced and gentle toward her, never raising her voice, let alone displaying such sternness.

Seeing the old lady in this state for the first time, Xie Xinyi was both surprised and worried that the elderly woman might harm her health from anger.

She glanced at the one responsible sitting across from them, who was now silent and looking down, then moved to sit beside Grandma Gu. While helping her catch her breath, she softly advised, “Grandma, don’t get upset. Let’s hear what big brother has to say.”

After expressing her concern, she turned to Gu Kai. Her limpid eyes, filled with innocent confusion, and her strikingly pretty face appeared utterly harmless, like an innocent little white rabbit that invited no suspicion.

But it was this very “innocent little white rabbit” who had once bared her teeth and bitten him hard.

Having been tricked before, Gu Kai wasn’t about to be fooled by Xie Xinyi’s seemingly pure and kind facade this time.

Knowing that the girl was setting a trap for him, he didn’t hesitate. As soon as she finished speaking, he immediately replied, “It's nothing really. I just went to the military plant today to find Commander Gao and discovered that the person who saved Xiao Ying was him. I... I... just showed a small token of appreciation, that’s all.”

He didn’t explicitly say he had paid for a thank-you gift, only mentioning a token of appreciation. Clearly, he had sought out Gao He for his own reasons, yet he was using Gu Ying’s name to bolster his own image. And after all this late-night buildup at the Gu family, was it just to claim some trivial credit?

Xie Xinyi almost laughed. She couldn’t help but question him, “So, big brother, did you come this late to claim credit or to ask Xiao Ying to reimburse you for the gift?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Called out on the spot, Gu Kai flushed with embarrassment. He glanced at Grandma Gu and Dad Gu, quickly defending himself, “I... I... just came to talk to Dad about this matter. Nothing else.”

As if afraid Gu Haoyi wouldn’t believe him, he turned to the silent Dad Gu, looking somewhat guilty. “I really came to...”

“If you’re looking for Xiao Ying, unfortunately, she’s at our aunt’s place tonight. As for how much you spent on the thank-you gift, Xie Xinyi and I have some money here. We can cover it for Xiao Ying.”

Gu Yu cut off Gu Kai at the right moment, then gave Xie Xinyi a look.

Xie Xinyi immediately understood and stood up, preparing to go upstairs to fetch the money.

“N-no... that’s not it.” Panicked, Gu Kai waved his hands repeatedly to stop Xie Xinyi from going upstairs. “No, I was just mentioning it, just mentioning...”

His face flushed red as he looked at Gu Haoyi, repeatedly denying his purpose for coming. “I’m really not here for money. I just... just... wanted to check on Xiao Ying.”

In his panic, he shifted the topic to Gu Ying’s previous assault incident.

“I heard from Commander Gao that there were many assailants, and they were violent. Xiao Ying was scared out of her wits. Luckily, he happened to pass by, or who knows what might have happened.”

After repeating what he had heard from Gao He, Gu Kai began playing the part of a dotting big brother. “...I was just worried about Xiao Ying. I only thought of coming to see her as soon as possible and didn’t notice the time. That’s why...”

“That’s why you came in the middle of the night, waking everyone up, just to see Xiao Ying.”

Grandma Gu couldn't take any more and directly tore off Gu Kai’s mask. “Xiao Ying has been staying at her aunt’s place since she recovered.”

She'd been staying there all along, and as her elder brother, he must have known. Moreover, when Gu Ying was at home every day, he never bothered to visit.

Grandma Gu didn’t spell it out, but the sarcasm in her words was unmistakable.

It had been over half a month since Gu Ying’s injury. As the eldest brother, Gu Kai hadn’t bothered to visit the hospital initially, nor had he visited afterward. Now, he claimed he had come specifically to see his little sister.

It was hardly believable, but unfortunately, the Gu family had just such a fool.

Even though everyone had laid it all out, Gu Haoyi still blindly came to his defense.

“Xiao Kai, the person you met today was Gao He, the new Commander Gao at the military plant? He was the one who saved your little sister?”

Wen Shuhua had informed Gu Haoyi about Gu Ying’s assault the day he returned from his business trip. At the time, Gu Haoyi hadn’t reacted much, only asking about his daughter’s condition before dropping the subject.

Now, hearing Gu Kai bring it up again, he not only looked surprised but also beamed as he inquired about Gao He’s background.

Wen Shuhua was puzzled. Meanwhile, Gu Kai, seeing Gu Haoyi’s interest, started boasting again.

“...He’s not old, but he has quite the record. Last year, he was promoted twice in a row. I heard he’s even been commended for his service. He’s capable and warm-hearted. They say he’s quite popular among the military wives at the military plant—they’re all eager to set him up on blind dates.”

After detailing Gao He’s work situation, Gu Kai added some hearsay. “...I heard his family is quite prominent in Shanghai. His grandfather’s generation were soldiers, and his father and brother are in the Shanghai military district. He’s temporarily assigned here, but from what I gathered today, he seems to like it here. He even mentioned putting down roots here in the future.”

Gu Kai spoke with fervor, but the Gu family members were all lost in their own thoughts.

First, Gu Haoyi nodded approvingly, and expressed strong approval of Gao He, who was so dedicated to his work that he neglected his personal life. "Young people should be like this—country first, self second. Without the nation, how can there be a family?"

After praising Gao He, Wen Shuhua also forgot about everything else, focusing only on the part in Gu Kai's words: "Regimental Commander Gao is still single?"

"No, he's not. He's already twenty-seven this year, and his family is worried sick about it."

Gu Kai shared more details about Gao He's situation, and Wen Shuhua listened intently, as if ready to jot things down.

Grandma Gu observed the pleased couple and could only sigh, shutting her eyes wordlessly.

Having spent decades with Wen Shuhua, Grandma Gu knew her temperament better than anyone. From the first time she met her, Grandma Gu knew she was a kind-hearted and naïve person, unlike Gu Kai's mother, who was full of schemes.

Wen Shuhua disliked scheming. After marrying Gu Haoyi, she put the Gu family above herself. In her youth, she was a steadfast backbone for Regimental Commander Gu. After having children, she became the anchor for her son and daughter.

When the children were young, she worried about their safety; when they grew up, she stressed about their schooling; and as adults, she became concerned about their marriages. Her whole life revolved around her husband and children, with little mind for anything else.

Her oblivious son failed to see Wen Shuhua's efforts, but Grandma Gu saw all her struggles.

Knowing that Wen Shuhua's question was spurred by an idea to set up Gu Ying with Regimental Commander Gao, Grandma Gu neither helped nor intervened.

Marriage had always been about destiny, and Grandma Gu understood this. Yet, she hoped Wen Shuhua would tinker with it.

After all, a woman unloved by her husband needs something to hold onto spiritually. Otherwise, she would collapse like a marionette with cut strings, losing all meaning in life.

Grandma Gu knew this well, so she closed her eyes and turned a blind eye.

The elders remained silent, and Xie Xinyi, as a junior, knew when to push and when to hold back.

So when Gu Yu was getting antsy and tried to interrupt Gu Kai for the second time, she gently tugged at his sleeve.

Gu Yu fell silent. Grandma Gu and Xie Xinyi pretended not to notice, leaving Gu Kai as the only one holding court in the living room. It wasn't until Xie Xinyi yawned for the twenty-second time that Gu Kai finally said his goodbyes.

Gu Haoyi personally walked his eldest son out, and the two lingered at the doorstep for a long time. Xie Xinyi and Gu Yu helped Grandma Gu to her room. Afterward, Wen Shuhua pulled them aside to ask what they thought of Regimental Commander Gao. By the time the two finally settled into bed, the moon was already high in the sky.

Xie Xinyi yawned again, but as soon as she lay down, there was a knock at the door.

"Xinyi, if you're free the day after tomorrow, come with me to the department store." Wen Shuhua's voice came from outside the door. Just as Xie Xinyi was about to get up and open the door, Wen Shuhua added, "No need to get up. I just wanted to let you know. I'll remind you again later."

With that, the sound of footsteps faded away. Xie Xinyi and Gu Yu exchanged a glance, and she asked with amusement, "Was your mother this concerned about your marriage before?"

Gu Yu didn't answer, but the fleeting embarrassment on his face made it clear that Wen Shuhua had been quite persistent in pushing him to marry.

Thinking of how Gu Yu had been woken up in the middle of the night by his mother, handed a stack of matchmaking profiles, and strong-armed into meeting each one, Xie Xinyi suddenly understood why he had once vowed to only marry a celestial beauty.

Finding a matchmaking candidate was easy, but finding a celestial beauty was not.

Gu Yu thought he had given his mother an impossible task, but he underestimated her resourcefulness. The battle-hardened man was betrayed by his beloved grandfather, who arranged a marriage with a heavenly beauty of a bride, leading him to end up married in a blur.

As a marriage skeptic, Gu Yu must have felt resentful, and Xie Xinyi's teasing only poked at his sore spot. There was no way he would let her off easily.

"If my mother hadn't been concerned about my marriage, could you have found someone better than me?"

Xie Xinyi, who had walked right into that one, fell silent.

Was this never going to end? Was the future tycoon really this petty?

Xie Xinyi ignored him and turned away to sleep. The next morning, she left without waiting for him, biked off to work by herself.

"What's wrong with Xinyi?"

Auntie Wang was the first to notice something amiss, glancing curiously at Gu Yu, who sat eating his breakfast unbothered. Wen Shuhua, catching on, glared at her son and asked if he had done something to upset Xie Xinyi.

Gu Yu didn't defend himself, only saying he had done nothing.

If he had done nothing, why was Xie Xinyi so angry? Usually, the two came and went together, but today she hadn't waited for Gu Yu.

Wen Shuhua gave her son a suspicious look, and Grandma Gu couldn't help but remind her grandson to treat Xie Xinyi well.

"She's younger than you and in somewhat delicate health. If you really make her angry, you'll regret it."

Grandma Gu urged him earnestly, and Auntie Wang used herself as an example to warn of what happens when a man treats a woman poorly. Wen Shuhua chimed in, warning him not to follow in his father's footsteps.

The three women took turns lecturing him until Gu Yu quickly finished his meal and made an excuse to head to the military base, leaving the three women worrying at home.

In truth, Xie Xinyi hadn't intentionally left without Gu Yu. She had simply stayed up too late the night before and slept in, nearly missing the first muster of the R&D team.

When she rushed into the Frozen Products Workshop, Big Chen had already started the chiller running.

The R&D team's main task was to create an ice cream to compete with Shanghai’s sandwich ice creams, so their workplace was set up in the Ice Pop Team.

To avoid favoritism concerns, Xiao Jiang and Ms. Liu would help out in the Sweet Rice Ball Team for the time being. Starting today, the Ice Pop Team became the R&D team's secret base, and no one was allowed to enter until the product was launched.

Earlier, Xiao Jiang had predicted that the entire Frozen Products Workshop would be taken over, but with the New Year approaching, the factory leaders decided it was best not to disrupt production.

Even though the Sweet Rice Ball Team's output was minuscule, every bit helped. Especially with the recent shifts in social trends, deputy factory manager Yuan felt that change was coming.

Yuan Kang was the factory’s weathervane. Though he seemed unremarkable, his ability to read situations was uncannily accurate. Otherwise, he wouldn't have weathered the most turbulent times untouched and remained in his position for so many years.

Factory directors came and went, but Yuan Kang remained firmly in his role as deputy factory manager for over a decade. To this day, the saying "directors come and go, but Deputy Manager Yuan remains" was still popular at Guohui Food Factory.

In turbulent times, staying out of trouble was success. Yuan Kang's ability to retain his position meant he had unique skills, even if others couldn't see them.

"They mock my madness, but I mock their blindness."

Because deputy factory manager Yuan saw clearly, people in the factory trusted his decisions, including the current factory director.

In fact, it was often said that the current factory director remained in his position largely because he listened to deputy factory manager Yuan.

If he didn't, he would likely share the fate of his predecessors—here today, gone tomorrow.

People trusted Yuan Kang and never doubted his words.

Since he had Master Liu form the R&D team and allowed the Sweet Rice Ball Team to continue production, everyone followed his lead.

As for what trends or changes were coming, most people didn't understand and didn't bother to speculate. They simply did as they were told, confident that following deputy factory manager Yuan's lead was the right move.

People thought simply, but Xie Xinyi, who knew the course of history, understood that deputy factory manager Yuan was far from simple.

Though he seemed cheerful and carefree, he paid attention to every detail. For instance, the ten rules he set for the R&D team revealed his meticulousness upon closer inspection.

Before the new product launch, unauthorized personnel were forbidden from entering the Ice Pop Team.

Team members had to sign confidentiality agreements before joining.

He had considered every detail and preemptively mitigated potential risks.

...........

If Ms. Liu hadn't mentioned that deputy factory manager Yuan had always been this way for over a decade, Xie Xinyi might have suspected he was also a transmigrator from the future.

Yuan Kang picked up on subtle year-end shifts, actively organizing R&D work while keeping up the production of traditional sweet rice balls.

By setting up the R&D team’s workspace in the temporarily unused Ice Pop Team area and moving Xiao Jiang and Ms. Liu who were left to the Sweet Rice Ball Team, which was about to ramp up production, he killed two birds with one stone—neither hindering the progress of the Ice Pop Team nor delaying the Sweet Rice Ball Team’s output.

No wonder everyone trusted Yuan Kang. With such exceptional organizational skills, he'd make a rare, capable manager on his own.

With his big-picture thinking and vision, no matter the era, he would have been a standout talent, never get swallowed up by the times.

Xie Xinyi genuinely admired him. When she accepted the raw materials for R&D from Yuan Kang, she couldn’t help but take a few extra glances at this man in his forties.

Nothing special to look at but had an impressive presence, he seemed like a truly capable person, handled everything thoroughly. Seeing that all R&D team members had gathered, he took the lead in holding a pep talk.

“...Charge through tough times and achieve greatness.”

In just a few brief words, he conveyed boundless aspirations. Xie Xinyi suddenly felt that someone like him would likely do really well with motivational speaking in future times.

As she thought this, Master Liu also expressed agreement, patiently waiting for him to finish his motivational speech before asking if there was anything else to add.

“Nothing more, Master Liu. Anything you want to add?”

The two exchanged opinions, and after summarizing everything, Deputy Factory Manager Yuan left the Ice Pop Team to assign tasks to the Sweet Rice Ball Team.

“Alright, let’s get to work too.”

Liu Yinsheng tied on an apron and took out the ingredients one by one on the workbench. “This is what I could gather. Take a look and see if anything’s missing.”

No small talk, he got straight to the point. Xie Xinyi, who had expected some preliminary remarks, didn't react right away. The woman next to her immediately jumped right in after Master Liu and asked, “What are you planning to make?”

Quick and to the point, she clearly wasn’t one to dawdle. Her directness showed she was used to getting things done.

Xie Xinyi hadn’t expected that, after getting a second chance at life, she’d find herself thrust back into super competitive times reminiscent of future times. She felt overwhelmed at the thought, wishing she hadn’t drawn attention to herself before.

She secretly regretted it, but Liu Yinsheng seemed unwilling to give her a chance to second-guess herself. After sharing his idea for a cream-based ice cream, he immediately turned to Xie Xinyi, who was busy regretting her life choices.

“Well... Xie Xinyi, yes, you. Tell us your thoughts.”

With no time to hesitate, Xie Xinyi had to suck it up and dive in. She first glanced at the raw materials on the workbench, then combined Liu Yinsheng’s idea of making cream ice cream with a suggestion of her own.

“I was thinking if we could change the shape of the ice cream,” she said, pointing at a snowman outside the window. “Something like a snow doll, for example.”

Though she had little experience making ice cream, she knew enough to have some ideas.

In her past life, she loved trying all kinds of novel foods. While she was clumsy in the kitchen, she had plenty of creative ideas.

Moreover, ice cream varieties in this era were limited, and there was no worries about copying or legal issues. Xie Xinyi had ample room to experiment—so much so that even if the Guohui Food Factory shut down, her innovative ideas would never run out.

Confident, Xie Xinyi looked at Master Liu with more confidence. She took out a pen and paper, quickly sketching a prototype of the Doll Head Ice Cream she remembered from her past life, and handed it to Master Liu.

“It looks something like this. We can use chocolate for the eyes and mouth.”

“Chocolate?” someone scoffed.

Xie Xinyi had almost forgotten that in this planned economy era, chocolate was a scarce commodity. Though production was growing, it wasn’t widely available. Brands like Bright Chocolate and wafer biscuits needed special coupons and were special holiday treats.

Using such a scarce item in ice cream might seem crazy at first, but Xie Xinyi explained, “We can reduce the concentration to keep costs down.”

She understood why Sister Li had scoffed—scarce items were expensive, and ice cream was sold at a low price. Controlling costs was Master Liu’s top priority.

There were problems, but they could work around them.

At her wedding, the Gu family had included Bright Chocolate in the wedding sweets. Xie Xinyi had tried it—way too sweet, with a rich flavor but grainy texture. It couldn’t compare to the chocolate of the future, but as a “special treat” of this era, it was quite popular.

Though Xie Xinyi didn't really like it, she appreciated its strong flavor.

The Doll Head Ice Cream required only small amounts of chocolate—for the eyes, mouth, and the famous hat.

When eaten, the chocolate flavor was subtle, just enough to distinguish it from other parts.

Since it was for distinction, the chocolate concentration could be reduced. Bright Chocolate’s high concentration made it ideal for dilution, so using it for those three parts shouldn’t cost much.

Xie Xinyi shared her idea. While Sister Li looked dismissive, the others considered it seriously.

Master Liu studied her sketch intently. Red-Nosed Brother Zhang calculated the costs. Big Chen was the most enthusiastic—the moment Xie Xinyi finished speaking, he started taking off his uniform, ready to buy the chocolate.

“Let the procurement department handle it. We’ll focus on figuring out the other components first.”

Liu Yinsheng stopped him, indicating he supported Xie Xinyi’s suggestion. As for why he didn’t let Big Chen go, Xie Xinyi guessed it was to save the honest man money.

After Eldest Brother Chen’s wife ran off following the birth of their youngest daughter, he had raised their three daughters alone, being both mom and dad. Though he never complained, many in the factory knew his struggles.

Master Liu, who had mentored Big Chen, never officially took him as a student but treated him like family.

Knowing Big Chen’s honesty, Master Liu often spoke up for him when things weren't fair.

This ice cream R&D project was assigned by the factory. Big Chen, straightforward as ever, didn't think twice about it, but Master Liu considered the implications for him.

Purchasing Bright Chocolate required both tickets and money. While procuring it in bulk through the factory wouldn’t be difficult, for Big Chen, buying even a few bars would cost nearly as much as his family’s expenses for several days.

Unwilling to let his own people pay for it themselves, Master Liu stopped Big Chen and had Sister Li call someone over from the procurement department.

When the procurement department heard the R&D team needed assistance, they sent their minister—Sister Mantou’s proud husband, Minister Jia.

Minister Jia stood at the entrance of the Ice Pop Team in an ill-fitting suit, a sycophantic smile on his face. He called Master Liu over and over, and the way he respectfully accepted the procurement list reminded Xie Xinyi of the eager “Right away!” from period dramas.

With his large head and slimy smile, he fit the image of a procurement minister perfectly.

Xie Xinyi held back a laugh and turned her attention to Big Chen, who was busy handling the raw materials.

The factory had given the R&D team just one month to develop the ice cream.

Short on time with lots to do, Master Liu and the team got to work immediately after handing the procurement list to Minister Jia.

The R&D team, including Liu Yinsheng, consisted of five people. Sister Li, who had scoffed earlier, was borrowed from the Nonstaple Food Workshop and was a renowned model worker in the factory. Her efficiency was the least of her strengths—according to Xiao Jiang, her most remarkable skill was a photographic memory. Anything she handled, no matter how complex, she could replicate flawlessly.

The quiet Red-Nosed Brother Zhang came from the Sauce and Rice Workshop. Xiao Jiang described him as “skilled in both literary and martial arts”—not only could he lift several male colleagues at once, but he was also adept at calculations. Rumor had it that the heads of the finance and Sauce and Rice Workshop departments had fought over him multiple times. Anyone who could cause such a rivalry was clearly exceptional.

Then there was Big Chen, whose talents Xie Xinyi had heard about from Xiao Jiang long ago—another rare talent.

Among the four R&D team members, one had a photographic memory, one was a calculation whiz, and one was a measurement pro. Then there was Xie Xinyi, with no exceptional skills—just a love for eating.

The thought made her a bit embarrassed, so she didn’t complain about any tasks in the subsequent work.

She assisted Big Chen as his helper, measuring raw materials into the mixer according to the ratios. Big Chen worked efficiently. After checking Master Liu’s proportions, he scooped ingredients into the scale—each measurement precisely four taels.

He measured all the raw materials in one go and was about to pour them into the mixer when a mixing bowl appeared before him.

Xie Xinyi looked up and stood obediently off to the side, holding the mixing basin with both hands, with a serious expression.

The timing was just right; she stood nearby without making a sound, causing no disturbance, and had good situational awareness. Who wouldn’t like such a helper?

Big Chen nodded and took the basin, placing the raw materials into the mixer before stepping aside to drink water.

Zhang Chao quickly noted down the materials Big Chen used in his notebook and had roughly calculated the cost even before the ingredients were fully mixed.

"Twelve cents. We still need to get it under control," he briefly reported to Master Liu. "If we reduce the milk powder by another ten percent, we should be able to keep the cost under ten cents."

He found a way to cut costs, but Sister Li disagreed upon hearing it. "We can’t reduce the milk powder any further; it’ll lose its milky flavor."

After preheating the cooling unit, she listed out the product ingredient ratios she had previously reviewed on paper for Master Liu. "Any further reduction in milk powder will significantly worsen the taste."

Liu Yinsheng had also considered this, which was why he initially followed the standard ratio for this batch of raw materials—to test whether further adjustments were possible.

He signaled everyone to proceed with the current ratio. Once the raw materials were cooled and sent to the setting machine, the day’s tasks would be complete.

"It's not suitable for the female staff to stay overnight. Big Chen and Zhang Chao, you two will have to put in extra effort during this period."

Guohui Food Factory was drafty from all sides, and aside from Uncle Wang guarding the main entrance, no one patrolled the premises.

Other workshops were in full production, and the factory had a mix of different people. No one could guarantee that someone wouldn’t stumble into the wrong area after dark.

Although theft had never occurred in their factory, human nature was unpredictable. The R&D project involved confidential information, so to be safe, Master Liu had Big Chen and another person take turns staying behind.

The ice cream needed to set for four to five hours after cooling. After making arrangements, Master Liu let Xie Xinyi and Sister Li leave first, while he stayed until the ice cream had mostly set before departing.

The next day, when they arrived at the workshop, their first task was to take out the ice cream made the previous day and start tasting it.

The doll head ice cream without chocolate wasn’t particularly surprising. Perhaps because she had tasted too many novel treats in her past life, Xie Xinyi felt like she was eating frozen milk powder with her first bite.

She frowned slightly, but the subtle expression was caught by Master Liu, who immediately asked for her opinion.

"What do you think is missing?"

What’s missing?

Xie Xinyi took another bite of the ice cream in her hand, the strong milky flavor still lingering on her lips and teeth. "...I think the flavor is too strong."

She bluntly shared her thoughts, and Master Liu took another bite of his ice cream...

Indeed, the milk powder flavor seemed a bit overpowering.

He took the ingredient list and examined it carefully, but Sister Li, holding a half-eaten ice cream, held a different view. "I think the milky flavor is just right."

Ice cream was different from ice pops—not only was it more expensive, but it was also harder to preserve. People bought it either for novelty or as an occasional treat to spice up their daily lives.

So, if the ice cream flavor wasn’t strong, who would be willing to spend twenty cents, a significant amount, to buy it?

Sister Li had previously worked as a market researcher and understood people’s tolerance for new things.

It wasn’t that Xie Xinyi’s innovative ideas were useless, but their goal in developing new products was to boost the factory’s profits and meet the needs of the majority, not cater to a minority’s preferences.

Her insistence on the milk powder ratio was to highlight the difference between ice cream and ice pops. For those with less discerning tastes, a strong flavor was the fundamental reason why such food was worth the price.

If they kept reducing the milk powder just to pursue novelty and control costs, Sister Li felt it would be better not to develop the product at all, lest they work hard only to end up with sales even worse than ice pops.

She shared her thoughts and past experiences with Master Liu.

With two differing opinions among the team members, Master Liu turned his attention to the two men in the group.

Big Chen had never been fond of sweets, so after finishing a large ice cream, he hesitated for a long time without offering any clear opinion.

Master Liu then looked at Zhang Chao.

"I... I..."

"Burp!"

"Burp!"

"Burp!"

Before he could say half a sentence, he let out several burps. Liu Yinsheng shot an annoyed glance at the two before turning back to ask Sister Li, "Has the chocolate bought by the procurement department arrived?"

Sister Li glanced at the workbench and, after a while, dug out a bag of sealed chocolate from a pile of raw materials.

"Here it is. Not sure when it was delivered—no one even mentioned it."

She complained briefly before handing the chocolate to Liu Yinsheng.

"Alright, let’s make another batch according to the design Xie Xinyi drew."

Liu Yinsheng rolled up his sleeves, washed his hands at the sink, and began diluting the chocolate. "Xie Xinyi, come here and taste the concentration."

Taste the concentration?

Was he really treating her like a lab rat?

Xie Xinyi was both amused and exasperated. Steeling herself, she stepped forward and took the "poison"—no, the chocolate—from Liu Yinsheng and took a small sip.

"Too strong."

Suppressing the bitter taste filling her mouth, she looked helplessly at the experimenter.

Liu Yinsheng added some water to the enamel basin.

"Still too strong."

After several attempts, Xie Xinyi could no longer hold back and quietly suggested, "Master Liu, how about adding some saccharin?"

Add saccharin?

Liu Yinsheng glanced at the dark, unappealing mixture in the enamel basin, skeptically scooped a little, and tasted it.

His brows furrowed deeply, and he struggled to swallow the substance. After spitting it into a nearby trash can, he returned and added some saccharin to the enamel basin.

Having worked in food for decades, this was the first time he had tasted something so unpalatable. He couldn’t understand why young people were so obsessed with it.

Bitterer than bitter melon, yet so many people liked it.

Liu Yinsheng couldn’t comprehend it and simply kept stirring the dark mixture.

Finally, after adding another gram of saccharin as Xie Xinyi suggested, the chocolate flavor finally met her standard.

Big Chen and the others dripped the chocolate into the molds according to the design and sent them to the cooling machine. All that was left was to wait for the doll head ice cream to set.

Xie Xinyi was making the ice cream she had envisioned for the first time, and to be honest, she was pretty excited. She was so absorbed that she didn’t even have time to eat when Xiao Jiang called her for lunch, staying by the mold tank the entire time.

She paced from left to right, going upstairs and downstairs, and finally, when it reached four in the afternoon, Big Chen removed the molds from the mold tank. She immediately rushed over.

"How is it?"

"Not so good."

Sister Li handed Xie Xinyi a doll head ice cream with a smudged face, giving her a dirty look as she did so. "This is the doll head ice cream you insisted on pushing. I think it should be called a ghost face ice cream instead."

Xie Xinyi looked down at the doll face in her hand, where the nose and mouth were all scrunched together, and burst out laughing.

"How did it end up like this?"

Ignoring Sister Li’s glare, she turned it over and examined it several times. But having never made ice cream before, she couldn’t figure out what went wrong. She could only ask with a sheepish smile and ask Master Liu for help, "Is the chocolate too thin?"

Liu Yinsheng looked at the various ghost-faced dolls in front of him and couldn’t help but laugh too. With a helpless smile, he replied, "It’s not the chocolate’s fault. We forgot to order custom molds."

Wait, we need custom molds?

Xie Xinyi hadn’t expected making ice cream to have so many requirements. Knowing nothing about production, she could only stand quietly behind them and listen as Master Liu discussed the details of customizing the molds with Eldest Brother Chen and the others.

The old master encountered a new problem, and unexpectedly, Xie Xinyi ended up teaching Liu Yinsheng a lesson.

After they put in their two cents about the details of the doll head molds, they had Xie Xinyi finalize the design before sending it to the procurement department.

Customizing the molds would take a few days, so with nothing else to do, the R&D team members pitched in to help out at the Sweet Rice Ball Team.

Xie Xinyi didn’t really want to go, but considering she didn't want to stick out in the group, she went to the Sweet Rice Ball Team and took on the easiest quality inspection job.

While helping out and waiting for the molds, as luck would have it, they didn't expect the molds to arrive. Instead, they received news that Minister Jia, who was assisting with the mold procurement, had run into trouble.