When the people from the other factories heard what Xie Changning said, their eyes nearly popped out of their heads.

Even if they didn’t make printers, they knew the production cost was only around eleven or twelve thousand, and that was in China Currency!

And yet, she was going to sell it for twenty-five thousand?

"Uh... aren’t you afraid that if the price is that high, you won’t be able to sell it?" someone asked curiously.

Xie Changning tilted her head. "My costs are already quite high, and everything was painstakingly built by hand by my team members. The time and labor costs are all factored in. I don’t do business at a loss."

She was very confident. Laser printing technology abroad wasn’t fully mature yet and was also incredibly expensive. Her printer fell right into the gap, giving them a viable alternative.

They would have no reason to refuse.

Xie Changning’s words silenced the crowd.

"So, isn’t generating foreign exchange important?"

"Generating foreign exchange is very important, but why should I sell at a loss just for the sake of publicity? The government subsidies are for me, not for that bunch of foreigners."

Xie Changning’s words sent a wave of contemplation through the group.

Until Xie Changning said that, everyone had assumed that earning foreign currency was the most important goal. If they lost money, they could just make up for it with government subsidies.

"But... if you can’t generate foreign exchange, we won’t be able to meet the national quota, will we? Aren’t you worried they’ll refuse to buy because it’s too expensive?"

"You’re worrying too much, Director. Goods for export are more expensive everywhere than they are in China. They’re just bluffing."

Xie Changning wasn’t scared of them.

Seeing that Xie Changning was completely unyielding, the others simply thought she was too young and naive.

Only the factory directors who knew Xie Changning understood that she wouldn’t say such things without a good reason.

Wang Lisheng frowned. He felt that Xie Changning had a point, but in the past, everyone always lowered their prices. If you didn’t, you couldn’t sell a thing...

Director Li felt the same way.

To generate foreign exchange for their factories and provinces, everyone slashed their prices like mad. If you didn’t, your products simply wouldn’t sell!

Xie Changning was aware of the current environment, but she refused to follow their "custom." It was precisely because foreigners had caught on to this mindset that they were becoming more and more outrageous in their demands.

She wouldn’t give the foreigners any chance to bully her!

’Take it or leave it. If they don’t want it, we don’t have to work together.’

After breakfast, word of Xie Changning’s little speech began to spread among the factories.

Some felt that Xie Changning was all talk and would change her tune once the foreigners actually arrived.

Others, however, felt that Xie Changning was right.

The government subsidies were for them, not for the foreigners. Why should they let foreigners take advantage of them?

But they also knew the reality of the situation. They could be as indignant as they wanted, but as long as the factories in their industry weren’t united, they couldn’t stop themselves from lowering prices. There were too many factories that could replace them, unlike Xie Changning, who had a unique product.

All they could do was sigh and envy Xie Changning.

As the venue was being set up, everyone was curious to see what Xie Changning’s booth would look like.

To their surprise, Xie Changning’s booth was remarkably plain. It featured only a single printer and a sign with a single word in large, bright red letters: PRINTER.

Below it was the corresponding English text, which they couldn’t read.

Everyone felt that bringing only a single sample was a sign of overconfidence.

This time, even Wang Lisheng came over to offer a suggestion. "Changning, why don’t you put out a few other things to decorate the place?" ’Isn’t this a little too shabby? What if the foreigners are put off by it?’

Xie Changning shook her head. "It’s fine. It’s not necessary."

Xie Changning was so composed that Wang Lisheng didn’t press the issue. He knew she wasn’t the type to act without a plan.

Seeing that Wang Lisheng had stopped trying to persuade her, Xie Changning turned to him. "Brother Wang, what products did you bring this time?"

This time, Wang Lisheng had brought the high-precision screws made from the data Xie Changning had provided.

Xie Changning took a look and offered a suggestion.

"Right now, only your factory can produce these screws, Brother Wang. You can raise the price accordingly. Abroad, prices for some high-precision screws like the ones you’ve brought have already gone up to 9 cents each, and a bag sells for 60 US Dollars."

Wang Lisheng was astonished by Xie Changning’s grasp of the foreign market.

He knew Xie Changning was impressive, but he hadn’t realized she was *this* impressive. She had a complete understanding of the international market.

"Got it! I understand!"

’Being the only supplier makes things easy!’

Ever since he had earned US Dollars with Xie Changning’s help last time, the thought of losing money on a deal was painful to Wang Lisheng.

He wanted to hold his prices firm too, but the market environment wouldn’t allow it. Those other factories... ’Better not to even think about it!’

But now, with Xie Changning’s advice, Wang Lisheng was determined not to lower his prices, no matter what. They could take it or leave it!

Following Xie Changning’s advice, Wang Lisheng also had his people pack the screws into small bags of one hundred, pricing them at 50 US Dollars per bag. That worked out to a bold 50 cents per screw.

Once the price was set, a smile finally appeared on Wang Lisheng’s face.

With the booths all set up, all that was left was to wait for the foreigners to arrive.

Two days after the booths were set up, the foreign merchants began to arrive. They were staying in one of the better grand guesthouses in Shencheng City.

Each one carried an arrogant expression, as if their purchasing from China was a form of charity.

Xie Changning detested that look on their faces, that air of superiority.

Still, Xie Changning had some patience for them for the time being. After all... they were now her potential customers, the ones who would be paying her.

She was willing to offer them a smile or two.

On the day the Autumn Trade Fair officially began, the factory directors all stood behind their respective booths, their expressions grim and serious.

Xie Changning, by contrast, was quite relaxed. Her booth had been deliberately placed at the very entrance of the light industrial machinery section, ensuring the Americans would see it the moment they walked in.

Yu Chunhe had also expressed his doubts about her booth.

But Xie Changning’s response was that with such a prime location, there was no need for extra decorations. The printer alone was enough.

She was confident that companies would come to inquire.

Things happened just as Xie Changning had expected. Someone did approach, but it was a woman who came to accuse her of patent infringement.

"Developing a printer using someone else’s technology without a patent is shameful! You need to apologize to me right now, and to my countrymen whose patents you’ve infringed upon!"

The accuser was a white woman from the United States.

As she accused Xie Changning, her eyes held the sharp, calculating glint of a businesswoman. She was already pondering how she could gain some advantage from this situation.

Unfortunately for her, Xie Changning’s face showed no trace of the panic she was expecting.

Instead, with a faint smile, Xie Changning reached under the table and produced a patent certificate—one that had been filed and granted long ago, exclusively to the Anong County Machinery Factory.

"I believe the one who should be apologizing is you," Xie Changning said, her English perfectly fluent. "To come here and accuse me without a shred of evidence... Is this what passes for manners in the United States?"