Twenty years of cold chain

Chapter 43 Eldest Young Master

Three days later, the scene on the top floor of a high-end hotel in Qingyan City was quite luxurious.

This is a banquet hall of about 100 square meters. In the center is a large round table. On one side of the private room are screens, porcelain vases and tea tables and tea sets, while on the other side are koi and parrotfish.

One of the men, who always had a smile on his face, was named Yue Xiu. He was the manager of the marketing department of Qiangrui Building Materials. The deal they were negotiating was an extremely rare large order since the establishment of Qiangrui. The other party wanted to set up assembly warehouses in 26 counties in western and northern Qingning. They would fight tooth and nail for such a business.

Although the other party had not shown any interest in Qiang Rui before, Yue Xiu thought that since they were able to meet for a meal, it was a signal. Even if she couldn't win him over completely, she could still get a share of the profits.

The scene was somewhat oppressive, and Yue Xiu was unable to evoke any emotion from the other person. Their indifference created a sense of distance, leaving even a seasoned businessman like himself somewhat bewildered.

"President Yue, I would also like to have an in-depth discussion with Qiang Rui, but I need to set up the plan within four months, complete the assembly warehouse, and then carry out a radial product distribution."

Yue Xiu hurriedly said, "Qiang Rui has already provided you with the materials for the installation. It won't take four months, at most three months to complete, and we can also achieve simultaneous operation of multiple lines."

"Manpower has never been a problem, Mr. Yue. So I'll be frank. The problem is that Qiangrui's current assembly warehouse level doesn't meet my standards. Cost is one aspect, but I need to see more reliable indicators. To be honest, your stuff is too general. I'm under a lot of pressure this time. I made a solemn promise, and it concerns many things in the future. What I need is not an assembly warehouse that looks complete, but one that operates smoothly and without problems."

Yue Xiu was at a loss for words. He realized that this seemingly cold and aloof person was actually quite knowledgeable about cold storage.

Just then, someone knocked on the door. When they came in, Yue Xiu was immediately stunned, and everyone on Qiang Rui's trip turned their gaze away.

The visitor was none other than Hu Shutong. They had a deep impression of him, but they never expected him to find them here. Yue Xiu had indeed said some very insightful things to save face for Lei Xiaoxi, but his approach in this setting seemed rather uninteresting.

Suddenly, fearing Hu Shutong might say something, Yue Xiu quickly interjected, "Wouldn't that be pointless? Qiang Rui won't accept being forced into this!"

He then immediately looked at the major customer of the assembly warehouse, just as he was about to explain something.

People then realized that the other party had invited them to this meeting.

A moment later, everyone in the room was dumbfounded!

Because the person opposite him, who was usually so unyielding and unapproachable, had suddenly changed. Gone was the dignified and composed demeanor; instead, a youthful air about him shone through. Unless they were extremely familiar with each other, such a dramatic transformation was impossible. This person before him had always been a tough yet shrewd individual since taking office; he would never act like this!

Jiang Zhipeng, the eldest son of Qingyuan!

"Old Hu! I've been waiting for you for ages!"

As he spoke, Jiang Zhipeng strode forward, patted Hu Shutong on the shoulder, and his voice was loud and clear, filling the entire hall with the joy of reunion.

Hu Shutong could hardly recognize him. In just six months, this guy had become so sophisticated. His former relaxed and even lazy demeanor had vanished, replaced by the air of a seasoned businessman. In Hu Shutong's eyes, he even deliberately made himself appear much more mature.

A brand new white shirt, sharply creased trousers, gleaming black leather shoes, and a gold belt buckle. Most surprisingly, he had his hair slicked back.

"Let me introduce you. This is Hu Shutong, my college roommate and best friend, and this is Mr. Yue from Qiangrui. I really couldn't find the time, so we arranged to meet here so we could all get to know each other."

Yue Xiu's black eyes were like large round stones fixed in a fish tank, looking at Hu Shutong with doubt and even a little fear!

At the same time, his mind was in turmoil. This scholarly-looking person meant he was a client at the very top of the pyramid in Qiangrui's tiered customer ranking! After composing himself, Qiang nodded and exchanged pleasantries, "Please take care of me, please take care of me."

Hu Shutong thought about it again and again before calling Jiang Zhipeng. He thought it was a private meeting between the two of them, but he didn't expect that Jiang Zhipeng would also invite Qiang Rui's people. Hu Shutong understood Jiang Zhipeng's intention in a moment.

"The food can be served now." Jiang Zhipeng looked at the waiter, and then sat down next to Hu Shutong.

Soon, a large table of dishes was served. Jiang Zhipeng personally opened a bottle of wine, no longer appearing aloof, and smiled at everyone, "I brought a bottle of good wine today, let's all try it. The main purpose of this meal is to take this opportunity to get to know each other and chat. We won't talk about business matters, we can leave those for later."

Jiang Zhipeng's words immediately eased the atmosphere, making the atmosphere less awkward as business was no longer a topic of conversation. However, during the banquet, Qiang Rui's men appeared somewhat uneasy, already thinking about the future.

"Shu Tong is a technically superb person; I'm the most qualified to say that. There are many things Qiang Rui might not know, but his fruit and vegetable storage facilities are already being rolled out in the six counties of Qingbei. Mr. Yue, would Qiang Rui be interested in exploring his expertise?"

Yue Xiu laughed and said, "Of course Qiang Rui wants to poach him, but he has to be ranked after Qing Yuan, right?"

There weren't many funny moments, but everyone in the room laughed heartily. Hu Shutong had been dealing with businesses more and more often and had gotten used to this kind of scene.

Then people started chatting idly, discussing their views on China's entry into the WTO. After a few drinks, they even talked about the Chinese national football team's qualification for the World Cup, and the conversation suddenly became lively.

Less than an hour later, Yue Xiu saw that the atmosphere had warmed up and they had drunk quite a few glasses of wine. However, they couldn't discuss the important matters, and his heart was still full of worries. So, the group left first, as he couldn't wait to go back and have a meeting with the company's senior management.

Hu Shutong and Jiang Zhipeng continued to drink and chat. Hu Shutong would be returning to Mingyuan in a few days, and they would not see each other again for years.

"Old Jiang, I really didn't expect you to change so quickly and so much."

Jiang Zhipeng gave a bitter laugh, looked down at his appearance, and smeared some oil on his hair. "Old Hu, I didn't want to do this, but I had no choice. My father was diagnosed with an illness, and there are many different opinions within the group. I have to do something. I have to learn to be aloof and unapproachable so that I have enough time to think."

"How could this happen? Is it serious?"

"It's hard to say, it's a very strange illness." Jiang Zhipeng sighed, took a sip of wine, and said with a hint of melancholy, "When I was first admitted to the hospital, my father told me to think carefully about whether to maintain the status quo or expand. I thought about it for many days. The elite team my father assembled made me realize that Qingyuan cannot be defended, as it would easily wear down the team. So I plan to carry out what he is about to do to the end, which is to simultaneously explore the twenty-six counties in the Northwest, not only to install assembly warehouses, but also to add four factories in a radial pattern, using short-distance travel to exchange for efficiency."

Hu Shutong nodded. "If you need anything during this process, just give me a call anytime."

"After this meeting, Qiangrui will likely adopt your plan. Your plan is a good thing for Qingyuan, and the assembly warehouse part is excellent. I have something to say about it in the group. However, I have a question."

"you say."

"If Qiangrui adopts your plan, what are the benefits for you? Don't tell me it's about money."

"That's right. If this proposal is successful, Qiangrui will cooperate with the county committee in the future. Specifically, it should be to install and promote the products in the county at a lower price."

Jiang Zhipeng shook his head. "Old Hu, this is far from enough. This plan can be used for twenty or thirty years. The value it brings to Qiangrui is long-term. You must make this clear to your leaders. Simply throwing a few warehouses into the county is far from enough. Cooperation needs to be deep and broad. It would be best to establish a mechanism. Otherwise, it will be a disservice to your plan."

It must be said that Jiang Zhipeng's words reminded Hu Shutong that he hadn't thought this far ahead when he was focused on the plan, and he hadn't asked about Lei Xiaoxi's specific plans either.

"I set up this scheme to block the path of that Wanchuang thing. Qingyuan and Qiangrui have been cooperating for many years. They won't break ties with Qingyuan for a client from out-of-town whose true nature is hard to discern. So you should make good use of this initiative."

It is true that pressure is the best time to see a person's changes. The person in front of me has shed his college coat in the shortest amount of time and become a person who is insightful and clear-headed. Perhaps it is due to strong family genes. In any case, he is completely different from Jiang Zhipeng in college.

"Old Jiang, I understand what you mean."

Jiang Zhipeng smiled and filled his glass. "You're still too far away. I wonder if you'll ever come back to Qingyan. Then we brothers can really make good on those drunken promises we made in college."

……