hotmtlnovel Chapter 36 A Busy Year
Chapter 36 A Busy Year
Hu Shutong understood Pang Shiyou's words about seeking truth from facts; they were a reminder to himself as well as to Bing Neng.
Container trucks have high energy consumption, poor refrigeration, and short lifespan, but a five-year lifespan is five years. It cannot be written as two or three years just because it is beneficial to ice energy. Moreover, deviating from the facts may not be a good thing for ice energy. There will be competing bids in the future, and if the facts are not presented, it may be met with a barrage of criticism from the entire market.
Refrigerated truck manufacturers are trying to find a way to break through the current situation, but container assembly trucks represent a huge market. Their existence is justified, and the extremely low investment cost is the key to making this industry "get moving".
As Pang Shiyou often says, one must take things one step at a time and do things one by one. Replacement is not something that can be done overnight. This process is necessary not only for the refrigerated truck market but also for all aspects of the cold chain.
For days, Hu Shutong has spent his time in the reading room from morning till night, reaping considerable benefits. He has not only been able to work on the assignment given by Liu Yu, but has also gained a deeper understanding of the refrigerated truck market. The room contains not only written records but also a large number of photographs, things that would take an individual two or three years to research on their own, without exaggeration.
It must be said that this place is a treasure trove in this specific field. With Hu Shutong's ability to organize and analyze, it is not difficult for him to obtain a lot of the essence. For a moment, he began to feel grateful for this opportunity.
Hu Shutong was the first to categorize second-hand shipping containers. Previously, people thought these were all abandoned shipping containers, so what difference could there be? In reality, the strength varies greatly, different countries use different materials, and the cutting and welding processes are also different. There are also differences in whether they are equipped with second-hand refrigeration units or independent refrigeration panels. These are industry secrets that cannot be found elsewhere.
These past few days, Kang Xingkai has been staying with Hu Shutong, temporarily putting aside sales matters, as this is his only task right now. His meticulous care in every aspect is almost making Hu Shutong feel overwhelmed. Hu Shutong is staying at a hotel more than a kilometer outside the factory area. Kang Xingkai gets up even earlier than Hu Shutong and brings breakfast to Hu Shutong's room. For lunch, he personally carries the lunchbox to Hu Shutong's reading room. Noticing that Hu Shutong hasn't had any clean clothes for several days, he even went to the mall to buy a new set.
Hu Shutong wasn't that sentimental, but Kang Xingkai's actions still warmed her heart. They ate together that evening, and over time, they became much more familiar with each other.
Kang Xingkai greatly admired the person before him. In his mind, this was the best kind of scholar, whose single-minded focus was truly enviable. Fortunately, Hu Shutong was not rigid at all, nor was he always so engrossed in his studies. Once they left the reading room, the two would chat about anything and everything.
Sometimes when they talked about Qingyan, its fruits and vegetables, and the tractors that rattled louder than anywhere else, Kang Xingkai could tell that Hu Shutong was a little homesick. They would also talk about the industry, Kang Xingkai's perseverance, and their hopes for a bright future.
In Hu Shutong's view, Kang Xingkai is a very principled person. He recounts many shocking things he did at work; for example, during a field sales event, he got into a fight with a colleague over slander to sell a car—he was fiercer than many others. However, when Brother Wang was struggling, he would also give up deals he had secured. He was uncompromising on some things, but generous on others.
Hu Shutong gave Lin Xiang's number to Kang Xingkai. Lin Xiang would eventually need to purchase refrigerated trucks, and in considerable numbers. If the deal went through, Kang Xingkai wouldn't have to worry about where he would go next. However, he was even more eager for Kang Xingkai to achieve something significant in the ice industry. He admired people with such character; those who survive hardship might not be exceptionally outstanding, but they were certainly different from the crowd.
After spending more than a week compiling all the necessary materials, Hu Shutong had a clear understanding of the comparison content, but he wouldn't put it down on paper at this time. To put it bluntly, this period of time was only for preparation for the comparison case. Bingneng Group did not require results within this time limit, and even if they did request them, Hu Shutong would first discuss it with Pang Shiyou in person before taking the next step.
After returning to school, Hu Shutong spent another half month compiling a periodic plan. According to this plan, considering the long term, the U4 refrigerated truck has obvious advantages. Many of the data surprised even Hu Shutong himself: increased weight leads to higher fuel consumption, poorer refrigeration increases the loss rate, and the used structure reduces lifespan. In about five years, refrigerated trucks can achieve cost parity with used containers. Once this gap is filled, a new situation will undoubtedly emerge.
However, Hu Shutong did not receive a response from Pang Shiyou regarding this proposal, nor did he inquire further. According to the schedule, the southern suburbs would first need to procure refrigeration equipment, and the bidding for refrigerated trucks would not be until at least the end of next year or even the year after. Hu Shutong's proposal was merely for internal communication; the future course of action would depend on Pang Shiyou's decision, and at this point, postponing it was the wisest course of action.
With the New Year approaching, many things have slowed down. The period between New Year's Day and the Spring Festival is a transition period, and many plans and programs will be implemented after the start of the new year.
Hu Shutong finally felt a little relieved, knowing that the scene next year would be terrifying, but at least there were some days to catch his breath.
Thinking of the Tianheng bombing tragedy at the beginning of the year, his profound experience in Panzhu, the series of events surrounding the southern suburbs, and his relationship with Pang Shiyou, Hu Shutong suddenly realized that all of this had happened within a year.
Regardless, he was going home for the New Year. His mindset was completely different from this time last year. If he was a solitary traveler in seclusion this time last year, now a path had been laid out before him, and he clearly felt his own changes and growth.
"Miss Pingxin, I'm going back to Qingyan for the New Year. If you need anything, please let me know in advance."
"There's a lot of stuff, let me take it to you."
"Then I'll wait for you at the University of Minnesota."
"10:00 AM the day after tomorrow, Mingyuan North Bus Station!"
Luan Pingxin's tone was extremely excited and high-spirited, and Hu Shutong immediately burst out laughing.
This was the topic that most dampened Luan Pingxin's spirits, and the impatient tone made it clear that this meant—
We've returned to our hometown together.
……