Chapter Thirty-Nine: Cooperation! Mutual Benefit and Win-Win!

Page 1 of 3

“Cooperation?”

Lin Xiaolei was momentarily stunned upon hearing this. Companies that usually maintained only a façade of cordiality while competing fiercely in secret were now talking about collaboration? Moreover, given Zhongtian’s current predicament, what right did they have to propose cooperation with the other three companies? They had no funds, no manpower—only piles of tea leaves gathering dust in their warehouse. The bosses of the other three companies weren’t fools; without any capital, who would agree to join forces? In business, cooperation was fundamentally about matching resources; only with equal footing could there be an effective partnership. Otherwise, the side with less capital would inevitably have less say in decision-making. No capital meant no foundation for cooperation!

“You’ll understand when the time comes,” Wang Zheng said with a smile to Lin Xiaolei. “Just give each of them a call and tell them there’s a great way to sell tea to foreign buyers. If they don’t come, they’ll regret it!”

“What are you keeping secret this time? There’s no one else here, can’t you just say it?” Bai Bing, standing nearby, retorted with irritation.

“Quiet!” Wang Zheng shot her a sharp look, his tone and expression a stark contrast to when he spoke to Lin Xiaolei. “This is a matter for the company’s leadership. If you have nothing to do, just stay out of the way!”

Bai Bing rolled her eyes at Wang Zheng but said nothing, a look of disdain on her face. “Company leadership?” she thought. With only three people in the company, calling it a management team was a stretch—she was the only one not counted among the so-called higher-ups.

For Lin Xiaolei, there was nowhere left to retreat. She didn’t know what Wang Zheng had in mind to save the company, but at this point, any desperate measure was worth a try. Resolving to trust him, she called the heads of the other three tea import-export companies, as Wang Zheng had instructed, her tone brimming with confidence and mystery. She didn’t reveal the solution, but she piqued their curiosity thoroughly.

Sometimes, one had to admit, curiosity was a universal human weakness.

When Lin Xiaolei, Wang Zheng, and Bai Bing entered the private dining room at the agreed-upon restaurant, three men were already there. Wang Zheng mentally flipped through their profiles like slides, a subtle smile appearing on his lips. As he’d expected, the bosses of the three tea companies had all shown up, and judging by their expressions, they were clearly troubled by their own tea stockpiles as well.

He also noticed that the three men each kept a distance from one another, with no conversation between them. The fierce competition in the tea export market had clearly soured their relationships.

“President Lin, what’s the meaning of this?” one balding middle-aged man demanded. Meeting his archrivals here, especially when tea sales had already caused so much friction, only fueled his irritation. Besides, everyone knew Zhongtian was on the verge of bankruptcy; to him, Lin Xiaolei had no standing to speak as an equal.

Lin Xiaolei looked to Wang Zheng, who, of course, wouldn’t let her be put on the spot.

Page 2 of 3

“Thank you, gentlemen, for taking time out of your busy schedules to honor Zhongtian with your presence,” Wang Zheng said with a smile to the three men. “But isn’t your willingness to come also a sign of your own anxiety at the moment?”

When Lin Xiaolei had called, she’d said there was a way to sell tea to foreign buyers. The fact that all three bosses had shown up was proof their own situations weren’t much better.

“And who are you?” one of them asked.

“I am Wang, assistant to Ms. Lin Xiaolei, general manager of Zhongtian Import and Export Company,” he replied. “You can call me Assistant Wang.”

“What did you mean just now by saying we’re anxious?”

“Because of a bumper tea harvest, all four of our companies, which focus on tea export, are sitting on massive stockpiles. Foreign buyers are hesitating, waiting to see how things play out, so we’re all in the same boat.” Wang Zheng looked each of the other bosses in the eye. “Jinghua City has several nearby tea production bases, making it a must-visit for foreign tea buyers every year. The tea market here is booming, and exporting tea is an excellent business. It’s rare for one city to have four major tea export companies. The buyers have clearly noticed this and are pitting us against each other. Our purchase price for tea is fixed, and all our capital is tied up in inventory. If we can’t sell before the autumn harvest, prices will drop even further. We’re locked in a price war, but who will be the ultimate winner?”

“Obviously, the buyers!” one of the bosses replied.

“Exactly, the buyers will win, not us,” Wang Zheng said with conviction, a determined light in his eyes. “That’s why we must cooperate.”

“Cooperate?” The three bosses were taken aback, exchanging glances. Surprise, and something else, flashed in their eyes. They unconsciously sat up straighter, their attitudes shifting as they focused intently on Wang Zheng, waiting for him to continue.

Their gazes were like hungry chicks looking up at the branch, full of hope. Wang Zheng was very satisfied with their reaction.

“The four of us control ninety percent of Jinghua’s tea exports. If we join forces, it won’t be us who are anxious, but the buyers,” Wang Zheng said slowly. “Of course, the goal isn’t to hike prices so high that the buyers run away. That would be counterproductive. Zhongtian has a plan—a way to sell tea, keep the buyers in play, and guarantee a solid profit. Are you interested?”

“Wait!” The balding man interrupted, eyeing Wang Zheng suspiciously. “I’ve heard Zhongtian is one step from bankruptcy—you’re an empty shell with no staff, and a load of unsold inventory and unpaid bank loans. Care to explain that, Ms. Lin and Assistant Wang?”

Here came the tough questions, Wang Zheng thought to himself.

Page 3 of 3

Lin Xiaolei was at a loss for words. With years of business experience, she knew that no one would partner with a company on the brink of collapse. Without capital, it was all just wishful thinking. She couldn’t help but turn to Wang Zheng—her last hope now rested with this man. Though anxious, she forced herself to appear calm.

“You must be President Huang of Huangwei Import and Export?” Wang Zheng looked at the balding man with a smile. “President Huang, you’re quite resourceful. Weren’t the supervisors you poached from us? I suppose you learned about our situation from them?”

The man’s expression changed, and he forced a smile, trying to remain composed. “You still haven’t answered my question.”

“It’s simple, really,” Wang Zheng replied, suddenly turning stern and cold. “We have no obligation to keep paying people who are disloyal and work against the company’s interests. Remember, they weren’t resigned—they were dismissed. Their departure is nothing but good for us. Now, our team is united and ready for a real fight!”

Wang Zheng and Lin Xiaolei were certainly united. As for Bai Bing… well, she must be, too. With only three people in the company, if they weren’t united, it would really be something!

“And what about the unpaid bank loans…?”

“Gossip! Pure gossip!” Wang Zheng interrupted, his tone serious. “A good leader needs headlines; a good company needs rumors. Building a great company is hard, you know!”

With that, he pulled a card from his pocket and tossed it onto the table, then sat back, looking relaxed as he watched their reactions.

A Jinghua Bank Diamond Credit Card?

The three bosses stared, momentarily lost for words—even men of their standing didn’t have diamond credit cards. They looked at Lin Xiaolei and Bai Bing, and finally settled their gaze on Wang Zheng.

Who was this assistant, and where on earth had he come from?