Chapter 40: Twists and Turns

The bespectacled beauty asked, “May I take a look at the actual products?” I replied with curiosity, “Of course. May I ask, what line of work are you in?” She said, “I work for a trading company. I have a foreign client who needs a batch of clothing, so I’m looking for a factory to place the order.”

Hearing this, I was overjoyed. “Miss, may I have your name? How should I address you?” She replied, “My surname is Fu. And you? Perhaps we should exchange WeChat contacts.” I smiled, “Certainly. My name is Li Shuifeng.” As we spoke, we exchanged phone numbers and WeChat accounts. I noticed her WeChat nickname was Fu Xiaomei.

Seeing how my misfortune had turned into a conversation with this charming woman, the plump woman nearby was seething, her eyes blazing with anger. She turned her head and spat fiercely, “Pah!”

The driver, noticing through the rearview mirror, said, “No spitting in the vehicle. Please clean it up and maintain civility.” The plump woman was reluctant at first, but under the reproach of others, she had no choice but to take out a napkin and wipe away her spit. Still frustrated, she turned back to us and cursed, “Shameless couple!”

Fu Xiaomei blushed at the insult, a little embarrassed. As we continued chatting, I learned that she had just graduated from university and was now working for a trading company. With an order in hand, she was looking for a factory to fulfill it.

I asked, “Miss Fu, approximately how large is your order?” She replied, “It’s quite a substantial order, but quality must be guaranteed.”

I was thrilled and wondered, could it really be so easy to solve my foreign trade inventory problem? Had I just stumbled upon luck? I pressed, “How much do you need?”

With a hint of pride, she answered, “Two hundred thousand US dollars.” My spirits fell in an instant. Two hundred thousand? That’s hardly anything. Seeing my disappointment, Fu Xiaomei was surprised. “That’s over a million yuan! There’s a good profit in it. Aren’t you interested?”

I couldn’t help but smile wryly. “Miss, the goods I have on hand are worth several million dollars. A few hundred thousand is insignificant.”

Hearing this, Fu Xiaomei looked skeptical. “Do you really have so much stock?” Clearly, seeing me squeezed on a bus, she found it hard to believe.

I explained, “Why would I lie to you? A friend of mine has goods worth tens of millions of dollars. She said if I could sell them, she’d give me a ten percent commission.”

Fu Xiaomei was amazed. “That much? My mentor once handled an order for a million dollars, and that was already impressive in our company.”

I asked, “Where is your company located?” She replied, “Our company is in the Beishuigang Free Trade Zone. Are you getting off there?”

I asked, “Are there many trading companies in your area? If so, I’ll get off there too.” She said, “You want to visit the trading companies?” I nodded. “Yes.”

She offered, “Shall I take you to find them?” I smiled, “That would be wonderful. I’ll give you a fifty percent discount on your order.” Fu Xiaomei was delighted. “That’s fantastic!”

I had been worried about finding those trading companies on my own, but with Fu Xiaomei as my guide, things became much easier.

After arriving in Mingzhou, Fu Xiaomei and I took a taxi to search for trading companies. Of course, some owners refused to meet with us, and those who did offered very low prices—the lowest was three million dollars, the highest only eight million.

Fu Xiaomei led me to several sizeable trading companies, but none offered a satisfactory price. Since Jin Yulian’s lowest acceptable price was twenty million dollars, I had no choice but to give up.

In the end, Fu Xiaomei was also discouraged. Seeing it was getting late, she returned to her rented apartment. As we parted, I asked her to come find me at the Qingxi County Economic Development Zone the next day, promising to accompany her to inspect the goods.

As dusk fell, I realized that approaching trading companies directly was a dead end. Only my last card remained—to seek out Luo Dingguo, chairman of Dongzhou Group.

Nervously, I dialed his number. After all, we weren’t close. It felt awkward to ask for help, considering all I’d done was return his lost wallet.

He didn’t remember me at first, but when I mentioned the wallet, he recalled. Over the phone, I got straight to the point: I wanted his help selling some foreign trade stock. At first, he hesitated, but finally agreed to meet me at his company to discuss it.

The Dongzhou Group’s office tower, the Oriental Building, stood thirty-eight stories tall—a Mingzhou landmark in its day.

When the taxi stopped, I was barred entry by the building’s security, who asked whom I was looking for. I said I was there to see Chairman Luo. The guard was skeptical until Luo Dingguo called down. Only then did the guard show me respect and let me in.

On the thirty-sixth floor, Luo’s elegant secretary led me into his office. Luo sat on a massive sofa, and, seeing me, smiled warmly and invited me to sit. His secretary served green tea, then quietly closed the door behind her.

Noticing my unease, Luo chuckled, “Young man, don’t be nervous. Let’s sit and talk.”

I blurted out, “Chairman Luo, my friend has a batch of foreign trade stock—”

Before I could finish, Luo smiled, “I know about Miss Jin’s goods.”

I was astonished. “You know about this inventory?”

Luo’s expression was inscrutable. “Not only do I know, but every trading company in Mingzhou is aware of it.”

Seeing my surprise, Luo continued with a faint smile, “My friend, I won’t keep it from you. Someone has given instructions regarding this batch, so none of the trading companies in Mingzhou dare to take it. That’s why the prices they offer are so low.”

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