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Chapter 100: Finding Buyers
Chapter 100: Finding Buyers
Xue Mao had been in charge of cooking three meals a day for Lu Jiajie and his team since he arrived, but now that Xiao Qiu had joined them, he followed Lu Jiajie out on his errands.
Lu Jiajie was responsible for procurement and communicating with several leather factories and subcontracting plants. The four men he brought with him, Asheng, Ale, and Sha Xiangyang, were each assigned to three different shoe subcontracting factories to monitor progress and ensure quality control. As for Master Jia, with his decades of experience in the shoe industry, he was tasked with inspecting raw materials. He could instantly identify the quality of leather and cotton with a single touch, distinguishing genuine from fake. He would also be in charge of the final inspection of the shoes. It wasn't strenuous work, but it required someone with extensive experience and integrity. As for Lu Jiazong, he moved into the rented warehouse and would be responsible for guarding it from then on.
Lu Jiajie presented all six shoe designs, and among them, his favorite was the pointed-toe, chunky-heeled, double-buckle, side-zip winter boot made of cowhide. The shoe was simple, elegant, and fashionable, sure to be a hit with young women.
He exclaimed excitedly, "Xinxin, these shoes look amazing! They're just as good as, if not better than, the batch the department store bought last year."
Of course, the leather shoes weren't just aesthetically pleasing; they were also of exceptional quality. The high standards resulted in processing fees that were one and a half times higher than those of other factories.
Lu Jiaxin's original design featured metal double buckles, which would have enhanced the appearance, but it would also increase the production cost and add an extra step to the manufacturing process, lengthening the production time. To keep costs down, she had to reluctantly abandon that idea.
Lu Jiajie said, "Jiaxin, I'll bring four pairs of each style back to Si Jiucheng. Those resellers will definitely scramble to put down deposits."
Lu Jiaxin inspected each of the six pairs of shoes to ensure their quality before heading to the telephone office to call Su Heming.
However, when she called, the person who answered the phone informed her that Su Heming had left for Yangcheng over a month ago. "Miss Lu," they said, "Brother Heming called and left a number for you last month. He said to call this number if you needed to reach him. Hold on, let me find it for you."
After a short while, they provided her with a phone number.
Lu Jiaxin jotted down the number and, after hanging up, realized it was a Pengcheng number. She recalled something and asked Gu Wenfeng, who had accompanied her, "I remember you mentioned seeing Su Heming's father and eldest brother at the Swan Hotel. They were staying there, weren't they?"
"Yes, what about it?"
Lu Jiaxin continued, "Su Heming was here recently as well. They've been here for so long without returning to Si Jiucheng, and now they've called him over too. I think they must be planning to open a factory in Pengcheng."
Pengcheng was even closer to Hong Kong City, and setting up a factory there would reduce transportation costs for goods sold in Hong Kong. Considering that Su Grandpa and Su Uncle were in Hong Kong City, she believed that this venture was likely to be on a significant scale.
When she dialed the number, it was quickly picked up, and Lu Jiaxin asked, "May I speak with Su Heming?"
Although she had called with a tentative mindset, she was surprised to hear Su Heming's cheerful laughter on the other end. "Sister Jiaxin, you finally thought of me!"
As they chatted, Lu Jiaxin learned that Su Heming had been summoned to Pengcheng not long after she had left for the ancient capital. Later, he found out from Madam Xie that she was also in Pengcheng and had wanted to get in touch with her, but he didn't have her address or phone number. Madam Xie refused to provide the information, so he could only wait.
Lu Jiaxin asked, "What kind of factory are you guys setting up?"
Hearing that the Su family was opening an electronics factory to produce televisions and radios, among other things, Lu Jiaxin listened intently. Su Heming explained, "My brother said that there will be a huge demand for household appliances in China, and there's money to be made in this industry. But my uncle thinks that the inland areas are too backward, and people can't afford these products, so we'll definitely lose money. My dad and brother stayed there for over three months before my grandfather finally agreed to invest."
Lu Jiaxin thought that Su Heming's brother had great foresight. In the 1980s and 1990s, electronic products would become bestsellers across the country, and those in the industry would reap enormous profits.
With this in mind, she asked, "So, your grandfather is investing in this company. Will it be under his name?"
Su Heming exclaimed in surprise, "How is that possible? My grandfather has four sons. Aside from my father and uncle, he also has two more sons with his younger wives here in Hong Kong! If the company is under his name, then when it starts making money, everyone will come asking for their share, and we'll be the ones working for them."
The mention of 'working for them' showed a newfound maturity in Su Heming's perspective.
Lu Jiaxin asked, "The cost of setting up a television production line isn't small. Your grandfather is quite generous to give you so much money to start a factory."
Su Heming scoffed and said, "Generous? My grandfather put in three million yuan, but he made it clear that this was a one-time deal. If we lose money, he won't give us any more."
"My grandfather's assets are worth over 100 million yuan now, and we won't get a share of any of it."
"Is the three million in Hong Kong dollars or Chinese yuan?" Lu Jiaxin asked. At the time, one Hong Kong dollar was worth three Chinese yuan, so if it was the former, the amount was quite small.
Su Heming laughed and said, "Of course it's in yuan. If it were in Hong Kong dollars, three million would only be one million yuan. That would be a huge loss!"
"Well, your grandfather is still quite considerate of you, then," Lu Jiaxin remarked. Even in Hong Kong City, having assets worth nine million yuan was considered wealthy.
Su Heming snorted coldly and said, "Considerate? He feels guilty. He abandoned my father and grandmother when he took his eldest son to Hong Kong City. My grandmother struggled to raise three children and was often mistreated. She passed away in her forties, and my eldest aunt, who was as beautiful as a flower, was harmed by those beasts. My younger aunt has also been in poor health for years."
"What about your father?" Lu Jiaxin asked.
Su Heming continued, "My father was often bullied when he was young, and because he had to do heavy manual labor from a young age, he's very short. My grandmother and father endured unimaginable hardships in the mainland, but here in Hong Kong City, my grandfather enjoys all the luxuries and even has several young wives."
Due to his hatred for his grandfather, Su Heming had no desire to go to Hong Kong City. In his opinion, there was no need to acknowledge such a cold-hearted and indifferent relative. However, his brother, Su Heyuan, had a different perspective. He wanted to start an electronics factory but lacked the funds, so he saw this as a golden opportunity that he had to seize. As it turned out, he was right, and the factory construction was already underway.
Lu Jiaxin asked, "What does your grandfather do?"
"Our family used to own a textile factory, and when we came to Hong Kong, we continued in the same business. My grandfather saw that plastic flowers were making money, so he started a factory for that too. But my father said that the old man made a fortune in the stock market and now has several hundred million in cash," Su Heming explained.
It was only after learning about Su Grandpa's wealth that Su Father and Su Heyuan traveled all the way to Hong Kong City to reconnect with him. After securing the funds, Su Father stayed in Hong Kong City to continue playing the dutiful son, while Su Heyuan returned to the mainland to start his factory venture.
Lu Jiaxin felt that Su Heyuan's approach was the correct one. When one is in a weak position, it's necessary to temporarily set aside one's pride and bide one's time. Once you've made your fortune and gained leverage, it's not too late to turn the tables. There was no need to acknowledge the grandfather now, as it would only benefit his side of the family.
(End of Chapter)
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