Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 321 Someone is jealous

Everything else went smoothly, and Xiaoman quickly made contact with the two universities.

"Brother Zhu, what do you want to do by contacting those two universities?"

“Donate some books to them,” He Yuzhu said.

"Then why not give it to Tsinghua University and Beijing University?"

"Mine are all technology-related."

"Shouldn't it be given to Tsinghua University instead?"

"Let's go with these two." He Yuzhu thought about how the students from Tsinghua University had all gone out to contribute to others and he had lost interest in managing them, but he couldn't say that out loud yet.

When Xiaoman saw the container full of books, she was completely stunned.

"Brother Zhu, this is all you're donating, isn't it? This is way too much!"

"Oh, there are still many things that can't be bought, otherwise I would have bought them all."

"What about the University of Hong Kong? Aren't you going to donate there?"

“They have plenty of money and channels to buy books,” He Yuzhu said.

"Ok."

Then this batch of books went through the Luohu border into the mainland. The donation was made under the guise of "supporting national basic scientific research and talent cultivation." It was not publicized, and very few people knew about it.

The two universities initially thought it was some basic book, but they were overjoyed when they received it.

These are treasures to them; many teachers are using textbooks from decades ago, and these have solved their immediate problem.

This was a timely help, and the two schools even went to great lengths to send back the banners they received.

He Yuzhu had it hung directly in the charity foundation's hall of honor.

As for cooperation with the Yellow River, neither school mentioned it. They thought the Yellow River would bring it up, but there was no response at all.

They then realized that the person hadn't been thinking about anything in return; it was simply a matter of support. In fact, there was still one thing they didn't understand: with so many good universities across the country, why not give them to others but only to their two families?

There are still some clever people out there. After explaining it to them briefly, they understood, and their talents won't be lost.

The news eventually got out.

Other schools have strong opinions about this matter.

Soon after, He Yuzhu received calls from the Special Economic Zone and Lao Zhao, informing him that someone had reported him behind his back, saying that Huang He was being treated differently and wondering if there was some ulterior motive.

He Yuzhu scoffed at this, thinking that decades later he would certainly not show favoritism, so for now, let's just forget about it.

He's not worried that companies won't be able to recruit these university students; money is the driving force behind these talents' destinations, and no one can stop that.

However, this incident led to an unexpected request from He Yuzhu.

The request came from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and was forwarded by President Liang; they sent me a letter.

The letter was very sincere. They had a project involving aerodynamic simulation and urgently needed to use a high-performance wind tunnel for experiments. They had learned from others that Yellow River had a small, high-end wind tunnel facility with extremely high precision and stability, and hoped to be allowed to visit and use it for a period of time.

He Yuzhu believes that the information was obtained through speculation, because a helicopter cannot be made without such a thing.

He Yuzhu paused for a moment when he saw the name of the person leading the team. Then he wrote a reply, welcoming them to visit and use the facilities for free. Of course, he hoped that this person could provide guidance to their technical staff.

Soon after, a highly skilled team of experts arrived in Hong Kong.

He Yuzhu made an appearance, and then the laboratory provided him with the highest level of hospitality and unreserved cooperation.

After a detailed inspection and use of the wind tunnel, the leading senior expert was full of praise for the excellent equipment and advanced technology, and expressed deep gratitude for the unreserved support from the Yellow River side.

As for where this thing came from, they didn't ask. It was not for sale, and even the people in the lab didn't know.

When He Yuzhu returned, he asked Xu Damao to do something: to establish a Yellow River Computer (Special Zone) Co., Ltd. and a Yellow River Electronic Components (Special Zone) Co., Ltd.

The approvals for the establishment of the two companies in the Special Economic Zone were issued faster than expected.

They completed all registration and approval procedures almost without any obstacles, and even the land allocation was much faster than the usual process.

After completing the formalities, Xu Damao called back.

"Brother, it's all settled! Both companies have made it clear that they offer preferential treatment on tariffs and taxes. I've already chosen two good locations to build the office buildings."

Where did you choose?

"It's right next to our CBD, so convenient."

"Luohu!"

"What, is it not good?" Xu Damao said.

"Let's just make do for now, that'll do."

"Oh, they're urging us to open for business over here," Xu Damao said.

"Then find two warehouses to use as temporary offices. You can start hiring now."

"Isn't Hong Kong sending anyone over?"

“You won’t be sending many people, so just recruit some. By the way, give Sheng Li a call and ask her how things are going. Uncle Zhao said she wanted to start her own business.”

"Okay, I'll ask in a bit. By the way, how big of a warehouse do you need to rent?"

"It needs to be at least 1,000 square meters, otherwise how can it hold all the stuff? Go and order some shelves based on the retail warehouse layout."

"I'm familiar with this. So, is selling goods similar to retail?"

"Let's combine retail and wholesale, plus technical services!"

"Oh, the car service kind?"

"Similar, a computer is definitely a big purchase."

"I understand now, I get it now that you put it that way."

"The refrigerator factory doesn't need you anymore?"

"No need, many of the people coming are former subordinates of mine, they can handle it."

"Don't be too arrogant."

"I understand, brother. I will manage my men well. The first batch of refrigerators should be ready to roll off the production line in a while, and I will definitely go back to oversee it."

"Okay, if you're too busy, just tell me and I'll arrange for someone else to help you."

"it is good."

After hanging up the phone, He Yuzhu thought for a moment and then called Shi Bin. The rescue team had been established for a long time, but it hadn't actually been deployed many times or done anything major. Some of the team members were past their prime age, so it was time to make some arrangements.

"Shi Bin!"

"Boss, are we going to make our move?" Shi Bin asked excitedly.

"No, I want to find another way out for your older staff, and you can recruit younger people again."

“Boss, these people are all old men from the Yellow River.” Shi Bin thought He Yuzhu wanted to eliminate them.

"What are you thinking? We found them some good jobs."

"What kind of work?" Shi Bin asked, intrigued.

"Customs clearance and transportation".

"Oh, driving a truck?"

"Correct."

"This"

"What do you mean 'this'? The salary is quite high, much higher than that of the rescue team, and there's a subsidy for each trip."

"Doesn't that mean you're making over ten thousand a month?"

"Yes, it should be even higher."

"Thank you, boss. Some of them are actually afraid to go back to working as security guards."

"You don't think so too, do you?" He Yuzhu asked.

"This"

"Don't worry, I will continue to support this rescue team. Of course, in addition to the necessary elderly and medical staff, there needs to be a constant influx of fresh blood. You know what the situation is like during disaster relief."

"clear."

"How about this, you recommend someone to be the team manager, let's choose ten people first."

"Okay, I'll go do the work."

"There's no need to ask the helicopter pilots; they can wait a bit longer."

"I know that, they are all treasures."

A week later, the Yellow River Freight Company was established, and then the first fleet of trucks carrying computers and components cleared customs and went to the special economic zone.

The computers were fine, but the components were supplied to several civilian factories over there, so they weren't stopped.

Ten days later, the two companies in the special economic zone opened for business and were very successful.

Xu Damao called and said, "Brother, you didn't see that scene. It wasn't like they were coming to buy goods; it was like they were robbing us."

"That's normal, is there a shortage domestically?"

"They also asked when the next batch of goods would arrive."

“I’m already coordinating, but it will take a while, as you know they’re very strict over there.”

"Okay, this company just opened and it's already sold out. What will happen to the people in the company?"

"Bring in other things to sell, like consumer components, computer peripherals, radios, and televisions.

"Yeah, why didn't I think of that?"

"You were intimidated by the company name. By the way, you should expand your business scope."

"I have them all, I just went with the biggest one, hehe."

"Alright, I don't need to arrange the goods for you for these jobs, right?"

"No need, no need, I'll just find Xiao'e and my sister-in-law."

"That's good."

"There's one more thing, are there any switches still in stock?"

"Yes, I'll send you two this time. You can decide which one to give to yourself."

"Alright, I'm tired of them nagging me."

After the special economic zone's car sales company was established, cars sold like hotcakes, but troubles followed, and not just for the car sales company.

The high profits and scarcity of the import business have indeed attracted a lot of attention—blatant attention. When Xu Damao called again, his tone was no longer as excited as before; instead, it carried a hint of anxiety.

"Brother, something's not right here."

"What's wrong? Are you sold out again?" He Yuzhu asked casually as he looked through the sales report from North America.

“It’s not a problem with the goods. In the past few days, several groups of people have come to the company for ‘visits and inspections,’ asking very in-depth questions. They don’t seem like customers at all. Today, two more people came, speaking with great arrogance, saying they were representing some head office and wanted to talk to us about cooperation.”

"Cooperation? How exactly do we cooperate?" He Yuzhu put down the report.

"They said they are optimistic about our channels and capabilities and want to invest in us for mutual development."

Have you read the letter of introduction?

"I checked, and they really are some big companies. The official seals on them are also legitimate."

"Then call them and ask. Those factories are unlikely to take that step."

"Yes, that's what I think too. If big companies could form joint ventures or something, their leaders would have come long ago."

He Yuzhu snorted and said, "These people are probably not from the factory. They have a good nose for things. You should call and confirm first, and then ask the leaders of the special economic zone. Has the policy changed? How come we didn't know?"

"Is this alright?" Xu Damao was always three parts weaker than the official.

"There's nothing wrong with it. They still need us to develop the special economic zone. We will definitely tell you what we need to tell you."

"Okay, I'll go check it right away."

Xu Damao called again the next day.

"Brother, I've confirmed it. Those people aren't from the factory at all. I don't know how they got the letters of introduction, and they didn't tell me either."

Have you inquired about the Special Administrative Region?

"I asked, and the reply they gave was that a group of people wanted to start a company like ours before, but the special economic zone didn't approve it. As for who they were, they seemed a bit wary and didn't say it outright. Oh, and two more groups came today, even more aggressive. The implication was that they could protect us."

"Heh, this is protection money, huh? The Yellow River is being treated like a piece of fat meat. Fax me the name and I'll go ask around," He Yuzhu sneered.

"it is good."

After hanging up the phone, He Yuzhu thought about it. This kind of thing is unavoidable and cannot be bypassed. There will be more in the future, and we must deal with it head-on. However, a direct confrontation is not the best approach. We need to be strategic.

After the fax arrived, he immediately dialed Lao Fang's number.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, He Yuzhu subtly mentioned the "minor troubles" they had encountered in the special economic zone.

Old Fang immediately understood: "Hmph, there are always people like this who want to reap the rewards and hitch a ride."

"Uncle Fang, what should we do?" He Yuzhu asked.

"How do you want to handle this? You can't force these people."

"Could you please check their backgrounds for me first?" He Yuzhu said.

"That's not a problem, but you shouldn't be impulsive."

"I understand, it's all about money. I don't lack money, but do you think I would give it to someone who robs me?"

"The mainland is not Hong Kong. Don't use the same methods you use to deal with the triads on them, or you'll suffer a great loss."

"Okay, please check for me first, and I'll think about it."

"it is good."

Afterwards, He Yuzhu gave Lao Fang a few names and then waited for news.

A few days later, Lao Fang called back, his tone conveying a sense of understanding and caution.

"Zhu Zi, we've investigated thoroughly. These groups of people are indeed quite influential. The leaders' fathers are all... well, people with some influence in that circle. They probably saw the benefits of the special economic zone's policies and knew that your import channel was highly profitable, so they wanted to get involved. Their methods are a bit unsightly, but directly confronting them is definitely unwise."

"What, Uncle Fang, are you even wary of these people?"

"Be wary of my ass! They should be the ones being wary of me, don't overthink it," Old Fang said irritably.

"Hehe, then Uncle Fang, what do you mean?" He Yuzhu thought that must be true, since the department was too special.

"It's better to guide than to block. These people may not be good at getting things done, but they're definitely good at causing trouble. Since what they want is profit, why not draw a circle for them, set some rules, and let them play within those rules? This will satisfy their appetites and turn your troubles into a kind of help. Of course, the premise is that you must have the initiative," Old Fang advised.

He Yuzhu immediately understood the key point: "I understand, thank you for your guidance, Uncle Fang."

"What do you know? Tell me! Come and learn from this old man!" Old Fang pressed for details.

"Then, like this, like this, like this."

"Alright, you've really figured out how to be a businessman. You can handle it yourself. If there are any really clueless people, I'll put in a good word for you."

"I hope that doesn't happen; it wouldn't look good for anyone," He Yuzhu said.

"Correct."

After hanging up the phone, He Yuzhu thought for a long time, refined what he had just said to Lao Fang, and then wrote it down.

After finishing writing, he contacted Xu Damao: "Damao, next time those people come over, be more polite and tell them that cooperation is negotiable."

"Ah, brother, are we just going to compromise like this?"

"It's not a compromise; strictly speaking, it's not a bad thing either."

"Then how can we cooperate?"

"Letting them set up offices in various places is just a way to get benefits. It's like passing through a middleman. When customers come to buy goods, you sell them the same amount as usual. If they introduce you to them, you give them a discount, just a few percentage points. As for how much they sell, don't worry about it."

"A middleman?"

"Who cares about the middlemen? Computers and components can be sold, but cars are out of the question. Those must be sold directly because of after-sales service. I'll fax you a copy later. Take a look and think about it."

Xu Damao hesitated for a moment: "Brother, it's easy to invite a god but hard to send him away. What if things get difficult later and he starts blaming us?"

"Is this all the stuff you can import? If this isn't doing well, just switch to something else. At worst, we can just close down."

"Ok."

After the fax arrived, Xu Damao read it once and understood immediately. He Yuzhu didn't say anything, but he also realized that this was a way to break down local barriers. In fact, cars could also be sold, but only a referral fee would be given.

After watching it several times, his furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and he even chuckled in the end.

"Brilliant! Brother Zhu's move is brilliant!" He slapped his thigh. "On the surface, he's given us face and drawn some lines, but in reality, the initiative is still in our hands. Okay, let's do it this way!"

The next day, several "important" guests did indeed arrive. Xu Damao changed his previous evasiveness and put on a warm but measured smile.

"Gentlemen, I'm so sorry for the poor hospitality the other day, please forgive me!" Xu Damao said, offering a pack of good cigarettes he had just brought from Hong Kong while urging people to make tea.

A look of delight spread across their faces. "The old guy gave in?"

The leader said, "It's alright, it's alright. It's normal that no one knew before."

Xu Damao smiled and said, "I'm glad you don't mind. Our boss took the cooperation you mentioned last time very seriously and held a special meeting to discuss it. He just gave me instructions."

Upon hearing that the company was holding a meeting to discuss the matter, the group felt incredibly proud and unconsciously straightened their posture.

Xu Damao looked at it with a cold smile.

The man in the lead, who was in his thirties, continued, "So what exactly did your boss say?"

Xu Damao said, "Our boss said that Huanghe is new to this area and still needs the help of friends from the inland regions in many places. We welcome cooperation, and the company has even provided a cooperation plan. Would you like to hear it?"

"We must hear it!" one of the companions said anxiously, only to be glared at by the leader.

"Then, Mr. Xu, would you like to tell us about it?"

“Okay, Huanghe mainly handles overseas procurement, customs clearance, and core wholesale business. The inland market is vast, and we certainly can't cover it all by ourselves. If you are interested, you can help us expand our sales network in the provinces and cities you are familiar with, essentially becoming our authorized distributors.”

"Authorized distributor? What does that mean?" the leader asked. He understood what "authorized" meant, but he didn't really understand what "distributor" meant.

"It's very simple. You connect with local businesses and institutions to get orders; then you buy the goods from us at wholesale prices. We don't care what price you ultimately sell to end customers; you keep all the profit. We only guarantee the source of goods and product quality. Of course, we can offer a small discount for large orders," Xu Damao explained.

The group exchanged glances, all seeing the light in each other's eyes.

This model sounds good. They don't need to invest capital to stockpile goods; they can simply use their network of relationships to make money from the price difference. The risk is extremely low, and the returns are visible.

Moreover, Huanghe handled all the most troublesome aspects, such as obtaining permits and importing goods.

"What if we want to become the exclusive distributor for a certain region?" the leader asked tentatively.

“Well, our boss specifically emphasized that at this stage, in order to meet the nationwide demand more quickly, we will not set up exclusive agencies for the time being. We are all partners, and we earn our living based on our abilities. Whoever has the channels can get the goods. Of course, for the same order volume, we will definitely give priority to partners who have been cooperating for a long time and have large sales volumes.” Xu Damao looked troubled.

He thought to himself, "Do you think I can be manipulated by a few brats? You can fight to the death then, but we'll continue doing business as usual."

This statement was perfectly watertight; it rejected their demands for territory while offering them preferential treatment as a incentive, and further fueled the potential competition between them.

The group whispered a few words to each other.

Although they didn't get the exclusive monopoly rights they wanted, this risk-free and highly profitable business was indeed tempting.

Finally, the leader said, "Okay, Mr. Xu, we agree to this plan. Let's finalize the details, such as the prepayment and delivery schedule."

“No problem, take a look at this contract for details first!” Xu Damao took out the prepared template agreement, and of course, a quotation.

Of course, this agreement can only be signed by individuals; these guys don't have any companies.

A few days later, after all those who came had signed the contracts, they reported to He Yuzhu.

"Brother, as you suggested, we've reached agreements with seven or eight companies. They're all quite happy and have taken the agreements back to find sales channels," Xu Damao said on the phone.

"You're not making a scene, are you?"

"No, your method is still the most effective. We've turned the tables and taken the initiative."

"Alright, you'll have more time to do other things from now on. Even sales will be taken care of for you."

"Why would I need to do sales? People come to me to buy things," Xu Damao said.

"There will be such a day someday. These guys may not look like much now, but who knows, some of them might become great people in the future."

"That's true." Xu Damao also admitted that one cannot judge a book by its cover.

"There's another thing. You need to regularly follow up with real users, especially those companies. If they misuse the Yellow River's name, it will cause a lot of trouble later."

"Understood, I will arrange for someone to do this."

"I estimate that your orders will explode in a while. Don't underestimate their network. What's lacking in China isn't demand, but distribution channels. We've provided them with a legitimate and profitable channel, so they'll naturally find ways to get their products into various organizations. Just wait and see, your warehouse will soon be running out of space again."

"Should I rent a bigger warehouse?"

"Yes, we need to rent. And Da Mao, you can't completely let go of real clients, especially those factories with their own technology."

"Brother, why is this happening?"

"Do you think that in the future there will only be one company like us doing imports? There are so many companies in Hong Kong."

"Oh, oh, I understand. I guarantee I'll do it right. You're our customer now, and you won't be leaving us now."

"Alright, stop bragging and get the job done."

"Yes."

(End of this chapter)