Rebirth 04: Starting from Taking an Unconventional Approach

“Qian Youde is someone who can be dealt with,” Sun Jianguo sighed, “but he doesn’t have all the power to make decisions. If you shut him down today, his superiors will just replace him tomorrow. To put it bluntly, you city folks are all about getting things done in one fell swoop. Once you’ve reported someone and they’ve been arrested, you think that’s the end of it.”

Han Fei smiled slightly and took out a pack of cigarettes: "Brother Sun is right. Relying solely on reports and complaints is only a temporary solution. So I want to do something more sustainable. If Qingniao wants to take root in rural towns, it still needs people like you."

Sun Jianguo took the cigarette Han Fei offered and held it to his ear. "I don't like those filtered cigarettes; they're too weak," he said, pulling a pack of cigarettes and cigarette papers from his pocket. "President Han, I'm a straightforward person. Boss Zhou said you wanted to see me, so I set this time. But I don't quite understand, what can a postal worker like me do to help you? Boss Zhou told me you've come up with some kind of 'Roots-Tracing Project,' specifically to find people to tell stories. Do you really want to hear those shady stories, or are you just talking?"

"It's true. If you're willing, whenever you hear anything heartbreaking while running the postal route, just tell me. If we think it's usable, we'll charge you a fee based on the information, ranging from tens to two hundred yuan per article. If you're willing to write, the payment will be separate. If you're not willing to write, we'll find a contracted author to write it for you."

Sun Jianguo laughed and said, "You made a special trip all this way to see me just for this?"

Han Fei glanced at him; the expression on his face was very strange, as if laughing would hurt.

"Brother Sun, I heard from Boss Zhou that you've been running the postal route for eight years?"

"It's been eight years now. I used to work in a factory, but the factory went out of business, so I got a job at the post office through connections. I've been running errands for eight years now, and I can walk through Songjiang, Qingpu, and Jinshan with my eyes closed."

"You must have met at least a hundred newsstand owners, right?"

"More than that," Sun Jianguo said, sprinkling tobacco into cigarette paper. "In Songjiang District alone, there are more than a dozen on the route I run. Some have been open for twenty years, while others closed down after three months. This business is tough, especially in rural towns. The supply channels are narrow, and if you can't sell your stock, it just sits in your hands. Many vendors don't even dare to stock new magazines."

Han Fei nodded and explained to him the zero-cost trial sales model of Qingniao Magazine.

Sun Jianguo put a cigarette in his mouth, then lit it: "You want me to help you distribute magazines?"

"Yes, I'd like you to give it a try. You don't need to pay for the magazines upfront; just pick up a few copies while you're on your mail route and deliver them to newsstands that have trouble getting stock. If they sell, the profit is yours; if they don't, you can take them back. I won't put any pressure on you."

"President Han, aren't you just asking me to work for you?"

Han Fei shook his head: "It's a collaboration. Brother Sun, you've been running around in the towns and villages for eight years. You know all the people and things, and the roads, better than anyone else. Qingniao wants to go into the towns and villages, but without your eyes and feet, we can't get in, and we can't get on solid ground. On the other hand, you've helped us publish the magazine, earning clean money, without stealing or robbing, and without interfering with our business. It's a win-win situation."

Sun Jianguo squinted through the smoke, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Looks like Boss Zhou was absolutely right, you're quite an interesting guy. I've been running the postal route for eight years and seen plenty of people trying to sell their goods to rural towns. Some come in big trucks, bragging like crazy, only to disappear three months later. Others don't even have a proper publication number, their magazines look like toilet paper, and they still insist I introduce them to distribution channels. You're the first one who's thought about how to make sure I don't lose out."

"In business, longevity is more important than speed," Han Fei said.

"I like hearing that."

"So, what does Brother Sun mean?"

Sun Jianguo took another drag of his cigarette. Han Fei stubbed out his cigarette.

"Since you've said that, and then personally traveled all this way to see me..." Sun Jianguo sighed. "Fine, I'll trust you this once. Have someone send the magazine over first, I'll give it a try. Those stories..."

"Oh." Han Fei took out a brown paper envelope from his pocket and handed it to Sun Jianguo.

"What is this?"

"Our contact information for Qingniao is simple: if you have a story you'd like to tell, just give us a call, and a dedicated editor will handle it for you. There's also a simple cooperation memorandum inside, which clearly outlines the magazine's payment methods, the story's commission rates, and your rights. Take a look, and if you're satisfied, keep it. If you feel there's anything inappropriate, we can discuss it further."

Sun Jianguo took the envelope but didn't open it: "Alright, I don't need to look at it. I can tell you're incredibly meticulous in your work. I trust you, that's why I agreed. Don't let me regret it."

Han Fei smiled and felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He took out his phone, only to find that it wasn't the one he had taken out that was vibrating. Okay, it was Fang Jing's private jet.

"Brother Sun, let's settle on this for now. Call me anytime if you have any questions."

"Okay, I got it," Sun Jianguo said. "I'll be here Wednesday afternoon. Have someone deliver the magazines here, and I'll take them out in batches."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Brother Sun."

Han Fei went outside, took out his private jet, and pressed the answer button.

"President Han, you finally answered the phone. I called you three times this morning." Fang Jing emphasized "finally" and "three times" in her tone.

"Mr. Fang, I apologize for making so many calls. I was handling some matters this morning and didn't have my private jet with me."

"I see. What's so important?"

Han Fei took a breath, gazing at the distant mountains, feeling sweat trickling down his shoulder blades beneath his thin cotton shirt. He should tell her. She'd find out anyway, even if the media reported it. Han Fei told her.

"Violent distribution?" Fang Jing said, her voice rising slightly at the end. "You didn't mention this to me before."

"I was still collecting evidence and didn't want to alarm too many people. Besides, it was mainly because it was a dispute in the offline channels, which had little to do with our cooperation with China Mobile, and it wasn't something to be proud of. I didn't want to bother headquarters with such a minor incident. In addition, I wasn't sure how well I could handle it at the time, and I was afraid that telling you would make you worry. Now that it's basically resolved, I dare to mention it to you."

"Are you holding this briefing to try and use public opinion to exert pressure?"

"Uh, more or less."

A moment of silence.

"Okay," Han Fei yawned, "to add some pressure to make this matter more open and transparent, and also to prevent local protectionism from dragging the case down."

"Well, you're applying military strategy to lawsuits now," Fang Jing said. Han Fei detected a hint of helplessness in her tone. "Where are you now? I can hear birds chirping over there."