Era: Rise from the Wilderness

"Manager Zeng, Accountant Song, hello."

Li Hongfeng put down his teacup, wiped his lips with the back of his rough hand, and said in a slightly smoother voice, "My name is Li Hongfeng. I run a small shop in the No. 25 Senior High School in Fuzhou Town."

He paused, looking at Zeng Honglin with an honest gaze, "I came to Bincheng specifically to find a reliable wholesaler to buy some stationery that students often use."

"Sigh, I've been going around in circles, my legs are about to break, and I finally found this place."

Upon hearing the words "high school convenience store" and "contracting," Zeng Honglin's mind immediately began to race with ideas.

This isn't a street vendor; they have a fixed business location!

Moreover, it sounded like the scale was quite good. Stationery for students is a fast-moving consumer good. If a long-term cooperation could be established... His smile became even more eager, almost overflowing.

"Boss Li!"

"Then you've really come to the right place!"

Zeng Honglin slapped his thigh, his voice rising eight octaves, "Our company specializes in wholesale stationery and cultural supplies!"

"To be honest, many enterprises, institutions, schools, and even small shops and distributors like yours in the city get their goods from us!"

He puffed out his not-so-broad chest, his tone carrying a simple confidence, "I wouldn't dare say anything else, but in this area of ​​Bincheng, when it comes to the completeness of goods and the reasonable prices, my place, Old Zeng's, is definitely one of the best!"

"Oh? That's great."

A glimmer of hope flashed in Li Hongfeng's eyes, and he nodded. "Since Manager Zeng says so, could we take a look at the samples first?"

"Or do you have a price list?"

"Let me take a look at the items and prices first, so I can have a better idea of ​​what they are."

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes!"

Zeng Honglin pointed to the door, "The samples and lists are all in the back warehouse, everything's complete!"

"Boss Li, come on, I'll take you to see the actual product right now!"

"Seeing is believing!"

He enthusiastically led the way, pushing open another small door from the office that led to the courtyard.

As he passed through the yard, he caught a glimpse of the yellow, dusty Dafabet bread truck parked in the corner.

Although it wasn't a fancy car, in the early 1990s, being able to afford (even a company car) to drive for business was a symbol of strength and sincerity.

Zeng Honglin became even more certain: this Boss Li had a chance!

Their attitude became even more attentive and considerate, almost jogging ahead to lead the way.

The warehouse is at the other end of the yard. It looks quite large, covering an area of ​​several hundred square meters.

As Zeng Honglin arrived at the entrance, the warehouse manager came out to greet him.

"Old Yu, open the door, a customer has come to see the products."

Zeng Honglin said with a smile, then pointed to Li Hongfeng and the other two.

"Yes, Manager Zeng!"

Warehouse manager Lao Yu quickly pushed open the door, gesturing for everyone to follow him inside.

"Squeak..."

The door hinges groaned heavily.

A stronger smell of paper, ink, glue, and dust wafted out.

The warehouse is quite large, estimated to be 230 to 240 square meters, and the ceiling is quite high, nearly four meters.

Apart from a few narrow passageways that could only accommodate one person at a time, the interior was almost completely crammed with all sorts of cardboard boxes and bundled goods.

Boxes were stacked on top of boxes, piled up from the ground to almost reaching the roof beams, like silent mountains built of cardboard.

Some boxes, due to being stored for too long or getting damp, had softened and deformed edges, revealing the colorful covers of the notebooks or the metallic sheen of the pencil boxes inside.

Light streamed in through several dusty little windows high up, forming several hazy beams that illuminated the dust particles slowly drifting in the air.

"Everyone, smoking is prohibited here. Please be careful!"

The warehouse manager, Lao Yu, turned his head and gave a reminder, his gaze lingering on Li Hongfeng.

"Don't worry, don't worry, I don't smoke!"

Li Hongfeng nodded, knowing full well that the warehouse full of papers would be destroyed if it caught fire, so he certainly wouldn't smoke there.

How could someone who came from a long-established state-owned enterprise not know the principles of safe production?

Holding Lü Ruoxi's small hand, Li Yunjing walked at the back and followed her inside. His eyes quickly swept over the crowded yet full space, and he nodded to himself.

Putting everything else aside, just looking at this inventory level, it's definitely not the kind of shell company that makes money out of thin air.

The goods are genuine, which puts my mind at ease.

He hates dealing with those middlemen who only talk the talk and whose warehouses are just empty shells. Not only are their prices inflated, but they're also prone to causing trouble.

There was another person in the warehouse.

It was a middle-aged man wearing faded blue overalls and yellow rubber shoes, leaning back in a dilapidated three-legged chair, holding a newspaper in his hand. He looked up when he heard the noise.

"Manager Zeng, what is this?"

He put down the newspaper, stood up, and looked puzzled.

"Oh, Lao Liu!"

Zeng Honglin pointed to Li Hongfeng, "This is Boss Li, he came from Fuzhou Town and wants to take a look at our goods."

"Take out our product list and let Boss Li take a look."

"Okay!"

The warehouse manager, known as Lao Liu, responded, glanced at Li Hongfeng and his son, walked to a "table" made of planks and bricks against the wall, opened a drawer, and began rummaging through it.

As soon as Li Hongfeng stepped into the warehouse, which was piled up so full that there was almost no room to step, the weight that had been hanging over his heart suddenly lifted.

The storefront may be shabby, and the office may be simple, but the real goods cannot be faked!

This company has a solid foundation!

"Well, Manager Zeng's business seems to be quite large."

Li Hongfeng looked around, his tone filled with affirmation and appreciation, "I'll take a look at the list first. If the prices are right and the product range is suitable, I'll just pick up some goods and take them back today, consider it my first sale!"

Upon hearing this, Zeng Honglin was overjoyed, and his face lit up with a broad smile.

He likes clients who are decisive, efficient, and don't dawdle.

"Boss Li runs a shop right next to the school; that's a prime location!"

"Stationery for students is fast-moving consumer goods; it sells in large quantities!"

"I think Boss Li is a straightforward and honest person!"

"Don't worry, I'll definitely give you the lowest possible price!"

"I guarantee you'll make money, and we'll have a long-term partnership!"

What struck Li Yunjing as somewhat emotional was that, in this era, small business owners like Zeng Honglin, who run their own companies, generally possessed a genuine drive for getting things done, honed through hard times, and were quite unpretentious.

At this moment, not only did he, the manager, personally step in to help warehouse managers Lao Liu and Lao Yu move the boxes blocking the way and find the corresponding samples and lists, but even his own father, Li Hongfeng, naturally rolled up his sleeves and led him forward to lend a hand, helping to pass, organize, and put things back in their places.