73: Chapter 74 Direct Procurement from China

Kim Min-jun smiled.

"Mr. Qian, did you anticipate this long ago?"

"Yes."

Qian Xu nodded.

"Ever since the day Lotte cut off our suppliers."

"I knew they would pull this stunt."

"So I made preparations in advance."

His phone vibrated.

It was a call from the logistics company.

Qian Xu answered.

"President Qian, the first batch of goods directly procured from China."

"They have arrived at Busan Port."

"Customs clearance is complete."

"You can pick up the goods now."

Qian Xu's eyes lit up.

"Good."

"I'll be there immediately."

He hung up the phone.

Kim Min-jun looked at him.

"The goods have arrived?"

"They have."

Qian Xu smiled.

"Let's go, to Busan Port."

"I'll let you see."

"What Chinese efficiency really means."

Two hours later.

Busan Port, customs surveillance zone.

Qian Xu and Kim Min-jun stood at the entrance of the warehouse.

Before them were twenty shipping containers.

Arranged neatly.

The containers were printed with Chinese characters.

"Yiwu Small Commodity City"

"Made in China"

A few workers were unloading the goods.

Kim Min-jun looked at those containers.

"So many?"

"This is only the first batch."

Qian Xu smiled.

"There's more to come."

The warehouse manager walked over.

A Korean man in his forties.

Wearing a hard hat.

"Mr. Qian, the goods have all arrived."

"There are 20 containers in total."

"Daily necessities, cultural and creative products, and Chinese snacks."

"Everything has cleared customs."

"They are ready to be put into storage."

Qian Xu nodded.

"Open them up and let's take a look."

The first container was opened.

Inside were neatly stacked cardboard boxes.

A worker opened one.

Kim Min-jun leaned in.

He was stunned.

Inside the box were thermos flasks.

Stainless steel.

Matte finish.

Minimalist design.

"This..."

Kim Min-jun picked one up.

"Korean supermarkets sell these for 30,000 won."

"How much is our procurement price?"

Qian Xu glanced at the list.

"5,000 won."

"Including shipping."

Kim Min-jun widened his eyes.

"5,000 won?"

"Yes."

Qian Xu smiled.

"Directly procured from Yiwu."

"Factory price is 4,000 won."

"Shipping is 1,000 won."

"Cost upon arrival is 5,000 won."

"The Korean wholesale price is 15,000 won."

"We are 66% lower than them."

Kim Min-jun held the thermos flask.

His hand was trembling.

"Mr. Qian..."

"This price..."

"Even with Lotte Mart's 30% discount."

"They still sell it for 21,000 won."

"We are selling it for 10,000 won."

"It's half the price of theirs."

"Yes."

Qian Xu nodded.

"And the quality is the same."

"Even better."

The second container was opened.

It contained cultural and creative products.

Notebooks with Chinese-style designs.

Postcards printed with ink paintings.

Keychains featuring The Palace Museum elements.

Panda-shaped dolls.

Kim Min-jun picked up a notebook.

The cover featured a section of the "A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains" painting.

"This..."

"Korean cultural and creative shops sell this for 20,000 won."

"What is our procurement price?"

"3,000 won."

Qian Xu smiled.

"CU Convenience Store sells them for 12,000 won."

"The profit margin is huge."

The third container was opened.

It held Chinese snacks.

Spicy gluten strips, snail rice noodles, self-heating hot pot.

And various flavors of instant noodles.

Kim Min-jun looked at those packages.

"These are very popular in Korea."

"They are a favorite among Chinese international students."

"Yes."

Qian Xu nodded.

"And Korean young people."

"Are also starting to like Chinese snacks."

"Spicy gluten strips are very hot on YouTube."

In the warehouse.

All twenty containers were opened.

Kim Min-jun looked through them one by one.

The more he looked, the more shocked he became.

Thermos flasks, notebooks, postcards.

Keychains, dolls, snacks.

And kitchen supplies.

Storage boxes, fresh-keeping boxes, tableware.

The price of every single item.

Was more than 30% lower than the Korean wholesale price.

Some were even 50% lower.

"Mr. Qian..."

Kim Min-jun looked at him.

"These goods."

"Are enough for our opening."

"Not enough."

Qian Xu shook his head.

"This is only the first batch."

"The second batch is already on the way."

"The third batch is also being loaded."

"What we want is."

"Continuous supply."

"Not a one-time thing."

His phone vibrated.

It was a call from Ham Eun-jung.

Qian Xu answered.

"Ms. Eun-jung?"

"Mr. Qian, where are you?"

"Busan Port."

"Did the goods arrive?"

"They did."

Qian Xu smiled.

"Do you want to come and see?"

"Okay!"

Ham Eun-jung's voice was very excited.

"I'll be there right away!"

One hour later.

Ham Eun-jung arrived at Busan Port.

She walked into the warehouse.

Seeing the goods scattered all over the floor.

She was stunned.

"This..."

"Are these all directly procured from China?"

"Yes."

Qian Xu nodded.

"20 containers."

"The total value is 5 billion won."

Ham Eun-jung walked over to a cardboard box.

Opened it.

Inside were thermos flasks.

She picked one up.

"How much is this?"

"Procurement price is 5,000 won."

"We sell it for 10,000 won."

Ham Eun-jung widened her eyes.

"Korean supermarkets sell it for 30,000 won!"

"Yes."

Qian Xu smiled.

"So our price."

"Is cheaper than Lotte Mart even after their discount."

Ham Eun-jung looked at those goods.

Her eyes grew brighter and brighter.

She walked to the cultural and creative products section.

Picked up a panda doll.

"What about this one?"

"Procurement price is 2,000 won."

"We sell it for 5,000 won."

"Korean cultural and creative shops sell it for 15,000 won."

Ham Eun-jung smiled.

"Mr. Qian..."

"Did you prepare this long ago?"

"Yes."

Qian Xu nodded.

"From the day Lotte cut off the suppliers."

"I started laying the groundwork."

"Direct procurement from China."

"Arriving at the port in 72 hours."

"No one can block me."

Ham Eun-jung looked at him.

Her gaze was somewhat complex.

"You really are..."

"Calculated and flawless."

"It's only expected."

Qian Xu smiled.

"In business."

"You must be prepared for everything."

"Lotte thought that by cutting off the suppliers."

"They could strangle us."

"But they didn't know."

"I have a Chinese supply chain."

"Compared to the local Korean supply chain."

"It is faster, cheaper, and more stable."

Ham Eun-jung put down the panda doll.

Walked in front of Qian Xu.

"Mr. Qian..."

"Do you know?"

"When I first started."

"I actually didn't really trust you."

Qian Xu was taken aback.

"You didn't trust me?"

"Yes."

Ham Eun-jung nodded.

"You, a Chinese person."

"Came to Korea to do business."

"Said you wanted to help T-ARA make a comeback."

"Said you wanted to open a Life Plaza."

"Said you wanted to compete with Lotte."

"I thought you were just rich."

"Acting on a whim."

"And that you would give up after a while."

Qian Xu smiled.

"And now?"

"Now..."

Ham Eun-jung looked at him.

"I believe you."

"You are serious."

"And you are truly amazing."

Qian Xu looked at her.

The mature leader.

Being this honest for the first time.

"Thank you for your trust."

"Ms. Eun-jung."

"I will make T-ARA's comeback a success."

"And I will also make Yunmengze Life Plaza."

"The best supermarket in Seoul."

Ham Eun-jung nodded.

"I believe in you."

In the warehouse.

Workers were still unloading.

Kim Min-jun was checking the list on the side.

Qian Xu and Ham Eun-jung stood by the window.

Looking at the sea view of Busan Port.

The sun was setting.

The sea surface shimmered with gold.

"Mr. Qian."

Ham Eun-jung suddenly spoke.

"Have you ever thought."

"If one day."

"Your system disappears."

"What would you do?"

Qian Xu was taken aback.

The system disappears?

He had never thought about this question.

"I don't know."

He answered honestly.

"But I will take advantage of the present."

"To do more things."

"To let T-ARA stand up again."

"To let Yunmengze Life Plaza become a real enterprise."

"To let Chinese people in Korea."

"Live with more dignity."

Ham Eun-jung looked at him.

Her gaze was very gentle.

"You are truly special."

"Mr. Qian."

His phone vibrated.

It was a system notification.

Qian Xu tapped it open.

[Direct Procurement from China Arrived at Port]

[First batch value: 5 billion won]

[Procurement cost: 30% lower than Korean wholesale price]

[Supply chain stability: A+]

He smiled.

Put away his phone.

"Ms. Eun-jung, let's go."

"Back to Seoul."

"We have a rehearsal tomorrow."

"Okay."

Ham Eun-jung nodded.

The two walked out of the warehouse.

The setting sun stretched their shadows out long.