Chapter 57: Two Ideas

Xu Shuyun was very cautious. The price Zheng Qian quoted was truly too low—more than double the average of other shipyard companies. She even suspected that the contract was a scam.

She carefully read through the contract Zheng Qian had brought. Only after confirming there were no issues did she sign it.

During this time, Manager Li Tao kept tugging at Zheng Qian's sleeve, trying to remind him, but Zheng Qian acted as if he didn't see it.

This was a disaster. If he went back with a money-losing contract, it would be strange if Chen Weiqiang didn't ask questions. What would he say then?

While it was true that Zheng Qian was leading the negotiations today, Chen Weiqiang had sent him specifically to prevent any mishaps. Before he could even say anything, the other party had already signed. If Chen Weiqiang held someone accountable, he would be the primary person responsible.

"President Xu, congratulations on becoming a client of our Zhengxin Shipyard." Zheng Qian stood up proactively and shook hands with Xu Shuyun.

"Congratulations to you as well. President Zheng, I have a question I'd like to ask."

"Go ahead."

"Why is your shipyard's shipping price even cheaper than land transport?" That wasn't actually what Xu Shuyun wanted to ask; she wanted to know why Zheng Qian was quoting such a low price.

One moment he was saying he wouldn't be desperate for clients, and the next, he had reached an agreement with a very low price. This was something Xu Shuyun hadn't expected.

"President Xu, please rest assured. The strength of our Zhengxin Shipyard is clear. We certainly won't fail to ship your goods just because the price is low. We will definitely satisfy you with our service." Zheng Qian did not give Xu Shuyun a reasonable explanation, instead brushing her off with a standard, vague response.

"It's almost time for a meal. Let me treat you both to dinner." Xu Shuyun didn't have any other intentions in inviting Zheng Qian to dinner; it was mainly out of politeness.

"No thank you, President Xu. We have other matters to attend to, so we'll be leaving first."

After saying this, Zheng Qian exchanged contact information with Xu Shuyun and left Jinxiu Group with Manager Li Tao.

On the way back, Manager Li Tao naturally had plenty of questions.

"Brother Tao, if you trust me, don't ask anything. I'll explain things to President Chen."

Zheng Qian had been trained by him personally and was sharp. Since he had signed such a contract, he naturally had his own plans. Since he had already said he would handle Chen Weiqiang, Manager Li Tao couldn't say anything more.

"Alright then." Manager Li Tao sighed and finally obediently shut his mouth.

Xu Shuyun watched the Rolls-Royce leave Jinxiu Group. The secretary beside her stepped forward: "President Xu, should I take the contract to the legal department to double-check if there are any issues?"

"No need, I know what he's trying to do." Xu Shuyun waved her hand.

Intentionally lowering prices to give her a bonus—Xu Shuyun had encountered this method of extending an olive branch many times.

If Zheng Qian thought this trick could win her over, he was sorely mistaken. In Yebai, the young masters pursuing her could line up from here to Long Lake; there wasn't a trick she hadn't seen or a cheesy approach she hadn't dealt with.

Zheng Qian looked a few years younger than her and appeared harmless on the surface, but she hadn't expected him to be so cheesy on the inside.

She had offered to treat Zheng Qian to a meal just to confirm her suspicions, but she hadn't expected Zheng Qian to act coy and refuse her.

"Help me look into what kind of background this Zheng Qian has." Xu Shuyun instructed her secretary.

At his age, being able to drive a Rolls-Royce meant it was unlikely to be his own car; his family probably had a significant background.

Xu Shuyun thought about it carefully; it didn't seem likely. Was there any young master in Yebai she hadn't met? She had never heard of any family with the surname Zheng.

No, she still had to have a meal with Zheng Qian. After one meal, she would probably be able to see clearly what kind of person Zheng Qian was.

Immediately, Xu Shuyun sent a message to Zheng Qian: [President Zheng, since you have matters to attend to at noon, I won't keep you. Are you free in the evening? Let's set a time to have dinner.]

Zheng Qian sat in the passenger seat and saw the message.

Xu Shuyun was rigorous in her work, very intelligent, had a curvaceous figure, and was quite beautiful.

According to what Manager Li Tao said, before Xu Shuyun became the general manager at Jinxiu Group, no one in the company knew she was Xu Xingye's daughter. After returning from studying abroad, she started as a small sales clerk, and in such a short time, she had already been promoted to general manager.

Liu Shiqi and Xu Shuyun were both strong women, but Xu Shuyun possessed an indescribable air about her that Liu Shiqi lacked.

Zheng Qian wasn't disparaging Liu Shiqi's way of handling things. For a woman like Liu Shiqi, with no family or background support, the path to success surely required using some unconventional methods. If her life story were written down, it would probably be considered inspirational.

Liu Shiqi and Xu Shuyun were both strong women, but Xu Shuyun possessed an air of integrity and confidence that Liu Shiqi lacked.

That air had been cultivated since she was old enough to hold a spoon by herself, and now, in her twenties, it was thoroughly carved into her bones. This air would be passed down from generation to generation in the Xu family, something that time could not erase.

Zheng Qian had his own plans for signing the money-losing contract with Xu Shuyun.

Jinxiu Group was facing a transformation and attempting to take the waterway route. Zheng Qian's plan was to give her a taste of the benefits. Whether in terms of cost-effectiveness or routes, a cargo ship carrying thousands to ten thousand tons at once was definitely better than outsourcing to a transport company.

After shipping goods a few times, Xu Shuyun would realize the efficiency of water transport. Once the transport network between Jinxiu Group and its clients was established, he could raise the prices and sign a long-term contract with Jinxiu Group, developing them into a long-term client. The future profits would far exceed three or four hundred thousand.

As long as Zhengxin didn't collapse, Jinxiu Group would definitely be a client of Zhengxin.

Manager Li Tao was Zheng Qian's mentor, but his thinking was ultimately from the perspective of an employee; he only saw how many orders he had secured, the profits and losses, and didn't look at issues from the company's perspective.

As the company's vice president, Zheng Qian had to consider the big picture. It was acceptable to sacrifice a little immediate profit, but one had to have a long-term vision and consider whether the cost paid was proportional to the results obtained.

Zheng Qian had another plan, which was to use this low-price contract to establish a connection with Xu Shuyun.

Jinxiu Group mainly dealt in steel and timber, and its positioning had always been that of a medium-sized enterprise. Because of Old Master Xu's adherence to convention and his use of old-school methods, it was impossible to advance any further.

Now that Xu Shuyun was in power, her attempt to use waterways was a sign of innovation.

Jinxiu Group was also a competitor of Dafu Timber. During dinner that night, he heard that Dafu Timber had gritted their teeth and taken out a private loan, not only paying off Chen Weiqiang's shipping fees but also preparing to use that money to make a comeback.

Zheng Qian felt that he might be able to use Jinxiu Group to completely crush Dafu Timber and remove this thorn in his side.

[I do have time in the evening. President Xu, please name a time and place.] Zheng Qian replied to Xu Shuyun's message.

[Eight o'clock in the evening, Wangyue Pavilion.] [Alright, see you there.]