Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Wen Yu really helped him a lot
Wen Yu parked the car outside the market. Pan Xianchen got out first. Wen Yu, carrying a cell phone, a notebook, a voice recorder, and an empty canvas bag, walked slower than Pan Xianchen.
Pan Xianchen noticed that Wen Yu couldn't keep up, so he deliberately slowed down his pace. Looking back at her hands full of things, he said, "So much equipment?"
She held up her phone, notebook, and recorder and explained, "It's convenient for recording."
Pan Xianchen smiled and said, "Poor students have more stationery."
Wen Yu disagreed, saying, "When Sister Yan and I patrol the market, we often deal with data. This information is essential and practical for me. A good memory is worth a poor pen. Mr. Pan, your work content and scope are different from ours, so you may not need to deal with numbers often, so why don't you bring anything with you?"
"Who said that? Didn't I bring you with me?"
“…”
"Hurry up, we have to finish exploring the core areas today."
Wen Yu nodded, then suddenly turned and said to Pan Xianchen, "Mr. Pan, please go in first. I'll buy something and be back soon."
Pan Xianchen glanced sideways at her. Wen Yu trotted into the nearby convenience store, her deflated canvas bag dangling empty from her arm. Pan Xianchen didn't wait for her and headed to the East District first. He had contacted the local manager beforehand, who had taken him on a tour of the local businesses.
Field research requires seeing with your own eyes and hearing with your own ears. Several merchants associated with Trafigura Trade came to Pan Xianchen and chattered away, while he listened and looked at the goods in their shops. Wen Yu came running back, panting, and immediately took out his phone to type some notes.
One merchant, excited, began to speak out, unleashing a flurry of complaints about the quality of their goods. Wen Yu and Pan Xianchen exchanged glances, and Wen Yu approached, smilingly asking if he could show them the problematic product. The merchant, alert, suddenly realized what was happening.
Wen Yu, still smiling, pulled a bottle of water from his canvas bag and handed it to the merchant, saying kindly, "It's hot, big brother, have a drink. Don't worry, we're not here to blame you. You must also hope that the group will sign Trafigura as a buyer, so we're investigating and seeing if we can provide better service to Trafigura."
The merchant took the water with a skeptical look, and looked at Wen Yu's phone warily: "Is this true? You don't want to take a picture, do you?"
"Absolutely not." Wen Yu immediately threw the phone into the canvas bag. "Brother, just show it to us. We have to see if the situation is true. What if the buyer spread rumors? Wouldn't you be slandered then?"
"...Okay then, I'll let you take a look. But no photos allowed!"
"Okay, okay, thank you, big brother."
Pan Xianchen was surprised to see Wen Yu like this. In front of him, Wen Yu was serious at work and calm in private. Now, this was a real eye-opener for him. He couldn't help but look at the canvas bag she was carrying, which was now bulging with stuff.
After inspecting the merchandise, Wen Yu walked over to the other side with Pan Xianchen and briefly explained the situation of the merchant. She said Trafigura was right in its accusations; some merchants were indeed misrepresenting their products. She said these merchants were selling fake goods under false pretenses, and the group needed to take this issue seriously and implement appropriate measures. She said merchants were trading their integrity for such petty profits, and the group should establish a reward and punishment system to resolutely put an end to such practices.
She talked a lot, and Pan Xianchen watched her quietly. When she finished, Pan Xianchen asked her, "Are you thirsty? Do you want a bottle of water?"
He pointed to her canvas bag and asked, "What's in it?"
Wen Yu opened the canvas bag and showed it to him. "I bought coffee, iced tea, mineral water, and other things. If you want to get information from merchants, you should give them some small favors and leave a good impression, right? For young people, I'll give them coffee and iced tea, and for older people, I'll give them mineral water. This mineral water is not cheap, it's Evian."
Pan Xianchen nodded and commented, "The details are very detailed."
They continued their survey, switching to the West and North districts. Wen Yu scrolled through her phone as she walked. She walked slowly, so Pan Xianchen had to stop and wait for her, asking, "What are you looking at?"
Wen Yu said, "Let me check the information of that merchant again..."
Pan Xianchen urged her: "Hurry up."
"Here I come."
She said this, but her feet seemed to be filled with lead, moving slowly. Pan Xianchen couldn't wait any longer, so he grabbed her wrist and dragged her forward, revealing the merchant's basic information, product categories, daily transaction data, and Trafigura's purchase volume and amount.
Wen Yu: “…”
She found the notes she had just taken, and they were exactly the same as what Pan Xianchen had said.
Without even turning around, Pan Xianchen said, "You use a lousy pen, but I prefer my good memory. Everyone has different ways of remembering, and different methods are best for them."
Wen Yu: “…”
She looked at the back of Pan Xianchen's head, then looked at the various "stationery" in her hand.
Suddenly, Pan Xianchen turned back to look at her, a smile on his face. "How about it? Do you want to test me? I remember everything you wrote on your phone."
Wen Yu: “…”
I don't believe it. I don't accept it.
They were on their way to the market, not yet visiting the next store. Wen Yu casually flipped through her phone, asking questions, and Pan Xianchen answered them one by one. Wen Yu then deliberately asked about small details she thought might be easily missed, and Pan Xianchen also answered them.
OK. I believe it. I'm convinced.
Wen Yu praised him: "Mr. Pan, you have a really good brain."
"Your mobile phone and voice recorder are also very useful. There is nothing to compare. If we really have to compare, your products are more stable and more avant-garde. Mine are too primitive and I don't know when they will break down." Pan Xianchen said.
Wen Yu: “…”
Is there anyone who says this about his own brain?
As they neared the destination, Pan Xianchen managed to use his connections to contact the president of the Chamber of Commerce, who helped them find several major suppliers for Trafigura. They visited each of these suppliers and discovered that the goods were not what they had ordered.
It was dusk when we left the market. The sinking sun cast its last rays of light on the horizon, a giant semicircle like a duck egg yolk, about to set but not quite, hanging in the distance and on the windows of cars passing by.
Wen Yu drove back home. While waiting at a red light, she asked, "Mr. Pan, are there any markets you haven't explored yet?"
Pan Xianchen sat in the passenger seat, his eyes closed, resting. He said, "I'll let other colleagues pass. I've finished all the inspections today."
"OK."
After a moment of silence, Pan Xianchen suddenly asked, "Tell me what you think of those last few suppliers."
They ultimately reviewed about five or six suppliers, all recommended by the Chamber of Commerce president. Besides the issue of mismatched goods, they discovered that three of them had new product inventory, making Trafigura's accusation of "slow updates" a baseless excuse. What were they trying to do?
Wen Yu thought for a moment and said, "Trafigura wants to lower the price and use the sell-off to put pressure on them."
"Um."
Pan Xianchen opened his eyes, looked at the setting sun outside the car, and said, "Wait for news from Guangzhou."
Wen Yu said, "Okay."
It was around 5 or 6 p.m., peak traffic hour. The road was packed with cars, and it took ages for them to move even slightly forward. Wen Yu stopped and started again, started and stopped again, driving like she was constipated. She had to pay constant attention to the traffic; if she lost focus, some uncivilized person would try to cut in. Wen Yu refused to let them.
As she was about to start the car again, she reached for the gear lever. Suddenly, she realized this was Pan Xianchen's car, with her arms tucked under the right side of the steering wheel. Her hand touched Pan Xianchen's and she immediately pulled it back, fearing he would accuse her of touching him again.
It was very quiet in the car.
Pan Xianchen didn't say a word. Wen Yu turned to look at him and found him asleep, leaning back on the chair with his face slightly tilted back.
Wen Yu had never seen him sleep before. So this is what he looked like when he slept—his brows slightly furrowed, his lips slightly pursed, as if he were struggling to think even in his dreams. Had he been having trouble sleeping these past few days? He didn't look very well.
While waiting at a red light, Wen Yu studied Pan Xianchen's face. His eyebrows, his eyelashes, the bridge of his nose, his lips... Her gaze continued downward, taking in his Adam's apple, half of his collarbone, the gentle rise and fall of his chest with his breathing, his narrow waist and tightly fastened belt, the carefree position of his legs...
Wen Yu licked his lips and stopped looking.
But after a few minutes, she couldn't help but turn her head and start looking again from his eyebrows, going all the way down.
Pan Xianchen suddenly stirred. Wen Yu hurriedly turned back and stared ahead. At the next intersection, Pan Xianchen woke up. His voice slightly hoarse, he said to Wen Yu, "How long until we get to work?"
Wen Yu replied: "Ten minutes."
The Trafigura Trading incident was urgent, and superiors demanded a swift, accurate, and decisive resolution. To that end, everyone was forced to work overtime. Now, during this critical period of the investigation, leaving work on time was out of the question.
Pan Xianchen said, "Be prepared to stay up all night tonight."
Ten minutes later, Wen Yu parked the car back at the company's parking lot. They got out together and took the elevator upstairs. Pan Xianchen was going to report directly to Yan Zhiwen's office, while Wen Yu was going back to the office to compare and organize the data they had collected today. When the elevator arrived, Wen Yu got out first. "Mr. Pan, I'm going back to the office now. I'll give it to you as soon as I have the data sorted."
"good."
The elevator doors closed, and Pan Xianchen rubbed his temples. He hadn't been sleeping well lately, especially with the Tok incident at work, which had been even more upsetting. He stared at his own face reflected on the elevator wall, almost seeing the weariness of a lack of energy. He hadn't fallen asleep in the car just now; he'd been awake even with his eyes closed.
He couldn't help but recall the scene in the car. Wen Yu had thought he was asleep, so she hadn't hesitated to stare at him. Pan Xianchen couldn't help but wonder: Why was she staring at him like that? And for so long? What was she thinking?
How does she feel about him now?
Pan Xianchen's mind was becoming increasingly confused. Then Peng Yan called, interrupting his thoughts. Peng Yan briefed him on the situation in Guangzhou. While the Guangzhou market offered cheap logistics, the product range was fragmented, making procurement inconvenient.
"We have enormous advantages. Our market is mature, government agencies support us, and we have the best business environment. Why would we turn against them?" Peng Yan concluded. "Trafigura is deliberately trying to drive down prices."
Pan Xianchen laughed.
Peng Yan was puzzled: "Boss Pan, what did I say wrong?"
"You are right. You and your beloved general think alike." Pan Xianchen said.
"Really?" Peng Yan then laughed and asked, "Boss Pan, did my beloved general cause you any trouble today?"
"You don't sound like you think she'll cause me any trouble."
Peng Yan laughed heartily and said, "I can't hide it from Mr. Pan. Wen Yu is meticulous and responsible in her work. At the same time, she has a flexible mind and knows how to adapt. I like her very much. You should like her too, right, Mr. Pan?"
Pan Xianchen didn't say anything.
Peng Yan asked, "When are we going to negotiate with Tok?"
Pan Xianchen said, "Tomorrow afternoon."
"Okay, I'll be right back," Peng Yan said. "Can I bring Wen Yu with me to this meeting?"
Peng Yan was still in Guangzhou, and the commute would take quite a while. The severity and urgency of the situation meant she had to save time and improve efficiency; she wasn't going to get a single minute's rest today. She couldn't plan while traveling, so she wanted to hand it over to Wen Yu. The meeting with Tok wasn't likely to be attended by many people, likely just a few members of management. If she wanted to bring Wen Yu with her, she'd have to ask her supervisor for permission.
"You decide." Pan Xianchen directly handed the decision to Peng Yan.
Peng Yan said, "Okay, thank you, Mr. Pan."
Half an hour later, Wen Yu finally finished organizing all the information. Fifteen minutes earlier, Peng Yan had instructed her via WeChat to develop a preliminary investment proposal targeting Trafigura's pain points, aiming to secure Trafigura's victory during the meeting. Trafigura must not be allowed to defect, and Guangzhou must not be given the opportunity or time to fully resolve the recent battle.
Wen Yu spent nearly two more hours finalizing the preliminary proposal. After finishing the final punctuation mark, she grabbed her laptop and went to Pan Xianchen. Pan Xianchen had already returned from Yan Zhiwen's office and was reviewing the materials Wen Yu had recently sent him. Now that Wen Yu had returned with a preliminary investment proposal, Pan Xianchen suddenly understood Peng Yan's words, "Wen Yu is very practical."
Pan Xianchen thought: Wen Yu really helped him a lot.
Wen Yu held up her laptop, explained her purpose, and then turned it around, setting it down facing Pan Xianchen. A PowerPoint presentation was open on the screen. The font, format, layout, and overall style were simple and sophisticated, showcasing Wen Yu's sophisticated writing skills and mastery of office software.
Pan Xianchen's gaze couldn't help but linger on her for a while longer.
Wen Yu didn't notice Pan Xianchen's burning gaze, and temporarily forgot everything that happened between her and the man in front of her. She was so excited from work that she walked around the desk and stood next to Pan Xianchen, bending down, holding the corner of the desk with one hand and controlling the page-turning keys on the laptop with the other.
She looked at the screen with the same burning gaze.
"Boss Pan, shall I start?"
Pan Xianchen looked into her sparkling eyes and nodded.
Their distance became very close again.
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