Chapter 109 Selling Clothes to Western Europe: Selling King Crabs to the Capital
Wang Xiao's good mood lasted for a whole month, but by May, she couldn't smile anymore.
Why?
Because the trendy clothes from Paris and Milan that she painstakingly copied couldn't be sold in the Bucharest market!
No, that's a bit unreasonable.
Paris and Milan are fashion capitals, and Eastern Europeans are actually following Western European trends, so why are the hottest items in fashion capitals not selling?
Of course, it's not that they can't be sold at all, but the sales volume is just too poor.
Not only did it not compare to the same pencil skirt she wore for the broadcast of "Public Relations Lady," but even the containers that other Chinese merchants imported from China sold faster than hers.
Now, Ruan Xiaomei and the others are a little afraid to look at the boss.
"Wow, these are definitely the popular styles in Paris and Milan, and they're selling really well!" Elena and the others swore.
The college students also thought it looked great, but they couldn't understand why it wasn't selling.
Good heavens, these clothes took them a lot of effort to make.
First, they obtained accurate samples, then sent the samples back to Huaxia for pattern making, then took them to the OEM factory to select materials and cut them, and finally packed each part of the garment separately, then transported them to Romania, and handed them over to the Huaxia farm women led by Brother Ren, who then completed the final splicing work.
In order to save 25% on tariffs, they really went to great lengths to find loopholes.
As a result, the consequences came.
The capitalists' underhanded tricks backfired completely, and the goods couldn't be sold.
Wang Xiao stared at the clothes for a long time, but couldn't figure it out, so he had no choice but to close the door and go home when it was time.
After arriving at the hotel, the hotel owner asked her if the garment factory was still hiring.
She has a friend who makes clothes, but now that the factory has stopped operating, her friend wants to try her hand at it.
Wang Xiao was at her wit's end and could only reluctantly say, "I'll ask tomorrow. The garment factory said they were hiring again last time, but I don't know if they're short of workers now."
The old lady was still cheerful and served her Tatar cake and milk as a late-night snack.
Then Wang Xiao couldn't eat anymore?
That's absolutely impossible.
She finished her late-night snack, made a few phone calls, and then crawled into bed without hesitation.
sleep.
She was in a bad mood late at night and didn't want to go out. What else could she do besides sleep?
Just a door away, the old lady was still watching "The Outsider Girl".
This TV series is now being rebroadcast on Romania's Channel 2.
When it first aired, not many people paid attention to it.
However, it has a good long-tail effect.
After the show finished airing, quite a few people started discussing it, and several review articles appeared in the newspapers.
Ahem, although the comment with hair was a press release arranged by Wang Xiao, the people who followed were not people she hired.
There are two main points that resonate with the audience regarding "The Outsider Girl".
One story is about a young woman who goes out to work and encounters various hardships, which resonates with the current reality of Romanian people working abroad, allowing everyone to connect emotionally.
Another issue is whether Hong Kong boss Jiang Sheng is a scumbag or not, which has also been hotly debated.
So Channel 2 didn't hesitate and rebroadcast the show, and its ratings were in no way inferior to "Public Relations Lady," which is currently airing on Channel 1.
Wang Xiao discovered that the main viewers of the reruns of "The Outsider Girl" were her parents' generation, which was probably related to the mother's concern for her son who was far away.
The main audience of "Public Relations Lady" is the younger generation.
Wang Xiao took the opportunity to translate a lot of news related to the reactions this drama had generated in the country.
After the TV series "Public Relations Lady" became a hit in China, people from major cities across the country organized special training sessions on public relations skills.
Many organizations even use TV dramas as teaching materials.
Are these press releases useful? Absolutely!
Hong Kong style clothing is selling very well in the market right now.
But, in comparison, her carefully prepared European style became a tragic foil.
Ahhh, time to sleep, time to sleep. In my dreams, there is extravagance, wine pools and meat forests, and countless taels of gold.
But after getting up early in the morning and checking the time, Wang Xiao couldn't help but call Wu Haoyu.
The main problem is that, apart from him, she really can't find anyone else to talk to about this right now.
There's no need to mention Xiang Dong, Tang Yicheng, and Feng Zhonglin; they're all in the country, so please don't bring them up.
Even someone like her, who lives in Europe, couldn't understand why Western European-style goods couldn't be sold in the Romanian market. How could others, separated by thousands of miles, possibly know this?
Xiang Dong was even more confused than her: "It can't be that bad. I see that the goods from Leshui County are selling very quickly. They're all getting the Italian versions."
The goods came out so fast, so quickly.
Their factory in one county now sells 20% of the shoes in the Zhimen Commercial City.
Some middlemen even became so loyal to them that they would wait an extra half day or take a later flight just to get their goods.
There's no reason why Romanian scenery shouldn't be the same as other places.
Ivanov was equally bewildered.
In Moscow, Italian goods are synonymous with high-end and a trendsetter in fashion.
He didn't understand what had possessed Bucharest.
Well, three cobblers are better than one Zhuge Liang.
Ask Wu Haoyu.
At least Tokyo is currently known as the fashion center of Asia, and the popular trends in Hong Kong and Taiwan are basically all from Tokyo.
The Korean wave is not going well; it will be several more years before it rises again.
He spent so much time there, and he usually dressed quite nicely; he didn't seem like someone who had no sense of fashion.
After listening to her question, Wu Haoyu pondered for several seconds before tentatively offering his opinion: "Is it because it's too fast?"
ah?
What does that mean?
"What I mean is that the pace of life in Europe is quite slow."
Wu Haoyu has traveled to several European countries for work.
Whether in Eastern or Western Europe, he felt that compared to Japan, or even to other countries and regions in East Asia, Europeans moved at a significantly slower pace.
This is reflected in fashion trends; for example, whatever is popular in Japan will soon appear in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Especially popular songs, they've practically reached the point of simultaneous cover versions.
However, he believes it won't happen that quickly in Europe, because Europeans have a slower pace of life.
Wang Xiao suddenly realized: "Yes, yes, yes, it's the problem of delayed trends."
The spread of fashion culture takes time. For a long time, Japan and South Korea copied Europe and America, Hong Kong and Taiwan copied Japan and South Korea, and mainland China copied Hong Kong and Taiwan.
The first two stages are generally faster because information is transmitted more smoothly between the three regions, and more people fly from one stage to the previous one.
The final step is relatively slower, which is determined by objective conditions.
After all, it is now just as difficult for mainlanders to go to Hong Kong and Taiwan as it is to go abroad.
As for going abroad, it's quite difficult for mainland Chinese to even get a passport right now, let alone a visa.
Therefore, when she first started her own clothing self-service supermarket in the Dachang area, she was able to readily accept the problem of fashion trends lagging behind.
Since she couldn't figure out when the trend would actually take hold, she simply contacted a TV station and used a TV drama to lead the fashion trend.
When she arrived in Romania, she suddenly realized she was completely lost.
She subconsciously felt that it was particularly convenient to travel between European countries.
Given their shared cultural heritage, it's only natural that Eastern Europe would adopt Western European fashion trends.
Haven't you noticed that wealthy Romanian citizens are all flying directly to France and Italy to make their purchases?
However, she seems to have forgotten one thing: most ordinary people in Eastern Europe, in theory, could travel freely between Western Europe and their home country, but in reality, their economic strength simply could not support it.
This means that even if they are following Western European fashion, they have to wait for the fashion trend to slowly spread to them.
Wang Xiao suddenly stood up, holding the telephone and turning it around, praising Wu Haoyu enthusiastically: "Wow, little brother, you're really amazing, your words have woken me up from my dream."
She lowered her voice again, "How come you're always so amazing?"
As for when she last said he was amazing, you can think about it yourself.
Wu Haoyu's face turned red, and he had to clear his throat to comfort her: "Then don't worry, just wait until the time comes."
Wang Xiao chuckled and let him go.
It wasn't that she had a change of heart and realized that flirting over the phone was a bit immoral.
Instead, she clearly distinguishes between public and private matters. It's currently noon in Tokyo, and Wu Haoyu will soon be starting his afternoon shift, so he should focus on his work.
Besides, who knows if her phone is being tapped?
For the sake of a harmonious society, she should refrain from challenging the listener's ears.
How self-aware she was! She even took the initiative to invite the embassy staff to her hotel.
After hanging up the phone, will Wang Xiao patiently wait for the right time to create clothing in the Western European style?
How could that be!
Clothes and shoes are absolutely not items that can be left unsold; we must find ways to clear them out as quickly as possible.
Even if it means selling at a loss, we can't hold onto the stock; otherwise, cash flow problems will lead to bankruptcy.
She opened her contact list, picked up the phone, and started making calls one by one.
Who should we call? We should call the Chinese businessmen in Hungary.
Because there is a dedicated air route from Xiaozhou to Budapest, the Chinese merchants and large-scale traders there basically source their goods directly from Xiaozhou.
Therefore, although Hungary is Romania's neighbor, she did not specifically invite old friends to attend the opening of the container market in Bucharest.
Now when she calls Sister Fang, even though Sister Fang knows she's in Bucharest, the first thing she says is, "New lingerie? New toys?"
They made no mention of the Bucharest container market, clearly indicating their lack of interest.
Wang Xiao smiled and said, "Samples of the new styles will arrive with the next batch of goods. This time, I'd like to show you the latest fashion items."
Fangjie subconsciously said, "I don't do much fashion design."
Cautious businessmen never rashly enter a field they know very little about, otherwise they might suffer heavy losses if they make a mistake.
Moreover, she's doing very well in the lingerie and sex toy business, and she can quickly clear out her stock every time she gets a new order.
Even though it's the first half of the year, the off-season for lingerie sales, the demand for swimwear is increasing as the weather warms up. The swimwear she got from Wang Xiao still made her a fortune.
She was content and didn't think it necessary for her to enter the fashion sales market.
In fact, as Hungary's policies toward China have slowed down and Chinese businesses in Budapest have become more active, the local fashion market is facing increasing competition, and she feels that this piece of the pie is not easy to grab.
Fangjie was also a little curious: "Most of the Chinese merchants here in Budapest also get their goods from your trade city."
Although from a price perspective, Chinese merchants can definitely get a lower purchase price by directly contacting factories.
However, the problem is that it is inconvenient to assemble and transport goods themselves, and if there are problems with the weight of the goods, and if they try to argue about it, the powerful can't prevail over the locals, and they are likely to suffer losses.
Therefore, after taking all factors into consideration, everyone regarded the extra cost as a protection fee, and basically purchased their goods directly from the trade city, which saved time and effort.
Wang Xiao laughed and said, "It's not goods from China, it's from a clothing factory. I own a clothing factory in Bucharest."
Fangjie was instantly filled with respect.
It's interesting to say that a large wholesaler may be worth millions, and one person's wealth can be equivalent to that of several factories.
But perhaps because of the influence of their previous education in China, wholesalers always feel that they are just middlemen, and not on the same level as those who seriously invest in and set up factories.
Only the latter truly took root here.
Fangjie couldn't help but exclaim, "You chose Romania?"
Wang Xiao said helplessly, "I would like to choose Hungary, because Hungary used to drive out Chinese people so aggressively."
Fangjie, who is already a long-term resident of Hungary, the legal kind, subconsciously spoke up for Hungary: "There's nothing we can do about it. Hungary is so small, how can it withstand such a situation?"
Wang Xiao didn't continue the topic, but only talked about the products of her clothing factory: "They are made according to the most popular styles in the big department stores in places like Paris and Milan. Are your business partners interested? Merchants from Western Europe."
Fangjie hadn't quite grasped why Western European merchants would be interested. If they wanted Western European-style clothing, why not just use locally sourced materials?
"Our clothes are cheap," Wang Xiao played her trump card. "The same clothes can be half the price."
Fangjie doesn't work in fashion, so she's missing a beat and hasn't caught up with Wang Xiao's pace yet. She's still clueless: "They want this, but who are they going to sell it to?"
Since they've grown to the scale of garment factories, they definitely won't be buying from retailers; they'll be going directly to wholesale.
Who will they wholesale to? The big department stores in Paris and Milan?
Sigh, they already have some for sale.
"No, it's small and medium-sized cities and rural areas in France and Italy."
Wang Xiao explained, "Popularity has a lag effect. Once it's popular in big cities, it's time for smaller cities and rural areas to follow suit. Now is a good time for them to make money by wholesaling."
Fangjie's mind raced, and she finally realized, "Hey, that really makes sense."
Her business acumen kicked in instantly: "I want to see the samples, I want to see the factory."
Wang Xiao readily agreed: "No problem, you're welcome to come anytime."
Fang Jie was also a quick person; she immediately set off by train to Bucharest.
It's May, the weather is getting hotter and hotter, and the peak tourist season in Budapest is just around the corner.
Western Europeans like to conduct business while traveling, so she needs to prepare in advance to make big money.
Fang Jie boarded the train in a flurry of activity, and after getting off the train, she and her assistant rode in Wang Xiao's Dacia sedan.
Seeing another car behind with three bodyguards, Fangjie was extremely envious: "President Wang, look at you! Now I know exactly how to write the words 'big boss'."
Look at that setup, that imposing presence, just like a triad boss making his entrance in a Hong Kong video.
Wang Xiao was both amused and exasperated: "Can't you wish me well for once? You call yourself a mafia boss? The European mafia is everywhere. We should be thanking our lucky stars if they don't come knocking on our door."
Fangjie chatted with her: "You don't know, do you? The Wenzhou gang in Italy is very powerful now. Even the Mafia doesn't dare to mess with them."
Wang Xiao didn't take it seriously: "It's even more impressive to bully your own people."
Gangs protecting their neighbors? That's always a joke.
The knife wielded against one's own people is always the most ruthless.
Fang Jie laughed heartily: "That's right, these people are really ruthless. When they strike, they're ruthless... sigh, I'm not going to say anymore."
The car drove on and out of the city, arriving in the suburbs.
Fangjie wasn't sure if this place was considered the suburbs, because it didn't seem very rural. The rows of apartment buildings made it look more like a small city.
However, not far away, they could see vast fields of farmland.
Wang Xiao explained, "This is the agricultural and industrial center of Bucharest."
The so-called agricultural and industrial center refers to the rural urbanization policy implemented by Hungary in the 1980s.
In the 1960s and 70s, Hungary's economy developed well, and its urbanization process was also rapid.
This has resulted in a large influx of rural residents into cities, leading to an aging, matriarchal, and depopulated rural population, as well as serious urban problems such as traffic congestion, pollution, and a series of social issues.
The Romanian government at the time did not stand idly by, but instead adopted the approach of creating agricultural and industrial centers to develop the rural economy.
Its development policy is to make full use of local human and natural resources to develop industry, intensive agriculture and other industries, which is a comprehensive and balanced economy with multiple industries.
Its approach to industrial development was to utilize local resources to develop small-scale industries, such as processing building materials like lime, clay, and stone, or processing agricultural products, somewhat similar to the "five small enterprises" developed by the Huaxia Commune and its production teams in the past.
Strictly speaking, this development approach meets the needs of the people and can fully liberate surplus rural labor, allowing everyone to work in the fields during busy farming seasons and in factories during slack seasons.
However, the problem is that Romania has a serious ethnic issue.
When developing agricultural and industrial centers, the government merged small villages into larger ones and forcibly ordered ethnic minority villages to relocate into collective apartments.
This sparked strong opposition from ethnic minorities. At the time, more than 10,000 ethnic Hungarians fled directly to Hungary.
Many villages have been completely emptied out.
Coupled with religious issues and the fact that ordinary people had had enough of a long-term shortage of supplies, the events of December 1989 were not surprising given the influence of the international environment.
Fang Jie listened with a sigh, and remarked, "If they had continued, they might have already achieved something."
Romania and Hungary are so close to each other that even if she didn't follow Romanian affairs, she knew that this country, known for its fertile land, was experiencing a food shortage.
Even now, Romanians have to wait in long lines to buy bread.
It's so bad that all I can do is shake my head.
Wang Xiao shook his head: "That's not necessarily true. They just interfere too much. Their agricultural and industrial centers have to follow orders from above for everything they do. They're so rigid that they can't adapt to market demands at all. Back then, we started the 'Five Small Enterprises' to fill market gaps. We were basically on our own. Who would dare to expect to be fed by the higher-ups?"
So after the agricultural and industrial center was built, the factory stopped production and closed down after only a few days of operation.
Later, when Wang Xiao wanted to set up a garment factory here, he contacted Brother Ren to find someone to do contract manufacturing, and only then did the factory gates open.
Thank goodness the sewing machine still works, otherwise she would have had to find a way to ship it from China, which would have been a huge hassle.
The car stopped, and Wang Xiao led Sister Fang to the workshop entrance.
The workers inside were engrossed in their work, all wearing hats and masks, and their expressions were serious.
Even when guests come from outside, no one looks up or gives them a second glance.
Ren's wife came out of the office to greet them. Before they could exchange more than a few pleasantries, the bell rang, and four or five Romanian women came out.
The proprietress nodded to them, then made a note in her notebook, had them sign it, and then let them leave.
Fang asked curiously, "Did they go to eat? Do you take turns eating?"
"No, it's time to go home." The landlady looked helpless. "Romanians don't work overtime."
The sun was still shining brightly, and it wasn't dark yet. They were paid by piecework, but they wouldn't work an extra minute; they would leave on time.
Even if the Chinese are extremely busy, earning the equivalent of two women's wages in one person, they remain unmoved.
Fang chuckled: "They're all the same. I think these Russians are all cut from the same cloth. None of them are willing to work overtime."
Her trading company in Budapest employs locals who constantly give her a sense of what it means to have soaring blood pressure.
When a big business opportunity comes in, even if someone else leaves on time and you offer them overtime pay, he won't do it.
"I'm too lazy to care about them anymore. I'll just find my own people to do the work." Sister Fang shook her head and said through gritted teeth, "Trying to live like Western Europeans without even looking at our own resources."
Wang Xiao laughed and said, "It's just a difference in personal philosophy. Hey, let's go in and take a look."
Fang put on a hat, mask, and shoe covers before entering the workshop. The mannequin in front of her was wearing a sample garment.
Budapest is known as the Eastern European city that most resembles a Western European city, with a significant number of Western Europeans coming and going.
Fangjie has been working in foreign trade for many years and has a lot of opportunities to deal with people. She could tell at a glance that it was indeed that kind of person.
Since she's her own boss, she doesn't need to hold meetings or discuss anything; she just makes the decision directly: "Give me a set of all these samples."
She couldn't even wait to return to Budapest to contact her clients; she made an international call directly from the agricultural center to a familiar wholesaler.
Want some goods? I have top-quality stuff here, I guarantee you'll be satisfied.
A day later, Fangjie, who had returned to Budapest, sent a message: she wanted them all, nine styles of clothing in total, five thousand pieces of each style.
Wang Xiao's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled back into her chest.
Western European countries are located around 40° North latitude. The entire region is influenced by the Atlantic Ocean Current, resulting in a relatively mild climate with no significant seasonal changes.
Therefore, even though the popular item was delayed by a month, it can still be worn in Western Europe.
Moreover, she believes this is just the beginning.
Soon, wholesalers from Western Europe will approach us, offering samples and requesting customization.
Seriously, never overestimate the integrity of any nation.
The quality of Huaxia's counterfeit and super-A grade goods has always been criticized.
But surely no one would assume that all those buying these are Chinese?
How could that be!
There are a lot of customers from Europe, America, Japan and South Korea, and even big-name celebrities from Europe and America, who are people who don't care about money, still buy a lot.
Why do Western European businessmen today prefer to do business in Budapest and purchase large quantities of Chinese goods, which are then transferred from Hungary to Western Europe?
Isn't it just to take advantage of Hungary's special status to avoid high tariffs?
Now that they can get counterfeit versions of popular items at low prices, it would be strange if they didn't welcome it.
Wang Xiao whistled happily, feeling that this business had great potential.
Even if we produce too much and can't sell the leftover stock, it's okay.
As fashion gradually spreads, it will eventually reach Eastern Europe, allowing another batch of goods to be sold on the market.
That's how business works, isn't it? You try every possible sales channel and sell as much as you can.
Wang Xiao hummed the song "Tomorrow is a good day," walked around the room twice, practiced the Eight Pieces of Brocade once, and then ran outside to join the old lady who owned the hotel in practicing Tai Chi in front of the television.
The job at the TV station was also found for Tang Jiangang by Wang Xiao.
The TV station originally wanted him to teach martial arts, but considering that learning kung fu requires a master to supervise it on-site, otherwise accidents could easily happen, the TV station settled for second best and started having him teach Tai Chi and Baduanjin.
It's kind of funny, but Tang Jiangang actually doesn't know either Tai Chi or Baduanjin.
They haven't studied this.
But he had already made a name for himself in Bucharest, and the Romanians believed he would definitely succeed.
So, left with no other option, Tang Jiangang had to seek help from the embassy. A military attaché from the embassy taught him Tai Chi on the spot.
And his Eight Pieces of Brocade teacher, cough cough, is none other than Wang Xiao.
After an emergency training session, Comrade Tang Jiangang, who was tasked with spreading Chinese civilization, took office in a rather haphazard manner.
Surprisingly, his show is quite popular.
Not only was the hotel owner a loyal fan of his, but Wang Xiao also saw elderly men and women seriously practicing Tai Chi to music while walking in the park.
Well, I guess this counts as spreading traditional Chinese medicine culture.
There's nothing we can do; there really aren't many TV dramas that address the theme of traditional Chinese medicine these days.
Director Zhang and his colleagues searched for a long time, but couldn't figure it out.
It wouldn't be appropriate for Mr. Wang to arrange for an old traditional Chinese medicine doctor to appear on television to treat patients; it's so boring, and I doubt anyone would be interested.
It just so happens that aerobics is becoming popular all over the world, and everyone is paying attention to exercising and improving their physical fitness.
She then arranged for traditional Chinese health and wellness programs to be included.
Coincidentally, due to various factors, Chinese Qigong is now very famous in Eastern Europe.
If we have to categorize them, Tai Chi and Baduanjin are also Qigong practices, so they can be included.
As a result, Tang Jiangang took on another job at the television station.
It's true, with three jobs combined, he not only has enough to support himself, but he can also save money.
It can be said that everyone was happy.
Wang Xiao finished practicing Tai Chi with great satisfaction, then returned to his room to make a phone call to show off his achievement.
Unexpectedly, Tang Yicheng called first.
Hey, this isn't right. It's the early hours of the morning in Suifenhe, Tang Yicheng should be fast asleep.
But Tang Yicheng definitely can't sleep now. He has to turn over and get up even when he's lying in bed because he's too excited.
"Wang Xiao, find a plane to come over; we can airfreight seafood."
Wang Xiao sensed that he had been drinking, and his speech was somewhat incoherent.
What is a plane that transports seafood by air? These days, helicopters frequently cross national borders; aren't they doing the work of airlifting seafood, fruits, vegetables, and meat?
"No, it's not an international route, it's a domestic route."
Tang Yicheng beamed, "Someone asked us about ordering seafood today. It's from the capital. They want seafood from the capital!"
It's actually quite funny.
Didn't Wang Xiao previously secure a deal for 150 cars at the Jiangdong Liaison Office in Beijing?
That guy with the buzz cut really did lead people to buy a car.
Then he saw the king crab and was immediately awestruck.
Because he's also a second-generation rich kid, he'd tried king crab at a dinner party and knew it was incredibly expensive and rare.
After asking about the price, his eyes lit up, and he realized that reselling king crabs would be very lucrative.
Even though Tang Yicheng advised him not to take the risk, as driving from Suifenhe to the capital would take enough time for the king crab to die and spoil, this guy still went ahead anyway.
With the kickback he got from buying the car, he not only bought himself a sedan, but also spent the rest on seafood, which he hauled all the way back to Beijing.
Good heavens, most of them died on the way, and by the time they finally arrived in the capital, less than one in ten were still able to move.
Without a doubt, those who wanted to get rich overnight lost a lot of money.
But his failed deal brought business to Tang Yicheng.
The owner of a newly opened Cantonese restaurant saw these king crabs and thought that they could be transported by air from Suifenhe to Beijing.
If the schedule is tight, it only takes about four hours to get seafood from Vladivostok onto the tables of a grand hotel in Beijing.
The saying goes that things are valued for their rarity, and there's nowhere in Beijing that can achieve this yet. The first person to try it will definitely make a fortune.
King crab, in particular, has an auspicious name and is extremely popular in places like Beijing where powerful and influential people congregate.
The restaurant owner went to Suifenhe to discuss business with Tang Yicheng. He wanted king crabs, air-freighted king crabs.
How could Tang Yicheng possibly object to such a good opportunity that came knocking on his door?
Suifenhe is too small, and its market is too narrow. No matter how much further we explore, we won't be able to tap into much of its potential.
But the capital is different. The capital has a large population, many wealthy people, and even more people willing to spend money on their own enjoyment and to ask for favors.
It naturally possesses a consumer market for high-end seafood.
Now the problem is that there are no air routes from Beijing to Suifenhe, so there are no planes to provide air transport services.
King crabs can't crawl to the capital on their own; we have to find a way to get airplanes and create flight routes.
This was beyond Tang Yicheng's job responsibilities, so she could only report to her boss.
Wang Xiao tapped the table with his finger as he pondered, then said slowly and deliberately, "The flight route shouldn't be too difficult to get approved."
Why? Because there is demand in the high-end market.
King crabs are not something that ordinary people can afford. If the upper class wants to eat them, then airplanes can naturally fly over them.
She estimated that getting approval for domestic routes wouldn't be too difficult.
Tang Yicheng breathed a sigh of relief: "That makes things easier."
Then, he excitedly painted a rosy picture for his boss, saying, "I estimate that the seafood market in Beijing is at least ten times that of Suifenhe."
What does this mean? It means that even after deducting flight costs, they can still earn millions a day.
Good heavens! He originally thought that reselling Russian cars was already an extremely lucrative business.
As it turns out, there are always stronger contenders, and one mountain is always higher than another.
It's a little scary to think about.
However, his boss was a worldly man who had long been worth over a hundred million dollars, so he didn't think that gaining a few hundred million more a year was a big deal.
On the contrary, as a typical capitalist, she thought about making the best use of resources.
For example, how much seafood can a seafood restaurant stock? They need to find more buyers.
For example, if a plane is fully loaded with seafood and flies from Suifenhe to Beijing, are they going to return empty? That would be such a waste of resources.
Tang Yicheng nodded in agreement with the first point.
Secondly, he was so excited he almost jumped for joy.
My goodness, she's already made so much money and she's still not satisfied; she wants to make even more!
Wang Xiao said matter-of-factly, "We shouldn't waste resources in the first place. Look how tight the capacity is right now. Since they've approved the routes for us, we definitely have to make good use of them."
How should it be used? Tang Yicheng was at a loss.
They can't exactly turn a cargo plane into a passenger plane and transport passengers from Beijing to Suifenhe, can they?
That definitely won't work; that would be too much trouble. Cargo planes aren't like boxcars, carrying both people and goods.
Wang Xiao already had an idea: "No, we'll still transport goods, clothes, shoes, and boxes. The market here in Suifenhe is no good; it's too backward."
Whether in Suifenhe or Grodekovo, the clothes and shoes sold in the free markets are very monotonous.
Taking leather jackets as an example, the Jiangdong and Jiangbei Commercial City has rapidly upgraded its equipment this year.
Jackets, vests, long and short skirts, men's and women's short coats, overcoats, trench coats, and children's leather jackets, etc., are all available in a wide variety of styles.
The styles come from Italy, France, Japan, and Hong Kong.
The colors are even more vibrant, including milky white, beige, apple green, peacock blue, coffee, rose red, and smoky purple, dazzling the eye.
As for materials, they have everything: pigskin, sheepskin, cowhide, imitation leather, leather on the front, leather on the back, and leather-fur composite.
The collars for leather jackets can be broadly categorized into mink collars, fox fur collars, silver fox collars, and blue fox fur collars. At first glance, they exude a high-end, sophisticated, and elegant air, conveying grace and poise.
But what about Suifenhe?
Good heavens, even she wanted to cover her eyes after seeing that.
They're still stuck in the era of black leather jackets.
It's the kind of cheap leather jacket that's poorly made and has poor colorfastness. Before a train has even finished running, the color of the leather jacket will fade halfway through the journey, and it can only be repaired with black shoe polish.
This kind of shoddy stuff wouldn't even get a second glance in a Moscow market these days. It's been eliminated from the commercial district long ago.
In other words, the Far East region is far from Moscow, and civilian industries are severely squeezed out by military industries, so ordinary people really don't have many other options; otherwise, it would be strange if these products could be sold.
But if too much of this kind of product is sold, it will damage the reputation of Chinese goods.
People will form stereotypes.
The first thing they say is: "All Chinese goods are just this kind of trash that's not presentable!"
That would be a disaster; we would lose a huge market share for nothing.
Wang Xiao appealed to Tang Yicheng's emotions and reasoned with him, making him fully realize that this was not simply a matter of making money, but about upholding the dignity of national industry.
"We've worked so hard to get to where we are now, are we just going to stand by and watch others ruin it?"
Wang Xiao argued vehemently, "You'll see when you go to Vladivostok. The variety and styles of clothing there are pitifully limited, and there aren't many Chinese merchants either. If we don't seize the market now, it will be too late."
etc--
Tang Yicheng's heart skipped a beat: "We still have to transport the goods to Vladivostok?"
No way, shouldn't it be that once we get to Suifenhe, we'll call it a day and let people come to us to buy the goods?
Without hesitation, Wang Xiao replied, "Once we establish the supply line to Beijing, the volume of king crabs and sea cucumbers imported from Russia will definitely increase. If they don't need that much of the corresponding amount of fruits and vegetables, and we don't ship them, won't we be left with empty loads again?"
The key issue is that a Sino-Russian trade market has already been established in Suifenhe, and everyone is doing business with great enthusiasm.
If they rush in now, interfere, and forcibly occupy the market, they will only offend the local bullies, and might even be forced out of Suifenhe's territory.
The saying goes, "Even a mighty dragon can't suppress a local snake," and besides, they're not some kind of celestial being.
Since that's the case, why not try a different approach?
It takes about three to four hours to travel from Grodekovo to Vladivostok by car.
To date, Chinese merchants crossing the border from Suifenhe are mainly concentrated in Grodekovo and its neighboring town of Pogranichny.
Vladivostok is currently in a vacuum for Chinese businesses, probably due to its unique status as a major military stronghold.
At this time, promoting the Chinese goods they selected can quickly capture the market and establish the image of Chinese goods as high-quality and inexpensive.
Tang Yicheng was quite worried: "It's a major military town, so it'll probably be very strictly controlled."
During the Great Purge in the Soviet Union in the 1930s, the Russians ruthlessly expelled and arrested Chinese residents in the Vladivostok area.
“It’s a naval port, so we’ll do business with their troops.”
Wang Xiao didn't care at all. "Anyway, our vegetables, fruits, and meat are all sold directly to the military. How they do business is their business."
Tang Yicheng couldn't believe his ears.
Seriously? When did the boss stop taking every penny?
So you're only doing wholesale now, not retail?
He had originally thought she would take over a shop in Vladivostok and hire people to sell the goods herself.
That's true, there really aren't that many people available.
The business has expanded too much, requiring staff everywhere.
And those who can independently support a shop in Russian territory are no ordinary people.
Tang Yicheng was only half right. While Wang Xiao's lack of manpower was indeed a factor in her not rushing to make arrangements in Suifenhe, that wasn't the key issue.
The real key point is that she wants to make concessions, she wants to make concessions to the troops in Vladivostok.
To be more precise, it was Ivanov who got his friend, the friend who ran the flight for him, and the big boss behind him.
Only with a continuous stream of benefits can both parties maintain a long-term relationship and further exchange benefits.
For example, military aircraft.
He just got them a MiG-21. It's not exactly a hot commodity, but it's cheap, costing only the equivalent of $100,000.
Why would you need a bicycle? Just accept it!
In return, I'll give him another lucrative business deal, so we can do it often.
Tang Yicheng suddenly came to his senses and remembered the key point: "But we don't have anyone in the capital."
If they don't cooperate directly with Cantonese restaurants, they won't even have anyone to buy king crabs.
“Find the Beijing office of Jiangdong.” Wang Xiao racked his brains and had already chosen a partner. “The Beijing office itself owns restaurants, and they know a lot of people in the Beijing catering industry. We’ll wholesale the king crabs to the Beijing office, and how they make money from them is their own business.”
Tang Yicheng understood; this was a way of sending money to the Jiangdong Liaison Office in Beijing.
It's like selling it to the Jiangdong Provincial Government.
Wang Xiao emphasized again, "Remember this: we accept cash, we don't offer credit. If they try to renege on their debts, just say so. Russians don't accept IOUs."
She tapped the table and continued, "When it comes to sourcing goods, we should look for manufacturers we know well. They don't just do business with our trade center; they also have sales outlets on Yabao Road and at the Ritan Hotel, so they naturally have their own transportation channels."
As for how to select goods, Wang Xiao took the obvious approach.
Just ask the manufacturer directly, "What product are you selling best right now? I'll give you a set, and I'll sell it to the Far East."
If the goods are no good and the shipment can't be made, then I'm sorry, I won't use your company next time; I'll just go to another one.
Yes, that's exactly how big and powerful they are—they bully their customers with impunity.
Tang Yicheng laughed out loud and said repeatedly, "Okay, okay, this will work too."
With business from the trade city keeping them afloat, these manufacturers probably don't have much guts to play dirty tricks.
Because if something goes wrong, it not only means they won't be able to handle the wealth in the Far East, but their business in the commercial city will also be affected.
Don't forget, the competition among suppliers is fierce right now.
Take, for example, the clothing factory that Wang Xiao's aunt, Qian Xuemei, manages. The sales of the clothes they produce are now declining continuously.
If Wang Xiao hadn't been used to working with them and knew that they were quite serious about their work, so she entrusted them with the OEM cutting and semi-finished European-style clothing, their factory would definitely not be doing as well as it was last year.
Competition is that brutal.
Even if you're one of the earliest manufacturers you partnered with, if you can't get your goods out, you'll eventually be squeezed out.
Having thought of this, Tang Yicheng added with concern, "How are the Italian and French styles selling over there? If not, why don't you try selling them in Japan? The Japanese really love European goods. Seriously, all the Japanese I've seen here like to buy things from Europe."
Wang Xiao was both amused and exasperated: "The sizes used for the clothes are all different, so it definitely won't work."
She explained the current situation, "It's okay, let's sell in Western Europe first."
Tang Yicheng was relieved and continued to scrutinize the details: "Should we hand over the task of compiling and summarizing everything to the Jiangdong Liaison Office in Beijing?"
Wang Xiao nodded: "Yes, we shouldn't bother two people with the same thing. Arrange for someone to go with the plane and make the handover."
She hung up the phone, glanced at the time, and dialed Ivanov's number directly.
Good heavens, she was about to cry out to God. At this rate, the hotel phone bills will probably be outrageous.
When Ivanov heard about the king crab and the clothes and shoes, he laughed out loud: "Hey, that guy, Fyodor, he got off easy!"
Wang Xiao smiled and said, "If you have no objections, I'll start contacting people here. Ask Fyodor what goods he needs, and we'll prepare them for him as soon as possible."
Those who are truly friends know each other best.
Ivanov replied without hesitation, "Don't count on him, he won't understand. I'll make the list and fax it to him for review."
Wow, he really did it to the extreme.
Didn't he ask Fyodor to keep an eye out for shops for him?
Let's just rent this shop to the military at a low price.
With the supply of goods and the sales locations secured, they can simply wait to collect their money.
Wang Xiao couldn't help but sigh, "Ivanov, you are truly the most loyal friend."
It's so convenient.
"By the way, we also need to find a way to get another plane, specifically for flights to Beijing."
Ivanov couldn't help but scratch his head again: "Okay, okay, I'll figure something out."
Making money requires some effort, so it's only right.
Wang Xiao hung up the phone, set her alarm, and then crawled into bed to sleep.
In the early hours of the morning, the alarm clock rang in her bed, and she got up again to call Deputy Secretary Cao.
Afraid of disturbing the hotel owner outside, she took the telephone into bed and then greeted Deputy Secretary Cao to report on her work.
"Last time I was in Beijing, I heard from our colleagues at the Beijing Liaison Office that their budget was a bit tight. Luckily, I just airlifted some king crabs back from the Russian Far East. I've heard that king crabs are quite popular in Beijing. I wonder if any of the colleagues at the Beijing Liaison Office would be interested in wholesaling them?"
She emphasized, "If everyone is busy with work, please don't force yourselves. Hotels in Beijing have already contacted us. I was thinking that if it's convenient, it would also give our Beijing office an additional source of funding."
Deputy Secretary Cao knew perfectly well that she was giving money to the Beijing Liaison Office.
Fresh seafood is in high demand right now, but transporting it is a real hassle, leaving many with money but unable to find the goods.
Wang Xiao then made another request: "There's another matter I need the help of from the Beijing office. We need to ship goods from Beijing to Suifenhe, and we'll need the help of the Beijing office staff to pack them and deliver them to the airport."
This is naturally another deal that gives away money.
But she spoke so sincerely, as if she were genuinely asking for help.
It made Deputy Secretary Cao sigh; it's not easy for a young woman to have achieved this much.
As the leader, she naturally had to appreciate this favor.
As she hung up, she added, "Don't push yourself too hard. It's so late there. Go to sleep."
Sleeping was out of the question, because Wang Xiao still had a phone call to make.
She'd already spoken to her superiors; now she needed to contact the Beijing office.
More importantly, she also needs to contact the Air Force.
Don't think that domestic air routes aren't air routes; opening one isn't a simple matter. Without the Air Force's help, the plane can forget about taking to the skies.
Wang Xiao presented two reasons to persuade the other party this time.
First, we need to raise money. Air Force, we absolutely need to raise money. If we don't raise money, we can't get you the planes.
Look, everyone agreed to set up a flight route and get you a plane.
We have already fulfilled our promise regarding the matter in Suifenhe.
We are also working on the second aircraft.
Where is your second route?
Don't worry, we're worried for you. We've already found a route for you, from Suifenhe to Beijing.
There's more than one military airport in Beijing. You should open up the one closest to the city center, and we'll make money transporting king crabs there.
Don't worry, this airport isn't used for free. Just like in Suifenhe, they pay 100,000 yuan a month in rent, which is quite reasonable.
Secondly, king crabs are coming. As long as your Air Force Guesthouse needs them, we'll give you the best price in the whole city and absolutely won't make any money off you.
The air force officers thought about it and felt that the matter was relatively simple.
Because both airports involved are under military jurisdiction, they have a lot of room to maneuver.
Only after receiving a positive reply did Wang Xiao dare to hang up the phone, crawl into bed, and go to sleep.
She still has to get up at eight o'clock in the morning.
She still has about five hours of sleep left, which is pretty good.
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Monday, so sad. Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants between 2024-01-06 21:09:56 and 2024-01-07 20:17:55!
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Yanghua Diandian 20 bottles; Youshi Shanglouding, ruoshui, kkmay 5 bottles; Xiaop 3 bottles; Qiushui Feishui, Pangpangxiong, and jiuwoleyi 1 bottle;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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