"But I heard you quoted the South City Food Factory a price of only sixty-five cents per unit?" Zhang Liunian cut to the chase, stating the price they offered the food factory.
Tang Shimen was surprised, wondering how he knew the price they quoted to the South City Food Factory, but he wasn't embarrassed. He chuckled, stroking his large hand, "That's the South City Food Factory, the largest food factory in our area, and also the largest supplier to our factory.
Their demand is a figure you wouldn't dare to imagine, so their pricing is not something you can reference.
If you want to get the same price as them, you'd need to have a monthly demand of at least ten thousand units, like them. Otherwise, it's impossible to get such a low price."
Tang, the deputy factory director, looked at Zhang Liunian with clear disdain, making Zhang Liunian realize that it was impossible for him to get low-priced glass bottles.
However, he still wanted to try. If he didn't try, how would he know if it was possible? Thinking about the likely order volume he would need, Zhang Liunian said, "I'm just starting out, so my demand certainly won't reach ten thousand.
How about this: I'll take a thousand bottles, can you give me a price of eighty cents?"
Eighty cents was the lowest price he could accept. If even that was not possible, he would have to find another way.
Deputy Factory Director Tang was quite surprised to hear "one thousand units." Starting a production line and needing a thousand units right away—that was a bold move!
"You're just starting food production. Are you sure you can afford a thousand units? Just to be clear, we don't accept credit."
Tang's words annoyed Zhang Liunian. What did he mean by "can you afford it?" How could a deputy factory director be so snobbish?
Zhang Liunian suppressed his annoyance, forcing a smile, "As long as you can give me a price of eighty cents, I can pay in cash."
Seeing his confident assertion, Deputy Factory Director Tang fell silent.
He stared at Zhang Liunian, appraising him for a long time, his eyes flickering. Finally, he shook his head, "Eighty cents is too low a price, I can't offer it."
Cooperation was out of the question. Zhang Liunian was the one who had wronged his nephew, so how could he cooperate with him?
Zhang Liunian noticed the change in his expression and understood that he was deliberately refusing. He wondered inwardly where he had offended him to be treated with such disdain.
Not understanding the reason, Zhang Liunian stopped thinking about it and said, "If that's the case, then I've bothered you."
With that, he stood up and walked out of the deputy director's office, heading straight for the factory director's office not far away.
Tang Shimen saw that Zhang Liunian wasn't pressing the issue and followed him out of the office. Just then, he saw Zhang Liunian arrive at the factory director's office door and knock.
He curled his lips, sneering inwardly. This was the worst timing. The factory director wasn't in the factory at this time; knocking until his fingers broke would be useless.
"Knock, knock, is the factory director in?" Zhang Liunian called out after knocking for a while without anyone opening the door.
Tang Shimen walked up with a half-smile, "No need to call. The factory director is on a business trip and won't be back for a few days. If you want to get the goods, you'll have to deal with me."
And he absolutely would not agree to cooperation.
Zhang Liunian turned around, catching the message in his eyes. He didn't quite understand why this person harbored such great malice towards him on their first meeting. "Did I offend you?"
Tang Shimen feigned ignorance, "What do you mean? Of course, you haven't offended me." But you offended my eldest nephew, so cooperation is impossible.
"It's nothing," Zhang Liunian said, seeing him still pretending. He didn't want to argue with him and shook his head as he left.
He wasn't without options. In his past life, he had always cooperated with the legitimate factory director of the glass factory. As for this deputy director, he had never met him and didn't know much about him.
Since he didn't want to cooperate, he would just go and cooperate with the factory director himself.
Arriving at the main entrance, Zhang Liunian slipped another pack of cigarettes to the gatekeeper. "Uncle, has your factory director gone out?"
"He seems to have gone out. I don't know if he'll be back by closing time," the gatekeeper replied honestly, not understanding why Zhang Liunian was asking.
So he wasn't on a business trip. That made things easier. Zhang Liunian had a plan.
"Did the cooperation not work out?" The gatekeeper looked at Zhang Liunian's unhappy expression and guessed that the cooperation might not have been successful.
But that didn't seem right. He remembered that when the deputy director heard someone came to order glass bottles, he had immediately directed them inside without hesitation.
This indicated he was very willing to cooperate.
So why did it seem like things hadn't worked out?
Zhang Liunian stood by the gatekeeper, shaking his head. Then, they chatted for a while longer before parting ways.
As soon as Zhang Liunian left, Tang Shimen walked over. He glanced at the gatekeeper and said coldly, "Next time he comes, don't let him in."
The gatekeeper was startled and looked up at him in surprise, but quickly lowered his head. "Okay."
Seeing that he was sensible, Tang Shimen didn't make things difficult for him. Instead, he glanced at the cigarettes in his hand and turned to go home.
With only a few minutes left until closing time, he decided to just go home.
As soon as he returned home, he started talking about Zhang Liunian with his eldest nephew.
"Brother Tang, your second uncle met that comrade named Zhang Liunian today. He really is good-looking."
But besides his looks, there was nothing remarkable about him.
His eldest nephew had suffered a loss last time, surely it was due to carelessness that he was outmaneuvered.
However, this time he had helped his nephew teach Zhang Liunian a lesson, and he believed his nephew would be very happy.
"Was it at the glass factory? Was he really there to order glass?" Brother Tang asked excitedly, putting down his cola.
"Yes, he wanted glass bottles from our factory. I didn't give them to him. He must not know what to do now," Tang Shimen said, feeling very pleased as he recalled Zhang Liunian's disappointed departure.
Hearing this, Brother Tang clapped his hands in delight, "Second Uncle, you did great! We just won't give it to him, we'll infuriate him. He actually plotted against me, doesn't he know who I am?"
He had several elder relatives who were factory directors. Zhang Liunian offending him was simply courting death!
Also, he didn't know why that bicycle shop owner was still in business.
"Second Uncle, why hasn't the bicycle shop owner closed down yet?" Brother Tang's expression turned unhappy as he thought of this.
He had caused trouble for the bicycle shop owner several times, but the owner's business remained intact, which made him very angry.
"That owner has connections. You'd better not provoke him," Tang Shimen also knew which shop owner his nephew was referring to and knew that person had connections. Otherwise, he wouldn't have the capability to keep the shop running smoothly despite his nephew's constant harassment.
In South City, if you didn't know a few people, no one would believe it.
"I won't! I haven't gotten revenge for him and Zhang Liunian plotting against me together."
"That person is not to be trifled with. You should give up!"
"I won't."
"..."
Zhang Liunian was unaware of these matters for the time being. At this moment, he had already arrived at the home of the factory director of the glass factory and met the legitimate factory director.