After dinner, Chen Jinyu left, and Qin Chuan was alone in the hotel.
He took out a blueprint from his bag and spread it on the table. It was prepared in advance before he left. The pattern drawn on it was the actual layout of Meitehao twenty years later.
Besides the basic distribution of goods necessary for a supermarket, there were many other things.
For example, in the stationery and sporting goods section, there were books, sports equipment, and digital products. Additionally, there was a children's play area.
These items were not present when he visited Meitehao in the afternoon. Qin Chuan didn't know if Meitehao hadn't yet collaborated with these merchants or was still planning it; in any case, they weren't there.
He felt he could focus his efforts on this.
Furthermore, the current lockers in the Meitehao supermarket were still old-fashioned wooden shelves, much like bookshelves in a study. Customers' belongings were placed in individual compartments, which was not aesthetically pleasing and lacked security, requiring constant supervision.
Slight carelessness could lead to the loss of customer items or internal theft by supermarket staff.
"Hasn't electronic lockers appeared in this era yet?"
Qin Chuan tried to recall carefully but found no memory of it. After all, electronic lockers were extremely common in later generations, leading fewer people to pay attention to their history.
He only remembered that electronic lockers seemed to have originated from the island nation.
Qin Chuan thought that electronic lockers probably hadn't been invented yet; otherwise, a large supermarket like Meitehao would definitely have them.
As soon as this thought struck him, Qin Chuan suddenly felt an urge to start a business selling electronic lockers.
He knew very well that in later generations, electronic lockers were an essential item not only in supermarkets but also in many companies and public institutions.
The prospects were vast. If he were the first to research and produce them, it would be very profitable!
The more he thought about it, the more he realized this was another excellent way to get rich. Qin Chuan's heart grew restless. He quickly analyzed whom among his acquaintances had the most research and development capabilities.
Finally, he thought of Ye Meiyun, who was far away in Shicheng. Ye Meiyun ran an electronics factory specializing in various precision electronic instruments and had no shortage of top-tier scientific research talent under her.
The technology for electronic lockers was actually not very high; it essentially involved incorporating a smart barcode scanner.
With current scientific and technological capabilities, it should be possible for domestic research and development.
Qin Chuan took out his phone, found Ye Meiyun's number, and dialed.
It seemed he hadn't contacted Ye Meiyun for quite some time, which was quite negligent of him.
The call was answered quickly after only a few rings. Ye Meiyun's sweet, magnetic voice came through, "Oh my, who is this, calling so late at night?"
"What's gotten into you, or have you suddenly had a change of heart and remembered your elder sister?"
"Sister Yun, I'm so sorry! I've been really busy lately, wishing I could split myself into several pieces to use. As soon as I got a moment to breathe, I immediately called to check on you!"
Qin Chuan smiled wryly as he defended himself. The Ye family had a significant background and could very well be a springboard for his future success. He absolutely could not afford to lose contact with Ye Meiyun.
"Qin Chuan, what have you been so busy with recently?" Ye Meiyun asked curiously.
Qin Chuan briefly recounted the recent troubles with the Guo family and his current plan to franchise supermarkets.
"You're getting into the supermarket business again?"
Hearing Qin Chuan's current plans, Ye Meiyun expressed great surprise, almost mirroring Chen Jinyu's reaction. The leap was too great.
"I'm currently staying at a hotel near the headquarters of Meitehao in the provincial capital. I met with the general manager of Meitehao this afternoon!"
Qin Chuan didn't hide anything.
After a moment of silence on the other end of the line, Ye Meiyun said, "Large supermarkets are indeed a good choice. They relate to people's livelihoods, the 'grocery basket' of the common people. If done well, they can be very profitable!"
"You little guy, you're really focused on making money. You do whatever is profitable. If you continue like this, your businesses in the county might become monopolized!" Ye Meiyun teased.
"Sister Yun, it's all because I'm poor. If I had hundreds of millions in savings right now, who would want to go through all this trouble!" Qin Chuan complained.
"Hundreds of millions in savings... You really dare to say anything. Your ambition is too great!" Ye Meiyun was startled by Qin Chuan's words. Even over the phone, one could sense the young woman's speechless exasperation.
"Haha!!"
"I was just kidding!"
Qin Chuan laughed heartily. "Sister Yun, you're more experienced and well-traveled than I am. I need to ask you about something."
"I knew you wouldn't call without a reason. Besides calling when you need something, you don't even check in on me otherwise..." Ye Meiyun's tone carried a hint of slight grievance, making Qin Chuan feel awkward.
"Go ahead, what is it?" Qin Chuan quickly composed himself and said, "It's like this, Sister. You travel all over the country and even abroad. Have you ever heard of electronic lockers? Or have you seen them?"
Ye Meiyun sounded confused. "Electronic lockers? What are those?"
"They are something that can store simple items. They are most widely used in supermarkets, as well as in some large institutions and organizations, etc."
Qin Chuan explained quickly, "When we shop at supermarkets now, we mostly encounter those things that look like bookshelves for storing items, without even a lock. They are very insecure and unsightly!"
"This afternoon, I visited the Meitehao supermarket. After noticing this, I had a sudden inspiration. I thought, what if we could create electronic lockers? Something like how high-end residential communities grant access with cards, using magnetic locks, electronic card locks, etc.!"
"I think it would be a good business opportunity!"
"Your factory has many high-tech talents. Can they develop such a product?"
After Qin Chuan's explanation, Ye Meiyun's tone on the phone became much more serious. Already involved in the electronics industry, she immediately grasped the feasibility of these electronic lockers.
"I've really never encountered what you call electronic lockers!"
"And I've never heard anyone mention them!"
"Qin Chuan, you're in the provincial capital right now, not too far from Shicheng. Why don't you come over here? We can discuss it in detail when we meet." Ye Meiyun suggested.
"Sister Yun, from your words, it sounds like you're very interested in this electronic locker I mentioned!" Qin Chuan smiled. After a moment of thought, he said, "Going to Shicheng is no problem. I'll head over after I've finished my business here tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow if I'm really pressed for time!"
"No problem, the day after tomorrow it is. I'll wait for you!"
After chatting with Ye Meiyun for a while longer, Qin Chuan hung up and left the hotel.
He first went to a store and bought some white paper and colored pens, then returned to the hotel.
That night, Qin Chuan worked diligently until late into the night. Looking at the exquisitely revised blueprints on his table, he displayed a look of satisfaction.