When Ma Qiang wanted to contract the school factory, Zhang Tianxing was all for it, but he couldn't appear too proactive.
For a man building a career, a strong initiative usually leads to better results.
Seeing Ma Qiang's determination, Zhang Tianxing decided to lend him a hand.
It had to be said that Ma Qiang's approach was quite brilliant – focusing only on accessories was so simple.
It was no exaggeration to say that Huaxia was the world's largest processing factory, albeit with low technical content.
Zhang Tianxing offered Ma Qiang an idea, which was more of a suggestion.
"Brother Qiang," Zhang Tianxing said, "think about it. With the increasing popularity of computers, people's demand for them is growing. So I think we could focus on computer accessories."
He didn't truly understand industry, but he could pretend to.
No one needed to call anyone out; these businesses were often born out of sheer imagination.
There was nothing particularly difficult about it, and with the rise of computers, the computer accessories industry was sure to be incredibly lucrative.
The only question was whether the entry barrier was high.
Hearing Zhang Tianxing's words, Ma Qiang's eyes lit up.
That's right. Although Ma Qiang wasn't a business whiz, he had many classmates and was well-liked.
Ma Qiang made a call, and his classmates on the other end were astonished.
Their academically brilliant classmate was going into business! Ma Qiang quickly clarified, "It's not going into business full-time. I'm still doing my main job; this is just a side hustle."
The more Ma Qiang explained, the more his old classmate laughed heartily. "Alright, we're old classmates. No need to explain. You want to do computer accessories? Okay, no problem with that. Send me some samples first, and I'll discuss it with the production department to see how much output we can allocate to you."
Ma Qiang thanked him profusely. After hanging up, he looked bewildered. Was doing business really this simple?
He doubted it. If it were that easy, those previous factories wouldn't have gone bankrupt so quickly.
Zhang Tianxing didn't understand either, but the sales representatives did.
They went on and on, impressing Zhang Tianxing and Ma Qiang. The two learned about some of the inside workings.
It turned out that producing accessories was simple, but securing the business deals was not.
There were also the behind-the-scenes dealings of payment collection. Without someone pointing it out, Ma Qiang and Zhang Tianxing wouldn't have understood.
"Damn it, so that's how it works. That's where the kickbacks come from."
Zhang Tianxing chuckled and fell into thought.
Everything in the world shared common principles. If this applied to the computer accessories industry, did it also apply to the crayfish industry?
It seemed he had been too naive, thinking that a good idea and hard work would lead to great success.
He realized he needed to control the source of the crayfish – the aquaculture. He couldn't let go of that aspect.
Otherwise, if the source of the crayfish fell under someone else's control, he'd have no choice but to shut down.
...
As Zhang Tianxing's reputation grew, especially with his flashy tiger-head Benz with five eights, he dazzled the female students of Zhonghai University.
Every class, senior and junior students from different majors would take turns making their moves.
Their methods were varied and endless, day after day.
Usually, during the first class in the morning, someone would bring Zhang Tianxing breakfast.
Zhang Tianxing dreaded seeing breakfast. He had already eaten, but he couldn't resist the enthusiasm of the senior and junior girls.
He was struggling to handle this situation. He knew that among them were many good girls.
But he also understood one thing: these girls who came to him weren't worth keeping. If they were so proactive towards him today, they might be just as proactive towards someone else tomorrow. Zhang Tianxing had no confidence in becoming a universally loved figure.
Amidst this busy life, unexpected events often occurred without warning.
Since most of the canned goods from Zhang Ji Canned Food Factory were exported, contributing foreign currency to Huaxia, Zhang Tianxing received a notice from the Department of Commerce.
It clearly stated that Zhang Ji Canned Food was required to earn foreign exchange and contribute to foreign trade.
"Alright," Zhang Tianxing understood, "the country's foreign exchange reserves are insufficient again."
However, haste made waste. Zhang Ji Canned Food Factory was different now. It was like a small boat that could easily turn.
Now, with more people and various burdens, coupled with the special quota for disabled individuals, the factory's basic renovation would cost a significant amount.
It seemed he had to proceed with small steps; he couldn't afford to capsize now.
...
Meanwhile, Chen Zhilong was feeling very displeased. Zhang Tianxing had shown him no respect.
He hadn't expected Zhang Ji Canned Food Factory to make such a dramatic entrance, attracting the attention of major players. This made it difficult for him to directly attack the factory.
However, where there's a will, there's a way, and villains were everywhere with their underhanded schemes.
After two days of looking glum, Chen Zhilong came up with a brilliant idea.
Chen Zhilong directly approached his loyal subordinate, Chen Sancang.
Chen Sancang was a top student in finance and was responsible for the financial side, a capable subordinate of Chen Zhilong.
"Sancang, I have a task for you. Can you handle it?"
"Brother Long, just say it. I'll do my best," Chen Sancang said, puffing up with pride at being approached by Chen Zhilong. "Brother Long needs my help; I must do this flawlessly to show Brother Long my capabilities."
Seeing Chen Sancang's commitment, Chen Zhilong nodded with satisfaction.
He had to be careful, especially since this transaction was a big one, but what was a little risk for the sake of profit?
"Here's what I need you to do. I have some B-share equities. Find a way to sell them to merchants in Belarus, preferably to Toflovsky and Toflovna," Chen Zhilong whispered.
The combined B-share equities represented a colossal sum. Few in Belarus could absorb such a deal.
When Chen Sancang heard it was a task, he chuckled, "Brother Long, leave this to me. I'll handle it beautifully!"
Seeing Chen Sancang pat his chest with conviction, Chen Zhilong smiled. "Do a good job, and I won't shortchange you."
Chen Sancang turned and walked away. Once he was at a distance, he frowned.
Huaxia's B-share equities? Who would want those?
The reputation of Huaxia's B-shares was already in tatters. After May 1997, to prevent financial risks, foreign exchange was not allowed to enter the B-share market. Coupled with aggressive selling by overseas funds, they had dumped shares at any cost. In March 1999, they hit a historical low of 2.124.
Even with the subsequent rebound, it hadn't increased much. Would anyone buy at this price?
Chen Sancang was filled with doubt. However, since Chen Zhilong had given the order, he would find a way to deliver these B-share equities to Toflovsky and Toflovna.