Chapter 411: Cooperating with Baolin Logistics

Kong Jie did not immediately reply to Chen Yang, but instead urgently convened a city government meeting.

At eight o'clock in the evening, Zhang Chunhua finally called Chen Yang, saying that the proposal to plan a new traffic road behind the fruit market had already been passed unanimously. But he still needed to communicate with City Party Secretary Zhou Zhixiang, so he asked Chen Yang to wait a bit longer.

That wait lasted five days.

During this period, Chen Yang called several times, and the reply he got was that Zhou Zhixiang was still considering it.

This situation left Chen Yang puzzled. After all, rebuilding the fruit market and re-planning the traffic road were both meant to increase GDP for Qingshui City; for City Party Secretary Zhou Zhixiang, it was all benefit and no drawback. He had no reason to oppose it.

But Zhou Zhixiang simply did not follow conventional logic.

Chen Yang did not know whether Zhou Zhixiang's move was intentionally making things difficult for Kong Jie, or was a warning to him over the previous Zhang Group affair.

If it were the latter factor, he would firmly give up taking over this fruit market.

For a City Party Secretary to make things difficult for him on a municipal project is utterly easy. Even if Mayor Kong Jie steps in, it won't help.

Just as Chen Yang was puzzling over this, Qi Yunxiang suddenly called, asking him to go to Xingcheng for a trip, saying there was an urgent matter to discuss.

Chen Yang's cooperation with Qi Yunxiang in the stock market had always been pleasant. If the other party had a need, as long as it was within his ability, he would not hesitate to lend a hand.

However, after Chen Yang arrived in Xingcheng, he discovered that the person with the matter was not Qi Yunxiang, but Zhou Baolin, the boss of Baolin Logistics.

Chen Yang had already dealt with Zhou Baolin several times, and his impression of him was quite good.

"Boss Zhou, we can also be considered old friends. If you have something, you can just call me directly; there's no need to trouble Manager Qi to relay it."

Zhou Baolin's mood was very low; he sighed and said: "Boss Chen, to be frank, because of the S virus epidemic, my company's business volume this year has not only plummeted sharply, but operating costs have also surged. To save ourselves, I have even moved funds from the stock market."

But I am well aware that this can only relieve the immediate need. If we cannot secure new orders, we probably won't be able to hold out until the epidemic ends, and the company will go under.

So, I have come to you with hat in hand, hoping your company can give me some orders.

Upon hearing this, Chen Yang frowned slightly. The Ordinary People's Agricultural Products Trading Company has its own logistics department, and after hiring some drivers earlier this year, it is already sufficient to handle logistics distribution within Dongjiangsheng.

But Zhou Baolin's current predicament also demands his attention. After all, the epidemic will not completely end until July. Even if Zhou Baolin's funds can last until that stage, they will be severely depleted. Whether they can recover afterward remains a major issue.

For Chen Yang, the Ordinary People's Agricultural Products Trading Company needs to expand in the future and cannot rely solely on its own logistics department. Helping Zhou Baolin now will surely bring greater returns later.

Thus, in front of Zhou Benlin and Qi Yunxiang, he directly called Shen Anna.

"Anna, does our company's interprovincial logistics delivery service have a long-term cooperation agreement with any logistics company?"

"Boss, we have recently talked with representatives of the four major couriers, but we haven't yet reached a final agreement. You calling me at this time, do you have any instructions?" Shen Anna knew Chen Yang well; as soon as he brought up work topics voluntarily, it meant he had already made a definite decision.

Chen Yang directly said: "Anna, I have a friend who runs a logistics company, and Yexin also knows him. Because of the S virus epidemic, his company has encountered some operational difficulties this year. Could you possibly outsource our company's interprovincial logistics business to his company?"

"You're the boss; if you think it's okay, then in principle it's okay. But..." Shen Anna paused, then spoke solemnly: "Interprovincial logistics business concerns the company's future development prospects, especially the e-commerce platform. Even if you agree, I still need to first review the other party's qualifications and capabilities."

Chen Yang conveyed Shen Anna's meaning to Zhou Baolin, who repeatedly nodded in agreement.

Thus, Chen Yang drove to the company to pick up Shen Anna and the logistics department manager He Yifei, and together they went to inspect Baolin Logistics owned by Zhou Baolin.

As the logistics department manager, He Yifei had previously been in contact with the senior staff of Baolin Logistics for a while. He thought Baolin Logistics' service was relatively good among peers, except that the fees were a bit high, and he hoped Zhou Baolin could appropriately lower the logistics fees.

Zhou Baolin now couldn't even talk about interprovincial business; his intraprovincial business had been cut in half, so he hardly had the standing to discuss prices. He immediately agreed to reduce logistics fees by thirty percent.

However, he also had a request, hoping that the Ordinary People's Agricultural Products Trading Company could sign a cooperation agreement with him for at least five years.

In his view, as long as there were stable orders, Baolin Logistics might not make a profit, but at least it could survive in this unstable environment.

Chen Yang had no objection; as long as Baolin Logistics' service was good, he also couldn't be bothered to switch clients.

However, Shen Anna and He Yifei were very rigorous, setting many stringent rules for Baolin Logistics in the negotiations. For unreasonable points, Zhou Baolin also exchanged his own dissenting opinions. Only at eleven o'clock in the evening did the two sides reach the final agreement.

After the negotiations ended, Zhou Baolin warmly invited Chen Yang and the three of them to have a meal. But considering it was too late, Chen Yang declined the offer.

He drove He Yifei first to the Sunshine Garden Community, then took Shen Anna back to Jiangmen Dao.

Shen Anna's villa purchased under the company's name on Jiangmen Dao had already been renovated. Not only had she moved in, but Yexin also had taken up residence there.

After Chen Yang had dropped Shen Anna off at her destination, Yexin had already been waiting at the door for a while. She gave Chen Yang and Shen Anna a mischievous look and said in a rather ambiguous tone:

"You two, come clean—why did you come back so late? Were you out on a date?"

Chen Yang gave Yexin a look and replied unhappily: "Big sis, you can eat messily, but you can't talk nonsense. I went with Anna to handle legitimate business; it's not as sordid as you imagine."

Yexin continued to tease Chen Yang: "What are you afraid of, kid? I won't go snitching to Lin Xiaotou."

Chen Yang gave Yexin another eye-roll. He would rather believe a sow could climb a tree than believe Yexin wouldn't spread rumors.

"Yexin, can't you be serious for once?" Shen Anna pinched Yexin hard and then forcibly dragged her into the villa.

After Chen Yang waited for them to leave, he finally let out a breath of relief.

He suddenly felt that Jiangmen Dao was not a place for long-term residence. Hu Qingwan already lived there, and with Yexin's loose-lipped mouth, he would sooner or later become the Ximen Qing in the Lin family's eyes.

Fortunately, after returning home, his mother-in-law Hu Qingwan didn't ask further; she merely reminded him to drive safely at night.