Chapter 513: Exchange a radio for that piece of junk?

Director Lu pondered for a moment, then asked Lu Qiao, "Qiao, what are your thoughts?"

Lu Qiao said, "We can split it into three batches. The first batch will be handled locally in Nancheng, the second in Beidu, and the third sent to Jiangcheng."

Director Lu's eyes lit up; this was indeed a good method. He said directly to Lu Qiao, "There's no need to ask for instructions from above for this; I can make the decision myself. You can go talk to Luo Ziwen. I have a phone number here; once Luo Ziwen agrees, have him call this number, and subsequent arrangements can be handled via phone."

Thus, Luo Ziwen obtained the phone number for the Beidu Foreign Trade Office.

Even Old Man Luo and Old Mrs. Luo were shocked when they heard this, their eyes widening in disbelief as they asked their son, "What? You can call Beidu now?"

Luo Ziwen nodded reservedly, "Yes, it's already been arranged by phone. I'm going to Nancheng in half a month."

Old Man Luo had been sitting on the sofa, but upon hearing this, he stood up abruptly, "What? You're going to Nancheng? You can't go!"

Old Mrs. Luo also said directly, "They might be tricking you. What if they detain you once you get there? You'll never be able to come back."

Luo Ziwen frowned, "That won't happen. The person I'm in contact with is Director Kong from the Foreign Trade Office. How could such a high-ranking leader do something like that? Besides, the intermediary is Factory Director Lu of the Xiang Yang Food Factory. With her there, nothing will happen."

"Then how are you doing this business?"

"Exchanging handicrafts from Jiangcheng for radios from our Feixiang Electronics Group. Later, we might also exchange televisions or other electronic components."

Old Mrs. Luo asked from the side, "What kind of handicrafts?"

How could she not know that a remote place like Jiangcheng could have handicrafts?

If one were to talk about handicrafts, it should be Jingdezhen for porcelain or Beidu; some cultural relics would also be acceptable.

Luo Ziwen explained patiently, "They are handbags woven by workers at the Jiangcheng Xiang Yang Handicraft Factory using corn husks and Jinjin grass, as well as cattail-leaf fans, storage boxes, vases, and so on."

Old Man Luo stared, asking incredulously, "Are you telling the truth?"

"It's the truth."

"Just this..."

"What's wrong with this?" Luo Ziwen asked in surprise.

Old Man Luo said angrily, "It won't do! Why should we exchange our radios and televisions for these pieces of junk? Do those handicrafts even need to be exchanged?

If you want something, I'll weave it for you, or I'll hire a group of people—what can't we weave? Why take their things? Isn't this just like robbing us?

And another thing, they dare to come and exchange corn husks and grass leaves for our radios and televisions? Isn't this just treating you like a fool?"

Luo Ziwen frowned, "Dad, how can you say such things? To tell you the truth, if it were a donation, I would agree to it too."

Old Mrs. Luo said indignantly, "Donation? Why donate? The Luo family's money was earned penny by penny through hard work. You can't just say donate and donate; that's not allowed."

Luo Ziwen looked at his parents, somewhat stunned. Don't most people have an unforgettable attachment to their hometown?

But he felt his parents didn't seem to have one.

"If I can make some contributions to the other side that I am capable of, shouldn't you be happy, Mom and Dad? That is our home; have you never thought about going back to see it one day?"

Old Man Luo curled his lip, "It's not far away, what's the difference? Like Chu Sulan's parents running off to Jiangcheng—that's what you call far from home. What is this? At most, it's just going from one side of the river to the other."

Having said this, Old Man Luo's eyes flickered. He sighed and continued, "If we could do something for our hometown, your mother and I would certainly be happy, but you don't trade like this. Isn't this treating us like fools?"

Luo Ziwen wasn't consulting them; he was just mentioning it because they had asked.

In the end, he was the one making the decision, and no one else had the right to object.

After all, he was the chairman and held the most shares.

But the fact that his family didn't support him also made him feel stifled.

"Mom, Dad, then how would you like to exchange?"

Old Mrs. Luo said, "There are plenty of good things over there. They insist on using things woven from corn husks to fool us, thinking we don't know quality. It's only because people in Hong Kong have never seen these things that they get fooled.

Our family is all native-born; I can weave things from corn husks too, and I can weave straw sandals; I can even make insoles. If you ask me, if they really want to do business with you in good faith, they have to show sincerity—for example, antiques, cultural relics, jade, or even rosewood, yellow pear wood..."

Old Man Luo said, "At the very least, exchanging with gold or silver would work. There are plenty of gold and silver mines on the other side, and there's an oil field in Jiangcheng. Wouldn't exchanging oil for radios work too?"

Having said this, Old Man Luo looked quite proud, patting the arm of the sofa, "It's been over ten years; your mother and I aren't without experience. Besides, if you don't believe me, hold a meeting and ask for the opinions of the Luo family members. No one will agree to this, but if you take those other things, they'll definitely agree."

There is no one who doesn't like antiques, cultural relics, jade, rosewood, and gold and silver jewelry.

Luo Ziwen curled the corner of his mouth. Yes, if the other side brought those things, the Luo family would certainly agree, including his parents.

But is that possible?

If he were the leader on the other side, he would absolutely not use those things to exchange for Feixiang Electronics Group's radios and televisions.

Because these are not necessities and are of little use to the development of the country and society.

Why would they exchange those things for such common resources?

If he possessed the world's most advanced scientific technology, perhaps it would be possible.

But radios and televisions are very common in the world; at the very least, those major countries have all popularized them.

Luo Ziwen stood up, "I have already reached an agreement with the other side on this matter. You two should just live your own lives; don't get involved in these things, and don't say any messy, nonsensical things."

Luo Ziwen was worried, so he gave another warning before taking a car back to the company.

However, halfway there, he went to see Zhen Xi and said, "The other side has already agreed to build a factory jointly with my company. It's basically the same as Factory Director Lu's proposal, but there is a new proposal: they hope to proceed with the next step of cooperation with Factory Director Lu."

Zhen Xi raised an eyebrow, "It wouldn't be exchanging handicrafts for radios and televisions, would it?"

Luo Ziwen nodded.

Zhen Xi looked at Luo Ziwen's expression, "What are your thoughts?"

Luo Ziwen waved his hand, "I am naturally one hundred percent in favor. Even if I were asked to donate a batch first, I would agree. I still have that much breadth of mind."

"Oh, so your family doesn't agree?"

Luo Ziwen didn't speak.

Zhen Xi gave him an opinion, "Why don't you wholesale your products to me, and I'll trade with Lu Qiao? Anyway, I already have very mature sales channels here."

Then she asked, "Did the other party insist that you must do it this way?"

Luo Ziwen shook his head immediately, "No, no, as long as I agree, it's fine."

Zhen Xi said to Luo Ziwen, "Don't have any psychological burden. If it were someone else, I wouldn't say this to them, but since it's you, I can tell you the truth: I make money on handicrafts. And I make a lot of money!" ===== CHAPTER 514 =====