Chapter 113

At Yiwu Station, Wang Yan had just stepped off the train with a small bag when he saw two men on the platform edge, standing on tiptoe and scanning the crowd, holding up large signs bearing his name and the Long Teng logo.

Their signs were at least one full size larger than anyone else's, instantly visible—impossible to miss.

Impressed by the two guys' cleverness, Wang Yan walked over with his bag.

"I'm Wang Yan."

Before the two could carefully compare him to photos, the man beside them extended both hands and said: "Manager Wang, hello—I'm Xu Shengli, head of logistics here. Boss Wang Dashan told me to come pick you up."

Wang Yan stepped forward and shook his hand: "I know you—you came with Old Fang. You've done well. Thanks for the trouble." The "Old Fang" he mentioned was the logistics director, one of the original employees. Money was one thing, status another—daily pep talks still mattered. And it gave him a chance to subtly remind them: stick to your duties, no nonsense. The art of language—profound indeed…

A senior's encouragement, regardless of the substance, deserved a junior's show of gratitude. Xu Shengli looked stunned, utterly honored: "No trouble at all, no trouble—it's all thanks to your leadership's cultivation. It's only right. Manager Wang, this way, the car's waiting outside."

Walking out with Xu Shengli, they found two cars parked side by side: an A6 and a Passat. People stood at a distance pointing and whispering, their glances filled with envy.

The cars were all assigned by company rank—there were simply too many people and not enough funds, so only branch bosses got the A6. Otherwise, given Wang Yan's temperament, everyone would've gotten the most prestigious Tiger Head Benz of the era. What he drove himself didn't matter—but company leaders? That was face. Representation. Couldn't fall short.

Everyone got in, and the driver smoothly started the car and drove off.

"Manager Wang, your hotel is all arranged. Once you've rested, we'll host a banquet to welcome you."

"No need for a welcome banquet—skip the useless formalities. Just get to work. By the way, find two people to pose as buyers and trace the counterfeiters—bring them all to me." Wang Yan never cared about flattery, and he was sick of hearing it.

"Understood, Manager Wang. I'll arrange it right away—no problem." Xu Shengli spoke with full confidence, since logistics and apparel weren't the same business, and he hadn't paid much attention before. But once the counterfeit scandal blew up, they acted immediately—otherwise they'd look like useless fools.

The reason they'd pinpointed Yiwu so quickly? They'd found it themselves. After all, goods shipped nationwide required logistics. Though Long Teng had only been here a short time, backed by parent-company resources, its local strength was no weakling—and sure enough, some idiot had chosen to ship counterfeits through Long Teng Logistics. When he found out, he'd laughed bitterly. That brain…

Wang Yan nodded, then said: "Help me arrange a meeting with Director Qiu Yingjie. See if he has time soon—I'd like to invite him to dinner."

"Qiu Yingjie?" Xu Shengli racked his brain for the name, then asked hesitantly: "Manager Wang… his rank…"

"Before coming, I looked into the local situation. I'm quite interested in Director Qiu's Yiwu Small Commodity Distribution Center—it could greatly boost our logistics development." Wang Yan casually explained.

Xu Shengli nodded, saying no more. Inside, he was thrilled—logistics growth meant more profit for him. And Long Teng always invested by example, developing every angle. If he performed well this time, he might get transferred back to headquarters or to another key business—definitely a huge opportunity.

At the hotel, they left the Passat for transportation and dismissed Xu Shengli and the others.

There weren't any decent hotels around—this was the best available, and even that was mediocre.

Wang Yan arrived in the afternoon; nothing could be done at this hour, so he wasn't in a rush. After a quick tidy-up, he went downstairs, started the car, and headed out for a meal—and maybe a little sightseeing…

………

The next day, afternoon, the best restaurant in Yiwu.

"Manager Wang, I've admired you for years. I've always heard stories about you—today I finally meet the real person. I toast you." Qiu Yingjie didn't hesitate—he lifted his glass and drained it in one go, holding the empty cup bottom-up to show he'd finished.

He knew exactly what Long Teng was capable of. He knew its reputation: exporting to earn foreign exchange, importing cutting-edge tech and machinery; linking multiple industries domestically to boost regional economic growth and solve massive employment issues; developing and innovating independently. An absolute star enterprise—with guaranteed credibility. They'd previously invited Long Teng to invest here, but were politely turned down.

Today, when Xu Shengli invited him and hinted that a Long Teng big boss had come personally—and even dropped a hint about investment—he was genuinely thrilled. He hung up the phone and immediately called a county committee meeting. After endless discussion, they reached one directive: This Long Teng big boss has come to us—must be treated well. Everything is negotiable. Must keep him here. No matter what, don't let him leave without leaving some money behind.

"Not at all—I've heard of Director Qiu for a long time too. Now that we've met, we must have a proper exchange." Seeing Qiu's straightforwardness, Wang Yan wouldn't let himself fall short—he tilted his head back and drained his glass too.

This wasn't a tiny two-ounce cup—it was a standard two-and-a-half-ounce cup. No wonder these cadres were tough—they were absolute veterans of the alcohol battlefield. If Wang Yan weren't in top physical shape, Qiu Yingjie's drinking capacity could've sent him to the hospital for two days.

Putting down his glass, Wang Yan said: "Alright, Director Qiu, just this one drink. It's a fifteen-year-old liquor—we'll sip slowly."

"Fifteen years?" Qiu Yingjie froze, then quickly regained his composure: "Then we should sip slowly. Let's eat and drink together."

Wages had risen a bit these years, but an ordinary worker still earned only two hundred yuan a month. Just the Moutai on the table—a regular 53° bottle—cost two or three hundred yuan. Many workers couldn't afford even one bottle in a month. And this fifteen-year-old? Even more expensive—and usually unobtainable.

He'd tasted better, but only in tiny sips. Still, it was fifteen years old—deserved some respect…

"Is this your first time in Yiwu?" Seeing Wang Yan nod, Qiu Yingjie pressed: "I heard you arrived yesterday. What's your impression of Yiwu?"

He wasn't sure how to read him—testing was normal—but Wang Yan didn't play that game. He picked up a chopstick and said: "I see Yiwu is missing something."

"Oh? I'd like to hear more."

"A well-structured, standardized commodity trading center." Wang Yan glanced at Qiu Yingjie and continued: "When I said I'd heard of you before, it wasn't empty flattery. Back in the 1980s, the county government invested in building a trading market—the most advanced professional market in the country at the time. Because of that, a massive cluster of vendors, merchants, factories, and dazzling goods formed an industrial hub. Today, it's essentially the backbone of Zhejiang's light industry."

"That's something no other place has. It's Yiwu's unique advantage. And you've proposed turning Yiwu into the largest small commodity distribution center in the nation—and even the world. Yiwu has the conditions. I believe in Yiwu."

"Manager Wang, you mean…"

Qiu Yingjie was trembling with excitement. He couldn't help it—it was his greatest dream.

"Exactly. Long Teng will invest to develop a comprehensive complex integrating dining, lodging, leisure, entertainment, and commodity trading—all in one."

Wang Yan wasn't lacking the power to build a new Yiwu from scratch—but the time, manpower, materials, and capital required would be enormous. Compared to that, Yiwu was uniquely gifted—that's why the Yiwu model was impossible to replicate.

Qiu Yingjie had thought of these things before, but establishing even a basic commodity center was hard enough—let alone a fully developed complex. What Wang Yan described was a one-step solution. He had full confidence: once built, Yiwu would take off instantly.

At that moment, Qiu Yingjie didn't care about the fifteen-year-old liquor anymore—he drank it like water, lifting his glass in excitement: "Manager Wang, it's… it's… I can't even speak. I toast you." He downed it in one gulp.

This was barely the start—only a few sentences spoken—and already a full half-pound of liquor was gone. Wang Yan shook his head and finished his glass too.

Xu Shengli, who'd been silent, and Qiu Yingjie's entourage, ever discreet, refilled their glasses. They each drank half a pound too—luckily, they were seasoned drinkers, and their condition remained fine.

"Does Manager Wang have any other requirements?"

This was setting the broad outline—later, they'd negotiate the details.

Wang Yan shook his head: "I trust the Yiwu government will offer Long Teng the best conditions."

In truth, he had no real demands—just land acquisition according to city planning, loans, and building construction. Land prices? They'd weigh them. If he followed through on what he'd said, the investment would be enormous, and cost recovery would take years. As for loans—what did banks do? The richer you were, the more they pushed mortgages at you. The poorer you were, the less they lent—even if you chased them. Long Teng? Excellent credit. A trusted friend of local governments. A perfect partner for banks.

As for whose brand to copy, whose design to steal—was that even worth mentioning? Impossible to eradicate.

Forget vanity—admit it: big brands really are more novel and attractive. After all, those bald designers aren't paid for nothing. Just looking good is enough—someone always wants it, someone always wants a bargain, someone always buys. And naturally, someone always seeks high profit, someone always counterfeits—mutually reinforcing.

Fake goods placed in an official store become real goods. A production line in a contract factory making wholesale goods becomes counterfeit. Who can tell truth from falsehood?