Chapter 2703

"Sure!" Zhou Andong thought for a moment and agreed.

When Haier was founded, it produced refrigerators and air conditioners, and only last year did it form a joint venture with Italy to establish Haier Merloni, beginning production of drum washing machines. Next year it will acquire the old washing machine factory Qingdao Hongxing Electric Appliances to produce twin-tub and fully automatic washing machines.

Therefore, cooperation with Wang Maoqun brings more benefits than drawbacks; Haier has a complete sales channel, deep technical foundation, and talent. As long as the factory is built and the production line installed, having Haier as a partner will make technology, production, and sales twice as effective with half the effort.

Zhou Andong smiled and asked: "Haier is building its product system; why, President Wang, are you looking for me to cooperate instead of going on national television yourself?"

Wang Maoqun did not answer Zhou Andong but said: "Could it be that President Zhou only wants to produce televisions, not refrigerators, air conditioners, and washing machines?"

Zhou Andong laughed and said modestly: "Being able to cooperate with President Wang, who has such a broad mind, is my honor."

"No no no!" Wang Maoqun hurriedly said: "President Zhou, you flatter me. Cooperating with President Zhou is my honor, indeed.

Moreover, now with reform and opening up, the national economy is booming, and ordinary people will have more and more money. So, for such a large country with over a billion people, a single appliance company cannot possibly corner the market.

Zhou Andong's smile never faded; he raised his wine bottle and clinked it with Wang Maoqun's: "Pleasant cooperation!"

Wang Maoqun responded: "Pleasant cooperation!"

Others were envious but had no good projects to pitch; they wanted to seek investment from Zhou Andong but couldn't. Yet thinking that today they could drink with Zhou Andong, and later at their weddings serve pastries and pick out nice things, this sentiment was already there.

"Right!" Zhou Andong glanced at everyone: "I've set up a club, originally planned to open in October, but since I'm getting married, I've moved it to December 1. If you bosses have time, you can come to show your support."

"This is a good thing." Ma Xianli spoke first: "From now on, we can each year set aside a few days to gather at the club, chat, and if there are good projects, we can cooperate."

Deng Haichang, general manager of Sichuan Hongqi Mall, echoed: "I agree; each year we set aside a few days to gather at President Zhou's club, which is indeed good. Even without project cooperation, chatting together, staying in touch, and relaxing is also excellent."

Hongqi Mall was established in 1969 and is Sichuan's largest retail enterprise for daily necessities. Deng Haichang is a capable and bold person; under his leadership, Hongqi Mall has become Sichuan's largest retail enterprise.

To seek further development, Deng Haichang has already established Hongqi Mall Wholesale Company, preparing to open supermarkets directly in communities, creating a new model of community chain supermarkets.

Ma Xianli asked: "President Zhou, where is your club located, and how do we apply for membership?"

"The address is in Dongcheng!" Zhou Andong detailed the address: "As for membership, this needs to be discussed with professional managers first."

Liu Xiangchun joked: "Andong, you'd better make the membership fee cheap; everyone finds it hard to earn money, so you can't be too harsh."

Zhou Andong laughed along: "Since President Liu said that, I won't consult the managers; others pay 200,000 per year, you pay 500,000."

"Andong!" Liu Xiangchun feigned anger: "How can you practice double standards? And this is discrimination; tomorrow I'll go complain to the leadership about you."

In this era, 200,000 is not a small sum. But for those present, taking out 200,000 is really nothing. Moreover, in their view, if they could truly gather every year and encounter good projects, the value created would be worth more than countless 200,000s. So, don't say 200,000—even 2,000,000 they would consider worthwhile.

"Old Liu, you've misunderstood me." Zhou Andong smiled mysteriously: "500,000, I'll give you the highest-level diamond card, with many additional services!"

Liu Xiangchun also adopted a mysterious air and asked: "What additional services?"

Zhou Andong tacitly blinked: "You want whatever additional services you want, and you'll have them."

Seeing the two, everyone else laughed; Ma Xianli pretended to be dissatisfied: "President Zhou, this isn't right—how can you give the diamond card only to President Liu? We want it too."

"Right!" Deng Haichang chimed in: "President Zhou, you can't discriminate; we want diamond cards too."

Everyone followed suit, but they weren't truly after Zhou Andong's so-called additional services; they just wanted the club's highest-level diamond card to get closer to Zhou Andong.

Seeing the crowd's high spirits, Zhou Andong's eyes flashed with surprise. Actually, the membership fee was just offhand, a joke. In his view, it was only 1994 now, and an annual fee of 100,000 was already the ceiling.

What he didn't expect was that his joke would be taken seriously by this bunch, and they even supported it so enthusiastically. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly: these wicked capitalists really do have money.

At this moment, the whole roasted lamb was ready; two servers brought out plates of sliced mutton one after another. Everyone ate and chatted until after ten o'clock before dispersing.

Zhou Andong stood at the bar door, lit a cigarette, and Ye Zhen stood beside him, softly saying: "Do you still want to stay a while?"

"I'll leave right away!" Zhou Andong checked the time: "You've had quite a bit to drink; I'll have someone drive your car and send you home."

"You're caring for me?" Ye Zhen blurted out, then immediately regretted it and hastily changed the subject: "No need to trouble yourself; I can drive myself fine."

Back then, there was no such thing as drunk driving, and although Ye Zhen had drunk quite a bit, she was still relatively sober.

"Okay!" Zhou Andong didn't insist, took a puff of his cigarette, turned around, got into the car, then opened the window: "Drive slowly."

Ye Zhen laughed; her smile looked beautiful: "I know."

Zhou Andong said: "Don't forget the matter concerning Yangcheng; arrange it as soon as possible."

Ye Zhen nodded: "I've already called Yangcheng; news should come soon."

"Good!" Zhou Andong waved his hand.

Watching Zhou Andong's car slowly disappear into the night, Ye Zhen got into her car, and on the way home, her mind was filled with Zhou Andong's carefree and unrestrained demeanor from drinking and chatting.

Arriving home, she took a bath; by the time she lay down on the bed, it was almost eleven. Then she found half a box of ladies' cigarettes in the nightstand and silently lit one.

She doesn't often smoke, or rather, she's not addicted to cigarettes; she only smokes occasionally when troubled. Now her worry is Zhou Andong—that scoundrel's image in her mind just won't go away, making her anxious.