Chapter 872: Especially Fond of It!

The performances came one after another, and the live-streaming sales hosts kept changing.

Li Li Xuewu had set the tone early on, so he no longer needed to go on stage; instead, he oversaw product inspections and reception duties.

Cadre Wang was not the only one dumbfounded; Li Li Huai De and Xiang Xiang Jingyu were equally stunned.

Could a trade fair be played like this?

The surrounding exhibiting units were bewildered; they had suspected that the Steel Rolling Factory's erection of barriers was meant to cause trouble, but they never expected such a ruthless move.

Li Li Huai De scanned the entire venue, and upon seeing the other exhibiting units—especially that bastard who had snatched their booth, whose face looked as miserable as if he had eaten shit—he burst into hearty laughter, his expression radiating such arrogance and satisfaction that it was beyond description.

The booths farther away were not severely affected, but the closer one got, the more the attention of merchants in the area was drawn to the Steel Rolling Factory, and the greater the impact on them.

Thus, each of them wore a gloomy expression, glaring with eyes that seemed ready to devour people.

Xiang Xiang Jingyu turned around with a smile and asked Li Li Huai De if he was satisfied.

"Satisfied, very satisfied~"

Li Li Huai De was so satisfied he felt like flying, especially given the astonished looks from these people; he was nearly laughing himself mad.

It was very enjoyable to see the expressions on these people's faces; please, carry on!

Keep playing the music, keep dancing!

Now the rest area was packed with people examining samples, while the front of the booth was crowded with spectators watching the performances; some who had arrived late were asking those around them what had been said and performed earlier.

And let it not be said that only Chinese people love a spectacle; foreigners are human too, and they also enjoy watching when there is excitement.

The more popular this spot became, the more people flocked here; Cadre Wang, responsible for coordinating the exhibition hall, gritted his teeth as he left, his face burning with shame.

If the exhibition hall staff could not manage it, would the foreign affairs personnel not step in?

They would not, because no one upstairs had specified which booth merchants must be directed to!

More importantly, when the staff at this booth distributed small gifts, they pressed them into the hands of everyone, whether merchants or foreign affairs personnel.

Take someone's gift, and your hand softens; eat someone's food, and your tongue shortens.

Canned goods samples placed on the side tables were available for free tasting, and some people were already carrying small porcelain dishes to sample them one by one.

There were delicious canned fruits, fish, pork, vegetables, corn, and even beef and mutton.

For the staff and foreign affairs personnel, it was about getting something for free; for the purchasers, it was about assessing quality and flavor.

With canned goods, what is real is real, and what is fake is fake; commodities at the trade fair were guaranteed and held to standards, so they had no fear of quality issues arising.

Thus, in the end, it all came down to taste and the quality of raw materials.

No one had expected that the exhibiting unit called the Steel Rolling Factory could offer not only various hardware goods but also non-staple food products.

Non-stop performances, non-stop surprises!

As the saying goes, no oil-and-salt shop ever fails to open for business; the Steel Rolling Factory's booth finally secured its first deal!

"Tong Ge~ do you still remember me?!"

"Oh! It's Mr. Zhong!"

Li Li Xuewu mimicked the other's accent with a thick tongue and a clacking sound, smiling as he shook his hand.

This overly familiar attitude made the foreign affairs translator standing beside the Hong Kong merchant roll his eyes.

Heard he was even a division-level cadre; is this all the quality he has?

Li Li Xuewu paid no heed to the other's attitude; he held Mr. Zhong's hand and shook it vigorously, acting like an old friend who hadn't met in years.

Mr. Zhong was also infected by his enthusiasm; smiling broadly, he pulled out the nail clippers Li Li Xuewu had given him from his pocket and said, "This one, I came to ask about this one!"

"Oh oh~ nail clippers!"

Li Li Xuewu did not wait for the translator to speak; having already guessed what the other wanted to ask, he smiled, took the item, gestured with it, and said, "You want to place an order?"

"Yes, yes!"

Mr. Zhong nodded repeatedly, pointed at the nail clippers in Li Li Xuewu's hand, and then gestured toward the product catalogs being distributed onsite.

"How much for this one?"

"How much?!"

Li Li Xuewu thoughtfully helped confirm the question in English for him, then held up one finger and said, "One yuan!"

"One hundred million yuan?"

Mr. Zhong widened his eyes and asked, "Hey, are you talking about Hong Kong dollars?"

"NO~ NO~ NO!"

Hong Kong dollars indeed! Li Li Xuewu would not calculate exchange rates, especially in front of the representative from the General Export Corporation; he could not violate discipline.

"This is China, I'm talking about RMB."

After teasing the Hong Kong merchant, when it came time to discuss prices, Li Li Xuewu immediately put on a serious face and began spouting English.

The Hong Kong merchant, Mr. Zhong, was slightly stunned, and the translator beside him also froze for a moment.

In contrast, the representative from the General Export Corporation remained very calm; today he had already seen enough strange moves from Li Li Xuewu to be beyond surprise.

As Li Li Xuewu and Mr. Zhong began communicating in English, the translator effectively became an attendant for the General Export Corporation's representative.

Mr. Zhong shook his head and indicated, "Too expensive~"

While speaking, he took the nail clippers from Li Li Xuewu's hand, gestured with them, and explained, "This style is not as good as those produced in Japan; the blade edge is not sharp either..."

Merchants, as long as there is profit to be made, will speak nothing but deceptive lies.

Li Li Xuewu let him speak; only after he had finished disparaging the nail clippers with various reasons did Li Li Xuewu open his mouth again:

"You get what you pay for; we have no interest in what Japanese nail clippers look like, but we do have channels to understand what is commonly used by residents of Hong Kong City."

"This one,"

he took the nail clippers from Mr. Zhong's hand and said confidently, "If we lacked confidence, we would not have come here to do business; we operate with integrity, and I believe you are not looking to make a one-time deal."

Seeing the difficulty on Mr. Zhong's face, Li Li Xuewu smiled and continued introducing, "It doesn't matter if you don't like it; our factory's daily-use hardware is very complete."

While speaking, he gestured toward the kitchenware display stand, saying, "It's not just nail clippers; we have scissors, kitchen knives, rice spoons, soup spoons—all kinds of kitchen utensils, everything is available."

Mr. Zhong's gaze followed Li Li Xuewu's hand to glance over there, but ultimately returned to the nail clippers in his own hands.

Li Li Xuewu knew exactly what he was thinking, so he was simply dangling the bait on purpose.

"We are the finest steel manufacturing enterprise in Jingcheng, possessing immense strength and superior products; we were strongly invited to exhibit this time specifically to showcase the splendor of domestic steel."

He was bragging loudly enough to shake the mountains; anyway, bragging costs no management fees, so who cares about him.

"Our enterprise is good, but our products are even better; coming here is fate, and we hope to make friends with you, cherishing the connection of this first meeting."

These words were spoken with sound reasoning and evidence, enthusiastic yet measured, polite yet proud, causing the staff standing nearby to look at him with unusual eyes.

Hmm~ now, with these few sentences, he actually displayed the demeanor of a division-level cadre.

Mr. Zhong also shook his head with a smile and remarked emotionally, "You don't seem like someone from the interior; you are too skilled at speaking!"

"Precisely because I am from the interior, I stand here to welcome you."

Li Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows slightly and said seriously, "Only thus can I speak of us being one family and talk of making friends!"

Mr. Zhong nodded, held up five fingers, and said, "Fifty cents, one hundred thousand orders!"

After speaking, fearing Li Li Xuewu might not understand, he immediately explained, "As long as you drop the price to fifty cents, I will sign the contract immediately for one hundred thousand orders."

The moment these words left his mouth, everyone who had gathered around upon hearing that the first deal here was about to be sealed was stunned.

Not to mention the representative of the Hardware Export General Company shooting Li Li Xuewu meaningful glances, even the translator standing nearby was growing anxious.

Li Li Huai De, standing outside, was even more anxious; fifty cents for one hundred thousand orders—did that mean a sales volume of fifty thousand yuan?!

This business was far easier than the joint trade; moreover, opening the first order with small hardware nail clippers was truly a delightful surprise.

Seeing Li Li Xuewu's unmoved expression, Li Li Huai De twitched the corners of his mouth, wanting to signal Li Li Xuewu with his eyes, but alas, Li Li Xuewu did not look at him.

Agree quickly! Agree quickly!

There is still profit to be made at fifty cents; after deducting the exhibition commission, costs, and transportation, each nail clipper yields a net profit of over twenty cents, so what more could one ask for!

When the price was initially set, Li Li Huai De had wanted to tell Li Li Xuewu that he had set it too high; with a cost of less than twenty cents, pricing it at one yuan was practically swindling a fool.

Later, he had also reasoned that doing business involves asking for the sky and settling on the ground; if one doesn't ask a high price, how can one expect the other party to bargain?

Now it was perfect; the other party had bargained, and the offer was within the realm of pleasant surprise, so hurry up and agree!

"NO!"

Li Li Xuewu shook his head very seriously and said, "One yuan is the friendship price; good wine needs no bush, and I am treating you like family!"

"You may see the price as high, but in your heart you understand its true value and are clear about its profits."

"You do not engage in one-off deals, and neither do we."

Li Li Xuewu gestured with the nail clippers in his hand and said, "Today, for all exhibition goods, the transaction price of the first order in each category serves as the base price; the second order will incur a price increase."

"Therefore..."

Mr. Zhong looked at Li Li Xuewu full of complaint, thinking this person truly lacked social awareness; not only refusing to lower the price, he actually intended to raise it!

"One yuan and ten cents!"

Li Li Xuewu said seriously, "Once you leave my stall, regardless of how many orders you place, if someone else comes afterward, their unit price must be calculated at one yuan and ten cents!"

"Unless the quantity of the second order is double that of the first, the price will be one yuan and ten cents!"

Fearing the other party might not believe him, he smiled, shook the nail clippers in his hand, and said, "If you don't believe me, just try it!"

The meaning of "just try it" was: if you have the ability, go ahead and leave; then, after someone else places an order, come back and ask me if the price is indeed one yuan and ten cents.

Mr. Zhong narrowed his eyes; with negotiations reaching this stage, all the superficial pretenses between them had vanished, leaving only interests.

He was somewhat astonished by Li Li Xuewu's confidence, calmness, and seriousness; who had given them such confidence?!

Mr. Zhong shook his head slightly; although reluctant in his heart, he ultimately chose to give up.

Just at the instant he was about to rise, and just as the onlookers were secretly cursing Li Li Xuewu for being arrogant and inflexible, a voice cut in from the side:

"Are you the ones selling these nail clippers?!"

That person pushed through the crowd, slapped the nail clippers in his hand onto the table, and seemed intent on causing trouble.

Upon seeing this, everyone around widened their eyes, their desire to watch a spectacle clearly written on their faces.

Feigning confusion, before Li Li Xuewu could even react, that person pressed further with a question: "Are you certain the unit price is one yuan? Do you guarantee that starting from the second order, the price increases by ten cents?"

Seeing the situation, the onlookers felt this person truly came to cause trouble; they were already haggling over the price!

As for Mr. Zhong, he was also startled by Cheng Cheng Yaojin appearing out of nowhere, and he frowned while watching his performance.

"If you don't believe it, just try!"

Li Li Xuewu seemed to have understood the implication and provocation in his words; he looked at him confidently with a smile, as if he truly did not know him.

"Try it, then!"

This newcomer also spoke with a thick, rolling tongue; one listen and it was obvious he was a Hong Kong merchant.

"One hundred thousand orders! Sign now!"

This person was truly domineering; he pulled qualification documents for foreign merchants and various items for signing contracts from his pocket, waving his hand as if ready to sign immediately.

The onlookers were all bewildered; what was going on, with one dramatic twist after another!

The people from the Export General Company were also bewildered; he had participated in commodity price negotiations before, but he had never seen negotiations conducted like this, nor had he ever seen anyone so eager to sign a contract.

Just as he was about to accept the other party's documents, Mr. Zhong would not have it; he waved his hand to block the way between them and said, "I arrived first!"

"But you haven't placed an order!"

The newcomer raised an eyebrow and retorted aggressively, "Weren't you just about to leave? That makes it perfect for me to step in!"

"Who said that!"

Mr. Zhong bulged his eyes and shouted, "I was about to place an order; which of your eyes saw me leaving!"

Gesturing toward Li Li Xuewu, he said, "We are brothers of the same rank; who exactly are you!"

"What are you doing! Stealing business!"

Mr. Zhong confronted the other party, saying, "Do you understand the rules? Tell me, where are you from!"

He still strongly suspected the other party was a shill hired by Li Li Xuewu, someone sent to poach business and lead away customers.

Although selling them for one yuan each still yielded a profit, who wouldn't want to earn more?

These nail clippers had excellent steel quality; he had tested them many times last night without encountering any rolling of the edge or dullness, which was why he had come today.

Especially the design of placing the nail-file pattern inside made them even more convenient, a feature sure to be welcomed by the market.

When doing business, there must always be a step for haggling down the price.

But he also knew that pricing on the mainland was very transparent, with little room for negotiation, and he was mentally prepared for this.

It all depended on whether this person trying to poach business was genuine; if he was real, then no matter what, he had to place an order first to block this path.

If he was merely a decoy sent to lead customers away, then no matter what, he would play tricks on him to drive the price down even further.

"Kowloon, Shunfeng Trading Company, so what!"

The newcomer was indeed bold and fearless of Mr. Zhong's threats, holding up his credentials and flashing them right in the other man's face.

Mr. Zhong realized the other party was indeed a business poacher, and his temper immediately flared; he pointed at the man, cursing him for lacking integrity, and threatened to report him to the association upon returning.

The two stood there arguing, shocking everyone else present.

Especially those watching the program or gathering around the goods turned their gazes toward them.

Hearing the surrounding crowd explain the situation, they were even more surprised; earlier, they had been so focused on inspecting the goods that they hadn't heard of such a rule.

While the two were arguing, another opportunist slipped in and approached Li Li Xuewu to place an order for nail clippers.

He still held in his hand the foreign merchant documents capable of signing contracts, but his secretive demeanor was spotted by Mr. Zhong.

"And who are you!"

Mr. Zhong grabbed that person by the arm, secretly cursing his Hong Kong counterparts for lacking integrity, asking if they all thought they were Cheng Cheng Yaojin!

"I want an order for two hundred thousand units, sign the contract right now!"

He shouted loudly at Li Li Xuewu: "Immediately! Right now! I want to sign the contract!"

Seeing Mr. Zhong's face turned red with anger, the translator was somewhat at a loss.

While he was shouting to rush the order, the staff from the Export General Company had effectively become waiters serving contract signings.

As procedures began here, the second Hong Kong merchant who had arrived also shouted: "What about mine! Hey! I placed my order earlier too!"

"I am truly sorry, sir, the rules are set."

Li Li Xuewu spoke to him with great apology: "This gentleman placed his order first; you will have to wait a moment."

The man patted the documents in his hand and asked: "How much is mine? It can't really be one yuan and ten cents, can it?!"

"Regrettably, unless you place an order for four hundred thousand units~"

Li Li Xuewu smiled slightly and explained to the other party with great regret: "Otherwise, you can only consider the ordering price of one yuan and ten cents."

"Of course, you could also take a look at our kitchenware; over here, there hasn't been..."

Before he could finish his sentence, the people examining the kitchen samples objected, shouting: "We looked first, and you haven't even quoted us a price yet!"

Purchasers of other goods also kept shouting for negotiations, refusing to allow the first base price to be claimed by someone else.

Just as they were arguing, "Clang!" someone struck a gong and shouted: "Hong Kong merchant Mr. Zhong has ordered two hundred thousand units of nail clippers; contract signed, deal closed!"

"Bang!"

Before the crowd could react to this gong-striking ceremony, a balloon hanging overhead exploded, instantly showering colorful confetti that framed Mr. Zhong's triumphant smiling face.

He now looked at the second and third competitors with an expression of total victory.

Right after the gong sounded, the host at the exhibition booth continued shouting: "Congratulations to Hong Kong Hualong Daily Commodities Trading on an order of two hundred thousand yuan! Congratulations!"

After the host finished shouting, the surrounding propagandists and staff clapped in unison and repeated the announcement, creating a spectacle comparable to opening a bottle of Royal Supreme Salute at a KTV!

A similar effect was achieved as the girls from the art troupe approached holding bouquets and large signing gift packages, instantly making Mr. Zhong the most dazzling person in the venue.

When the girls surrounded him in a circle, presenting bouquets and gifts, someone took photos with a camera to commemorate the moment, as if it were a great honor.

This promotional effect and the on-site atmosphere were instantly maxed out, raising the classiness by several levels in an instant.

Amidst the cheers and applause, Mr. Zhong couldn't help but feel somewhat carried away; he had never received such an enthusiastic welcome since coming to the mainland.

Seeing Mr. Zhong's expression of pride and satisfaction, the Kowloon merchant pretended to be envious and loudly asked Li Li Xuewu: "If I place the first order for kitchen supplies, will I get this kind of scene too?!"

As if a rivalry had truly ignited, everyone around turned their gazes toward Li Li Xuewu.

Li Li Xuewu said very calmly: "Of course! The first order enjoys the base price; this is the rule, and we are all family!"

"As for the signing ceremony!"

He waved his hand and shouted: "As long as you sign, there will be one; the larger the unit price, the better the effect!"

"We have not only prepared a signing ceremony for signing merchants, but also a Dragon and Tiger List!"

Li Li Xuewu gestured toward the sign hanging on the wall for Hong Kong Hualong Daily Commodities Trading, along with the note behind it stating two hundred thousand yuan, and explained: "The trust of our family members is the call urging us to improve; as we progress, we must also let our family members enjoy the spotlight."

Upon seeing there was also a ranking list, the envy in everyone's hearts took on a new form; didn't a higher ranking represent greater strength?

Who wouldn't want their company's name ranked at the front? A higher transaction unit price also represented that their company had strength!

People are most afraid of keeping up with the Joneses, especially when the atmosphere is built up to the point where they lose their rationality.

Otherwise, why do you think the dim red lights of Hong Langman are turned on for whom?

The merchants viewing the exhibits at the booth had basically confirmed the quality of the goods; now, hearing about the red ribbon ceremony and the grand spectacle, people from other countries didn't react much, but the Hong Kong merchants became lively.

Even foreign merchants who had no interest in being draped in red ribbons and colorful decorations became anxious upon hearing that prices would increase starting from the second order.

The products were indeed good products, and the quality was top-notch; before seeing the prices, especially after seeing the price of the nail clippers, their hearts felt as if a mischievous little cat was scratching around inside them.

They feared the goods they liked would be priced too high, yet also feared the goods others liked would be priced too low!

How could one describe this feeling?!

It is quite comparable to this: fearing your brother will suffer hardship, yet also fearing your brother will drive a Land Rover!

Now that some jerk had come to snatch business by buying nail clippers, could the kitchenware purchasers allow him to take this position!

Therefore, among the kitchenware side, a frantic rush produced the first contract, worth three million six hundred thousand yuan for a Western-style kitchen set, including cookware and cutlery; three purchasing merchants joined forces to place the order in order to enjoy the first-order base price treatment.

"Clang! ~~~"

Just as the contract was signed and sealed, the sound of gongs rang out again in the signing area, and someone shouted loudly: "Hong Kong merchant Mr. Lin, British merchant Mr. William, and German merchant Mr. Hank have ordered ten thousand sets of Western-style kitchenware; the contract is signed, the deal is done!"

"Bang!"

The balloon everyone was expecting burst once more, instantly showering down colorful confetti, beneath which stood the three purchasers, exchanging polite nods with restrained smiles on their faces.

Compared to Mr. Zhong's overflowing smugness, these three were all major merchants, naturally possessing their own refinement and reserve.

First, they shook hands with each other, and then shook hands with Xiang Xiang Jingyu, who had hosted the signing.

Meanwhile, congratulations came from the exhibition stand: "Congratulations to Hong Kong City Sanyuan Trading Firm, Great Britain Sanfu Trading Co., Ltd., and Germany Hank Bill Trading Co., Ltd. on placing orders worth 3.6 million yuan! Congratulations to them!"

"Bang!"

Good heavens, caught off guard, the balloons overhead burst again!

Following this, the young ladies of the propaganda team approached, holding bouquets of fresh flowers and large gift packages for the signatories.

Even more surprising was that behind them were others carrying champagne and wine glasses.

They walked forward leisurely, drawing a wave of envious glances.

Seeing that their signing ceremony was indeed more grand than the previous one, natural smiles of satisfaction appeared on the faces of the three signatories.

Especially considering their customs were catered to, with the appearance of fine champagne, they were exceptionally delighted.

The British merchant William opened the champagne; as the foam sprayed out, it triggered a chorus of cheers from the surrounding crowd.

With the atmosphere reaching this peak, and seeing the names of the three companies occupying high positions on the Dragon-Tiger Leaderboard, the foreign merchants on site began rubbing their hands together; even those without procurement projects started looking for items to purchase.

It was just like watching a live stream; when the top donor leads by sending airplanes, shouldn't you also follow and send at least a pair of sunglasses or something?

"Clang! ~~~"

"Japanese merchant Mr. Zhu Zhu Xiaolin has ordered ten thousand sets of household hardware tool kits; the contract is signed, the deal is done!"

"Clang! ~~~"

"Italian merchant Mr. Edward has ordered three hundred thousand sets of canned goods; the contract is signed, the deal is done!"

"Clang! ~~~"

"French merchant Mr. Thomas has ordered five thousand sets of engineering hardware tool kits; the contract is signed, the deal is done!"

Today, the Hardware Export Exhibition Hall was destined to be anything but peaceful; in this corner that should have been ignored, the sounds of gongs and bursting balloons occurred repeatedly.

Especially amplified by the exclamations and discussions of the surrounding audience, this spot attracted the attention and gaze of the entire venue.

Not to mention the foreign merchants visiting this side, even the heads of the exhibiting units came to observe and learn.

It wasn't enough that they came to learn on their own; they even brought cameras and notebooks, determined to see exactly what was happening here.

What is this!

Daring to sell a single nail clipper for one yuan!

Daring to sell a set of Western-style knives for forty-nine yuan!

Daring to demand fifty-something just for packing a set of hammers and wrenches in a box!

Since when have foreign merchants become so easy to fool!

Their booth was about the same size; although the Rolling Steel Factory's booth was larger, some other major units also had this much space.

Yet, looking at the layout of the Rolling Steel Factory's booth, it was very distinctive, uniquely designed in ways they couldn't have imagined.

An extended small stage, a U-shaped display counter behind it, demonstration and negotiation areas on the sides, and even a backstage preparation area.

Look at how they coordinated this space, with the lighting and sound effects rigged from above; it was truly extraordinary.

There was so much here that could be learned, so very much to learn!

You say their goods are deceptive?

Some who didn't believe it really leaned in to take a closer look, and comparing them to the tools in their own factories, there was indeed a huge difference.

Their tools were arranged neatly inside the boxes, looking truly professional, gleaming white and bright, exquisitely crafted.

You say they are all hammers, all used the same way; well, cups are all for drinking water too, yet prices vary from high to low.

The small hardware exhibition area of the Rolling Steel Factory truly taught their peers a lesson, showing them that tools could also be played with in fancy ways.

Previously they were unconvinced, wondering why their tool prices differed from the Rolling Steel Factory's, but now they understood.

Not only hardware, but also canned goods, wool products, leather products, heavy industrial goods, and more.

The Rolling Steel Factory calling itself a comprehensive enterprise was truly no exaggeration.

Though they might not admit it verbally, in their hearts they were convinced, especially hearing order after order being signed here, with the sound of bursting balloons never stopping.

Even until the noon break, the popularity of the Rolling Steel Factory's booth remained undiminished from its opening moment.

Foreign merchants from other exhibition halls, hearing about the excitement here, also flocked over.

More or less, they all selected and ordered some items, enjoying the glory and brilliance brought by placing orders.

On that Dragon-Tiger Leaderboard, many merchants jostled up and down for position; some purchasers, in order to rank higher, even increased their order volumes.

Even though starting from the second order required a slight increase in the procurement price, some people persisted in purchasing.

Why?

Because this unit valued reputation; since they stated that only the first order enjoyed the base price treatment, the second order could only enjoy such treatment by doubling the order volume.

Therefore, to lock in the price, purchasers of the first order would often increase their order quantity, making it more difficult for the second order.

Peers are natural enemies; for the second order where competition existed, they would Xiang Zhu Fa to form groups for procurement, thereby also enjoying the base price.

As long as there was someone to compete, the Rolling Steel Factory would not lose money.

What damn base price? On Li Li Huai De's face, the anxiety and agitation from before the first order had vanished; now he was smiling like a Maitreya Buddha.

Any trace of anxiety or resentment toward Li Li Xuewu had long since vanished.

For a young person, if you get things done, you're promising despite your youth; if you fail, you're just inexperienced and talkative.

Winners become kings, losers turn into bandits; now, whatever Li Li Xuewu says, Li Li Huai De accepts—if Li Li Xuewu says one, he would never say two.

In terms of professional capability, Li Li Huai De was once again convinced by Li Li Xuewu's ability and mindset; he was thoroughly convinced.

Li Li Xuewu was simply too talented!

This was the realization Xiang Xiang Jingyu had while sitting beside Li Li Xuewu, listening to him communicate with foreign merchants, finalizing order after order, until her hand ached from signing.

This was not the first time Xiang Xiang Jingyu had told Li Li Huai De about Li Li Xuewu's talent, nor would it be the last.

At every contract signing and commemorative photo session, Li Li Xuewu, representing Li Li Huai De, the top leader of the Rolling Steel Factory, would extend invitations to their partners.

He invited them to visit Jingcheng and come to the Rolling Steel Factory whenever convenient, or whenever they wished to gain a deeper understanding of the factory and pursue more profound cooperation, promising them a feeling of being at home.

These people were here to bring you money; customers are God!

Therefore, Li Li Xuewu's attitude no longer reflected the cunning displayed during negotiations; instead, he wore a friendly face.

The foreign merchants were quite accustomed to his changing expressions, though only the foreign affairs translators and representatives from the Export General Company twitched the corners of their mouths.

However, during negotiations, Li Li Xuewu could basically communicate in English, saving much trouble.

By the time of signing, the negotiation terms were already settled; the people from the Export General Company were merely assistants, so what did they have to say?

Thus, through everyone's coordination and the tacit cooperation of the work team, after the hall closed for the evening, the financial settlement and account statistics were produced:

On the first day of the Yangcheng Export Commodities Fair, the total transaction volume achieved by the Red Star Rolling Steel Factory reached 9.7 million yuan!

It was just a hair's breadth away from breaking the ten million mark, leaving Li Li Xuewu with both surprise and regret.

Li Li Huai De looked at him with amusement, Xiang Xiang Jingyu affectionately held his arm to comfort him, and the entire exhibition team gathered around.

Everyone clearly understood that the effort and preparation Li Li Xuewu had devoted before and during the exhibition were exactly why the Rolling Steel Factory could triumph today and create history.

Smiling with maternal warmth, Xiang Xiang Jingyu comforted Li Li Xuewu, saying, "Do you know what an order of 9.7 million yuan means for the Rolling Steel Factory, Deputy Director Li?"

Looking at Li Li Xuewu with eyes full of appreciation, she said, "It means that this year, and even next year, the Rolling Steel Factory will not need to worry about financial difficulties!"

"And as for me!"

Xiang Xiang Jingyu said in a slightly excited tone, "I will also be able to present a report card that satisfies all employees during this year's financial settlement."

Li Li Xuewu composed his expression, turned to face the members of the exhibition team who were looking at him, and said deeply, "Today's victory is entirely due to Director Li and Deputy Director Xiang, who provided us with strength and support like a stabilizing needle!"

"It is entirely due to the tacit cooperation of our comrades and the silent dedication of each group; it is all because we set our hearts on one goal and directed our strength to one place!"

"A united Rolling Steel Factory is invincible!"

Raising his fist, he led the Rolling Steel Factory exhibition team in shouting this arrogant slogan, causing other exhibiting units busy cleaning up after closing to glance over in surprise.

There was nothing to say; after a hard day's work, their own units hadn't even secured orders amounting to a fraction of theirs, so what was there to compare?

Some exhibitors, trying to make up for lost time, hurriedly arranged for people to redecorate their booths, learning from the Rolling Steel Factory by organizing programs, publicity, and events.

Xiang Xiang Jingyu smiled and patted Li Li Xuewu's arm; she had gained confidence in negotiations and had learned many techniques from Li Li Xuewu.

Especially regarding the assessment of situations and key negotiation points; in the afternoon, with the help of a translator, she had also begun engaging in negotiation work.

Although she stumbled a bit at the beginning, overall, everything went very smoothly.

Especially since their two tables were close together, she and Li Li Xuewu cooperated tacitly; otherwise, how could she have taken the initiative to hold Li Li Xuewu's arm just now? This was a method female leaders used to show closeness.

Li Li Huai De felt no envy or jealousy toward the support and affection everyone showed Li Li Xuewu; this was what Li Li Xuewu deserved.

Especially given his serious and responsible attitude toward work; when Biao Gong, he mentioned everyone except himself.

Today, the small commodities were selling like crazy, and Li Li Huai De was nearly going crazy too.

The items were small yet novel, with designs that merchants approved of; since they ordered in large quantities, the merchants weren't afraid of being stuck with inventory.

The best-selling item was not the nail clippers, which had orders worth 700,000, but rather the toolboxes.

You might ask if this thing is advanced? Anyone can manufacture it.

You might ask about the materials? As long as one is willing to spend, anyone can afford them.

However, when it came to high quality at a low price with excellent craftsmanship, no one could really compete with this specific model from the Rolling Steel Factory.

It was very convenient and practical, not getting in the way wherever placed; orders had already exceeded 100,000 units.

At noon, Li Li Huai De took Secretary Li Li Haiyang out to make phone calls, placing long-distance calls to the Rolling Steel Factory.

He demanded that the factory's hardware plant work overtime and intensify production, as a huge business opportunity had arrived.

The people at the Rolling Steel Factory were utterly stunned, unsure of what was happening; if Secretary Li Li Haiyang hadn't subsequently taken the phone to explain in detail, they would have thought Director Li was having a delusion.

During his noon nap, he couldn't fall asleep at all, occupied solely with counting money in his heart.

The grand blueprint Li Li Xuewu had once painted for him finally had funding!

The Worker's Village, the Worker's Indoor Gymnasium, the Steel City Resort Area—

All of them could now be realized!

9.7 million yuan! Even after deducting one-quarter for costs, there would still be over 7 million yuan in profit.

If they struggled for a year next year, those 7-plus million could double!

By then, wouldn't it be my grassland and my horses, doing whatever I please?

Do not stop chasing the footsteps of the 17th Group; strive to establish the Red Star Group within three years!

At this moment, Old Li was truly heroic and vigorous, his spirit soaring.

Returning to the Tire Factory Guesthouse, he waved his hand broadly, telling the restaurant to add dishes, add meat dishes, add substantial dishes!

Everyone had worked hard all day, so busy they hadn't even had time to drink a sip of water; hearing that the leadership was adding meat dishes, they cheered once again.

The 9.7 million was definitely not the ultimate figure for this exhibition; the orders brought back would also translate into performance scores distributed among them.

Yet this achievement belonged to the leadership; how much of it could they actually share?

But these meat dishes would genuinely end up in their stomachs; this was their own, so their cheering was even more vigorous.

Originally, the plan was to eat first, then take a bath, and finally hold a summary meeting.

Now the plan was to bathe and freshen up first, then eat, followed by a brief business summary meeting right here at Daoshitang.

Li Li Xuewu returned to his room, quickly washed up, and headed to Daoshitang to wait for Li Li Huai De and the others.

Just as Li Li Hongna from Finance handed the ledger to him, Li Li Huai De and Xiang Xiang Jingyu came downstairs.

Everyone exchanged smiling greetings, and upon taking their seats again, Li Li Xuewu passed the ledger to Li Li Huai De, remarking with a smile, "The shipyard has earned back its costs!"

Hearing this, Li Li Huai De laughed heartily, saying, "With this trip back, we could earn enough for ten shipyards!"

This counted as an unexpected joy, since no one knew that neither Li Li Xuewu nor Li Li Huai De had dared to hope for too much.

What was the focus of the trade fair?

It was channels and connections!

Of course, the orders signed now were even better; these foreign merchants could engage in deep communication, and the orders could be transformed into trade agreements.

What is a trade agreement?

To explain it simply, it means operating independently; when a factory's business capabilities and transaction scale grow large enough, it can cooperate directly with foreign merchants without being restricted by the general export corporation.

The most typical example is Factory 101; as the eldest son, they connected business directly with foreign partners, and although foreign exchange still had to be turned over, they no longer suffered the burden of transaction fees.

With a transaction volume of 9.7 million generated now, a certain percentage had to be handed over to the fair organizers.

Just thinking about it made Li Li Huai De feel heartache; if money had to be given, it should go to Jingcheng, not Yangcheng—who there would care about their well-being?

Needless to say, for all the foreign merchants met this time, he would do his utmost to support Li Li Xuewu in converting these orders into trade agreements.

That meant prioritizing trade agreements in future commercial cooperation, or even leveraging the conveniences of Dongfang Trading to launch trade collaborations.

Today, the nationalities of foreign merchants visiting the booth were exceptionally diverse, and the information left behind was equally abundant; the conference team was already organizing it.

This included Hong Kong merchants, British, French, German, and others who had already completed transaction orders, as well as:

North Korea, Annan, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, and Cuba.

Yemen, Kuwait, Italy, Australia, Cambodia, West Germany, France, and New Zealand.

Tanzania, Mali, Pakistan, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Morocco, Denmark, Kenya, Jordan, and so on.

Listing so many was certainly not idle chatter, but rather to point out who had come and who had not, thereby reflecting the vitality of economic trade in this era.

Setting aside other matters for now, even Japanese giants such as Tokyo's Mitsui and Mitsubishi Corporation, as well as Osaka's Marubeni-Iida, had sent representatives to visit.

Xitian Xitian Jianyi, a Japanese merchant, was attending the trade fair for the first time this year; while chatting casually with Li Li Xuewu, he complained bitterly that unless one first read the Little Red Book, even the taxi drivers prepared for them wouldn't know how to drive.

Initially, he had been drawn by the liveliness here, following the crowd.

Watching the bustle at the fair, he greatly enjoyed this atmosphere.

At first, he was also quite troubled, unsure how to strike up a conversation, but later, seeing others greet each other with phrases from the Little Red Book, he finally found the trick.

How badly did merchants like Xitian want to do business within the country?!

They had even specially established a *** Thought Research Society to facilitate their participation in the fair.

This not only received a positive response from the fair organizers but also involved over one hundred Japanese purchasers.

Li Li Xuewu, amused, taught him a few short phrases to make them easier to remember.

Xitian appeared very friendly, and Li Li Xuewu likewise showed great kindness on the surface; the two fully embodied a friendly trading atmosphere.

Especially after Xitian purchased ten thousand units of various goods, Li Li Xuewu went so far as to call him a friend.

"I once had a Japanese friend named Oshima Miyichi; he also had a Chinese name, Huhu Zhengquan."

Li Li Xuewu spoke nonsense with his eyes closed, describing how friendly and close he had been with this Japanese friend, leaving Xitian utterly stunned.

Since negotiations for the Sino-Japanese Trade Agreement were scheduled to take place in Jingcheng next month, Xitian would also be going, and they had agreed that he would visit the Rolling Steel Factory at that time.

Li Li Xuewu particularly liked friends like this—the kind he would carve onto a tombstone.