I'm reborn and I'm an international student again?

“Alright! The Saeki family and the agricultural cooperative will definitely support you with all their might!” After a moment of contemplation, Kosuke Saeki took a deep breath and made a solemn decision.

Although the infighting within the farmers' associations has come to an end, the problem has not been completely eradicated.

Regardless of the era or the organization, there will always be some people who tend to compromise and back down.

They always thought that by bowing to the strong, they could get a share of the spoils and survive by doing nothing.

Even now, there are still voices within the agricultural cooperative advocating for cooperation with the four major grain traders, despite the fact that the other party has already revealed its true colors. These people continue to convince themselves and try to maintain their illusions.

"Korea is a net importer of food, and island nations are one of its important sources of imports, especially in high-value-added categories such as beer, whiskey, snacks, and processed foods. At the same time, the two countries also maintain close ties in markets such as high-end fruits," Chen Xi further analyzed. "Since the nuclear accident, Korea, citing food safety concerns, has completely banned the import of seafood and agricultural products from several prefectures in the island nation. After Trump came to power, he demanded renegotiation of the US-Korea Free Trade Agreement and threatened to impose high tariffs on Korean steel and other products. This forced Korea to make concessions in the agricultural market, agreeing to expand its import quota for American beef."

He paused, then continued, "As seen in previous clashes with ABCD, Trump will likely continue to pressure island nations to buy more American agricultural products, such as beef, corn, and wheat, to reduce the US-Japan trade deficit. Under this pressure, your two countries will have a need for strategic convergence. Both sides will feel threatened by American unilateralism and thus seek to strengthen cooperation. However, I predict that the new leader of South Korea will not do this; he will most likely assist the US in suppressing island nation agriculture in order to appease the US."

"However, this is only a short-term trend. Given South Korea's consistent tendency to waver, your two countries will eventually have to turn to importing grain from China in order to survive. What we need to do now is to restructure the grain trade order in the entire Asia..." Chen Xi explained the whole plan in detail.

For him, raiding American agriculture was merely a stopgap measure for quick profits. It's unwise to engage in prolonged confrontation with a business leader like Trump on his home soil, as the latter could retaliate at any time. The best strategy is to profit together with him; therefore, the long-term focus should remain on Asia.

Just as the two were having an in-depth conversation, another dialogue was taking place in a secluded building in Seoul.

“You know I’ve been framed. The so-called ship accident and the sacrificial accusations are all fabricated.” A middle-aged woman sat in a chair, her tone calm but firm.

A middle-aged man with a serious expression sat opposite her.

"So what? The corruption is a fact, and your resignation is a foregone conclusion." After a long silence, the man finally spoke.

"Our two factions have been fighting for so many years, and now the battle has finally come to a conclusion," the woman sighed softly.

"Hmph, what factional infighting? I'm pushing for judicial reform! Look at how the people of South Korea view us now? Once we lose the trust of our people, South Korea's future is over." The man slammed his hand on the table, his emotions running high.

"Several group chairmen have already been imprisoned recently. What else do you want to do?"

"That's just an act. Who doesn't know they won't be locked up for long? This show is just for Americans and the working class, to ease tensions. And look at the tycoons now, committing financial fraud and manipulating stock prices. I'm going to send them all to jail!"

"Don't make it sound so noble. All you want is to consolidate the government's control. But if you go too far, the Korean economy will collapse. Taking a hard line like this is definitely not the way to go."

"No need to say more. Once I take office, the first thing I'll do is target Samsung. I know they have a deal with you," the man said coldly.

"Sigh, whatever the case, I just hope the country will get better and better! This is the common wish of every leader we've had. America has always tried to control us, and now I'm going to go in and enjoy my retirement like my predecessor. Now it's your turn." The woman sighed, then smiled with relief.

"I will." This time, the man did not object.

Magic City.

Musk returned to his hotel after the meeting and felt a headache coming on.

The problem naturally lies in the negotiations for building a factory locally.

Although it is not uncommon for foreign automakers to set up factories in China, policy restrictions still exist.

According to regulations, foreign-invested automobile companies must form joint ventures with local automobile companies to produce automobiles, and their shareholding ratio cannot exceed 50%.

However, Musk had previously received word that the policy might be relaxed soon, allowing wholly foreign-owned factories, which was the main purpose of his trip.

However, during the actual negotiations, the other party kept changing their demands. He knew perfectly well that they were trying to gain more leverage.

The local government has required Tesla to achieve full localization of its supply chain within a certain period. Specifically, the localization rate of parts must reach 100% within three years of production. This means that almost all parts for the entire vehicle must be sourced from China.

Secondly, there is the financial investment, which, while not unaffordable for Tesla, is by no means a small amount. Thirdly, there are tax requirements; the factory must continue to operate and contribute substantial tax revenue. The agreement even sets specific targets, and if these targets are not met, land and other resources may be reclaimed.

But the most crucial aspect is the technical level.

Although there are no mandatory technology transfer clauses, the local government clearly expects to introduce advanced production technologies, management experience, and human resource standards through the construction and operation of the factory, thereby driving the upgrading of the entire industry.

Musk knows this isn't a decision he can make alone; ultimately, it depends on Trump's attitude.

At that moment, he suddenly remembered what Jia Riting had said: perhaps while cooperating on technology, he could also create a persona of someone who dedicates themselves to human technology.

Just as he was deep in thought, his assistant came in and whispered a few words.

Musk nodded and stood up.

Half an hour later, at a luxury restaurant near the hotel.

Musk looked at the local new energy vehicle company bosses sitting in a circle and didn't know what to say for a moment, because each of them had several wine glasses in front of them.

Despite being a businessman, he, being a Westerner, still didn't quite understand the complexities of the local drinking culture.

"Welcome, friends from afar!" Li Weibin, the boss of Future Auto, raised his glass first, and the others followed suit.

Out of consideration for Musk, everyone was drinking red wine.

"Thank you!" Musk replied politely.

"How are the negotiations between Mr. Musk and the Shanghai government progressing? Now the whole world knows you're going to build a factory here," asked Li Fu, the owner of Jili Auto.

"The basic framework is set, only the details are still being discussed," Musk told the truth.

He knew he couldn't hide it; which of the government officials present didn't have friends there?
"If the project is successfully completed, what are Tesla's specific plans for development in China? For example, pricing strategy..." Li Buxiang, the boss of Lixiang Auto, continued to ask.

"I've studied the prices of new energy vehicles in your country, and compared to our domestic market, they're not cheap. But if we can build a factory in Shanghai and achieve local sourcing, coupled with reasonable labor costs, costs will continue to decline in the next few years. At that time, we can consider lowering prices to increase sales," Musk admitted.

"No, prices can't be lowered," He Dapeng of Dapeng Motors shook his head. "If Tesla leads the way in lowering prices, all car manufacturers will have to follow suit. Once that happens, electric vehicles will become increasingly worthless, and industry subsidies will decrease. You understand what I mean?"

“That’s right, businessmen are essentially in it for profit. Wouldn’t it be better to maintain the status quo and have everyone benefit together?” Shen Yihui, the owner of Weima Motors, quickly chimed in.

Musk may be a foreigner, but he's not stupid.

He immediately understood the underlying meaning: these business owners wanted to recruit him so they could maintain the status quo together through subsidies. But how could that be possible?

Even if he agreed, the reliable government and the Shanghai government would never allow it.

The agreement clearly stipulates in black and white the requirement to achieve tangible results.

Without lowering prices, how can we achieve a sales breakthrough?
"This... I'm afraid it will be a bit difficult. During today's negotiations, the agreement listed a lot of hard targets, and even without lowering the price, it won't be easy to achieve them..." The clever Musk directly shifted the blame to the local government.

“That’s easy. The vehicles come in low, medium, and high-end versions. You can lower the price, but the configuration can’t be better than other markets, or the overall price-performance ratio can’t be much higher than ours,” He Dapeng said with a smile.

His Dapeng Motors focuses on low prices, so if Tesla's price-performance ratio is too high, his sales will inevitably be affected.

"You mean the stripped-down version? The Model 3 is already Tesla's most cost-effective model. Currently, production in the US is limited, and it hasn't been delivered to the Chinese market yet. After localized production, the price might drop to the 20-30 yuan range. But its interior is already criticized for being rudimentary. If it's further stripped down, are you going to remove the steering wheel too?" Musk was somewhat speechless.

"No, we mean adjustments in terms of quality and functionality, such as downgrading materials or adding some paid unlocking features. After all, electric vehicles are also somewhat electronic products, and paid entertainment models can definitely be developed," Shen Yihui explained.

"..."

Musk was speechless for a moment.

He thought the dinner was to discuss industry development, but it turned out to be a mobilization meeting for "common progress".

But upon further reflection, it's not hard to understand.

Once Tesla, as a leading global electric vehicle brand, officially enters the Chinese market, the impact on domestic automakers will undoubtedly be devastating.

How will these domestic manufacturers survive?
Tesla boasts superior quality, a lower price, and the prestige of being an imported brand. Despite numerous online calls to support domestically produced goods, most consumers will still choose imported cars without hesitation when domestically made ones are more expensive.

It is no secret that domestic new energy vehicle companies are currently relying on subsidies to survive.

This situation is quite similar to that of the Chinese national football team; everyone knows the crux of the problem, but no one can truly solve it.

Now that a cure has suddenly appeared out of nowhere, those viruses that have become accustomed to their comfort zones are naturally living in constant fear.

In fact, Chen Xi had dealt with these car company bosses quite a bit in his previous life.

Initially, he was quite dismissive of this practice of relying on subsidies to get by, but when he looked around at other industries—agriculture, tourism, home appliances—which sector wasn't doing the same thing?
However, without corresponding subsidy policies, these industries that require large investments, have long cycles, and are difficult to see returns in the short term would probably find it difficult to attract companies to continue investing.

In a sense, subsidies did indeed play a role in "helping them get started and giving them a boost" in the early stages of industrial development.

late at night.

Seeing that it was getting late, Chen Xi bid farewell to Saeki Kosuke: "Old man, I'm going back to the hotel now. Saori is still waiting for me."

"Hmph, can't you stay at home? You insist on going to a hotel! All you ever think about is that kind of thing." Kosuke Saeki glared at him, but didn't really stop him, because the Japanese have always been open-minded about this kind of thing.

He gave a disgruntled snort and closed the door.

"That old man's temper can flare up at any moment," Chen Xi chuckled, then turned and left.

An hour later, all was quiet. The hot spring hotel disappeared into the thick darkness of the night, with only the floor lamps in the corridor emitting a faint light.

It was already past midnight. Chen Xi exchanged a knowing hand gesture with the receptionist and quietly went to the room where he had been beaten up during the day.

He gently pushed open the door. The room was pitch black, with heavy curtains blocking out all outside light. The only sounds were the hotel's unique, delicate fragrance and a faint, almost imperceptible, dampness from a recent shower.

Chen Xi's eyes adjusted to the darkness, and with the faint light filtering through the crack in the door, he could see a large futon laid out on the tatami mat in the center of the room, with a vague, raised outline under the bedding.

He tiptoed to the center of the room, approached the bed, and patted the person inside with a mischievous grin: "Baby, are you still angry? Oh, you've already taken a shower and are waiting for me? You smell so good~" As he spoke, he put his hand under the covers and deliberately sniffed the air.

"You dare to come back?" Saori's cold snort came from the darkness.

"I know I was wrong, don't be angry. It's been so long since we last met, let your husband pamper you tonight~" Chen Xi chuckled, grabbing Saori's smooth hand.

"Don't touch me! This isn't over yet, are you trying to just brush it off like this?" Saori pulled her hand away.

"Still haven't reached an agreement? How did you and Nana talk? Did you two have a fight?" Chen Xi asked cautiously.

"Hmph, I really want to beat you to death! You actually brought Nana to see me, how dare you. Do you want the two of us to serve you together?" Saori sneered.

"Well... it's not impossible..." Chen Xi mumbled guiltily, then snuggled closer to her.

"Get away from me! You haven't even showered, you're filthy!" A kick suddenly came out from under the covers, hitting Chen Xi squarely in the waist.

"Honey, you can't kick this and break it, otherwise how will you use it later?" Even though he got kicked, Chen Xi still shamelessly put his hand under the covers.

He firmly believes that no conflict is unsolvable after a good night's sleep.

But as soon as his hand reached in, he realized something was wrong. Saori's hand was being held by another hand, and it felt... like a woman's hand too.

"Oh, so you sleep with Nana? Why didn't you say so sooner!" Chen Xi's mouth was almost crooked from smiling, the scene she had been looking forward to seemed to be right in front of her.

"What, you really want both of us to serve you?" Saori continued to sneer.

"I can serve you two too!" Chen Xi replied with a grin, reaching in with his other hand to pull Jin Nana over as well.

Once both hands were inside, he suddenly couldn't laugh anymore.

The hairs on my back stood on end instantly.

There were more than two women in bed.

It seems there are three... (End of Chapter)