Beautiful beauties in the 80s courtyard

Chapter 403 Chu He Arrives
When Lu Qiaoge received Qin Hengzhi's call, she went to the gate of the food factory to wait for him.

Qin Hengzhi arrived quickly, but when he saw Lu Qiaoge standing at the door, she was wearing a down jacket, a woolen hat, a scarf, and even cotton gloves.

He still felt sorry for Lu Qiaoge, so he quickly walked a few steps to open the car door and let her get in.

The temperature was very low today; it seemed like your breath could freeze into frost. Although Qiao Ge didn't look cold at all, Qin Hengzhi felt guilty and thought that he would never call Qiao Ge in advance again.

Lu Qiaoge could tell what he was thinking just by looking at his expression. She took off her scarf and said, "How can you know where I am if you don't call? Isn't it troublesome to run around like this? Don't worry, I'll wait for you in the office from now on."

Actually, she's not cold. Really, if she, with her spatial abilities and superpowers, were to get frozen by this temperature, it would be a huge joke.

Qin Hengzhi glanced at her.

He then gave a soft "hmm" and started the car.

Before Lu Qiaoge could ask, Qin Hengzhi said, "Chu He is here, in Deputy Director Zhou's office."

Lu Qiaoge was stunned for a moment, then remembered that Director Zhou had been transferred to the Foreign Trade Bureau and was now the deputy director.

Although his promotion seemed rapid, Lao Zhou had actually been in the position of director for more than ten years.

As for Chuhe...

Isn't that the heir of the Shunhe Group who brought my second aunt's husband back?

"...Chuhe is a patriotic young man we've developed. We worked together on a mission last year, and he's a trustworthy person. But this time, he's just here to discuss cooperation with you. Let's talk business as it is. If you make concessions to him because of your second aunt's husband, he'll feel ashamed."

Lu Qiaoge nodded, understanding. Chu He wasn't short of money, but if Qin Hengzhi hadn't reminded her, she really would have wanted to give him a discount, since he was the one who safely brought her second aunt's husband back.

But now it seems this is a task, not the same thing, which makes things easier.

In Deputy Director Zhou's office, he was talking to a young man.

The young man was tall and slender, about twenty years old, wearing a woolen overcoat, with a handsome face, a warm smile, and the unique temperament of an overseas Chinese.

He must be Chu He.

When Lao Zhou saw that it was Qin Hengzhi and Lu Qiaoge, he introduced them to each other with a big smile on his face.

Chu He said with a smile, "Xiangyang instant noodles didn't advertise in our area, but it became a hot-selling food through word of mouth. I imagine it's the same in other places, so I took the opportunity to come here in person to talk to your factory about the next order or cooperation."

He speaks Mandarin with a slight Minnan accent, at a slow pace, which is very pleasant to listen to.

Old Zhou said, "Then let's all sit down and talk."

But in my heart I was thinking, I still want to work with Qiao Ge, but I haven't found an opportunity yet.

Moreover, there seems to be no precedent for such cooperation.

I'm afraid it won't work.

Chu He took a few pages of paper from the black leather briefcase and pushed them to Lu Qiaoge.

"Director Lu, the market prospects for instant noodles in Nanyang are obvious to anyone with eyes to see."

Chu He smiled even more warmly: "Look, how about we cooperate and build a branch factory in Nanyang? Our Shunhe Group can provide land, factory buildings, and even local worker training. The Xiangyang factory will mainly be responsible for technology, management, and core raw materials. This will not only greatly reduce costs and improve supply efficiency, but also allow us to reach the entire NY market more quickly!"

Build a branch factory?
The idea was good, but it was 1975, and the domestic environment was complex and volatile. Even factory-run and collectively-owned enterprises were still figuring things out. Investing directly in building factories overseas was a huge leap, like dancing on the edge of a cliff. Lu Qiaoge smiled and said, "President Chu, thank you for your trust and your boldness!"

Her tone was very gentle: "Xiangyang Food Factory's primary task at present is to focus on the domestic market and solidify our foundation. The technology and production process of instant noodles are still in the stage of continuous optimization and improvement, and we have not yet fully mastered the accumulated experience. At this time, it is not the right time or the conditions are not sufficient to set up a branch factory. Please understand our current difficulties."

Chu He seemed to have expected this and was not disappointed. He pondered for a moment and said, "I understand, I understand. Everything is difficult at the beginning."

He quickly changed the subject: "Director Lu, since that's the case, I can't force you. But I have a request. I wonder if you can guarantee Shunhe's supply? Our distribution channels are the widest and deepest."

Yes, Lu Qiaoge was actually waiting for him to bring up this topic.

"President Chu, it's not that we're not supplying, it's just that raw materials are in short supply! You can't cook without rice. The biggest bottleneck in the factory right now is the quota for grains and oils, especially high-quality wheat flour. It's subject to domestic unified purchase and sales, and our quota is tightly controlled. The same goes for oil. The amount that the state-owned oil mills give us, if you calculate it carefully, is really just a drop in the ocean."

A glint flashed in Chu He's eyes; this was precisely where he would demonstrate his strength and sincerity!

"Director Lu, grain and oil are not a problem for our Shunhe Group. In business, we exchange what we have for what we need!"
How about this?

I'll arrange for a ship to transport a batch of top-quality wheat flour and first-grade soybean oil from over there; I guarantee the quality and price. On your side, you should prioritize securing a share for Shunhe Group. Let's sign a long-term supply agreement—a mutually beneficial arrangement, what do you say?

Qin Hengzhi listened quietly from the side, a faint smile playing on his lips.

The office contained not only the four of them, but also Chu He's secretary and colleagues from the Beidu Foreign Trade Reception Office.

Although Chu He is of Chinese descent, he is also a foreign guest.

There are now relevant regulations for receiving foreign guests.

So there were three other people sitting in the office.

However, neither of them said anything.

Moreover, their expressions were all peaceful, without scrutiny or suspicion.

Qin Hengzhi calmly withdrew his gaze.

Lu Qiaoge did not hesitate, but her gaze fell on Xiao Qu from Beidu Foreign Trade and Lao Zhou from the Foreign Trade Bureau.

These are all leaders; we should always consult their opinions.

Xiao Qu was from Beidu, so he was definitely the first to speak up. He smiled and said, "Director Lu, our leader said that we're here to learn."

Needless to say, Old Zhou was all smiles, as if Lu Qiaoge could call the shots.

Lu Qiaoge felt more confident.

This was all explained in advance from above, and everyone was aware of it.

"President Chu, your suggestion is very practical and solves our real difficulties. On behalf of Xiangyang Factory, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to President Chu. As for the specific details and quantities, we can discuss them in more detail and try to set a framework today."

Expanding production using raw materials from Nanyang can both fulfill export targets and earn foreign exchange, and alleviate domestic quota pressure. In her view, this is a win-win or even a triple win.

The country also benefits greatly, and this benefit is long-term and continuous. Not to mention abroad, domestic consumption alone is astonishing.

On a global scale, the profits are simply unimaginable.

(End of this chapter)