Twenty years of cold chain

Behind the old street in the bustling city center, there are many alleys, among which is a teahouse famous for its white tea. It took Hu Shutong quite a while to find this place.

When Hu Shutong learned that he was to meet this person, he was surprised. In addition to his multiple professional titles in Kunyu and the industry, the identity of "Mingda alumnus" seemed to have a lot of purpose.

This person's name is Hou Huan.

He was five years ahead of Hu Shutong and studied civil engineering, the most prestigious major at Mingjiang University.

The teahouse was furnished with many books, and the decorations were mostly silver-white, so it didn't look particularly antique.

Hou Huan was a tall man with a broad face, large ears, and a height of over 1.8 meters. He sat firmly with an imposing presence and immediately began praising Hu Shutong.

"The group recently held a special meeting where everyone reviewed President Hu's career over the years. You wouldn't believe it until you saw it; President Hu truly is the pride of Mingda University and the School of Food Science!"

"President Hou, you flatter me. Mingda University is full of talented people; I'm just benefiting from the industry's reputation."

Hou Huan smiled slightly, "Seeing these Mingda graduates pushing the old guard forward, there's nothing more gratifying than that. You're right, it's the industry's overall trend that has made us who we are, and the industry's future has created a career worth dedicating our lives to."

The conversation started rather quickly and a bit too high, deviating somewhat from Hu Shutong's previous thoughts. What seemed like a few simple pleasantries had actually revealed to Hu Shutong that they knew Tongxing inside and out, and the shift in topic to the industry suddenly made Hu Shutong realize what kind of strategy he needed to play.

"I've been involved in infrastructure construction since the 1990s. We built the world's longest cross-sea bridge, the world's third tallest building, and our country's first nuclear power plant. We reclaimed land from the sea and provided aid to other countries. Especially after the turn of the century..."

This has ushered in an unprecedented era of massive infrastructure development.

Hu Shutong wholeheartedly agreed, noting that nearly half of the 4 trillion yuan stimulus package in 2008 was invested in transportation infrastructure and urban and rural power grids. This not only accelerated my country's recovery from the economic crisis but also stimulated economic development and consumption growth. Foreign countries viewed this as a Chinese miracle in dealing with the financial crisis.

The changes brought about by infrastructure construction to this country are profound, and the impact on everyone is extremely tangible. The improved water conservancy has led to tangible income increases, magnificent buildings have established national symbols, and the construction of road networks has revitalized the national economy. Everyone who has witnessed these changes is proud of them.

More and more people are finding it easier to leave the mountains. The muddy roads in the countryside have been transformed into stone slabs and asphalt, and the dilapidated shantytowns have been replaced by red brick and white tile buildings. The village-to-village road construction project, which has been ongoing for many years, has brought about real changes through infrastructure development, including roads, electricity, and internet access.

Just like a person's growth, you can't see the changes between yesterday and today, but if you compare them over a ten-year span, you'll find that this country is really different.

"Mr. Hou, I admire every person working in infrastructure. Beyond the skyscrapers, road networks, and vehicles we see, infrastructure is also alleviating overcapacity upstream and profoundly changing our country's employment environment."

The benefits it brings us are self-evident and need no further elaboration.

Hou Huan was slightly taken aback; Hu Shutong's words had somewhat eased his surging emotions, but he continued, "President Hu, we are about to enter a crucial decade for the Western Development Strategy. There are still huge untapped areas there, and the West will become a major battleground in the next ten years. However, even the most beautiful blueprint needs to be faithfully implemented step by step, laid brick by brick. This is the essence of the industry!"

This was a pot of aged white tea, a far cry from the common perception of white tea as bland. Hu Shutong sipped the tea, and the feeling of chatting with Hou Huan was unlike anything he had experienced before. It's gratifying to be proud of one's profession, but from this man, Hu Shutong saw more of a problem with his personality.

There is no shortage of people in the world who particularly enjoy lecturing. They often act as speakers in life, and many times they seem to simply enjoy this presence. The less someone interrupts, the more they enjoy it.

"So where did all this come from? It came from those steel mills, brick factories, and cement plants! A stable home requires their basic support, and a prosperous life depends on the dreams they uphold. Those seemingly cold tons of cement actually build a powerful and vibrant economy!"

He finally got to the point, repeatedly talking about infrastructure development, yet he was practically hoisting the cement plant into the air for people to admire. His previous words were telling Hu Shutong that it wasn't just a cement plant, but a major guarantee for the people's well-being and industrial development, a powerful support for the next decade.

Hou Huan had already figured out one thing: Hu Shutong couldn't say anything outside the rules. He had both professional and academic identities, and under these big labels, he couldn't utter any easily refuted arguments that anyone could make.

The School of Civil Engineering at the University of Minnesota is the largest source of elite talent in the university's infrastructure sector, and Hou Huan, who graduated fifteen years ago, holds an honorary position in the school. Given the recent surge in infrastructure development, the School of Civil Engineering has become an even more shining symbol of the University of Minnesota. If Hu Shutong were to refuse this offer, the internal repercussions within the university and the resulting reputation would be unpredictable.

Although no specific details were mentioned at this point, the most important things had already been said. With just a nod from Hu Shutong, the subsequent actions would be clear without any further discussion. It would evolve into a tacit understanding between the companies, remaining perfectly harmonious even without being formalized or written down.

Hu Shutong slowly held the teacup, his head slightly lowered, his gaze unwavering for a long time. Hou Huan watched him quietly, and it was not difficult to understand the inner struggle Hu Shutong was going through at this moment.

"Mr. Hu, if Mr. Pang were still alive, I might ask him to put in a good word for me."

Hou Huan thought this was an extra blessing, but suddenly he saw Hu Shutong raise his head.

Sometimes, even if you speak eloquently and persuasively, you must remember—

Saying less is the best policy!

I've loved cold chain logistics for twenty years.