Twenty years of cold chain

Hu Shutong made his stance completely clear to Hou Huan, which meant that it wouldn't be surprising if Kunyu made any moves next. Hu Shutong wasn't good at doing things that were ambiguous. In his view, leaving too much room for maneuver would only make things more complicated and require him to spend all night thinking about what the next steps and details might be.

Rather than this, it's better to cut to the chase and settle this troublesome matter quickly, before or after the New Year. Even if Tongxing doesn't ultimately prevail...

They also have more time to try to acquire Xizhen No. 2 plot from other places.

Of all the connections available, the only person Hu Shutong could think of who could negotiate with Kunyu was one person.

In the villa district at the foot of Xishan Mountain in Mingyuan City, Hu Shutong visited Guan Wentao, bringing expensive cigarettes and alcohol. Although it was already the 27th of the twelfth lunar month, Guan Wentao was very courteous.

The appointment was only made last night.

The trip took place this morning.

This time, instead of climbing the stairs hanging outside, Guan Wentao waited for Hu Shutong in the sunken courtyard.

He was still wearing oversized clothes, like a long down jacket, but the material resembled northern felt.

The tea on the wooden table was extremely strong; in addition to its dark red color, it also had a strong, pungent aroma.

"I've heard about what happened with Mr. Hu. It's really nothing. When others see something you can't hold onto, they'll all be tempted. The only difference is whether it's outright robbery or covert theft. That's how it is in business, and it's the same everywhere."

Compared to a year and a half ago, Guan Wentao's demeanor had changed significantly during this meeting. Back then, he spoke with composure and brooked no dissent, talking to himself while his words carried hidden meanings. But this time, he didn't mince words or beat around the bush, directly stating Hu Shutong's purpose from the very beginning.

Hu Shutong nodded and said, "I know Kunyu is very capable. Tongxing has made its position clear this time. I'm worried that this situation will not be good for anyone."

Guan Wentao agreed with Hu Shutong's words.

"It's not good for anyone" is not an exaggeration. In his view, although Tongxing is not deep, it is broad enough, and the ability of the person in front of him is far beyond what the business world can encompass. Many things were clear from the last meeting, and what happened afterward was even more solid and down-to-earth.

"Mr. Hu means that I should step in and mediate, so that things don't become so confrontational."

Before Hu Shutong could respond, Guan Wentao slowly shook his head. "To be honest, I'm not very familiar with the people at Kunyu. They started to grow and become stronger in 07, while I was active around 97."

Strangely, these words gave one a peculiar feeling, like a tiger crouching with unwavering confidence, as if even the fiercest flames were merely a distant glance in his eyes. The composed and dignified Guan Wentao, with his seemingly fixed gaze and thick, ink-black brows,...

Compared to Hou Huan that day, he made people understand the word "Pan" even more.

"Besides, those of them who make basic building materials have been making great strides in recent years by following the policies, prioritizing speed and production capacity, with very little interaction between industries. If this matter were handled in Minghe's name, it could probably be coordinated, but everyone would think that I, Guan Wentao, am making a mountain out of a molehill. Your matter is not something that can be discussed at a meeting. Minghe is making baseless accusations, and it's fair to say that he doesn't even know who should step forward, nor does he know why he should step forward."

Hearing this firm refusal, Hu Shutong could only pick up his tea and sip it slowly. Guan Wentao's thoughts were perfectly normal; involving Minghe was definitely not a good idea. He hadn't intended for Minghe to appear during this visit, but from his words, it seemed the other party had no other intentions.

However, what happened next left Hu Shutong dumbfounded.

Guan Wentao had the butler bring over a folder, then opened a page and handed it to Hu Shutong. "Mr. Hu, if we go through the group, I'm afraid I'll have to pack my bags and attend several meetings with them, which isn't very friendly to me. How about this: I'll invest in your Tongxing through the Mammoth Fund. That way, we won't have to worry about Minghe's attitude, and we won't have to act inferior to him or talk to that Kunyu."

Hu Shutong's Adam's apple bobbed; this was a personal matter he had never considered before.

Mammoth Fund was founded by Guan Wentao in 04 in his personal capacity. Over the years, it has invested in various fields, but he rarely invests in a single company. Instead, he often injects capital from other industries together with his own.

His suggestion suddenly pushed the situation to another level, turning it into an even more intense confrontation! Instead of reconciliation, it turned Yuncheng into a battleground. Isn't Kunyu's ultimate tactic to inject capital into Chunrong? Then let's see if Mammoth stands behind Tongxing!

Since the second half of last year, financing and mergers and acquisitions in the cold chain industry have become the hottest topic. However, most of these funds are for the integration of emerging industrial parks, and are the initial capital injected into new parks and new channels. Tongxing Phase II missed that opportunity, but Hu Shutong knew that Tongxing would eventually follow that path, because the competitive landscape was constantly expanding and scaling up was moving in an aggressive direction.

Guan Wentao, being such a person, noticed Hu Shutong's doubts in the slightest detail. "Mr. Hu, you don't need to think too much about it. If Mammoth gets involved, we are still going through the angel round of financing. The matter is not complicated at all, and it will not interfere with Tongxing's future financing situation."

Upon hearing about this angel investment, Hu Shutong sighed deeply, because Guan Wentao had only told the first half of the story. Angel investment is inherently arbitrary, but more widely known, it carries a strong emotional element, involving either close friends and family or like-minded individuals, and is rife with personal intentions. In other words, within the larger framework of Mammoth Fund, Guan Wentao had given Tongxing and Hu Shutong a green light they had never received before!

At this point, Hu Shutong truly understood Guan Wentao's intentions. He didn't use Minghe, but everyone knew he was Minghe's largest shareholder. Using Mammoth Fund as a lever meant that Kunyu would see the entire Minghe! And once Mammoth used its angel round, things beyond business would become clearer than ever before. Both business and personal relationships would be taken care of in this one step.

Guan Wentao coughed a few times. "Kunyu can spread rumors, and so can Tongxing. I will send someone to investigate after the New Year. You will be in charge of deciding how to make a splash and the timing."

This act of "surrendering without a fight" is clearly a great consideration by Kunyu. Now that it comes from Guan Wentao's mouth, using their own methods against them, there is nothing more inspiring than this!

Guan Wentao closed the folder and slowly pushed it in front of Hu Shutong. "Hu Shutong, don't see it as a scale you have to bet on. Just see it as a powerful tool for Tongxing. You should have a deeper understanding of the eight cold chain regulations. For someone like you, whether or not to participate in the angel round is probably a dialectical question."

These words are truly admirable. The person before me is like a pair of pliers, possessing a profound understanding of the present and the future, and grasping every thought.

Last time it was a mission, this time it's a real business relationship.

In just a few words, one can see what a truly insightful and powerful business tycoon looks like!

……

I've loved cold chain logistics for twenty years.