Twenty years of cold chain

As night fell, Hu and Yang sat in a restaurant, their eyes showing fatigue yet full of energy—a perfect description of the two of them.

They ordered half a pound of braised beef and a plate of braised shrimp, and planned to have some drinks.

After returning, Hu Shutong received a flurry of phone calls, the most noticeable of which were from Dou Shaojie.

"Dou Shaojie wants to meet with me; it seems the Global Times is getting a little restless."

"We contacted delivery companies outside the province recently, but ultimately we couldn't reach an agreement. It's a consensus in the industry that the fresh food business is difficult. These companies from outside are not familiar with the Qingning market, and they also have to face direct competition from established companies like ours. It's normal that we couldn't reach an agreement."

What do you think of Dou Shaojie's invitation?

Upon hearing this question, Yang Chenghai hesitated, his eyes fixed on Hu Shutong, one large and one small. Hu Shutong smiled and said, "What? Can't you just say it directly?"

"I think the time is right."

"What temperature?"

"If things continue like this, Huanshi may have to give up the Qingning market and instead spend a lot of money to pave the way in other places, driving it away, which would not be worthwhile."

If an ordinary person from Tongxing heard this, they would think that Yang Chenghai was unpredictable, but in reality, this was his deepest thought.

"For so long, all we've been doing is playing the game of wrestling. Things have come to this point, and Dou Shaojie calling you isn't just a casual thing. I suspect he's made a decision. Huanshi wants to make a name for itself in the Qingning fresh food industry and hopes to get our support. But at the same time, this has also touched a nerve with Chunrong. Chunrong absolutely won't back down like this. If Chunrong can reach a consensus internally, it should be Chu Lihe who contacts you."

Hu Shutong wholeheartedly agreed. Yang Chenghai was in charge of delivery, but his vision extended far beyond that. Qingbei and Qingnan, Tongxing and Chunrong—Chunrong had always harbored a hostile attitude towards Tongxing, and had even stirred up trouble within the cold chain industry there, making things difficult for Tongxing. This thorn in his side had long been on Yang Chenghai's radar.

Yang Chenghai peeled a shrimp, dipped it in soy sauce, and said, "Chunrong, this old industrial park that's been around for twenty or thirty years, has finally handed over its legwork to its arch-rival. From now on, it won't have any leverage to attract attention in the industry. We'll just focus on the roadwork from now on. We'll deliver orders wherever they come from, and whoever gets the most orders will depend entirely on their abilities."

Tongxing understands Chunrong very well; this would have been impossible in the past. However, the financing brand Huanshi is not something Chunrong can control. For Dou Shaojie, the CEO, nothing is more important than gaining market share in the fresh food market.

Prioritizing profit is a fundamental quality of business people. Huanshi's downfall would be of no benefit to Tongxing; the resulting fragmentation of Chunrong was exactly the situation Yang Chenghai hoped for. However, this wasn't the final step. Today marked the first time that Hu and Yang's old calculations had come together.

Yang Chenghai hadn't intended to say these words so abruptly, but recent events had given him a new understanding of Hu Shutong. Beneath his calm exterior lay extraordinary courage, unlike anyone he had ever met before, and his methods of handling affairs were unpredictable.

In Hu Shutong's mind, storage has always been the foundation; without storage, there is no transportation. Third-party logistics will always be a part of Tongxing. Speaking of storage, it is the most fundamental first-line connection in the cold chain. As Tongxing's layout expands, its inability to manage agricultural products over a wider area has become an increasing constraint.

Over the years, Chunrong had made countless gestures in front of Tongxing, but now it was Tongxing's turn to reach out. Yang Chenghai had already forced Huanshi to compromise, making it almost certain that they would join Tongxing's side, and it was time for Chunrong to make her move.

"You mentioned at the meeting that delivery companies from other provinces will be moving into Qingning, so we need to make plans early. I will apply to the investors to postpone the equity settlement, and next year we will start a micro-warehouse pilot program in other provinces. Even if we have to back down, we can still do things in both directions, instead of just sitting on the sidelines."

"Then it's the same old rule, I'll bring it up and you can smooth things over. Anyway, all this unrealistic and unrealistic stuff is just me, Old Yang."

Hu Shutong laughed, "Fortunately, you're not the kind of person who takes everything to heart."

Yang Chenghai suddenly burst into laughter, though it was unclear why his laughter couldn't hide the uncontrollable urge in his expression. He quickly picked up his wine and drank a glass. A moment later, his eyes narrowed slightly. "Then the boast I made at the meeting will have to be backed by you. I've been thinking about it, and applying for third-party logistics support will only get you noticed if it's less than ten million."

"Ten million?"

"Tongxing wants to make a name for itself this time, so we need to show everyone the benefits first. Then we can stand taller and be more confident in what we do next. Besides, many people don't understand how to apply for funding from the city or province. You're a seasoned veteran, and now that everyone is on the same page, you have more room to maneuver in the process. Moreover, without financial support, all the standards are just empty talk. Where will the money come from? We can't possibly pay for it ourselves. If you think of this as saving Tongxing money, you'll be full of motivation."

Hu Shutong could only manage a wry smile at his words, "Alright, alright, I'll think of a way."

Yang Chenghai was in high spirits. "Let's drink! Let's drink!"

The next day, Tongxing held its first meeting of the year, where Hu Shutong announced many important things. The most striking thing was that there were never enough people.

Tongxing is establishing an academy department, assigning fifteen people to be stationed in Shinan District to oversee all aspects of Tongxing Academy's operations. Simultaneously, Tongxing is setting up a financing task force to research the financing market and conduct venture capital analysis.

Of course, the most important thing is that Tongxing Northwest Business Division was officially established.

The Northwest Business Division is headed by Liu Zhiying and consists of sixteen people. Seven people stay in Tongxing to focus on business coordination in the Northwest region and the delivery of real-time market information from Qinghai, Ningxia, and Mingjiang. Nine people go to Ganzhou to assist Liu Zhiying.

However, what Tongxing people are concerned about is not the shortage of manpower, but the vibrant momentum brought about by Hu Shutong's return. The road has gone further, the reach has gone deeper; in short, everything is more vibrant.

As all of this unfolded, some people discovered that, unknowingly, a huge "T" shape had formed based on the Tongxing headquarters.

Heading west to Ganzhou, east to Panhu, south to Yuncheng, and exploring Mingjiang—this is the company's cold chain network. People don't need to know how each step was achieved; they only need to know that seeing the roots and finding the shoots is a reassuring sign of robust growth.

If businesses can also be divided into eras, then this is Tongxing's new era!

……

I've loved cold chain logistics for twenty years.