Twenty years of cold chain

Hu Shutong met Qi Zhendong at a Sichuan restaurant near the old gate on Dongda Street after nightfall.

He had originally intended to visit the group, but as things calmed down, he worried that something might go wrong. When he suggested meeting at a Sichuan restaurant, Qi Zhendong readily agreed and made the appointment on the same day.

Hu Shutong took out a box of tea, which turned out to be a collection of his teacher, Pang Shiyou. The teacher felt it was essential to personally thank Qi Zhendong, as this whole process wouldn't be complete without Qi Zhendong. Hu Shutong didn't have much on him, so how could he normally present it to Qi Zhendong?

"Mr. Qi, I am extremely grateful for your help this time."

Qi Zhendong not only stopped the tea, but also took out an envelope and pushed it in front of Hu Shutong. The envelope had the Bingneng logo on it. "I don't like to bring up things that have already been said. Why don't we just focus on the present and have a good meal?"

Hu Shutong immediately nodded, opened a bottle of high-end liquor he had bought on the way, and ordered several main dishes, including twice-cooked pork and boiled fish.

The Qi Zhendong I saw now was a completely different person from the one at the conference table. He no longer had a furrowed brow or a fixed gaze; instead, he exuded a relaxed air. Qi Zhendong was the tall and imposing type, which was perhaps a major reason why many people feared him. This indifferent demeanor was truly rare.

In Qi Zhendong's previous impression, Hu Shutong was a rigid person, someone who seemed to wear his technical skills on his sleeve. Several of his interactions with Hu Shutong had ended unpleasantly because of this. But seeing Hu Shutong in this state was like looking in a mirror for Qi Zhendong. After being tormented and tortured, he still had to sit up straight and face every situation with utmost seriousness.

"Since I started working at Minghe, I've seen far too many empty shells. People should utilize technology, not worship it. Many people see technology as the only thing, as a gift to the company, but never consider the company's realities. If you were a manager someday, I don't think you would have this bewildered expression."

Hu Shutong knew that Qi Zhendong did not have a strong background in Minghe. He had worked his way up from a workshop employee. From his perspective, his words were not wrong. No one understood pragmatism better than him.

"President Qi, I don't mean to doubt. We need to analyze specific problems in specific ways. Of course, technology is not a panacea."

"Take this plate of boiled fish, for example. Everyone knows that fish boiled in the same river is tastier, but with the price skyrocketing, will the fish still be sold?"

"But Mr. Qi, taking the southern suburbs as an example, isn't this neglecting the original river water?"

Qi Zhendong shook his head and smiled, "On the contrary, my analogy is most suitable for the southern suburbs."

"I would like to hear the details."

"Minghe established Minghe Real Estate at the end of last year. Together with Nanjiao, they acquired three plots of land. The other two plots are in the east, where they plan to build tenement buildings with a floor area ratio of over 6. Do you know what that means? Initially, the group did intend to develop the Nanjiao Industrial Park properly, but the senior management's decisions gradually shifted. Who can resist the temptation of 15,000 houses?"

Hu Shutong was secretly surprised. Yu Dajun's earlier prediction that there were internal problems in Hehe seemed to have come true. Hearing this, the establishment of the South Suburb Industrial Park and the subsequent changes made sense.

"I submitted over a dozen proposals to the group, including the preparations from your two groups, trying to give the higher-ups a sense of being in a bind. Ultimately, they gave me two choices. The first was to secure funding, which would allow us to build a top-standard logistics park once things stabilized. The second was to start now, but we could only provide the southern suburbs with an awkward budget. Hu Shutong, if you were in my shoes, what would you choose?"

"I'll choose option two; I won't wait any longer."

"How so?"

"When the buildings in the east go on sale, I'm worried that the southern suburbs will also try to take the path of building buildings."

Qi Zhendong raised his glass. "You've hit the nail on the head."

Only then did Hu Shutong realize Qi Zhendong's difficulties and pressure. No wonder he always seemed so agitated and unreasonable. It was a matter of real money, and he had to put on a brave face even when he was broke. He must have been suffering a lot during this period.

"I'm at most a latecomer to this field, unlike you guys who have formal training. I don't have any ambitions to rival international standards, but I want to continue in the cold chain industry. As for why, you can explain it better than I can. No matter how bad the southern suburbs are, its scale is what it is. Everyone wants to achieve this overnight, but the reality is that we need to have something first. We need to create something first before we have the opportunity to improve and enhance it."

A night breeze blew through the window, stirring the fish fire. The old gate was bustling with noise, people chattering, and lights gleaming.

Qi Zhendong stared intently for a long time, then suddenly his gaze became deep and penetrating. Hu Shutong knew that a man like Qi Zhendong wouldn't easily utter such words; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he was speaking from the heart. It must be said that Hu Shutong had some preconceived notions about him; it turned out that his underlying principles were quite different.

This also made him more aware of Qi Zhendong's words and actions. Businesses need technology, but they need technology that is relevant to their current needs. Businesses don't need ideals about technology; they need practical solutions.

"Hu Shutong, you're not just all show and no substance. Enough said, let's have a drink together."

The two raised their glasses and drank them down in one gulp.

"Mr. Qi, please feel free to contact me if you need anything in the South Suburbs in the future."

Qi Zhendong nodded. "We can start operating at full speed now. You're a pro at this. I'll remember that."

"I don't deserve such praise, I will do my best."

"What's there to be ashamed of? You should be thinking about why it was you who caused such chaos for several large companies."

Hu Shutong smiled and said, "Let's not talk about what's been overturned."

Qi Zhendong laughed, then suddenly remembered something, his eyes filled with a slightly complicated emotion, "I looked at your fresh-cut vegetable plan later, and it seems that using your system wouldn't cost much more."

"President Qi, not only does it not cost much money, but it's also very easy to operate. I highlighted all the important data in red at the time. By controlling these points, we also grasped the key control points. Moreover, that system has a great advantage in transportation. I will continue to..."

"Okay, that's fine."

……

I've loved cold chain logistics for twenty years.