Twenty years of cold chain

At dusk, at an indoor golf driving range.

Yu Dajun sat on a hard wooden chair, wearing a beige baseball cap and casual attire. At that moment, a woman in her thirties was practicing hitting a ball in front of him. The woman was voluptuous, wearing tight-fitting stretchy athletic pants that accentuated her figure. Her dark brown curly hair cascaded over her shoulders, giving her a very stylish look.

Yu Dajun couldn't imagine how such a boring sport could exist in the world. Grabbing an oversized ear pick, he repeatedly swung it at a ball the size of a bull's eyeball. Swinging it thirty or fifty times would be one thing, but this guy hadn't stopped since he came in. He really didn't know what he was practicing.

But he could only grumble inwardly, daring not to utter a word. The person before him was no ordinary woman; she was Yu Ziyan, the eldest princess of Pengcheng Construction. She had taken over Pengcheng's business at the end of last year and was said to have returned from studying abroad, holding a PhD in engineering. Not only was her identity impressive, but her style of doing things also fulfilled all the characteristics of a powerful woman.

Since Yu Ziyan took over, Pengcheng Construction's overall atmosphere has undergone a complete transformation. She single-handedly managed everything from group regulations and cooperation agreements to promotion systems and personnel assessments, large and small. It must be said that the effect was remarkable; she not only made the entire Pengcheng organization more efficient but also imbued it with a fierce drive for progress from top to bottom.

At the same time, no one in the group is afraid of this person, especially in the atmosphere of the conference room. Yu Ziyan's mere presence exudes an invisible sense of intimidation, and everyone must pay close attention to the slightest expression on this big boss's face when speaking.

However, Yu Dajun hated rigidity the most, and since this wasn't a work setting, although sitting there was boring, he was quite relaxed. Faced with such a leader, he knew that saying less was better than saying more, and saying nothing was better than saying nothing at all.

"When are you going to give up that little stall in the southern suburbs?" Finally, Yu Ziyan spoke.

Just as Yu Dajun was about to reply, Yu Ziyan added, "Tell me first, how many times have I asked you this?"

"President Yu, we've already gone through the three kneelings and six prostrations in the southern suburbs, and this is the last hurdle. I've followed you this far, so please give me a little more time so I can see this through to the end."

"You mean to say 'start well and finish well,' right? So you can just waste time without distinguishing what's important?"

"President Yu, how can you say this is a waste of time? The South Suburbs project has had many setbacks, but these are all experiences gained during the construction process. The group has a vast network, and we may encounter all sorts of problems in the future. I am already preparing the feedback proposal for the South Suburbs project."

"Fine, you've changed your tactics again, haven't you? When you came from Morning Star, did you think I was interested in your team? I saw your insightful understanding of engineering, especially cold storage, and I thought you had lofty ambitions. How come you've ended up like a stray cat stuck in a pit, only interested in that little bit of warmth?"

As she spoke, Yu Ziyan paused for a moment while swinging her golf club. She didn't usually use slang, proverbs, or allegorical sayings, but after frequently communicating with this person over the past six months, she unconsciously started using the local colloquialisms from her hometown.

"President Yu, how about we set a deadline, like one month? By then, no matter what, I will definitely leave the southern suburbs."

"Yu Dajun, you want me to have time? Who do you think you are? Or do you still not understand who I am?"

"President Yu, please calm down. I know that Panhu Fishing Port is of great importance, but I think we should slow things down."

Yu Dajun understood that Yu Ziyan's summons to this leisurely and entertaining setting implied that there was room for negotiation. Pengcheng's technology in building skyscrapers, bridges, and even indoor facilities like these is mature and reliable, making it a benchmark among private enterprises. However, when it comes to cold storage, it lacks strong competitiveness, especially in large-scale cluster-style cold storage facilities.

"Is the timing of this recovery coinciding with a conflict with the southern suburbs?"

"No, no!" Yu Dajun stood up. "President Yu, it's impossible to take over Panhu Fishing Port entirely. This is a consensus within the group. So, it's a matter of dividing the spoils. Judging from the renderings of Panhu Fishing Port, it's highly likely that the various functional areas will be tendered separately. For example, the business building and the aquatic product testing center can be done by engineering companies with similar qualifications. With more competitors, we will inevitably face price pressure."

"I didn't originally plan to do these things; what I wanted to hear was the cold storage's solution."

"so what?"

"Nowadays, for all bidders aiming for the three zones, the key is to have experts conduct investigations and do everything possible to understand the planning of the three zones. This will represent the project team's understanding of the functions of the three zones, and this is the biggest advantage!"

At this point, Yu Ziyan stopped, wiped her sweat, and sat down next to Yu Dajun.

"The group has resources for cold storage experts, so I hope you're right. But if you've thought of all this, why didn't you say so sooner?"

"The main reason is that I know an expert who just got back."

"What level?"

Yu Dajun scratched his cheek and couldn't find a word that matched the level. He tightened his baseball cap and said, "His actions are at the level of...".

Yu Ziyan couldn't help but smile. She saw that Yu Dajun was full of emotion, his eyes holding a distant, detached look, as if lingering on the past, seemingly immersed in a kind of self-assured grandeur. This shouldn't happen around a leader, but what could she do? He was someone who could handle interpersonal relationships but couldn't suppress his own feelings and interests.

In a moment, he seemed to smell the aroma of barbecue, sniffed the air, and his gaze became even more distant.

Drinking wine on the horizon is a way to express one's feelings; enjoying the flavors of fireworks is a way to soothe the soul.

For the past six months, Yu Dajun has been feeling very depressed and finding it hard to find any joy.

I really want to have a drink with that guy!

……

I've loved cold chain logistics for twenty years.