Hard work after winning the lottery

The afternoon sun dappled through the branches and leaves of the old locust tree, casting dappled patterns on the Hua family's courtyard.

Everyone else was taking a nap in their rooms.

Hua An sat alone at the old square table in the courtyard, seemingly out of place with the surrounding tranquility.

A silver-gray laptop sat in front of him, the screen's light reflecting off his slightly youthful yet taut face.

His brows were furrowed so tightly that it looked as if he could trap a fly between them.

Fingers slid restlessly across the touchpad, occasionally producing dull clicks.

On the computer screen was a densely packed Excel spreadsheet, with red and green data that was dazzling to the eye.

That was a price comparison sheet for cold chain logistics.

Since deciding to take over the family business, Hua An has made it his top priority.

But he had only been in the workforce for a year. Although he was full of enthusiasm, the intricacies of the business world still made him feel somewhat overwhelmed.

I heard steady footsteps behind me.

It was unhurried and rhythmic.

Zhou Yanjin was holding two cups of freshly brewed hot tea, with wisps of steam rising from the rims of the white porcelain cups.

The subtle aroma of tea instantly filled the air, dispelling some of the afternoon heat.

"Are you having trouble?"

Zhou Yanjin's voice was deep and mellow, lacking the usual authority he displayed when issuing orders in large corporations, and instead carrying a hint of leisure.

He gently placed one of the cups of tea beside Hua An, then pulled out a bamboo chair next to him and sat down.

The movements were as natural as if they were in their own backyard.

Hua An's fingers paused for a moment.

If it were before, he would probably have simply closed his laptop, gotten up, and left.

Or you could bluntly reply, "It's none of your business."

But after spending this time together, especially seeing the unprecedented happy smile on his sister's face, half of the wall in his heart had already collapsed without him realizing it.

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and the scalding tea slid down his throat, calming his previously agitated heart a little.

"Um."

Hua An sighed, and without hiding anything, turned the computer screen to face Zhou Yanjin.

"I want to find a reliable cold chain logistics company for our lamb."

"After all, we're going to go for the high-end market in the future. If the transportation doesn't work out and the meat quality is ruined, our reputation will be completely destroyed."

"But the prices quoted by these companies differed too much."

He pointed to a few lines of data on the screen, his tone full of struggle.

"This place has very low prices, but according to online reviews, the delivery time seems to be quite unstable."

"This one claims to maintain a constant temperature throughout, but its price is 30% higher than the first one. If we choose them, our profit margin will be squeezed too much."

"And this company, their service promises are all over the place, but I always feel a bit uneasy about them. I'm afraid that if something really goes wrong, their compensation terms will be full of traps."

Hua An rubbed his throbbing temples, a hint of confusion in his eyes.

When I was working before, I was only responsible for execution; I never worried about making such comprehensive decisions.

Now that I'm actually in charge, I've realized that the intricacies involved are unfathomable.

Zhou Yanjin did not rush to express her opinion.

He leaned slightly forward, his long, slender fingers gliding lightly across the touchpad, his gaze sweeping quickly and precisely over the core data.

In that instant, his aura changed.

He was no longer the gentle brother-in-law, but had returned to being the shrewd and resourceful head of the Zhou family.

Even when dressed simply in casual home clothes, the imposing presence and professionalism of someone accustomed to a high position are still impossible to ignore.

About two minutes later.

Zhou Yanjin withdrew her hand, picked up the teacup, and gently blew away the foam.

Instead of giving a direct answer, they posed a question.

"Hua'an, in your opinion, what is the core competitiveness of Xishan Muyun?"

Hua An paused for a moment, then subconsciously replied, "Of course, it's about quality."

"Our sheep are raised on a variety of herbs and drink mountain spring water. Their meat is delicious and has no gamey smell, which is something that commercially available sheep cannot compare to."

Zhou Yanjin nodded, looking at him with deep eyes.

"Since you're focused on quality, shouldn't your core criterion for selecting suppliers be the lowest cost?"

One sentence struck Hua An's heart like a heavy hammer.

"Or do you value the most reliable delivery time? Or perhaps you prioritize hassle-free service?"

Hua An pursed his lips and fell into deep thought.

When he was making the spreadsheet, he subconsciously still saw himself as an employee, thinking about how to save money for the company.

But he forgot that he is now a brand owner.

"I think... it's probably about novelty."

Hua An's eyes gradually cleared.

"Xishan Muyun's brand is all about ecology and freshness."

"If the meat delivered to the customer is thawed, or if the taste deteriorates due to slow delivery, then all our previous efforts will have been wasted."

"It's not worth ruining your reputation just to save a little on shipping costs."

Having figured this out, Hua An suddenly raised his head and looked at Zhou Yanjin.

"Therefore, timeliness and the stability of cold chain temperature control must be the top priorities."

"Cost is the second consideration."

A hint of approval flashed in Zhou Yanjin's eyes.

This kid is quick-witted; he gets things right away.

He is a promising talent.

"That's the right approach."

Zhou Yanjin put down her teacup, leaned back slightly against the back of the bamboo chair.

"In business logic, once you position yourself in the high-end market, users are not as price-sensitive as you might imagine."

"What they care about more is the experience and certainty."

"If I were you, I would immediately rule out the company with the lowest initial offer."

Zhou Yanjin pointed to the first line on the screen.

"The cost is ultimately borne by the consumer. The logistics industry is already a red ocean, and excessively low prices often mean that they have cut corners in some unseen areas."

"For example, the prevalence of carpooling makes delivery times uncontrollable."

"For example, the engine might be turned off midway to save fuel, and then turned back on once we reach our destination."

Hua An was stunned.

"You can do that? Isn't that just scamming people?"

Zhou Yanjin smiled, a smile that carried the shrewdness of a seasoned business shrew.

"That's why compensation clauses in contracts are so important."

For the next half hour...

Zhou Yanjin shared her years of accumulated experience with Hua An without reservation.

How to verify the authenticity of the temperature control data provided by the other party.

The key is to find out how to include tiered compensation clauses in contracts, forcing logistics companies to be more cautious.

Even how to use negotiation skills to reduce the price of that high-priced company by five percent while ensuring service quality.