pdf-ebookys Chapter 635 Even brothers should keep clear accounts.
Chapter 635 Even brothers should keep clear accounts.
Monday morning at nine o'clock, Hualian Supermarket headquarters building in the provincial capital.
Li Xiangyang arrived earlier than the agreed time to observe the surroundings and try to figure out what the other party was thinking.
"Mr. Li!"
Tian Guoqiang's voice came from behind. Li Xiangyang turned around and saw Tian Guoqiang wearing a sharp suit and carrying a briefcase. He looked much more energetic than when they last met.
"Mr. Tian, how are the preparations going?" Li Xiangyang shook hands with him.
"I've brought all the documents." Tian Guoqiang patted his briefcase. "To be honest, I was so nervous last night that I didn't sleep well at all."
Li Xiangyang smiled and said, "Relax."
As the two were talking, the elevator doors opened, and Lin Yajing stepped out. She was wearing a business suit and light makeup, looking capable and professional.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, gentlemen," Lin Yajing said, extending her hand. "The meeting room is ready; let's go up."
In the elevator, none of the three spoke. Li Xiangyang noticed a subtle distance between Tian Guoqiang and Lin Yajing. It wasn't the estrangement of strangers, but rather the feeling of familiarity coupled with a deliberate maintenance of boundaries.
Upon arriving at the conference room, Lin Yajing asked the two to sit down and then poured them tea.
"Mr. Li, Mr. Tian, let me briefly introduce Hualian." Lin Yajing opened a folder. "Hualian Supermarket currently has 32 stores in South China, with annual sales exceeding 800 million yuan. Processed agricultural products are one of our key procurement categories."
Li Xiangyang nodded, mentally calculating the figure. Even if processed agricultural products only accounted for one-tenth of the 800 million in sales, that would still be an 80 million market.
“We have strict requirements for our suppliers,” Lin Yajing continued. “Product quality must be consistent, delivery must be timely, and after-sales service must be in place.”
“That’s all fine,” Li Xiangyang said. “What I’d like to know is, approximately what is Hualian’s purchase volume from us?”
“If the cooperation goes smoothly, the procurement volume in the first year is expected to be around ten million,” Lin Yajing glanced at Tian Guoqiang. “Of course, this requires Tianrun Trading to provide sufficient service support.”
Tian Guoqiang quickly replied, "Manager Lin, please rest assured, we will cooperate fully."
Li Xiangyang noticed that Tian Guoqiang addressed him as "Manager Lin" instead of by his first name. This detail suggests that the two were indeed deliberately keeping their distance.
“Then let’s discuss the specific terms of cooperation.” Li Xiangyang took out the prepared materials.
For the next two hours, the three engaged in in-depth discussions about every detail of the collaboration. Pricing strategy, delivery methods, quality standards, and settlement cycles—every aspect required repeated confirmation.
What impressed Li Xiangyang most was Lin Yajing's professionalism. She had a thorough understanding of market conditions, was meticulous in cost control, and every question she raised hit the nail on the head.
“Mr. Li, I have a suggestion,” Lin Yajing said. “To ensure the stability of our cooperation, I suggest we sign a three-year framework agreement.”
"Three years?" Li Xiangyang was somewhat surprised. "Isn't that a bit long?"
“The agricultural product market changes rapidly, but we need stable supply channels,” Lin Yajing explained. “Of course, we can set up an annual adjustment mechanism to adjust prices and purchase volumes appropriately based on market conditions.”
Tian Guoqiang nodded repeatedly, "I think Manager Lin makes a lot of sense. Long-term cooperation is beneficial to everyone."
After some discussion, the three parties finally reached an agreement:
The procurement volume in the first year is 10 million yuan, the second year will be adjusted according to the actual situation, and the third year will be no less than 15 million yuan.
Prices are adjusted every six months, based on market prices.
Hualian is responsible for sales terminals, Tianrun is responsible for channel maintenance, and Li Xiangyang's factory is responsible for production and supply.
The three parties share market risks and profits proportionally.
"Since everyone agrees, let's settle on this." Lin Yajing stood up. "We'll go back and draft the contract, and try to sign it this week."
Tian Guoqiang excitedly grasped Li Xiangyang's hand: "Mr. Li, thank you so much this time."
After seeing Tian Guoqiang off, Li Xiangyang and Lin Yajing walked towards the elevator together.
“Manager Lin, I have a question for you,” Li Xiangyang suddenly said.
“You say.”
"Are you sure there are no problems between you and General Manager Tian?"
Lin Yajing stopped and glanced at Li Xiangyang: "Mr. Li, are you worried that personal feelings might affect your business?"
"I do have that concern," Li Xiangyang admitted.
Lin Yajing was silent for a moment, then said, "Tian Guoqiang and I did have a past, but that was many years ago. Now we both have our own lives and understand what's most important."
"That's good." Li Xiangyang nodded.
“However, I still have to remind you of something,” Lin Yajing’s tone became serious, “Tian Guoqiang is a capable man, but sometimes he’s too sentimental and not rational enough. When you invest in Tianrun Trading, you must carefully manage the finances.”
This remark surprised Li Xiangyang. Lin Yajing's proactive reminder to be wary of Tian Guoqiang showed that she was indeed considering the matter from a purely official perspective.
"I will be careful, thank you for reminding me."
After leaving the Hualian headquarters, Li Xiangyang did not rush back. Instead, he found a teahouse in the provincial capital and arranged to meet Tian Guoqiang for a detailed discussion.
"Mr. Tian, the cooperation is settled, but there are some things I need to say beforehand." Li Xiangyang picked up his teacup, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable firmness.
The excitement on Tian Guoqiang's face hadn't completely faded: "Mr. Li, please speak, I'm listening."
"First, payment must be settled strictly according to the contract. Once I ship the goods and you confirm receipt, payment must be made within seven days, without any delays."
"No problem, you can rest assured about Tianrun's reputation," Tian Guoqiang quickly replied.
Li Xiangyang was unmoved by this statement and continued, "Secondly, under no circumstances should you ask us to advance funds or prepay for goods. I've seen too many companies go bankrupt because of broken cash flow, and I don't want to repeat that mistake."
Tian Guoqiang's expression changed slightly, but he still nodded in agreement: "I understand, I understand."
"Third, the financial accounts must be transparent. As an investor in your company, I have the right to know. I want to see the monthly financial statements and participate in the decisions regarding major expenditures."
This time, Tian Guoqiang remained silent for a moment before speaking: "Mr. Li, does this mean you don't quite trust me?"
“It’s not a matter of trust,” Li Xiangyang put down his teacup and looked directly into Tian Guoqiang’s eyes. “It’s a matter of rules. Even close brothers keep clear accounts, let alone business partners.”
Tian Guoqiang gave a wry smile: "Mr. Li is right, I was overthinking it."
Li Xiangyang noticed his reluctance but didn't back down: "President Tian, Manager Lin reminded me that you're a sentimental person and prone to acting on emotion. I think this is both a strength and a weakness."
"She said I was acting on emotion?" Tian Guoqiang's tone was somewhat complicated.
"In business, acting on impulse often means taking risks," Li Xiangyang said bluntly. "I don't want your momentary lapse in judgment to drag everyone down with you."