Chapter 193: A true man will die for a true friend

'The company that makes Baby Smile was formerly a children's food factory run by Nancheng Middle School. Later, due to problems with its own efficiency, it was jointly contracted by Li Qingyuan, you and Ye Jianlin, the former factory manager, as well as Wu Zheng, the director of the enterprise office of Nancheng Middle School. In the first year, they made money by processing oral liquid for others and then selling it in the school. At that time, you didn't have your own brand name.'

'In the second year, you established the Wawa Xiao Joint Stock Company and developed the Wawa Xiao oral liquid. It became an instant hit with an advertisement that solved the problem of children eating. In less than a year, your monthly sales reached nearly one million yuan.'

Zhou Ming told Li Qingyuan the development of the Wawa Xiao company bit by bit, as if he were reciting the family register, which surprised Li Qingyuan greatly. 'Boss Zhou, how... how do you know?'

Li Qingyuan suddenly remembered something and hurriedly asked again, 'Did you really investigate, Boss Zhou?'

Zhou Ming nodded without any hesitation and said, 'Of course. After my eight-treasure porridge was exclusively named after the Spring Festival Gala, it became well-known across the country, and sales were very good everywhere. But there was a problem here in Hangzhou City. Since our distributor here also promoted and marketed the product in schools, it clashed with your oral liquid.'

'But my product is an oral liquid and yours, Boss Zhou, is a Eight Treasures Congee. There seems to be no conflict between our products in terms of nature. And besides, Boss Zhou, your Eight Treasures Congee sells so well, how can I compete with you? I can't even compete with your distributor in Hangzhou!' Li Qingyuan said.

'So you see, you've caused me trouble without even realising it,'

Zhou Ming said to Li Qingyuan, causing Li Qingyuan to lower his head in shame. Zhou Ming continued, 'But I don't mean to blame you. Competition in the marketplace is inevitable. I can't not let you do business, can I?'

After a teasing remark, Zhou Ming then got to the point: 'But after running into trouble, I found out about the sales practices and business strategies of the Doll Laugh Company through the distributor here, and found that they are all very good. It's just that due to the limited scale of the Doll Laugh Company, and the fact that it is not in the food category, otherwise my eight-treasure porridge really may not be your competitor.'

Facing Zhou Ming's praise, Li Qingyuan subconsciously swallowed his saliva. It's not that he is proud, but he has already vaguely realized what Zhou Ming is going to say next.

'So when I learned all this, I wondered, if someone like you were given a better platform, if you were given an opportunity to use your abilities, and if you were allowed to make the Eight Treasures Porridge instead of Baby Smile, would you surprise me?' Zhou Ming said to Li Qingyuan, 'When I heard you say one billion cans just now, I felt that this should be your final answer.'

Zhou Ming said, extending his hand to Li Qingyuan: 'So, Mr Li Qingyuan, would you like to come to my company and bring out a food business empire with your business acumen?'

'As CEO?' Li Qingyuan asked, almost as if he were asking a question.

Before Zhou Ming could say anything, Su Han said unhappily, 'You're greedy, wanting to be CEO as soon as you arrive. Do you think this is a game?'

Zhou Ming first took Su Han's small hand to comfort her a little, then smiled and nodded, saying, 'Of course there is no problem, but you need to prove your abilities. After all, my eight-treasure porridge factory supports so many people, and it's not just anyone who can take the position of president by simply saying so. If you agree, you can come to our eight-treasure porridge distributor in Hangzhou City to report for duty tomorrow. You can start working there first, and I believe that with your abilities, you will definitely achieve results!'

After saying this, Zhou Ming saw Li Qingyuan frozen in place unable to speak, so he deliberately frowned and said, 'What? Are you not satisfied with my arrangement? Or are you planning to continue persuading your partners to start a business with you, a beverage and food factory, and prefer to be the leader rather than the follower?'

As soon as Zhou Ming finished speaking, Li Qingyuan hurriedly shook his head and said, 'Mr. Zhou, no, that's not what I meant. Rather than doing it with them, I'd rather work for you. They're practically driving me crazy!'

'Has something happened?'

Zhou Ming asked curiously. In fact, he was asking this knowing the answer. He knew that Li Qingyuan's current predicament was that he wanted to set up a beverage and food factory, but his partner disagreed, and they had fallen out as a result. Up until now, Ye Jianlin and Wu Zheng had even been pressuring him from two sides, the loan sharks and the school, to force him to give up his idea and continue to work on the oral liquid.

But Zhou Ming still had to ask, because some words coming from his mouth and some coming from his own mouth would have two very different results.

Facing Zhou Ming's question, Li Qingyuan let out a heavy sigh and said in a very helpless tone, 'Boss Zhou, you did investigate me, but you may not know what kind of tactics my two partners used to stop me from going ahead with the beverage and food project...'

Li Qingyuan then told Zhou Ming what Ye Jianlin and Wu Zheng had done, and the content was basically the same as the news Zhou Ming had received.

'Not only do Ye Jianlin and Wu Zheng not support me, even my wife and daughter are against it. They think that I'm being silly to want to do beverages and food. I've been deserted by everyone!'

Li Qingyuan said bitterly, 'But they don't know that oral liquid health products are bound to have problems in the future, and the potential for oral liquid is very small. On the contrary, the domestic market for drinks and food is completely blank, and it will still have a broader market in the future than oral liquid. They can't see this, but you, Boss Zhou, can.'

'So, if you really don't mind, Boss Zhou, I would be very willing to work under you, for you. I don't ask to be a sales manager or anything, just let me start as a salesperson at the lowest level, and I can still end up in the position of president!' Li Qingyuan's words were very confident.

Zhou Ming patted Li Qingyuan on the shoulder to encourage him: 'Okay, I have great confidence in you. Then, to show my sincerity, I have decided to acquire the company Baby Smile. In the future, the sales of my Linyang Eight Treasures Congee in Hangzhou City will be handled by Baby Smile. Li Qingyuan, you will still be in charge of this Baby Smile company!'

This made Li Qingyuan feel a flash of light: 'Are you serious, Boss Zhou? I can still be in charge of the Baby Smile company?'

'Why would I deprive you of the right to lead the company? I think you have developed a deep attachment to the name 'Baby Smile' over the past year,' said Zhou Ming.

'Boss Zhou...'

Li Qingyuan's words became a little choked, because Zhou Ming's words were correct. He did have a deep attachment to the words 'Doll Laugh'. In fact, when he was naming his company in the first place, Li Qingyuan had an inexplicable feeling about these words, as if he had an extraordinary connection with them, as if there was a connection in a previous life, and that one day he would make these words resound throughout the country.

It was for this reason that he didn't want to part with Baby Smile. He was willing to compromise for the sake of better development in the future, but it would be even better if he could take the Baby Smile brand with him.

'Why don't you believe me? How about this, tomorrow or whenever, I'll go to the Baby Smile company and talk to your partners about the acquisition. Although your company is doing well right now, I think I can still take it over in a few rounds,' said Zhou Ming.

Li Qingyuan shook his head desperately and said, 'No, I don't doubt you, Mr. Zhou. I just can't believe you would do this.'

Li Qingyuan's words brought tears to his eyes. He was so moved that he felt Zhou Ming was a confidant. What he had said and done had touched the very depths of his heart.

'In fact, there is nothing to be surprised about. I don't have any other merits, except for being a bit unrealistic in my ideals. That's why I also respect other people who have ideals and ambitions and are more capable,'

Zhou Ming said, reaching out to Li Qingyuan and continuing, 'After learning about you, Li Qingyuan, I knew you were a capable person with a business mind. Today, after hearing your declaration that you want to sell one billion cans, and now that you are still so attached to your Doll Smile brand and reluctant to give it up, I know that you still have ideals and ambitions. Then I think I have reason to help someone like you!'

Zhou Ming felt quite nauseous when he heard these words, because they were really disgusting and insincere. What help with ideals and ambitions was all nonsense. After all, he knew that Li Qingyuan was a very capable person, and at the same time, his own eight-treasure porridge had also reached a bottleneck in development. Since he did not have the ability to operate such a large company and carry out a nationwide layout, he needed someone like Li Qingyuan to help manage it.

However, Zhou Ming himself found this remark disgusting, but Li Qingyuan did not feel that way. He just felt that he had found a soulmate at once.

Due to the restructuring of the beverage and food business, Li Qingyuan had felt like the world had abandoned him, and even his beloved wife and daughter were no exception. His wife even said some very hurtful things in her anger, leaving him disheartened. Only Zhou Ming, someone he admired but had never met, had not only said that he would help him go into the beverage and food business, but also that he would buy the brand 'Baby Smile'.

What kind of approach was that?

In the past, Li Qingyuan did not believe in the saying 'A true friend is one who would die for you', believing instead that everything is a matter of interests and that everything is business. But after meeting Zhou Ming today, listening to his teachings and seeing his actions, he now believes that there are still noble and great people in the world.

That feeling made Li Qingyuan's entire being, from the inside out, and his entire soul, ascend.

At this time, Li Qingyuan's face was already covered in tears. He wiped the tears off his face hard and firmly told Zhou Ming, 'Starting today, I am a member of the Linyang Eight Treasures Congee Company, and I will do everything I can to make Linyang Eight Treasures Congee the number one enterprise in the country!'

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