Chapter 98: The Yin Family's Conditions

Chapter 98: The Yin Family's Conditions

Five minutes later, Li Yi arrived at Yin Dongrui's room.

Yin Dongrui was seated on the sofa in the living room, with a middle-aged man sitting across from him.

The middle-aged man was dressed casually, looking like a farmer preparing to go to the market during the Chinese New Year! With a friendly smile on his face, he exuded an approachable, down-to-earth vibe.

However, Li Yi didn't let his guard down. As a seasoned businessman, he could tell right away that the middle-aged man's eyes were sharp, radiating a piercing intelligence.

This person was definitely no ordinary man!

Li Yi, maintaining his composure, smiled and introduced himself, "This is Mr. Yin. My name is Li Yi—Li as in 'Muzi,' Yi as in 'perseverance.'"

The middle-aged man looked Li Yi up and down, but it was clear that he couldn't immediately figure out what kind of person Li Yi was just from first impressions. Still, it was obvious that Li Yi carried an unusual level of confidence.

The middle-aged man stood up, smiling warmly. "Hello, young man. My name is Yin Jianlin, from Yanbei City. It's our first meeting, and I'm glad to meet you."

"To be honest, your idea for a 361-liter refrigeration machine really opened my eyes!"

Li Yi smiled sheepishly, realizing that the older man had likely seen through his tactics.

"Mr. Yin, my little tricks are really nothing compared to your wisdom! If you'd prefer, I can speak to the person in charge at LG to resolve this," Li Yi said, trying to ease the tension.

Yin Jianlin chuckled heartily, walking up to Li Yi and patting him on the shoulder. "Look at you, young man. What are you talking about? Even though your plans may be small tricks, they're legitimate business—no rule-breaking involved. Why would we back out now? No reason to tear up the contract."

Then, Yin Jianlin smiled again and said, "And don't call me Mr. Yin. Just call me Uncle Yin!"

Li Yi was relieved to hear this. The weight on his chest lifted, and he finally relaxed. It was a relief that Yin Jianlin wasn't angry.

After all, the exhibition center was his, and he could've easily decided to turn against Li Yi. If that had happened, Li Yi would have had nowhere to turn for help.

However, it seemed that Yin Jianlin was a very open-minded businessman, and no wonder his son, Yin Dongrui, had such sharp business instincts.

"Then, I'll be more comfortable calling you Uncle Yin. So, did you want to discuss something with me today?" Li Yi asked.

Yin Jianlin nodded and smiled. "I heard you're planning to open a home appliance experience store?"

Li Yi nodded and replied, "Yes, I was originally an employee at the meat processing plant. However, the plant is about to be restructured as a domestic enterprise, so I decided to start my own business early."

Upon hearing this, Yin Jianlin's expression softened as he understood the situation.

Ah, so Li Yi was originally from the meat processing plant. That made sense. Yin Jianlin had heard about the restructuring of many state-owned enterprises in Yanbei City. As a result, workers had been laid off, and businesses had been affected, including his own.

Although the restructuring had stabilized in the city for a while now, the initial effect had been felt deeply, as wages and purchasing power had been significantly impacted.

"You're saying the meat processing plant in your area is about to go through restructuring?" Yin Jianlin asked, raising an eyebrow.

Li Yi nodded seriously and continued, "It should happen within the next few months. Many people are preparing to take over the meat processing plant once the restructuring is complete."

This revelation surprised Yin Jianlin. He hadn't expected anyone to be interested in taking over the meat processing plant after the restructuring. What value could such a business hold after it became a private enterprise?

"Li Yi, are you sure about this? You know what restructuring means, right?" Yin Jianlin asked, his tone serious.

Li Yi nodded confidently. As someone who had traveled back in time, he knew exactly what the restructuring of state-owned enterprises meant in this era.

The restructuring involved the sale of collective assets, and nearly all workers would be laid off. The once state-run plant would no longer be a state-owned enterprise, but a private company with very different wage and welfare policies.

In this era, wages in private enterprises were often much lower than in state-owned enterprises, which were seen as the most stable and secure places to work, offering superior benefits. This was why many workers held on to their state-owned jobs for as long as they could.

Li Yi didn't interrupt as Yin Jianlin continued to think deeply. He glanced over at Yin Dongrui, who simply shrugged in helplessness. While Yin Dongrui had a strong desire to expand his business into Jiangcheng, he couldn't do so without his father's approval.

After a few moments of contemplation, Yin Jianlin looked up at Li Yi and spoke in a serious tone.

"Li Yi, we can cooperate with you, but there's one condition."

Li Yi straightened up and replied seriously, "Uncle Yin, please, go ahead."

Yin Jianlin nodded and spoke low, yet firmly. "We can consider entering the Jiangnan City market, but we'll only commit to a three-month trial period."

He paused, then continued. "You see, the restructuring of state-owned enterprises isn't just a one-off event—it's a large-scale process. Once it begins, the effects will be unpredictable and could disrupt the economy in Jiangcheng. If we invest now and there are losses in the next three months, our cooperation will end there."

Li Yi listened carefully. As a businessman, Yin Jianlin's concerns made sense—without a clear profit margin, no one would want to risk their investments.

After thinking for a moment, Li Yi spoke with firm determination in his eyes, "I agree to the terms."

Yin Jianlin's serious expression relaxed, replaced by a satisfied smile.

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