Twenty years of cold chain

Chapter 41 A formidable opponent

University graduation certificates and bachelor's degrees are rare items, and Hu Shutong and Luan Pingxin brought them back to their families for the Spring Festival. Just after the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, Lei Xiaoxi took all the certificates away and asked the two of them to prepare a resume in advance, listing all the awards they had received during their university years.

Seeing Lei Xiaoxi's expression, things seemed inexplicably tricky. After asking him, he only mentioned strengthening aptitude. Hu Shutong and Luan Pingxin also discussed it on the phone, both of them harboring doubts, but even Luan Pingxin couldn't get anything out of Lei Xiaoxi.

At the same time, Hu Shutong felt even more nervous. He would be the main speaker in this bidding process, a situation he had never experienced before. Unlike a graduation thesis defense, where performance was entirely up to him, this was unusual. He not only carried the expectations of many people but also faced more practical issues related to collaboration.

In truth, Hu Shutong felt that these things were still very far removed from his own life. This kind of competition, involving both enterprises and government units at the city level, had never entered his mind. But the situation was pressing, and he had no way to refuse.

Once the Lantern Festival was over, a county car picked them up and took them to Qingyan City. Just like when they were taken home before, Lei Xiaoxi sat in the passenger seat. She was very silent the whole way, looking preoccupied.

Halfway through the journey, Lei Xiaoxi received a phone call, and her tone sounded very serious.

"We absolutely must compete for this bid. We've made ample preparations, and I have faith in our people. Their work is second to none!"

"I know all that, but with our qualifications, why not give it a shot? Retreating now is out of the question! What do you mean by 'a sure thing'? I don't believe it until we've beaten them!"

As soon as Lei Xiaoxi hung up the phone, Luan Pingxin immediately asked, "Second Brother, could you have told me in advance if there was any situation?"

"Don't worry about it, just do your best."

"Shutong and I have long felt that something was wrong. How can you expect him to perform well if you do this?"

Hu Shutong also said, "Director Lei, Ping Xin is right, I really don't feel at ease with this."

After a long while, Lei Xiaoxi sighed, then took out a piece of paper with "Introduction to WanChuang Design" written on the top.

This is a design agency from another province. A closer look at its diverse and complex business, and then at its achievements, is astonishing.

Assembly warehouse design is just one aspect of this company's business; they also handle interior decoration, exterior engineering, and other projects requiring building materials. This means that the design agency has a large client base.

This aligns perfectly with Qiangrui Building Materials' core business.

WanChuang Design also boasts an impressive resume, with its works often labeled as "the first in China" or "the only one in China," and it has won numerous architectural awards.

The matter couldn't be simpler. Given this company's reputation and authority, a partnership with Qiangrui would mean a wealth of clients. These well-known design firms have the upper hand in their clients' material choices. As for the profit sharing between Wanchuang Design and Qiangrui Building Materials once a collaboration is established, that's another matter entirely.

After reading it, the two finally understood Lei Xiaoxi's emotions and why he collected their various certificates. It was simply to increase his own value, but in the end, these were all too insignificant in the face of corporate interests.

Such a competitor is too strong, adding an extremely fierce obstacle to the attempt to obtain the qualification for the Qiangrui Enhancement Mozi County Cultural Festival.

For Hu Shutong, there were only three words in his heart: "Do your best."

……

Qiangrui Building, Qingyan City.

Before the bidding, there was a short process meeting, such as drawing lots to determine the order of presentations and informing participants of important points. There were five companies participating in the bidding, and each team sat in one place.

Hu Shutong and Luan Pingxin were mistaken for staff members several times, with people constantly asking them various questions. It wasn't until the process meeting began that people realized the two were actually a team.

As its name suggests, WanChuang Organization had a dozen or so people in identical uniforms sitting together, their imposing presence unmatched by all the others combined. It gave a clear impression that this was what a mature team should look like; though numerous, each person had their own role, further demonstrating the importance they placed on this bidding process.

When Hu Shutong went on stage to draw lots with the other four group leaders, he was met with a gaze he had never felt before. It wasn't just Wanchuang Organization; everyone looked at him as if he were an outsider. Some were surprised, some even showed a hint of disdain, and some gave a faint smile that seemed to have no meaning.

Hu Shutong was a strong-willed person, and that disdainful and playful look in his eyes, as if he were being held captive, made him extremely unhappy. If he were alone, it wouldn't be so bad, but he still had one teammate with whom he shared both glory and ruin.

Hu Shutong drew number one, and Wanchuang Group drew number five.

The bidding was conducted in closed groups, and apart from Luan Pingxin and Lei Xiaoxi, everyone present was from within Qiangrui.

Hu Shutong had never performed in such a setting before, but he felt a bit resentful, which ironically dispelled his nervousness. At the same time, he knew the principle of "disliking mediocrity," whether it was reading articles, viewing scenery, or the bidding process.

Knowing the situation was unfavorable, Hu Shutong changed his strategy before the presentation. Instead of proceeding step-by-step with a clear plan, he quickly skimmed over the initial content, skipping over everything from market analysis to the current state of the industry.

His main points were twofold: first, how much money would it save Qiangrui if this plan were adopted; and second, how much effort would it save Qiangrui.

……