Chapter 463: Furniture Hunts and Corporate Strategies

The entire afternoon, designer Xiao Yinxue guided Xu Chen and Fang Jun through several furniture and building materials markets.

Xiao Yinxue had been recommended by Fang Jun, so they could trust her completely.

After casually browsing a few stores, Xu Chen quickly realized that as a professional in home decor, Xiao Yinxue wouldn’t get duped when buying furniture.

The furniture and home improvement industry was full of hidden pitfalls; everyday folks buying directly often got ripped off.

With Xiao Yinxue leading the way, Xu Chen felt much more at ease.

First off, she steered clear of shops that peddled subpar goods designed to cheat customers.

Second, she spotted inflated prices in a flash.

Once the shopkeepers realized they were dealing with someone who knew their stuff, their quotes became a lot more honest.

This saved Young Xu Chen a bundle in unseen costs without him even trying.

You had to hand it to Fang Jun’s sister—she was a total all-around lucky charm.

They kept at it until evening approached and dusk settled, wrapping up most of the shopping.

The big-ticket items like sofas, beds, dining tables, and desks were all sorted.

A few pieces weren’t available in Tiancheng, so they’d order them from the Provincial Capital, but they’d arrive before the New Year.

All the furniture followed the sleek, upscale style Bing Ge had picked—mostly blacks, whites, and grays.

To show his thanks, Young Xu Chen invited them to dinner, though Xiao Yinxue felt a bit awkward, Fang Jun dragged her along anyway.

They hit a hometown-style eatery that Fang Jun chose, and Xu Chen enjoyed the meal thoroughly.

…

…

That evening, back at home.

Xu Zhiquan returned with his Fourth Uncle, Xu Zhilin, giving him a ride.

They’d been out wining and dining clients, and Xu Zhiquan had a few drinks.

Old Xu’s face glowed with a healthy flush, but he wasn’t drunk; he shared a pot of hot tea and a few smokes with Xu Zhilin in the living room.

Xu Chen had just showered and was about to turn in when he heard his Fourth Uncle arrive, so he headed downstairs to say hello.

Xu Zhiquan was surprised: “I figured you’d be staying in downtown tonight.”

Fourth Uncle greeted Xu Chen warmly, asking about his studies and life in Shanghai.

Xu Chen chatted with them for a bit, pouring tea and fetching water for his father and uncle.

As the brothers discussed their projects, Xu Chen learned that Chenxin Nurseries was expanding nicely in the surrounding counties.

They’d set up new seedling bases, leased more land in the lower counties, and hired plenty of local farmers as workers.

On top of that, they’d won several new seedling contracts through bids and connections.

Beyond the original highway seedling projects, they were handling urban greening and factory landscaping in nearby counties.

The scale Chenxin Nurseries had reached still amazed and surprised Xu Chen.

“Young Xu Chen” had steered his father away from the Bright Factory mess and toward this seedling business, never expecting it to grow so big in just a year.

It was all about timing, location, and the right people.

The trio of Xu Zhiquan, Xu Zhilin, and Zhang Yongqing worked like a well-oiled machine—one handled relationships and finances, another operations and management, and the third tech and production.

As the boss, Xu Zhiquan was generous with Xu Zhilin and Zhang Yongqing, especially since Xu Zhilin was his own brother.

…

After seeing off his Fourth Uncle that night, Xu Chen asked about Guo Liang’s situation.

Xu Zhiquan lit a cigarette and said:

“Guo Liang gets back from his trip tomorrow; we’ll sort it out then.

We’ll handle whatever comes our way—troops for the battle, earth for the flood. There’s always a solution.”

…

…

The next evening, at Morning Wind Park’s Comprehensive Building.

The main conference room was thick with smoke.

Guo Liang had returned from his trip, bringing along four or five key members of the market sales team, and they were meeting with Xu Zhiquan.

Xu Chen and Fang Jun were there too, sitting off to the side and listening in.

Guo Liang puffed on a cigarette as he updated everyone.

He looked like he’d lost weight; clearly, the stress had taken a toll on him physically and mentally.

“The two direct stores in Tiancheng and the Provincial Capital are under control now.

Zhao Feng’s people are still there, but we’ve dealt with it through proper channels.

No issues down the line.”

Fang Jun asked:

“Can we trace who’s behind it?”

Guo Liang: “Not for sure, but we have a good idea.

In the northern market, it’s mainly the two big electric vehicle manufacturers—Aibang and Shenbiao—plus their tightly linked dealers, Changxing and Dafeng.

Those four are the likely suspects.”

Xu Zhiquan: “We need to figure it out for better defense.”

Guo Liang nodded: “We’re working on it.

The people behind are keeping a low profile, but they’ll slip up eventually.”

Seeing Young Xu Chen in the room, Guo Liang shared more details.

Currently, the northern electric vehicle market, including Shandong Province, is dominated by two companies from Tianjin—Aibang and Shenbiao.

Aibang is stronger and has expanded south, making it a nationwide player.

Shenbiao focuses on the north, with some tech edge in battery life that gives them an advantage in cold winters.

There are three to five other brands in the Tianjin industrial belt, but they’re basically small workshops relying on cheap prices with no long-term viability.

Now, Chenfeng Technology is the only one with real potential as a major player, so it’s no surprise the big competitors are watching us.

In the Provincial Capital and Tiancheng, Chenfeng Ice Power is already cutting into Aibang and Shenbiao’s sales share…

Meanwhile, electric vehicle brands from Jiangsu and Zhejiang Provinces haven’t fully reached the north yet in early 2007.

Various factors play into that, but a key one is expanding the dealer network.

There are four major electric vehicle dealers in the north.

Changxing Car Dealership is mainly tied to Aibang Electric Vehicles, and Aibang even holds shares in them.

Dafeng Car Dealership is linked with Shenbiao Electric Vehicles…

The other two are comprehensive dealers with stores across northern provinces.

They’re Datuo Car Dealership and Aixing Car Dealership.

From what we see, the ones likely stirring up trouble for Chenfeng Electric Vehicles are Aibang, Dafeng, Changxing, and Shenbiao.

Guo Liang outlined the market layout and then discussed expanding Chenfeng Electric Vehicles’ dealer network.

In the current situation, Chenfeng Electric Vehicles still needs to rely on dealers.

Building all our own stores would demand huge funds, time, and manpower—it’s like starting Chenfeng Technology from scratch all over again.

Partnering with major dealers is the most cost-effective way to grow.

Only through big dealers can we quickly distribute Chenfeng Electric Vehicles across the entire north, from big cities to small towns and villages.

Guo Liang stubbed out his cigarette and continued:

“Changxing and Dafeng are deeply tied to Aibang and Shenbiao, so we’re out of luck there.

Our focus is on Datuo and Aixing.”

“Datuo covers three-quarters of the northern provinces.

Aixing covers half, but it includes some underserved markets that Datuo misses…

So, to blanket the north, we have to secure both.”

“The biggest hurdle is they’re still on the fence.

In my team, we have folks who came from Aixing, and they’ve heard internal buzz—Aibang and Shenbiao are pressuring them not to work with Chenfeng Technology.”

Fang Jun frowned:

“Can electric vehicle makers really dictate what dealers sell?”

Guo Liang: “In theory, no, since there are no exclusive deals.

But big players like Aibang and Shenbiao can still apply pressure, like holding back supplies or complicating warranties.”

Fang Jun fell silent, his expression darkening.

Xu Zhiquan exhaled smoke and said:

“Dealers are in it for the business; if Chenfeng Ice Power sells well, they’ll welcome us.

Even if Aibang and Shenbiao cut off supplies, as long as Chenfeng fills the gap, they’ll partner up.”

Guo Liang nodded: “Exactly.”

Xu Chen, who had been quietly listening, spoke up:

“So the key is making Datuo and Aixing believe Chenfeng Ice Power will definitely sell.

And that they’re willing to risk the pressure from Aibang and Shenbiao for that potential.”

Guo Liang: “Spot on!

That’s why they’re waiting…

They’re already making money with Aibang and Shenbiao, so no rush to bring in Chenfeng unless they’re sure it’ll pay off.”

Guo Liang’s subordinates, who had dealer experience, chimed in with insights on these dealerships.

Xu Zhiquan, smoking, added:

“I haven’t reached out to these big dealers yet.

Didn’t want to rush in…

Best to find connections first; that way, when we talk, they’ll take it seriously and we’ve got a better shot.”

Xu Chen: “Any leads?”

Xu Zhiquan: “Guo Liang and I are working on it.

The ones we’ve got don’t go high enough, so we’re holding off.

Ideally, we’d connect straight with the bosses.

Business talks need face-to-face; chatting with low-level folks won’t get us anywhere.”

As night fell, someone knocked on the conference room door, and Wu Yue from the Administrative Department stepped in.

“Bosses, you’ve been at it—I’ve had the cafeteria whip up some dinner for you!”

Xu Zhiquan chuckled: “Totally forgot about dinner.

You’re always on top of things, Yue Jie!”

Two cafeteria staff carried in trays of food.

Guo Liang and his young team jumped up to help.

“Thanks a ton, Yue Jie! This is perfect!”

…

The cafeteria served hearty northern stir-fries, some cold appetizers, and steamed buns.

After the long meeting, everyone was starving.

They ate and talked.

Fang Jun toyed with her chopsticks, looking like she wanted to suggest drinks but held back, probably thinking the setting wasn’t right.

Xu Chen, munching on a bun, leaned close to Fang Jun and whispered:

“Let’s grab drinks tomorrow night, just us.”

Fang Jun paused, then nodded eagerly.

…

After dinner, the group lingered over smokes and tea until past nine.

Xu Zhiquan usually discouraged overtime, but tonight’s discussion was crucial, so they pushed through.

As they wrapped up, everyone breathed easier, having hashed out a solid plan.

On the dealer front, they’d skip Changxing and Dafeng, focusing on Datuo and Aixing.

Datuo was stronger and tougher to negotiate with, putting Chenfeng at a disadvantage early on.

Aixing was weaker but easier to deal with.

In fact, Aixing often got shortchanged by Aibang and Shenbiao, who favored Datuo.

So, they’d target Aixing first.

Once Chenfeng Ice Power sales took off there, they’d use those numbers to pry open Datuo…

For cities, they’d zero in on Shimen and Lang as key battlegrounds.

Shimen, as Hebei Province’s capital, was a vital hub for the northern market.

Lang, though small, sat between Beijing and Tianjin, striking at the heart of their industrial belt.

Plus, Datuo’s HQ was in Shimen and Aixing’s in Lang—perfect positioning.

On strategy, they’d use some clever tactics.

Xie Bingran’s endorsement ad was nearly ready; they’d roll it out on local media in Shimen and Lang to build consumer buzz and demand.

Then, they’d nudge or set up groups of shoppers to inquire about Chenfeng Ice Power at the dealerships.

After that, Guo Liang’s team would follow up to negotiate listings…

Meanwhile, in Shimen, they planned to open a Chenfeng Electric Vehicles store after the New Year, ideally right across from Datuo, to show off the sales hype and spark interest.

That covered Guo Liang’s team’s moves.

Up top, Xu Zhiquan and Guo Liang would seek high-level contacts at Datuo and Aixing, targeting provincial and regional heads for direct talks.

They’d also work on official relationships, with Wu Yongming’s help, especially around the New Year.

Overall, they covered everything in detail, from big plans to small tweaks, leaving Guo Liang’s team to coordinate next.

…

…

Once done, Xu Zhiquan urged everyone to head home.

Xu Zhiquan, Young Xu Chen, and Fang Jun left first, while Guo Liang’s team stayed to fine-tune.

Beyond the work, a few young staff chatted casually:

“Young Xu Chen is really something!”

“His analysis in the meeting was spot-on, and the plans were solid.”

“No wonder they call him that—I thought it was just polite at first!”

“How old is he?”

“Isn’t he just a freshman in college?”

“Whoa?!”