He knew Qin Yue. She was his university classmate and the campus belle, with numerous suitors. However, because Xu Fang's family background was quite ordinary, he suffered from low self-esteem and rarely spoke to the goddess-like Qin Yue. He would usually just steal a few glances at her. He never expected that they would coincidentally become colleagues at the distillery.
At that moment, a stream of information flooded Xu Fang's mind.
[Character: Qin Yue, 23 years old, Finance Department, Yun Liquor Distillery]
[Secret 1: A gold-digger who wants to live the life of the wealthy.]
[Secret 2: She has four backup suitors and is currently investigating their true family assets before making her choice.]
[Secret 3: Still a virgin.]
After receiving this information, Xu Fang was speechless. This woman's mindset was mercenary yet clever, tainted yet pure. She was a true contradiction.
When Qin Yue saw Xu Fang, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by contempt. She was well aware of the distillery's situation. What kind of future could a man have working in a place like this? Such a waste of good looks. She gave a slight nod and said officially, "What a coincidence. I look forward to seeing you achieve great results at the company."
"You two know each other?" Qiao Yu asked curiously.
Sensing Qin Yue's coldness, Xu Fang had no desire to build a friendship. He explained to Qiao Yu, "We were university classmates. I didn't expect to run into her here. Director Qiao, please show me our products."
* * *
The distillery didn't have many employees; the entire company only had 15 people in total. Although the distillery wasn't large, the quality of its baijiu was definitely top-notch for its price range. Xu Fang was extremely satisfied with this.
After familiarizing himself with the company's products, Xu Fang didn't stay at the distillery for long. He selected four different bottles of liquor, stuffed them into his backpack, said goodbye to Qiao Yu, and casually strolled out.
Qiao Yu stood in her office, watching through the window as Xu Fang left the distillery, her feelings a tangled mess. This young man gave her an unfathomable impression. He's clearly younger than me and has no work experience, yet his calm mentality, confident aura, tight logic, and sharp eloquence all show a maturity far beyond his years. He seems to be a rare talent. But if he's truly so gifted, why would he be willing to condescend to work at my small distillery? Could he be a swindler who only came here to scam four bottles of baijiu and will never show his face again?
For a moment, Qiao Yu's heart was filled with anxiety and uncertainty. You saw everything. If you're really a swindler, just see if I don't teach you a lesson! She clenched her fist, making a fierce but empty threat through the glass.
* * *
After leaving the distillery, Xu Fang began to ponder his next move. Because he had seen something he shouldn't have, he knew Qiao Yu wanted to get rid of him. To establish a foothold at the distillery, he would have to let his results do the talking.
He believed that everyone had secrets they found hard to admit. If he could properly exploit his opponents' weaknesses, his chances of victory in negotiations were high. Currently, the main outlets for selling baijiu in bulk were major supermarkets and stores, followed by corporations buying it for corporate gifts. Of course, selling on e-commerce platforms was also a very popular sales method these days. There were many sales channels, but he had to take it one step at a time.
Xu Fang considered for a moment and set his sights on his first target: a large supermarket. Yunhai City had dozens of large supermarkets, and if he could get their baijiu featured as a primary brand, sales would be incredible. Soon, Xu Fang selected his first target: the Carrefour Supermarket on Jinhua Road. The supermarket's location was superb. It had convenient transport links, plenty of parking spaces, and was surrounded by numerous residential communities. The store was large and stocked a wide variety of products. Thanks to these favorable conditions, its business was booming year-round, making it a top choice for all suppliers.
Having chosen his target, Xu Fang searched online for the purchasing department's phone number. This kind of contact information was mostly public, and within a few minutes, he found a landline number. He dialed it, and after a few rings, a steady voice answered, "Hello."
"Hello, is this Manager Ma from Carrefour?" Xu Fang asked.
"Speaking. Who is this?" Ma Wenyao's tone was tinged with curiosity.
"My name is Xu Fang, from the Yun Liquor Distillery. I'd like to visit you today to discuss a major business deal. I was wondering if you might have some time, Manager Ma?" Xu Fang asked politely.
Yun Liquor Distillery? Ma Wenyao found the name vaguely familiar; he seemed to recall it was a small distillery. However, hearing Xu Fang mention a "major business deal" stopped him from refusing outright. He chuckled and said, "Alright. I'll be at the supermarket this afternoon. You can come over whenever you're free."
"Great. In that case, I'll pay you a visit at two o'clock sharp," Xu Fang confirmed the time, exchanged a few more pleasantries, and then hung up.
He took the bus to the supermarket, found a fast-food restaurant to eat lunch, and rested for a bit. Seeing it was nearly time, he headed toward the supermarket. The purchasing department office was in a corner nook just outside the main building. Arriving at the door, Xu Fang knocked.
"Come in," Ma Wenyao's voice called out.
Xu Fang pushed the door open and entered. He saw a middle-aged man with a very shiny forehead sitting in a chair, curiously sizing him up. At that moment, another stream of information appeared in Xu Fang's mind.
[Character: Ma Wenyao, 45 years old, Purchasing Manager, Jinhua Road Carrefour]
[Secret 1: Having an affair with his boss's wife, with check-in records at multiple hotels. The specific records are as follows…]
[Secret 2: Secretly accepts kickbacks from suppliers. The funds are deposited into his mother-in-law Wang Xin's bank account. The specific records of these kickbacks are as follows…]
Quickly digesting this information, Xu Fang felt a great sense of calm settle over him. Just as he had suspected, everyone has secrets, and most of those secrets are weaknesses. Maintaining a placid expression, Xu Fang didn't wait to be questioned and got straight to the point. "Hello, Manager Ma. I'm Xu Fang from the Yun Liquor Distillery. We arranged to meet at two o'clock, you remember?"
"Ah, it's Mr. Xu. Please, have a seat."
Ma Wenyao glanced at Xu Fang with a hint of contempt. Clothes make the man, and Xu Fang's cheap attire certainly didn't command any respect. Still, the worldly Ma Wenyao poured him a glass of water. After scrutinizing Xu Fang for a few moments, he finally asked, "You mentioned on the phone that you had a major deal to discuss. What is this lucrative opportunity you're proposing?"