amaotonovel Chapter 1348 Xiao Ran
Chapter 1348 Xiao Ran
Chapter 1348 Xiao Ran
"This is what your parents and sister want, but of course we respect your wishes."
Song Yunhui's mind went blank. Did he dislike Ren Xia'er? Not really. On the contrary, the more he got to know her, the more he discovered her many admirable qualities. But did he like her? He hadn't even considered that possibility.
"Brother-in-law, my mind is a bit muddled..."
Qin Hao patted him on the shoulder: "Relax. We're asking you to date, not to blow up a bunker. We're not asking you to confess to someone today and register at the civil affairs bureau tomorrow. What's the rush? Besides, even if you're willing, Xiao Ren might not even be interested in you."
Song Yunhui paused for a moment, then thought about it carefully and realized that it made sense, so he stopped worrying about it.
The two discussed the details of importing chemical equipment for nearly an hour, from technical parameters to cooperation models. Qin Hao, drawing on his experience in the international market, offered Song Yunhui many practical suggestions. The conversation ended only when Song Yunhui received a call from the factory saying there was an urgent matter to attend to.
After leaving the Donghai Chemical office building, Qin Hao did not head directly to the industrial park. Instead, he instructed the driver to turn around and head towards "Donghai No. 1".
Although the crowds at "Donghai No. 1" weren't as massive as during the three days of the opening event, there were still quite a few people in the mall.
As soon as you arrive at the mall entrance, you can hear the lively sounds coming from inside. The parking lot at the entrance is almost full of vehicles, including cars with local license plates as well as many vehicles from surrounding cities.
Stepping into the mall, one is greeted by a sea of people. On the first floor, the cosmetics counters are crowded with women selecting items. On the second floor, the clothing section is bustling with activity as shop assistants work non-stop. The food court on the third floor is packed, with many people holding number tags and queuing outside.
Besides shoppers, many others came specifically to see the spectacle. The grand opening of "Donghai No. 1," after being reported by the media, has become a landmark building in Donghai – that's the benefit of a successful first launch.
Upon seeing Qin Hao, Yang Xun immediately strode over, his face beaming with a warm smile: "Brother Hao, you've finally arrived! You had no idea how popular our mall was during the first three days of opening. The moment the curtain was lifted, the customers outside stared wide-eyed, and the entrance was almost pushed down!"
As Qin Hao followed Yang Xun into the mall, he looked around at the bustling scene before him and smiled faintly: "Making a splash at the beginning is important, and the excitement of the opening can attract the first batch of customers, but a mall is a long-term business. Whether it can thrive in the long run depends not on the temporary excitement, but on your management and service awareness."
Yang Xun scratched his head, his smile fading slightly, and asked humbly, "Brother Hao, I know about management. I'm in the mall every day, keeping an eye on things. I can handle any problems at any counter or any area that's not clean enough. But this 'service awareness'... I just don't get it. Could you explain it to me?"
"It's actually very simple. Just treat customers like royalty and listen carefully to their needs." Qin Hao stopped and pointed to the exit on the first floor of the mall: "Look at that spot, it's busy and close to the entrance. Put up a suggestion box there, and post a notice telling customers that they can write down any suggestions or complaints and drop them in. Every three days, personally sort through the letters in the suggestion box and immediately address any reasonable requests—for example, if a customer complains that a salesperson at a certain counter has a bad attitude, you verify the situation, provide training where necessary, and replace staff where appropriate; if a customer feels that a certain category of goods is too scarce, you contact the supplier to replenish the stock as soon as possible. In this way, it's as if all the customers are helping you brainstorm. You have to trust that the masses have discerning eyes; their needs are the direction for our mall's improvement."
Yang Xun's eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands: "That's a great idea! It's simple and practical. I'll arrange for someone to make suggestion boxes right away, and they'll be installed this afternoon!"
As he spoke, he turned to give instructions to his subordinates, his face full of urgency.
Qin Hao smiled and stopped him: "Wait a minute, I have another question for you. Have you ever thought about turning 'Donghai No. 1' into a nationwide chain of department stores?"
Yang Xun stopped in his tracks, the excitement on his face fading slightly. He chuckled awkwardly, "I've thought about it, of course I've! I've dreamed about it! But I haven't dared to think that far ahead. After all, we've only just started building up the Donghai branch, and our foundation isn't solid yet. I've discussed it with Xiao Dai, and our next step is to test the waters in Shanghai. We'll open a branch there first and see how the market reacts."
"Good, you haven't become complacent because of short-term gains; that's progress." Qin Hao nodded in satisfaction. "Tell me, how are you and Xiao Dai planning the Shanghai branch? Have you secured funding and location?"
Yang Xun nodded quickly, leaned closer, and lowered his voice to say, "Brother Hao, it's like this. Ever since 'Donghai No. 1' became a hit, a guy named Xiao Ran approached me, saying he wanted to collaborate with us on a real estate project in Shanghai. He said he would be responsible for acquiring land in prime locations in Shanghai, and we would be responsible for building a shopping mall on the land. Moreover, the land price he offered us was at cost price, which is nearly 30% lower than the market price!"
Before Yang Xun could finish speaking, Qin Hao raised an eyebrow, his tone somewhat amused: "Giving you the land at cost price? Is he doing charity?"
Yang Xun quickly explained, "Brother Hao, I also felt something was off at first. Later, I heard from Xiao Ran that he originally planned to build an office building on the land he was going to acquire. However, he felt that just building an office building wouldn't be attractive enough. If a large shopping mall could be built next to it, forming a commercial complex of 'office building + shopping mall,' it would not only attract companies to move into the office building, but also bring in foot traffic from the shopping mall, thus increasing the appreciation potential of the entire real estate project. That's why he wanted to cooperate with us. When we build the shopping mall, it's like we're helping his office building project 'carry the sedan chair.' When he gives us a discount, he's actually increasing the value of his own project."
Upon hearing this, Qin Hao nodded inwardly. This Xiao Ran certainly had a knack for business. Keep in mind that this was the early 90s, and the domestic commercial real estate market was still in its infancy. Most developers were still building office buildings and shopping malls independently; few people had even considered the concept of a "commercial complex," let alone the business model of using a shopping mall to drive up the value of surrounding real estate. From this perspective, Xiao Ran's vision was quite advanced.
But Qin Hao didn't immediately respond. Instead, he asked seriously, "That's true, but you can't just rush into a deal. How much do you know about this Xiao Ran? What's his background and reputation like? Can you trust him?"
Yang Xun also stopped smiling and lowered his voice, saying, "I've asked around. This Xiao Ran is very influential in Donghai. He's acquired a lot of land for commercial development in the past two years. I heard he's the son of a high-ranking official who went into business, and his family has connections in ministries, so he was able to get a lot of preferential policies when acquiring land."
Qin Hao smiled noncommittally. A high-ranking official's son going into business? If he truly had a powerful background and extensive connections, Xiao Ran would have no need to cooperate with a good-for-nothing like Liang Fan. Either his so-called "high-ranking official's son" status was fabricated, and he didn't actually have any real backing, relying on someone like Liang Fan to gain resources; or his family had lost power and he desperately needed to use Liang Fan to reconnect with the Liang family and rebuild his network. But either way, it was enough to show that Xiao Ran's foundation was not solid.
Of course, it cannot be denied that Xiao Ran has good business acumen, at least in terms of business planning, he is very forward-thinking.
Qin Hao pondered for a moment and made a decision: "How about this, you invite Xiao Ran out tomorrow at noon, and the three of us will have lunch together. I'll talk to him in person. Some things can only be revealed when you meet them face to face."
Qin Hao has always valued the "Donghai No. 1" project. Haoran International's business is almost entirely overseas. Although the annual profits are considerable, the international market is unpredictable and easily affected by the policies and trade barriers of various countries, posing significant risks.
The domestic market is developing rapidly with huge consumption potential. If "Donghai No. 1" can be developed into a nationwide chain of department stores, it will open up domestic sales channels, allowing Haoran International's business to "walk on two legs," reducing its dependence on the international market while seizing the opportunities presented by the upgrading of domestic consumption. Therefore, he must personally oversee the cooperation for the Shanghai branch.
“Okay! I’ll call Xiao Ran right now and arrange a time and place with him!” Yang Xun replied immediately, taking out his mobile phone to dial, his face full of enthusiasm.
……
After leaving the "Donghai No. 1", Qin Hao had the driver take him to Haoran International's industrial park. The industrial park was now completely different from what it used to be. The third phase of the project had just been completed, and the entire park was three times larger than it had been two years ago. At a glance, neat factories, office buildings, employee dormitories, canteens, and supermarkets were scattered in an orderly manner, resembling a small town.
The park employs over 60,000 people, nearly 40,000 of whom are laid-off workers from state-owned enterprises. When the industrial park was expanded, Qin Hao specifically cooperated with the local government to launch a "Laid-off Workers Re-employment Plan," providing free skills training for laid-off workers. As long as they passed the assessment, they could enter the park to work. This move not only solved the employment problem for a large number of laid-off workers, but also provided the industrial park with a sufficient labor force reserve.
As soon as the car entered the park, employees along the way stopped and greeted Qin Hao respectfully, saying, "Hello, Mr. Lei!" and "Good afternoon, Mr. Lei!"
Qin Hao sat in the car, smiling and nodding in response.
Upon entering his office, Qin Hao first reviewed the work reports delivered by his secretary. After confirming that production and sales in the industrial park were proceeding normally, he dialed an internal phone number: "Hello, Director Ren, could you come to my office?"
A few minutes later, there was a gentle knock on the office door, and Ren Xia'er walked in, wearing black high heels. She was dressed in a smart business suit, her hair was neatly pulled back, and she had a professional smile on her face: "Mr. Lei, you wanted to see me?"
"Sit down." Qin Hao gestured to the chair opposite the desk. After Ren Xiaoer sat down, he asked, "Director Ren, are you familiar with the 'Donghai No. 1' shopping mall?"
Ren Xia'er paused for a moment, then nodded: "I know, I went there on the opening day. I originally wanted to buy a piece of clothing during the opening discount, but there were so many people that I almost lost my shoes in the crowd, so I left without buying anything."
"I own shares in Donghai No. 1, and I plan to develop it into a nationwide chain department store. In the next few years, I plan to open branches in more than a dozen provincial capital cities across the country." Qin Hao stated his plan directly, his eyes fixed on Ren Xia'er: "I want to transfer you to Donghai No. 1 as the financial director, to be fully responsible for the store's financial work, including budget management, cost control, investment and financing planning, etc. What are your thoughts?"
Ren Xia'er showed no surprise. From the moment Qin Hao asked about "Donghai No. 1", she guessed that the shopping mall was most likely related to the company, and the fact that the boss suddenly wanted to talk to her meant that he was probably going to adjust her job position.
She hesitated for a moment, then looked up and asked seriously, "Mr. Lei, can I choose not to go?"
Qin Hao nodded, his tone frank: "Of course, your work arrangements ultimately depend on your wishes. But I think this is a good opportunity for you, and I don't think you'll refuse."
Ren Xia'er didn't rush to refute, but simply looked at Qin Hao quietly, waiting for him to continue.
"As you may have noticed, Haoran International's core business is concentrated overseas. Whether it's foreign trade exports or overseas investment, it requires dealing with the international market. Therefore, in the appointment of management, the company prefers people with international backgrounds or overseas work or study experience. They are more familiar with international rules and can adapt to overseas business more quickly."
"To be honest, if you continue to stay at Haoran International, with your qualifications and background, it will probably be difficult for you to get promoted in the short term. It's not that you're not capable enough, but the company's business layout determines its personnel needs."
"On the contrary, although 'Donghai No. 1' is just starting out, its prospects are very good, at least I am very optimistic about it. The domestic consumer market is growing rapidly, and chain department stores are a sunrise industry. If you go there as the CFO, you will not only be exposed to traditional financial work, but also to commercial real estate investment and financing, and the financial management model of chain enterprises. These are all new fields, and your personal ability will be improved much faster than doing repetitive work at Haoran International. Moreover, once 'Donghai No. 1' becomes a national chain, as a core member of the founding team, your future development space is limitless."
Ren Xiaoer thought about it carefully for a few minutes and had already made up her mind. She raised her head and said firmly, "President Lei, I accept your arrangement. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I will definitely do my job well."
"Very good." Qin Hao smiled with satisfaction: "It just so happens that I have an appointment with Yang Xun, another partner of 'Donghai No. 1,' and a potential partner tomorrow at noon. You can come with me to meet them and get to know the relevant personnel of the project."
"Okay." Ren Xia'er stood up, preparing to leave the office.
"By the way," Qin Hao suddenly called out to her, asking casually, "Have you seen Song Yunhui recently? What do you think of him?"
Ren Xia'er paused, her professional smile faltering slightly. She had indeed met with Song Yunhui a few times recently due to the financial audit of Donghai Chemical. In her view, Song Yunhui was a typical "technical cadre," extremely conscientious and responsible in his work, even a bit "stubborn," but honest and straightforward.
But when Qin Hao suddenly asked this question… Ren Xia'er suddenly realized what was going on, a blush rose on her face, and she tentatively asked, “President Lei, you wouldn’t be thinking of… setting me up with Factory Director Song, would you?”
Qin Hao, his thoughts exposed, waved his hand somewhat awkwardly: "Ahem, I'm just playing matchmaker. After all, you two are young, and there's nothing wrong with you getting to know each other better. Ultimately, it depends on your own thoughts."
He's really gone to great lengths for his brother-in-law.
Ren Xia'er took a deep breath, his tone becoming serious: "President Lei, if I refuse, will you be angry? Will you fire me because of this?"
"Of course not," Qin Hao said seriously. "I'm not that indiscriminate in separating public and private matters. Besides, my brother-in-law isn't so poor that no one wants him. He wouldn't retaliate against you just because you refused. Don't worry, no matter what you choose, it won't affect your work arrangements."
Upon hearing this, Ren Xiaer finally breathed a sigh of relief, and a smile returned to his face: "President Lei, then I'll be frank. Thank you for your appreciation and kindness, but I really have no ulterior motives towards Factory Director Song. Our relationship is purely professional. Moreover, I think I should prioritize my career for now and not consider dating for the time being."
Qin Hao sighed helplessly, "Alright, it seems I made a mistake in matchmaking. Don't take it to heart, just pretend I didn't ask. Go ahead and get busy, remember to leave with me on time tomorrow morning."
"Thank you, Mr. Lei." Ren Xia'er turned and left with a sigh of relief. Only when she stepped out of the office did she realize that her palms were sweaty. Those few minutes of conversation had been more nerve-wracking than preparing a month's worth of financial statements. Fortunately, her boss was understanding and didn't make things difficult for her.
……
The next day at noon, in a private room of a high-end hotel in Donghai City, Xiao Ran sat by the window, glancing at his watch every few tens of seconds, his fingers constantly rubbing the inside of his teacup. The composure and calmness he had shown when negotiating with Yang Xun were gone from his face.
Xiao Ran was stunned when he received Yang Xun's call yesterday, saying that Qin Hao wanted to invite him to dinner. What kind of company is Haoran International? It's a giant that ranks among the top in the world, with foreign trade orders worth tens of billions of dollars every year.
Even if he jumped with all his might, he couldn't reach Qin Hao's toes. Now, such an "important person" was actually taking the initiative to invite him to dinner. How could Xiao Ran remain calm? He deliberately left home an hour early that morning, changed three times, and finally decided to wear this custom-made suit, all to leave a good impression on Qin Hao.
"Mr. Xiao, don't be nervous. Brother Hao is actually quite easygoing and has no airs." Yang Xun sat to the side, looking at Xiao Ran's uneasy appearance. Although he comforted him verbally, he felt extremely relieved inside.
When I met Xiao Ran before, although he spoke politely, the superiority in his eyes, which seemed to say "I am the son of a high-ranking official, and you are just a small business owner," was impossible to hide. Now that he has met a real "big shot," he is still just as eager to please.
Xiao Ran forced a smile, picked up his teacup, took a sip of water, and suppressed his excitement: "President Yang, when we meet later, please put in a good word for me. I am sincere about this cooperation with 'Donghai No. 1'. As long as we can make the connection, I will reward you handsomely after it is successful."
He adopted an extremely humble attitude, knowing full well that as long as he could get on the good side of Haoran International, he could have a smooth ride in the commercial real estate sector in Shanghai and even across the country. Why would he need to fawn over someone like Liang Fan?
Just then, the door to the private room opened, and Qin Hao and Ren Xia'er walked in. Xiao Ran immediately stood up, his face beaming with the warmest smile, and quickly went to greet them: "President Lei, hello! I'm Xiao Ran, I've long admired your name!"