Huayu: A master director who debuted as a singer

Chapter 33 Continues to Ship Goods

In late September, one afternoon, Fatty Liu from the stall called Zheng Hui, earnestly inviting him to dinner, with the address still being the Tingtao Pavilion at the Beiyuan Restaurant.

That evening, Zheng Hui arrived at the private room. Inside, Fatty Liu, General Manager Chen, General Manager Zhang, and Sister Sun surrounded him like stars around the moon. Their seasoned faces were beaming with smiles.

"Brother Zheng, you're our living god of wealth now!"

Fatty Liu picked up his wine glass, tapped it on the table, and then raised it, saying, "This glass, brother, I'll drink it first as a sign of respect!"

Before he finished speaking, he tilted his head back and emptied the entire glass of Moutai in an instant.

Fatty Liu put down his cup, wiped his mouth, and said, "Brother Zheng, in South China, your cassette tapes aren't just for sale, they're practically robbery!"

The guy at my stall said that nowadays, if a middle school student in Guangzhou doesn't have your original cassette tape in their backpack, they're too embarrassed to even exchange glances with their classmates.

Mr. Zhang nodded repeatedly and chimed in, "It's the same in the Southwest. The owners of those audio-visual stores in the remote mountains ride their motorcycles dozens of miles of mountain roads into the city, and when they enter the store, they specifically ask for 'Stubborn,' without even looking at anything else."

Sister Sun covered her mouth and laughed, "Although the Northeast is slow to heat up, it can't withstand the daily broadcasts from the schools. The momentum over there is now quite intense."

Mr. Chen raised his glass in a toast and said, "Boss Zheng, you wrote a great song, and your album is selling well. The four of us are thriving because of you, so I'll toast you."

Zheng Hui had anticipated that this album would be a huge success. With so many masterpieces compiled from later generations, it would be strange if it didn't sell well, which is why they praised it to the skies.

He raised his glass and clinked it with the four bosses before drinking, and then said politely, "Bosses, you flatter me. Without your four channels, I wouldn't have been able to sell so many. In the end, I should thank you four for your generosity."

After a few polite words, the atmosphere at the dinner table became increasingly harmonious, as if everyone was one big family.

After Liu Pangzi diligently placed a piece of crispy roast goose on Zheng Hui's plate, he finally got straight to the point: "Brother Zheng, let me be frank with you. We've gathered here today not just for this meal."

He stared intently at Zheng Hui: "Brother Zheng, just tell me the truth, how much stock do you have left?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the eyes of the other three people turned to Zheng Hui's face.

Zheng Hui didn't try to hide anything; he said directly, "Not many, just two million boxes."

Inside the private room, the four business owners exchanged bewildered glances, each seeing shock in the other's eyes.

Two million boxes? The last one million boxes was already a huge gamble, and now he's prepared another two million?

Could it be that he didn't keep a single penny of the money he paid last time and continued to invest it in production? Does this young man have that much confidence and gambling spirit?

It was President Chen who showed more composure, clearing his throat to break the silence: "Xiao Zheng, is it exactly two million?"

"Confirmed." Zheng Hui nodded and confirmed it again.

Fatty Liu slapped his thigh suddenly: "My goodness! Brother Zheng, you've staked your entire fortune on this!"

Zheng Hui just smiled and didn't explain that he had a backup plan.

Mr. Chen gave the other three a wink, then said to Zheng Hui, "Xiao Zheng, please sit for a moment. The four of us need to go out for some fresh air and discuss something."

"Please make yourself at home, gentlemen."

The four of them stood up and quickly walked to the end of the corridor outside the private room. Avoiding the waiters, the corner instantly filled with smoke.

Fatty Liu was the first to fire: "What's there to discuss! We have to get those two million boxes! The South China market is a bottomless pit; I want one million first!"

Mr. Chen frowned deeply: "Old Liu, wake up! One million boxes is three million in cash. Can you swallow that all by yourself? What if the wind changes later?"

"What could possibly change? Zheng Hui's songs are hot commodities in Guangdong right now! You can grab any student off the street and they can belt out a few lines."

Fatty Liu, his neck stiff and face red, argued, "The markets in Fujian, Guangxi, and Hainan have only just begun to open up; the potential is enormous. Seven hundred thousand boxes! I could sell them all in a month, and that's a conservative estimate!"

Seeing that he couldn't calm this mad bull down, President Chen turned to the other two: "What do you think?"

Mr. Zhang rubbed his hands together and pondered, "In the southwest, there are many people from Sichuan and Chongqing, and many students."

Although the economy isn't as good as the coastal areas, these cassette tapes, costing eight yuan a cassette, are still affordable if you grit your teeth. My last shipment was mostly distributed to the cities and counties below, and the response was excellent. I can easily consume 500,000 tapes.”

When it was Sister Sun's turn, she sighed, her makeup unable to hide the worry in her eyes: "Brothers, you're eating meat to your hearts' content, but I'm in for a rough time."

You all know what the situation is like in Northeast China right now. Layoffs are happening everywhere, and people are practically penniless. To be honest, of the 200,000 boxes I took last time, I've only sold 70,000 or 80,000 so far; most of them are still stuck in inventory.

But then she changed the subject, a fierce glint in her eyes: "However, as you and I both know, Zheng Hui's music videos are about to air on CCTV. This is an opportunity, and since everyone's vying for it, I can't afford to miss out."

So, I'll grit my teeth and take another 200,000 boxes. If I lose this bet, I'll really have to jump off a building.

Currently, only General Manager Chen, who is based in East China, has not yet made a statement.

Fatty Liu has 700,000, Boss Zhang has 500,000, Sister Sun has 200,000, totaling 1.4 million, leaving 600,000 boxes.

All three eyes turned to President Chen.

After a moment of contemplation, General Manager Chen said, "In East China, the purchasing power of the Yangtze River Delta region is undeniable, and the distribution channels are also very dense."

However, Zheng Hui has not yet appeared on major national television stations, and while the news from CCTV is good, there is always uncertainty until it is officially confirmed.

He paused for a moment, then said, "I can't be as aggressive as Lao Liu, so I won't ask you for any more. I'll take all 600,000 boxes left. I can barely manage that number."

Two million boxes were divided up in the smoke-filled corridor.

The four exchanged glances, composed themselves, and pushed open the door to the private room again.

On behalf of everyone, General Manager Chen said, "Brother Zheng, we've reached an agreement. The four of us will cover all two million boxes of yours."

He recounted the quota they had just discussed to Zheng Hui.

Zheng Hui was happy as long as the goods could be sold; he didn't care how much each person wanted: "Okay, then let's split it according to what the bosses said."

"The same old rules?" Fatty Liu asked.

Zheng Hui nodded and said, "Same as always. Cash transaction in three days, still at the tape factory in Panyu."

However, this time the payment is quite large—two million boxes, which is six million in cash. A one-time transaction like this will attract too much attention; everyone be careful on the road.

"No problem!" The four agreed in unison. These bosses all had their own staff and were engaged in gray-area businesses. They were already being generous by not robbing others, so they weren't afraid of being robbed.

The meal was a joyous and harmonious affair, enjoyed by both host and guests.