* * * * With a fierce punch to Lu Weimin, the tall young man who had walked in sized him up and then said with a cheerful smile, "I thought you wouldnât come to Beijing for another three to five years. I didnât expect to see you after just two months. Haha, how did you get so tanned?"
"Born to work hard, how can I compare to you?" Lu Weimin also smiled, looking at the tall young man in front of him. This was his roommate for four years and one of his closest university friends, Cao Lang.
Cao Lang had a very straightforward personality, a broad face, and large ears, embodying the typical Northern Chinese straightforwardness and theççæ
of a Sichuanese. During their four years at university, the two were almost inseparable, especially after a near-drowning incident, which made their relationship even closer, almost like brothers.
At graduation, they both sighed and felt sentimental. Cao Lang even asked Lu Weimin if he wanted to come to Beijing, saying he could help if Lu Weimin really wanted to. At the time, Lu Weimin didnât take it seriously, thinking Cao Lang was just expressing his feelings in the moment, so he didnât pay much attention.
"Stop saying that, none of us is better than the other." Cao Lang then turned his gaze to the girl standing behind Lu Weimin, his eyes lighting up. "Good for you, bringing your girlfriend? Planning to get married so soon?"
Su Yanqing blushed and frowned, and Lu Weimin quickly explained, "Cao Lang, donât joke around. This is my colleague, Su Yanqing. Yanqing, this is my university classmate, Cao Lang."
Cao Lang finally understood. He also noticed that the girl in front of him, though beautiful and charming, was clearly not the same person in Lu Weiminâs photos. He had really thought Lu Weimin had changed girlfriends so quickly. "Sorry, Damin is my best friend. Iâm Cao Lang, nice to meet you!"
"Nice to meet you, Iâm Su Yanqing." Su Yanqing also shook hands with him, and the three of them sat down.
This was a café not far from where Lu Weimin lived. Su Yanqing was very familiar with the area, as it was a place they often visited during their university days.
"Thank you and your mother for the last time..." Lu Weiminâs words were cut off by Cao Lang, "It was nothing, donât mention it. We donât need to keep saying these things between us. You called to say you were coming to Beijing on official business. Whatâs it about? Not to run projects for your county, right?"
"Hehe, running projects is a big deal, itâs not our turn yet. Weâre actually here to do some sales work." Lu Weimin didnât hold back and explained the situation.
"You want to promote your Nantang kiwis in Beijing? Thatâs a new idea. Iâve never dealt with people in this field, nor do I know anyone." Cao Lang scratched his head, his face showing a thoughtful expression. "But itâs not a big deal. I can find someone to contact, and we should be able to find someone who can help."
"Also, with the Asian Games coming up, we plan to use this opportunity to promote our Nantang kiwis. This will help us build a reputation in Beijing and expand our market." Lu Weimin smiled.
Hearing Lu Weiminâs plan, Cao Lang looked puzzled. "Damin, are you out of your mind? Itâs already this late, and youâre just thinking about this? Besides, the cost of advertising for the Asian Games is too high for farmers to bear. The advertising rights are monopolized by sponsors who have paid a lot of money for them."
"I donât plan to go the official route. I want to play it a bit on the edge, but that will definitely cause some trouble. I want to ask for your help. If the relevant departments try to stop us, I hope you can mediate and at least buy us some time so our advertising can have more impact. If possible, Iâd also like to ask your TV station to give us some airtime."
After listening to Lu Weiminâs detailed explanation, Cao Langâs mouth dropped open, and he stared at Lu Weimin for a while before saying, "Damin, how do you come up with so many ideas? This is risky. The Industrial and Commercial Bureau will definitely investigate your illegal advertising. Wonât you lose everything?"
"Hehe, thatâs where you come in. Besides, this isnât purely advertising. Encouraging the athletes and offering our sincere blessings from the people of Nantang, can that be rejected? Itâs not purely advertising, just a novel promotional method." Lu Weimin smiled lightly. "We donât need much time, just a time advantage to expand our influence."
"You really think Iâm the Party Secretary of Beijing? These things involve so many departments, how can I have that much power?" Cao Lang was both amused and exasperated. "I can try to get the TV station to give you a few seconds of airtime. Since the focus is on the Asian Games, itâs not a big deal to do a favor. But if you want to keep your illegal advertising, the Industrial and Commercial Bureau wonât allow it. The sponsors, like Jianlibao, have already paid a lot of money for the rights. They wonât let you do this for free."
"Hehe, thatâs fine. I said Iâd play it on the edge. What if I send dozens of boxes of our Nantang eco-healthy kiwis to the Chinese team? If they donât want them, can we give them to the North Korean team? Or the Cambodian team? Or the Lao or Philippine teams? It doesnât matter if they want them or not. I need a gimmick to create some impact. If you can give us even three seconds of airtime, those dozens of boxes of kiwis will be worth it. The athletes eat nutritious fruits, wonât the people want to buy them for their families and children?"
Lu Weiminâs words left Su Yanqing and Cao Lang speechless. After a while, Cao Lang raised his thumb and said, "Impressive!"
"Since you agree with my idea, Iâm ready to go all out. If it works, everyone will be happy. Even if it fails, it will still have a significant impact. Itâs a small investment for a big return, why not try?" Lu Weimin glanced at Su Yanqing, who was deep in thought. "Yanqing, weâre in this together. The county gave us this budget, and we might even have to chip in some of our own money."
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