As Lu Weimin and his group returned to Changjiang by train from Beijing, Xiao Jinfeng had already embarked on his trip to Guangzhou.
Immediately after Lu Weimin told him everything, Xiao Jinfeng took the only three thousand yuan he and Lu Weimin had and rushed to Guangzhou by train. In Guangzhou, Lu Weimin's classmate Huang Shaocheng gave him a general introduction to the situation and introduced him to a few contacts. Xiao Jinfeng would have to run around on his own to contact the fruit wholesalers in Guangzhou.
For three days, Xiao Jinfeng was almost non-stop running around in several wholesale markets. Although he had Huang Shaocheng's recommendation, being in an unfamiliar place, it was no easy task to make a good first impression and gain the trust of the other party.
However, after a news segment about Nantang kiwifruit appeared in the CCTV Asian Games special, the situation changed. The sensitive Guangzhou businessmen immediately recognized the opportunity and agreed to accept twelve thousand kilograms of Nantang kiwifruit as a trial.
Xiao Jinfeng rushed back to Changjiang overnight. With Lu Weimin's guarantee and Chang Chunlai's help, he arranged for two five-ton Dongfeng trucks to transport twelve thousand kilograms of kiwifruit in two thousand boxes to Guangzhou.
When Lu Weimin entered the office, he noticed that many people were looking at him strangely. He didn't like this situation, but he couldn't do anything about it.
Such a big deal couldn't be kept secret. The sales channel for four hundred thousand kilograms of kiwifruit was quietly opened. Starting from mid-September, the kiwifruit entered the harvesting period. After sorting and packing, the fruit was loaded onto trucks. The county transportation company's trucks were all used for shipping. Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan, and Changzhou became the main sales markets, sparking a kiwifruit craze. The catchy slogan "Taste Nantang kiwifruit, enjoy a healthy new life" became a popular catchphrase.
"You're something! You pulled off such a big deal without making a sound. Even County Chief Wang praised you, mentioning you twice in front of me. I've always said you have a good head on your shoulders, no doubt about it." Guo Huaizhang patted Lu Weimin's shoulder hard and, with a hint of envy, put his arm around Lu Weimin's shoulders. "There's trouble in Huai Shan. This time, we in Nantang will get the praise, while Huai Shan will suffer."
"What happened?" Lu Weimin was slightly surprised and asked urgently.
"Apparently, Huai Shan didn't take it seriously at first. Later, when the Huai Shan kiwifruit was harvested, there was a serious backlog. Plus, they heard we were using the Nantang brand, and the people in Huai Shan County were unhappy. They wanted to find their own sales channels and ignored us. We were left with a cold shoulder, and it caused a delay."
Guo Huaizhang gave a brief overview of the situation.
"Later, they realized it wasn't as simple as they thought. They hurriedly wanted to hand over the fruit to us. By then, some of the earliest harvested kiwifruit had already started to soften and spoil. At least ten thousand kilograms of kiwifruit didn't meet the standards. Our county's modern agricultural development company refused to accept it, and the batch was considered spoiled. The local farmers blamed the Huai Shan County government for the delay and the loss, causing a commotion at the county government. The police had to intervene to calm things down. In the end, the farmers blocked the road, and the situation escalated."
Guo Huaizhang was well-informed. The incident in Huai Shan had alarmed the provincial government. The Party Secretary of the prefecture, Xia Lixing, and the Prefectural Commissioner, Shang Quanzhi, rushed to Huai Shan to handle the situation. It was rumored that the Party Secretary and County Chief of Huai Shan might face disciplinary action.
"Kiwifruit has a short storage life, especially for external sales. It takes a few days to transport, so it must be packed and shipped immediately after harvesting, or it will easily spoil," Lu Weimin explained without commenting on Huai Shan.
"Who would have thought? The people in Huai Shan felt that their kiwifruit didn't need to use the Nantang brand and pay management fees, so they decided to find their own sales channels, causing a delay. This is what they get for acting on their own. They didn't prepare at all, thinking anyone could do it, but when it came to the real deal, they failed miserably, causing a huge mess." Guo Huaizhang sighed and then asked with a probing tone, "Weimin, you've really done a great job this time. How did you manage to have so many connections? I never noticed before."
"Hey, what connections? You know my family is from Factory 195. This state-owned factory gives out welfare every Mid-Autumn Festival, usually apples, which everyone is tired of. This time, I went to the factory and suggested a change in taste. They agreed, and it was that simple. The factory has over ten thousand employees, so it solved a big problem. As for what happened in Beijing, it was out of desperation. I couldn't find any leads, so I discussed with Secretary Shen and decided to give the fruit to the delegations for free, hoping they would help us promote it. Luckily, the TV station was filming the delegations' preparations and caught it, making us famous. Honestly, I feel lucky myself."
Lu Weimin spoke lightly, which made Guo Huaizhang feel a bit better.
This guy really had good luck. He happened to catch the welfare distribution at Factory 195, which solved the problem of ten thousand kilograms of kiwifruit. In Beijing, he managed to get involved with the Asian Games and was even filmed by CCTV, which quickly boosted the reputation of Nantang kiwifruit.
After a few more words, Guo Huaizhang left, and Lu Weimin returned to his office.
He didn't expect problems in Huai Shan. It seemed that some things couldn't be changed. Nantang was on track, but the crisis had shifted to Huai Shan. Fortunately, it was only ten thousand kilograms, whereas in his previous life, at least fifty thousand kilograms of kiwifruit went unsold and rotted, leading to a significant road blockade by farmers. His presence had already changed this history.
Guo Huaizhang seemed envious, which was understandable. Anyone would feel a mix of jealousy, admiration, and some resentment when they saw someone similar to them suddenly become famous. Lu Weimin smiled. He had arrived in the county a year after Guo Huaizhang and had only been there for a little over a month, yet he had caused such a stir. Anyone would have complex feelings.
Lu Weimin didn't want to become a target, especially since he had just arrived in the county. It wasn't an exaggeration to say he was treading on thin ice. However, if he avoided doing anything because of others' opinions, it would be like giving up because of a minor setback.
He had to do what needed to be done, even if it meant being a bit showy at times.
Silently seeking recommendations!