Wu Jun was just about to say goodbye to Jiang Yi and hang up, but he swallowed the words back down.
If he could land such a huge order, he could quickly clear out some inventory. The rice inventory in his game had already surpassed ninety tons, and it was growing every day.
Besides, 125 tons of rice—that was 1.25 million yuan!
If he closed this deal, he would instantly become a millionaire, and the debt from his father’s hospitalization could be paid off in one go.
The temptation of this order—or rather, of becoming a millionaire—was simply too great for Wu Jun to resist.
Earning his first million would be a major milestone in his life.
"Miss Jiang, if I heard you correctly, you just said your bank only reached a preliminary cooperation agreement with that rice distributor, right?" Wu Jun asked, trying to confirm what he’d heard from Jiang Yi.
"I think so, but I’m not entirely sure. I can ask for you, though." Having been on the phone for a few minutes, Jiang Yi was starting to remember Wu Jun. She recalled him helping her load rice into her car and still had a favorable impression of him.
"It’s hard to explain over the phone. Miss Jiang, are you free right now? Let’s meet in person. I can come to you. And if it’s not too much trouble, could you help me confirm whether the purchase contract has been signed yet?" Wu Jun asked, intending to go scout out the competition.
Jiang Yi hesitated for a few seconds before saying, "Okay. Come to the branch. I’m at the bank right now."
After arranging to meet, the two of them ended the call.
Wu Jun got up from behind the cash register and headed toward the bedroom.
After weighing rice all morning, his clothes were a little dirty. It would be unprofessional and disrespectful to meet her like that.
He came out after changing into clean clothes and said to Xu Fei, who was organizing the shelves, "Xu Fei, I might be back a little late for lunch. If you get hungry, just order some takeout. There’s money in the drawer."
"Okay, Mr. Wu, go on and take care of your business." Xu Fei looked up and agreed, then continued wiping the shelves.
Wu Jun turned and left the shop. Once he was out of the residential complex, he hailed a taxi and headed for Jiang Yi’s bank branch.
The bank wasn’t far from his residential complex. Fifteen minutes later, Wu Jun paid the fare and got out of the car.
After getting out of the taxi, Wu Jun called Jiang Yi to let her know he had arrived.
He waited outside the bank for about five minutes.
Jiang Yi walked out from inside the bank, and Wu Jun recognized her at a glance.
She was wearing a light gray women’s business suit with a light blue blouse underneath. The simple outfit made her look sharp and capable.
"Miss Jiang, long time no see. You’re looking more elegant than ever," Wu Jun said, walking up to her with a compliment.
"Thank you for the compliment. You must be the Mr. Wu I just spoke with on the phone?" Jiang Yi asked for confirmation. More than twenty days had passed, and she had completely forgotten what he looked like.
Wu Jun looked slightly awkward. "Yes, that’s me. You can call me Wu Jun."
"Let’s go to that KFC across the street to talk. It’s not convenient inside," Jiang Yi suggested, pointing.
"Alright, lead the way," Wu Jun agreed with a nod.
The two of them crossed the street at the crosswalk, entered the KFC, and found a table by the window.
After asking Jiang Yi what she wanted, Wu Jun ordered a lemonade for her and a Coke for himself, and they sat down.
After they sat down, Jiang Yi began, "Mr. Wu, I asked for you. The purchasing department hasn’t signed the contract with the other party yet, but it’s basically a done deal. I’m afraid you may have come all this way for nothing."
Wu Jun said, "Miss Jiang, you know the quality of our rice. Would it be possible for me to recommend my products directly to your head of purchasing? To be honest, I’m very interested in this order and I don’t want to give up on it so easily. The quality of the rice we sell is definitely as good as any other brand. It would be too frustrating to surrender without even putting up a fight."
"I’ve tried the rice you sell. Its texture and appearance are both exceptional," Jiang Yi praised, before changing her tone. "However, it seems our bank manager has already made the final decision. The owner of that distribution company is an old classmate of his."
When Wu Jun heard this, his heart sank. ’So after all that, my competitor is someone with connections!’
Jiang Yi added, "And from what I’ve heard, their rice is quite good, too. It’s famous in Hua Country, just a bit more expensive. This batch of rice is the biggest item in the budget for our upcoming celebration."
Wu Jun asked, "What brand of rice is it? Jinlongyu? Wuchang Rice?"
"Neither," Jiang Yi replied. "It’s an imported rice called Meng Zalang."
Having been a rice shop owner for over twenty days, Wu Jun had learned a thing or two about the industry.
Meng Zalang was a type of Thai fragrant rice.
Thai fragrant rice was a product of Thailand’s rich waters, while Hua Country’s fragrant rice was a product of Wuchang.
Meng Zalang and the domestic Wuchang Rice were considered equals, the top players in the country’s high-end rice market.
Wu Jun had always been confident in the rice produced by his game, but he had never actually made a direct comparison with these high-end brands on the market.
He didn’t actually know how good Meng Zalang was, and it wouldn’t look good to bad-mouth a competitor in front of Jiang Yi just to prop himself up.
Still, just giving up wasn’t in his nature.
"Miss Jiang, I know the chances are slim, but I still want to give it a shot," Wu Jun said. "Would you be willing to share your bank manager’s phone number? I’d like to try contacting him directly."
Jiang Yi hesitated for a moment, then took her phone out of her pocket. She unlocked it with her fingerprint, scrolled through her contacts, and found a number saved under the name "Luo Xing." Turning the screen toward Wu Jun, she said, "Write it down. And don’t tell him you got it from me."
"Okay, I understand. Thank you." Wu Jun took out his phone and saved the number in his contacts.
"Mr. Wu, if you want to go after this order, you have about two and a half days." Moved by his persistence, Jiang Yi offered a reminder. "Our manager, Luo Xing, isn’t at work today; he’s taking his father for a hospital check-up. He also won’t be in this weekend. The contract is scheduled to be signed on Monday. To be honest, I’m rooting for you... What was the name of your rice again?"
"Hongyun Rice." Hearing Jiang Yi’s encouragement gave Wu Jun another boost of confidence.
With their business concluded, Wu Jun looked at Jiang Yi and asked, "Miss Jiang, would you like to get a real meal somewhere? You’ve helped me so much, I have to show my appreciation."
"I didn’t really do much to help, so there’s no need to treat me." Jiang Yi stood up, picked up her lemonade, and smiled at Wu Jun. "Thanks for the lemonade. I need to get back to work now."
With that, Jiang Yi turned and walked toward the exit.
Wu Jun watched her leave, then sat back down. He took out his phone and started searching for Meng Zalang distributors in Shimen City.
’Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will never be defeated. I’ll buy a bag to try first. That way, I’ll be more prepared when I contact this Luo Xing.’
The search results showed that Meng Zalang had four specialty stores in Shimen City.
The closest one was over ten kilometers away, a storefront at the intersection of Heping Road and Sports Avenue.
Wu Jun picked up the iced Coke on the table, chugged it down, and then stood up and walked out of the KFC.
At the side of the road, he hailed a taxi.
After getting in, Wu Jun gave the driver his destination: "To the Meng Zalang specialty store at the intersection of Heping Road and Sports Avenue."