Chapter 428 Goodbye Firefly (Subscribe for monthly tickets)
When Zhang Yun arrived at Lianzhong, the meeting had already ended.

After sufficient communication between the senior executives of Aiwa Electronics and Lianzhong, the terms of cooperation were basically agreed upon. Lianzhong would be the agent for Aiwa Electronics to sell its full range of products in central China and would pay a deposit of 20 million yuan.

This was decided by Zhang Yunqi beforehand.

He was in the office reading the minutes of the meeting to learn about the specific details of the clauses. At this time, Yu Lin walked in from outside: "Boss, you called me?"

Zhang Yunqi nodded, put away the materials and said, "Sit down, Lao Yu, I want to talk to you about the next step of Lianzhong's business."

Yu Lin originally thought that Zhang Yunqi wanted to talk to him privately about the cooperation between Aiwa Electronics and Lianzhong. After hearing this, he pulled up a chair and sat down, spread out his notebook and said with a smile: "Then I have to move a small stool to take good notes."

The two of them can be considered comrades who have fought side by side for many years. They have been partners since Zhang Yunqi was penniless. Now, they are both wealthy by acting as agents for many electronic products from the early 1990s. When Zhang Yunqi and Li Jilin got into trouble, it was Yu Lin who took charge of the management of several major systems of Lianzhong Liansheng and assisted Zhang Yunqi in overcoming the difficulties. He is used to joking in front of Zhang Yunqi.

Zhang Yunqi tapped the table with his fingers and said with a smile, "Lianzhong is engaged in the distribution of electronic and home appliance products. In recent years, this area has always been a seller's market in China. But this year you should have clearly felt that the current market is not as good as it was in 92 or 93. It's just not that easy to sell."

Yu Lin nodded.

The falling of a leaf can tell the coming of autumn. These problems are actually obvious, not to mention that he was the one running Lianzhong in the first place: "The learning machine products of Subor this year are obviously not as good as those of last year. There are too many products on the market, and everyone rushed to buy it because they thought it was profitable. After Duan Yongping left, the situation became even worse, and the market sales further declined, which had a great impact on Lianzhong. I heard that Subor is also planning to enter the VCD player market. It seems that they are also eyeing this piece of fat meat."

Zhang Yunqi had known about Duan Yongping's departure for a long time. He and Duan Yongping had always had a good relationship over the years and they had a phone call some time ago. It was estimated that around October, BBK would be established and would set its sights on DVD players. As for the fact that Subor was going to make DVD players, he didn't take it to heart.

Zhang Yunqi said: "This is a question we need to consider next. Over the years, Lianzhong has made a lot of money by acting as the agent for many popular electronic products and has become a major distributor in Central China. However, Lianzhong's fate has been closely linked to the trend of the times. I now have a judgment that the game electronics market and the home appliance market will change from a 'scarce market' to a 'surplus market' from the mid-to-late 1990s. At that time, Lianzhong's market will be more difficult to operate. The most terrible thing is that we still have to support the huge and redundant distribution system in the entire Central China."

After a pause, Zhang Yunqi continued, "Simply speaking of the VCD player industry, I estimate that the golden age of the market is only in 1996 and 1997, and it will not be so good after 1998. By then, there will be a lot of businesses in this industry, and the competition will be too fierce. Cost wars and price wars are inevitable. At that time, businesses will not make much money, and the profits of dealers will be squeezed across the board, making it difficult for everyone to survive. Now Lianzhong is the general agent of Aiwa Electronics in central China. Aiwa Electronics will encounter those problems. When they fight price wars for profits, can Lianzhong remain immune?"

Yu Lin has always been impressed by Zhang Yunqi's foresight.

Zhang Yunqi invested a huge amount of financial, energy and resources in betting on the DVD player industry this time, appearing extremely enthusiastic, causing everyone in Lianzhong to be full of confidence in the upcoming market. At this time, Zhang Yunqi suddenly put forward a more in-depth view of the DVD player industry and the hidden problems between Aiwa and Lianzhong, which Yu Lin had not thought about. He couldn't help but hesitate and become serious.

Zhang Yunqi added: "As the situation of product oversupply continues to intensify and market competition becomes increasingly fierce, driven by the pursuit of capital for profit, in the next few decades, retailers and upstream manufacturers will squeeze the middle channel merchants more and more severely. They need to get rid of the middlemen and strive to maximize profits. This is the general trend of China's economic development, the result of reform and opening up and industrialization, and no one can change it! For Lianzhong, if it cannot be changed, it must accept it and go with the flow. Only in this way can it avoid being eliminated by the market and always stand at the forefront. Therefore, Lianzhong needs to consider the issue of transformation and upgrading, and gradually lay out a new supply and marketing model."

Yu Lin subconsciously asked: "What supply and marketing model?"

Zhang Yunqi took a sip of Da Hong Pao and said, "I think it should be a retail chain operation model, transforming from a middleman to a large retailer. However, we cannot adopt the traditional store operation model. Instead, we should implement a direct supply model with upstream manufacturers."

After hearing this, Yu Lin thought about it carefully and felt that what Zhang Yunqi said made sense. He also believed in Zhang Yunqi's judgment on the general trend of business. However, there were still many problems. Where should Lianzhong start its transformation? If it really wanted to be a large retailer, would it have to purchase stores on a large scale? Should the distribution system be gradually cut off?

Yu Lin had a lot of questions. It was not easy for a company with an established model and sustainable profitability to transform itself. But before he could open his mouth, Zhang Yunqi's phone rang.

Zhang Yunqi picked up the phone. It was his homeroom teacher Luo Lin.

Zhang Yunqi didn't know why Luo Lin was looking for him, so he smiled and said, "Teacher Luo, although I promised to help you find a partner, there's no need to be so anxious, right?"

Luo Lin didn't seem to be in the mood to joke with Zhang Yunqi. She heard Zhang Yunqi's brisk tone and said directly on the phone: "Do you know what application Chu Jian filled in?"

Zhang Yunqi said: "Yes, she told me that she applied to Peking University."

Luo Lin sighed on the phone: "She lied to you, she filled in Xiangnan University!"

Zhang Yunqi was stunned.

His emotional thinking was exceptionally quick, and he understood everything immediately, just as if he had seen a painting and instantly remembered the entire story of Along the River During the Qingming Festival.

Zhang Yunqi hung up the phone.

He put away his phone and said to Yu Lin, "The transformation of Lianzhong's business model cannot be accomplished overnight. Let's talk about it later. I have something else to do."

Zhang Yunqi got up, left the office and drove home.

When we got home, it was about seven o'clock. In July, the heat of summer, Jiangchuan was as hot as a furnace. Fortunately, there was central air conditioning at home. Zhang's mother had just come out of the kitchen with dishes. When she saw Zhang Yunqi coming in, she said, "Hey! We have guests at home tonight." Then, she turned her head and shouted to the kitchen, "Chu Jian's mother, cook two more delicious dishes."

Zhang Yunqi burst out laughing.

As he changed his shoes, he said, "Mom, if you have any complaints about me, just tell me."

Mother Zhang put the dishes on the table and said, "Since the college entrance examination, you haven't come home for a meal. This has saved the family a lot of food expenses."

Zhang Yunqi looked up at the living room. Chunlan, Xiaoxiao and Chuxin were all watching TV. He said, "There's been a lot going on lately, so sometimes we talk very late. It'll be fine once we're done with this. By the way, where's Chujian?"

Chunlan, who was on the sofa, said, "Sister Chujian said she was a little tired and was sleeping."

Zhang Yunqi nodded: "I'm going to take a shower."

After taking a shower in the bathroom, Zhang Yunqi changed into clean clothes and returned to the living room. The food was ready and Chu Jian had also come down from upstairs.

The family has dinner together.

As usual, Zhang's mother was nagging, Chujian's mother was busy running around, Chuxin and Xiaoxiao were quarreling, Chujian was eating quietly, and Zhang Yunqi picked up food for her from time to time. Chunlan couldn't bear to watch such a dog-food scene, so she took the meal, sat on the sofa in the living room, eating and reading a book.

After dinner, Chu Jian reviewed Chunlan's homework.

Chunlan had just finished her second year of high school and would be a senior in the second half of this year, but she was progressing very quickly and had already gone beyond the syllabus to learn third-year knowledge. Chujian gave her all the study materials and tutored her every night during the holidays. Zhang Yunqi was free enough at this time.

He carried two bottles of beer and went up to the rooftop.

There is a terrace on the roof.

Because the Shuixie Yundu villa area is located at a very high altitude, with the Suxianling Mountains behind it, and it is a single-family large villa facing north and south, overlooking the city, Zhang Yunqi can see most of the night view of the city when he stands on the rooftop.

It's free here.

You can enjoy the summer night breeze, the light of the sky, and the passing of spring and the coming of autumn.

After staying alone for a while, Zhang Yunqi took out his phone and sent a message to Chu Jian: "I'm on the rooftop."

Putting down his phone, he drank his beer quietly.

Not long after, Chu Jian came up with a paper bag in her hand. She saw Zhang Yunqi sitting on the edge of the rooftop. Under the starry sky, the young man was looking at the city in the night sky.

Chu Jian walked over and sat side by side with Zhang Yunqi.

In the distance, the city lights were bright, the solid skyline was hidden in the lights, the surface of the Chunjiang River was glittering with colorful colors, there were few cars on Chunfeng Road, but the lights merged into a stream of light. At first glance, I suddenly felt that every light in this stream of light was a living firefly, they were bound in the narrow and unbranched Chunfeng Road, and could only run forward with all their strength to find an exit.

At this time, Zhang Yunqi's voice sounded beside him: "I have finished filling out the application form. I still have more than a month of vacation. What are you going to do with it?"

Chu Jian smiled and said, "Yunqi, if we were not together, I think this question does not need to be thought about. I should be working during the summer vacation. Now, I don't know, because if I say I want to work during the summer vacation, do you agree?"

Zhang Yunqi nodded: "I agree."

When we first met, I pursed my lips and said yes.

Then, she handed the paper bag in her hand to Zhang Yunqi: "Hey, I bought you a piece of clothing."

Zhang Yunqi was stunned for a moment, then he took the paper bag and pulled out a white short-sleeved T-shirt with a cloud on it. This should be the first gift Chu Jian gave him, and it was not a branded product. He took off his clothes and put the T-shirt on directly, which was very close to his body. Chu Jian next to him said, "It hasn't been washed yet."

"Nothing." Zhang Yunqi smiled and said, "This morning I asked you if you and Yu Qingqing bought any clothes when you went shopping, and you said you did. So you bought my clothes?"

Chu Jian leaned his head on Zhang Yunqi's shoulder and said softly, "Do you like it?"

"You'd better buy me another one, or I'll have to wear this dress all summer."

"Let's go buy it together some other day."

He was smiling when we first met, and he was smiling very happily.

Afterwards, the two of them said nothing more.

Sitting on the edge of the rooftop, Chu Jian leaned on Zhang Yunqi's shoulder, quietly feeling the summer night breeze under the starry sky. After a long, long time, Chu Jian suddenly whispered, "Yunqi."

"Ok?"

"Teacher Luo told you?"

"Yes." Zhang Yunqi nodded. He called Chu Jian to the rooftop for no reason tonight. Chu Jian was so smart that he could guess the reason immediately.

He took a sip of beer and said with a smile, "Luo Lin called me and said that you filled out the application form for Shonan University. I think she wanted me to persuade you not to give up on the things you have always wanted to pursue."

Chu Jian turned his head and looked at Zhang Yunqi: "What do you think?"

Zhang Yunqi laughed and said, "To be honest, when I received Luo Lin's call, I was in a meeting. I was so moved at the time. She wants me to persuade my wife to change her choice of major and go to Peking University? She is dreaming."

Chu Jian smiled and said, "Don't say that about Teacher Luo."

Zhang Yunqi took a sip of beer and said, "Besides, I think it's fine to go to Peking University or Hunan University. Even if you don't study anymore, that's it. Besides, what's there to persuade? You are such a smart girl, you must have thought it through. What's the point of me saying those things? It's just..."

Chu Jian asked, "Just what?"

Just as she said this, a firefly suddenly flew over from mid-air, flapping its wings. Zhang Yunqi, who was standing next to her, reached out and grabbed the firefly into his palm.

He pinched the body of the firefly between his index and middle fingers, and watched the firefly flap its wings desperately, trying to fly into the sky.

He smiled and said, "It's just that our teacher always said that people should not lose the ability to feel happiness and freedom while they are alive. I don't want me to be this hand and you to be the firefly in my hand."

Having said that, Zhang Yunqi loosened his fingers, but the firefly did not fly back into the sky. Instead, it fell to the ground. Its weak wings flapped a few times, and then it became silent and its fluorescence went out.

"It's late, let's go back to sleep." Zhang Yunqi drank the beer and jumped off the edge of the roof.

When she entered the room, Chu Jian heard his voice coming from the stairs: "Yu, I love you. Forever."

******
(End of this chapter)