The Sea Queen of 1985

Chapter 279: Chapter 279: We Have the Initiative, So Why Still Earn Money on Our Knees?

Hearing this, Director Chen laughed heartily. ”Excellent, that’s great! Something this beautiful really shouldn’t be sold cheap. They sell for a high price in Japan, so we shouldn’t sell them for less.”

”Being able to snatch their customers proves your ornamental fish are better than Japan’s. Xiao Rui, keep up the good work. I’ll fully support you on my end.”

Han Xiaorui nodded. ”I was just about to give you the list of foreign merchants who want to visit the farm and the fish tank factory!”

Director Chen smiled. ”There’s no rush. There will be a special train. Just give me the complete list tomorrow evening, and we’ll arrange for everyone to take the special train directly to Shencheng.”

The relevant departments in Shencheng will coordinate with Yue Province.

”Okay, I guarantee the task will be done,” Han Xiaorui promised.

By the time Han Xiaorui left the trade fair with her people, it was already dark outside.

Just as they stepped out of the exhibition hall, they ran into Kuno Hiroo.

”Ms. Han, good evening! I was wondering if I might have the honor of inviting you to dinner tonight?”

Han Xiaorui saw Kuno Hiroo and smiled. ”Alright, I know what you’re after! You want to order more Panda Butterfly-tails and other differently colored Butterfly-tails.”

Kuno Hiroo was very direct, nodding repeatedly. ”Yes, I’m the agent! I paid the agency fee, so I’m not like those ordinary customers.”

”If my purchase limit is the same as other ordinary clients, it’s not fair to me as the exclusive agent.”

Looking at the relentless Kuno Hiroo, Han Xiaorui didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

”How is it not fair? You paid the agency fee, but I’ve also kept my promise not to sell the ornamental fish to any other clients in Japan.”

”Apart from these rarer varieties, there are no limits on the order quantity for the others. You can have as many as you want.”

Kuno Hiroo grew anxious. ”Those are all common varieties, I want the rare ones! We have a deep friendship!”

”Hold on!” Han Xiaorui cut him off. ”Our ’friendship’ has been used up. Didn’t we talk about this yesterday?”

Seeing Han Xiaorui’s serious expression, Kuno Hiroo was exasperated. ”Ms. Han, we are friends! And besides, Ye Feng and I are friends too!”

”Even though I was passing on a message for someone else yesterday, I didn’t keep pressuring you after you refused!”

Han Xiaorui was unconvinced. ”That’s because you couldn’t pressure me! And because you’re still counting on me to make money!”

’She had the upper hand; why should she grovel to make money?’

Kuno Hiroo hadn’t expected Han Xiaorui to be so difficult. ”Ms. Han, did you know? That incident has blown up. Yamamoto Yoshihiko found a former classmate of his and is threatening to halt the export of related technology to pressure Hua Country into letting Yamamoto Ichiro go.”

”Yamamoto Ichiro himself is nothing, but you need that technology. If you don’t back down, it could very well delay other departments from importing related tech, and that will lead to an endless stream of trouble.”

Hearing this, Han Xiaorui stopped in her tracks and looked at Kuno Hiroo. ”You’re not the one intentionally putting us in a chokehold, are you? If you’re helping the wicked, then we’re no longer friends.”

Kuno Hiroo waved his hands frantically. ”Of course not! We’re friends, that’s why I’m telling you this. Business is ultimately about profit. If you can agree to my demand—no, my request—I have a way to help that department in your Shencheng import even more advanced technology from another company.”

Han Xiaorui was slightly stunned to hear this.

’If just selling a few more ornamental fish to Kuno Hiroo could prevent delays in importing foreign technology *and* still allow Yamamoto Ichiro to be punished, it was a worthwhile deal.’

Han Xiaorui nodded. ”Deal. But the quantity is truly limited. For the rare varieties, I can give you double the amount.”

Kuno Hiroo shook his head, his business attitude now just as firm. ”No. Give me five times the quantity, and I guarantee I’ll handle everything for you perfectly. Yamamoto Ichiro will go to jail, and the company being threatened by Yamamoto Yoshihiko and his classmate will be able to import the advanced equipment.”

Han Xiaorui frowned. ”That many?”

”It’s not that much. I’m an importer-exporter; I have many channels. You won’t be at a disadvantage working with me. By the way, the reason you can quote such a high price for your ornamental fish is because of the Japanese ornamental fish export prices I got for you, isn’t it?”

”This...” Han Xiaorui nodded. ”Deal.”

’You have to admit, Kuno Hiroo was pretty good at what he did.’

’As long as the profit was right, there was nothing he wouldn’t sell.’

Kuno Hiroo thought for a moment, then added, ”In the future, if you have new varieties, you don’t have to wait for a trade fair. You can notify me anytime. Don’t worry, I only operate in the Japanese market. I won’t touch any other regions.”

Han Xiaorui smiled. ”That won’t work either. I need to maintain a sense of mystery and make a splash at the trade fairs. If they’re seen in Japan first, how can that showcase the advancements in our Hua Country’s ornamental fish breeding techniques and research?”

Kuno Hiroo thought about it and felt she had a point. ”Alright, I respect your marketing strategy. But for the rare varieties, my order quantity has to be larger.”

Han Xiaorui raised an eyebrow. ”Isn’t Japan’s economy in a downturn right now? Hasn’t your ornamental fish business been affected?”

Kuno Hiroo shook his head. ”No! Pretty little fish satisfy the average person’s hobby of fish-keeping. Plus, they’re cute and beautiful.”

”As for the rare species, that’s even less of a problem. Ms. Han, no matter how bad the economy gets, there are always rich people. Some people are still getting rich, and there will always be those willing to buy rare varieties as gifts.”

”Gifts?” Han Xiaorui smiled. ”Don’t you guys promote yourselves as being incorruptible? People still accept gifts?”

”Heh, that’s propaganda. Can propaganda ever be the same as reality?” Kuno Hiroo was very blunt and didn’t shy away from the topic. ”In any case, I’m the one spending the money, and I won’t let it go to waste. Ms. Han, don’t worry about me. Just focus on your farm and give me more of those precious ornamental fish.”

Han Xiaorui nodded. ”Alright, it’s a deal then. Okay, I should go get some dinner. Tomorrow is the last day of the fair. See you.”

Having achieved his goal, Kuno Hiroo didn’t pester Han Xiaorui any longer.

On the third day of the trade fair, Kuno Hiroo was also very busy.

The day after the trade fair ended, he took a flight to Shencheng.

He had to help Han Xiaorui and Ye Feng solve their problem before he could justifiably take away those precious ornamental fish.

This time, he planned to air-freight these precious ornamental fish and then hold a major exhibition in Japan.

He wanted to completely dominate the Japanese ornamental fish market and control the primary source.

At the same time, he would use these fish to grease some wheels.

Besides, Kuno Hiroo wasn’t worried at all about Han Xiaorui changing agents. He knew he could help many departments in Shencheng import technology at very fair prices.

He understood that he could bring more benefits to Shencheng, so he didn’t even need to ask; someone would communicate with the Jinshan Bay Ornamental Fish Farm on his behalf.