ALL NOVEL Chapter 12 - Everything Speaks for Itself.
Chapter 12: Replacing Wine with Tea, Everything Speaks for Itself.
Seafood World…
Fang Jian had just placed his order when Zhang Liang rushed over. As soon as he sat down, he whispered, “Fang Jian, do you have a solution?”
On the day they parted ways, Zhang Liang hadn’t harbored much hope, given his good friend’s experiences over the past two years. He knew that while Mali was abundant in gold, it had a weak industrial base and hardly any chromite mining. The primary importers of chromite domestically were South Africa, Turkey, and Zimbabwe. Fang Jian seemed unreachable.
However, he also believed a true friend wouldn’t make empty claims. Fang Jian smiled and handed over a bag, saying, “Take this bag for testing. It’s a sample. If it meets the standards, follow this specification.”
Zhang Liang opened it and said, “You rascal, are you returning the samples I gave you?”
Fang Jian gave him a disdainful look. He had already compared both sets of samples, but with his limited eyesight and knowledge, he couldn’t discern any differences.
Zhang Liang laughed, saying, “Alright, just kidding. Don’t be mad.” With that, he picked up the bag and left.
Fang Jian stared until Zhang Liang disappeared before pulling out his phone. “Hey, Zhang Liang, what are you up to?”
“Go ahead and eat. I’ll take the sample to the lab and come over immediately. We’re running out of time,” Zhang Liang replied.
Fang Jian immediately thought of the intended use for this batch of goods. He obediently put down his phone and continued eating. Half an hour later, Zhang Liang returned. Thankfully, the location Fang Jian chose wasn’t far from their company, allowing for a quick round trip.
Just as they finished their meal, Zhang Liang received a message. He looked up and said, “Well, my boy, your goods passed the quality inspection. The inspector said the purity is extremely high, and the quality is excellent.”
Fang Jian smiled with a hint of pride. This product came from technology several levels ahead in the next millennium, so any quality issues would be unlikely.
Zhang Liang’s expression turned serious and asked, “Now, there’s only one final question: What is the price at the port?”
In international trade, prices are classified as FOB (Free On Board) and CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight). The difference between them is the shipping cost, which is far from cheap.
Fang Jian pondered and asked, “What was the price you used to have?”
Zhang Liang hesitated and said, “Fang Jian, you know we’re not a private enterprise. These supplies are used for… So the price can’t be too high. There are many places where military expenses are needed, and we can’t waste any.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Fang Jian smiled and said, “I’m not planning to make a profit. Let’s set it at 100,000 per ton for you.”
“100,000 per ton?” Zhang Liang’s eyes widened.
“Yeah, what’s wrong? Do you think it’s too expensive?” Fang Jian asked.
“No, it’s not…” Zhang Liang smiled bitterly and said, “It’s just that it’s too cheap.”
This is not raw chromite ore but already refined metal chromium particles with a purity of 99.9%. The prices of precious metals worldwide are rising, and this refined metal chromium can be sold for over $130 per kilogram. And it’s still in short supply. You’ll have to pay a few more dollars to get your hands on it. Converted, that’s $135,000 per ton. However, Fang Jian offered only three-quarters of the market price.
Fang Jian providing a source of goods at this time was already a great help. And the goods were so cheap…
Zhang Liang couldn’t help but start thinking about various possibilities. After hesitating, he asked, “What’s the payment method?”
“Payment upon delivery. Payment is due within one month after the goods arrive,” Fang Jian said slowly. “No need for advance payment or deposit.”
Zhang Liang was speechless. When Fang Jian quoted the price, he even had some doubts. Was this childhood friend under a spell, or did he plan to make a quick profit and run away?
But as soon as he heard the payment method, he understood that he was overthinking.
“How much do you have?” Zhang Liang asked.
“5,000 tons,” Fang Jian replied.
Zhang Liang’s eyelids twitched as he quickly calculated in his mind. Then he said, “Fang Jian, stop kidding.”
Fang Jian smiled and said, “100,000 per ton, 5,000 tons, a total of 5 billion. If you don’t want it, I’ll sell it to someone else.”
Zhang Liang gave him a disgruntled look and said, “Are you… offering this quantity and price?”
Fang Jian put down his teacup and said, ” Zhang Liang, I’ll be honest with you. I know what you need this for. It’s precisely because I know I’m selling it to you at this price. If it were a private enterprise… heh heh.”
Zhang Liang looked deeply at his childhood friend, picked up the teapot beside him, and poured a cup. He raised the cup with both hands, saluted Fang Jian from afar, and then drank it all in one breath. Using tea instead of wine, everything was understood without words.