Manager Zhu was taken aback for a moment, then his face lit up with a smile. This was good news; three high-end cars had been sold in one day. This month's sales target was definitely nearing completion. However, he still needed to clarify the customers' needs first, so he asked, "Are you looking for imported or domestic cars? And what price range are you looking for? Could you tell me first, and I'll introduce some models to you? Of course, I'll definitely offer you the most favorable discount."
"I need a car under 300,000 yuan. It should be able to handle high-altitude driving, have a good engine, and preferably be readily available. Otherwise, it'll be quite troublesome for me to come to Nanjing, and I'll be going on a long trip soon. What kind of car do you want, Mu Tou?"
Liu Chuan thought for a moment and then said that it wasn't that he didn't want to buy a more stylish car, but he had just offended Lei Lei and was afraid that if he drove a nice car, Lei Lei would think he was going to pick up girls. If she caught him doing something wrong, life would be really difficult.
"I?"
Zhuang Rui was taken aback. He just wanted to buy a car with a spacious interior, but he hadn't really thought about how much it would cost. Zhuang Rui mentally calculated his current funds: Wang Shizhen's manuscript sold for 3.8 million, and Liu's cricket gourd from Sanhe was 150,000, which added up to 3.95 million. He also had a 100,000 yuan bonus, but Zhuang Rui used that money to buy a house for his sister, and left the rest with his mother.
Although he earned more than four million yuan in less than two months, Zhuang Rui's expenses were also considerable. After deducting the 300,000 yuan he gave to his sister's family, the 3 million yuan he gave to Liu Chuan, and the 100,000 yuan he spent in Chengdu, plus Zhuang Rui's usual expenses, he now only has more than 500,000 yuan left in his bank account.
"For my first car, I should get a decent one," Zhuang Rui thought for a moment and made up his mind. Pointing to the little white lion lying at his feet, he said to Manager Zhu, "My requirements for the car are that it has a large interior space. This little guy will grow up and a regular car won't fit. The car's performance needs to be good, and as for the price, it should be between 500,000 and 600,000 yuan."
After hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Manager Zhu was slightly surprised. He hadn't expected that Zhuang Rui, who looked the most ordinary among them, would be the most generous. However, as a professional manager, Manager Zhu's professionalism was commendable. After understanding Zhuang Rui and Liu Chuan's needs, he immediately stood up, asked them to have some tea and wait a moment, and went out of his office to prepare the documents.
It's worth noting that in 2003, while there were some wealthy people in China who bought luxury cars, most people opted for models like the Volkswagen Passat, which cost around 100,000 yuan. It wasn't common for big customers like Zhuang Rui to buy three cars, with a total estimated cost of over 1.5 million yuan.
Seeing Manager Zhu leave, Liu Chuan became lively again, looking at Zhuang Rui and saying, "Wood, why did you only buy a car worth five or six hundred thousand? It'll be so embarrassing to take our Miss Qin out for a drive. By the way, are you short on cash? I still have your five hundred thousand here."
The 500,000 that Liu Chuan mentioned refers to the 100,000 he borrowed from Zhuang Rui, and the 700,000 he made from selling the sandalwood root carving. Although Zhuang Rui said he didn't want the money, Liu Chuan was determined to return 400,000 to Zhuang Rui. Although he paid for the root carving himself, if Liu Chuan had to buy it himself, he might not have made 700,000, and might even have lost 70,000.
"Driving a car worth 500,000 or 600,000 yuan is embarrassing, but if you drive a car worth 300,000 yuan and take me for a ride, then you'll have face?"
Lei Lei couldn't stand Liu Chuan's appearance today. If she didn't keep a close eye on him, he'd cause trouble for her one day.
"Let's take a look at the car first. By the way... Lei Lei, what kind of event are you guys organizing this time? Tell us about it."
Seeing Liu Chuan's embarrassed expression, Zhuang Rui stepped in to help him out.
"Nanjing is about to host an international jewelry exhibition. Xuanxuan has prepared some pieces to participate in the exhibition. At the same time, our company and Qin's Jewelry will jointly establish a new jewelry company in China. Xuanxuan will be the jewelry design director of the company. So this exhibition is very important for our newly established company to make a name for itself in China. We've both been working very hard lately."
Lei Lei's attention was indeed diverted by Zhuang Rui's words, and she stopped focusing on Liu Chuan.
She and Qin Xuanbing have been incredibly busy lately. After the exhibition in Nanjing, they immediately had to prepare for promotional activities at Zhonghai. Such a huge workload had fallen on the shoulders of the two girls. Although they came from business families, it was their first time handling such detailed matters personally, leaving them feeling overwhelmed. When Zhuang Rui and Liu Chuan came to Nanjing, the two immediately found an excuse to relax.
Seeing Lei Lei's complexion improve, Liu Chuan quickly said, "After we buy the car, let's go for a stroll around Confucius Temple and Qinhuai River, so you can relax a bit. Back in the day, Qinhuai River was a great place. Mu Tou, let me tell you, do you know Chen Yuanyuan? She came from Qinhuai River. Uh, I only heard about her from others, I've never actually met Chen Yuanyuan..."
Liu Chuan was speaking when he noticed Lei Lei's face darken again. He quickly changed the subject, trying to clear himself of any wrongdoing. Even though Lei Lei was full of complaints, she was amused by Liu Chuan's ignorance. Zhuang Rui burst into laughter. Chen Yuanyuan had been dead for hundreds of years; her bones had probably turned to ash. He wondered where Liu Chuan had heard that name.
"What are you laughing at? Don't think I don't know Chen Yuanyuan was from ancient times. I'm just teasing you guys. You blockhead, back then, we brothers even chipped in to buy that copy of The Deer and the Cauldron."
Seeing everyone's expressions, Liu Chuan said sullenly.
Zhuang Rui still remembered this incident. Liu Chuan was not good at studying, but he especially liked reading novels. After the two of them finished reading "The Legend of the Condor Heroes", they saw a five-volume edition of Jin Yong's "The Deer and the Cauldron" in a bookstore in Pengcheng. At that time, it was priced at 22.8 yuan.
Back in 1990, 20 yuan was no small sum. The money the two had made from their business dealings had all been taken by Liu's father. So Liu Chuan slipped his little hand into his father's police uniform and chipped in with Zhuang Rui to buy the set of books. Although he got a beating later, for the two of them at that time, those days of hiding at home or in class, covering the novels with book covers and secretly reading them were undoubtedly the happiest days.
Zhuang Rui recounted his past to Lei Lei and Qin Xuanbing, which elicited another burst of laughter. Just then, Manager Zhu walked in carrying a stack of colorful brochures. Seeing the group chatting and laughing, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly. He had worked his way up for decades, yet he couldn't compare to those with good parents. However, he never imagined that Liu Chuan and Zhuang Rui had achieved their success through their own abilities.
"Mr. Liu, Mr. Zhuang, based on your needs, I have found a few cars to introduce to you. Mr. Liu needs to drive in high-altitude areas, so I personally recommend the 'Tibetan Antelope MUSSO' high-end off-road vehicle. It is produced through a joint venture between Chengdu Xindadi, Tibet Tibetan Antelope Automobile Company, and SsangYong Motor Company of South Korea."
This car is mostly made of imported parts, uses a Mercedes-Benz engine and chassis, has a displacement of 3.2 liters and a power output of 220 horsepower. It uses powerful air pressure shock absorbers and is equipped with a "high-altitude compensation system" to suit the characteristics of the plateau terrain in China, allowing it to drive freely in areas with an altitude of 6,000-7,000 meters.
However, this car's market price is over 330,000 yuan, which is 30,000 yuan higher than Mr. Liu's budget. But it's 30%-50% cheaper than other SUVs with similar performance, making it very cost-effective. We can also give Mr. Liu a 2% discount, and we'll also throw in a car DVD and audio system. Mr. Liu, you can consider it. If you don't like it, I can introduce you to a few other cars.”
Manager Zhu opened the documents in his hand and introduced the vehicle to Liu Chuan, especially emphasizing its outstanding high-altitude performance. Liu Chuan, who was already tall, immediately took a liking to the Tibetan Antelope off-road vehicle.
Chapter 116 Buying a Car (Part 2)
"Okay, I'll take this one... Hey. Wait, Leilei, do you think this car is suitable?"
Liu Chuan was about to make a decision when he suddenly remembered that he hadn't consulted his superiors yet. He immediately turned to Lei Lei with a fawning smile.
"Virtue..."
Lei Lei rolled her eyes at Liu Chuan, but nodded.
"Yes, Manager Zhu, I want this car. Do you have it in stock?"
Liu Chuan immediately became arrogant.
"Yes, this car was only launched last year and it's selling very well. Mr. Liu has a great eye for business."
Seeing the deal go through, Manager Zhu was very pleased and immediately promoted Mr. Liu to Boss Liu.
"Manager Zhu, what kind of car did you choose for my brother? It doesn't matter if it's a bit expensive."
Upon hearing Liu Chuan's words, Zhuang Rui leaned forward slightly. After all, owning a car was something Zhuang Rui wouldn't have dared to dream of just a few months ago. Even if he had, it would have been something like an Alto.
"I've prepared two models for Mr. Zhuang. Let me start with the first one. This is one of the Land Cruiser series jointly developed by FAW Group and Toyota. It's the Toyota Prado. This car can meet Mr. Zhuang's needs. It can seat eight people and has a very large interior space. It can be considered the king of SUVs."
As Manager Zhu spoke, he opened the documents in his hand and pointed to a powerful-looking SUV, saying to Zhuang Rui, "There are three models on it: black, blue, and white. Just by looking at the pictures, you can feel the domineering presence of this vehicle from its perfect lines."
"Wood, what does SUV mean?"
Liu Chuan didn't quite understand what Manager Zhu was saying, so he nudged Zhuang Rui and asked.
"It's an off-road vehicle..."
Zhuang Rui replied. Actually, he knew that SUV was an abbreviation for Sports Utility Vehicle, but he was too lazy to explain it to Liu Chuan.
"Haha, SUVs and pure off-road vehicles are still somewhat different. Although SUVs also use four-wheel drive, their front suspension is an independent coil spring suspension like that of a sedan, while the rear suspension is a non-independent leaf spring suspension. They also have a larger ground clearance, so to a certain extent, they have both the comfort of a sedan and the off-road performance of an off-road vehicle. To be precise, an SUV is a combination of an off-road vehicle and a station wagon. SUVs can be used in the city and also for outdoor activities, which is perfect for an energetic young man like Mr. Zhuang. Moreover, the price of 480,000 yuan is also within Mr. Zhuang's budget."
Manager Zhu then introduced the SUV, which made Liu Chuan interested, but Zhuang Rui frowned and said, "Tell me about the next car."
Zhuang Rui had read a report about the Toyota Prado some time ago. The report said that FAW had a very small share in the joint venture, which meant that most of the money from buying the car would go to the Japanese company. Although Zhuang Rui wasn't a radical nationalist, he wouldn't buy Japanese goods if he had other options, and he didn't particularly like the car's name either.
"Alright, Mr. Zhuang, take a look at this car. It's a fully imported DaimlerChrysler Grand Cherokee. Although the name is similar to the Cherokee, the Grand Cherokee is vastly different in terms of equipment, performance, and class. It's much larger in both size and interior space. The Grand Cherokee's class is comparable to the Toyota Land Cruiser, Mitsubishi Pajero, British Land Rover, and German Mercedes-Benz. The Grand Cherokee's rear seats are foldable; if one side is occupied, the other side can be folded down for storage. Furthermore, the Grand Cherokee's spare tire is cleverly concealed under the rear floor; with a cover, it doesn't take up any trunk space. This perfectly matches Mr. Zhuang's requirements, and this car's class is comparable to the Toyota Land Cruiser, Mitsubishi Pajero, British Land Rover, and German Mercedes-Benz."
Manager Zhu gave a very detailed introduction, but Zhuang Rui was a little confused. Logically speaking, this car should be more suitable for him than the Toyota Prado, so why didn't Manager Zhu introduce this car first?
After listening to Zhuang Rui's doubts, Manager Zhu said with a wry smile, "Mr. Zhuang, this car is fully imported, so its performance is naturally much better than the Toyota Prado. It also comes with a top-of-the-line control panel with a microcomputer, which, in selected modes, can control the garage door, house door, and home security system. Furthermore, this car is the only one in its class equipped with an infrared dual-zone climate control system. Infrared sensors constantly monitor the temperature of different surfaces around the vehicle and then automatically adjust it to the selected comfort level..."
"Wow, isn't that about the same configuration as Brother Song's Hummer?"
Liu Chuan was stunned and interrupted Manager Zhu.
"Hehe, Mr. Song's car has been specially modified. Compared to it, this Grand Cherokee is still much inferior. However, it is better than other cars in the same class, but the price will be a bit higher. The market price of this car is 880,000, but we can give Mr. Zhuang a 2% discount and also throw in some interior decorations."
Zhuang Rui finally understood why Manager Zhu hadn't recommended this car to him at first, but then went on and on about it later. It turned out that the price was more than 200,000 yuan higher than his budget, and even slightly more expensive than the Hummer that Liu Chuan had ordered.
Having figured this out, Zhuang Rui said noncommittally, "Manager Zhu, let's go take a look at the car. Although the picture is clear, it's probably not quite the same as the car itself."
"Okay, no problem. I'll take you all to see it. This car is currently in stock. But if we wait any longer, it's hard to say. This model sells very well."
Manager Zhu was a little uneasy, afraid that the deal would fall through. He knew that the commission he would earn from selling this car was quite substantial.
The car Zhuang Rui wanted to see wasn't parked in the main showroom on the first floor, but in a warehouse next door. Also parked there was the Tibetan Antelope SUV Liu Chuan wanted to buy, and the Toyota Prado that Manager Zhu had just introduced. It seemed he had anticipated Zhuang Rui and his group would need a car and had already arranged for people to park the vehicles together.
The Toyota Prado and the Grand Cherokee were parked side by side. Zhuang Rui stood in front of the cars and looked them over. He found that the Toyota's lines were smoother, but the Grand Cherokee was larger and had a more domineering feel.
"Manager Zhu, may I test drive the car?"
Zhuang Rui turned to Manager Zhu behind him and asked.
"Of course, Mr. Zhuang, feel free to try it out. But the car is still new and hasn't been broken in yet, so don't go too fast."
Manager Zhu wasn't worried that Zhuang Rui would drive off. Not to mention that they were introduced by Song Jun, Manager Zhu could tell from those two Tibetan mastiffs that they weren't animals that ordinary people could afford to keep.
After Zhuang Rui took the keys, he opened the back door of the Grand Cherokee. The little white lion quickly jumped in. Manager Zhu opened his mouth but didn't say anything. After starting the car, Zhuang Rui drove the Grand Cherokee out of the warehouse.
The signs on the car are all in English, but that's not a problem for Zhuang Rui. There's an open space between the warehouse and the showroom with artificial ramps, presumably built for customers to test drive the car.
Zhuang Rui drove the car to an open space and, following the English instructions inside the car, adjusted all the functions: power steering, power windows, power door locks, power sunroof, anti-fog power rearview mirrors with memory function, and light-sensitive rearview mirrors that automatically adjust for daytime and nighttime use.
Zhuang Rui was very satisfied with the result. He felt very relaxed when driving up the slope, which was at least 60 degrees. Moreover, the wheels had excellent grip. Compared to Song Jun's six-wheeled Hummer, the only thing this car lacked was its luxurious interior.
The manual/automatic transmission also makes it more convenient for Zhuang Rui to drive. Most of the cars he has been driving lately have been automatic. If he were given a manual car, he would probably find it difficult to adapt for a while. Thinking about how this car he was sitting in would soon be his, Zhuang Rui felt a surge of excitement.
"White Lion, stop fooling around."
The little white lion seemed to sense its owner's joy, crawling from the back to the passenger seat. It would occasionally turn its head, stick out its tongue, and affectionately lick Zhuang Rui's hand on the gearshift. This made Zhuang Rui, who had just finished his novice driving period, feel a little flustered, and the car began to sway. If they weren't in the test drive area, a minor accident might have occurred.
The white lion looked at Zhuang Rui with a wronged expression, which made Zhuang Rui unable to say anything to blame it. He could only rub the white lion's big head and tell it that it shouldn't disturb him while driving. This little guy was very smart, as if it could understand human speech. It would remember everything Zhuang Rui told it.
At this moment, Liu Chuan also drove out the Hummer. Following behind the Hummer was the Tibetan Antelope SUV that Liu Chuan wanted to buy. When Zhuang Rui saw that Lei Lei was driving, he had an idea and drove the Grand Cherokee back to the warehouse.
"Mr. Zhuang, what do you think? Although this car is a bit more expensive than the same model, it has top-of-the-line features. Even in Europe, it would be considered the most advanced. I'm sure it won't disappoint you."
As soon as Zhuang Rui got out of the car, Manager Zhu came up to him, talking while his eyes kept glancing at the seat where Bai Shi had been sitting. You see, the seats in this car are all genuine leather, and if they get scratched and Zhuang Rui doesn't buy a replacement, Manager Zhu will be responsible.
"Okay, this is the car, I'll take it."
Zhuang Rui gave Manager Zhu a reassuring answer.
"Okay, Mr. Zhuang, please wait a moment while I go and process the formalities for you."
Manager Zhu immediately switched to polite language, which made Zhuang Rui laugh, recalling the phrase, "Sit, please sit, please take a seat; tea, serve tea, serve the best tea."
The story is similar to that of the young monk who received Su Shi, but Manager Zhu was much more subtle in his approach.
Chapter 117 Art Originates from Life
After Manager Zhu left, only Zhuang Rui and Qin Xuanbing remained in the large warehouse, apart from a few workers standing in the distance. For some reason, Zhuang Rui felt a little nervous and looked at Qin Xuanbing, unsure of what to say.
"Why are you looking at me? There's nothing on my face."
Qin Xuanbing was secretly pleased to see Zhuang Rui staring at her, but she put on a show of feigned anger.
"Your face is prettier than a flower."
Zhuang Rui blurted out those words as if possessed, and immediately regretted it. This was exactly the kind of scene you see on TV that makes you want to vomit.
To Zhuang Rui's surprise, Qin Xuanbing continued acting out the scene, her face flushing slightly, and her eyes, which had been staring directly at Zhuang Rui, began to dart around.
"Damn, art really does come from life."
Even the slow-witted Zhuang Rui knew to strike while the iron was hot. He quickly took out the jade pendant he always kept close to his body from his inner pocket, handed it to Qin Xuanbing, and said, "Xuanbing, this is a gift I prepared for you. Do you like it?"
Zhuang Rui had already polished the jade with sandpaper, and the white, misty crystals on the surface had all disappeared. The jade, about the size of an egg yolk, was crystal clear and vibrant green, so much so that one couldn't help but be drawn to its deep and pure color.
"Jade? Hehe, Zhuang Rui, thank you. I really like the gift you gave me."
Qin Xuanbing looked at the jade in Zhuang Rui's palm and smiled radiantly. However, she wasn't particularly concerned. Even in the most famous jewelry store in Nanjing, a full-green jade like Zhuang Rui's would be a prized possession. Qin Xuanbing guessed that Zhuang Rui bought this imitation jade for her because she was a jewelry designer. She still felt a sweet warmth in her heart at Zhuang Rui's thoughtfulness.
"I'm glad you like it."
Zhuang Rui chuckled foolishly, but Qin Xuanbing's next words made him stop laughing.
Qin Xuanbing took the jade from Zhuang Rui's hand, played with it for a moment, and casually said, "Zhuang Rui, although I work in jewelry design and love diamonds and jade, there are so many fakes of these things. You can easily get scammed if you're not careful. Besides, the radiation from fake jade jewelry is very harmful to your health. You must have spent a lot of money on this, haha. Next time, I'll teach you how to distinguish real jade from fake."