Chapter 235: Securing a Large Order
Mr. John casually picked up a few headpieces and examined them closely. Although they were nearly perfect, he still pointed out a few minor issues and fiercely haggled over them, eventually bringing the price down close to the bottom line.
Secretary Tang and Secretary Guan breathed a sigh of relief, but before Mr. Li could even speak, Mr. John immediately pushed for an even lower price. Shen Meng frowned deeply; Mr. John was truly an old hand at this, sensing their brief sighs of relief and immediately becoming more alert.
As the price was pushed down again and again, Mr. Li obviously started to struggle, his mentality slightly collapsing. Shen Meng knew he wanted to make this work, as the order volume Mr. John was asking for was enormous. Each type of headpiece would have orders ranging from ten to twenty thousand units, and with over a dozen types, Ning County could generate foreign exchange in the tens of thousands just like that. He trembled at the thought; if Mr. John’s orders sold well, there would be ongoing, long-term orders, which would surely lift Ning County out of poverty!
Just as he was about to grit his teeth and agree, Shen Meng suddenly spoke up, "I apologize, Mr. John, but the volume you are asking for is too low, so we find it hard to accept this price. You’ve just raised several issues, all of which I can explain for you. These products are handmade by women from my hometown, crafted with precision, so they might not be perfect everywhere. But what they embody is the labor of each worker. In fact, you understand that our craftsmanship is already very good, something even machines in your country couldn’t achieve. If you are not sincere about this negotiation, I think we can consider them concluded for today."
Upon hearing this, Tang, the translator, suddenly stood up, disbelievingly staring at Shen Meng, wondering if she knew what she was risking—rejecting thousands in foreign exchange just like that; if that was not madness.
"Mr. Shen, have you lost your mind? Do you realize what you are saying?"
Mr. Li and Secretary Guan, upon hearing Tang’s words, turned to look at him, who promptly relayed Shen Meng’s statement. Their expressions immediately changed.
"Heh, this lady, it seems like you’re the ones who are not sincere about cooperation. The gentleman here has been the one talking all along. Looking at their expressions, it seems you didn’t have the authority to negotiate. Such disruption at this negotiation session signifies you better leave."