Chapter 54: Outmatched and Still Looking for Trouble

Zhang Guohua was exposed by Cheng Shi, his petty scheme laid bare, and his face flushed a deep, furious red.

Without missing a beat, Cheng Shi drove another ruthless nail into his coffin: "Even if we take a step back and look at it from an entirely different angle, the precision of a component does not solely depend on the accuracy of the CNC machine tool; it is also intimately tied to the operator's skill level. Why else would technicians be divided into junior, intermediate, and senior ranks?! The fact that your own mechanics lack the skill compared to me is entirely your problem, yet you come here to pick a bone with me. You truly have no shame."

Most of the onlookers were workers and family members from the nearby textile mill, and their sympathies naturally lay with Cheng Shi.

Just moments ago, they had been incensed watching Zhang Guohua physically and verbally abuse Cheng Shi's employee. Now, having heard the whole story from Cheng Shi, their indignation only deepened, and a wave of murmurs erupted among the crowd.

"Oh, look, if it isn't that useless, spineless factory director. His machines were broken for months, and he couldn't do a thing about it. He even posted public notices everywhere, but not a single person could fix them. Now that Comrade Cheng Shi has solved the problem for him, instead of showing gratitude, he comes here trying to shake him down. And he's the director of a major state-owned enterprise, too—what an absolute shameless disgrace!"

"If you ask me, he's just trying to bully Comrade Cheng Shi into fixing his machines for free again. He certainly thinks quite highly of himself. His abacus beads are clicking so loudly I can practically hear them from here."

"Coming all the way to someone else's doorstep just to make a fool of oneself. At his age, does he have no sense of shame whatsoever?"

The textile mill workforce consisted predominantly of women, and once they let loose with their sharp tongues, their remarks were as scathing as they could possibly be.

Having never experienced such public ridicule and mockery, Zhang Guohua's face cycled between shades of white and red.

Cheng Shi was inwardly amused to the point of laughter, yet he feared that if Zhang Guohua lingered here any longer, he might suffer a cerebral hemorrhage from sheer rage and try to pin the blame on him. "If Director Zhang has no other business here," Cheng Shi said coldly, "please move aside and do not interfere with my business."

Unable to save face, Zhang Guohua decided to vent his mounting frustration on Zhang Ziqiang instead, glaring at him venomously. "Are you coming back with me or not?"

Without a trace of hesitation, Zhang Ziqiang replied, "Why should I go back and act as your unpaid servant? Besides, I'm well over eighteen now, and it's high time I moved out. If there's no one to do the housework, you can simply hire someone. It's not like you lack the money."

Zhang Guohua opened his mouth to hurl more abuse.

Squinting slightly, Cheng Shi interrupted, "Did you not understand what I said just now? If you continue to cause a scene and shout here, I won't be so polite anymore. Even a director of a state-owned enterprise has no right to randomly disrupt the normal business operations of another company."

Gritting his teeth, Zhang Guohua shot Zhang Ziqiang one last venomous glare. "If you've got the backbone, don't you ever step foot back in that house."

With that, he turned and stormed off.

Cheng Shi walked toward the perimeter and addressed the crowd, "Thank you, everyone. Comrades, please return to your respective tasks."

Only then did the surrounding crowd begin to disperse.

After hearing Zhang Ziqiang's account the other day, Yu Dadong had initially found it hard to believe that parents could be so heartless, but witnessing the scene today made it painfully clear that Zhang Ziqiang had actually been quite restrained in his description.

Intending at first to seek out Cheng Shi, Yu Dadong reconsidered and held back, realizing that his presence might only make Zhang Ziqiang feel more awkward at the moment.

Though filled with a mixture of anger and humiliation, Zhang Ziqiang was determined not to let it show. He lowered his gaze, pulled a sheet of paper toward himself, and began to scribble deliberately under the heading: *How to Win Over Clients.*

Deciding to give him a gentle nudge to help shift his focus, Cheng Shi asked, "Do you remember what I said the very first time I went to the automotive plant?"

Startled, Zhang Ziqiang paused, thought for a moment, and replied, "You took out the component directly and told the factory director that you could help him solve the problem of the broken machine tool."

"Precisely," Cheng Shi said. "That is the essence of thoroughly understanding the client's needs and immediately sparking their interest."

"But when I make phone calls," Zhang Ziqiang objected, "I can't exactly show our components to the clients over the line."

Cheng Shi sighed. "You really are as stubborn as a block of wood, aren't you? The only reason I handed the part directly to the factory director back then was because no one knew who I was, so I had no choice but to prove myself with physical evidence. But now, newspapers and television stations have reported on us numerous times. Any enterprise that isn't deaf or blind has heard of us by now. Even if they don't recall it immediately at the mention of our name, a simple reminder is all it takes for them to catch on."

Zhang Ziqiang's mouth parted slightly as realization dawned. "So, I should simply say: 'I am the sales manager sent by that renowned young expert'?"

"Exactly. The kid finally gets it," Cheng Shi approved. "And add one more sentence: 'Our plant can deliver the highest-precision metal components currently available nationwide.'"

Zhang Ziqiang nodded, pondering this before asking another question: "Shouldn't I mention that you can repair CNC machine tools?"

Looking at him with a helpless expression, Cheng Shi said, "Are you simple? If I spent all my time running around fixing CNC machine tools for people, how would I ever machine parts and make a profit? Furthermore, I can't guarantee every machine is fixable, so why go out of my way to bring it up? If things fall through later, people will accuse you of false advertising and empty boasting. But if you don't mention it, and they happen to have a breakdown that I end up helping them fix, it becomes a pleasant surprise—and it gives us much more leverage in naming our price."

Zhang Ziqiang nodded vigorously. "Right, right, right. I understand now."

"Remember not to be too long-winded," Cheng Shi instructed. "Within five seconds, you must state the core highlights of our advantages. If they show interest and ask for more, then you can elaborate. That way, it saves everyone time and effort."

Zhang Ziqiang resumed making phone calls. Although some people still showed no interest, this time quite a few businesses expressed a distinct need for their components.

Thrilled, Zhang Ziqiang grabbed Cheng Shi by the shoulder and gave it an enthusiastic shake. "Damn, your method actually works! You are an absolute genius. I'm going to take the parts and visit these factories this afternoon to get their blueprints and precision requirements."

Cheng Shi stood up, retrieved a sample sales contract, and said, "Here, go find a copy shop and make ten or twenty copies of this handwritten contract of mine. From now on, all contracts must strictly follow this template. If you're still not confident about pricing yet, ask the client for the component's dimensions, blueprints, and precision requirements, and bring them back to me. Once I set the price, you can go back to them with the quote and sign the contract. Also, go get yourself a box of business cards printed."

"Got it, I'm on my way right now."

"Hold on a second," Cheng Shi called out. "Change into a clean short-sleeved white shirt and trousers, and tidy up your hair. First impressions matter immensely. You can't look sloppy or unpolished."

As soon as Zhang Ziqiang had bustled out the door, Yu Dadong stepped inside and asked, "How is the kid holding up?"

Taking advantage of a brief lull, Cheng Shi motioned for Cheng Yong to take over the work while he walked over to sit at his desk. "He's fine. After all, how can a real man be broken by something so minor? Tell me, don't you have to go to work? You're hanging around here all day..."

"I worked the night shift yesterday," Yu Dadong replied. "I have the day off today."

"Is there something you need me for? You've already dropped by twice today."

Yu Dadong offered a sheepish grin. "I wanted to ask if you have any work for me. I can't possibly spend my entire life in the textile mill's security department. I don't need a huge salary; I just want to carve out a new path for myself."

Cheng Shi thought for a moment before replying, "How about this: supply and demand are two sides of the same coin. Qiangzi handles the sales, and you handle the supply side."

Yu Dadong's eyes lit up. "Hey, that sounds like a plan. I might not understand technical manuals, but I've got no problem with numbers. What do you need me to source?"