Chapter 455 – Old Hou, do you have friends in the army?
After sending Kirilenko and his team off, Feng Yu did not return to Beijing. He went to the Aviation Factory instead.
“Oh, Manager Feng. Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be in Beijing university now?” Hou Haitao asked and smiled.
“It’s been a while since I visited you and I miss your tea.” Feng Yu was cursing Hou Haitao for his pretenses. I was in Bing City for a few days. Don’t pretend you do not know! “These Russian cigarettes are given to me from my friend. Try it and see if the taste is different from our local cigarettes.”
“Oh, thank you so much. Xiao Sun, use my best tea leaves to brew a cup of tea for Manager Feng.”
Hou Haitao kept quiet after giving instructions to his secretary. He smiled and looked at Feng Yu. Feng Yu must have other motives when he gives him gifts. There are no free lunches in this world. There were a lot of such sayings since the olden days.
Feng Yu cursed this wily old fox in his heart. Hou Haitao definitely knew Feng Yu needed something from him, but he just refuses to ask first.
This was a challenge to see who was more patient.
Feng Yu also kept quiet and when his tea was served, he just quietly enjoys his tea. But when Feng Yu saw How Haitao lit a cigar, he knew he had lost this patient challenges.
Since when did Hou Haitao smoke cigars? Where did this cigar come from? Bing City should not have any shops selling cigars. It will take at least half an hour to finish this damn cigar, and the smoke was unbearable! Hou Haitao looked at Feng Yu smugly and still asked: “Manager Feng, do you want a cigar? This was given to me by a friend.”
“Cough…… Director Hou, I don’t smoke. Erm…… I hear that the Aviation Factory was converted back to a military installation recently?”
“No. But our factory is now considered one of the military subsidiaries. We are still making products for the consumers.” Hou Haitao was smiling when he said this. He was proud of this, and he should be getting his promotion next year.
This was his dream. Hou Haitao could finally achieve his goal. He was going to be promoted to a general! Although he had been enjoying the benefits and welfare of a Major General, he did not hold that rank. Now, he will become a real Major General! Many people could not even be promoted to this rank in their lives.
Hou Haitao did not expect he would get this chance at his age. He got to admit that Feng Yu had played a part in his promotion. Feng Yu had given the Aviation Factory an opportunity to make money, helped the factory to purchase China’s first high powered electric furnace, and bought many other aircraft technologies for them. All these helped the Aviation Factory become the most advanced aircraft manufacturer in China.
“Director Hou, does this mean you have some connections in the military?” Feng Yu asked.
Huo Haitao’s hand which was holding the cigar shook and looked at Feng Yu cautiously. What does this brat want? Why was he asking about the military?
“Manager Feng, what do you want?”
“Director Hou, why are you so nervous? I am a good citizen. You think I will do something terrible? I just wanted to know if you have strong connections in the military.” Feng Yu smiled like a cunning fox.
“I do have some connections, but whether if the connections are strong or not will depend on what is it regarding. Just say what do you want.” Hou Haitao was rejoicing secretly in his heart. He had not touched that carton of Russian cigarettes given to him by Feng Yu. He might need to ask Feng Yu to take back the cigarettes later.
But even if he refused to help Feng Yu, Feng Yu should not be taking back this cigarette. Hou Haitao is really interested to know how Russian cigarettes taste like.
“I remembered you are quite close to that General Shen who came to Bing City. What is he in charge of in the army?” Feng Yu asked.
“Old Shen? What are you looking for him?” Hou Haitao looked at Feng Yu suspiciously. Did this Feng Yu hear of Old Shen’s recent promotion?
“Nothing much. I am just wondering if he can make decisions about the military procurement.” Feng Yu rubbed his nose and said.
“Huh? Military procurement? Manager Feng, your business is successful enough. You should not think about doing business with our military.” Hou Haitao shook his head. This Feng Yu wants to do business with the military? He was still not up to that level yet.
“Director Hou, what do you think I want to sell to our army?”
“It should be your company’s humidifiers, electric fans, etc. The military does not need all these things. They are soldiers and must be able to take hardships.” Hou Haitao looked at Feng Yu. The military does not have enough budget to buy Feng Yu’s products. Feng Yu was selling an electric fan for a few hundred RMB, and he knew clearly how much its actual cost was.
In the past, when the Aviation Factory had a share of the profits and Hou Haitao felt that the bladeless fans should be selling for so expensive. But after he could not get a share of the profits, he thought that Feng Yu was too evil for selling those fans at high prices!
“Who says I want to sell those things? Furthermore, I don’t think that no one in the military uses my products.” Feng Yu looked at Hou Haitao. Don’t you have a humidifier in your office? Don’t tell me those generals’ offices in the military does not have humidifiers.
“Then what do you want to sell?”
“Vehicles. Vehicles produced by the Machinery Company. Off-road vehicles.”
Hou Haitao frowned. Off-road vehicles? The army does need such vehicles. But he had no say in this.
“Manager Feng, you think too highly of me. If it is aircraft related, I might still be able to help you. You can also forget about Old Shen. He will not help you.” Hou Haitao was thinking in his heart. Do you even know Old Shen? Why should he help you?
“Director Hou, we have known each other for quite some time. Did I ever cheat you? I also play a part for the Aviation Factory’s success. Don’t you agree?”
Hou Haitao showed a painful expression and said: “Manager Feng, I really can’t help much with this.”
“Director Hou, who do you sell the aircraft manufactured by your factory to? Don’t tell me you do not know the person in charge of the military purchase?” Feng Yu asked unhappily.
“I do know him, but we are not selling our aircraft from our side. It is the military that places the order, and we manufacture.” Hou Haitao explained. All the military orders in his factory were still based on the old practices during the planned economy era.
“Director Hou, help me get in touch with the person in charge. He can come over to take a look at my vehicles. I will give the Aviation Factory 1 million no matter whether if this deal goes through or not.” Feng Yu showed one finger.
The Aviation Factory now was not the same as it was in the past. 1 million RMB was nothing to Hou Haitao now. Most importantly, he does not want this matter to affect his promotion.
“Manager Feng, I really cannot help you much. At most, I can help you pass a message. I can’t ask that person to come over.”
“2 million. I only need to meet that person. I will persuade him myself.” Feng Yu upped his offer.
“Only one meeting?”
“I only need to meet and speak to him once.”
“Fine. Come over before New Year’s Day. There will be some top leaders from the Shen City military coming over. How are you going to give us the 2 million?” Hou Haitao agreed.
Damn, I had wasted an extra million!
“Do you still remember I had told you that the bladeless fan technology can be used to make hand dryers? This should not be difficult for your factory. Help me develop this product, and I will buy this technology with this 2 million.”
“Deal!”