Chapter 34

"Shufen, wake me up early tomorrow morning. I have to be there by eight o'clock!" Hao Meng hugged Wei Shufen and said with his eyes closed. The room was rather dark, and apart from their heavy breathing, there was only the faint hum of the air conditioner. He would be away for a week, and Wei Shufen was already missing him!

"Alright, go to sleep!" Wei Shufen's face was flushed, and she nodded, lying in his arms without getting up. Guo Guo should still be asleep, right?

Hao Meng had just gone through two rounds and was indeed a bit tired. He closed his eyes and fell asleep.

The next morning, Hao Meng went to Bai Lan Electronics City. It was the first day of the trial operation, which was essentially the same as a formal opening, just a different name.

Since it was a trial operation, there wasn't much publicity yet, and it was unclear how the first day would turn out!

"Alright, stop pacing. If you're not reassured, go outside and keep an eye on things!" Bai Lan couldn't help but laugh as she looked at Hao Meng. The two were in the office on the first floor, keeping an eye on the outside.

"Hehe!" Hao Meng forced a laugh and sat down. It wasn't his fault; Bai Lan Electronics City was much larger than his second-hand store. The investment, inside and out, was already over two million yuan. Even if it wasn't all his savings, it was close.

Hao Meng wasn't afraid of losing money; he was just a bit anxious.

He was very optimistic about the second-hand phone area, but he wasn't sure if others would agree!

"Xiao Meng, let's talk about something serious!"

"Hmm?" Hao Meng turned to look at Bai Lan and asked, "What's up, Bai Lan?"

"Two things. First, about the second-hand phones. Do you think we should focus on Bai Lan Electronics City or on wholesale second-hand phones?" Bai Lan asked seriously.

Hao Meng thought for a moment and smiled, "Of course, we should focus on second-hand phones. There's no doubt about it!" The domestic second-hand phone market has huge potential, far greater than what Bai Lan Electronics City can offer. To put it bluntly, it's uncertain whether Bai Lan Electronics City will make money, but second-hand phones are different. They can provide a steady supply of goods. As long as the market is developed and the goods sell, it's a sure profit!

Bai Lan smiled and nodded, "Since you think second-hand phones are more profitable, you don't need to be so anxious about Bai Lan Electronics City. Even if it makes a profit, it won't be immediate. This is just the first day of the trial operation, so we won't see much yet."

Hao Meng nodded, a bitter smile on his face. He was indeed too anxious. Second-hand phones were much more profitable than Bai Lan Electronics City. Even with millions in hand, he wouldn't feel so restless. To be honest, it was just a psychological issue. Subconsciously, he felt that a physical store, an electronics city, was more prestigious than selling old phones, which seemed less respectable.

Now that Bai Lan had pointed it out, Hao Meng realized that this wasn't the time to worry about appearances. Making money and developing himself were the most important things!

"The second thing is that the inventory in the warehouse is running low. You need to contact the suppliers and replenish it." Bai Lan smiled. She now had two sales teams, totaling thirty people. The quality and refurbishment of the second-hand phones were excellent, and they were selling well in the surrounding districts of Shicheng.

"Alright, I'll take care of it!" Hao Meng nodded and stood up from the chair. Staying at Bai Lan Electronics City wouldn't help much, so he might as well let it go and be a hands-off manager. Trusting Bai Lan and Fei Yu's abilities, he had made that commitment from the beginning!

Watching Hao Meng turn and leave, Bai Lan's lips curled up, and a smile appeared on her face. She was actually more anxious than Hao Meng. This was an investment of over two million yuan, not a small business!

...

Hao Meng replenished some inventory in the warehouse. Now he was a bit tight on cash. To do large-scale repairs, he needed more funds to convert cash into gold coins in the recycling station. But it wasn't urgent.

Leaving Bai Lan Electronics City, Hao Meng first went to the second-hand market to look around. He bought some old appliances, as his store needed to replenish its inventory. After a week away, the store was almost empty.

The variety of items had expanded from air conditioners and refrigerators to include televisions and washing machines. The market for these old appliances was promising, and there were many tenants in the nearby neighborhoods, so the daily sales volume was significant.

"Boss, how much is this bike?"

Hao Meng pointed to a mountain bike that was about 50% new and asked with a smile.

The owner of the second-hand market looked at Hao Meng and quoted a price, "Eight thousand yuan!" People came and went every day, and Hao Meng hadn't been there for a week, so not everyone recognized him.

"How much? Eight thousand yuan for a second-hand old bike?" Hao Meng's eyes widened as he shouted. Some onlookers gathered around, as people who came to the second-hand market were looking for bargains. A new bike didn't cost much, and an old one for eight thousand yuan was ridiculous.

The owner wasn't upset and chuckled, "Young man, I'm not cheating you. Do you know how much this bike was worth when it was new? Sixteen thousand yuan. It may look old, but it's a top-quality item, retired from a professional cycling team. I'm selling it for eight thousand yuan, which is a great deal."

Could a bike really be worth over ten thousand yuan?

Hao Meng had never known that before, but today he learned something new. However, he couldn't fully trust the vendor's words. As the saying goes, "The seller always praises his own goods." He smiled and said, "Boss, don't fool me. With so much information available now, I'll check it out to see if what you say is true!"

He took out his phone and searched for "mountain bike."

He was surprised to find that a regular bike could cost several thousand yuan, and some could cost tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of yuan. There was even a tycoon who had custom-made a mountain bike, spending 280,000 yuan, which was almost the price of a mid-range car.

Bicycles were no longer just a means of transportation; they were also about low carbon, environmental protection, exercise, and fitness.

The price of mountain bikes ranged from a few thousand to tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of yuan, making them accessible to both the common people and the elite.

The most expensive mountain bike in the world is called "Butterfly," priced at 500,000 US dollars, far beyond the average person's concept!

Hao Meng wondered, if he had the money, would he spend 500,000 US dollars on a bike just to show off? A yacht would cost much less!