Siheyuan: My wife is Xu Huizhen

In this silent commercial war, radios bearing foreign labels are like invisible warships, quietly rewriting the global small appliance market landscape.

When consumers are satisfied with buying "genuine imported goods," they are unaware that what they are holding in their hands is a microcosm of the resurgence of Chinese manufacturing.

These client lists resemble an intricately woven global trade network, encompassing everything from family trading houses in Southeast Asian Chinese communities to the four renowned trading houses of Shanghai: Jardine Matheson, Swire, Jardine Matheson, and Jardine Matheson.

In Southeast Asia, trading magnates would walk into local markets with radios in hand, attracting crowds of merchants who would praise their clear sound quality. Meanwhile, in Shanghai, the compradors of the four major trading companies would display radios in their showrooms, drawing foreign businessmen to stop and examine them, nodding in approval.

From the bustling streets of eastern ports to the high-end social venues of international commercial hubs, He Yuzhu's radios, with their stable performance and unique design, have transcended regions and social classes, earning acclaim across the commercial landscape of five continents and becoming a highly recognized Chinese product in the global market.

Each of them has a stable and loyal customer base, which are scattered like stars across the five continents of the world.

From boutique shops in snow-covered towns in Northern Europe to luxury department stores on the Middle East's golden trade routes; from unique markets beside the South American rainforest to high-end shopping malls in bustling North American cities, their business empire spans all of these locations.

Their department store business is not simply about buying and selling goods, but about building a bridge connecting global supply and demand.

Porcelain, silk, electronic products, jewelry... From traditional handicrafts to cutting-edge technology products, anything in demand in the market falls within their business scope.

As an international trade center in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong naturally became an important place for them to purchase various goods, thanks to its unique geographical location, relaxed trade policies and highly developed logistics system.

In Victoria Harbour, giant cargo ships load and unload goods day and night; in the office buildings of Central, the sounds of business negotiations rise and fall.

They carefully select high-quality goods from all over the world, and then use a global logistics network to sell these products, which carry different regional cultures and crafts, to every corner of the world, so that every corner of the world can experience the charm of diverse products.

Among the many products, a radio with an unusually low price caught their attention, and naturally, such a low-priced item was within their purchasing scope.

John Madden ran his fingertips along the bone china coffee cup, the rising steam from the rim condensing into a thin mist on his gold-rimmed glasses.

When the other party mentioned Wheelock Group, his signature American smile instantly blossomed, and the shrewdness unique to a businessman was hidden in the smile lines at the corners of his eyes:

"While Wheelock Group does indeed have several companies under its umbrella that are our clients."

He paused, then pulled a gold-embossed copy of the contract from his crocodile-skin briefcase. The words "Second Phase of the Hong Kong International Finance Centre" on the title page gleamed coldly under the conference room's overhead lights.

"We just completed the tender for the Wharf Holdings office building's intelligent security system last month. I never imagined we were actually partners."

After saying that, he gently pushed the contract across the negotiating table. The subtle sound of leather touching solid wood seemed to herald a prelude to reconciliation in this tense negotiation.

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu paused in his hand as he picked up the bone china teacup, the warm tea swirling gently in the cup.

He put down his cup, his straight back slightly leaning forward, revealing a perfectly proportioned curve. His right hand unconsciously adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, his gaze behind the lenses carrying three parts humility and seven parts sincerity.

"Mr. Chen, you flatter me! Our company is only three years old, with a team of just over a hundred people. Compared to industry leaders like yours, we certainly have a long way to go. However, it is precisely because of our smaller size that we can be more flexible in responding to customized services. The supply chain optimization project we just completed for a certain group last month was a result of this ability to adjust quickly, ultimately shortening the delivery cycle by two weeks compared to expectations."

At this point, he took a neatly bound case report from his briefcase and handed it to the other person with both hands. "This contains detailed data; I would appreciate your guidance."

John Madden gently placed his silver pen on the mahogany negotiating table, the metal striking the wood with a clear, resonant sound.

He stood tall, his back clad in a tailored suit, his amber eyes gleaming with a calm light under the conference room's overhead lights.

"Mr. Wang,"

His American English carried a composure honed through years of business negotiations, and his right hand unconsciously rubbed the family crest cufflink.

“I understand your company’s considerations regarding its industry standing. But in our view…” He paused, then pulled out a draft cooperation agreement from a leather folder and lightly tapped out key clauses with the nib of his pen.

"True equality is built on mutually beneficial terms—like this technology patent sharing agreement, which allows your company's production capacity advantages to create a geometrical synergy with our innovative technologies."

After speaking, he leaned forward slightly, displaying a posture that was both respectful and confident.

"Differences in scale have never been an obstacle to cooperation; complementary values ​​are the foundation for a win-win situation."

The central air conditioning in the conference room emitted a faint hum. He Yuzhu stroked the bone china coffee cup in his hand, the residual warmth of the cup seeping through his fingertips but not into his heart.

John Madden leaned back in his leather swivel chair, his golden eyelashes casting shadows in his eye sockets. His standard American smile was like a meticulously designed business presentation—precise, professional, yet enigmatic.

The Huangpu River outside the glass curtain wall gleams with a cold light, reflecting the steel forest of Lujiazui on the opposite bank.

He Yuzhu's thoughts suddenly flashed back to the video conference three days ago, where John Madden on the screen flicked cigar ash into a crystal ashtray, the metal tabletop making a crisp "clang" sound.

“Mr. He, our Magellan Group never does business at a loss.”

At that moment, the arrogant multinational CEO actually invited him to afternoon tea and personally pushed scones in front of him. The aroma of butter mixed with French herbal tea wove a soft net in the air.

"Mr. He, there's an old Chinese saying, 'No fight, no friendship,' right?"

John Madden stirred the tea with a silver teaspoon, the clinking of ice cubes startling He Yuzhu's fingers.

The tough negotiating opponent I remembered now had half a Peking Opera mask-style bookmark peeking out of his suit pocket, the dark red paint flowing eerily under the fluorescent light.

He Yuzhu's Adam's apple bobbed as he recalled the anonymous email he received this morning—the attachment contained details of financial irregularities at Magellan Group's Southeast Asian branch.

Is this sudden gesture of goodwill just a smokescreen before the storm?