Chapter 149: Two in One

Chapter 149: Two in One

After the Spring Festival in 1979, advertisements began to appear on television, specifically for a foreign liquor brand. It was the first time anyone had seen an "advertisement" on domestic television.

Manager Qin was immediately intrigued when she saw this advertisement. She hadn’t expected advertisements to appear so soon. It seemed she wasn’t the only one eager to seize new opportunities.

She called the television station to inquire, and the staff there replied, “We couldn’t talk them out of it. These foreigners insisted on running advertisements. There’s nothing we can do. The higher-ups said we should give it a try and see what happens...”

During the early stages of reform, it was a chaotic time. Everyone wanted to test out new ideas, both good and bad, believing that testing new ideas through practice would reveal what was worthwhile—only the good would remain, and the bad would be discarded. It was all about feeling one's way forward.

In the past, the television station didn’t need to broadcast advertisements. Domestic goods sold well without them. But now, with foreign goods flooding the market, there were dazzling arrays of brands from various countries, leaving consumers unsure of what to choose.

This was when the power of advertising became evident.

At the time, the television station staff didn’t fully grasp the benefits of advertising. In a few years, advertising revenue would become the station’s largest source of income, with businesses clamoring to advertise. They would be raking in so much money they wouldn’t know what to do with it, wishing they could insert ads at every opportunity.

The effectiveness of television advertisements in 1979 was modest at best. It was just the beginning. By 1984, the influence of television advertisements would rise rapidly due to rapidly increasing ownership rates of televisions in the country. In 1979, however, televisions were mostly found in large provincial cities like the capital and Shanghai.

“There are already advertisements on TV. I need to speed up my efforts too,” thought Manager Qin.

Throughout the 1980s, the influence of print media advertisements undoubtedly exceeded that of television advertisements. It was crucial to seize this opportunity.

Manager Qin returned to the editorial department and had someone look into the foreign brands entering the domestic market. She quickly selected a "watch brand."

A high-end watch brand from a Western European country, CWC, enjoyed international prestige and was eager to quickly open the domestic market in China.

For foreign brands, the Chinese market, which had yet to be cultivated, was a highly contested market—an untapped consumer market that everyone wanted a piece of. Even if they had to fight tooth and nail to get in, it was worth it. After all, this was a market of hundreds of millions of people!

Even capturing a tenth, no, even a hundredth of this market could result in making a killing.

The primary goal for these foreign brands was to quickly seize and divide the market, expand their brand influence, and do so swiftly before others occupied the market. Speed was of the essence.

Brand development required advertising, and Manager Qin wanted to earn advertising fees. She contacted the domestic agent of CWC by phone, arranging a meeting at the Yangcheng Grand Hotel to discuss magazine advertising cooperation over lunch.

Manager Qin was confident about this advertising collaboration. There was no reason for the CWC brand to refuse. Their lifestyle magazine had a monthly circulation of over a million copies and exerted tremendous influence among middle-aged and young adults. Utilizing a section of the magazine for CWC’s advertisement would undoubtedly have a significant impact!

“Manager Qin, will our magazine’s advertisement really be effective? How much should we charge? Our magazine only costs a few cents per copy. This CWC watch is so expensive that it would cost a year’s salary for me to buy one. The people who read our magazine aren’t exactly wealthy... Can anyone really afford it?”

Máo Lìna’s tone was filled with doubt. Although their magazine had good sales, it primarily targeted college students who didn’t have much money. Would advertising for a foreign watch in their magazine yield results?

Manager Qin replied, “Don’t worry. The wealthy will soon spring up like mushrooms after a rain. Look, the port to Hong Kong Island has opened, allowing free movement. Don’t you think the locals in Yangcheng have wealthy relatives abroad?”

“One will bring two, and two will bring three. They’ll quickly become rich.”

“Not to mention, those whose properties were confiscated in the past—haven’t their belongings been returned? Even if not fully, they’ve been compensated. I’ve heard that families who once owned gold received substantial amounts of money, at least several hundred or even thousands of yuan. There’s no shortage of wealthy individuals in our country.”

“And let’s not forget the big capitalists of the past, many of whom had investments overseas. Now that the channels to the outside world have opened, those assets have returned to their hands. After so many years, the dividends alone are considerable...” Manager Qin was reminded of this by the situation in Xie Hongni’s family. Although families like Xie Hongni’s were rare, their absolute numbers nationwide were not low.

For many, the economic reforms marked a time ripe for starting from scratch. For others, 1979 was a year where they found themselves hitting the jackpot.

Overseas relatives had returned!

Overseas assets could be reclaimed!

...

“Manager Qin, you’re right,” Máo Lìna nodded, still with doubts. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Manager Qin, but rather, she was unsure about the effectiveness of advertisements. Would advertising really lead the wealthy to buy high-end watches?

Alright, even if our magazine has a million copies in circulation, will the brand trust that advertising with us will be effective? And would they be willing to invest in advertising?

"Manager Qin, just the two of us are going to negotiate?"

Qin Yao turned around and looked at Máo Lìna. She had observed this young Máo for quite some time. Máo was diligent and hardworking, capable in her tasks, but she tended to be a bit shy and lacked confidence, especially in new situations. This was why Qin Yao wanted to bring her along to gain more experience.

"…Manager Qin?" Máo Lìna swallowed, unable to help but take half a step back.

Qin Yao went to the phone room and called over Qiao Jie, deciding to bring her along. "Can you speak English?"

"Yes!" Qiao Jie puffed out her chest. Compared to others who were only half-baked, Qiao Jie could both listen and speak well. Few were better than her.

Many in the editorial department could read English newspapers, but few could speak fluently. Qiao Jie's strength lay in her boldness and thick skin. She wasn't afraid of making mistakes, and her confidence was noticeably stronger than most.

"Qiao Jie, you're coming with us to negotiate the advertising cooperation."

Qin Yao looked at Qiao Jie with admiration. Qiao Jie's appearance and exuding confidence made her naturally suited for negotiations. In terms of presence, she wouldn't lose to anyone. Having her along would at least add some image points.

Máo Lìna said, "Manager Qin, just the three of us? Should we find a male comrade?"

"No need. You're already familiar with the materials. Go over them with Qiao Jie. It's just the three of us this time."

When they arrived at Yangcheng Grand Hotel, Qin Yao and Qiao Jie walked ahead without any fear, while Máo Lìna, holding a file bag, couldn't help but feel like going to the bathroom. Even though it wasn't cold, she couldn't stop shivering.

This was her first time meeting foreigners, and she had no idea how to start the conversation.

Four people from the CWC brand came, all men. Two were foreigners, and a translator wearing gold-rimmed glasses was by their side. The tall man leading the group didn't expect three women to show up. A look of surprise crossed his face, but he quickly smiled.

Mr. Smith was a perfect gentleman, charming and witty. Qin Yao sat in the middle, with Qiao Jie and Máo Lìna on either side. Qin Yao wore a confident smile, while Qiao Jie, even more so, held her chin high like a proud peacock.

Qin Yao first introduced the magazine's relevant data: "These are our magazine's sales over the past six months. You won't find a more suitable print medium for advertising in China. Advertising the CWC watch in our magazine would be a highly worthwhile investment."

"The specific cooperation terms and plans are here..."

After a brief discussion, the CWC team generally agreed to the cooperation. The only thing left to negotiate was the advertising fee.

"Manager Qin, what's your quote?"

Qin Yao sat steadily, Qiao Jie remained expressionless looking ahead, while Máo Lìna's heart raced. She knew that previous TV advertisements were 100,000. Quoting 100,000 would be a fair price, considering the value they offered. Earning 100,000 for just one page of advertising felt almost too good to be true.

"300,000, for three consecutive issues, 100,000 per issue."

As soon as Qin Yao's words fell, Máo Lìna's heart jumped, and Qiao Jie froze on the spot.

Qiao Jie had only seen the cooperation documents and wasn't aware of the quoted price. Hearing the figure of 300,000, it was like fireworks exploding in her ears. She had never seen 300,000 in her life!

"Manager Qin, let's discuss the details of the cooperation..."

By saying this, the other party essentially agreed to the price without bargaining or any back-and-forth negotiation, moving directly to specific cooperation terms.

Once the price was agreed upon, the rest of the negotiations went smoothly. The brand representatives made a few requests, and as long as they weren't excessive, Qin Yao agreed to them, but she also gave quite a few suggestions.

"Manager Qin, let's work together for a successful partnership."

"A pleasant cooperation."

After wrapping up the discussion, they enjoyed a pleasant meal. Post-dinner, Qin Yao, Mao Lìna, and Qiao Jie left the restaurant. Qiao Jie held the archive bag and felt like she could fly. It went down that easily? Were these foreigners really that easy to work with?

Qin Yao regretted, "I wish we had asked for 450,000; 150,000 per issue."

"Manager Qin!" Mao Lìna’s hands trembled, and she almost knelt in front of Qin Yao. 150,000 per issue—she really had the guts to say that!

The deal came together so fast because our offer was way below what they expected. They didn’t even bother to haggle and just agreed right away. Of course, maybe they thought the price was fair.

The problem was, it wasn’t reasonable at all!

Back when our monthly sales hit a million copies, we barely made 200,000 to 300,000 in profit. Now, with just one advertisement, we’d already made a third of that!

"Máo Lìna, don't underestimate the power of advertisements. They aren't losing money by buying our ad space. The times have changed, and from now on, our magazine's main profit will come from advertisements."

In the future, traffic will be key. Right now, it already is.

"Máo Lìna, the most valuable thing in the world is people's attention. If our magazine can attract more attention, we can earn more money from it."

Qiao Jie, who had been zoned out, almost fell over and was supported by Qin Yao. She murmured, "300,000, 300,000, it's already 300,000?"

Qin Yao and Mao Lìna looked at each other: this girl hadn't snapped out of it yet!

"Qin Yao, did we really close the deal?"

Qin Yao: "It might actually be us who lost out, but it's fine. There are plenty of ad spaces in our magazine. For example, that 'Recommended Products' column, we can reach out to some smaller brands."

"There are fewer startups domestically now, but they are all in the initial stages. In the future, there will be many more independently-owned factories. They will all need our magazine to advertise."

Mao Lìna couldn't help but say, "Then how much can we earn?"

"Just wait and see!"

In a good mood, after parting with Mao Lìna, Qin Yao quietly instructed Qiao Jie, "Don’t go spreading this around when you get back. 300,000 isn't a big deal. If you brag about it, it'll seem like we've never seen the world before. I heard that in the development zone, investments often reach hundreds of millions. We're still far from that."

This 300,000 advertising fee really wasn’t much. Those foreign investors who came to the mainland to build factories spent hundreds of billions, even trillions, to acquire land and build factories, all for the cheap labor and the vast future consumer market.

Don’t think people in the 1980s were overly frugal. Although they were generally thrifty, when it came to buying big items, they were willing to spend. They saved up for months or even a year to buy big-ticket items like color TVs and refrigerators.

Of course, the reason they spent so freely was also because of the low housing pressure. Most units provided housing, so there was no need to worry about a 30-year mortgage or overspending. Everyone saved money to buy big items.

"Manager Qin, you're right. We shouldn't look like we've never seen the world before." Qiao Jie nodded.

Qin Yao: "We should fly under the radar and rake in the cash quietly. Only let close people know."

"If you can keep your mouth shut, I'll transfer you to the advertising team and send you to negotiate advertising deals in the future."

Qiao Jie couldn't help but widen her eyes.

Qin Yao smiled, "I think you're very suitable for it."

Come to think of it, Qiao Jie was indeed suitable. She was good at foreign languages and knew how to put on a show. If she could keep her mouth shut, she’d be perfect for negotiating deals.

"I'm suitable!" Qiao Jie excitedly grabbed Qin Yao's hand.

Qin Yao pried her hand off, "Let me tell you, when dealing with clients, just like with readers on the other end of the phone, you need to give them the warmth of spring. But when it comes to pricing, you gotta fight for every last cent."

Qiao Jie nodded. "Don't worry, I’ll make sure to keep it to myself!"

*

And Qiao Jie really did keep her word. She didn’t spread rumors around the neighborhood, and every day she went to work with a bright and energetic attitude. She proudly told Meng Xian that she had changed jobs.

Dressed in a neat professional outfit, her hair perfectly combed back, she looked full of energy, her eyes sparkling. "I’m out there negotiating deals and handling advertising now… stuff you wouldn’t get."

Meng Xian felt a bit frustrated, wondering if his good days were over. Would he no longer feel her warmth and kindness?

"Just focus on your work."

Qiao Jie said, "Don't worry, I'm successful in my career now, and by next year when we return to the compound, I'll make those people envy me to death."

Qiao Jie just wanted to seize the opportunity to work hard and earn her own respect. It was better to earn face on her own terms.

In the past, she had accomplished nothing in the compound and remained unmarried until she was older. Her aunts and uncles constantly worried about her, saying she had wasted a good hand. Her married cousins secretly mocked her, saying her good days were over and no man would want her…

These cousins were the most ridiculous. They had the nerve to ask their father to introduce them to male officers, and then later mocked her for being unmarried.

Qiao Jie was stung by this and chose Meng Xian. Apart from his looks and family background, he was excellent in every other way. After marrying Meng Xian, those cousins were so jealous it was satisfying to watch.

When it came to family background, Qiao Jie always felt that Meng Xian wasn’t worthy of her. But when it came to personal qualities, she felt she wasn’t a match for him. Otherwise, why would her cousins be so envious of her marrying Meng Xian?

Even so, after a year of marriage, Qiao Jie still felt frustrated. Marrying Meng Xian had silenced others, but she was still dependent on a man. If Meng Xian wanted to divorce her, she couldn’t afford the humiliation and would certainly be mocked by those women again, saying she had wasted a good hand and couldn’t even keep a man.

In this marriage, although she seemed to have the upper hand, she was actually the one most afraid of divorce.

Apart from her arrogant attitude, she had nothing else… But now, things were better. She could finally talk about her job. Even without this man, she would be fine. She had even closed a big business deal worth hundreds of thousands!

However, at this point, Qiao Jie found Meng Xian more tolerable than before.

After working herself, she began to admire Meng Xian's abilities. Meng Xian had come this far mostly due to his personal capabilities. Qiao Jie had to admit his skills; he was a very capable man. Even though he didn’t have a handsome appearance, he had his own unique charm.

Since she had already married him… they might as well continue like this.

Even if they divorced, she wasn’t afraid anymore. She didn’t think Meng Xian truly loved her; he probably just valued her for her background. They needed each other, and when Meng Xian became more independent, he wouldn’t be so polite to her anymore.

"Why do you have to compete with them?"

Qiao Jie threw herself into her work, and Meng Xian began to worry, feeling an inexplicable panic. He knew what he meant to Qiao Jie—just a tool for gaining face.

Now that Qiao Jie was dedicated to her work, in the editorial department and negotiating advertising deals, she had plenty to boast about. Did she still need him as a tool for gaining face?

If they were to argue again, this woman would definitely have the confidence to divorce him, and it would be a real divorce…

Even though Meng Xian had previously wanted to distance himself from Qiao Jie because of her temper, he now felt uncomfortable at the thought of actually divorcing her.

Qiao Jie came from a good family and was beautiful. Now she had a good job too. Even if she divorced him, she might find a handsome young man!

As for him, a divorced man, it would be hard to find someone from a good family who was also beautiful.

Was sending Qiao Jie to work in the editorial department the right decision?

Her temper had improved, but he didn’t want to lose what he had.

No, he had to go find Gu Cheng and ask him to put in a good word with his wife, so she wouldn’t get too cocky. The receptionist job she had before was just fine.

*

Around 4 or 5 in the afternoon, it was time for free physical exercise. Meng Xian chose this time to look for Gu Cheng. After 5, he would pick up the child from kindergarten. Gu Cheng usually ran five to ten kilometers to warm up every day.

When Meng Xian found Gu Cheng, he had just finished his five-kilometer run and was resting on the lawn. The sunlight slanted over, and the soccer field was a vibrant sea of green, half bathed in golden sunlight, half lost in deep shadows.

Gu Cheng sat in the shade of the grass, next to the track. A large tree stood nearby, and sunlight filtered through the treetops, casting dappled patches of gold on the ground. A gentle breeze rustled through the leaves, making the scene feel open and peaceful.

He had his back to Meng Xian, one leg stretched out and the other bent. His left hand rested on his knee, holding a black leather notebook, while his right hand held a pencil, sketching in his notebook.

Hearing a sound, Gu Cheng glanced sideways and, upon seeing Meng Xian, merely pursed his lips slightly before continuing to draw in his notebook without any attempt to hide his actions.

To Gu Cheng, Meng Xian had become like a dessert after a meal—pleasant but not essential. Having him around just made him feel good.

"Old Gu, you're really leisurely," Meng Xian said, sitting beside him and propping himself up on the grass. He looked at the man in front of him—short hair, simple training clothes, and because of his long legs, pants that seemed too short, revealing some ankle. From his estimate, Gu Cheng was already wearing a size larger than his own. Those legs were impressively long.

"I'm just blessed," Gu Cheng replied lightly, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked at the sunlit grassland in the distance. He genuinely meant the words. Compared to his time working in the fleet, this period of study at the school was truly a rare and precious peaceful time.

Every day, he could go home, pick up and drop off his child from school, and hold his wife in his arms at night. This kind of life was unimaginable just a few years ago.

In this lifetime, at least before retirement, it would be hard to have such a time again. He only wished time would slow down a bit more.

"Yes, yes, I really envy you."

Gu Cheng slightly raised his eyebrows. "Can you change your phrase? It doesn't sound sincere."

Hearing the same thing over and over was getting too sweet and cloying.

This Meng Xian was too much. He never showed up without a reason—what did he want now?

"I'm being genuine. You don't understand my worries. If I looked as good and capable as you, I wouldn’t have to worry about my wife running off with someone else."

Gu Cheng immediately closed the notebook and sat up straight, alert in his tone. "What do you mean?"

Could it be that some young and handsome colleague had appeared in his wife's editorial department?

Meng Xian froze. "..."

Gu Cheng's reaction was like a lazy cat lounging in the grass, suddenly springing to life the moment it spotted something interesting. For naval officers like them, especially at this rank, physical demands tended to decrease with age. They often let their physical training slide. Someone like Gu Cheng, who still maintained this level of muscle mass, was rare. At least, Meng Xian didn't have it.

Judging by how alert he was, it seemed Gu Cheng was even more worried about his wife running off than Meng Xian was.