On March 19, 1997, Ge Lu Shi Audio Store quietly opened, without ribbons, flowers, or grand ceremonies. The only indication of its potential were the newly acquired multi-purpose van and a BMW parked out front.
Spring was just beginning to warm the air, barely a month past the Lunar New Year. It was a slow season for sales, yet on its first day, the audio store sold five four-compartment cabinets, one two-compartment cabinet, and two pairs of speaker stands, exceeding 3,000 yuan in revenue. A week later, daily sales climbed to over 5,000 yuan. The unique design of Ge Lu Shi's audio cabinets catered to the tastes of audiophiles and the affluent, distinguishing itself from Guangdong's metal-framed racks, furniture-style TV cabinets, and simple, cheap shelves. The only drawback was that Ge Lu Shi Audio Store, despite being an audio company, did not yet have its own audio products on display.
The delay in showcasing Ge Lu Shi speakers was a strategic move to avoid patent issues. Since the opening, Ye Xiaoming and Liu Bing had been focused on registering trademarks and applying for patents.
On an early April afternoon, it started to drizzle in Beijing.
Ye Xiaoming and Liu Bing hurriedly got into their BMW after leaving Cheng Cheng Patent Agency. As soon as he got in, Ye wiped the rain off his briefcase with a tissue. Liu Bing did the same before starting the car and turning on the wipers.
With a sigh of relief, Ye said, "It's done. I can finally relax."
Liu Bing replied, "Let's get the speakers on display as soon as we get back. It feels awkward having an audio store without any audio products—it looks like a furniture shop."
Ye smiled, pulling out his phone. "Time to report to the boss." He dialed a number and held the phone to his ear. "Chairman, the patent is secured. We had to pay an extra 50% for expedited service... The export agency issue isn't urgent yet; I'll look into it... Yes, Ouhua Import & Export Agency... Chairman, we can display the speakers now. It's also time to negotiate for amplifiers and other components. We should start networking with our industry peers. I suggest inviting representatives from Le Sheng and Sleek for dinner to show our presence... No, it's important to inform you to avoid discrepancies during audits... Alright, goodbye."
Liu Bing scoffed, "You're the general manager. Do you really need her permission to take someone out for dinner?"
"Better to be overly courteous than lacking," Ye replied.
Twenty minutes later, they arrived at Beijing Ouhua Import & Export Agency, a six-story standalone building with dark grey stone walls and a granite-paved parking lot surrounded by stainless steel posts and iron chains. The lot was filled with cars.
Liu Bing parked near the entrance. "Just go in for a quick consultation. I'll stay in the car since it's raining."
Ye, clutching his briefcase, dashed into the building.
Liu Bing rolled down the window, lit a cigarette, and leisurely watched the rain. The broad street outside was busy with cars and pedestrians. The rain-washed trees looked fresh, the air was cool and moist, and the raindrops made a soothing "pitter-patter" on the ground. It felt like an old song playing softly, evoking a sense of freedom and peace.
Sitting in the comfort of the car, listening to the gentle rain in the capital city, Liu Bing felt a surreal sense of luxury. It was as if he had stepped into a world he once only admired from afar.
Half an hour later, Ye returned, running through the rain to the car.
Liu Bing watched as Ye took out a set of export agency consultation materials. "Where to next?"
"To the warehouse to get a set of speakers," Ye replied.
As Liu Bing drove out of the parking lot, he remarked, "Beijing is different. Everything is handled by agents. With money, everything is easier."
Ye, reading the consultation materials, mumbled, "There's so much to know about customs inspections. This material needs to be faxed to Shijie. We need quality inspection certificates for paint, boards, adhesives... The export agency fee is 5% of the revenue... Then there are transportation, customs, inspection, storage, port charges, insurance, and bank fees... This costs a lot, and we don't even have a market yet."
Liu Bing laughed, "Ye, how does it feel to drive a BMW around Beijing, visiting big companies?"
Ye replied, "It feels like a dream, hard to believe it's real."
Liu Bing reassured, "Don't worry. If the sky falls, taller people will hold it up. What's there to fear?"
The rain reduced traffic on the roads, making the drive smoother. At the entrance to the underground warehouse of Zhengtian Commercial Building, Liu Bing showed their credentials to the gatekeeper, who checked and allowed them entry. They parked at door 63, where the warehouse guard verified their special entry permits and room numbers before unlocking the door.
The 100-square-meter warehouse held a batch of neatly stacked speaker packaging boxes against the south wall and 18 pairs of packaged Ge Lu Shi speakers against the north wall, along with a set of power, CD player, amplifier, and cables.
"Move two pairs of speakers to the back seat, and the rest in the trunk," Ye instructed.
They carefully loaded the equipment, each speaker carried with utmost care. As they worked, Ye said, "If it were up to me, I wouldn't have opened the store in this location or rented this warehouse. Beijing is too vast. The store should be on the east side of the city, leveraging vehicle advantage and focusing on wholesale while serving both Beijing and Tianjin."
"Why didn't you say this in the meeting?" Liu Bing asked. "What's the point of saying it now?"
"It wouldn't have mattered. They have their plans," Ye sighed.
After loading the car, they headed back to the audio store.
The rear of the van blocked the store's entrance, with the back door open. Yang struggled to load a fully packaged cabinet into the van, blocking the entrance to shorten the transport distance and protect the packaging from rain. Passersby had to detour around the van.
Liu Bing parked nearby, and he and Ye helped Yang load the cabinets.
Yang said, "One more set of brown four compartments, making it five in total."
"Browns" referred to the color, compartments, and finish of the cabinet.
"Not bad for a rainy day," Ye remarked.
Yang grinned, "We sold a set this afternoon; the customer drove off with it. Another set is reserved, to be delivered after 6 PM. Huitong ordered four sets; we'll handle it all in one trip."
Once the cabinets were loaded, Yang parked the van, and Liu Bing parked the car at the entrance to unload the audio equipment. They positioned the audio system at the store's center, facing the sofa and coffee table, with audio racks on either side for optimal sound diffusion and display.
The imposing Ge Lu Shi speakers on custom stands, supported by ten pieces of equipment, were impressive. Though there was only one model, it finally gave the store an authentic audio shop atmosphere. Ye took out a wooden CD box from the office, containing 30 carefully selected high-quality CDs from his, Feng Shijie's, and Liu Bing's collections.
Liu Bing admired the setup from behind the sofa as Ye powered on the system, playing Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez." The passionate, melancholic violin filled the room, stirring their spirits.
"It feels like an audio store now," Liu Bing remarked, satisfied.
Ye adjusted the system, turned it off, and placed three selected CDs on the cabinet. "Let's have a quick meeting. Liu Bing and I will visit Sleek to order equipment and, if possible, invite President Zhao and President Yu from Le Sheng for dinner. I used to represent Sleek and Le Sheng in the ancient city, and it's important to maintain good relations. They might visit our store, so we need to be prepared."
Liu Bing laughed, "Get to the point."
"First, be generous, but not overly so; second, be warm, but not too eager; third, stay alert and don't ask unnecessary questions," Ye advised.
Liu Bing asked Yang, "Did you get that?"
Yang nodded, "Got it."
Ye turned to Liu Bing, "I meant you. Giving you a little face."
Liu Bing replied, "Do you even need to remind me?"