Chapter 22: Good Quality at a Reasonable Price

The room fell into silence as Wang Ye stood there quietly waiting. Finally, after a few seconds, a smile crept onto Kikwete's face. He gestured towards another chair nearby and said to Wang Ye, "Please, have a seat, my friend. I think we can now discuss the price of these gas tanks."

Upon hearing this, Wang Ye nodded with a smile and pulled the chair over, sitting down without hesitation. Looking at Kikwete, he said, "I told you we would become friends. And the truest kind."

At this, Kikwete couldn't help but burst into laughter. He picked up a pack of "Camel" cigarettes from the table and offered one to Wang Ye, saying, "Right, care for one?"

In that moment, Kikwete looked at Wang Ye, and any sense of superiority he had felt earlier dissolved. Though he was in his thirties and a high-ranking figure in Tanzania, facing this young man in his early twenties, he had to treat him as an equal. Wang Ye's displayed abilities and skills were remarkable, and Kikwete could foresee him soaring high in the era of China's great transformation.

"American cigarettes, not commonly seen in China," Wang Ye remarked as he accepted the cigarette offered by Kikwete. Being at the Changshan Advanced Military Academy, all of his belongings were rigorously inspected, so he had no concerns about any toxic substances.

Amidst the smoke, Kikwete looked at Wang Ye and said, "My friend, you're right. The gas tanks are urgently needed in my country. Let's talk about the price."

Under Kikwete's gaze, Wang Ye, enduring the pungent smell of Camel mixed tobacco, calmly said, "In business, honesty is key, especially with friends. So, I'll offer a sincere price: five hundred dollars each."

Upon hearing this, Kikwete furrowed his brow slightly and shook his head. "Too expensive. I don't think it's worth that price. After all, from what I see on the blueprint, how much steel does it take to make one of these gas tanks? Five hundred dollars is too much!"

"Two hundred dollars. That's the highest price I can afford," he added firmly.

Wang Ye wasn't surprised by Kikwete's bargaining. After all, Tanzania was just an African country, heavily reliant on various minerals for its economic income. It couldn't be compared to wealthy magnates with extravagant wealth.

"My friend, the price isn't calculated like that," Kikwete said as he extinguished his cigarette. "You know the price of steel, but if I were to sell you steel, you probably wouldn't buy it, would you? Besides, you know the prices of weapons like shells, rocket launchers, and recoilless rifles better than I do. Compared to those weapons, I believe these gas tanks offer great value for money. After all, the power of these gas tanks outweighs those weapons!"

Certainly, Wang Ye knew Kikwete was speaking the truth, but in negotiations, facts were the least important. Extinguishing his cigarette, Kikwete continued, "We're friends. Three hundred dollars each, and I want a thousand. If you don't agree, our business may have to end prematurely. After all, I can find other manufacturers. Can't I?"

In fact, Kikwete's return to his country was less than two months away, and he was busy every day. He didn't have the time to find other manufacturers. Moreover, if he actively contacted other manufacturers, it would inevitably attract high-level attention from China's officials. It would lead to a high-profile situation, causing Kikwete to lose the initiative in public opinion, which was not something he wanted to see.

Therefore, it was all just negotiation tactics.

Wang Ye clearly saw through this and, with a smile, extinguished the harsh Camel cigarette, taking out his Red Plum unfiltered cigarette and offering one to Kikwete. Then, he slowly took out a piece of paper from his briefcase and handed it over, saying, "I never deceive my friends, but friends should also understand my difficulties. In other countries, I can't say, but in China, only our Hongxing Machinery Factory dares to provide you with these gas tanks. And that's why our prices are higher; we've taken on a lot of risks. Here's the paper: four hundred dollars each, fixed price!"

Under Wang Ye's piercing gaze, Kikwete hesitated for a moment as he looked at the paper. It was a "Prohibition Instruction," detailing the specific steps to prohibit the modification of gas tanks into mortars, including the preparation methods for various explosives and propellants.

"The value of this paper, my friend, you should understand better than I do," Kikwete said as he carefully folded the paper and tucked it into his notebook on the table. Then, he nodded and said, "Deal! A thousand units at four hundred dollars each. Delivery at the Qingdao Port. Ten days from now, there's a transport ship returning to our country from there. I hope you can make it."

A flash of excitement passed through Wang Ye's eyes as he heard this. He took a deep drag from his cigarette, exhaling a thick cloud of smoke, and nodded. "No problem, but you must prepay half of the deposit. The rest will be paid upon delivery of the goods. This is our account."

Kikwete took a slip of paper from Wang Ye, which contained the account of the Industrial Bureau of Yuntai City, Shandong Province. After all, China's foreign exchange management was quite strict nowadays, and even an individual didn't have the qualifications to accept or hold foreign exchange.

However, this ensured the security of the transaction. If Wang Ye failed to deliver on time or turned out to be a fraudster, Kikwete could seek recourse through official channels in China and reclaim the money.

"Pleasure doing business with you!"

"Pleasure doing business with you!"

Finally, the two of them drafted and signed a contract, shook hands firmly, and sealed the deal. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Wang Ye left Kikwete's dormitory with his briefcase containing the contract.

A moment later...

Standing at the gate of the Changshan Advanced Military Academy, Wang Ye felt a weight lift off his shoulders. The wind blew refreshingly beneath him, and he couldn't help but burst into hearty laughter, turning heads of passersby.

Ignoring the bewildered looks of those people, Wang Ye left briskly. He needed to find a travel agency and get some much-needed sleep!

At two in the afternoon...

While Wang Ye was soundly asleep on the bed at the travel agency, the director of the Finance Bureau of Yuntai City had just arrived at work. As he entered his office, preparing to take a sip of tea, the phone rang.

"What? Two hundred thousand dollars in foreign exchange received? From Tanzania? To the Industrial Bureau?"

Hearing the call from the head of the Foreign Exchange Management Department on the other end, the director of the Finance Bureau was stunned!