Reporter and Aide
"Wait and see (be prepared to be surprised by what's to come)," was Lin Qi's answer to Mr. Fox. He didn't directly convince Mr. Fox that it was a good deal or how much money he could make.
People are always like this: until they see reality, and until they are punched in the wall by reality, they will never believe that reality can hit them so hard.
By the way, reality is not human.
Rather than using language to make one's description seem like a pale cover-up, and to prevent them from having all sorts of thoughts and ideas while waiting for the outcome.
Anyway, there aren't many days left.
On Friday morning, around 10 a. m., Lin Qi hosted his reporters at a Cafe outside the Warehouse District.
Not everyone in the Warehouse District wears Blue Vests; some people with some means of income also work here. Warehouses are complex things; they can hold garbage and worthless items, but they can also hold valuable items.
Its diversity has also shaped the diversity of the staff in the Warehouse District; if someone can kill time with coffee and snacks, then it's not a problem.
Lin Qi invited six local newspapers in Sabine City, including one that specializes in publishing photos of various pitiful girls. Prostitution is an illegal business in Sabine City, but publishing these photos, articles, and personal information did not violate Sabine City, Federal, or publishing industry laws and regulations.
In addition to local journalists, there were also reporters from the State Capital and other mainstream media outlets. Lin Qi had big ambitions; he wanted to build more than just a secondhand auction company in Sabine City. He wanted to expand his business throughout the state and even beyond. Therefore, the publicity for the first auction would be very important.
When people see news that interests them in the newspaper, they look forward to the auction being held locally, at least to participate and experience whether it is really as good as the newspaper says, and they will continue to pay attention to these things.
If all they see is criticism, they have no interest in continuing to pay attention, and they have no intention of participating even if the auction is held locally.
First impressions are very important, which is why Lin Qi took the initiative to contact these media outlets; he hoped they could give him a positive article.
Perhaps because Lin Qi reimbursed their food and lodging expenses and gave them a daily allowance of thirty yuan, these reporters had a very good impression of Lin Qi. In fact, in addition to this money, Lin Qi also bought advertising space in the newspaper where they worked, which was the main reason why the newspaper was willing to send them.
In short, Lin Qi is a big spender, which has become the first impression of the reporters. This is a small personal interview. Later, they will go into the Warehouse District to film the scene before the auction, and then the day and after the auction.
These photos will be arranged together to create a strong contrast and visual impact. Even without doing so, readers can feel how serious Lin Qi is about this matter; he is definitely not just joking around.
"Mr. Lin Qi, how do you define the Secondhand Goods Auction you organize?" This was a question from a reporter from the capital city, the best-selling newspaper in the state, bar none.
Every region has some newspapers like these, which bear a very important responsibility: guiding public opinion, spreading positive energy, and monitoring all aspects of society.
This question may seem a bit... vague, but it is actually very crucial. She is asking Lin Qi about a certain stance, or whether there are any possible political motives involved.
The reporter was a woman who wore glasses and had a somewhat rigid and serious expression. As soon as she spoke, everyone else was ready to take notes.
We're all colleagues, and we know the interview process very well. Journalists always see themselves as the vanguard of social justice and fair and impartial judges, but in reality, their interests are already skewed.
Speaking in order of rank according to the size of the newspaper they work for and their status in the industry doesn't seem like the kind of people who usually boast about themselves.
These things were only on Lin Qi's mind. He answered the question with a bright smile without even thinking about it.
"Activating the idle market saves resources for society, avoids unnecessary waste, and can also provide more jobs for society. This is what I am doing..." Dealing with these reporters is like child's play. Some of their questions, which may seem embarrassing or aggressive to others, can make the interviewees feel very uncomfortable.
That is certainly true, but compared to the constant questioning and even interrogation by those people during the process of entering the small house, these reporters were as innocent as flowers.
"Surrounded by numerous reporters, he spoke eloquently without the slightest stage fright, captivating everyone with his charm!" This was the caption a reporter made for a photo of him. In the photo, people surrounded Lin Qi, diligently recording his words, while his confident and sunny face almost shone.
Even in the less-than-clear newspapers, people could almost feel the special aura emanating from Lin Qi.
This photograph became the most important moment in the reporter's career. Sometimes life is so strange; you don't necessarily have to participate in something yourself. Just being a witness is enough to become famous.
He probably didn't know what this photo would represent in the future. After taking the photo, he sat back down and began recording the interview.
Lin Qi's confidence, humor, occasional witty remarks, and self-deprecating humor made him a popular figure. It's rare for an interview to elicit laughter from the audience, but this time everyone laughed frequently, even the serious and rigid Female Reporter laughed several times.
After the interview concluded successfully, Lin Qi gave them a big surprise: a gift.
In another world, this is called a travel allowance, but in the Bayer Federation, in this simpler era, journalists who consider themselves to be fair and impartial are not yet accustomed to such a "custom," and they are even somewhat at a loss.
"These are just some local specialties and some transportation costs, please don't refuse!"
His enthusiasm and sincerity touched everyone, and in the end, everyone accepted the small gift. Each person carried a sense of guilt and an indescribable feeling in their heart.
However, after they returned, they all chose to do the same thing—revise some of the finalized first drafts.
After seeing off his journalist friends, Lin Qi couldn't help but sigh, "This is truly a great era."
In another world, because the travel expenses were insufficient, some media outlets actually threw things at the conference venue.
He loved this world! In the afternoon, someone Lin Qi didn't expect found Lin Qi. This guy called himself Ferral and was one of the close associates of the mayor of Sabine City.
This was a man who looked to be in his thirties, and he appeared to be about five feet seven inches tall, which is considered tall for this time of year.
His hair was thinning, and his hairline had receded quite a bit.
"Mr. Lin Qi, I've noticed this..." He placed a flyer on his desk and pushed it over.
Lin Qi picked it up and glanced at it; it was a flyer he had printed. He asked with some confusion, "So, what happens next?"
Ferral smiled confidently. His confidence was different from Lin Qi's. Ferral's confidence was a condescending confidence, with a hint of contempt, and it did not come from an inner affirmation of himself.
His confidence stems from the power he wields, both directly and indirectly.
"I noticed you're Warehouse District a..." He picked up the flyer, glanced at it again, and read it aloud, "...a secondhand goods auction?"
Lin Qi nodded. "Yes."
Ferral leaned back, interlaced his fingers, rested his elbows on the armrests of the chair, and pursed his lips. "You probably won't be able to hold it as scheduled."