"Let's begin now."
"Please provide a detailed price list for the shooting range."
Matt paused for a second, then burst into laughter—the kind of laughter that comes from being cornered but finding it exhilarating.
"Now?"
"While the coffee is still hot."
Matt shook his head, picked up a pencil, and began to doodle on the paper.
By the firelight of the fireplace, the two of them started calculating the amount of earthwork to be done at the shooting range, working down item by item.
What materials should be used for the retaining wall? How deep should the drainage ditch be dug? How wide should the ballistic safety zone be?
Every figure had to be weighed against Matt's expertise and Su Wei's budget framework.
Matt gave a number, and Su Wei asked if he could bet on it.
Matt said no, so Su Wei asked for an alternative.
Matt offered an alternative, Su Wei then inquired about the durability and maintenance costs of the alternative.
It went back and forth, and was revised seven or eight times on paper.
The final price list was covered with numbers and revision marks.
Total price: US$1,374,000.
Matt signed his name on the last line.
Su Wei put away the quotation, folded it neatly, and placed it in a kraft paper bag.
I'll transfer the advance payment to your company account tomorrow.
"Receive."
Matt stood up and patted his knees.
"I'll head back now. I need to finalize the construction schedule tonight and send it to you for confirmation before you send the payment."
Su Wei got up and saw him to the door.
Matt wrapped himself in a heavy windbreaker and opened the door.
The cold wind from outside immediately rushed in, and the fireplace flames flickered violently.
" Su Wei."
Matt stood on the porch and turned around.
"Um."
How old are you again this year?
Twenty-one.
A sigh escaped from Matt's brown beard.
"I've been in the construction business for twenty years, building military camps, oil company transit stations, and vacation homes for Fairbanks ' wealthy."
He patted the door frame.
"But I've never had a client, at the age of twenty-one, sit across from me and discuss a ten million dollar project. And that was the first phase."
Matt didn't wait for him to reply.
He pulled his hat down low and walked through the snow toward the pickup truck parked outside.
The roar of the engine starting echoed across the snowfield for a few seconds.
Two beams of headlights shot into the distance, then gradually disappeared into the night.
Su Wei closed the door.
The fireplace flames resumed their steady flickering.
Cotton Candy jumped off the sofa, ran to his feet, and nudged his legs with her head.
Are you hungry?
"Eek."
Su Wei bent down and scooped the little creature up. As she walked towards the kitchen, she checked the time on her phone.
Chapter 204 The First Business Order
On the phone screen, the time jumped to 7:47 PM.
The Cotton Candy nudged him again, this time using her teeth.
Su Wei bent down and scooped it up.
The white fluffy ball immediately tucked into his arms, its pink nose nudging against the zipper of his jacket.
"Alright, I'll get it for you."
He went into the kitchen and took out a piece of thawed minced venison from the refrigerator.
Next, cut it into small cubes, mix in half a spoonful of fish oil, and put it into the special bowl for Cotton Candy.
The moment the food bowl was placed on the ground, the white fluffy ball sprang out of his arms.
Its four paws slammed down on the wooden floor, and its head plunged into the bowl.
His mouth was covered in food.
Su Wei turned on the tap and washed his hands. He was about to cook himself a bowl of noodles when his phone vibrated in his pocket.
It wasn't a text message, it was a phone call.
Caller ID: Unknown number.
Su Wei glanced at it for two seconds.
He answered.
"Hello, are you Mr. Su Wei Weiyang?"
The voice on the other end was a woman's, with standard English, a fast speaking pace, and a professional enthusiasm.
That enthusiasm is trained, neither too hot nor too cold, just right so that it doesn't annoy people.
"I am."
"Hello Mr. Su Wei, I am Catherine Morales, the Business Operations Director of the Polaris brand."
Polaris.
Polaris Outdoors.
Su Wei's finger paused on the faucet for a moment.
He was familiar with this brand; it's a mid-to-high-end outdoor gear brand from North America, specializing in hardshell jackets and waterproof jackets for extreme cold environments.
In outdoor stores in Alaska, Polaris jackets are usually displayed on the most prominent shelves.
The retail price of a single item is between $500 and $1,200. It is not considered a top luxury brand, but it has considerable brand recognition in the outdoor community.
Catherine's opening remarks were very fluent.
She first expressed her concern about the content on Su Wei's two accounts, especially mentioning the video on the Wilderness Creations account of blizzard collecting peat moss.
"To be honest, when our marketing team saw that video, the entire office went silent."
Catherine's tone took on a slightly personal tone.
"Mr. Su Wei, carrying a 60-pound load, hiked for an hour and a half in a blizzard at minus 20 degrees Celsius. This scene is more impactful than the commercial we shot for 800,000 yuan."
Su Wei leaned against the kitchen stove, not saying a word.
He's waiting for an offer.
Catherine then got to the point.
We hope to have a deep collaboration with you.
"The specific format is as follows: We will provide a complete set of Polaris Extreme Cold Series gear, including our flagship outer jacket, softshell pants, and a thermal midlayer, which are our main offerings this year."
"As part of the collaboration, we would like you to create a video showcasing and using our equipment throughout, with a duration of at least five minutes."
"The video needs to include a spoken recommendation segment, introducing the product's core features and user experience."
In return, we paid a cooperation fee of $150,000, and all the equipment was given to us as a gift.
150,000.
Su Wei shifted his position by the stove, putting his free hand into his pocket.
$150,000 is not a low figure in the industry for an account with just over 800,000 followers.
Many creators of similar size are so excited about receiving a 50,000 yuan order that they can't sleep.
But what did Catherine just say?
Make a special video.