It was no surprise that Thunder Horse Military Factory had become the joke of this weapons exhibition. This joke was not known by many, however, because the people participating in the exhibition did not know where Thunder Horse Military Factory’s booth was.
Xia Lei seemed to have become reckless because of the hopeless situation. He did not put anything up and just brought a few people and some guns and ammunition to the exhibition booth. Thunder Horse Military Factory’s XL2500 sniper rifle and the newly-designed Gust assault rifle were put in large boxes and wheeled into the exhibition hall on a handcart.
Xia Lei got his people to open up the boxes when they got to the booth. They laid out plastic sheets and put the XL2500 sniper rifles and Gust assault rifles haphazardly on them. They put some up on the boxes themselves too, and that was it for the setting up of Thunder Horse Military Factory’s booth.
This setup was just like putting out vegetables for sale at a wet market.
“Director Xia, this won’t do,” said a young female employee. She volunteered to do something better. “How about we move two containers over to make a counter. We can also dress sexier and draw some eyes.”
“No need.” Xia Lei shot down the employee's suggestion.
The female employee pursed her lips but didn’t say more. She’d been prepared to sacrifice herself to draw customers, but her boss's attitude was like this. She couldn’t say anything more. Let him be reckless!
Qin Xiang, who had come over too, came up to Xia Lei and said in a soft voice, “That girl’s suggestion is not bad. This location is so lousy that no one is coming here. Who would know what we’re doing here? How about we let the customer service girls dress sexier and draw customers?”
Xia Lei laughed. “What are you guys so anxious about? Didn’t we bring a banner? Put it up.”
Qin Xiang shrugged. The banner Xia Lei was talking about was just a simple line of cloth with “Thunder Horse Military Factory” printed on it. What use was this plain banner going to be?
Just as the employees were wondering if Xia Lei had given up on this exhibition because he’d argued with Shentu Tianyin or something, Xia Lei gave his second set of instructions. He said to the female employee who had spoken up earlier, “Take two people with you. Give my name card to the overseas purchasers and the foreign reporters. If they ask you for details, say that we, Thunder Horse Military Factory, have manufactured the most advanced assault rifle in the world and it’s time for the European and American assault rifles to get pushed out of the playing field.”
“Is this… going to work?” The female employee was doubtful.
“Why won’t it? It’ll work if you do as I say,” said Xia Lei.
The female employee walked off with two other female colleagues, each of them with carrying a prepared stack of name cards. They were on the hunt for overseas purchasers and reporters.
Qin Xiang looked at Xia Lei. “Will this work?”
It was the same question but Xia Lei answered this time. “I defeated Barrett in Moscow, and bested FN and HK too. This is my basis. Our XL2500 is the best sniper rifle in the world. The European and American media may not admit it but they have taken note of the Thunder Horse name. I’m getting our employees to tell them and we have not just the world’s best sniper rifle but the world’s most advanced assault rifle. So, do you think they’ll come take a look?”
Qin Xiang understood then, and he chuckled. “Oh boy, that’s a good one. You’ve thought of this already, haven’t you? I have to give it to you – you made us worry for nothing.”
Xia Lei was about to say that 'the eunuch worries more than the emperor' but he swallowed the joke when he remembered Qin Xiang’s ambiguity. He said, “Hanwu Weapons and China Industrial Group want to crush us but they forgot something. We have already achieved a high rating for ourselves in the international market. Hanwu Weapons and China Industrial Group look down on us but Barrett, HK and FN see us as their biggest rival. How can we, Thunder Horse Military Factory, be crushed by whomever who wishes us crushed?”
Their own domestic brethren looked down on them but the 'outsider white people' were treating them as close rivals. This was a bit of a tragedy.
Hanwu Weapons and China Industrial Group were working together to crush Thunder Horse Military Factory and they looked down on it, but Thunder Horse was a true dark horse in the international market!
Thunder Horse was known internationally, and it now had the best sniper rifle and assault rifle under its roof – people would travel thousands of miles to come talk business with them, even if they were put in the middle of the Gobi desert!
Qin Xiang quirked his lips in a smile and hit Xia Lei with a pale fist.
Xia Lei looked awkwardly at him. “What?”
Qin Xiang didn’t respond. He walked over to the exhibition area and told the girls to get to work. Xia Lei did not tell them to set up the booth, but Qin Xiang got the girls to take out the boxes of ammunition and make flower or fruit patterns with them. These patterns were made between the XL2500 sniper rifles and Gust assault rifles. The wooden crates were used too, and they became a rough-looking counter.
“Good idea, Sister Xiang. It looks much better now,” said a female employee.
Qin Xiang giggled. “Look lively, girls! Be warm and friendly when the customers come. Promote our guns.”
“Yes, Sister Xiang.” The female employees were bubbly.
Soon, the girls who’d gone to give out name cards were back. It was just them, and no customers or guests. The three girls were sullen and smile-less.
Xia Lei’s brows wrinkled. “What happened? Did you do as I told you?”
“Director Xia, they’re such bullies!” said the team leader.
“What happened? Tell me.”
“A big group of Hanwu Weapons and China Industrial people kept a close watch on us. They stopped us from entering their areas to give out your name cards, and when they found out we were talking to foreigners they came over to interrupt. They didn’t even let us finish talking.”
“There’s more,” said another female employee. “Director Xia, they put signage to point people to the toilets at the other end. Some people walked in this direction but they went up to them and told them that the toilet here is broken and out of service.”
“Damn it!” Qin Xiang exploded before Xia Lei could speak. “I’m going talk sense into them!”
Xia Lei stopped Qin Xiang. “It’s useless to talk sense into people with no sense. It’ll be like talking to pigs.”
“Are we just going to let it be? I’m not going to take this lying down!” said Qin Xiang angrily.
At that moment, Ye Xiaoqi came walking over with some people.
“Oh, isn’t this Thunder Horse Military Factory’s booth?” Ye Xiaoqi’s face was mocking. “Director Xia, why don’t you have any nice arrangements for your booth? Are you selling vegetables in the market?”
Qin Xiang was about to retort but Xia Lei pushed him behind himself, blocking him off.
“It’s Ye Kun who told you to come mock us, wasn’t it?” said Xia Lei softly. “Why didn’t he come himself?”
“Our Chairman Ye specially instructed me to come over and check on your situation here, to see if you’ll need any help. You guys got notified only last night, after all, and had no time to set up your booth. Look, our Chairman Ye is so kind, but you keep wanting to go against him. What’s the use of doing that?” Ye Xiaoqi spoke breezily as she eyed the Gust assault rifle in Thunder Horse Military Factory’s booth.
Her gaze betrayed her aim in coming here. Ye Kun got her to come to see if Thunder Horse Military Factory had put the Gust assault rifle on display.
“You’ve seen how it is. We don’t need anyone’s help. You can go back to Ye Kun and tell him that,” said Xia Lei evenly.
“Humph!” Ye Xiaoqi’s attitude took a sudden change. “Director Xia, your Gust assault rifle looks exactly the same as our Shenwu assault rifle! What’s going on here?”
Xia Lei pretended not to have heard her clearly. “What did you say?”
Ye Xiaoqi sneered, “Acting dumb? You know full well what I said. Just you wait, you’re in big trouble!”
“What are you saying? Who’s acting dumb?” Qin Xiang poked his head out from behind Xia Lei. He put a hand on his hip and pointed at Ye Xiaoqi, his stance was that of one who was ready to fight.
“Hm? Who’s this?” said Ye Xiaoqi said scathingly. “Xia Lei, this can’t be your squeeze, can it? Speaking up for you so passionately… Does Shentu Tianyin know about this?”
Xia Lei abruptly walked up to Ye Xiaoqi and raised his hand to slap her.
Qin Xiang was his friend, and he would not allow Ye Xiaoqi to talk about him that way.
“Hold it!” A female’s voice came all of a sudden.
Xia Lei’s palm stopped just milimetres from Ye Xiaoqi’s cheek. He didn’t have to look to know who had come, because he knew that voice most intimately.
Shentu Tianyin had come.
It wasn’t just Shentu Tianyin. A large group of people were behind her.
Shentu Tianyin stepped closer. Her black dress flowed with her movements – she was extraordinarily captivating.
The people behind her were no simple folk either. Some were big-name celebrities in the entertainment world, some were well-known people in the business world, and there was also a big group of media professionals with their cameras, microphones and recording devices in tow.
Hanwu Weapons and China Industrial wanted to isolate and keep his booth empty? Shentu Tianyin was here to make it all lively!
This was marriage.
A smile appeared on Xia Lei’s face. He suddenly felt that Shentu Tianyin was as regal as a queen walking in her own court. Her poise, her calm, that loftiness – it was all top-notch!
“Won’t your hand be dirtied if you hit a dirty face like that?” said Shentu Tianyin.
Xia Lei retracted his hand and said with a smile, “Yes, my dear. You’re right. If I hit a dirty face like that and touch your face afterwards, we’ll both get dirtied.”
The married couple seemed to be talking to each other only and they left Ye Xiaoqi completely out in the cold.
“Just you wait!” Ye Xiaoqi stamped her foot and left in a huff.
Shentu Tianyin walked to Xia Lei and hugged him, then kissed him on his cheek.
Click! Click! Click! Camera flashes went off. The reporters who’d come were not going to miss this.
