A child who looked to be only ten years old was squatting there with two pairs of shoes in a basket in front of him.

This is specifically for purchasing cheap shoes from American soldiers.

American soldiers would sell the worthless shoes they had replaced or brought from somewhere to the locals at extremely low prices.

However, there are really very few Filipino locals doing this business.

What Filipino would pay attention to shoes?

All they care about is how to fill their bellies.

Nowadays, it is really rare for a child to be doing this business here.

Meng Shaoyuan walked over, and the child immediately said in English attentively: "Sir, do you have any shoes for sale?"

"Why did you come here to buy shoes?" Meng Shaoyuan asked curiously.

Seeing that the child did not answer, Meng Shaoyuan immediately said: "You answer me honestly, and I will find someone to sell you five pairs of shoes."

"I came from Manila, and I also wanted to buy there, but the price there was high." The child's eyes lit up, and he immediately answered honestly: "Later I discovered the Port of Dulapura, and here I am.

I run this business alone. I bought shoes here and then took them to Manila to sell them.

Every ten days there is a cargo ship from the Port of Dulapura to Manila. It is specially used by the residents of the Port of Dulapura to purchase daily necessities in Manila. I happened to take this ship back, sold the shoes, and then waited.

Next boat to Dulapura port.”

This is very business-savvy.

Meng Shaoyuan looked him up and down: "How old are you?"

"It's 21."

ah?

21 years old?

But he looked like he was only fifteen or sixteen years old.

This is severe malnutrition.

"May I have your name?"

"Shi Zhi Cheng."

"Oh... hmm? What's your name?"

"Shi Zhi Cheng."

Is this person Shi Zhicheng?

OMG.

Standing in front of him, this unattractive, short, thin, poor young man turned out to be Shi Zhicheng, who would occupy the position of the richest man in the Philippines for 16 consecutive years!

Shi Zhicheng was born in a rural family in Hongxi Village, Longhu, Jinjiang, Fujian Province on December 15, 1924. When he was 7 years old, he followed his parents to Manila, the capital of the Philippines. The family opened a small grocery store selling vegetables, dry goods, and daily necessities on the corner of the street.

Shop and barely make ends meet.

Unfortunately, this "cai Tsai shop" was later burned down during the war, and the family's life was once again in trouble.

The heartbroken parents chose to return to their hometown, but 18-year-old Shi Zhicheng decided to stay and work as a part-time apprentice shoemaker in a shoe store for his livelihood and studies.

After the liberation of Manila, he keenly discovered business opportunities. Many Filipinos had no shoes to wear, so he persuaded the boss to set up a small stall in the store to sell some cheap shoes purchased from American soldiers, and successfully made the first pot of gold in his life.

After that, Shi Zhicheng opened his first shoe store in downtown Manila, named Shoe Mart.

In just a few years, he sold 100 million pairs of shoes and won the title of "King of the Shoe Industry".

Immediately afterwards, he gradually expanded his business to men's clothing, women's clothing, children's clothing, accessories, etc., and started diversified operations.

Immediately, he officially changed the name of the shoe store to SM Department Store, and in about ten years, he made the department store the number one in the Philippines.

Shi Zhicheng was not satisfied with this.

Having visited European and American markets all year round, he believes that shopping malls that integrate shopping, leisure, dining, and entertainment are the future of retail consumption.

He built the first large shopping mall in the Philippines on the outskirts of Metro Manila and became a pioneer of MALL culture in Asia.

Is this the person in front of me?

Meng Shaoyuan could not believe that he would meet the future richest man in the Philippines here!

You must not let Master Meng take a fancy to you.

Once you are caught by him, it may be difficult to escape from this guy's clutches.

However, Shi Zhicheng felt that the American colonel in front of him was a little strange. Why did his eyes show evil intentions when he heard his name?

What do you want to do to yourself?

I heard that some men in the American soldiers like other men.

Is this a US Army colonel?

Shi Zhicheng immediately had the idea of ​​running away.

Meng Shaoyuan coughed twice: "Well, you are collecting shoes here one by one. It is tiring and there is not much profit, and you often come back empty-handed all day long, right?"

Shi Zhicheng nodded.

He had fallen into Meng Shaoyuan's trap.

Yes, Shi Zhicheng's business is indeed not doing well now.

But as long as he continues to persevere, after the war in the Philippines ends, a large amount of war materials will be sold to the locals by the US military.

This includes countless shoes.

Shi Zhicheng's real first pot of gold was earned from this time.

It only took him less than two months to open his own shoe store.

The problem is, Meng Shaoyuan knew it, but Shi Zhicheng didn't.

At this time, Shi Zhicheng couldn't figure out the situation after being told by the American colonel.

"Let's do this." Meng Shaoyuan pretended to think for a while: "How about I do business with you as a partnership?"

"What?"

Shi Zhicheng was stunned.

I bought shoes here carefully, but inexplicably, a US military colonel actually wanted to partner with me?

Probably seeing Shi Zhicheng's doubts, Meng Shaoyuan said seriously: "That's it, I have a large amount of supplies in my hand, including shoes, clothes, etc. At present, the war in Manila has ended, and these supplies are also available."

I was free.

I'll take care of some of it, but I need to find an agent that I'm happy with, and I see you here."

Shi Zhicheng understood immediately.

It is no secret that the US military buys and sells supplies.

All US military officers who have the power and supplies in their hands will do this.

The problem is, it doesn't look good if you show up on your own.

Therefore, these US military officers often find local agents.

The same is probably true for the American colonel in front of me.

Shi Zhicheng was young and courageous, and all he could think about was how to make money.

When such a good opportunity presented itself, how could he give up?

Shi Zhicheng immediately became excited: "Okay, sir, I do, I do."

Meng Shaoyuan nodded with satisfaction: "That's it, you close the stall first, and I'll find a place for you to live. I'll go back to Manila in a few days, and you go back with me. However, our cooperation must first be signed.

A long-term contract is a guarantee for everyone."
Chapter completed!