After an hour of negotiating contract prices and details, they finally reached an agreement.
Iron ore: 52.20 USD per ton, one hundred thousand tons per month with a total cost of 5.22 million USD.
Aluminum ore: 80 USD per ton, two hundred thousand tons per month with a total cost of 16 million USD.
The total contract amount was 21.22 billion USD. The shipment would arrive from Port Darwin to Port Ange at the beginning of every month for five years.
Although Ange Island currently has no deepwater port, Jiang Chen had already invested in its construction as two docks would be built by next month. The population base of Ange Island was relatively high and relatively far away from the other eight islands. Therefore, it was ideal to be built into an industrial island with manufacturing as the dominating industry. Hence, a deepwater port was necessary.
Oliver was ecstatic as he signed a multi-million dollar deal in one afternoon for the company. After signing the contract, Jiang Chen didn’t immediately leave but instead started to chat with him about the mining industry.
To Jiang Chen’s questions, Oliver did his best to answer. He told Jiang Chen the trend of the low volume of iron ore traded in 2016 and the decrease in price for rare metals. All the information could be found online, so it was not a secret.
“If you don’t mind me asking this question, based on my knowledge, your company’s primary business is in the tech industry, why would you need to purchase large quantities of iron ore?” Oliver asked.
“Your company has implications on what the buyer uses the ore for?” Jiang Chen nonchalantly asked.
“Just a question I was personally curious about. Of course, if it is inconvenient to disclose, then it that is okay. This question doesn’t affect our partnership.” Oliver saw that Jiang Chen didn’t plan to answer as he smiled to apologize for his rather blatant question.
“I do apologize, this is a trade secret, and I can’t answer you… To express my apology, allow me to treat you to dinner,” Jiang Chen said.
“Haha, it’s my honor. I know a pretty good restaurant in Melbourne, take my car…” Oliver gladly accepted Jiang Chen’s invitation.
It was time to get off work, they left the company and headed to a Brazilian Barbeque restaurant near Melbourne.
From the restaurant’s aesthetics, it was no different than the street food stalls found in Han. The half-open system design with a distinctly-not-Brazilian owner roasting the golden slices of meat on the fire drew the passersby with its delicious aroma.
They sat at the bar, and it didn’t take long before the plates arrived in front of them.
Two cold beers and four plates of meat later, Jiang Chen was thrilled by the food.
“Is the future of the mining industry not looking so good?”
“Not terrible, but it will get worse.” When they spoke about work, Oliver let out a sigh.
“Because of the economic conditions?”
“It could be categorized as an economic issue, but ultimately it goes back to demand.” Oliver took a big gulp of beer in satisfaction, the beer washed away the frustration that accumulated in his chest.
“Could you be more specific?” With the skewer in his hand, Jiang Chen asked.
He had an interest in mining.
“For example, if you want to build a 5000 square meter building, it would require 30 tons of steel. But once the building is complete, the potential market of the steel would decrease by that 30 tons. Not only in infrastructure, but from vehicles to screws, they are all the same. Then, the steel plant would decrease production, the mining output would also decrease, and that’s how the economy goes down the drain.” Oliver laughed.
Jiang Chen didn’t know what was funny.
“Is it okay to tell me this?”
“No problem. I’m off work,” Oliver said with confidence, “Also, even if there are layoffs, I won’t be cut.”
“Therefore, the overall trend of iron is going down?”
“That’s right. In 2008, per ton had a price of 2.1 USD. Now, it would be lucky to get 0.95 USD.”
“With what you are saying, there is no hope in the mining industry?” Jiang Chen grinned.
“Not necessarily true. There is potential if there is a technological breakthrough.” Oliver shook his beer glass half filled with beer.
“Technological breakthrough?” Jiang Chen raised his eyebrow.
“That’s right. Unless there is a major technological breakthrough, such as everyone throwing away their current vehicle, like how everyone gave up on the hand-operated machines or like how everyone abandoned the steam engine… If we were to stretch the example. Sigh, I am pretty envious of you.”
“There are a lot of people envious of me.”
“I am not talking about your money, but your industry. Don’t you think that tech is the field that technological breakthroughs are most likely to occur in?” Oliver stuffed a skewer into his mouth and then smiled.
“It is also the industry most likely to go bankrupted,” Jiang Chen mocked.
Oliver took a moment to process this before he started to laugh hysterically. Maybe laughing was contagious for Jiang Chen also began to laugh along.
The two hysterical people made the rest of the restaurant turn their heads.
…
When Jiang Chen returned to the hotel somewhat drunk, it was already ten at night. That guy was surprisingly talkative and was very humorous as well. Jiang Chen and him talked about the culture of Australia, the barbequed fish, and even his hometown Hucheng. They got along so well that while that ate and drank, it was already deep into the night.
Before they left, Jiang Chen exchanged business cards with Oliver.
When Jiang Chen still drenched in the smell of alcohol, appeared in front of the door, Ayesha quickly helped him to the bathroom, took off his shirt, and wiped his body with a hot towel.
“Why did you drink so much?” Ayesha muttered to Jiang Chen in a small voice.
“I met an interesting person.” Jiang Chen burped and laughed, then he leaned on Ayesha’s chest.
Ayesha’s pale skin instantly turned red. Just as she was about to help Jiang Chen stand up, snoring sounds resonating from the bathroom…
…
It felt terrible to be hung over, but with Jiang Chen’s metabolic speed, he only felt awful for a short period the next day before he fully recovered.
Because the contract negotiation went surprisingly smooth, he had a lot of free time the next day.
Since everything was done, based on Jiang Chen’s promise to Ayesha, he took her to explore Melbourne.
Photos in front of landmarks, shopping in major malls…
It was tiring to shop with a woman. But with Ayesha’s joyous expression in front of him, Jiang Chen felt all of his weariness wash away.
The last destination of the trip was St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Although it was odd to view an religious building as someone of a different religion, Ayesha’s amazement surveying the magnificent cross astonished Jiang Chen.
Not all religious people are stubborn.
And not all stubbornness cannot be forgiven.
At the peak of the modern day secularization, even an atheist can hold the hands of a believer and praise the glory of the art of the pagan church.
Seven hundred years ago, the Crusaders fought for the ownership of holy land through a bloodbath. Seventy years ago, the US and Soviet let the iron curtain drop due to differences in ideology.
Now looking back, nothing seems unforgivable nor unacceptable by the law of nature.
Just like the uncanny workmanship of the Suzhou Gardens and the vibrancy of the stained glass at the Notre Dame de Paris, the shape and color the world should possess were far more than what people would think.
If one day, the footstep of humans expanded to the edge of the galaxy, if they look back on the territory conflicts of today, and the ideology differences, would they mock themselves for their past actions?
But by that time, what would civilization be bothered by…
… The path to evolution? Or other things?
Just as Jiang Chen thought about this, Ayesha gently pulled on his arm.
He recollected his thought and looked at her. “Hmm?”
“I want to go in… Is that okay?”
“Of course.”
He threw his thoughts into the back of his head and nobly held onto Ayesha’s tiny hand.
They both headed inside the St. Patrick Cathedral.