Today, November 5, 2025, we welcomed a customer from Portugal, who, after reviewing the samples, placed an order for 4,000 baby walkers.

The morning sunlight streamed into the office through the glass curtain wall as I organized my documents and arrived at the conference room half an hour early. Today, we’re welcoming Mr. Carlos, an importer from Portugal who reached out to us via an industry trade show. He’s flying all the way to China specifically to explore our baby products manufacturing line. This is the first time in my three years as the head of foreign trade that I’ll be hosting a Portuguese client—so while I’m excited about the opportunity, I can’t help but feel a bit nervous too.

At exactly 10 a.m., Mr. Carlos appeared punctually in the company lobby. Dressed in a perfectly tailored navy-blue suit, he carried a briefcase emblazoned with the logo of the Portuguese national football team. His blond hair shimmered softly in the sunlight. "Nice to meet you," I said, breaking the silence with the Portuguese greeting I’d practiced for half a month. He paused for a moment, then instantly lit up with a delighted smile: "Your Portuguese is way better than my Chinese!" The playful remark instantly eased the tension in the room.

On the way to the sample room, Mr. Carlos spontaneously started chatting about Portugal’s mother-and-baby market. He mentioned that the local newborn birth rate has been growing for three consecutive years, yet baby products meeting EU safety standards still rely heavily on imports. "Especially baby walkers," he said, gesturing with his hands, "the traditional models are too bulky—so young parents prefer lightweight, foldable designs instead." I quietly jotted down this key insight, thinking I’d make sure to highlight the structural innovation when presenting the samples later.

In the sample room, twelve models of baby walkers were neatly arranged. When Mr. Carlos spotted our flagship "Little Deer Bambi" series, his eyes immediately lit up. This walker features an aerospace-grade aluminum alloy frame weighing just 2.3 kilograms yet capable of supporting up to 15 kilograms. The seat cushion is crafted from 3D breathable mesh fabric, ensuring comfort even during summer months without causing stuffiness. Most notably, the bottom is equipped with smart-sensing lights that automatically illuminate colorful spots as the child takes each step. "This design is simply brilliant!" he exclaimed, crouching down to carefully examine every detail. "The EU has extremely strict requirements for the rounded edges of children's products, and your chamfered edges perfectly meet those standards."

The Technical Director promptly handed over the test report, revealing that the product had already passed seven EU certifications, including EN71-3 (toy safety standard) and REACH (chemicals registration). Mr. Carlos put on his glasses to examine the report page by page, then suddenly pointed at a particular data point and asked, "The formaldehyde content here is labeled as 'not detected,' but the latest EU regulations actually require manufacturers to specify the exact detection method used." This question immediately put the technicians present on edge. I quickly pulled up the original test report and noticed that a more rigorous GC-MS gas chromatography method had been employed—its detection limit was far below the regulatory threshold. When I translated the additional explanation for the customer, he nodded approvingly: "It seems you’ve truly prepared thoroughly for the European market."

Lunch was arranged at a Cantonese restaurant near the office, and I specially ordered Portuguese egg tarts for dessert. Mr. Carlos took a bite, burst into laughter, and exclaimed, "These are even more authentic than my wife’s!" He shared with us that while Lisbon has plenty of Chinese supermarkets, there are still very few that specialize in mother-and-baby products. "If your products could be stocked at a warehouse in Portugal, transportation costs could drop by as much as 30%," he suggested—prompting me to immediately reach out to the logistics team after the meal to start calculating the feasibility of this plan.

When we returned to the conference room, the CFO had already prepared the quotation. Considering this was our first collaboration, we offered a tiered pricing structure: orders starting from 4,000 units would include the cost of air freight to Lisbon Port—8% lower than the market average. Mr. Carlos didn’t respond immediately; instead, he pulled out his tablet and brought up the product specifications of our competitors. “Your strengths lie in safety and design,” he said, pointing at the screen. “But the delivery timeline needs to be compressed to just 45 days—products must hit the shelves before Christmas.” At that moment, the Production Director whipped out his own phone to check the production schedule and realized that by adjusting shifts on two of the assembly lines, they could easily meet the deadline.

At 3 p.m., as both parties signed the contract, the first delicate raindrops of winter were gently falling outside the window. The order for 4,000 baby walkers not only promised revenues exceeding $800,000 but also opened the door to the Iberian Peninsula market. Before leaving, Mr. Carlos handed me a business card, on which he had personally written in Portuguese the timeless proverb: "A amizade é como o vinho, quanto mais antiga, melhor." (Friendship is like wine— the older, the better.)

After seeing the client off, I stood in the company lobby, lost in thought for what felt like an eternity. Beyond the glass幕墙, the bustling streets mirrored the city’s vibrant energy, while the Portuguese postmark on the contract in my hand quietly bridged two nations separated by thousands of miles. Returning to the office, I immediately called a cross-departmental meeting: the Design Department would begin developing a limited-edition winter collection tailored for the European market; the Logistics Department started researching ideal warehouse locations in Portugal; and the Marketing Department kicked off planning for a festive Christmas promotion. Meanwhile, the rain outside had stopped sometime earlier, and sunlight broke through the clouds, casting a warm glow over the contract.

While organizing materials in the evening, I found Mr. Carlos’s forgotten pen. The barrel was engraved with "1985–2025," perfectly marking the 30th anniversary of his career in the mother-and-baby trade. I took a photo and sent it via email as a reminder—but soon received this reply: "Keep it as a memento! Next time we meet, I want to see your containers packed with brand-new designs!" Accompanying the message was a picture of him posing with his daughter by her walker, the little girl beaming brightly like a sunflower.

On this day, we not only sold 4,000 baby walkers—but we also built a bridge of trust across the Eurasian continent. As night fell and city lights began to glow one by one, I knew that some stories were just beginning.

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