met free Chapter 1594 It is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance
Chapter 1594 It is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance
Han Ling felt she could no longer stay at home.
After Han's mother arrived, she took on all the housework, cooking, washing clothes, and cleaning. She even squeezed the toothpaste for Han Ling.
The problem is, the mother is too enthusiastic.
Especially Qin Hao.
"Lingling, ask Xiao Qin if he's free this weekend and wants to come over for a meal."
"Lingling, I bought a sea bass today. Can you ask Xiao Qin if he likes it steamed?"
"Lingling..."
Every time Han Ling heard the name "Xiao Qin," her scalp would tingle.
She knew her mother meant well. Han's mother had been a widow for many years and raised her alone. Now that she saw her daughter had a respectable job in Shenzhen and a "handsome and promising young boss" like Qin Hao, she naturally wanted to play matchmaker.
The problem is, Qin Hao has Sun Yumei by his side.
Every time Han Ling thought about this, her heart felt heavy.
She knew about Sun Yumei and Qin Hao's relationship. Although Sun Yumei spoke casually, saying things like "it's a mutually beneficial arrangement" and "I don't expect to get married," they had been together for many years after all. As for Han Ling, she was Sun Yumei's college roommate and best friend.
This feeling is so strange.
It was as if she had inexplicably found herself in a position she shouldn't be in; taking a step forward would be betrayal, while taking a step back would make her appear guilty.
But she clearly didn't do anything.
Why do I feel like I've stolen something?
Han Ling turned over, buried her face in the pillow, and sighed softly.
But what you fear most is what comes to pass.
At six o'clock that afternoon, Han Ling finished processing the last document, packed her things, and left work. As soon as she stepped out of the office building, a gust of evening wind carrying the humid heat unique to the south hit her in the face. She took a deep breath and prepared to walk towards the bus stop.
A black Crown sedan stopped in front of her.
The gleaming black paint shimmered warmly in the setting sun, and the streamlined body stood out on the bustling street. At this time of year, most cars on the streets of Shenzhen were Santanas and Xiali, while the Crown sedan was a true luxury car, costing over 400,000 yuan on the road, and you needed connections to buy one.
Han Ling was stunned for a moment, and subconsciously took half a step back.
The passenger window slowly rolled down, revealing a smiling face.
"Han Ling!"
Sun Yumei sat in the driver's seat, one hand on the steering wheel, the other waving at her with a smug and excited smile on her face. Today she was wearing a white short-sleeved shirt, her hair tied in a high ponytail, and she looked energetic and neat.
"Sun Yumei? It's you!" Han Ling was both surprised and delighted, and bent down to get closer to the car window.
"What, it can't be me?" Sun Yumei laughed and patted the steering wheel: "Just got my driver's license, get in, I'll take you for a drive!"
Han Ling looked at Sun Yumei sitting in the driver's seat and couldn't help but laugh: "When did you learn to drive?"
"I studied for several months and just got my driver's license last week." Sun Yumei patted her chest: "How about that, impressive, right?"
"Amazing, amazing." Han Ling walked around to the passenger side, opened the car door, and got in.
The interior was even more luxurious than the exterior—the leather seats exuded a faint leather scent, a delicate wood trim panel was inlaid on the center console, and the air conditioning vents blew out cool air, completely isolating the stuffy heat outside. Han Ling sat on the soft seat, reached out and touched the dashboard in front of her, and sighed inwardly—a good car is indeed different.
She touched and looked around, her gaze falling on the Toyota logo in the center of the steering wheel, which suddenly seemed somewhat familiar.
“Isn’t this… Old Qin’s car from before?” Han Ling turned to look at Sun Yumei.
Sun Yumei raised an eyebrow and a sly smile appeared on her face: "Hehe, we agreed that you would buy me a car once I got my driver's license. The new car hasn't arrived yet, so I'll use this one to practice driving first."
Han Ling gave a wry smile: "This car costs over 400,000 yuan, and you need connections to buy it. You're using it to practice?"
“So what if it’s over 400,000?” Sun Yumei pursed her lips and started the car. “Anyway, it’s just a means of transportation for him. Besides, if I don’t spend his money now, he might not be able to spend it even if he wants to when he gets married.”
As she spoke, she shifted gears, and the car slowly drove onto the main road.
Han Ling's heart skipped a beat.
"Why would you think that?" Han Ling asked cautiously. "Did you... hear something?"
Sun Yumei shook her head, her eyes fixed on the road ahead: "No, not at all. But..."
She paused, tapping her fingers lightly on the steering wheel twice, as if organizing her thoughts.
“I can sense that he’s been coming to my place less and less lately.”
The carriage was quiet for a few seconds. Only the sound of the air conditioner and the low hum of the tires rolling over the road could be heard.
Sun Yumei suddenly slapped the steering wheel: "Hey! Why am I telling you this! I'm having a rare happy day, let's go, I'll treat you to a big meal!"
She stepped on the gas, and the Crown sedan roared to life and shot forward.
Han Ling was pressed back into the seat by inertia. Looking at Sun Yumei's feigned nonchalant smile, she opened her mouth but ultimately did not ask any further questions.
……
Twenty minutes later, Sun Yumei parked her car in front of a seafood restaurant.
Han Ling got out of the car, looked up at the magnificent signboard, and immediately stopped in her tracks.
"Sea Emperor" - this is one of the most famous seafood restaurants in Shenzhen. Han Ling had been here once before when she accompanied Qin Hao on a business dinner. She was impressed by the prices of the dishes. A plate of steamed grouper cost several hundred yuan, and ordering just a few dishes would cost an average person's annual salary.
"How about... we go to another place?" Han Ling tugged at Sun Yumei's sleeve and said in a low voice.
"What do you mean, 'change'?" Sun Yumei waved her hand and pulled her inside. "Alright, I can afford to treat you to a meal. Just eat!"
Han Ling was pulled into a private room by the window.
The private room wasn't large, but it was exquisitely decorated. The walls were covered with light gold wallpaper, and a crystal chandelier overhead cast a warm glow. Through the window, you could see the distant sea, where the afterglow of the setting sun spread a layer of shimmering gold.
Sun Yumei took the menu from the waiter and ordered a bunch of dishes without even looking at them—steamed grouper, steamed Boston lobster with garlic and vermicelli, salt and pepper mantis shrimp, stir-fried crab with ginger and scallions, blanched geoduck, and a bowl of fish maw and chicken soup.
Han Ling's eyelids twitched several times as she listened to her recite the names of the dishes.
"You ordered so much, can the two of us finish it?" Han Ling couldn't help but ask.
"If we can't finish it, we can pack it up." Sun Yumei closed the menu and handed it to the waiter: "And a pitcher of freshly squeezed orange juice."
The waiter noted down the menu, left the private room, and gently closed the door behind him.
Han Ling looked at Sun Yumei and sighed, "You spend so much money, doesn't Lao Qin care about you?"
Sun Yumei picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and the smile on her face faded slightly.
"Just manage it."
She placed the teacup back on the table, her fingertips slowly tracing circles along the rim, her tone carrying an ambiguous meaning: "If he cares about me, it means he still has feelings for me. The more he says nothing and does nothing, the more it means... there's no future for us."
Han Ling was stunned.
After a moment of silence, she tentatively asked, "Then you never thought about... leaving?"
"Leave?" Sun Yumei shook her head, her smile tinged with bitterness. "It's easier said than done. With my spending habits, most business owners would go bankrupt in half a month."
"Then you should spend less," Han Ling said.
Sun Yumei gave a bitter smile, leaned back in her chair, and looked out the window at the sea that was dyed red by the setting sun.
"It's easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality."
Upon hearing this, Han Ling fell silent.
Sometimes, Han Ling even envied Sun Yumei's life. She didn't have to work, had no performance pressure, could sleep until she naturally woke up every day, and could buy whatever she wanted and go wherever she wanted.
As they spoke, the waiters began serving the dishes. Steamed grouper steamed hot, the aroma of garlic lobster filled the entire private room, and salt and pepper mantis shrimp were fried to a golden brown and crispy perfection—just looking at them made one's mouth water.
"Come on, start eating!" Sun Yumei picked up a mantis shrimp and put it in Han Ling's bowl: "Don't just look, eat!"
The two chatted as they ate, their conversation ranging from Han Ling's job to Sun Yumei's recent hairstyle, and then from her new hairstyle to the newly opened shopping mall in Shenzhen. The atmosphere gradually warmed up, and the heavy topics from before seemed to be temporarily set aside, with neither of them bringing them up again.
As they were chatting, Sun Yumei suddenly put down her chopsticks, looked at Han Ling, and her eyes showed a hint of dissatisfaction.
"By the way, you bought a house, such a big thing, why didn't you tell me?"
Han Ling's hand, which was holding the food, froze, and the piece of lobster meat on her chopsticks almost fell off.
She steadied herself, put the lobster meat in her mouth, chewed it slowly a couple of times, then looked up and asked, feigning composure, "How...how did you know?"
Sun Yumei snorted: "You still have to talk. If I hadn't run into Liu Yuan a few days ago, I would still be in the dark."
Han Ling's heart skipped a beat, but she dared not show the slightest sign of it. She forced a smile and tried to make her tone sound natural: "Well... the house hasn't been tidied up yet. We'll invite you over when it's all set up."
“That’s more like it.” Sun Yumei picked up her teacup and took a sip, her expression softening a bit. “I’ve already told you, you absolutely have to make up for the housewarming celebration. I’ll have to give you a proper tour of your new home then.”
"Okay, okay, I'll definitely treat you." Han Ling nodded quickly, secretly relieved.
But as she breathed a sigh of relief, she suddenly froze—
What is she feeling guilty about?
She hadn't done anything to wrong Sun Yumei. Qin Hao lent her money to buy a house because she was his employee; Qin Hao took her to the hospital because she fainted while working overtime; Qin Hao came to her house for dinner because her mother had warmly invited him—what was so shameful about all of this?
But she felt guilty.
That feeling of guilt is like a fine thorn, stuck in the most hidden corner of your heart. It doesn't hurt, but it itches, making you restless.
Han Ling lowered her head, pretending to be focused on peeling shrimp, but her mind was in complete turmoil.
She and Sun Yumei spent four years in college together. Although they weren't the closest of friends, they could still talk to each other. After graduation, they moved to Shenzhen, and their contact actually increased, especially after she spent the night drinking at Sun Yumei's house, which brought them much closer.
Sun Yumei treated her as a friend, and she also considered Sun Yumei a friend in her heart.
But friends are friends, and there are some things... that cannot be crossed.
Han Ling put the peeled shrimp meat into her mouth and chewed it slowly, but in her heart she was thinking—had she crossed the line with Qin Hao?
She didn't do anything proactively, but she didn't resolutely push anything away either.
Does this attitude itself constitute a form of tacit approval?
Han Ling dared not think any further.
……
Under the same night sky, on the other side of Shenzhen, Xiao Ran was sitting in a noisy food stall. A plate of stir-fried rice noodles on the table in front of him had gone cold. His chopsticks were resting on the rim of the bowl, untouched.
He stared at the people at the next table, holding his beer bottle in mid-air, not putting it in his mouth for a long time.
At the next table sat three middle-aged men who looked like businessmen. One wore a wrinkled shirt, his hair was messy, and he looked worried; the other two were dressed more neatly and looked respectable, but their complexions weren't good either.
“Mr. Lu, it’s not that I’m not giving you face.” One of the men, wearing a dark jacket, slammed a wad of cash on the table and said in a cold tone, “I can’t sell a single bar of An’er’s soap. How do you plan to settle this account?”
The man called "Boss Lu" was the short, thin man in the wrinkled shirt. He looked to be under forty, but the wrinkles on his face looked like they had been carved by a knife, his eyes were bloodshot, his lips were chapped and peeling, and he exuded a sense of utter exhaustion and dejection.
"Boss Zhang, please give me some more time, I..." Lu Ximing rubbed his hands, his voice pleading.
"Give me time?" Boss Zhang sneered. "Boss Lu, I've already given you six months! Look at this batch of soap you gave me, it smells like Chinese medicine, who would buy it? I've sold it to more than 200 small shops, and I've returned it to 180 of them! The remaining 20 haven't returned it, not because they don't want to, but because the shelves are covered in dust, and they're too lazy to return it!"
His voice grew louder and louder, attracting the attention of guests at several nearby tables.
“I’m in the business of wholesaling daily chemical products, not charity.” Boss Zhang stood up, dusted off his pants, and coldly said, “Whether you take the goods yourself or I throw them away, it’s your choice.”
After saying that, he turned and left without even looking back.
Another man in a gray jacket stood up, glanced at Lu Ximing, sighed, said nothing, and followed Boss Zhang away.
Lu Ximing sat there alone, like a clay sculpture whose soul had been hollowed out, staring blankly at the stack of money on the table, motionless.
The clamor of the food stalls surged in like a tide, only to be dispersed by the night breeze. The proprietress, carrying dishes, passed by and, seeing Lu Ximing's appearance, opened her mouth as if to say something, then shook her head and walked away.
Xiao Ran saw all of this.
His gaze fell on Lu Ximing, and an idea slowly took shape in his mind.
He and Han Ling broke up a while ago, but he doesn't want to give up.
In his entire life, Xiao Ran has never truly gained anything. When he was in college, he was the poorest in his class; when he graduated, he was the worst off; and when he was pursuing Han Ling, he was the least favored.
But things are different now.
He traded electronic products from the south to towns in the north, and after more than half a year, he had saved up more than 300,000 yuan.
This money was his capital, his hope for turning his life around.
Xiao Ran knew in his heart that if he wanted to truly turn his life around, he had to pull off a big heist.
He looked at the dejected, thin, dark-skinned man at the next table, picked up his beer bottle, and took a big gulp. The cold, bitter liquid slid down his throat, making him shiver.
He put down the bottle, stood up, and walked over to the next table.
"Brother, excuse me." Xiao Ran sat down opposite Lu Ximing, trying to keep his tone casual: "I overheard a few of what you were saying just now."
Lu Ximing looked up and gave him a wary look: "Who are you?"
“I’m in business too,” Xiao Ran smiled. “I just heard you say… An Er Ya’s soaps aren’t selling?”
Lu Ximing sized him up, his eyes filled with wariness: "What's it to you?"
"I'm just curious." Xiao Ran poured himself a cup of tea and said slowly, "I've heard of the brand An'erya. Wasn't it quite big a couple of years ago? Their products were everywhere in supermarkets. Why can't they sell them now?"
Lu Ximing's expression turned even uglier.
He remained silent for a while before sighing, picking up the wine glass in front of him and downing it in one gulp. The glass slammed heavily on the table with a loud "thud."
“That was before.” Lu Ximing wiped his mouth, his voice hoarse. “An Er Ya did really well a couple of years ago, with monthly sales of laundry detergent and soap alone reaching millions. But it started to decline last year…”
As he spoke, his eyes reddened, but he managed to hold back his tears. He lowered his head, rubbed his temples with his rough fingers, and said in a muffled voice, "I still have millions of dollars worth of goods piled up in my warehouse. If I can't sell them, I'll go bankrupt."
"Several million?" Xiao Ran's eyes lit up suddenly.
Can I see the samples?
Lu Ximing glanced at him with some surprise, hesitated for a moment, then took out a bar of soap from his briefcase and pushed it in front of Xiao Ran.
It was a bar of soap wrapped in white plastic wrap with the words "An'erya Soap" printed on it. The design was simple, the color was dull and gray, and it looked unappealing.
Xiao Ran picked it up, tore open the wrapper, and brought it to his nose to smell it—
A strong smell of Chinese medicine hit my head.
How to describe the taste? It was like a pot of Chinese medicine dregs that had been simmering for three days and three nights, mixed with some unknown chemical ingredients. It didn't smell good at all; instead, it had a pungent, bitter smell.
He put down the soap, looked at Lu Ximing, and said with a wry smile, "Boss Lu, this soap... I wouldn't even want to use it if you gave it to me for free, let alone sell it. The smell is just too strong!"
Lu Ximing's face flushed red, whether from shame or anger, it was hard to tell: "This formula was prepared by experts, with seventeen kinds of Chinese medicinal herbs added. It can kill bacteria, reduce inflammation, relieve itching and clear up acne. In terms of function, it is better than any soap on the market..."
“No matter how good the function is, no one will buy it if it doesn’t smell good.” Xiao Ran interrupted him: “People buy soap to take a bath, not to apply medicine. Who wants to come out smelling like Chinese medicine after a bath?”
Lu Ximing opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but found himself unable to. What Xiao Ran said hit him where it hurt the most.
He slumped back in his chair, as if all his strength had been drained away, his voice dry and hoarse like sandpaper scraping against sheet metal: "Then what do you suggest we do? We can't just burn millions of dollars worth of goods, can we?"
Xiao Ran did not answer immediately.
He leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the table, his mind racing.
Tens of thousands of boxes of soap, millions of dollars worth of goods—the number was so huge that it made his heart race. He wasn't unaware of the risks involved; anyone who took on these unsellable, slow-moving products would be doomed.
but……
Xiao Ran's gaze fell on the torn bar of soap, and a bold idea was taking shape in his mind.
Just because Lu Ximing can't sell his goods doesn't mean he can't sell them either.
"Mr. Lu." Xiao Ran sat up straight, looked into Lu Ximing's eyes, and asked seriously, "What do you plan to do with this batch of goods?"
Lu Ximing paused for a moment, then shook his head with a wry smile: "What else can we do? We can barely afford the rent for the warehouse. If we still can't sell it in another month, we'll have to treat it as garbage."
"Treat it as garbage?" Xiao Ran raised an eyebrow. "You're willing to dispose of goods worth millions as garbage?"
“What can I do even if I’m reluctant?” Lu Ximing sighed, his tone full of resigned helplessness: “I’ve tried everything: lowering prices, promotions, changing packaging, finding new distributors… nothing works. The Anerya brand is already ruined, and nobody wants to take it over.”
Xiao Ran's lips curled up slightly.
That's exactly what he was waiting for.
"Mr. Lu, how about this?" Xiao Ran leaned forward and lowered his voice, "I'll take this batch of your goods."
Lu Ximing suddenly raised his head, almost unable to believe his ears: "You... what did you say?"
“I’m telling you, I’ll help you handle this batch of goods,” Xiao Ran said calmly. “But I have a few conditions.”
"Speak!" Lu Ximing sat up straight abruptly, a glimmer of light rekindling in his eyes.
"First, I have the exclusive right to sell this batch of goods; you cannot sell it to anyone else."
Lu Ximing nodded without hesitation: "No problem!"
"Secondly, I don't want a buyout; I want to resell on consignment."
Lu Ximing's expression changed. Consignment sales meant he wouldn't receive cash upfront; he'd only get paid if the goods sold, otherwise they'd be stuck with him. But then he thought, since the goods were already stuck with him anyway, he might as well take a gamble rather than let them gather dust in the warehouse.
“…Okay.” He gritted his teeth.
"Third, I'll pay a deposit of 50,000 yuan." Xiao Ran held up five fingers: "I'll take the goods away, and after they're sold, I'll pay you the final payment."
"Fifty thousand?" Lu Ximing's eyes widened like saucers: "Brother, my batch of goods is worth several million, and you're only paying a fifty thousand deposit?"
“Boss Lu, your goods are worthless if you can’t sell them.” Xiao Ran leaned back in his chair, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said slowly, “Fifty thousand yuan is not a lot, but at least it’s cash. And it’s better for the goods to be in my hands than in your warehouse. At least I will try to sell them. If they’re in your warehouse, they’ll just gather dust.”
Lu Ximing's lips trembled slightly.
Xiao Ran stopped talking and just slowly sipped his tea, waiting for Lu Ximing to decide for himself.
Sure enough, after nearly a minute of silence, Lu Ximing slammed his hand on the table:
"make a deal!"
A genuine smile finally appeared on Xiao Ran's lips.
"Come on, take me to see your warehouse."
……
Lu Ximing's warehouse was located in an old industrial area in Bao'an District, far from the city center, surrounded by low-rise factories and abandoned construction sites. At night, the industrial area was pitch black, with only a few dim streetlights standing alone by the roadside, casting faint circles of light on the ground.
Lu Ximing took out his key and opened a rusty iron gate.
The iron gate creaked open, and a stench of soap and dust wafted out. Lu Ximing pulled the switch on the wall, and the overhead incandescent light flickered twice before turning on, its pale light illuminating the entire warehouse.
Xiao Ran stood at the doorway, looking at the scene before him, and his breath caught in his throat for a moment.
The warehouse was huge, at least four or five hundred square meters. Rows and rows of cardboard boxes were neatly stacked from floor to ceiling, each box printed with the words "Anerya Herbal Soap," piled up more than two meters high, like a small mountain.
“This is just one of the warehouses.” Lu Ximing stood behind him, his voice tinged with bitterness. “There’s another one next door, about the same size, and it’s full too.”
Xiao Ran walked into the warehouse, his fingers tracing the surface of the cardboard boxes, which were covered with a thin layer of dust. He randomly pulled out a box, opened it, and found dozens of bars of soap neatly stacked inside, each wrapped in white plastic, exactly the same as the sample he had seen.
He picked up a piece, brought it to his nose, and smelled it again.
It still has that pungent smell of Chinese medicine.
This time, however, Xiao Ran didn't frown; instead, he smiled.
"Mr. Lu, I'll take the whole batch of this goods."
He spoke softly, but there was an undeniable certainty in his tone.
……
It was already late at night when I came out of the warehouse.
Xiao Ran didn't go straight back to his rented room. Instead, he found a public phone booth on the street, put in a coin, and dialed a number.
The phone rang for a long time before someone answered, their voice filled with impatience at being disturbed: "Hello?"
"Old Li, it's me, Xiao Ran."
"Xiao Ran? What are you doing making a phone call so late?"
"I want to ask you something." Xiao Ran leaned against the glass door of the phone booth, looking at the dark night sky in the distance, his voice carrying a hint of barely suppressed excitement: "Didn't you say before that you have a relative who works at the Bureau of Industry and Commerce?"
"Yeah, what's wrong?"
“I want to register a trademark,” Xiao Ran said. “For a new brand, the sooner the better.”
What brand?
Xiao Ran remained silent for a few seconds.
He remembered the smell of Chinese medicine that Lu Ximing had mentioned, the cardboard boxes piled up in the warehouse, and the despair of having millions of dollars worth of goods stuck in his hands. But what he remembered even more was Han Ling's calm "Let's break up," Qin Hao's ever-growing factory, and the 300,000 yuan in his pocket.
Those things were like whips, lashing his back and forcing him to move forward.
He can't afford to keep doing small-scale operations.
If he continues to engage in such petty squabbles, the gap between him and Qin Hao will only widen, and he will never be able to catch up with that person in his lifetime.
Xiao Ran took a deep breath:
"Bathing in pure snow."
"what?"
"The name of the new brand will be Yu Xue Qing."
Anerya's brand is already ruined, so let's start over with a new name. Those soaps piled up in the warehouse, as long as we change the packaging, the positioning, and the sales method, they won't be unwanted slow-moving goods, but brand new products.
This is a risky move.
If he fails, all the 300,000 yuan he has painstakingly saved will be lost.
But once successful...
Xiao Ran's face showed excitement.
He hung up the phone, stepped out of the phone booth, stood on the deserted street, and looked up at the Shenzhen night sky. The city's neon lights painted the horizon a dark red, and he couldn't see any stars, but he felt more awake than ever before.
Qin Hao has his own path, and Xiao Ran has his own path.
It's still uncertain who will emerge victorious.
……
For the next week, Xiao Ran barely slept a full night.
He first rushed between the Industry and Commerce Bureau and the Trademark Office to complete the trademark registration procedures for "Yu Xue Qing". Then he made several trips to the printing factory to order a batch of brand-new packaging paper. He abandoned Anerya's original tacky design and adopted a refreshing blue and white color scheme, with a crystal-clear water droplet printed on the front and the words "Yu Xue Qing Soap" written next to it, making it look refreshing and high-end.
The packaging paper is printed with a brand new advertising slogan: "Yu Xue Qing Chinese herbal formula, wash out healthy skin."
Xiao Ran knew that simply changing the packaging wasn't enough. He also needed to address the issue of the soap's scent.
No matter how beautiful the packaging is, the pungent smell of Chinese medicine makes consumers not want to buy it. He found a small fragrance factory and spent three days repeatedly adjusting the formula. Finally, he found a fragrance formula that could neutralize the smell of Chinese medicine, so that the soap no longer smelled like medicine, but had a light herbal fragrance with a faint trace of medicinal scent, but it was not unpleasant.
He had the fragrance factory produce a batch of fragrances according to the formula, and then contacted a small processing plant, which spent several days reprocessing all tens of thousands of boxes of soap.
Looking at the truckloads of soap that had been delivered, the factory owner couldn't help but ask him, "Brother, what are you up to? These soaps can't be sold, so you reprocess them and they'll sell?"
Xiao Ran smiled but didn't say anything.
He wasn't sure himself. But he knew, how would he know if he didn't try?
The reprocessed soaps were sent to the new packaging line and repackaged in brand-new "Yu Xue Qing" packaging. Xiao Ran stood at the entrance of the processing plant, watching box after box of brand-new soaps come off the conveyor belt. The complex emotions in his heart were like those of a gambler who had bet everything and was staring at the cards about to be revealed.
Half a month later, the first batch of "Yu Xue Qing" soap officially rolled off the production line.
Xiao Ran looked at the beautifully packaged soaps and took a deep breath.
Next comes the most crucial step—
How much does it cost?
He knew that with his current channels and capabilities, it was unrealistic to negotiate entry into supermarkets and shopping malls. The entry fees for those large retailers were exorbitantly high, and as a new brand, they simply didn't recognize him.
He had to find another way.
Xiao Ran's gaze fell upon the hair salons, beauty parlors, and bathhouses of all sizes in Shenzhen.
These places are high-frequency consumer markets for soap and shampoo. Although the purchase volume of individual customers is not large, the advantage lies in the large quantity and low barrier to entry. Moreover, most of the owners of these places are individual business owners who are not very loyal to brands. As long as the product works well and the price is right, they don't mind trying a different brand.
Xiao Ran set a plan for himself—to visit fifty stores on the first day and talk to each one.
He packed a batch of "Yu Xue Qing" soaps into a large backpack, carried it on his back, and began his journey through the streets and alleys of Shenzhen.
The score on the first day was zero.
He visited over fifty hair salons and beauty parlors, but most of the owners wouldn't even let him in. A few let him in, looked at the samples, smelled the products, shook their heads, and said, "Never heard of this brand, don't want it."
The score on the second day was still zero.
Xiao Ran was not discouraged. He knew that getting people to accept a new brand was never an easy task. He used the simplest method—free trials.
He disassembled the soap, cut it into small pieces, and gave them away for free to the hair salon owners to try.
"Boss, take this home and use it for now, it's free. If you like it, come back to me for more; if you don't, just consider it a lost bar of soap."
He practiced that line countless times until it became almost a conditioned reflex. He would offer soap to everyone he met and recite his lines to everyone he met. By the end of the day, his lips were sore and his voice was so hoarse that he could barely speak.
But it does have an effect.
On the third day, the owner of a hair salon called him.
"Hello, is this Mr. Xiao? Do you still have any of that soap?"
Xiao Ran gripped the phone, his heart pounding.
Yes, how much do you want?
"Let's try two cases first."
Two boxes, over a hundred bars of soap. It's not much, but this is my first repeat customer.
Xiao Ran hung up the phone and stood alone by the roadside, laughing for a long time.
...(End of this chapter)