mtl008 Chapter 345 The Enemy's Identity
Chapter 345 The Enemy's Identity
"Wan'er, what do you think we should do about this?"
"I?"
Lin Wan was just there to watch the show, but little did she know that Cui Shi had no intention of letting her off the hook.
"Mother, you should make the decision about this." She didn't want to take on this mess.
Cui was surprised that Lin Wan didn't respond at all.
In the past, he was generous and lavish at home to please her and Yanran, but he was so stingy today.
She knew that Lin Wan had a set of fine rosewood furniture in her storeroom.
The chair back was made from a single piece of rosewood, as tall as a person, and was very heavy and imposing.
The carving is even more extraordinary. It is a work left behind by Zhang Mingchang, an ancestor of the Zhang family, and it is incredibly lifelike.
It's far superior to hers.
After all that commotion today, she, as the sister-in-law, didn't say a word. She really doesn't respect her mother-in-law at all.
Cui could only suggest it herself: "Wan'er, I remember you also have a set of Zhang-style furniture in your storeroom. Why don't you lend it to Yanran for now, so she won't make a fuss?"
Lin Wan sneered.
She knew her mother-in-law was planning this.
It was the same in their past life. They said Ning Yanran wanted to have a grand wedding, so they borrowed her dowry to make it more impressive. But once they borrowed it, they never paid it back.
“Mother, it’s not that I’m unwilling. Last month, I took a fancy to a very good shop in southern Beijing. I originally planned to give it to Yanran as part of her dowry. Now is the time to use the money.”
"South of Beijing!"
Both Cui and Ning Yanran were shocked.
The area south of the capital is the most prosperous part of the capital, and those shops are so rare that they are priceless and cannot be bought even if you have money.
If you could own one, it would be like a constant flow of money, more than you could ever spend.
Is it even necessary to discuss which is more important, a set of furnishings or a shop?
"Sister-in-law, I never expected you to plan for me like this." Ning Yanran's eyes welled up with tears, and she stopped asking for furniture.
Cui was also pleased.
"You silly child, the thought is enough, why go to such lengths? By the way, which shop is it?"
"The restaurant at the intersection of Yongfeng Street in southern Beijing."
"Zui Xian Tower!"
"Yes."
hiss-
Cui and Ning Yanran looked at each other, both of them excited.
Zuixianlou was a truly lucrative establishment that made a fortune every day.
“Mother, Yanran is of marriageable age. As her sister-in-law, I am afraid that she will be mistreated in her husband’s family. Lu Zhou’s family is poor, but he is of noble character. If he can be helped by our Marquis’s Mansion in the future, what difficulty will it be for him to rise to a high position?”
These words struck a chord with Ning Yanran.
“Mother, my sister-in-law is right. No matter how poor the Lu family is, I have land and shops to rely on, so how could I feel wronged? Besides, Young Master Lu is very talented and will surely pass the imperial examination in the future to win a title.”
Cui's resolve began to waver.
Earlier, her daughter had been making a fuss at home, and she was actually planning to give in to her. Now that Lin Wan had made a promise, she was happy to go along with it.
"Fine, children are all debts, and as their mother, I have no choice but to go along with her."
Ning Yanran was surprised that Lin Wan had actually persuaded her mother. She was extremely grateful to Lin Wan and her face was full of excitement.
Lin Wan then looked at Ning Zhao.
"My lord, there is something I would like to say as well. My second sister has just arrived at the manor, and we really cannot let her suffer any grievances. I am in charge of Yanran's dowry, so why not entrust the management of the household to my second sister?"
Ning Yanran panicked. How dare this little bitch hand over the power of housekeeping?
However, upon hearing that it was about preparing her dowry, she obediently remained silent.
Cui thought so too.
Nothing is more important than her daughter. Besides, her eldest grandson is about to be brought back, and she is worried that Lin Wan will mistreat them. This suggestion is exactly what she wanted to hear.
Ning Zhao frowned, not believing she was being so kind: "What exactly are you up to by trying to please both sides like this?"
"Husband..."
Lin Wan was taken aback, never expecting him to think of her that way.
"I just don't want Yanran and my second sister to suffer. Why does my husband think of me like this?"
When Xu Zilong returned, Gu Xiaojuan was sitting at the table waiting for him. As soon as she saw him come back, she quickly got up and helped him take off his coat.
"Honey, didn't I tell you to wait for me to come back and cook? Are you exhausted?"
"What's wrong with being exhausted? It wasn't me who did it." Gu Xiaojuan thought of Wang Cui and couldn't help but ask with concern, "Has anything happened at the factory lately?"
After saying that, he told her about Wang Cui coming to his house.
Xu Zilong understood.
It's about time, judging by the timing.
By the end of 96, factories were closing down one after another, and workers were laid off. Then, in 97, the financial crisis hit, causing widespread panic.
He also had a tough time back then.
Xu Zilong touched Gu Xiaojuan's belly: "You don't need to worry about things at the factory. I'll take care of everything. Even if the sky falls, I'll hold it up. You just need to take good care of our baby."
Gu Xiaojuan felt a little uneasy. Pregnancy already makes one prone to overthinking, and she couldn't help but ask, "Are you only concerned about the baby?"
Her tone was somewhat aggrieved.
Even Xu Zilong, who had never shown any emotion despite possessing billions in assets in his previous life, immediately snapped after hearing his wife's words.
If you don't answer this question properly, it's a death sentence!
Xu Zilong rubbed her belly and said to the baby, "Baby, come out quickly. Your mom is bullying your dad again. Don't be like your mom in the future."
"Why did I bully you?"
Gu Xiaojuan slapped his hand away.
Don't touch it.
But his tone had improved considerably.
Xu Zilong secretly breathed a sigh of relief and coaxed them a few more times before the two of them started chatting and laughing together.
The wave of layoffs is in full swing, even faster than expected.
First, workers were laid off in batches at the factory, and then factories went bankrupt one after another.
Even in Xu Zilong's factory, people were filled with anxiety.
They were afraid the factory wouldn't be able to hold on.
Lin Guangkun led his team to work overtime, without neglecting quality in the slightest. The workers also put in their best efforts to deliver the goods as soon as possible, fearing that there would be no work later.
Unexpectedly, a major incident still occurred at the factory.
Lin Guangkun carried a batch of clothes to Xu Zilong's office: "President Xu, please take a look at these clothes."
"This is......"
Xu Zilong glanced at it.
This outfit is the most popular champion style right now.
But it looks fake at first glance.
First, the fabric. The champion version uses solid, thick materials, and there is a breathable mesh inside to prevent stuffiness.
However, this garment is poorly made, with rough stitching, and the fabric is soft, flimsy, and very wrinkled.
"Mr. Xu, something bad has happened. Recently, a batch of counterfeit goods has appeared on the market. These clothes only cost ten yuan, and many people who couldn't buy the champion version are going to his store to buy them."
Xu Zilong noticed the logo on the counterfeit goods.
"THEone"
The last one, ONE, was changed to lowercase.
He was about to laugh.
I've heard of Lei Bi and Ao Li Ao in my past life, but I never thought that today, someone would follow suit and try to piggyback on their fame.
Lin Guangkun was frantic: "President Xu, what do we do now? Should we send someone to deal with them?"
Everyone in the factory was furious about this.
Unfortunately, the other party's brand name is different from theirs, so it's impossible to accuse them of plagiarism.
But should we just let people bully us?
Xu Zilong wasn't in a hurry; he thought it was a good thing.
“Things are valued for their rarity, and besides, I have absolute confidence in the quality of our factory’s products.”
That's true, but if we don't do anything about it, won't that just embolden them?
“We’re not here to investigate counterfeit or substandard products. The style of this garment is the same as the ones in our factory, which is why it looks so similar. Uncle Guangkun, keep an eye on the temporary workers in our factory.”
what!
Lin Guangkun reacted instantly.
There's been a thief in the factory.
It's very likely that all the designs will be sold!
Xu Zilong's guess was indeed correct.
The factory's new T-shirts were copied by the other party before they even hit the market, and even the design was exactly the same.
"Mr. Xu, what should we do? Should we put this batch of goods on the shelves?"
Xu Zilong remained calm and composed, saying indifferently, "No rush. Have you found out about their factory yet?"
"I found out. His surname is Qian, and his name is Qian Youde. He is a small businessman from the south who recently leased a clothing factory."
Xu Zilong nodded, pondered for a moment, and said, "Don't worry about this, I'll figure something out."
Xu Zilong has never been afraid of business battles.
This opportunity was offered to him by others, a chance to boost his brand, and he wasn't about to let it slip away easily.
In my past life, foreign luxury brands swept through China, spawning countless counterfeit products. Did the other side crack down on these fakes?
absolutely not.
It would be a disgrace to one's brand to have to sell limited edition items at higher prices or even lower them if it were affected by a small fly.
However, it is still necessary to make people recognize the brand.
This matter reminded Xu Zilong of someone.
Wang Cui.
When it comes to arguing, Aunt Wang has never lost a verbal battle; everyone in the entire tenement building knows that.
Wang Cui was still a little dazed when she came out of the factory.
She held a large, scalding red envelope in her hand, and Xu Zilong's words were still echoing in her ears.
"Aunt Wang, I don't trust anyone else with this matter, so I only thought of you. If you can help, that would be the best thing."
Wang Cui squeezed the red envelope; it was quite thick.
But no matter how thick the bond, it can't compare to the feeling of being trusted.
She's just a small factory worker; which of those franchise owners or big bosses isn't more capable than her?
Outsiders often looked down on her, thinking she was uneducated and hadn't even finished elementary school. Although she knew this, what could she do?
But then one day, someone told her...
Only she can do it; only she can handle this!
Nobody else can do it!
I wouldn't trust anyone to do it!
How could I not excite her? How could I not move her?
Wang Cui straightened her back; she was determined to handle this matter well for Zilong.
......
In the mall.
Wang Cui, with her son, got into a verbal altercation with the elderly woman.
"Your son ruined my son's clothes, so you have to pay for them with the exact same ones! You think you can fool me? Do you think I'm easy to bully?"
"I'm not kidding you! Open your dog eyes and take a good look, this is different!"
Wang Cui took off her son's clothes.
"See this? This is what you call a champion's piece! It's exactly the same as the one on TV! Look at this material, and then look at yours. This is the same! The champion's piece is a limited edition, what is yours? It's just some cheap junk that you can see everywhere. You don't even deserve to be called a champion's piece!"
She has a loud voice.
The shoppers and vendors in the mall all swarmed around him in an instant.
Everyone got the gist of it, and the newcomers also caught a whiff of what was going on from the whispers among the others.
"The children are having a fight."
"What conflict was it? This family's son was laughing at that family for wearing counterfeit goods, and the two of them started fighting."
"That's right. They damaged the clothes and had to pay for them, but they ended up paying for a fake one, and then they started arguing."
These days, there's no concept of wearing counterfeit goods.
However, as soon as Wang Cui said that, some people immediately felt that wearing counterfeit goods was a very shameful thing.
"Look everyone, this old man isn't afraid to talk back. My son's shirt is a limited edition that was shown on TV. Even Olympic champions wear it. Look at the fabric, look at the stitching. What's this?"
She shook the counterfeit garment: "If you can't afford to pay for it, you can't afford to pay for it. You're trying to fool me with a fake. Do you think I can't tell the difference? If I wear it out, I'll be laughed to death."
"What are you saying! So what if it's a fake? As long as it looks good on you, that's all that matters."
These words made her feel a little insecure.
Outsiders think so too.
At first glance, the two pieces of clothing seem quite similar in style and color.
But when you put them together, it's a different story.
It's really white, and the red fabric is very bright. Not to mention the tailoring, every stitch and seam is solid and meticulous.
Even the zipper is made with much more exquisite craftsmanship.
What about counterfeit goods?
The fabric is poor quality, the colors are not vibrant, and more importantly, it feels limp and lifeless when worn.
Comparing the two, it's impossible to tell which is better or worse.
"If you ask me, this big brand is just different; it can't compare to counterfeit goods."
"Hey, didn't you buy one for your son too? Won't he get laughed at at school?"
"This is a fake. Only people who can't afford it buy fakes. If you can afford it, you can buy any other model, let alone the champion model."
Some women were stirring up trouble in the crowd.
Everyone had only one thought in their minds.
Wearing counterfeit goods will make you look down upon; there is a fundamental difference between counterfeit goods and designer brands.
Those who were planning to buy the champion edition have given up on their plans.
Even if there's no champion edition, any official version will do.
It's much better than counterfeit goods.
If people find out, I'll be so embarrassed.
They don't care as long as the adults can wear them, but what about their sons and daughters? Will they be laughed at at school?
No matter how tough things get, we can't let our children suffer.
Parents put down the counterfeit goods they were holding, went to the department store, and prepared to compensate their children by gritting their teeth and buying them genuine products.
The woman who was arguing with Wang Cui exchanged a glance, and it was a done deal!
After such an argument, Wang Cui led a group of elderly women to many shopping malls, especially choosing places with high foot traffic.
According to Xu Zilong, that would be inciting public opinion.
People have a herd mentality. For example, with glass and jade, if the price of jade remains high, it will compete with the price of glass.
Wang Cui discovered that since the counterfeit products appeared, their brand actually sold better than others, and it wasn't just the champion model.
Now, as long as there's stock on the shelves, there's no worry about selling it.
Zhou Bapi also noticed this reaction.
The goods are not only selling well, but also in short supply.
His shop is located in the city's central department store, and his daily turnover is equivalent to a month's sales of mobile phones.
Pagers and pagers are high-end products; ordinary families don't buy them often, so the consumer groups are different.
But the clothes are different.
He had heard of people who didn't make a phone call all year round, but he had never heard of someone who didn't wear clothes all year round.
He even considered selling the mobile phone store.
How can you make money selling brand names?