Volume 1, Chapter 24: The Zhou Family Press Conference

The Zhou Group pharmaceutical plant.

It was the height of the workday. The spacious, brightly lit factory floor was a hive of activity. Sophisticated, modernized pharmaceutical equipment hummed with constant operation as workers attended to their tasks with methodical precision. Boxes of beautifully packaged products moved slowly down the assembly line, stacked in perfect, neat rows.

This was the Zhou family’s latest beauty product: the Beauty Pill. In reality, it was nothing more than the Firming Pill with a new name.

Case after case of the product was loaded onto trucks. A fierce, devastating storm seemed poised to sweep through the beauty and pharmaceutical market of Nanjiang City.

...

Cloud Lake Villa.

Inside the main hall, Zhou Yunyi and Zhou Chen sat opposite each other. The grandfather and grandson sipped their tea in silence, their faces glowing with immense satisfaction. Beside the tea set on the table sat a sample bottle of the newly minted Beauty Pill.

Zhou Yunyi finally set down his teacup, breaking the silence.

"You have done very well this time. You possess the same flair for business that I had in my prime..."

"Today, our Zhou family has finally succeeded!"

"This Beauty Pill has cost us a great deal of time, energy, and massive capital investment, but now it has finally rolled off the line successfully..."

As he spoke, Zhou Yunyi gripped the bottle of Beauty Pills tightly. His eyes held both a sense of high-spirited ambition and profound greed. He could almost see vast wealth flooding into the Zhou family, piling up like mountains. Under his leadership, the Zhou family would reach new heights, becoming the most prominent force in all of Nanjiang City.

What he held in his hand was not just a bottle of medicine; it was the glorious future of the Zhou family.

A confident smile spread across Zhou Chen’s face. He chimed in, "Grandfather, what I have done is nothing..."

"That our Zhou family has reached such heights today is entirely due to your foresight and wise decision-making. From mapping out our influence among the high-ranking officials of Nanjiang to seizing the Li family’s prescription, every step was your meticulous plan."

"From the trial production to the improvements, and now to successful mass production, every link in the chain relied on your guidance and support..."

Zhou Yunyi chuckled and waved a hand. "Haha, you rascal, you’ve been flattering your grandfather since you were a child..."

"While I have certainly provided the strategic direction, the business we have today could not have been achieved without you running around, working hard, and handling things personally. You deserve a great deal of credit for this battle."

"Especially in poaching their people—you acted with great decisiveness!"

"Those skilled workers we poached from the Li family are vital to our production schedule, and they have won us ample time to seize the market!"

"And the trial production you arranged was handled with such discipline; that is the only reason our factory was able to quickly overcome those technical hurdles."

Zhou Chen beamed, his tone remaining humble.

"Grandfather, I only acted according to your instructions."

"However, to get this product to market as quickly as possible, we have really bled ourselves dry. We spent a fortune poaching those workers from the Li family, and we’ve also poured massive capital into raw material procurement and equipment upgrades..."

Zhou Yunyi nodded gently.

"The investment was indeed significant. But it is all worth it."

"If you don't risk the bait, you won't catch the fish. As long as our Beauty Pills can quickly corner the market, these costs will be recouped many times over."

"So, there is no time to lose. Prepare for the press conference!"

...

The Zhou family suddenly released a bombshell announcement: On May 28th, the Zhou family would hold a launch event for their new Beauty Pill at the Tianlong International Hotel.

Once the news broke, it spread like wildfire throughout the Nanjiang business community. Overnight, the entire city was in an uproar.

...

At a business social event.

"Have you seen the news? The Zhou family is releasing their Beauty Pills..."

"Of course I saw it. The Zhou family claims their pills are completely harmless, free of side effects, and even more effective than the Li family’s Firming Pills."

"That marketing strategy seems very targeted at the Li family."

"The Li family is probably finished. With the Zhou family coming on so aggressively... I fear they intend to unify the entire beauty and pharmaceutical market in Nanjiang."

"True. The Zhou family is a century-old clan with deep roots in Nanjiang. Given the fanfare they’re making over this new pill, it seems they are determined to win."

"I think it’s best we draw a line between ourselves and the Li family early on, lest we get dragged down with them."

A young business newcomer spoke with blatant opportunism. The others nearby nodded in agreement. This seemed to be the attitude of most small-time merchants. Nobody could afford to offend the Zhou family, and they felt they had no standing to take sides. It appeared that everyone had already accepted the Zhou family’s inevitable dominance in Nanjiang.

Naturally, they felt they had no choice but to submit early.

Of course, some business elites held different views. A veteran industry senior shook his head.

"The Li family is not so easily defeated."

"After all, they have operated in this market for many years; they surely have their own foundation and countermeasures."

"I think it is far too early to write off the Li family..."

...

As the date of the Zhou family's press conference approached, the atmosphere in Nanjiang became increasingly tense. On the eve of the event, Zhou Chen was far from idle. A war without smoke had already begun in the shadows.

In a luxurious private club, inside a lavishly decorated room with soft lighting, Zhou Chen sat on a sofa. Opposite him was the largest distributor of the Li family’s Firming Pills.

"Mr. Zhang, you are quite famous in the field of beauty product distribution. I have always admired your business acumen..."

Mr. Zhang knew exactly why Zhou Chen had come. He replied politely, "You are too kind, Young Master Zhou. May I ask why you have invited me here today?"

Zhou Chen chuckled, speaking at a leisurely pace. "Mr. Zhang, you are surely aware of the Beauty Pills our family is about to launch, and you must have some idea of their efficacy and market potential. I have invited you here today to offer you a better partnership opportunity."

Mr. Zhang remained calm. "Young Master Zhou, I have worked with the Li family for many years, and it has always been a pleasant arrangement. Their products are highly competitive. Why would I abandon my partnership with the Li family to work with yours?"

Zhou Chen leaned forward. "Mr. Zhang, you are a clever man. You should know that profit is the eternal theme of the business world. The terms we are offering are far more generous than the Li family’s. For instance, we will offer a 10% higher profit margin. Furthermore, we have our own resources and channels in Nanjiang. If you partner with us, we will provide full support to your distribution business, taking your earnings to the next level. Not only will you gain higher profits, but you will also leverage the Zhou family's influence to advance your position in the Nanjiang business world. Why wouldn't you?"

Mr. Zhang fell into deep thought.

Zhou Chen continued, "The Li family is currently facing issues with worker turnover and a product that is being surpassed; their future is full of uncertainty. Choosing to work with the Zhou family now is a wise move for your business future. Mr. Zhang, opportunities like this wait for no one."

Mr. Zhang hesitated for a long time, then finally gritted his teeth. "Young Master Zhou, I need some time to consider this..."

Zhou Chen smiled.

*Consider it?*

That, of course, meant he had already agreed.

"Mr. Zhang, I am confident you will make the right choice."