Chapter 40 When the Storm Returns, a Gentleman's Revenge Is Never Too Late
After receiving the anonymous email, Zhou Jianming observed it with genuine alarm for a period of time.
But that restless heart began to stir again.
He used his connections to thoroughly investigate the internal situation and was certain there was no mole.
An investigation into Shi Wan's social connections also revealed that she had a simple background.
But that email was like a ghost that appeared out of nowhere and then disappeared, impossible to find.
The initial fear was gradually replaced by resentment and doubt. Was it just a coincidence that time?
Or perhaps the person behind Shi Wan isn't as powerful as he imagines, and is just bluffing?
Seeing that Meow Meow Farm's business was still booming and its new products were creating another wave of popularity, Zhou Jianming's jealousy and anxiety grew like weeds.
He decided to change his strategy, abandoning petty tricks that could easily leave him vulnerable, and instead launching a multi-pronged approach to commercial pressure.
On a typical Wednesday morning, Shi Wan was preparing to begin her weekly live broadcast when she suddenly received a call from the market supervision and management department.
They stated that they had received a report with a real name, claiming that the farm's production environment did not meet hygiene standards and that the honey raw materials used were of unknown origin, and demanded immediate cooperation with an on-site inspection.
Shi Wan's heart sank, but she quickly calmed down.
She politely replied that she would fully cooperate, and took a deep breath after hanging up the phone.
She knew that Zhou Jianming was making his move again.
This time, she didn't panic. Instead, she first opened the customer service page and communicated with Miao.
"Agent: We received an inspection notice from the Market Supervision Bureau. The complaint concerns hygiene and raw material traceability."
Almost instantly, a reply popped up on the screen.
The smooth feeling warmed her heart slightly.
"Miao: All current environmental data for all production areas meet the standards, and historical data can be accessed at any time. Honey raw material inspection reports and traceability information for each batch have been compiled and archived. We suggest you remain calm, cooperate with the inspection, and proactively present all relevant documents."
The system's calmness and thorough preparation gave Shi Wan immense confidence.
She immediately and quickly carried out a thorough cleaning, while also compiling the relevant documents into a booklet.
When the inspectors arrived, they saw a bright and clean factory, a clearly categorized warehouse, and Shi Wan, an employee dressed in proper attire.
Shi Wan remained composed and respectful, leading the inspectors on a tour and proactively providing the system-generated environmental monitoring report, detailed raw material traceability records, and quality inspection reports for all products.
The cats seemed to sense that something was amiss and became unusually well-behaved.
They either stayed at their posts or watched curiously from afar; none of them went forward to cause trouble.
The inspection results were naturally without any problems.
As the inspectors were leaving, they were actually quite impressed by the farm's transparent management and rigorous attitude.
Zhou Jianming's first wave of attacks was easily neutralized by Shi Wan and the system's tacit cooperation.
After the inspectors left, Tangyuan went to the entrance of the processing shed to sniff around, then licked its paws contentedly. "Inspection passed, meow! Open a can!"
Seeing that his report was unsuccessful, Zhou Jianming immediately activated his second plan.
Oasis Eco Park’s pet brand quickly launched a series of products with packaging and names highly similar to those sold in Cat Paw, but at prices nearly one-third lower.
Meanwhile, some rational analysis posts began to appear online, with titles such as "Are the products from the popular online farm overpriced?" and "A deep dive into Miaomiao Mimi Farm: High profits behind the sentiment."
The content appears objective, but it actually implies that Shi Wan uses consumer psychology to inflate prices, while the quality is not particularly special.
This move did indeed have some impact.
Some price-sensitive customers began to waver, and order growth slowed slightly.
Some netizens who were unaware of the facts also began to follow suit and question the issue.
Faced with a price war, Shi Wan did not blindly follow suit with price reductions.
She knows that the advantages of her products lie in the natural ingredients, the meticulous production process, and the unique reputation.
On live streams and social media, she showcased the farm's real environment, the natural state of the cats and livestock areas, and every step of the product's journey from raw materials to finished product in greater detail, responding to doubts with sincerity and transparency.
Meanwhile, Miao also seems to be making moves in secret.
Shi Wan discovered that genuine positive reviews from long-term customers and high-quality content showcasing product details received more recommendations and exposure.
Moreover, several IP addresses that were posting smear messages were quietly marked, making it easier for Shi Wan to respond and report them more effectively.
What touched Shi Wan the most were her cat employees.
When Bingbing tried the new flavor of catnip cookies during a live stream, her blissful and satisfied expression was turned into a widely circulated meme, greatly enhancing the product's appeal.
Seeing that the first two methods were ineffective, Zhou Jianming finally resorted to spreading rumors.
The rumors were truly malicious.
It is said that the cat grass and chicken used in Shi Wan's farm contain unknown hormones, which is why cats love to eat them so much, and even implies that there are potential risks to the cats' health.
This rumor is extremely insidious, directly impacting the safety issues that consumers care about most.
When Shi Wan found out, she was so angry that her hands trembled.
This is completely fabricated slander!
She immediately prepared a strongly worded statement and legal letters.
At that moment, Miao sent a message.
"Miao: The IP address of the source of the rumor has been identified, and it highly overlaps with previous smear campaigns. Legal action is recommended. Introducing a third-party authoritative testing agency could also be considered."
The system's words enlightened Shi Wan.
Relying solely on her own refutation is not enough.
She immediately contacted a reputable third-party testing agency she had previously worked with, proactively sent all major raw materials and finished products for testing, and expressed her willingness to release all test reports publicly.
While waiting for the test results, Shi Wan continued her live streams as usual, maintaining a calm mindset, and even did a special episode about a day trip to a farm.
The demonstration showed how the cat grass grows naturally in the sun, how clean the cages are, and how scientific the feeding methods are, addressing all questions about the ingredients.
Her composure and candor, on the contrary, made her fans trust her even more.
The cats on the farm also seemed to be supporting Shi Wan in their own way.
They were unusually clingy during those days.
Tangyuan, in particular, would follow Shi Wan almost everywhere she went, and he would always squeeze next to her pillow at night.
She even went on and on, saying that the Tangyuan King would protect her forever.
The final third-party test report showed that all indicators met or even exceeded relevant standards, and there were no hormones or harmful substances present.
Shi Wan published the full report, and the rumors were dispelled.
This incident, however, has only made people more aware of the quality of Meow Meow Mimi Farm.
Zhou Jianming's series of combined attacks were ultimately neutralized one by one thanks to Shi Wan's calm response, Miao's covert assistance, and the cats' unspoken emotional support.
The farm's foundation not only remained unshaken, but actually became more solid through the storms.
However, Shi Wan knew that Zhou Jianming would not give up easily.
Zhou Jianming was like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, flicking his tongue and constantly changing his attack methods.
While such persistent harassment and smear campaigns may not cause significant damage in a single instance, they will gradually drain her energy and erode the brand's reputation in the long run.
We must find a way to completely solve the problem, instead of just passively reacting to it.
She didn't want to, and couldn't, live under Miao's protection forever, waiting for him to help her resolve crises time and time again.
Defense is always the most passive approach. She wanted to keep Zhou Jianming preoccupied with his own problems so that he could no longer focus his attention on her small farm.
She sat at her desk, her fingers tapping unconsciously on the surface, her gaze fixed on the window.
Bingbing and Huanhuan were chasing a leaf blown by the wind in the yard. Huanhuan was graceful and waiting for her chance, while Bingbing was clumsy and reckless, but accidentally blocked Huanhuan's path.
Looking at them, a thought flashed through Shi Wan's mind like lightning.
Use someone else's strength against them.
Zhou Jianming has been operating in the industry for many years, and he must have made quite a few enemies.
Oasis Eco Park is quite large; doesn't it have any competitors?
Haven't there been any enemies he suppressed through improper means?
If we can find the person who harbors deep resentment towards Zhou Jianming and has the power and motive to take action, we can hand over Zhou Jianming's incriminating evidence to that person...
The idea made her heart race.
She didn't need to rush to the forefront and confront Zhou Jianming head-on; that would be tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock.
She only needs to remain hidden behind the scenes, subtly handing over a sufficiently sharp knife, and naturally, a more suitable person will wield it for their own benefit.
She opened the customer service page, her tone becoming firm and clear.
"Agent: I've come up with a plan. We need to identify Zhou Jianming's main rivals or those with conflicts of interest in the industry, preferably those who have had past grievances with him and have a motive to retaliate. Then, we'll anonymously send his shady business dealings to the most suitable person. We need to make the information sufficiently noteworthy, but without exposing ourselves."
The customer service responded quickly and decisively.
"Miao: Awaiting instructions at any time."
She took immediate action.
Over the next few days, she practically immersed herself in various business information websites, industry forums, and publicly available financial reports from listed companies.
She had Miao compile a list of all companies whose businesses overlapped with or competed with Oasis Ecological Park's business, especially those whose business owners had been squeezed out of their living space by Oasis through unfair means, or those who had had public conflicts with Zhou Jianming himself.
This task is tedious and time-consuming, requiring the sifting of clues from a massive amount of publicly available information.
Shi Wan demonstrated the tenacity she had shown when learning management knowledge, reading through news articles one by one, comparing key data from financial reports, and recording, analyzing, and eliminating potential targets.
Bingbing and Tangyuan seemed to know that she was doing something important, and stopped acting cute and seeking attention.
Bingbing quietly lay at her feet like a warm cushion, while Tangyuan jumped onto the desk and squatted next to the monitor like a serious supervisor, occasionally reaching out its paw to hold down the papers that were blown by the wind.
Finally, after going through layers of screening, a name came into her view.
Zhao Qiming, founder of Zhenxuan Agriculture.
Public reports indicate that Zhao Qiming has a technical background and is an upright person. His Zhenxuan Agriculture developed a highly efficient water-saving irrigation system a few years ago, which received a very good market response.
However, not long after, Oasis Eco Park launched a smart irrigation system with highly similar functions and quickly seized the market with lower prices and stronger channels, causing Zhenxuan Agriculture's business to shrink significantly and it was once on the verge of bankruptcy.
At the time, there were rumors in the industry accusing Oasis of stealing technology, but there was no evidence, and the matter was eventually dropped.
Zhao Qiming once publicly questioned Zhou Jianming's business ethics at an industry conference.
Shi Wan's heart pounded; she felt she had found a breakthrough.
She immediately instructed Miao to thoroughly investigate all publicly available information, patent documents, and media reports from the time regarding this irrigation technology dispute.
Miao: Search complete. The relevant patents held by Oasis Ecological Park are highly similar in core logic to the early patent applications of Zhenxuan Agriculture, but avoid some specific designs.
Meanwhile, through cross-referencing Oasis Ecological Park's publicly available financial reports, government subsidy project disclosures, and some supply chain data, the following risk points were identified: 1. Significant non-compliance issues were found in its tax declarations for three consecutive quarters; 2. The actual investment in its heavily promoted smart farm project was significantly inconsistent with the high government subsidies it received, suggesting possible exaggeration or even false reporting; 3. The core algorithm of its intelligent irrigation system is highly likely derived from an early prototype of Zhenxuan Agriculture.
Looking at the well-organized reports Miao had compiled, Shi Wan took a deep breath.
These are not fabrications, but reasonable inferences and summaries of doubts based on publicly available information.
Zhao Qiming has a motive, the technical background to understand these things, and more importantly, as a direct victim, if he can obtain these clearly targeted clues, he has the ability and the reason to conduct an in-depth investigation and take action.
She doesn't need to report it herself; she just needs to provide the whetstone for the most suitable sword.
"The agent anonymously sent all the clues and inferences we analyzed regarding the patent dispute, tax doubts, and subsidy issues to Zhao Qiming."
Ensure the source is absolutely safe and the content is clear, but do not provide any specific evidence that may involve illegal acquisition; only provide a direction for the investigation.
"Miao: Understood. The information has been anonymized and encrypted, and will be sent via multiple redirects to simulate overseas IP addresses, ensuring it cannot be traced. The content sent is an analysis report and clue index, and does not involve specific evidence of infringement."
The letter has been sent.
Shi Wan's feelings were mixed, a mixture of anticipation and unease.
She didn't know if she had made the right move, but it seemed to be the most effective counterattack she could think of without crossing the line.
A few days later, some subtle rumors began to circulate within the industry.
First, it was reported that Zhenxuan Agriculture was collecting materials again, seemingly intending to restart the investigation into the technical dispute from back then.
Then, well-informed sources revealed that the tax authorities seemed to have developed an "interest" in the accounts of several large agricultural companies.
Then, articles questioning the actual effectiveness of the Oasis Ecological Park smart farm project began to appear in a small number of financial media outlets.
These movements were not significant at first, but when combined, they resembled several ropes that were quietly tightening.
Zhou Jianming clearly noticed that the negative information about Shi Wan Farm on the internet came to an abrupt end, and Oasis Ecological Park also became unusually low-key.
Shi Wan heard that Oasis had begun an emergency self-inspection, and Zhou Jianming was frequently seen at the board meetings, his expression growing increasingly grim each day.
After some time, a bombshell announcement finally broke in the industry.
Oasis Eco-Park is under joint investigation by relevant departments for allegedly making false claims for government subsidies, tax violations, and disputes over core technology patents.
Founder Zhou Jianming has been temporarily suspended from his post, and the board of directors has appointed a new CEO to handle the crisis.
This news made it to the financial news section, and Oasis Ecological Park's stock price plummeted, severely damaging its business.
Shi Wan looked at the news and let out a long sigh of relief.
She succeeded.
She didn't dirty her own hands, nor did she rely on any power beyond the rules. She simply used information analysis and leveraged others' strengths to ensure that those who deserved punishment received the lesson they deserved.
She specifically asked Miao to investigate the newly appointed CEO of Oasis. The feedback was that the CEO was steady, focused on compliance and business reputation, and was someone with whom she could coexist peacefully.
The farm finally ushered in true, predictable tranquility.
The dark clouds that had been hanging overhead completely dissipated.
The cats seemed to sense this completely relaxed atmosphere as well.
Bibi rolled and frolicked by the cat grass field, getting covered in grass blades.
Mianmian became even more clingy, following Shi Wan wherever she went, softly begging for a hug.
Even Oreo, who is usually calm and has a somewhat melancholic temperament, has become noticeably more lively. Occasionally, he will chase and play with Huanhuan, or lie on his belly in the sun and sleep soundly without any guard.
Tangyuan continued to fulfill his duties as a farmer, but his patrolling posture was much more relaxed, and he no longer always pricked up his ears.
He would even jump onto Shi Wan's lap, purring loudly and contentedly, while nudging her hand with his head, the little cat constantly comforting her, "King Tangyuan has chased away the bad guys!"
Shi Wan smiled as she gently rubbed Tangyuan's soft chin, looking out at the peaceful farm outside the window, her heart filled with a sense of peace and tranquility.
With her wisdom and hard work, and with Miao's help, she protected the land she had poured her heart and soul into.
She knew that there might still be challenges ahead, but she was no longer the girl who could only seek shelter when faced with storms.
She gained the ability to discern directions and the power to create umbrellas.
Outside the window, the setting sun bathed the farm in a warm golden light, and Biscuit and Oreo chased and played on the grass, casting long shadows.
Everything is just right.
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Author's Note: Shi Wan: It's finally over. Time to continue recruiting!
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