Chapter 15
The shadow of the Zhou Group loomed over the "Mingqing Shop" team like a sudden, oppressive cloud, plunging them into an even greater crisis just as they were beginning to sort things out. The news Zhao Zhen brought was quickly confirmed—their main suppliers of pecans and mushrooms called almost simultaneously, apologetically but firmly stating that they could no longer supply them due to "insufficient production capacity" or "already having large clients who have already secured their orders." Even the old root carving artist who had been chatting so amicably with Li Ming hesitated and politely declined further cooperation.
“It was Zhou Ruilin who did it,” Zhao Zhen said with certainty. He used his connections to find out that Zhou’s trading company had signed an exclusive procurement agreement at a price 15% higher than the market price. The purpose was clear: to cut off their source of supply. “He’s killing a thousand enemies while losing eight hundred of his own, just to nip us in the bud.”
Inside the warehouse, newly recruited temporary workers stood idly by, the once bustling scene of packing goods now gone. Liu Qiang stared at the half-empty shelves, his face clouded with worry. Wang Hao stared at the almost stagnant order growth curve on the computer screen, silently adjusting his glasses. Li Ziqing bit her lip, her face a mixture of guilt and anger; she believed this undeserved disaster was entirely her fault.
The air was so heavy it felt like you could wring water out of it.
Li Ming stood in the center of the warehouse, his gaze sweeping over the dejected faces of the crowd before finally settling on the gray sky outside the window. Pressure, like tangible mercury, filled his chest. Li Yuanshan's warning still echoed in his ears; Zhou Ruilin's business attack was imminent. This was a test of his abilities, but even more so, a test of his resolve.
Retreat? Close the online store and use this first pot of gold to find another way? Perhaps that would be safer. But that would mean proving his "incompetence" to Li Yuanshan, showing weakness to Zhou Ruilin, and also meaning that the path he planned after his rebirth would fail from the very beginning.
No, absolutely not!
He took a deep breath, turned around, and showed no panic on his face, only a calmness and sharpness that came from being forced into a desperate situation.
“If the supply is cut off, then find a new one.” His voice broke the silence, clear and steady. “Jinxi is so big, and Lincheng isn’t the only place with local specialties. Zhao Zhen, you have a wide network of connections, so go and investigate the surrounding counties and cities immediately to find alternative suppliers with similar quality that haven’t yet been targeted by large companies. Prices can be increased appropriately, but quality and stability must be guaranteed.”
Zhao Zhen was taken aback for a moment, seemingly not expecting Li Ming to be so decisive. Then, a hint of admiration flashed in his eyes, and he immediately nodded: "Understood, I'll take care of it right away."
“Liu Qiang,” Li Ming looked at his honest-looking classmate, “you are in charge of taking inventory of all our remaining stock, including those that are of slightly inferior quality but still edible. Sort them out and we will adjust our strategy.”
Liu Qiang quickly replied, "Okay, Brother Ming!"
“Wang Hao,” Li Ming walked up to the techie, “we need to immediately post an announcement on the store’s homepage, frankly informing customers that some products are temporarily out of stock due to seasonal adjustments in the origin of raw materials (use this as a reason), but new products and promotional activities will be launched soon to reassure customers. At the same time, we need to develop a simple pre-sale function for new products that we are certain we can obtain.”
Wang Hao's fingers were already flying across the keyboard: "The pre-sale module isn't difficult; it can be launched tonight."
Finally, he looked at Li Ziqing, his tone softening: "Ziqing, customer service will be under a lot of pressure. You need to maintain a consistent message, patiently explain to inquiring customers, and highlight our existing inventory and upcoming new products. In addition," he paused, "financially, we need to set aside some funds to cover the additional costs that may arise from finding new sources of goods and potential price reductions and promotions."
Seeing Li Ming's organized and composed demeanor in the face of crisis, Li Ziqing's panic subsided strangely. She nodded vigorously: "I know what to do."
Li Ming's composure acted like a stabilizing force, preventing the small boat from capsizing. The team sprang into action again, each fulfilling their duties, but the atmosphere was now heavy with the weight of a do-or-die situation.
Li Ming himself fell into deeper thought. Simply finding alternative suppliers was only a temporary solution. Zhou Ruilin could throw money at the problem once, and he could do it again. There needed to be a core competitive advantage that would make the other party feel the pinch or that couldn't be easily replicated.
He recalled the "origin story marketing" and "user experience" concepts that later became popular in his previous life. E-commerce is still in its early, less developed stage, which presents a significant opportunity.
He personally oversaw the creation of detailed "origin certificates" for each specialty product—including the production environment, harvesting process, production techniques, and even local folklore anecdotes, accompanied by carefully taken (despite rudimentary equipment) photos, striving for authenticity and emotional impact. He improved the packaging, designing a unified logo and packaging box with a "rustic mountain breeze" style, including a handwritten (printed font mimicking handwriting) thank-you card inside. Although costs increased slightly, the resulting brand awareness and perceived value were instantly enhanced.
At the same time, he launched "trial packs" and "gift customization services," combining different local specialties to meet diverse gifting needs. For existing customers, he implemented a simple points and membership system to enhance customer loyalty.
These practices, which would become commonplace more than a decade later, were nothing short of revolutionary on Taobao in 2006.
A few days later, Zhao Zhen lived up to expectations and found several reliable small suppliers in neighboring counties. Although the costs were slightly higher than in Lincheng, it solved the immediate problem. Wang Hao's pre-sale module went live, and combined with Li Ming's meticulously prepared product pages and marketing copy, they surprisingly generated a considerable number of pre-sale orders despite the stock shortage, stabilizing the store's traffic and popularity. Li Ziqing's customer service team, with their extreme patience and sincere attitude, not only resolved most customers' doubts but also garnered a lot of positive reviews and encouragement.
To Li Ming's surprise, the old root carving artist who had previously declined the cooperation actually came to him. It turned out that the people from Zhou's company were arrogant and tried to drive down the price, which made the old artist feel disrespected. In addition, he had a good impression of Li Ming, and after thinking it over, he was willing to risk breaching the contract (Li Ming secretly subsidized part of the penalty) to resume the cooperation with "Mingqing Shop".
"Little Li, those people only care about money, unlike you, who genuinely likes these things," the old artist said, holding Li Ming's hand with emotion.
Under Li Ming's calm leadership and his team's efficient execution, the supply chain crisis was not only successfully weathered, but also turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Thanks to the upgraded operating model and further positive word-of-mouth, the store attracted a group of discerning customers who valued quality and culture, resulting in an increase in average order value and profit margin. The initial capital of over 100,000 yuan, after deducting various costs and reserving development funds, remained firmly in the account and continued to grow.
However, just as the team breathed a sigh of relief, and Liu Qiang even suggested celebrating at a small restaurant near the school gate that evening, an unexpected person delivered a message through Li Ziqing.
The visitor was Li Yuanshan's assistant, a sharp-looking young man wearing gold-rimmed glasses. He didn't go directly to Li Ming, but instead met with Li Ziqing, his tone polite yet distant.
“Ms. Li, Mr. Li asked me to tell you that he has…limited approval for your recent 'training'.” The assistant adjusted his glasses, his words perfectly measured. “He noticed that you handled this minor incident with some semblance of order. However,”
He changed the subject, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over Li Ming, who was standing not far away. "Mr. Li also asked me to remind that student Li Ming that the business world is treacherous; temporary luck and cleverness mean nothing. Mr. Li, you can put in a good word with the Zhou family to make sure they stop targeting your kind of...small business. The condition is..."
The assistant paused for a moment, then stated the final condition: "Li Ming needs to sign a statement acknowledging that you are just ordinary classmates, and guaranteeing that he will not work for the Li Group or related companies after graduation, nor will he use his relationship with you for any business activities."
Sunlight streamed through the café's glass windows, illuminating Li Ziqing's face, which had instantly turned deathly pale. She jumped to her feet: "This is impossible! What right does he have…"
Standing outside the window, Li Ming couldn't hear the conversation inside, but he could see Li Ziqing's excited expression and the assistant's cold, businesslike face. He could roughly guess what the conversation was about.
The pressure has never disappeared; it has simply come in a more refined and humiliating way.
Instead of resorting to brutal suppression, Li Yuanshan offered him a "dignified" option: to sever ties with Li Ziqing in exchange for temporary peace and the Zhou family's cessation of pursuit. This seemed like a much easier path.
Li Ming slowly clenched his fist, his nails digging deep into his palm.
He knew that if he nodded, he might gain a temporary respite, but in Li Yuanshan's mind, he would forever be seen as a petty character who could be easily bought off and intimidated, someone who was not worthy of respect. And the budding feelings and trust between him and Li Ziqing would be completely shattered.
He looked at the girl in the coffee shop, who was arguing for him, and a complex light flashed in his eyes.
Compromise, or fight?
He took a deep breath, already having made up his mind. He pushed open the door of the coffee shop, walked in, and calmly met the assistant's scrutinizing gaze, as well as the more weighty test paper that Li Yuanshan was casting from afar.
Unbeknownst to them, on the other side of the city, Zhou Ruilin, upon hearing his subordinates' report that "Mingqing Shop" had not only not collapsed but seemed to be thriving even more, smashed a crystal ashtray in anger. His handsome face was filled with gloom.
"Li Ming... fine, very well." He gritted his teeth. "You're asking for it! You think you can rest easy just because you've hooked up with Li Ziqing? Dream on! Looks like I need to teach you a more direct lesson!"
Beneath the seemingly calm surface, undercurrents began to converge into more turbulent whirlpools.
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