hotmtlnovel Chapter 1541 Another Year
Chapter 1541 Another Year
The warm white light in the live broadcast room shone evenly on the anchor, Wang Rong, making her exquisitely made-up face appear even more composed. She sat upright in front of the camera, with a row of corrugated cardboard boxes, about half her height, neatly stacked against the wall behind her. The boxes were printed with bold black letters—"N95 Medical Protective Masks." The red "medical" words were particularly eye-catching under the camera, exuding a reassuring quality.
The live stream had just started, and before Wang Rong could even speak, the barrage of comments had already flooded in, densely covering the right side of the screen.
"Sister Wang, are you going to sell face masks today? If so, I'll have to use all my speed from being single for thirty years to try and get a discount. They're selling for eight yuan each online now!"
"I'm lucky if I can buy it for eight yuan. I've been to three pharmacies and watched five live streams, and it's been out of stock for three days. My elderly relatives and children can hardly leave the house."
"Sister Wang, does Xingyao Selection really have any products? Don't tell me it's just a gimmick to attract traffic; many live streams are doing this now."
"Looking for reliable face masks! As long as they're genuine N95, I'm willing to pay a premium!"
Wang Rong didn't rush to respond. She placed her hands on the table, calmly scanning the comments on the screen. Only after the discussion subsided did she slowly stand up. Dressed in a simple white business suit, she walked to the row of cardboard boxes and deftly tore open the sealing tape on the outermost box. The "rip" sound was particularly clear in the quiet live broadcast room.
She pulled an individually packaged mask from the box, turned to face the camera, and held the mask about 30 centimeters away from the lens.
"Family members, please take a good look first." Her voice was clear and firm: "This is an N95 medical protective mask, not an ordinary disposable mask, and certainly not a cheap imitation on the market. Its filtration efficiency is ≥95%, fully compliant with the national standard GB19083-2010 for medical protective masks, and can effectively block the transmission of droplets and particulate matter."
As she spoke, she gently flipped the mask over, pinching the ear loops, meltblown fabric layer, and inner non-woven fabric layer with her fingers, showing each detail one by one: "Look at these ear loops, they are very elastic and won't hurt your ears even after wearing them for a long time; the middle meltblown fabric layer has the required thickness, which is the core of protection; the inner layer is made of skin-friendly material, so even sensitive skin can use it with confidence."
She even brought her mask close to the camera so that viewers could see the production standard number and batch number printed on the packaging.
“Each one is individually packaged, clean and hygienic, and easy to carry.” She paused and added, “Moreover, our Xingyao Selection quality inspection department has conducted random inspections on all of them, and the pass rate is 100%, so you can buy with complete confidence.”
This detailed demonstration made the barrage of comments even denser, with the screen filled with messages urging for a higher price, scrolling so fast that it was almost impossible to read complete sentences.
"Sister Wang, stop introducing it and just tell me the price!"
"Yes, yes, how much is one? Hurry up and post the link!"
"As long as the quality is good, I really don't mind if it's a bit pricey, I really need it!"
"Stop keeping us in suspense, Sister Wang, hurry up and get on it!"
Wang Rong walked back to her seat, sat down again, gently placed her hands on the table, and took a deep breath.
“I know that medical supplies are in short supply during this special period. The cheapest N95 mask costs five yuan, and in some remote areas or places where supplies are tight, it has even been sold for ten or fifteen yuan, which is a heavy burden for many ordinary families.”
She paused deliberately for two seconds, allowing the audience to fully process their emotions, then slowly raised her right hand, extended one finger, and said, word by word, "But in our Xingyao Yanxuan live stream, such a high price is unnecessary. One, one yuan."
The live stream chat exploded like a bomb had been dropped on it. The chat paused for a mere half-second before bursting into chaos, with question marks and exclamation marks filling the screen and nearly drowning it out.
"?"
"One yuan??? Did I hear that right?"
"Sister Wang, are you talking about N95 medical protective masks? Not ordinary disposable masks?"
"Holy crap! One dollar each? This must be charity!"
"Really? Could it be a slip of the tongue? Did you say one yuan instead of ten?"
"I listened to it three times, and it really is one yuan! Sister Wang wasn't wrong!"
"Are you crazy? Raw material prices have gone up now, how can one dollar cover the costs?"
"Is this some kind of scam? They attract traffic with low prices first, then say they're out of stock?"
Wang Rong looked at the rapidly scrolling comments on the screen, a slight smile playing on her lips, her eyes filled with pride and certainty: "You heard me right, it's just one yuan each. This batch of supplies was painstakingly prepared by Mr. Qin of Xingyao Media. Mr. Qin clearly instructed us that in the face of national crisis, we must not profit from the national crisis. We will sell at the same price we bought it for, without making a single penny, just so that more people in need can buy affordable masks."
This sentence completely ignited the enthusiasm in the live stream room, and the barrage instantly boiled over, with the screen filled with praise and messages urging viewers to upload the link.
"Sister Wang is awesome! Xingyao Selection is awesome!"
"President Qin is so conscientious! This is the true responsibility of a Chinese entrepreneur!"
"I absolutely love Xingyao Select! I'll buy everything from you from now on!"
"Link it now!"
"Is there a purchase limit? If not, I want to buy some for my relatives and friends!"
"Don't grab! Leave some for the elderly and children!"
"Support Xingyao Selection! Resist unscrupulous merchants who profit from national disasters!"
Wang Rong raised her hand to signal everyone to be quiet, her tone still calm: "Family members, listen to me. In order to allow more people in need to buy them, we have set a limit of twenty masks per person. We hope you can understand and leave the masks for those who really need them."
As soon as she finished speaking, she picked up a neatly folded A4 sheet of paper from the table, slowly unfolded it, and held it high in front of the camera. The text on the paper was clearly visible, and at the end was the bright red official seal of Xingyao Yanxuan, along with the signature of the person in charge.
"In addition, on behalf of Xingyao Yanxuan, I would like to make an official announcement here. Our company will donate one million medical protective suits free of charge, all of which will be sent to hospitals at the forefront of the epidemic for use by medical staff. The supplies have already been loaded and are on their way to the epidemic area. We will release the logistics information on our official account later."
The comments section paused briefly again, as if everyone was processing the news. Then, an overwhelming flood of praise and emotion instantly filled the screen.
"One million pieces??? How much money did that cost! Star Glory Selection is so generous!"
"Holy crap, this is incredible! I'm really moved to tears!"
"Salute to Xingyao Selection! Salute to President Qin!"
"A company with such a sense of responsibility deserves to prosper for a long time!"
"I've already cried. My mom asked me why I was kneeling while watching the live stream, and I said I was giving a thumbs up to a company with a conscience!"
"I'm a fan now! I'm a die-hard fan of Xingyao Yanxuan, and I'll support them for life!"
"The medical staff are working so hard, thank you Xingyao Yanxuan for the donation!"
"Well done, Sister Wang! Well done, President Qin! Well done, Xingyao Selection!"
The number of online viewers in the upper right corner of the live stream skyrocketed at a visible speed, with the numbers jumping around so fast it was dizzying: 500,000, 800,000, 1.2 million, 1.8 million, 2.5 million, 3 million... The Douyin platform's backend monitored this unusually popular data in real time, and the algorithm automatically triggered the top-level push mechanism on the homepage. The live stream was directly placed in the most prominent recommendation position on the Douyin homepage, with the tags "one yuan N95 mask" and "donation of millions of protective suits". A massive number of new users flooded in instantly.
"I came from the homepage, what's going on, it's so popular?"
"An N95 mask for one yuan? Really? Is it a scam?"
"Don't worry upstairs, Xingyao Yanxuan is quite reliable. I've bought from them several times and haven't encountered any problems."
"I just checked the donation agreement, and it's real! This company is so responsible!"
"Are you asking if the sale has started? I just logged in, where's the link?"
The entire screen was completely flooded with words like "Sister Wang," "Xingyao Yanxuan," and "President Qin's conscience," and gift effects kept coming. Although Wang Rong kept emphasizing that there was no need to send gifts, the audience's enthusiasm was unstoppable.
Looking at the constantly fluctuating number of online users and the screen full of goodwill, Wang Rong's eyes reddened slightly, and her voice became a little hoarse. She cleared her throat, her voice trembling with emotion: "Thank you all for your support and trust. Family members, get ready to race! Each person is limited to twenty items, but we have plenty of stock, so don't panic. Three, two, one—" "Link up!"
The moment the words were spoken, the back-end staff immediately put up a shopping link. In just ten seconds, the first batch of 100,000 units was snapped up, and the barrage was filled with cheers of "I got it" and regrets of "I didn't get it".
Seeing this, Wang Rong immediately signaled to her staff to replenish the stock: "Don't worry, everyone, we still have stock, we'll add more right away! Those who didn't manage to grab one, please wait a moment and don't leave the live stream!"
The live stream featuring face masks lasted for an hour and a half, attracting over five million viewers and selling three million N95 masks, setting a new record for Xingyao Yanxuan's live streams.
Shortly after the live stream ended, clips of Xingyao Yanxuan's live stream and netizens' comments began to circulate wildly on major social media platforms such as Douyin and Weibo. Related topics quickly became trending searches and sparked heated discussions across the internet.
"While other unscrupulous merchants hoard goods and drive up prices, Xingyao Yanxuan dares to sell N95 masks for just one yuan. This level of integrity is something that ordinary merchants can't match."
"No merchant is honest. I don't believe he wouldn't make money. He'll definitely just bring out one or two boxes to play tricks. You can't possibly grab any."
"The person upstairs is definitely a complete idiot! I've been waiting in live streams on various platforms for three days and haven't managed to snag a single mask. Even those small live streams with only a couple hundred people were out of stock. Xingyao Yanxuan had a million viewers online, and my mom and I both managed to get one. And you're telling me it's a joke?"
"Yes, my husband and I tried to buy them together, and we both managed to get twenty. Xingyao Yanxuan really had plenty of stock this time."
"I hope to receive the goods soon. We haven't been able to buy masks for several days and we haven't dared to go out. If we don't go out soon, we won't have any vegetables to eat. We're relying on our neighbors for help."
"Thumbs up for Xingyao Selection! Thumbs up for President Qin! This is the social responsibility a company should have!"
With the authoritative endorsement of official media, platforms such as Douyin and Taobao have also given Xingyao Yanxuan a significant amount of traffic.
Before this, Xingyao Yanxuan's live streams had a peak viewership of just over one million. But since this mask live stream, every live stream has consistently attracted three to four million viewers, and the traffic has increased several times over.
Even the lesser-known streamers under their management saw their viewership surge from a few thousand to hundreds of thousands, with sales repeatedly breaking new records. Many streamers became overnight sensations.
What's even more surprising is that as the first batch of customers who received the masks began to give feedback, Xingyao Yanxuan's positive review rate reached a record high.
"This is my first time buying something in a live stream. To be honest, I was a little worried beforehand, afraid that cheap things wouldn't be good. But I was really pleasantly surprised when I received the goods today! The quality of the masks is excellent. They feel thick and the workmanship is exquisite. They are even better than the ones I bought for six yuan each on JD.com before. The key is that Xingyao Yanxuan only charges one yuan! It's really such a great deal!"
"Xingyao Selection is getting better and better! I've bought snacks and daily necessities from them a few times before, and to be honest, the delivery was a bit slow, sometimes taking three or four days. But this time, I received the masks in just two days, which was a huge surprise! Most importantly, the quality is really excellent, and it's great value for money. Just because they don't profit from the national crisis, I'll buy everything I need from Xingyao Selection from now on!"
"To be honest, I bought skincare products from Xingyao Yanxuan once before and had a slight allergic reaction, so it was a bad experience. I was a little apprehensive when ordering masks this time, worried about the quality. But I was completely relieved after receiving the goods. The masks are of very good quality, individually packaged, clean and hygienic, and very comfortable to wear. They don't hurt my ears or feel stuffy. Moreover, the logistics speed has also improved. I checked the logistics information and it was shipped from the Tianjin warehouse center. It seems that Xingyao Media has indeed been making solid improvements recently."
The employees of Xingyao Yanxuan were deeply impressed by Qin Hao's long-term vision as they watched the constantly updated positive reviews and soaring sales figures on the backend.
When President Qin insisted on building the warehousing center and stockpiling medical supplies despite opposition, many people had doubts. Now they realize that these were all well-thought-out plans.
In the office, Liu Mengyao, holding a cup of coffee, walked to Qin Hao's desk, her tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible sigh: "To be honest, did you hear some inside information beforehand? Otherwise, how could you be so farsighted as to stockpile so many medical supplies in advance?"
When she gave up on Qin Hao, she didn't feel she had done anything wrong. But now it seems she underestimated Qin Hao, but unfortunately, it's all too late.
Qin Hao leaned back in his office chair, holding a logistics report in his hand. He looked up when he heard this, his tone casual and indifferent: "I've heard some uncertain information, so I can't be completely sure. I just took a gamble, and I didn't expect it to actually work."
Liu Mengyao scoffed. Based on her understanding of Qin Hao, she knew he wouldn't take such a big risk unless he was at least 60% sure. But since Qin Hao wouldn't say, she didn't press him further. In any case, it would only benefit the company and not harm it.
Qin Hao smiled and didn't argue. Some things don't need to be explained too clearly; as long as the outcome is good, that's enough.
Time flies, and the control of the epidemic is becoming increasingly strict. Various regions across the country have successively adopted measures such as city lockdowns and home quarantines, and the public's demand for medical supplies and daily necessities is also increasing.
Fortunately, Qin Hao had already booked the entire production capacity of two large medical supply factories before the outbreak of the epidemic, and at the same time stockpiled a large amount of daily necessities such as rice, flour, oil, mineral water, and instant noodles, so Xingyao Yanxuan has always maintained a stable supply of goods.
In addition, by adhering to the principle of selling at reasonable prices and never raising prices, Xingyao Yanxuan's reputation has continued to grow, its loyal user base has become increasingly large, and it has even become the preferred platform for many families to purchase supplies.
Over the past three years, most of Xingyao Media's employees have worked in a closed-loop system at the company. Except for a few who work from home due to colds, close contacts, or other reasons, the remaining employees have stayed at the company for more than two years.
They lived and worked at the company, putting in extra hours to process orders and conduct live-streaming sales. Although it was hard work, seeing the company's performance steadily improve and receiving countless thank-you messages from users filled everyone with enthusiasm.
Three years have passed in the blink of an eye. As the pandemic situation gradually improves and control measures are gradually lifted, people across the country feel as if they have returned to a different world. The office area of Xingyao Yanxuan is also filled with a long-lost relaxed atmosphere.
The employees took off their masks, revealing relieved smiles, and shared their experiences and feelings over the past three years.
"Finally free! The air outside smells like freedom! I'm definitely going to have hot pot after get off work; I've been craving it for three years!"
"Sigh, these past two years have felt like a dream. I've been eating instant noodles and sleeping on a folding bed at the company every day, but I have managed to save up a lot of money. I have nowhere to spend it and no opportunity to spend it."
"We're really lucky!"
"Yes, thanks to President Qin. If it weren't for his advance planning, our company might not have survived, let alone achieved such good results."
"I have to give President Qin a thumbs up! I've been working for him for the past three years, and not only have I not lost my job, I've even gotten two raises. I'm so lucky!"
Qin Hao stood in the center of the office area, looking at the lively scene before him, a satisfied smile appearing on his face. He raised his hand and clapped his hands lightly to attract everyone's attention: "Everyone, please be quiet for a moment."
The office area fell silent instantly, and everyone looked at Qin Hao.
"First of all, congratulations everyone, you can finally resume your normal work and life." Qin Hao's voice was gentle but firm. "However, I still want to remind everyone that although the isolation and control measures have been temporarily lifted, it does not mean that the epidemic is completely over. When you go out, please remember to wear a mask and try not to crowd into crowded places to protect your own health and that of your family."
He paused, then added, "In addition, everyone has worked hard during this period, so the company will give everyone a special bonus and a two-week long vacation to rest and spend time with their families. The follow-up work will be arranged after everyone returns from their vacation."
"That's great! Thank you, Mr. Qin!"
"Long live President Qin!"
The employees cheered, their faces beaming with joy.
After giving his instructions, Qin Hao announced the dismissal of the employees, who instantly cheered and rushed towards the elevator like birds released from their cages.
The elevator was too crowded, so many people simply climbed the stairs instead, all eager to get home and reunite with their families.
Qin Hao was no exception. He quickly tidied his desk, then strode out of the company and drove straight to Liang Danning's rented apartment.
For the past three years, due to pandemic control measures, the two have seen each other very little. When Qin Hao parked his car downstairs at their rented apartment, he practically ran upstairs. He took out his keys, opened the door, and immediately saw Liang Danning standing in the living room.
She was wearing light-colored loungewear, her long hair cascading down her shoulders, a gentle smile on her face, and her eyes filled with longing.
"Danning!" Qin Hao shouted, ignoring her screams, he pulled her into a tight embrace and turned to rush towards the bedroom.
"Ahem." A deliberate cough suddenly broke the warm atmosphere between the two.
Qin Hao's face darkened, and he looked displeasedly at the person coughing—Zhao Mei, who was leaning against the bedroom door frame with her arms crossed and a mocking smile on her face.
What are you doing here?
Qin Hao's tone was full of disdain. How did a third wheel suddenly appear when they were enjoying their time together?
Zhao Mei raised an eyebrow, her smile widening: "If I hadn't been here, I would have almost missed a good show, wouldn't I?"
Liang Danning blushed slightly, smiled, slid off Qin Hao's arms, and tugged at his arm: "Zhao Mei was the first to come to see me. As soon as the restrictions were lifted, she rushed over."
"The way you're saying it makes it sound like I'm the other woman?" Qin Hao said dejectedly, cursing Zhao Mei a hundred times in his mind.
Zhao Mei added without hesitation: "When I met Liang Danning, you weren't even born yet. Weren't you the third party?"
"You!" Qin Hao glared at her angrily: "Absence makes the heart grow fonder, especially since it's been more than two years since we last met. If you know what's good for you, go back to where you came from and don't be a third wheel here."
Liang Danning blushed and glared at Qin Hao, then turned to Zhao Mei and said, "Don't listen to his nonsense. Just stay here, and we'll go out for dinner together tonight."
"See, it's not that I don't want to leave." Zhao Mei winked at Qin Hao triumphantly, looking like she was saying, "I'll make you furious."
Qin Hao was pondering how to get rid of Zhao Mei, this uninvited guest, when his phone suddenly rang in his pocket.
He took out his phone and saw that the caller ID showed Shen Mo.
"President Qin, we really owe you a lot this time! If it weren't for your help, I would have gone bankrupt!"
A somewhat weary voice came from the other end of the phone, carrying the relief of surviving a disaster.
"Are you free tonight? Let's get together, it's on me, to thank you properly!"
Fortunately, he listened to Qin Hao's advice and cleared out all the stock of alcohol through Xingyao Yanxuan's live broadcast room, which helped him recover some of his losses.
When he couldn't hold on any longer, Qin Hao reminded him to sell the shares of the two smart home companies he had invested in years ago. Only then did Shen Mo realize that he had invested in these two companies because he trusted Qin Hao, but they had unexpectedly become his lifeline.
Those two smart home companies developed rapidly in the past few years. Shen Mo's shares rose from several million to 1.2 million, which solved his financial crisis and allowed him to survive until the control was lifted.
Qin Hao's eyes lit up when he heard Shen Mo's voice, and he immediately said, "Gathering is no problem, but you have to do me a favor first and get Zhao Mei out of here."
Who is Zhao Mei?
Shen Mo asked, puzzled.
"Xu Yuntian's subordinates," Qin Hao explained succinctly.
Shen Mo suddenly realized and immediately laughed: "Hey, that's easy, just one phone call! You wait, I'll take care of it for you right away."
Zhao Mei, standing to the side, heard the entire conversation between the two. Her eyes widened, and she pointed at Qin Hao with disbelief: "Hey, Qin Hao, you've gone too far! You actually had someone kick me out?"
Qin Hao shrugged indifferently: "There's nothing I can do. Who told you to be so tactless?"
No sooner had she finished speaking than her cell phone rang in her pocket within seconds.
She took out her phone and saw that the caller ID showed "President Xu." Her arrogance vanished instantly, replaced by a look of helplessness.
She glared at Qin Hao, answered the phone, spoke a few words respectfully, then hung up, leaving behind the words "You're ruthless," before turning and fleeing in panic.
The rented room was finally empty except for the two of them. Qin Hao closed the door behind him, turned around and pulled Liang Danning into his arms, then lowered his head and kissed her.
"Waaah~~~ Isn't it a bit mean for you to treat Zhao Mei like this?"
"At worst, I'll introduce her to a few big clients afterward to make it up to her. Right now, you shouldn't be thinking about her, but how to compensate me, OK?" (End of Chapter)