The individuals who came to Shengshi Group this time were not high-level executives from the Liangjiang Chamber of Commerce, but rather several mall owners.
Previously, they had followed the chamber's call and repossessed the storefronts of Shengshi Group. However, with the explosive popularity of Shengshi Hongyan and the joint efforts of Shengshi Group with forces like the Tang family, the foot traffic in their own malls had plummeted.
This turn of events left them restless. For them, mall traffic was their lifeline. If this situation continued and became a habit, they would be beyond recovery.
During this period, they had not been without ideas for remedial action, but their old tactics had long since lost consumer interest. As a result, money was spent, but the effects were minimal.
They had also sought assistance from the Liangjiang Chamber of Commerce, but had received no useful help. Thus, in their helplessness, they could only swallow their pride and come seeking help, even at the risk of falling out with the Liangjiang Chamber of Commerce.
"Therefore, we hope Mr. Long and Director Jiang can put aside past grievances and allow us to re-rent our malls," a senior mall owner said, representing the collective thoughts of everyone present.
"Hmph!"
Jiang Tiansheng couldn't help but scoff inwardly. He had little regard for such two-faced individuals. However, he was also a businessman. Despite his disdain, he would not let this opportunity to fleece some easy money slip by. He had already resolved to make them pay dearly.
Just as he was about to speak, Chen Fan cleared his throat and said, "We accept your request. We will have our people move back in tomorrow."
"Ah?"
Everyone present couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. It wasn't just Jiang Tiansheng; the mall owners were equally stunned. They had never imagined Chen Fan would agree so readily.
The representative who had spoken earlier asked with a look of disbelief, "Mr. Long, are you sure?"
"Of course!" Chen Fan replied with a smile.
"Without any conditions?" the representative confirmed.
Chen Fan stated decisively and without hesitation, "Without any conditions, and there will be no differential treatment."
The mall owners immediately rejoiced. They knew that if a figure like Mr. Long made a promise, he would keep it.
"Mr. Long is indeed magnanimous. We are impressed! Truly impressed!"
"Mr. Long does not hold grudges. Such breadth of mind and vision is truly admirable!"
"With Mr. Long's word, we are at ease. Haha..."
...
The mall owners showered Chen Fan with compliments and left in high spirits.
After everyone had departed, Jiang Tiansheng looked at Chen Fan with a hint of confusion.
"Mr. Chen, these people may not be entirely sincere about cooperating with us. What if they were sent by the Liangjiang Chamber of Commerce? Wouldn't that be..."
Jiang Tiansheng's concern was not unfounded. Chen Fan understood his meaning and smiled, saying, "Don't worry. Su Yuhua is a cautious and inherently suspicious person. Regardless of whether they are genuinely cooperating with us, their credibility with Su Yuhua will be greatly diminished. The cracks within the Liangjiang Chamber of Commerce will only widen."
Jiang Tiansheng was enlightened! At the same time, he broke out in a cold sweat. Chen Fan's insight into and control over human nature were terrifying. After this incident, the Liangjiang Chamber of Commerce would be internally divided. Without them lifting a finger, they would already be in an unassailable position.
Things unfolded exactly as Chen Fan had predicted. When the Shengshi Hongyan specialty stores reappeared in those malls, Su Yuhua could no longer remain calm. He flew into a rage at a high-level meeting of the Liangjiang Chamber of Commerce and immediately expelled those smaller malls from the organization. Although he managed to temporarily suppress the issue and create a deterrent effect, the root cause of the Liangjiang Chamber of Commerce's division had been sown. Su Yuhua also knew that he could no longer suppress Shengshi Group through legitimate commercial means. Thus, he decided to employ all the underhanded tactics he had prepared.
...
That afternoon, Jiang Tiansheng rushed to find Chen Fan.
"Mr. Chen, something's wrong! Something has happened!" Jiang Tiansheng was uncharacteristically flustered.
Chen Fan calmly replied, "Don't rush. Tell me what happened, slowly."
Jiang Tiansheng knew he had lost his composure. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. After a while, he said, "Someone posted online claiming that after using our product, they experienced severe allergic reactions. They then had our product tested, and a third-party testing agency's report stated that our product contained harmful substances that could cause allergies. That post has exploded; in just half an hour, it has received tens of thousands of replies..."
"Oh?"
Chen Fan remained unhurried, as if all of this was within his expectations. While he spoke, Jiang Tiansheng continued to refresh his phone, his shock growing, and his complexion darkening with each passing moment.
"What else?" Chen Fan asked casually.
Jiang Tiansheng replied helplessly, "Just now, over a dozen related posts have emerged, all claiming our products have problems and denouncing us."
Chen Fan extended his hand to Jiang Tiansheng and said, "Let me see."
Jiang Tiansheng hesitantly handed him his phone. Chen Fan casually scrolled through the content. He saw all sorts of press releases flying around online, all of them slandering the Hongyan series. Some claimed they had been poisoned after using the Hongyan series cosmetics. Others claimed that after using the Hongyan series whitening cream, their faces broke out in acne. Some went even further, alleging they had suffered lead poisoning and were hospitalized. These rumors and posts were detailed and appeared to have supporting evidence, even photographic proof, making them seem quite credible. Especially the test report, which came from a nationally authoritative testing agency, lent further credence to the claims. With the deliberate instigation, the internet was flooded with condemnation.
"What Shengshi Hongyan? This is a death potion!"
"Others might cheat you of money, but Hongyan cheats you of your life!"
"I truly don't know how such poisonous products passed approval."
"Such unscrupulous companies must pay the price!"
...
Amidst the chorus of denouncements, the once wildly popular Hongyan series products, almost overnight, became objects of public scorn. Sales plummeted, and a wave of returns began. With the intervention of relevant authorities, Shengshi Group was forced to temporarily remove all products from the shelves. Thus, the online sales channels they had painstakingly built were completely destroyed. All their efforts seemed to have returned to square one.
"Mr. Chen, what do we do now?" Jiang Tiansheng was truly anxious. His previous endeavors were primarily in offline entertainment industries. If it were a matter of dealing with petty thugs, he could handle it with great efficiency. But he truly didn't know how to handle such an online incident.
However, Chen Fan's answer once again exceeded his expectations.