Shao Chen could confirm he wasn't drunk, nor was he seeing things. The hand holding his phone trembled.
"What's this?" he shoved the phone screen in front of a buddy.
The buddy took a quick look and burst out laughing, "Who's this? A Pinduoduo price-cutting link, and they sent it to Young Master Shao? Have they gone mad with poverty!"
The hostesses nearby, upon hearing this, all crowded around to watch the spectacle, giggling.
"Who is this person called Sweetheart?"
"Isn't this girl a little too pure and refined?"
"This way of trying to get Young Master Shao's attention is so unique~"
"Wow, I'm so envious this sister has Young Master Shao's WeChat, I want to add him too, can I?"
"I want to add him too, but I would never send such trashy messages."
"A woman who plays Pinduoduo isn't worthy of our Young Master Shao. Young Master Shao, quickly delete her."
"What is this girl trying to cut the price on? A phone? Why don't I buy her one and have her leave Young Master Shao's sight immediately, so she doesn't soil his eyes."
"Don't say that, maybe she just sent it by mistake."
"But this mistake is really too deliberate, hahaha."
"..."
Indeed, on Shao Chen's phone screen, the chat history with Ruan Tianxin showed Ruan Tianxin had sent a Pinduoduo price-cutting link.
While waiting for his scoundrel friends to arrive, Shao Chen had opened the Mango dating app and found Ruan Tianxin's account was gone. However, their past chat history remained. He tried sending a message, but the system indicated the account had been deactivated.
He had felt a bit dejected then and had drunk a couple more glasses of wine.
Now that Ruan Tianxin had suddenly messaged him, how could Shao Chen, who had been navigating the romantic world for years, not know that Ruan Tianxin was initiating a conversation to get his attention? His previous awkward and dejected mood instantly improved, more effective than alcohol.
Seeing everyone making sarcastic remarks, he became displeased. "Is it that funny?"
The people in the private room suddenly felt his tone was off, and their laughter died down. They looked at each other in bewilderment.
He said it out, wasn't it precisely because he wanted them to mock her together?
The women who came to entertain were all perceptive. Seeing that Shao Chen was unhappy, one of them immediately said, "Ahem, it's not funny."
With one leading the way, the others chimed in, "Yeah, not funny at all."
Another, more eager to please, said, "Young Master Shao, just you cutting the price alone might not be enough. I've heard from others that Pinduoduo's tactics are very deep. To get an item, you need hundreds of people. Let's create a group right now and have Young Master Shao share the link. Everyone can help cut the price."
As she spoke, she began organizing everyone to join the group for price-cutting. "It's best if everyone uses their relatives and friends around them to help cut the price. We must help cut this price down tonight."
Everyone here, apart from the hostesses, was either a nouveau riche or from a business family, all here to curry favor with Shao Chen.
Asking them to cut prices on Pinduoduo?
They had truly seen it all!
Many of them didn't even have the Pinduoduo app installed.
Making them do something so beneath them and a waste of time, were they tired of living?
But the target of their price-cutting was Shao Chen, the young master of the Shao family.
Could they refuse to help?
Absolutely not!
Being able to help Young Master Shao was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Of course, the most important thing was that they shouldn't have been so glib earlier and joined in the mockery. If they didn't help cut the price now, and Shao Chen later decided to cut ties with their businesses, how would they be able to laugh then?
Thus, everyone began to join in the price-cutting. For those without Pinduoduo, they immediately downloaded the app on the spot.
Each person not only gave one cut but also actively sent the link to their respective family groups, asking for help with a cut.
A perfectly good party suddenly turned into a Pinduoduo price-cutting session.
Shao Chen repeatedly clicked on the link Ruan Tianxin had sent him, watching the price get lower and lower. He was very pleased.
If he could help Ruan Tianxin get this phone, she would be very surprised, wouldn't she?
As the price continued to drop, with only 0.5 yuan remaining, Shao Chen felt hope was within reach. However, he suddenly found that the price couldn't be cut any further, with frequent occurrences of 0.01 yuan and missed cuts.
"Why can't it be cut anymore?" he asked, looking up.
The scoundrel friends in the private room looked troubled. "Young Master Shao, it really can't be cut anymore. My mom just removed me from the family group."
"My mom suspects my phone has a virus and kicked me out of the family group, telling me to reapply after confirming it's me."
"You guys are better off than me. My dad not only kicked me out of the group but also blocked me."
Shao Chen: "..."
Shao Chen: "Only fifty cents left, and you can't even cut that?"
"Young Master Shao, this is actually Pinduoduo's trick. Even though it's only fifty cents left, it's estimated that even calling a hundred new users might not be enough to cut the price. Last time, an internet celebrity did a live stream asking 60,000 fans to help cut the price for a Pinduoduo phone, and they couldn't do it for two hours. This is all a scam. Why don't I pay to buy Sweetheart a phone?" one of the hostesses said.
Shao Chen's brow furrowed. "Such a scrupulous software?!"
But did Ruan Tianxin lack the money to buy a phone?
No, she didn't!
She had finally taken the initiative to contact him. He had to give her a more substantial gift in return.
Since he couldn't cut the price, he suddenly thought of Qin Beiting. He was a hacker prodigy, perhaps he could manipulate it from the backend?
With that thought, he took his phone and went out into the hallway to call Qin Beiting. "Brother Ting, are you asleep?"
"What is it?" Qin Beiting's tone was icy.
Shao Chen knew he had probably interrupted his and Sister-in-law's tender moment, so he quickly stated his purpose:
"Emergency help needed, do your brother a favor. I just sent a link to your WeChat. Can you use some technical skill to operate it from the backend?"
Qin Beiting, on the other end of the line, glanced at the price-cutting link he had sent on WeChat. "What is this?"
"Ten million. Help me cut the price of this phone."
After Shao Chen finished speaking, seeing that there was no response, he looked and realized the call had been hung up.
Qin Beiting: Who are you insulting?
Shao Chen was not to be deterred and dialed again. "I'll give you the development rights for that plot of land in Beijing's Third Ring Road, just help me out."
That plot of land was exactly what Qin Beiting wanted. "Deal."
--
On the other side.
Ruan Tianxin looked at her phone repeatedly, over and over, but Shao Chen hadn't replied. She was a little angry.
She had lowered her pride to approach him, and he wouldn't reply!
She sulkily turned off her phone, took a shower, and went to bed, vowing not to speak to him again!
But lying in bed, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
She opened her phone again. It was three in the morning, and Shao Chen still hadn't replied.
Angrily, she thought about blocking him. Just then, a Pinduoduo message notification popped up at the top of her screen: Congratulations, dear customer, you have successfully cut the price for an iPhone 14. Please select your shipping address.
Ruan Tianxin: ???
How had she successfully cut the price?