Reborn not to be a simp, the school beauty's whole family goes crazy

Not long after, Chen Dong returned.

He saw Chu Mengran and Shen Yue standing together in the distance. Although they were talking quietly, the atmosphere seemed quite harmonious, and he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"Shen Yue, I've learned a lot from our conversation today. I hope we'll have more opportunities to learn from each other in the future," Chen Dong said sincerely as he walked up to Shen Yue.

Shen Yue nodded slightly, her expression calm, but her tone carried a hint of determination: "Yes, I've heard a lot from you today, and it has indeed given me some new ideas. But next time we meet, we might have to compete again on the business battlefield."

Chen Dong laughed heartily: "Even competition can be healthy, encouraging each other and making progress together. I hope we can all make our businesses bigger and better."

Shen Yue didn't say anything more, turned around, and left the exhibition site with elegant steps.

Her back view still looked proud, yet it carried a hint of unfathomable loneliness.

Chu Mengran gazed in the direction Shen Yue had left, her jealousy still lingering.

She pouted slightly, like a sulking child, and said to Chen Dong, "Dongzi, can you keep your distance when you talk to her in the future? I feel uncomfortable whenever I see you two together."

Chen Dong reached out affectionately and gently stroked Chu Mengran's nose, his movements as tender as if he were handling a rare treasure: "Okay, Mengran, I know. She and I were really just exchanging experiences. In my heart, you will always be the most important person, no one can compare to you."

Chu Mengran looked up, her watery eyes glistening with tears, and asked expectantly, "Really?"

Chen Dong nodded vigorously, then hugged Chu Mengran tightly, his arms tightening as if trying to meld her into his own body: "Of course it's true. The exhibition was so successful today thanks to your help. I will definitely work harder in the future to give you a good life."

Chu Mengran leaned against Chen Dong's chest, listening to his strong heartbeat, and a happy smile gradually bloomed on her face.

At this moment, the exhibition site was still bustling with activity, and the students' laughter could be heard all the time. But in Chen Dong and Chu Mengran's eyes, the whole world seemed to consist only of each other.

Chen Dong knew that in the future, he would inevitably face various challenges in both his career and love life.

But as long as Chu Mengran was by his side, he had the courage to overcome all obstacles.

As dawn broke, sunlight, like wisps of golden gauze, gently and slowly filtered through the window, quietly spilling into Chen Dong's office in Beiping.

The office was small, but the furnishings were very simple. A slightly old desk occupied one corner, piled with all kinds of documents and ledgers.

Chen Dong was wearing a slightly faded blue shirt with the collar open and the sleeves casually rolled up to his elbows. He was intently reviewing the pig farm's recent financial statements.

The sunlight outlined a resolute contour on his angular face, making his deep eyes shine even brighter.

Suddenly, the black landline on the desk rang sharply, the abrupt ringing instantly shattering the silence of the room.

Chen Dong paused slightly, looked up from the report, picked up the receiver, and said in a gentle and polite voice, "Hello, this is Chen Dong."

On the other end of the phone, Chen Xiumei's voice came through, filled with anxiety and worry: "Dongzi, your older sister is in big trouble. Haidilao's business in Nanjiang County has been completely ruined." Chen Xiumei spoke very quickly, her voice trembling uncontrollably.

Chen Dong's relaxed brows furrowed instantly, his eyes filled with concern. He quickly said, "Big sister, don't worry, tell me slowly, what happened?" As he spoke, he sat up straight, one hand unconsciously gripping the receiver tightly.

Chen Xiumei sighed heavily, as if she wanted to expel all the helplessness in her heart with that breath, and then said quickly, "I don't know where a hot pot restaurant came from, it opened right near our Haidilao store."

"At first, no one paid much attention. After all, it's market competition, and it's normal for one more store to appear. But who would have thought that they would resort to any means to grab business and engage in malicious price reductions?"

"The same hot pot base, Haidilao always sells for 15 yuan. In Nanjiang County, this price is not cheap, but the ingredients and taste are there, and everyone agrees with it. But they only sell it for 8 yuan. A plate of mutton costs 10 yuan in our store, but they have to lower it to 5 yuan."

“As soon as the price came out, many of our regular customers were attracted to it. These past few days, our store has been deserted, with very few customers, and our turnover has dropped by more than half. If this continues, the store will soon have to close down. Dongzi, your older sister is really worried to death.”

By the end, Chen Xiumei's voice was choked with emotion.

After listening, Chen Dong leaned back in his chair and tapped his fingers lightly on the table, making a rhythmic "tap-tap" sound.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said in a calm tone, "Big sister, don't panic. Maliciously lowering prices may seem aggressive and may attract many bargain hunters in the short term, but it's definitely a problem in the long run."

"Doing business is all about cost. If they want to keep the prices so low, the quality of the ingredients or service will likely have to be compromised. Haidilao has always relied on quality and service to establish itself. Over the years, we have built a good reputation in Nanjiang County. We can't let them lead us astray."

Chen Xiumei said helplessly on the other end of the phone, "I understand the logic, Dongzi, but now all the customers have gone to their place, and the staff in the store are all panicking. I really can't think of a solution, so I can only ask you for help. You've seen a lot and have been exposed to many business concepts, so please give me some advice on what to do."

Chen Dong took a deep breath and said in a calm and confident tone, "Big sister, you need to calm the employees down first. You absolutely cannot lose your composure. If morale collapses, this store really can't stay open. I'll find out the specifics first and then come back to help you as soon as possible."

"Our reputation at Haidilao wasn't built overnight; it's the result of the hard work of every employee and our consistent quality and service. It won't be defeated so easily."

After hanging up the phone, Chen Dong fell into deep thought.

Looking out the window at the bustling streets, with people coming and going and cars flowing by, he knew that in this increasingly competitive business environment, encountering malicious competition from rivals was inevitable. However, how to deal with it would directly affect the future of Haidilao and even the development of the entire family business.