Chapter 61: I’m Quite Proud

Yao Jia had a nagging feeling that resolving the issue this way wasn’t quite right.

While everyone was still in the conference room, she seized the moment to express her opinion. “Team Leader, isn’t directly Order Locking and asking customers to return their purchases a bit too much? Doesn’t this make our company seem too domineering and authoritarian?”

Lin Qian raised an eyebrow, seemingly preparing a quick response.

Meng Xingzhe interjected, “What else can we do? If we don’t Order Lock, and tens of thousands of orders are shipped, have you calculated how much the company would lose? It would start at eight figures.”

Yao Jia turned to him and said, “But the coupons were issued by the company, and the error was due to the company’s operational mistake. So shouldn’t this be the company’s responsibility? Locking the customers’ orders in the end—doesn’t that seem inappropriate?”

Meng Xingzhe smirked slightly, a bit helpless and slightly mocking. “But the fact that the coupons were misissued, allowing customers to buy small appliances at ridiculously low prices, goes against market prices. This is an unfair transaction, and customers are taking advantage of the company. Since it’s harming the company’s interests, the company should naturally Order Lock and cancel the transactions.”

Yao Jia thought, well, once again, the company’s sense of responsibility and its focus on profit were clashing head-on.

She addressed the faint mockery at the corner of Meng Xingzhe’s mouth, “I think you’re only looking at this from the boss’s perspective, but you’re not the boss. Even if you were, you should have empathy for the customers and see things from their point of view, right?”

Meng Xingzhe realized that Yao Jia was right. He indeed had only the boss’s perspective and lacked empathy from the customer’s viewpoint.

So he fell silent, wanting to hear what Yao Jia would say next.

Yao Jia spoke quickly, “And you just said the customers are taking advantage, but isn’t that wrong? If customers used the coupon bug to repeatedly place orders and collectively rushed to buy, that would be taking advantage. That happened last night, but it was the minority, right? Most customers participated in the promotion normally, some even stayed up late or set alarms to grab the midnight coupons. These customers followed the normal process and genuinely wanted to buy promotional items. How is that taking advantage?”

Yao Jia took a breath, aware of the time crunch, and spoke even faster. “As for the ultra-low price incident, it was the fault of the person in charge of this event, not the customers who genuinely stayed up, got the coupons, and bought the items. But now, they have to face unilateral Order Locking due to the company’s mistake, either returning the items or paying more, with no room for negotiation. Isn’t this handling a bit too domineering for the customers?”

Meng Xingzhe remained silent. He felt that Yao Jia had some valid points from the customer’s perspective. But he still had to prioritize the company’s and the boss’s perspective, focusing on minimizing losses and maximizing profits.

Hou Wenwen, however, spoke up, sounding impatient. “Yao Jia, you’re saying all this just to suggest the company shouldn’t Order Lock and should ship everything, right? How much would the company lose then? Starting at eight figures, that’s tens of millions! I bet you’re an undercover agent sent by Jiangfeng Electric, siding with outsiders like this!”

Others chimed in agreement.

“Yeah, Yao Jia, you’re not distinguishing between inside and outside!”

“Right, if we don’t Order Lock, the company loses so much, and our year-end bonuses will decrease too, right?”

“Yao Jia, did you also buy something last night? Is that why you’re against Order Locking and not shipping?”

“…” Yao Jia was speechless. “I’m saying this for the sake of Kunyu!”

Hou Wenwen sneered, “For Kunyu’s sake, you’d let Kunyu bear losses starting at tens of millions?”

Yao Jia wanted to say more, but Lin Qian stopped her in time.

“Alright, everyone, stop arguing. What you personally think isn’t important now. What’s important is to follow the higher-ups’ instructions and get to work immediately!”

Everyone stood up and left the conference room, returning to their stations.

Meng Xingzhe stood in the hallway, waiting for Yao Jia to enter her workstation before he sat down.

But Yao Jia thought for a moment and said to him, “You go ahead. I need to use the restroom.”

In the hallway, Yao Jia took out her phone and called Yao Bingkun.

She wished she could talk to her father right now. Unfortunately, he had gone abroad on a business trip last week and was visiting her sister. He should be on a flight back now, and wouldn’t land until tomorrow morning.

As expected, the automated voice informed Yao Jia that Yao Bingkun’s phone was turned off.

Yao Jia thought for a moment, then sent him a brief message explaining the situation and ended with: [Dad, could you call me back once you turn on your phone?]

After sending the message, she put away her phone and returned to the call center.

When Meng Xingzhe stood up to let her in, he asked, “You didn’t just go to the restroom to cry because everyone was against you, did you?”

Yao Jia was taken aback for a moment, then shook her head. “I’ve only ever cried over one man in my life. No one else can get to me.”

That man was her father. Only when she felt deeply wronged by him would she secretly shed tears.

Yao Jia turned back, powered on her headset, and prepared to work.

Beside her, Meng Xingzhe heard her say, “I’ve only ever cried over one man,” and his previously focused mind suddenly scattered.

Feeling frustrated, he powered on his equipment, his actions unconsciously becoming more forceful. As he put on his headset, he bit down so hard that he tasted a metallic tang of blood.

Before picking up the phone, he cursed Yue Xuran in his mind.

—Letting your girlfriend cry, Yue Xuran, you’re such a bastard!

If it were him, he wouldn’t even give her a chance to have red eyes.

How could he bear to…

---

Once the system was activated, all Customer Service Representatives went online and began calling customers who had placed orders.

Some customers were easy to talk to and accepted the suggestion to return the items and receive coupons credited to their accounts.

But most customers were furious, completely unwilling to accept such a resolution.

No matter how perfect the Customer Service Representatives’ scripts were, how gentle their tones, or how humble their attitudes, most customers angrily declared they wouldn’t return the items or pay the 20% difference because—

“I don’t care, this is Kunyu’s mistake! Why should we customers pay for it? You guys are something else, daring to Order Lock and not ship. Do you know what that is? It’s a unilateral breach of contract! I’m telling you, if you don’t ship, I’ll join other buyers and sue Kunyu for commercial fraud!”

In the call center, every Customer Service Representative bore the brunt of overwhelming anger and complaints. They worked non-stop, barely having time to drink water, and their breaks were reduced from fifteen minutes to just five, barely enough to use the restroom.

Yao Jia’s voice was hoarse, and she felt like she was filled with negativity.

In the restroom, she ran into Hao Lidan. Hao Lidan looked around to make sure no one else was there and quickly chatted with her.

“I think this is getting out of hand. I just checked my phone, and Kunyu’s issue with Order Locking due to coupon errors is trending on Weibo!”

Yao Jia quickly took out her phone and saw that it had indeed reached the top three trending topics.

Clicking into the trending topic, she saw that the public’s reaction was overwhelmingly negative, with everyone vehemently criticizing Kunyu Electric.

—Kunyu Electric, I’m telling you, I won’t cancel my order or return the items. Your coupon error is your problem, and why should I bear the consequences of your internal mistake? If you don’t ship, I’ll sue you! I have all the time and energy in the world, and I’ll fight you to the end! @Kunyu Electric

“Damn it, I’ve had enough! I stayed up half the night to grab that coupon, and now you’re telling me I can’t use it? If it’s unusable, why even bother with this promotion? It’s infuriating! I’m not canceling my order; if you don’t ship it, I’ll keep complaining until you do! @Kunyu Electric”

“Everyone, don’t be afraid. Don’t let Kunyu Electric’s customer service calls intimidate you! As a law student, I can tell you that once we’ve completed payment, we’ve entered into a sales contract with Kunyu Electric. Both parties must fulfill the contract’s terms! Kunyu Electric’s unilateral order locking and forcing us to accept returns or pay extra is a breach of contract. It’s outrageous and bullying! Join our group on WeChat at 2343*** so we can sue Kunyu Electric and drive them to bankruptcy!”

…

It wasn’t just the netizens who were up in arms; even the marketing accounts joined the fray.

They reposted and criticized Kunyu Electric for exploiting customers, accusing the company of being profit-driven without any sense of corporate responsibility or integrity. They questioned why anyone would still buy from such a company and called for its bankruptcy.

Under the influence of these marketing accounts, the hashtag “Boycott Kunyu, Hope Kunyu Closes Down” soared to the top of the trending topics.

Yao Jia sighed, put away her phone, and returned to the call center. She could only hope her father would return soon.

The latter part of the workday felt like a battle. Not only did they have to handle the order locking issue, but due to the online backlash, customers who had previously purchased other Kunyu Electric products were also calling in, demanding returns and refunds:

“Kunyu is too overbearing and unethical. I’m never buying from you again!”

Besides those demanding returns, some called just to vent their anger:

“What kind of company is Kunyu? You exploit your customers! Yao Bingkun should just shut down the company and go home! I sincerely hope your lousy company goes bankrupt soon!”

Hearing her father’s name being mentioned, Yao Jia was furious, barely suppressing the urge to retort.

By evening, everyone took staggered breaks for a quick meal and water before returning to work late into the night. As dawn approached and the calls dwindled, a team stayed behind for the night shift while the others went home to rest and prepare for the next day’s battle.

Back at the dorm, the dinner they had eaten seemed to have vanished, leaving only hunger from the intense workload. Yao Jia shared her stash of instant noodles. Even Tong Yumo, who was usually dieting, couldn’t resist and asked Yao Jia for a pack to take back to her room.

Yao Jia, Meng Xingzhe, and Tian Huasheng gathered around the coffee table for a late-night noodle snack.

After eating, Yao Jia sat on the sofa and checked her phone. Opening Weibo, she felt overwhelmed by the flood of negative comments.

The hashtag #Boycott Kunyu, Hope Kunyu Closes Down# was still trending, filled with loud and unanimous criticism.

The marketing accounts were relentless, not letting up for a moment, keeping the pressure on Kunyu Electric and ensuring the public’s anger didn’t wane.

Above this trending topic was another from Jiangfeng Electric: #Jiangfeng’s Honest Promotions, No Deception#

Yao Jia clicked in and, as expected, saw Jiangfeng Electric seizing the opportunity to promote their sales, emphasizing: Our coupons work flawlessly, our promotions are genuine, and we never demand returns or extra payments.

Yao Jia almost laughed at the blatant targeting. It seemed likely that the unified criticism led by the marketing accounts was connected to Jiangfeng Electric.

She turned to Meng Xingzhe sitting beside her.

He was also reading the news and comments, looking serious.

Suddenly, he looked up and asked Yao Jia, “Why have you been staring at me for so long?” He met her gaze directly. “Why are you looking at me?”

His focus on the trending topic’s comments was disrupted, and he felt his left cheek growing warmer than his right.

Yao Jia looked at Meng Xingzhe and said, “I just wanted to tell you, when I mentioned in the meeting that I thought the order locking was a bad idea, it was because I feared this would happen.” She paused, speaking each word deliberately, “Look, the company’s short-term gains are intact, but its reputation is gone. These gains are temporary because without a reputation, future profits are lost.”

Meng Xingzhe looked at her, deep in thought.

Yao Jia sighed and went back to her room.

The day’s work had been exhausting, and everyone fell asleep as soon as they hit their pillows. Since Yao Jia’s team had worked until dawn, they could arrive at the call center an hour later than usual the next day.

In the morning, Tong Yumo left first, while Yao Jia, Meng Xingzhe, and Tian Huasheng headed out together. When they reached the entrance of Kunyu Building, they saw some people had arrived early, holding banners and chanting slogans.

Even more surprising, they had brought along someone who appeared to be a media reporter, filming the scene. Under the direction of a leader, the group passionately demanded justice for Kunyu Electric’s consumers.

The leader, while shouting slogans, also posed for the camera, eager for the perfect shot.

“Friends, friends! We are all innocent victims of Kunyu’s unscrupulous promotions. For years, we’ve trusted Kunyu’s reputation and bought their products, and now look how they treat us loyal customers! It’s commercial fraud! Today, I’m here to seek justice for us innocent consumers who have been wronged! Kunyu, fraud! Kunyu, fraud!”

The leader shouted passionately into the camera.

Passersby, drawn by the commotion, began to gather and watch.

Yao Jia felt a mix of sadness and urgency. She hoped Yao Bingkun’s flight would land soon; only he could overturn Vice President Qiu Lishi’s decision.

“These don’t look like real customers. Could they be sent by a rival?” Tian Huasheng grumbled angrily.

“That so-called reporter is probably in on it too,” Meng Xingzhe added.

Yao Jia’s voice was filled with resignation. “If only there were a fair media outlet that could report this objectively. It seems like most media have been swayed!”

Hearing the despondency in Yao Jia’s voice, Meng Xingzhe’s heart softened. Almost instinctively, he took out his phone, found Tang Xin’s contact, and sent a few messages.

The leader, who was shouting slogans, suddenly turned and saw Yao Jia and her colleagues. He also noticed their employee badges.

He immediately approached them, indignant. “You’re Kunyu Electric employees, aren’t you? Aren’t you ashamed to work for such a company? You’re even from the Customer Service Department! My God, you’re the ones calling us, forcing us to lock orders, return goods, and pay extra, right?! Do you have any conscience? Working for such a company, helping them exploit customers, don’t you feel ashamed?”

As he complained, the reporter filming him turned the camera on Yao Jia, asking, “As a Kunyu employee, directly involved in this incident, what do you think about it? Do you think Kunyu’s actions are justified? Working for a company that hurts its customers, do you think you should continue working here?”

Yao Jia covered the camera lens with her hand and called out, “Security, security!”

She was exasperated. Were the security guards here just to watch the weather? They couldn’t handle anything important. She was nearly shouting herself hoarse, yet instead of coming down to help, the guards had retreated inside the building to avoid trouble.

The journalist, whose camera was being blocked, was displeased and began distorting the facts: “Hey, what’s going on? Are you Kunyu employees planning to assault people?”

Yao Jia was so angry she almost laughed. How could she, a young woman, possibly beat up this burly man?

The leader of the banner-waving group also came over, gesturing at Yao Jia and instructing the journalist, “Hurry up and record the disgraceful behavior of these Kunyu employees, so the whole country can see!”

The camera was once again shoved in Yao Jia’s face. She was so furious she wanted to curse.

At that moment, a hand reached over and covered the camera lens. The hand was long-fingered and well-proportioned.

Then another hand deftly took the camera from the journalist.

Meng Xingzhe quickly deleted the footage the journalist had just recorded and removed the camera’s battery.

The journalist nearby shouted, “Robbing in broad daylight? Are Kunyu people all bandits? Daring to snatch a journalist’s equipment?!”

The banner-waving leader yelled, “I’m calling the police right now!” As he spoke, he waved a short stick, as thick as a rolling pin, which he used to direct the group in chanting slogans.

Meng Xingzhe returned the camera to the “journalist,” then reached out, snatched the leader’s stick, and effortlessly broke it in half. He told the leader, “Stop just talking and call the police already. When they arrive, we can verify whether you and your banner-waving group are really Kunyu customers, whether you placed an order the night before last, what you bought, and whether you’re genuinely seeking justice or have ulterior motives. Maybe the police can even help us find out who sent you!”

The leader, staring at the broken stick and listening to Meng Xingzhe, hesitated in his pretense of calling the police.

“And you,” Meng Xingzhe pointed at the “journalist,” “stop tarnishing the media industry. Can you paparazzi, who fabricate stories instead of seeking the truth, leave some dignity for the conscientious journalists?”

Morning light spilled over Meng Xingzhe.

Yao Jia stood beside him, watching and listening to Meng Xingzhe, feeling that at this moment, he was shining brilliantly in the morning sun.

“How much were you paid? What’s the purpose of this ruckus? To fabricate a news story that stirs public animosity and hatred towards Kunyu Electric? Has your professional ethics been eaten by dogs? And you, are you calling the police or not? If you won’t, I will!”

As Meng Xingzhe spoke, his aura was overwhelming. Yao Jia, standing next to him, was inexplicably awed. She felt that the person shielding her was a giant, towering at two meters eight.

Meng Xingzhe pretended to call the police. The leader rushed over, directing his group to pack up the banners. The paparazzi, unsure if he was a real journalist, left cursing with the group. After a while, he returned.

He approached Meng Xingzhe, trying to act tough despite being timid, and asked for the camera battery.

Meng Xingzhe raised a hand, making him flinch. Meng Xingzhe tossed the battery to him, and he caught it before running off to catch up with the banner carriers.

Yao Jia couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Suddenly, her phone rang. She answered it, and upon hearing the voice on the other end, she felt a surge of emotion, almost wanting to cry.

Like a wronged child finally finding a parent to rely on.

“Dad!” Yao Jia exclaimed into the phone, then ran off to the side to listen.

Yao Bingkun’s voice was steady as a mountain. “I’ve just landed. I saw your messages and the news reports. I’m heading straight to the company now.”

After a pause, he asked Yao Jia, “If you were me, what would you do?”

Yao Jia considered her words carefully. “I don’t quite agree with Deputy General Manager Qiu’s Order Locking decision. I lean more towards… having Kunyu honor these orders.”

There was a long silence on the line. Yao Jia felt anxious, unsure if her father would think she was speaking without understanding the gravity of the situation.

“I see.” Yao Bingkun’s voice carried a hint of hidden satisfaction.

With that, he hung up.

Yao Jia nervously went upstairs to clock in and entered the call center.

Sitting at her workstation, she turned on her computer, put on her headset, and prepared for another grueling day.

Just then, Customer Service Manager Li Wangli stepped to the front of the call center.

He clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention and announced loudly, “We’ve just received a direct order from the Chairman. All Customer Service Representatives are to immediately stop calling Order Locking customers and stop persuading them to return goods. Further instructions will follow!”

As Li Wangli finished speaking, Yao Jia’s heart raced.

She couldn’t contain her excitement, thinking that the old master seemed to be considering the young one’s opinion.

---

Later, Hao Lidan, with her knack for gathering information, shared her findings in the break room.

“My hometown friend, who’s the secretary to the Director of the Executive Office, told me that as soon as the Chairman arrived at the company this morning, he gathered all the executives for a meeting. Regarding the coupon incident, he advocated against Order Locking and against asking customers to return goods. He said since it was our mistake, we should take responsibility. That’s the duty and responsibility of a large enterprise.”

Tian Huasheng immediately said, “I stand with the Chairman! I think he’s right!”

Hao Lidan continued, “But Deputy General Manager Qiu disagreed. He argued that since the company is preparing for an IPO, acknowledging this mistake would result in an eight-figure loss, affecting annual profits and potentially delaying the IPO.”

Hou Wenwen expressed, “I agree with Deputy General Manager Qiu! I want the company to go public soon so we can get a raise.”

Hao Lidan said, “But the Chairman believes that while immediate profits might be protected, long-term reputation would be lost, affecting future profits. The company would also face lawsuits from angry customers.”

Yao Jia couldn’t help but want to applaud. Her thoughts aligned perfectly with her father’s.

She glanced over to see Meng Xingzhe watching her. She tilted her chin at him, signaling with a nod: Look, I have a kindred spirit!

Hao Lidan continued, “But Deputy General Manager Qiu thinks that once the company goes public, we can spin a story to boost market value, and profits will return. As for those who want to sue over this, let them. The company can respond to lawsuits and negotiate settlements, which is less costly than the tens of thousands of orders.”

Tong Yumo said, “I think Deputy General Manager Qiu’s approach is appropriate and measured!”

Tian Huasheng, a staunch Yao Bingkun supporter, disagreed, “How is that appropriate? It’s just rewarding those who make a fuss. Oh, for those who sue, I’m willing to negotiate settlements, but for those who don’t, I’ll lock your orders and make you return goods? That’s not fair at all! I say, either give it to everyone or give it to no one!”

Yao Jia wanted to applaud Tian Huasheng. She thought she must introduce him to Yao Bingkun, his ardent fan.

She asked Hao Lidan, “Do you know the outcome of the executive meeting?”

Hao Lidan, mindful of her role, replied curtly in front of others, “How would I know? It’s already hard enough to gather this much information, Yao Jia. You’re funny, complaining about not having enough when you’re being served.”

Tian Huasheng looked bewildered, glancing between her and Yao Jia, confused by their unpredictable attitudes.

Hou Wenwen and Tong Yumo chimed in, “Yeah, if you want to know the result, find out yourself! Seriously!”

However, it turned out that Yao Jia didn’t need to make any special inquiries. The company quickly issued an announcement: the Chairman had personally decided that Kunyu Electric would acknowledge the mistake with the coupons.

Except for bulk orders, all individual orders would no longer be locked and would be shipped immediately. As for the bulk orders, due to suspicions of collective exploitation, further communication would be required before making a decision.

For customers who had already agreed to return their orders and cancel, Kunyu Electric would issue an additional 100-yuan coupon to their accounts. Combined with the coupon returned upon cancellation, customers could once again purchase the small appliances they had initially ordered at a significantly reduced price.

Upon hearing the announcement, Meng Xingzhe said to Yao Jia, “Old Yao must have shouldered immense pressure. He’s a man of courage. If it were me, I might have focused more on the company’s profits.”

Yao Jia wondered why he always referred to her father as “Old Yao” so casually, without feeling it was disrespectful.

But she had to agree on one point: her father was indeed under tremendous pressure, as there were differing opinions within the company after the announcement.

Hao Lidan confided to Yao Jia, “I heard that several people, led by Deputy General Manager Qiu, were dissatisfied with the Chairman’s decision. They believe it harms the company’s interests and reduces the year’s profits.” She paused and added, “But honestly, I’m on the Chairman’s side. Looking at the online backlash against Kunyu Electric, if we followed Deputy General Manager Qiu’s idea to continue locking orders and demanding returns, Kunyu might really face a boycott leading to a decline in performance. Forget about going public, even bankruptcy wouldn’t be impossible.”

Yao Jia thought, her father truly had it tough. He chose to take responsibility despite the immense pressure.

After the internal announcement, Yao Bingkun personally wrote an apology statement, which was published on Kunyu Electric’s official blog.

His words were sincere, first apologizing for not handling the situation optimally at the outset, and then detailing the resolution.

Yao Jia saw that at the end of the apology, her father wrote:

“Integrity is our principle, responsibility and accountability are our commitments, and ensuring every customer’s satisfaction is our sole service standard. We sincerely apologize once again and ask everyone to continue supervising us in the future.”

To others, this might seem like mere rhetoric, but Yao Jia knew these were heartfelt words from her father.

She read those lines repeatedly, her eyes welling up with emotion.

After work, Yao Jia didn’t return to her dormitory; she went straight home.

She thought that after such a chaotic day, her father must be exhausted.

Gan Yu told Yao Jia that Yao Bingkun was under so much stress that his stomach was feeling uncomfortable.

Yao Jia hurried to learn how to cook porridge from the housekeeper. Despite her efforts, she only managed to make a bowl of porridge that looked like paste. She dejectedly considered throwing it away.

But when Yao Bingkun heard the porridge was ready, he came to the kitchen himself. He picked up the bowl and started eating it, spoonful by spoonful. As he ate, he said, “Cooked to this consistency is just right, soft and mushy, it feels good on my stomach.”

He said this with a face full of dignity and seriousness. He was nothing like other fathers who often wore smiles and showed affection.

Yet Yao Jia no longer felt that other fathers were better.

She looked at Yao Bingkun, noticing the gray in his hair. Her eyes grew warm and her heart ached as she thought about how he had quietly aged. It seemed like just yesterday he was still arguing with her with a strong voice.

Before going to bed, Yao Jia sent a message to Yao Bingkun.

She said, “Dad, you did great today!”

There was one more thing she kept on the tip of her tongue, unwilling to say it out loud, cherishing it in her heart.

—Being your daughter, I’m quite proud.

— Translator’s Notes —

• WeChat: WeChat (微信) is a versatile Chinese app for messaging, social networking, payments, and group chats, widely used in China as an all-in-one communication tool.