Return to 88: Starting from Marrying My Sister-in-law

In a blink of an eye.

One week.

Lu Yang, who was overjoyed to have a son, and his wife Yin Mingyue have returned home.

Even his mother, Ye Qiuyu, has been staying at his villa in Pengcheng for a week now.

They have no intention of going back.

The answer is that my mother has already quit her job and wants to stay and cherish her grandson more, but is that not allowed?
No one dared to say no.

Lu Yang's stepfather, Meng Wenxian, was afraid of his wife. He also had a job. Although he was the head of the school, he couldn't be absent from his post all the time. In addition, he had a precious daughter in the first year of junior high school. His wife was willing to give up her daughter after having a grandson, but he couldn't bear to. He only stayed in Pengcheng for two days before hurriedly buying a plane ticket and going back.

He left his wife in Shenzhen.

So Lu Yang's villa in Pengcheng became lively. Two mothers, two ideas. One said that this brand of diapers was good, so we should use this one. The other said that it wouldn't work. Things that came from foreigners are not necessarily good. In this hot weather, using such thick diapers would cause heat rash.
Traditional cloth diapers are still the best. At worst, you can just buy some pure cotton cloth and cut it up. Don't make do with old sheets anymore. They're clean, breathable, and reusable. Isn't that great?

Over such a trivial matter, the two mothers-in-law argued endlessly, eventually bringing the matter to Lu Yang and Yin Mingyue's ears, asking them to mediate and determine who was right and whose opinion should be followed...

Who do you listen to?
I wouldn't dare to make such a claim.

The young couple dared not utter a single word, fearing that the two mothers-in-law would start fighting. In the end, they simply brushed it off and let them argue amongst themselves.

Disposable diapers and cloth diapers are both good options. Disposable diapers are convenient, quick, and save a lot of trouble, but if you don't change them frequently, they can easily cause heat rash on a baby's bottom. Cloth diapers are breathable, but they are more troublesome and need to be changed frequently, otherwise the result will be the same.

Furthermore, besides the issue of diapers, the two mothers-in-law even argued over preparing postpartum meals for their daughter and daughter-in-law who were in confinement.

Every day, I would stew peanuts and pig's feet, stew red dates and old hen, and make crucian carp soup with tongcao (tetrapanax papyriferus), because these all promote lactation. With more milk, my grandson will grow up to be healthy and chubby.

One person said, "No, eating like this every day, are you trying to fatten my daughter up like a pig? She needs to start recovering quickly after giving birth. She should drink more Five Red Porridge, Angelica and Astragalus Chicken Soup, Yam and Pork Rib Soup... to replenish qi and blood, strengthen the spleen and stomach, and she can lose weight and get back in shape right after the postpartum period."

One person said, "No, if you feed like this, how can you produce enough breast milk?"

One said, "My son-in-law is worth hundreds of millions. Does he lack the milk to feed his child?"

"At worst, I'll hire a wet nurse for the child. In any case, I can't continue to mistreat my daughter."

One person said, "Oh dear, how is this considered mistreating your daughter? Don't I know how to cherish my own daughter-in-law? How can the milk produced by a hired wet nurse be as nourishing as the breast milk of one's own mother? Besides, it's not like she'll be drinking it every day from now on. Drinking a little during the postpartum period can help with lactation and is also very nourishing. It's such a good thing. The older generation wanted to drink it but couldn't get it. Why are you complaining about it?"

"Son, you should say something fair."

“Daughter, listen to your mother. We can’t just focus on increasing milk production and stuff everything into your stomach. If we’re not careful now, you’ll regret it when your body doesn’t recover well after your postpartum period.”

Whose advice should we listen to this time?

The couple remained silent, because both mothers had valid points.

Actually, it's not bad overall.

"How about 13579, Mom, I'll leave your daughter-in-law's postpartum meals to you, 246810, Mother-in-law, you can cook them, I'll entrust my wife to you, I promise I won't let my mom interfere."

Finally, Lu Yang made the final decision, and the problem of postpartum meals was finally solved.

However, more conflicts arose between the two mothers-in-law, eventually becoming too much for Lu Yang to handle.

slipped.

He took his wife and his baby son, who was less than a month old, and ran away.

Under the cover of darkness and on a quiet night, while the two elderly people were asleep, they quietly moved out. Anyway, there were plenty of empty houses in Pengcheng and Luyang. As for this villa, they would leave it to the two elderly people to live in, to stay as long as they wanted, and to quarrel as long as they wanted.

Argue until you're satisfied.

……

"Brother Lu, this time something big has happened."

That day, Lu Yang was at the newly established Coca-Cola factory in Pengcheng, tasting the new Tianfu Coca-Cola flavor.

Having returned from a business trip to Chengdu, Sichuan, and having initially resolved the troubles with Tianfu Cola, Mu Qizhong and Xiao Jun both came to visit.

"What major event has happened that has you all so scared? Has the United Nations invaded again?"

Lu Yang took a sip of the cola he had brought to his lips, frowned, and said, "Hmm, the effervescence is still not enough. The herbal flavor has been reduced, but it still smells a bit medicinal. And the sugar content doesn't seem to be high enough... I'll try again. The taste is much better than before, but I still need to continue adjusting it."

As he spoke, he handed the Coke cup in his hand back to the white-coated doctor in front of him.

Since acquiring Tianfu Cola, Lu Yang has been preparing to use Tianfu Cola's formula to create a truly affordable cola suitable for Chinese people. The sweetness should exceed that of Coca-Cola, but not exceed that of Pepsi, ideally falling between the two. The herbal flavor should also be reduced. While this might appeal to some Chinese people who enjoy herbal tea, it will also be criticized by others.

Many people say that Tianfu Cola doesn't taste like cola; it tastes more like herbal tea.

However, Lu Yang felt that since they were making cola, it had to look like cola. In addition, the previous Tianfu Cola had too little effervescence, and sometimes there were almost no bubbles after the bottle was opened for a short time.

This is also where Tianfu Cola is criticized; apart from its effervescence, it's essentially just a type of herbal tea.

What Lu Yang needs to do now is to enhance its effervescence, provide plenty of bubbles, and then increase the sweetness while reducing the herbal taste.

Once it's developed, it must be designed so that people who drink it will feel that it's cola, not some kind of herbal tea.

It has a unique flavor.

Before his rebirth, Lu Yang was a serious cola addict. He loved its sweetness, its bubbly bubbles, and its "couch potato" appeal. He'd have a glass when he was lonely, a glass while discussing politics online, a glass while bragging... refreshing! If that wasn't enough, he'd add ice water. The cola was so cool and refreshing that after one glass, he felt like he was flying. So, Lu Yang had some experience with tasting cola, and for the past month, he'd been looking for someone to adjust the sweetness, the bubbles, and even add some Chinese herbs to the Tianfu Cola recipe.

There have been some initial results, but not many. However, it doesn't matter; time is on his side.

The newly purchased land in Pengcheng has been leveled, and the new Coca-Cola factory is under construction. However, before all the new production lines are in place, installed, and enough workers are recruited...

Time was still on his side; he could have had several more flavors adjusted before finally deciding on the one he considered the best.

Xiao Jun said anxiously, "You can still sit still, but we can't! The news is confirmed. It's not just Pengcheng, but also Chengdu in Sichuan. Pepsi has signed agreements with both local governments to invest $20 million each to expand the Pengcheng Pepsi bottling plant and rename it Pengcheng Pepsi Beverage Company. They've also added an extra $20 million to the Chengdu cannery, renaming it Sichuan Pepsi Beverage Company, and adding production lines for 7UP, Mirinda, and other soft drinks. They're attacking our home base, launching attacks in two places, trying to crush us. What should we do now?"

Although he is not a shareholder of Tianfu Cola, his sister is!

And this money was his sister's dowry!
He needs to keep an eye on his sister.

Lu Yang glanced at Xiao Jun and said calmly, "It's not a big deal. Isn't this something we should have expected? Look at Brother Mu, how calm he is. Is he in a hurry?"

Mu Qizhong wiped the sweat from his forehead and complained, "This damn weather is too hot, haha... I just flew over from Sichuan, which is the Land of Abundance, where the winters are mild and the summers are cool. Qingcheng Mountain is a summer resort. Damn it, I can't get used to it right away. Don't mind me."

If he were to say that he was so anxious that he was sweating on his forehead after being praised by Lu Yang, how embarrassing would that be?

Xiao Jun rolled his eyes.

Mu Qizhong pretended not to see it, chuckled and said, "I knew Brother Lu had a plan. Tell me, what should we do next?"

Lu Yang pondered for a moment, then a thought struck him, and he said, "There's no other way but to strike first. Before they expand their production line, they shouldn't be in a hurry to promote their products. Let's increase our market share and make our advertising known nationwide. We'll use money to boost our brand awareness. Then it will be a real battle. If they want to win and achieve the same brand enhancement effect as we have now, they'll have to spend at least 10 times more on advertising."

Xiao Jun frowned: "But our new factory hasn't been built yet, has it?"

Lu Yang looked at Mu Qizhong and said, "You'll have to ask Lao Mu about that. I had him travel all over the country, especially in Sichuan. We've already fully acquired quite a few of the joint venture factories under Tianfu Cola, right? Now that the money's been spent, I want to see the results. Lao Mu, you tell me, if our Tianfu Cola sales surge, can our production capacity keep up?"

Mu Qizhong frowned, gritted his teeth, and said, "It has to work out, even if it doesn't work out. Don't worry, it should be fine."

After saying that, he whispered, "Brother Lu, how much are you planning to spend on advertising this time? Don't forget that we don't have enough money in our account."

Lu Yang said calmly, "If it's not enough, we'll raise funds. I believe convincing the shareholders shouldn't be difficult, right?"

Tianfu Cola has only two publicly known shareholders, but in reality, it has four parties: Tianfu Cola, Lu Yang, Mu Qizhong, and Qian Youyou. These three together hold 55% of Tianfu Cola's total share capital. In other words, as long as the three of them agree, the financing can be put on the agenda.

Mu Qizhong chuckled and said, "Don't rush that... Um... Brother Lu, can you give us a hint first, where are we going to air this ad? On CCTV at 7:30? Or...?"

"All the good advertising slots on CCTV at 7:30 this year are already sold out. Even the advertising slots for the New Year's Eve dinner and Spring Festival Gala have been snapped up. Let's wait until next year. Isn't this the Asian Games year? Let's bid for the Asian Games broadcast title sponsorship. I've already thought of the advertising slogan: Tianfu Cola, cheering for the Chinese athletes!"

"hiss--"

Mu Qizhong and Xiao Jun exchanged a glance, their eyes lighting up. Then, Mu Qizhong said in a low voice, with a hint of pain in his voice, "This must cost a lot of money, right?"

Lu Yang: "Yes, that's a lot of money, but not too much. I estimate 1000 million would be enough."

Mu Qizhong patted his chest and let out a long breath, saying, "That's good, that's good. 1000 million isn't much. With the money in the company's account right now, we should be able to handle it."

Lu Yang shook his head. "Simply securing an Asian Games title sponsorship won't achieve our goal. It will only provoke a stronger rebuttal from the other side. I plan to secure an even hotter project to completely shut them down. Even if they want to retaliate, they'll have to wait until next year, because there aren't any hotter projects to advertise this year."

Mu Qizhong's eyes lit up, and he leaned closer, saying, "Tell me quickly, what project makes you so confident?"

Lu Yang replied inscrutably, "A TV series."

"What?"

"Don't underestimate the advertising effect of TV dramas. It will be a phenomenon this year, and I predict that it will be difficult for any TV drama to surpass its ratings within five years."

That's still a conservative estimate.

Because Lu Yang has the memories of being reborn, in his memory, the historical drama "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," which is about to be broadcast in October this year, can be described as a ratings miracle in the history of CCTV.

The ratings soared from the very first episode, reaching 46.7% nationwide. During the episodes of the Battle of Red Cliffs and the Battle of Wuzhang Plains, the ratings exceeded 50% nationwide, covering 12 billion people and reaching over 500 million viewers (in 1994, the national television penetration rate was 60%).

What an amazing exposure opportunity this is! Securing the advertising rights for the TV series "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" is like instantly making your brand a household name across the country.

"But it must cost quite a bit of money, right?"

"Yes! I heard that this period drama, 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms,' has the highest investment in history, exceeding 100 million yuan. I don't know if the news is true or not, but advertising on it must be very expensive."

Xiao Jun and Mu Qizhong both had their own agendas. If what Lu Yang said was true, and he was really that confident that the show would be a hit, then this was an excellent opportunity. Not only could Tianfu Cola buy the advertising rights for "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," but also their own companies' products, such as the Little Prodigy Learning Machine, Little Prodigy VCD, and the Hainanshanya villa resort...

"I've already inquired, and the CCTV leaders are very confident in this drama. It's not just us eyeing its commercial breaks; many domestic and international companies are also interested. Luckily, it hasn't aired yet, so if we act early, we should be able to get a better price. Currently, they're offering 20 yuan for a 15-second ad and 50 yuan for a 30-second ad. They'll offer a lower price for long-term cooperation. The drama is planned for 84 episodes, and at 30 yuan per episode for a 30-second ad, the total is 2520 million yuan. Rounding it up, I think I can get it for 2500 million. I'm already in contact with them and plan to go to Beijing in a few days to sign the contract with the CCTV leaders, just in case things change..."

Mu Qizhong couldn't help but ask, "What about the money?"

The company's cash reserves are definitely insufficient to cover both securing the naming rights for the Asian Games and advertising slots for "Romance of the Three Kingdoms".

Lu Yang shook his head. “No rush. I’m not just talking to the CCTV leaders about the Tianfu Cola ad slots, but also about my Little Genius… I’ve prepared 5000 million yuan for the Beijing trip to run ad slots for the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Even if Tianfu Cola doesn’t need them, I have other products under my name that can use them.”

Xiao Jun was displeased upon hearing this, "What about the little prodigy? Why didn't you mention the little prodigy just now? Where is the little prodigy I'm in charge of?"

As the CEO of Little Prodigy, he naturally thinks about what matters wherever he sits.

Lu Yang glanced at him sideways and said irritably, "Are you a pig brain? I'm not the sole shareholder of Little Prodigy anymore. You're its president. Whether or not to take over the advertising slots for 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms' and spend that money, isn't that something you, as the president of Little Prodigy, decide?"

One sentence left Xiao Jun speechless. (End of Chapter)