Can following the rules be called rebirth?

Chapter 312, Section 310: Her Value

Zhou Mingyuan's work style can be summarized in four words.

Pre-emptive strike.

He is used to taking the initiative and never likes to guess passively.

So Zhou Mingyuan spoke up directly, smiling as he turned his gaze toward Dai Ying.

"Sister Dai!"

"You've gone to so much trouble to show us so much about the industry, is there something more to discuss regarding potential collaboration?"

"."

Upon hearing this, Dai Ying was slightly taken aback at first, then giggled. Her laughter was clear and crisp, carrying a hint of composure after being seen through.

"Yes."

She nodded generously, her oval face beaming with a bright smile and her gaze sincere.

"President Zhou is indeed quick-witted and has a sharp eye."

"I do have an idea I'd like to discuss with you."

"How to say?"

Zhou Mingyuan took a sip of tea, gesturing for the other person to continue.

"That's right, Mr. Zhou."

Dai Ying leaned forward slightly and raised her voice.

"This visit to Hangzhou suggests that you're also planning to enter the clothing industry, right?"

"We do have that plan."

Zhou Mingyuan nodded, not denying the other party's guess.

We're all smart people; there's absolutely no need to keep us in suspense or beat around the bush.

“I personally have a very positive outlook on this sector, so I was wondering if we could discuss a collaboration?”

"Oh?"

Zhou Mingyuan raised an eyebrow slightly, but he wasn't too surprised.

"What exactly is the cooperation method? Sister Dai, please be frank."

Dai Ying took a deep breath, clearly having already prepared her speech, and spoke earnestly.

“I will exchange 15 percent of MALA ACTIVE’s shares for 5 percent of your newly established store.”

"what do you think?"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the private room except Zhou Mingyuan was taken aback by Dai Ying's words.

He Min and Du Jianuo exchanged a glance, both seeing shock in each other's eyes, and subconsciously looked at Zhou Mingyuan.

These conditions sound absolutely insane!

Based on current market valuations, MALA ACTIVE is in a pure upward trend.

Since collaborating with Du Jianuo, Dai Ying's Taobao store has seen a surge in monthly sales of yoga pants alone, showing the potential to become one of the top sellers in China.

As an online brand that has already achieved initial success and has a stable customer base and reputation, how could MALA ACTIVE possibly give away its 15% stake to someone else so easily?

That's right.

In the eyes of most employees, Dai Ying's action was no different from giving a gift.

At this juncture, its value clearly far exceeds five percent of a new store that has not yet been born and only exists in a blueprint.

Moreover, everything is still uncertain.

Although Zhou Mingyuan is skilled at traffic generation, whether his physical business will succeed remains to be seen.

This means that Zhou Mingyuan didn't contribute anything substantial; he simply relied on a concept and future potential to acquire a considerable share of Dai Ying's mature and profitable store with nothing but empty promises.

The product category is undecided, the expectations are undecided, and nothing is finalized yet.

Why would a shrewd and capable businesswoman like Dai Ying, who has been navigating the business world for many years, make such a clearly unprofitable deal?

Zhou Mingyuan remained silent for a moment, his mind racing, and he quickly figured out Dai Ying's true intentions.

Clearly, Dai Ying was drawn to Jieyou Media's enormous traffic potential, as well as Zhou Mingyuan's accurate grasp of market trends and his operational capabilities.

During her collaboration with Jieyou, MALA ACTIVE reaped the benefits of increased traffic, with sales multiplying several times over. She experienced the terrifying power of point-to-point sales more directly than anyone else.

Ultimately, she is also investing in the limitless future of Jieyou Media.

On the other hand, Dai Ying's decision was motivated by a desire to diversify risk.

As a shrewd opportunist, Dai Ying understood one principle well.

Eggs cannot be put in the same basket.

MALA ACTIVE's main product is yoga pants. Although it is currently on the rise, the sportswear market is unpredictable, and single-category products are relatively less resilient to risks.

What happens when the hype dies down?
What if people like wearing yoga pants now, but in a few years the market changes, or aesthetics change, and people think they're outdated?
Be prepared for unforeseen circumstances and plan ahead.

Entrepreneur Dai Ying often asks herself this question.

Therefore, she urgently needs to find a wider and more stable way out for herself and seek a second growth curve.

Fortunately, she seemed to have figured out this growth curve on her own.

If she could leverage the massive traffic of Jieyou Media and combine it with her extensive experience in the apparel industry to explore new avenues, it would undoubtedly be a low-risk, high-potentially-return option.

This is a strategic investment that appears unequal but is in fact the result of meticulous calculation.

Having figured out these key points, Zhou Mingyuan raised his head, his gaze returning to Dai Ying's resolute face.

"Sister Dai, if you look at it this way, you've actually made a losing deal."

He spoke slowly, his words carrying a profound meaning.

Did I lose out?

Dai Ying lowered her head and took a sip of tea, the rising steam momentarily blurring her expression.

"I don't think this is a losing business."

A moment of silence fell over the tea room.

All that remained was the soft gurgling of the kettle and the increasingly dense raindrops outside the window.

"Sister Dai, a replacement ratio of 15% to 5%. You have so much confidence in us?"

“When doing business, you always have to have a long-term vision. I trust my judgment and I also trust your abilities, Mr. Zhou.”

Dai Ying seemed to have anticipated his question.

The smile on her face did not diminish at all; on the contrary, it made her more patient because of the other person's keen observation.

"Of course I'm confident."

Dai Ying continued, speaking calmly and unhurriedly, as if stating a perfectly natural fact.

"I believe that a successful collaboration does not depend on whether the initial investment is absolutely equal on paper, but on whether the potential value created by the complementary resources of both parties is maximized."

"Then where is your value?"

With a smile, Zhou Mingyuan addressed the question that concerned him most.

"Our value."

Dai Ying smiled and tapped her middle finger twice on the table.

"right here."

"Look at you, Mr. Zhou, you're a strategist, a genius at traffic management."

"Your time and energy should be focused on critical decisions."

"For example, the brand's top-level design, core marketing campaigns, and capital operations."

Her words were full of affirmation of Zhou Mingyuan's abilities, and then she changed the subject and got to the point.

"But in Hangzhou, or in the entire apparel industry supply chain, many details take time, experience, and learning by doing."

"For example, we might go to each factory, check each production process, and select the most suitable fabric from thousands of options."

"For example, recruiting, training, and managing an efficient e-commerce team to handle the daily grind of customer service, warehousing, and logistics; or like I am today, personally going to Sijiqing Market to snag the latest designs, find the most promising styles, and interview, screen, and manage those delicate trial models."

At this point, Dai Ying shrugged slightly and smiled. "These tasks are tedious, time-consuming, and mentally taxing. They require a deep understanding of the local market, a grasp of industry details, and a significant investment of time."

"Frankly speaking, these things are not exactly high-tech jobs that I am indispensable for. Any senior person who has been working in the industry for a few years can do them."

She picked up the teacup again, but instead of drinking it all, she ran her fingertips along the warm cup, her gaze fixed intently on Zhou Mingyuan, before uttering the most crucial sentence.

"But, Mr. Zhou, wouldn't our old friend feel more at ease if I handled all of this?"

"We can ensure that every step from product development to final product launch meets your requirements for brand positioning and clothing quality, avoiding detours and learning costs due to poor communication or lack of experience."

"I think the value lies in the time cost, opportunity cost, and trial and error cost that it saves you."

"A 5% figure isn't excessive, is it?"

After she finished speaking, she slightly raised her chin, took a sip of hot tea, and then gracefully put the empty cup back in its place, leaning back slightly against the chair back.

She gazed at Zhou Mingyuan with a smile, patiently awaiting his response.

The tea room fell silent again, but this silence was different from the previous one.

The air seemed to freeze, and every passing second felt like a weighing of enormous gains and losses.

That's a bit interesting.

Zhou Mingyuan did not respond immediately, but a smile still lingered on his lips.

I must say, the suggestion that Mr. Dai made is quite interesting.

In fact, he was thinking about more than just the immediate value of Dai Ying's 15 percent stake in MALA ACTIVE.

It is also what she promised—all these worry-free services—can create for him in the future.

Accepting this proposal means that he will be significantly bound to this shrewd and highly proactive woman.

Are we losing money?
Of course you won't lose out.

With his foresight, he knew that yoga pants, as a super item, would not only remain popular for the next decade, but would also become a fashion hit.

Even without any added value services, if Zhou Mingyuan simply exchanged his new startup for shares with Dai Ying, he would still have gotten a great deal.

Moreover, Dai Ying has made so many willing sacrifices.

"It is indeed the perfect pairing of Longjing tea and Hupao tea; the flavor is lingering and the aftertaste is endless."

Zhou Mingyuan closed his eyes and savored the tea in his cup, a faint sigh of praise escaping his throat.

"Mr. Zhou clearly knows his stuff when it comes to tea."

"The water from Tiger Spring is clear and refreshing, with just the right amount of minerals, which best brings out the fragrance of Longjing tea."

Dai Ying lifted the purple clay teapot, and the water flowed in an elegant arc, filling his empty teacup with a smile.

As she spoke, she turned her wrist slightly, and every movement exuded the graceful demeanor unique to women from Jiangnan.

The delicate elegance of Longjing tea combined with the mellow sweetness of Hupao Spring water is known as the "Twin Wonders of West Lake".

He Min, sitting to the side, scratched her head, looking completely confused.

This tea.
Is there any difference between this and what I usually drink?

Two rounds of tea had passed, but the conversation continued to revolve around local customs and human relationships.

From the legends of West Lake to the changes in Hangzhou, Dai Ying spoke with great familiarity, captivating Du Jianuo and He Min, two newcomers to Hangzhou.

As night fell, Dai Ying insisted on being a good host and led everyone toward West Lake.

The moonlight, like mercury spilling onto the ground, enveloped the Bai Causeway in a hazy, clear glow.

On the lake, a small boat glides slowly by, the boatman wearing a straw hat, his silhouette silhouetted against the moonlight.

The air was wonderful after the rain. A bamboo pole was thrown into the water, shattering the moon's reflection in the pond. The shimmering light rippled and reflected on the young man's face.

The distant lights, hidden deep in the lake, gleamed with a bluish-green luster, reflecting the stars and moon in the sky.

The group boarded a hand-rowed boat, which swayed gently with the waves.

He Min held up her phone and kept taking pictures, her eyes sparkling with joy in the moonlight.

West Lake is so beautiful!

She praised softly, afraid of disturbing the tranquility.

"Yeah yeah!"

Du Jianuo sat next to Zhou Mingyuan and did the same thing.

What are the differences between West Lake and South Lake?

The senior student was taken aback at first, then rolled her eyes at him.

"How can this compare to the fact that the scenery is always the best elsewhere?"

"Nono is right. When we locals travel, we don't think West Lake is that beautiful."

Dai Ying leaned on the edge of the boat with one hand, smiling slightly.

The small boat moved slowly across the lake, the water and wind mingling together.

On the small boat, the world's troubles seem to be shut out, and even the heavy burdens on one's mind seem to become light, as if they can be tossed into the lake without leaving a trace.

Dai Ying gently traced the lake water with her fingertips, but her heart was far from as calm as it appeared.

From the teahouse to the West Lake, Zhou Mingyuan never gave a clear answer.

She wasn't really sure if the collaboration would go through.

Logically, this should be a win-win situation.
No one would refuse.

If it were anyone else, they would have accepted the offer immediately when she presented such generous terms.

But Zhou Mingyuan was someone she couldn't figure out.

He remained unhurried throughout, maintaining a perfectly appropriate distance even though she had shown sufficient sincerity.

What puzzled her even more was that he seemed to have completely forgotten about the collaboration along the way, sometimes spouting witty remarks, sometimes making innocent and carefree jokes, as enthusiastic as a young boy on an outing.

It is precisely these kinds of people who are the most difficult to deal with.

Dai Ying knew that when a person could so openly display their innocence and spontaneity, it precisely showed that they possessed a strong sense of order within themselves.

Because these two traits often mean vulnerability in the adult world.

"Immature" is used to criticize someone for not being mature enough, while "naive" is used to subtly imply that someone is not thoughtful enough.

In the business world, such criticism is almost fatal.

Therefore, those who are not mentally strong always deliberately act deep and composed, for fear of being looked down upon.

Just like a newcomer attending an important occasion for the first time, they will unconsciously put on a serious face and use solemnity to cover up their inner anxiety.

Truly powerful people don't care about these things.

The adult world is always filled with various anxieties.

The prospects of e-commerce, soaring housing prices, and the pressures of life.
Everyone is running as fast as they can.

But Zhou Mingyuan is completely different.

He can showcase his talent, manipulating online traffic at will, or he can point to a cloud on the horizon and earnestly say that it looks like a dozing cat.

He cared about the weather in Hangzhou, the temperature of the lake, and the whereabouts of the birds flying among the trees.

While everyone else was focused on moving forward, he was able to squat down and intently observe the routes ants took when moving house.

Dai Ying has worked with many young people, and she understands one thing.

When children try to act mature, they always appear stiff; while adults who want to live innocently need a complete and powerful inner order.

This order allowed him to ignore external judgments and maintain just the right amount of relaxation.

Like right now.

When the boat docked, Zhou Mingyuan was the first to jump off the bow and turn around to reach out his hand to Dai Ying.

His hands were broad and strong, firmly supporting her arm.

Dai Ying used the momentum to step onto the shore, and heard his gentle voice in her ear, still carrying that unique nonchalance.

"Sister Dai, go back and prepare the contract. Let's sign it before we leave Hangzhou."

The moonlight still gently shines on West Lake, as if nothing has changed.

(End of this chapter)