Rebirth Starting as a Stock Market Enthusiast

Chapter 154 Chen Hanyuan's Phone Call

In Shanghai, Chen Hanyuan sat in his study, staring at the screen and letting out a cold laugh.

With his shrewd eye honed over decades of navigating the business world, he saw through the farce at a glance. All that talk of heartbreak and devastation was just a ridiculous fabrication.

Chen Hanyuan sneered.

He originally thought that by cutting off Xilan's offline cooperation channels, the girl would obediently bow her head and admit defeat.

I never expected her to go online and do all this fancy stuff.

Want to revive brick-and-mortar brands through online marketing?

That's absolutely out of the ordinary.

Chen Hanyuan shook his head. He had been navigating the business world for decades, and his belief lay in the importance of substantial offline channels and maintaining a network of high-end clients.

What are those fans who just watch the show online? Millions or tens of millions of views seem impressive, but when it comes to actually spending real money, how many people will actually buy in?

Haute couture is not a cheap snack. Without the fitting experience of a physical store and the endorsement of a high-end shopping mall, online traffic has no conversion value.

This girl is still too young.

He picked up the phone on the table, found Chen Xi's number, and dialed it.

An old house in a water town in Jiangnan.

Chen Xi was helping Aunt Lan clear the dishes when her phone, which was in her apron pocket, vibrated.

She took it out and glanced at the screen.

Chen Xi's smile vanished instantly, and her peach blossom eyes narrowed slightly.

Aunt Lan leaned over for a look, and her expression changed. She quickly took the bowl and chopsticks from Chen Xi's hands and whispered, "Go and take them. Speak properly, and don't talk back to your father."

Chen Xi wiped her hands on her apron, walked to the old locust tree outside the yard, and pressed the answer button.

"Are you in the countryside?"

The voice on the other end of the phone was deep and steady, revealing no emotion.

"Mm," Chen Xi replied, walking to the old locust tree and leaning against the trunk.

"I watched the video." Chen Hanyuan's voice was completely calm, as if he were presenting a business report that had nothing to do with him. "The acting was good. The sympathy-gaining tactics, though old-fashioned, are enough to deal with those brainless young people online."

Chen Xi didn't speak, but simply kicked the fallen leaves on the ground with her toes.

"Come back when you've had enough." Chen Hanyuan's voice finally carried a hint of impatience. "Come back now, transfer the company, and go to work honestly. It's not too late."

"I'm not going."

Chen Xi's answer was concise and to the point.

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

Only Chen Hanyuan's slightly heavy breathing came through the receiver.

Chen Xi could even picture the man on the other end of the phone, a cigar in his hand, his brow furrowed.

"Chen Xi, I'm telling you this one last time," Chen Hanyuan's voice turned cold. "You're too young, you don't understand the market at all! Let me put it this way: even if you have a lot of fans, and rely on the initial hype to achieve some sales, you can't build a lasting brand! Your fans aren't as solid and reliable as you think. Online traffic? Fan economy? Do you think that's the foundation that can support a high-end brand? It's a bubble! It'll burst with the slightest touch!"

"Tens of millions of views, how many real customers can that convert into? A hundred? Or two hundred? What's the cost of one of your garments? What's the profit margin? Do you really think your factory can start operating and your designers can get paid just because those students who can't even afford their rent are liking your posts?"

"XiXi, a high-end brand, cannot be built on luck alone. It requires foundation, connections, and decades of unwavering commitment to quality. These are things that online traffic, which is ephemeral, cannot provide."

Chen Xi did not refute.

Shen Fei's face inexplicably flashed through her mind.

The man was downstairs at the company, eating a two-yuan starch sausage without a care for his image.

But this man, who is so fond of eating starch, can stir up a storm on the internet with just a few casual moves.

"I'm giving you three days. Delete all that nonsense online, come back to Shanghai, and go to work properly."

Thinking of this, Chen Xi's smile widened even more.

"Dad, times have changed." Chen Xi's tone was calm but firm. She stopped kicking the fallen leaves and stood up straight, looking at the dense branches of the old locust tree in the yard. "What you believed in might have been useful in the past. But now, the future belongs to those who understand young people."

"You understand?" Chen Hanyuan's tone was full of disdain and a hint of heartache as a father. "What do you understand? Do you understand the warp and weft density of fabrics? Do you understand supply chain management? Do you understand the social circles of high-end customers? Chen Xi, you are my daughter, and I don't want to see you waste your talents on such meaningless things."

"The path I've laid out for you is the safest and most efficient way to success."

Chen Hanyuan's voice softened, as if he were teaching an ignorant child.

"But that's not what I want."

Chen Xi interrupted him.

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was like a pebble dropped precisely into a calm lake.

"Dad, I don't want to live in the circle you've drawn for me. I want to try and break through it myself. If I succeed, that's my skill. Even if I end up battered and bruised, I'll accept it."

"you----"

"beep."

Chen Xi hung up the phone immediately.

The whole world fell silent instantly, with only the evening breeze in the courtyard rustling through the locust tree leaves.

She took a deep breath, and the pent-up frustration in her chest seemed to be completely released with that phone call.

After Chen Hanyuan hung up the phone, the courtyard of the old house was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Chen Xi gripped her phone tightly, her fingertips turning slightly white from the pressure. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and felt the unique dampness and fragrance of grass and trees characteristic of the Jiangnan water towns.

When she opened her eyes again, her gaze fell on the camera two meters away.

"Aunt Lan, let's continue."

Chen Xi's voice was soft, yet it carried an undeniable decisiveness.

She sat back down on the small stool, rolled up her light blue sleeves, revealing a section of her fair wrist.

The flickering flames in the stove reflected in her beautiful peach blossom eyes, making them look like they held scattered stars.

Meanwhile, in Anyuan County, Feiyu Media...

Shen Fei stared at the screen, his fingers flying across the mouse.

The video editing is nearing completion.

He didn't add any fancy special effects; he simply edited together Chen Xi's loneliness in Snow City and the tranquility of her embroidery in the old house through a series of montage shots.

On one side is the despair of someone dressed in fiery red, and on the other is the indifference of someone dressed in serene blue.

This extreme visual contrast, combined with the sounds of wind, water, and the rustling of needle and thread cutting through silk, brings the word "redemption" to its fullest potential.

"Done."

Shen Fei pressed the save button and sent the video directly to Chen Xi.