Chapter 078: The Blind Box Game Makes Its Debut

At 12:26 in the night, Wang Tiancai knocked on Zhang Tianfeng’s door, holding his proposal in hand.

When the door opened, he realized the other three colleagues were already waiting in the living room.

No one wanted to be left behind; since they had chosen to stay, they all aimed to climb higher. The other three hadn’t said much, but they had poured their efforts into their proposals, racking their brains for a chance at the startup funds Zhang Tianfeng would provide.

“Boss, I’ve finished the plan. Please have a look,” Wang Tiancai said, handing over his proposal.

As Zhang Tianfeng opened the document, the first word that leapt out was “Wholesale!”

Wang Tiancai’s idea was straightforward: since the other side was intent on making trouble by selling at a loss, they should cooperate and snap up the goods at low prices.

They didn’t need to buy out all the inventory, just enough to gain sufficient starting materials to commence wholesale operations.

The only slightly novel part was that Wang Tiancai incorporated an alternative mix-and-match wholesale model, such as “three items for ten bucks.”

The main focus was on toys, but he would also sell small, practical items like nail clippers, writing brushes, and scrubbers—cheap but useful, perfect for promotions.

Wang Tiancai’s proposal was detailed, listing each implementation stage, the capital investment and expected returns, anticipated profits, and possible conflicts or problems.

Zhang Tianfeng nodded and set the proposal aside. “Your plan is good, much like the other three, and there’s a chance to make money.”

Hearing this, Wang Tiancai’s lips curled into a bitter smile. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the three sitting on the sofa.

Li Yuehe, Chu Hongyuan, and Cai Yun were the remaining salespeople.

Li Yuehe had worked in the sales department of a state-owned beverage company; Chu Hongyuan was formerly in management within the system, now on leave to try his luck in private business; and Cai Yun was a self-taught migrant worker, eager to learn and try new things.

In Wang Tiancai’s mind, none of them compared to him—he’d once managed a sales department of several hundred people.

Yet the very people he looked down on had come up with essentially the same plan as his. This left Wang Tiancai feeling somewhat dejected and also proved that the plan itself was mediocre.

No wonder Zhang Tianfeng wasn’t surprised; it was only to be expected.

Zhang Tianfeng sat up, resting his elbows on his knees. “All four of you want the sales manager’s seat, and your plans are all feasible.”

“So, I’ve decided to give each of you fifteen thousand yuan as startup capital. The rule remains: in the end, whoever earns the most becomes the sales manager.”

“The sales manager’s salary is two thousand a month, plus quarterly sales bonuses.”

“The benefits are excellent, far above industry standards, but there’s only one position. Whether you get it or not depends on your abilities.”

Two thousand a month plus quarterly bonuses—when they heard this, the four of them could no longer sit still.

The compensation was beyond their imagination, like manna from heaven—almost unreal.

“You still have two days. The funds will be in place tomorrow morning. Go home and rest now.”

The four nodded and left. Zhang Tianfeng sighed, holding his head in his hands, sighing repeatedly.

“Aren’t your expectations a bit too high for them?” Gao Ran stepped in from the balcony. “From what I see, their abilities are decent.”

“Decent, but nowhere near worth the salary I’m offering,” Zhang Tianfeng replied, rubbing his temples. “If I had better people, those four wouldn’t even catch my eye.”

None of the four proposals satisfied him; they all revolved around “wholesale and promotions.”

What they could think of, Xu Kuangdao could think of too. The toys Silver Mill had taken away numbered in the hundreds of thousands. Even if they teamed up for a price war, sixty thousand yuan wouldn’t be enough.

Let’s see how things unfold. If it comes to it, I’ll do it myself.

“I get it—‘a thousand gold for a good horse’s bones,’” Gao Ran said with a sly smile, settling into a chair. “But at this rate, finding the salespeople you want might be a bit tricky.”

“Talent is always scarce, which is why I’m entering the talent market—to get ahead. Besides, there’s nothing wrong with high standards, is there?” Zhang Tianfeng looked up with a smile.

“True,” Gao Ran nodded.

Zhang Tianfeng massaged his brow and smiled brightly. “Thanks for your concern. You should get some rest.”

“Rest? Someone promised to treat me to dinner and still hasn’t kept their word,” Gao Ran said sourly.

“Sorry, I forgot about that.” Zhang Tianfeng patted his forehead, smiling. “I admit my mistake. You pick the place—anything, no matter how pricey. Are you still mad?”

“Did you give the same speech to that foreign girl last night?” Gao Ran asked, already reminding herself not to get angry—there was no reason or need to care.

After all, she was just an illegitimate child; she should’ve let go of these things by now.

But when she pictured Zhang Tianfeng and Alice drinking together at the bar, a fire flared up inside her, impossible to suppress.

“No, with her it was probably just a one-night fling,” Zhang Tianfeng replied.

The name “Rothschild” made things feel uncertain. He wasn’t afraid of that family—give him time and leverage, and he could pry fortunes from the earth.

But with Alice, who knew what she was thinking? Maybe she just admired his talent, and after the initial thrill, the feeling faded. Or maybe there were other reasons.

He’d deal with it later.

“You really are a scoundrel,” Gao Ran snapped.

“All right, just treat me as one,” Zhang Tianfeng said, standing up. “Let’s go now. Call your dad, and Brother Fu as well.”

“My dad’s out on business and won’t be back until tomorrow. No need to call Fu Tianfeng either—tonight it’s just us two.”

“Are you sure?”

“What, are you afraid? I’m a woman and I’m not scared—why should you be? It’s not like we haven’t had drinks alone before.”

Zhang Tianfeng hadn’t minded before, but now, the way Gao Ran looked at him was like a predator eyeing its prey.

He was genuinely afraid!

“All right, you pick the place.”

“Hmph, eating with me and you still look so reluctant. Others would kill for this chance.”

Faced with the jealous and pouting Gao Ran, the only thing Zhang Tianfeng could do was admit defeat and offer no arguments; otherwise, he’d bring even more trouble upon himself.

Not far downstairs was a bustling street lined with food stalls. Under the night sky, the aroma of all kinds of delicacies wafted through the air, tempting every nighttime jogger to abandon their weight-loss plans.

“I’m allergic to seafood. Order whatever you like,” Zhang Tianfeng said.

“Allergic?” Gao Ran frowned.

Coming to the seaside and not eating seafood was like never coming at all! Worst case, she’d take her allergy medicine first, then eat seafood.

In the end, Zhang Tianfeng vetoed this reckless idea—he still wanted to live a while longer.

They ordered some freshwater dishes and vegetables. Zhang Tianfeng wolfed down a bowl of the cheapest egg fried rice, while Gao Ran sat across, eating grilled seafood and gazing aimlessly around.

“So, who do you think is behind this?” She circled back to the antagonist.

Zhang Tianfeng let out a cold laugh. “Who else? Obviously that bastard Xu Kuangdao. I know his plan—force me to give in, make me let Xu Juncong out early.”

“You’re being too simplistic. There’s another family involved.”

“The Chen family?” Zhang Tianfeng was momentarily surprised, but caught on quickly.

Gao Ran nodded. “My dad looked into it today. The Chen family secured the stalls, and they have friends in Port City.”

“That really is unexpected,” Zhang Tianfeng sneered. “Looks like Wang Tiancai and the others won’t be able to withstand the combined assault from those two. I’ll have to come up with another plan.”

Gao Ran looked anxious. “Should I ask my dad to help?”

Zhang Tianfeng was impressive, but his resources were limited. The opposition was two major families combined, with connections she couldn’t even begin to fathom.

“No need, as long as they don’t play dirty. Whether it’s business tactics or manipulating the media, if they dare make a move, I’ll break their claws myself!”

“So what are you planning to do next?” she asked, knowing he wouldn’t be satisfied with the four salespeople’s plans and would devise something else.

After a moment’s thought, Zhang Tianfeng asked, “Does your dad have any contacts at a box factory here?”

Gao Ran was taken aback. “You mean to repackage the products? That’ll cost even more.”

“Half right,” he replied.

“And you can’t tell me the other half?” Gao Ran pouted.

Ah, women—so troublesome!

Zhang Tianfeng rubbed his nose. “You majored in finance. Ever studied gambler’s psychology?”

“Of course. When you win, you want to keep winning; when you lose, you want to win it back.”

To Gao Ran, making money was gambling. Whether it was stocks, futures, or business, anything involving probability was a gamble.

“What I’m planning isn’t just repackaging. I want to add something new—a few surprises,” Zhang Tianfeng said. “Like nail clippers, pencil sharpeners, calligraphy brushes, even cars.”

“Then I’ll tell customers: buy my product, you’re guaranteed a toy, and there’s a chance you’ll get a car.”

“Would you buy it?”

“Depends—how much does it cost?”

Knowing how tricky he could be, Gao Ran needed to be sure.

“Not expensive—just ten yuan each.”

“Then of course I’d buy it! Whether it’s a toy or something practical, it’s worth a shot. At worst, you lose a little; if you hit the jackpot, you make hundreds or thousands of times your money.”

“Exactly.”

This was the simplest form of the mystery box economy, and Zhang Tianfeng was playing it safe.

If he really wanted to rake in money, he could throw in vouchers or cheap vehicles, even used cars.

When it came to hype, he feared no one.

He’d roll out the simplest mystery box model first. If the Xu and Chen families tried to follow suit, he wouldn’t mind letting them be the ones left holding the bag—losing everything they had.