Zhang Tianxing had not expected the attitudes of these restaurant owners to change so quickly, especially since this was only the beginning and he still had more subtle moves up his sleeve.
Fortunately, it wasn't a complete backlash. When Zhang Tianxing delivered the crawfish today, a few restaurants claimed to have found better suppliers and would no longer be sourcing from him.
Zhang Tianxing expressed his understanding, knowing that forcing a relationship wouldn't work, and he had seen his share of people burning bridges after crossing them.
Seeing Zhang Tianxing's calm reaction, several owners were taken aback. They had expected him to at least inquire why they were no longer ordering from him after losing their business. They had agreed to purchase from him at market prices after learning the techniques. Zhang Tianxing's simple "Okay" was unexpected.
Although Wang Pangzi had found cheaper crawfish, there was a noticeable difference in quality. Two of the owners had intended to use this as an opportunity to negotiate a lower price. Experienced restaurateurs always kept a few tricks up their sleeves and wouldn't blindly trust Wang Pangzi's word. However, they were more curious about Zhang Tianxing's reaction. Since crawfish was his initiative, they wondered if he had any contingency plans, as this young man was not simple.
Now, it seemed Zhang Tianxing was prepared for this. Had he anticipated this from the beginning? Nevertheless, since things had reached this point, they would remain civil for now. They would let Wang Pangzi take the lead.
Zhang Tianxing made his rounds. Six restaurants decided to stop ordering from him. Only two explicitly stated they would not, while the other four cited poor business and declining sales, saying they would reconsider later. The rest continued to order as agreed, indicating that someone was stirring up trouble. He wondered if Wang Pangzi or Boss Xie would be the first to make a move, as they had acted quite decisively.
However, it didn't matter. Zhang Tianxing had planned for this from the start and hadn't placed all his hopes on the restaurants. True success came from the masses. His aunt was already prepared for everything, ready for wholesale and retail, whichever was more profitable. Now seemed like the perfect time to open their storefronts. As the saying goes, "He who wins the individual investors wins the world," and the same applied to selling crawfish.
...
As the sound of magpies heralded good news, a mailman delivered a letter to Zhang Tianxing. Upon opening it, his face lit up with joy. It was a fortuitous find, exactly what he had been looking for. The letter contained a copy of the "Zhonghai Daily" from two days prior, with the second page largely dedicated to crawfish, under the headline "The Future and Prospects of Crawfish." This was a short article Zhang Tianxing had written in his spare time to promote crawfish.
It seemed the Zhonghai Daily had reacted first. The timely publication of this article was more effective than countless advertisements. It represented the official stance of Zhonghai and came at an opportune moment. This era was one of seeking development and change.
Zhang Tianxing's article sparked a discussion among the editors. "This is the opportunity we've been looking for. Relying on the mountains for food, the water for food; relying on feng shui for feng shui, and local specialties for specialties. Crawfish is an excellent entry point!"
There were, of course, dissenting voices. "This author has never published anything before. We need to ensure the authenticity of the event and not rely solely on the contributor's account." The two factions almost came to blows, but the chief editor made the final decision: send a team to investigate. After all, the distance was not far, and a hotel in Zhonghai had already opened with crawfish as its main attraction. This was one of the Yan family's restaurants, and if it succeeded, the Yan family would likely promote it widely. Crawfish would then become a trend.
Those who foresaw this would profit. As leaders in the newspaper industry, they possessed political acumen. Success would be theirs, and any failures could be blamed on subordinates. Why not take the chance? The chief editor decisively dispatched staff, demanding an answer within a day.
The individuals sent to investigate tasted the crawfish and were thoroughly impressed, leading to the article's publication in the Zhonghai Daily. The article caused a sensation! Zhang Tianxing's piece was like a thunderclap, stirring up a storm.
This was clearly evident in the Yangcheng County Committee Office. The leadership team was holding a discussion meeting, with several basins of crawfish on the table. "Our Yangcheng has no resources, no unique geographical advantages; it's just an ordinary small county, an agricultural county that has always been a nationally designated impoverished county. Now, a turning point has finally appeared, and that is the crawfish on this table. Please share your thoughts."
...
The culinary world was also abuzz. Boss Zhou of Haizailai was worried. The crawfish market had finally opened up, and now, there were internal factions wanting to disrupt it. It was comical, but in the business world, capital often played a decisive role. He personally hoped for Zhang Tianxing's success, as he had originated the idea and possessed a deeper understanding of crawfish. His continued promotion would be far more impactful than Boss Wang's. However, he lacked the authority to suppress Wang Pangzi, especially with Boss Xie's support. A battle between two tigers would inevitably result in casualties.
However, this situation far exceeded his expectations. It seemed departments from all over the county had paid visits, their focus invariably on crawfish. Upon inquiring with a familiar official, he learned that this was a good thing; the higher-ups had decided to vigorously promote crawfish. Boss Zhou realized this was bad. If Wang Pangzi and Zhang Tianxing competed now, neither would fare well. Wang Pangzi might be alright, but it would be a shame if Zhang Tianxing, the creator, was sidelined.
Events were unfolding beyond anyone's control. Following the publicity from the Zhonghai Daily, the number of people coming to eat crawfish had quadrupled in the past two days. Wang Pangzi's plan was forced to a halt before he could even implement it. There was no choice; the crowds were overwhelming, and the supply quickly dwindled. Every establishment selling crawfish was packed.
"It's even been featured in the Zhonghai Daily. As a Yangcheng native, I feel a bit regretful for trying it only now."
"Delicious! All the flavors are great. Whoever came up with this idea is a genius."
"Indeed. Initially, crawfish was considered animal feed. With the guidance of a master, feed has become a delicacy."
Amidst the booming business for crawfish at various restaurants, an unexpected incident occurred. Guests at Boss Wang's establishment suffered collective food poisoning, with over thirty people exhibiting varying degrees of adverse reactions. Many guests vomited and had diarrhea, and the entire restaurant was in chaos.
Wang Pangzi, covered in sweat, his jowls trembling, exclaimed, "What in the world is happening? After finally getting a full house, this problem arises. How can I keep my restaurant running?" He then thought, thirty people with food poisoning? No, it must be Zhang Tianxing. He probably hired people to cause trouble because I stopped buying his crawfish. That kid is ruthless! I only threw a cockroach in once, and he's retaliating by making so many people fake poisoning! I didn't expect Zhang Tianxing to be so venomous, trying to destroy me by having so many people pretend to be sick!