Chen Yansen was about to retreat to a corner to catch his breath when Zhang Yifeng approached, a well-dressed middle-aged man in tow.
"Brother Sen, let me introduce Mr. Min Jie, General Manager of Online Channels for Metersbonwe. Mr. Min, this is my boss, Mr. Chen Yansen, founder of FoxTao."
"A pleasure, Mr. Min." Chen Yansen extended his hand, his grip firm.
Min Jie was in his thirties, wearing a sharp royal blue blazer, his short hair neat, face resolute. Yet, a trace of unease lingered between his brows.
"Mr. Chen, I heard from Yifeng about FoxTao's 20-million-RMB 11.11 sales. Impressive! A true young prodigy. At your age, I barely knew what a computer was," Min Jie said, his handshake lingering, his words laced with flattery.
"You're too kind, Mr. Min. Your experience is what we juniors need to learn from," Chen Yansen replied, a faint smile on his lips. He gestured toward a quieter area. "Shall we discuss somewhere more private?"
The year 2010 was harsh for Metersbonwe. Blind expansion, compounded by a retail slump, had buried the company under a mountain of inventory—clothing worth 30% of its total assets sat frozen in warehouses.
To stem the bleeding, headquarters had mobilized over 300 staff to launch their own e-commerce platform: Meigou.com. Min Jie was the man in charge, and he was at this conference hunting for external traffic lifelines.
Hearing Zhang Yifeng mention FoxTao's "over 1 million daily active users" had piqued his interest instantly.
Once settled in a private room, Min Jie cut to the chase. "Mr. Chen, our group's self-operated platform launches mid-next month. We'd like to integrate your CPS interface then..."
For a shopping guide site to partner with a B2C platform, a CPS (Cost-Per-Sale) interface was essential—it enabled link redirects, order tracking, and precise commission calculations.
"Opening the interface is no issue, Mr. Min," Chen Yansen agreed readily. "But have you set your base commission rates? Different rates command different levels of promotional push from FoxTao."
He was happy to partner. This fast-fashion giant, once dominant from Shanghai's Nanjing Road to small-town alleys, though now fading, still held sway in lower-tier cities.
But every deal had its price. If Min Jie wasn't generous, FoxTao would relegate the links to a back page with minimal exposure.
"Across all categories... a flat 10% commission," Min Jie stated after a long pause.
Chen Yansen smiled but didn't bite. Instead, he pivoted. "Mr. Min, let's try a different model. Apparel is visual. It needs eyeballs. How about we start with your Taobao flagship store? A co-branded promotional event. I'll drive millions of visits directly to you."
Millions of visits? A dedicated brand event?
Min Jie's brow furrowed. The offer was tempting, but he knew free lunches didn't exist. The conditions would be steep.
"What are your requirements, Mr. Chen?" he asked directly.
"Yuncheng, show Mr. Min the brand partnership resource package," Chen Yansen instructed.
Song Yuncheng nodded, producing her laptop. She opened a PPT and walked Min Jie through the premium placement options:
Homepage pop-up (1M daily views, 300K clicks): List price 600,000 RMB.
Dynamic sidebar banner (800K daily views, 240K clicks): 400,000 RMB.
Dedicated brand campaign page (800K daily views, 240K clicks): 500,000 RMB.
...And more. The total package: 2 million RMB.
Min Jie inhaled sharply, his face darkening. He hadn't expected Chen Yansen to come out swinging so hard.
"Mr. Chen, Meigou is a startup. Funds are tight everywhere. It's not that we can't muster 2 million, but you must convince me this investment will generate 10 million in sales."
"I'll waive the 2 million fee. Consider it my gesture of friendship," Chen Yansen said magnanimously, waving a hand. "But the commission rates... that's where I need to see your sincerity."
Min Jie was taken aback. He thought for a moment. "I understand the 'brand zone' strategy. For 10 featured 'flash sale' items, I can offer a 90% commission—you keep 90%, we cover payment fees for the remaining 10%. Total goods value: 2 million RMB. For the remaining standard items... 30% commission."
Chen Yansen shook his head. "For the standard items, I want 70%."
This was his personal negotiation. He'd already waived millions in ad fees. A 30% cut was insulting. If sales only hit two or three million, it would be a failure for FoxTao's first major brand campaign.
"70% is impossible. With inventory, labor, logistics... we'd be selling at a loss. At most, 40%," Min Jie countered, though he left the door open.
"Mr. Min," Chen Yansen leaned back, his tone casual yet piercing. "I'm here to save you. Clothes rotting in a warehouse are just trash. Turning them into cash flow is what keeps Metersbonwe breathing."
He'd aimed straight for the jugular—Metersbonwe's inventory crisis, which would haunt the brand for the next decade. He intended to make this partnership the explosive success that defined FoxTao's "brand zone" strategy.
Min Jie fell silent, deep in thought for a long minute before sighing. "I can't give 70% on new season items. Older stock... maybe. But that's beyond my sole authority."
"Mr. Min, items from three to five seasons ago are fine. I'm not picky. I just need quality and cleanliness guaranteed," Chen Yansen conceded, stating his terms.
"Please, excuse me for a moment. I need to make a call." Min Jie stood abruptly and left with his assistant.
Once they were gone, Zhang Yifeng leaned in. "Brother Sen, will he agree? 70% commission is like giving everything at a 30% discount!"
"I originally wanted 80%. I held back considering his position and authority. Don't worry. For apparel brands drowning in inventory, it's a choice between a slow death and a potential lifeline." Chen Yansen's smile was thin.
"I remember watching Meteor Shower and thinking Metersbonwe was some international luxury brand," Chen Xu chuckled.
"A starved camel is still bigger than a horse. They still do billions in annual revenue. If not for managerial missteps burying them in stock, they could be China's top casualwear brand right now," Chen Yansen remarked coolly.
How could you drive a hard bargain if the other party wasn't desperate?
For consumers craving brand names at a steal, deadstock was the golden ticket.
After some time, Min Jie returned.
"President Chen," he said, raising a hand. "To a pleasant cooperation. Your commission request has been approved."
"The pleasure is ours, Mr. Min. Choosing FoxTao will be the wisest decision you make this year." Chen Yansen shook his hand, confidence unwavering.
Min Jie smiled, then summoned the operations manager for the Taobao flagship store. Together with Chen Xu and Zhang Yifeng, they hammered out details: product selection, launch timeline, scheduling, after-sales, payment terms, and—critically—a security deposit.
B2C commission settlements relied on the platform's accounting. Delayed payments could tie FoxTao up in lawsuits for years, while user rebates still had to be paid. Advanced funds were a vulnerability.
Moreover, the expected order volume was huge. Without a deposit, last-minute price changes, post-event markup, or quality issues would devastate user trust.
Despite Min Jie's prolonged bargaining, Chen Yansen held firm: an 800,000 RMB deposit was non-negotiable. Any breach of contract, and that money would compensate users.
"Mr. Chen, you drive a hard bargain. The event is set for November 28th. The rest is in your hands." Min Jie sighed, reluctantly agreeing.
"Price protection on Taobao events is crucial, Mr. Min. If there are discrepancies, I won't hesitate to deduct the difference from your deposit for user compensation," Chen Yansen stated as they stood.
"Understood. I'll handle it personally." Min Jie could tell Chen Yansen wasn't bluffing.
"After this, Mr. Chen, you must visit Shanghai. I'll host you properly—we'll drink to our success!" Min Jie said warmly.
"It's a date! Don't forget to call!" Chen Yansen laughed.
Min Jie chuckled, slinging an arm around Chen Yansen's shoulder as they walked back to the banquet hall, the picture of new allies.
That evening, as Taobao's top external traffic contributor for 11.11, FoxTao received the "Annual Best Partner" award.
Chen Xu, Zhang Yifeng, and Song Yuncheng huddled for a goofy photo with the trophy.
"So stingy. No actual perks, just a piece of metal." Chen Yansen muttered under his breath, glancing at Zhang Yong and Hu Zhilong on stage.
Still, the trip wasn't wasted. The Metersbonwe deal had reignited the thrill of the game.
The next day, the group split in Hangzhou. Chen Xu and Zhang Yifeng went to Shanghai with Min Jie's team—to handpick products, inspect quality, and soak up industry insights. To thrive, they needed to understand the supply chain: fabrics, costs, quality control.
Chen Yansen, meanwhile, took Song Yuncheng to a hot spring resort in Jinling for a day's relaxation. Two straight days of business talks demanded a reset.
Regrettably, Song Yuncheng flatly refused to change into a swimsuit, which remained the trip's greatest disappointment.
Late on the 17th, they returned to Xucheng Academy.
"The dorms are locked. What's your plan? Want to crash at my place?" Chen Yansen offered casually.
"Boss... can I just get a hotel?" Song Yuncheng asked cautiously, pulling her suitcase.
"Sure. I'll head home then." Chen Yansen waved and turned to leave.
"Wait! Boss, you're not going to reimburse me?" Song Yuncheng hurried after him.
"Reimburse? The business trip is over. You think the company is your personal ATM?" Chen Yansen shot her an exasperated look.
Song Yuncheng stood frozen for a second, her mind racing through the math of paying for a hotel herself. Defeated, she trudged after Chen Yansen.