E-Ladies: Navigating the Wired World
Chapter 119: Episode 119: We Don’t Pay to Delete Content2

Chapter 119: Episode 119: We Don’t Pay to Delete Content2

On Friday, which was specially designated by Zhou Xueyin, employees were allowed to wear cosplay costumes to work, but they couldn’t be too revealing or sexy.

Thus, on this day, everyone dressed like characters from an anime, and they were free to use the photo studio to take pictures.

This Friday was no exception, with everyone dressed in cosplay for work. When the CEO of Pretty Body visited, it coincided with the afternoon tea time, and everyone was chatting and eating fruit in the break area.

"Ms. Zhou, your company’s working atmosphere seems quite harmonious." Chen Hui said wryly, his eyebrows furrowed in irony.

"Mr. Chen, since most of our employees are anime fans, I specifically allow them to dress as their favorite characters for work on this day. Additionally, it just happens to be our tea time. This is also part of our corporate culture," Zhou Xueyin detected the sarcasm in his remark but didn’t take it to heart.

"Ms. Zhou is quite magnanimous. Doesn’t this affect their work?" Chen Hui glanced at the laughing and chatting employees.

"Understanding relaxation is understanding work! Constant pressure can indeed affect work performance, don’t you think?" Zhou Xueyin countered sharply.

Chen Hui said no more, and followed Zhou Xueyin to the conference room, along with his secretary.

"Hehe, come over here!" Before entering the conference room, Zhou Xueyin called Liu He over.

"Ms. Zhou, let’s cut to the chase. Tell me, how much money do you want?" Chen Hui sat opposite Zhou Xueyin, his hands together on the table, his expression grave.

"Money? What money?" Zhou Xueyin laughed, genuinely confused about the purpose of Chen Hui’s visit.

"Ms. Zhou, let’s not beat around the bush. Give it to me straight!" Chen Hui said, crossing his legs, "How much money for you to delete the inaccurate test data about Pretty Body from the reviews?"

"Our data is scrutinized and provided by professional institutions! The test results are posted!" Liu He rebutted before Zhou Xueyin could speak.

"That’s it, listen. I’ve seen the report results on the reviews. Just keep the data that passed the test, and for the rest, just lift a finger and delete them," Chen Hui pleaded in a patronizing tone, though his attitude hardly seemed supplicatory, still carrying an air of superiority.

"Sorry, but we can’t fulfill your request. Since they are all your company’s products, why should we only keep the data from the directly shipped products and delete the data from those purchased at counters? Mr. Chen, that doesn’t make sense, does it?" Zhou Xueyin locked her sharp gaze on Chen Hui.

"Oh, so you say they were bought at counters? Where’s the evidence? Which counter did you buy them from? Show me," Chen Hui blustered, though it was clear his products were subpar.

"Hehe, bring over the invoice," Zhou Xueyin whispered to Liu He.

Soon, Liu He brought over the invoice and the product manual.

"Here, Mr. Chen, take a look..." Zhou Xueyin handed over the invoice and circled the Beijing counter address on the manual to give to him.

"These counters... We withdrew from these a long time ago! What they’re selling now is not our latest product!" Chen Hui argued evasively.

"If you’ve withdrawn from the counters, why are the products still for sale? Why haven’t you removed the store addresses from the product manuals? Don’t say you haven’t had the time. Besides, they are still selling your company’s products, right? There’s nothing you can argue there," Zhou Xueyin despised Chen Hui’s blatant dishonesty, her tone becoming quite aggressive.

"I’ve said, it’s a last generation product! We’ve already discontinued that product line!" Chen Hui continued his evasions, "You go..."

Chen Hui checked the store address section in the product manual, looking for a counter that sold what he claimed was the latest product.

However, Zhou Xueyin and her team had already checked all the stores in Beijing and found no sign of any new generation products.

So, Chen Hui randomly pointed to a counter in Guangzhou: "Here, we’re piloting it in Guangzhou. See how it sells."

"Oh, the one in Guangzhou, is it? What’s this new series called? I’ll have my friend there check it out on site," Zhou Xueyin sneered tilting her head, perhaps forgetting the nature of her own company.

"Ay, why are you so stubborn? Isn’t it all just about the money? Name a price! I’ll pay you, then just delete the content and be done. Why waste so much time talking..." Chen Hui began to get anxious.

"Mr. Chen, I’ve already made it perfectly clear. We do not engage in paid post deletion!" Zhou Xueyin emphasized again.

"Every other company does it, only you insist on being different, eh? You think you’re above it all? Stop pretending and tell me how much you want! I don’t have time for this!" Chen Hui snatched his bag from his secretary, ready to write a check.

"We’re not pretending, Mr. Chen. Why not invest the money you spend on deleting content into improving your product line? Wouldn’t that be stronger than grovelingly asking for help?" Zhou Xueyin switched perspectives, adopting a lecturing tone.

"Not sure which media outlets foster such bad practices! Firms like yours, rather obscure, would rather spend money on public relations than invest in their product lines. Rather lose their reputation than face, eh? I advise you to reflect on how to improve the quality of the products circulating in the market— that’s the real way to enhance your reputation!"

"Tsk... forget it, you don’t understand the production line, best leave it! Keep the content, delete it or not, I care no more! Goodbye!" Chen Hui, furious, stuffed the check back into his bag and stormed out with his secretary.

"Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!" Zhou Xueyin leaned back in her chair, casually waving them off.

"Yinyin mighty!" Liu He vigorously applauded Zhou Xueyin. Perhaps she was the only one brave enough to confront suppliers like that.

"Hehe, honestly, I don’t care how other websites operate, whether they engage in paid post deletion or not. Our duty is to act uprightly and live clearly! No matter how much money is involved, we cannot partake in conscience-stricken deeds! Knowing full well our products are substandard and still not thinking about improvements, just spending money on public relations, such companies really aren’t going anywhere! We should not encourage such malignant practices!"

Zhou Xueyin was aware that by firmly denying Pretty Body’s request to delete posts, some smaller manufacturers and clients might hesitate to collaborate with them.

However, she had gained the favor of larger manufacturers, and the product trials channel launched as scheduled. Users could now participate more in the website’s development, significantly enhancing interactivity.