Invincible Young Master in the City
Chapter 798: 794: Mo Xiaoyan's Troubles

Chapter 798: Chapter 794: Mo Xiaoyan’s Troubles

After finishing the call with Nie Yuling, Ye Fan then called Mo Xiaoyan.

The phone rang almost a full cycle before it was answered.

“Haha, smelly brother-in-law, you finally deigned to call me!” Mo Xiaoyan’s voice came through the phone with laughter, “Sorry about that, was busy working just now, couldn’t spare a moment to answer the phone, let alone know it was your call.”

Ye Fan smiled and asked, “Been busy at work lately?”

“Indeed. I’m stretched thin,” Mo Xiaoyan stated directly, then she followed up with a question, “Have you arrived in Mingde County?”

“Yes,” Ye Fan replied.

Mo Xiaoyan chuckled heartily before saying, “That’s perfect. People have been stealing from my factory lately, send a few dozen or even a hundred people over.”

Ye Fan broke out in a sweat— a hundred people? How many were there even in the police department? But, maintaining public order was precisely the department he was in charge of.

“How serious is it?” Yet, he carefully asked, “What exactly was stolen?”

“It’s not too serious, some steel materials were stolen. It has happened three or four times, amounting to a value of two to three thousand yuan,” Mo Xiaoyan said.

Ye Fan inquired, “Didn’t you report it to the police? And by the way, how much investment have you made in Mingde County?”

“I reported it, and you guys sent two cops to stake out for a couple of days, but they left without catching anyone, and the theft happened again the day before yesterday,” Mo Xiaoyan explained, “The initial investment is around thirty million, the total investment is estimated at two hundred million. Since I’m currently short on capital, I can only go about it this way. However, I bragged to the Secretary of the County Committee and the Mayor of Mingde County that the total investment is five hundred million. Just don’t go spreading that around, okay?”

Ye Fan felt embarrassed, but that’s how business was, wasn’t it? Without exaggerating the investment capital, how would you get the attention of the local government? How would you get extra preferential benefits?

“Don’t worry, I definitely won’t ruin your plans,” Ye Fan said, “I’ll send someone to crack the case for you later on. Oh, what’s the name of your company and factory again?”

“The company is called Mo Yan Group, and the factory is Angel Beauty Cosmetics Co., Ltd. Factory,” Mo Xiaoyan answered.

“Hmm, got it. Your business is in cosmetics?” Ye Fan said.

“Correct. With the economy of Huaxia country growing day by day, the cosmetics market will only become larger, the prospects are limitless,” Mo Xiaoyan stated, “I bought a few cosmetics patents in South Korea and then set up production to sell them here. After gaining experience, we will develop our own new products. We aim for the high-end market, where a set of cosmetics can sell for thousands or even tens of thousands!”

Understanding little about running a factory or doing business, Ye Fan was still aware that the women’s cosmetics market was huge. Whenever he accompanied Mo Xiaoyan to a shopping mall, she would almost invariably check out the cosmetics first, buying high-end sets that cost tens of thousands without batting an eyelash. Moreover, those cosmetic counters were always crowded with women.

As Mo Xiaoyan enthusiastically described the future prospects, then changed the subject and said to Ye Fan, “Let’s have dinner together tonight.”

“Okay,” Ye Fan agreed.

After exchanging a few more words, they ended the conversation.

After hanging up, Ye Fan picked up the landline to call Xu Xiangli’s office.

The call went through quickly, and Ye Fan asked Xu Xiangli about the theft at Mo Xiaoyan’s factory.

Xu Xiangli was not aware. Even though Mo Xiaoyan’s factory accounted for a significant investment in Mingde County this year, and the Secretary of the County Committee took it seriously, the theft of a few thousand yuan worth of steel was a minor issue, hardly enough to concern Xu Xiangli, the head of public security.

However, now that Ye Fan had inquired, she treated it as an important matter after hanging up the phone.

She not only called in the police officer handling the case for an inquiry but also personally led a team to supervise the issue at Mo Xiaoyan’s factory.

After finishing work in the afternoon, Ye Fan changed into casual clothes, left the police station in his car, and headed to Jinling Hotel to have dinner with Mo Xiaoyan.

When Ye Fan arrived at Jinling Hotel, Mo Xiaoyan had already reserved a private room and was waiting.

Entering the private room, Mo Xiaoyan, dressed in LO attire, stood up and giggled, “Welcome, esteemed official, to my humble feast.”

Ye Fan smiled faintly, shook his head, and without ceremony, pulled out a chair to sit down, saying, “Isn’t it a bit wasteful for the two of us to use a private room?”

“What can I do about it? People here act like they’ve never seen a woman before, they would stare even if you’re just having a meal,” Mo Xiaoyan said with a pout.

Ye Fan had nothing to say in response, as a beauty like Mo Xiaoyan, especially one who always paid attention to her appearance, was indeed quite eye-catching in a less developed area like Mingde County.

Mo Xiaoyan continued, “By the way, your words really carry weight. Just before leaving work, a pretty woman who claimed to be the head of public security came over with a team. Hehe, with you covering for me in Mingde County, I don’t need to worry about anything.”

“It sounds like I’m using my authority for personal purposes,” Ye Fan said somewhat helplessly.

Mo Xiaoyan immediately raised her pretty face and said, “So what if you are? On your own turf, can’t you even protect me?”

Ye Fan didn’t bother to argue with Mo Xiaoyan and said, “Let’s order. I’m so hungry my stomach is growling.”

After a while, the dishes were served, and once the door was closed, Ye Fan and Mo Xiaoyan ate while chatting.

Ye Fan asked with concern about any difficulties Mo Xiaoyan had with her factory in Mingde County.

“It’s alright, everything is going fairly smoothly,” Mo Xiaoyan said somewhat distractedly.

After a pause, she then added, “The key problem isn’t here.”

“Where is it then?” Ye Fan pressed on.

Mo Xiaoyan sighed and said with frustration, “Product launching and promotion. The women’s cosmetics market is huge and highly profitable, but breaking into the market is a big challenge. New products, if not from well-known cosmetic brands, are hard to sell. Since women are so careful with their faces, they are willing to pay two to three times more for just a slightly better cosmetic product. That same care makes them wary of new products and brands.”

“So, a new brand often has to rely on a well-known brand for sales and promotion in the beginning. And those well-known brands tend to make very harsh demands when it comes to supporting a new brand…”

“Hehe, it’s like a whole different world, and with all I’ve said, you’re probably in over your head. To put it simply, my company is three hundred million short on funds to promote the products we’ve produced,” Mo Xiaoyan said with a bitter smile, “I asked my family for the funds not long ago, but they were reluctant to allocate them. The investment in the cosmetics industry was a decision I insisted on by myself.”

“Three hundred million… that’s quite a lot,” Ye Fan mused, then asked, “How confident are you in the cosmetics your company produces?”

Mo Xiaoyan’s eyes brightened, and she said excitedly, “Absolutely confident. The three types of cosmetics we’re producing right now are patented purchases from South Korea, with the products undergoing strict clinical trials. As long as we ensure the quality of raw materials and production processes, the effects are not a bit inferior to those of big international cosmetic brands. In fact, that’s the thing with cosmetics, as long as the quality is passable, the effects aren’t much different. Paying a high price for international brand cosmetics is really just about peace of mind.”

“Does your company accept investment?” Ye Fan asked.