"Earlier, I merely expressed my personal opinion lightly—forgive me if it seemed presumptuous," Liu Yutong said.
After a brief silence, Zhang Dong was the first to speak up.
"Liu, would you be interested in joining Suning? Oh, I nearly forgot—you're only a freshman. We could sign a contract in advance, guaranteeing you an internship at Suning once you're eligible. I’ll cover your tuition for all four years of university."
The retail giant had just extended an olive branch to Liu Yutong on the spot.
Regardless of whether her analysis was accurate, the vision and poise she displayed as a freshman alone made her worth nurturing.
A young talent like her, if brought into Suning, could undoubtedly become a pillar of the company in the future.
Meanwhile, Huang Yu, the CEO of Gome, snorted. He had caught the underlying message in Liu Yutong’s final remarks—she was essentially predicting their decline.
Of course, since he had been the one to invite her opinion in the first place, he refrained from saying much. Still, his displeasure was evident.
After all, here he was, a tycoon at the pinnacle of success, being lectured by a young girl who had all but named his company as one destined to falter.
What a joke.
I’ve achieved so much—how dare you write me off?
"I apologize, Mr. Zhang. I appreciate your generosity, but I have no intention of joining any company. To be honest, I’ve already started my own retail business," Liu Yutong replied calmly. "In fact, in the future, I might even become a competitor to all of you."
Her words stunned the room once again.
A freshman—a girl, no older than eighteen or nineteen—was already an entrepreneur?
No wonder the university had arranged for her to host them. She was clearly exceptional.
As for her claim about becoming their competitor, none of them took it seriously. Every one of them had fought their way to the top, crushing countless rivals along the way. A young girl like her was still far from being a threat.
Zhang Dong, however, shook his head slightly, regretful at missing out on such a promising talent.
Lin Ke had remained mostly silent throughout, but her gaze held increasing admiration for Liu Yutong.
What a shame—this kind of girl would never become her daughter-in-law.
As a seasoned professional in the financial industry, Lin Ke had a sharp eye for character. Liu Yutong was clearly independent, ambitious, and not the type to settle for being a mere trophy wife.
Thinking of her son, who had a streak of old-fashioned chauvinism in him, she knew the two were simply incompatible.
Just as the room was still digesting Liu Yutong’s analysis, a group of officials in administrative jackets entered.
Almost everyone rose to greet them.
Liu Yutong stood at the periphery, observing the newcomers—especially the imposing man in his fifties at the forefront.
This was her first time, in this life or the last, meeting a leader of such stature: Li XX, the top official of their province.
A true heavyweight, the kind who could summon tycoons like Zhang Dong and Huang Yu with a single call.
With the officials’ arrival, Liu Yutong was effectively sidelined, no longer needed for hosting duties.
Half an hour later, the officials and business leaders departed for the evening’s gala.
Seizing the moment, Liu Yutong approached Lin Ke and asked for her contact information.
She hadn’t bothered asking the other tycoons—her blunt analysis of their companies’ prospects had likely left them unimpressed. Besides, given her current standing, they wouldn’t casually share their details with her. The gap between them was still too wide.
Not that Liu Yutong would grovel for their contacts. One day, she’d make them come to her, offering their information willingly.
Lin Ke, however, was an exception. After all, they shared an alumni connection.
Lin Ke didn’t refuse the sudden request. The poised woman had excellent manners, and she genuinely admired the girl. Who knew? Liu Yutong might even become a client of their bank someday.
"Senior, may I ask you a question?" Liu Yutong said after securing the contact.
Lin Ke nodded. "Go ahead."
"If someone offered a financial product with an annualized return of over 10%, would you consider it reliable?" Liu Yutong asked.
Lin Ke was taken aback. She had assumed the girl would ask about loans—after all, as a student entrepreneur, she’d likely need financing.
Had Liu Yutong wanted a loan from China Merchants Bank, Lin Ke might have even arranged an introduction to their local staff. But this question was entirely unexpected.
"That return is far above normal interest rates—it’s high-yield territory. I’m not sure why you’re asking, but let me give you one piece of advice: high returns usually come with high risks. Be very careful," Lin Ke said after a pause.
"Thank you for your insight," Liu Yutong replied before turning away, leaving Lin Ke puzzled.
For some reason, as she watched Liu Yutong’s retreating figure, Lin Ke felt an uneasy premonition stirring within her.
At 9:30 p.m., the university’s gala concluded.
The next day, Wanlong Supermarket’s University Town branch officially opened.
Yang Xin and his team had prepared extensively, dispatching countless Wanlong Society members and affiliates to distribute flyers across the entire university district.
Yet, on the very same day, Wanjia·Mingcheng Supermarket also announced its grand opening.
They, too, had launched an aggressive marketing campaign, even placing ads in newspapers and on television.
And from day one, they initiated a price war—offering an across-the-board 15% discount, except for a few loss-leading fresh produce items.
Wanlong Supermarket’s opening promotion, by comparison, was only a 12% discount. On the surface, the 3% difference might seem negligible, but in the low-margin supermarket industry, a 12% discount already meant barely breaking even after costs.
Mingcheng’s 15% discount was essentially selling at a loss—at least when factoring in all operational costs, from staffing to rent. The more they sold, the more they’d lose.
But Mingcheng had deep pockets and the backing of a corporate giant, giving them the leverage to wage this war.
When the day’s sales figures came in, both Yang Xin and the newly hired store manager, Yao Qianshan, wore grim expressions.
No one had expected such a brutal blow on their very first day.
By the time Liu Yutong arrived at the company that evening, even Yang Xin—who had once boasted about crushing Mingcheng—was visibly shaken.
Ma Da and others were also present. Upon hearing that their supermarket had been outperformed, Ma Da slammed the table.
"Let me take some guys over there and ‘handle’ their store. Don’t worry—we’ll make sure it’s dealt with cleanly!"
Yao Qianshan couldn't help but glance at the slogan hanging in the office again after hearing Ma Da's harsh words.
To be honest, she was beginning to feel genuine regret.
Only now did she realize why General Manager Yang Xin had told her those words back then—that she should just focus on doing her job properly.
Because she might have unknowingly boarded a rather unusual "black ship."
