Word of Mouth is Spreading

By the villa swimming pool.

Yang Chen was currently enjoying the massage services of six beauties, while Chen Xi periodically fed him a piece of fruit or some freshly squeezed fruit juice. While work was important, enjoying life was even more crucial.

"We've been basking in Chairman Yang's good fortune for so many days now, yet who knows if it's had any effect," Huang Wei said while massaging his legs.

"Let's go buy some lottery tickets tonight and test it out," Zhao Jing suggested.

Yang Chen swallowed his juice and said with a smile, "Buying lottery tickets definitely won't test it out. Even if you memorize today's winning numbers, travel back in time tomorrow, and buy those exact numbers, you still won't win."

"Why?" Huang Wei asked.

"Because the ones who win the jackpot are always insiders. If you buy numbers that ought to have been the jackpot, they will temporarily change the winning numbers. In short, they won't let outsiders win the grand prize," Yang Chen replied.

"Ah? Is that how they all operate?" Zhao Jing asked.

"How else?" Yang Chen retorted.

Right at that moment, Wang Wenkang called Yang Chen.

Yang Chen answered the call and said cheerfully, "Mayor Wang, is something the matter?"

Wang Wenkang immediately spoke up, "The Food and Drug Administration, the Consumer Association, and even the Mayor's Hotline have received numerous complaints accusing you of false advertising. Mayor Huang asked me to contact you to confirm whether your weight-loss pills are reliable."

Yang Chen replied with utter confidence, "Of course they are reliable. I'm not a fool; would I dare advertise like that without sufficient clinical data? It's been four days now, and I reckon starting tomorrow or the day after, the news will begin to leak out. The first wave of our product's reputation will come from those anti-counterfeiting influencers, so just sit back and watch."

"Since you're so certain, we can rest easy. Sihai Group in its current state cannot afford any more major issues, and I've been feeling quite anxious," Wang Wenkang said.

"If I'm not worried, what are you worrying about? Just focus on your own work; you don't need to trouble yourselves over my end. I'm hanging up now, I'm sunbathing," Yang Chen said with a laugh.

After ending the call, Wang Wenkang immediately went to report to Huang Zhenhua.

"Mayor Huang, I called Yang Chen to ask, and he said all those advertised effects are real and told us not to worry," Wang Wenkang reported.

Huang Zhenhua smacked his lips and then said, "How can I not worry? You tell me, a weight-loss pill that can also treat fatty liver and gastroenteritis, clear blood vessels, and regulate gut microbiota—who is going to believe that? If those researchers at Sihai Healthcare really had that kind of capability, Sihai Group wouldn't have degenerated to this state. We'd better prepare an emergency plan first. In case things turn sour, we must immediately step in to block and censor all news to preserve whatever little reputation Sihai has left."

Wang Wenkang nodded and said, "Understood! I'll go work on the emergency plan right now. Let's just hope we won't end up needing it."

The Jiangcheng Municipal Government immediately notified various departments, as well as platforms like Douyin, instructing them to instantly block and control all news and public discourse should Sihai Group become embroiled in negative public opinion.

...

The Research Institute of the Dragon Kingdom Pharmaceutical Group.

Twenty-six researchers from the new weight-loss pill R&D team were quietly staring at their research results, the expression on every face overcast with gloom.

After a long while, the team leader, Huang Jianjun, spoke in a loud voice, "I hereby officially announce the cancellation of the Wanmei Project. Everyone has worked hard over the past two years; go home and get a good rest for a while."

No one was willing to leave. The Wanmei Project was the fruit of two years of painstaking effort by all of them. Just as success was within reach, it was suddenly being cancelled—how could they accept this?

Li Chenghao asked, "Team leader, this represents two years of hard work by all of us. Isn't it a pity to just give up like this?"

Huang Jianjun sighed and said, "We have no choice! You've all seen the efficacy and component analysis of the Sihai Slimming Pills. There are no false elements in their claims, nor are there any banned ingredients. This weight-loss pill is bound to sell explosively. Who are we going to sell our weight-loss products to if we continue?"

Another researcher, Guo Yun, chimed in, "They're selling theirs expensively; we can sell ours a bit cheaper and surely capture a slice of the market."

Huang Jianjun shook his head, staring fixedly at the bolded and enlarged "Component X" on the testing report. "We simply cannot detect what this Component X actually is. This is the crucial key to why their weight-loss pill possesses such powerful functions. Originally, our project targeted the high-end market; if we sold it cheaper, it would conflict with our existing weight-loss products. So... *sigh*... I understand everyone's feelings, and I'm very sad too. But scientific research is just like this: lag behind by a step, or prove inferior in skill, and we can only swallow the bitter fruit ourselves. Stop thinking about it, everyone, and go home to get some good rest. I'll go report to the Group's chairman tomorrow."

Huang Jianjun picked up the testing report and left, leaving the researchers to tear up and delete their research data in deep frustration.

...

At the laboratory of Dragon Kingdom Harmony Medical University, doctoral supervisor Cheng Daoming was leading his students and interns in testing the components of the Sihai Slimming Pills.

Cheng Daoming sighed and said, "We still failed to detect what the final component is. We truly underestimated the researchers at Sihai Healthcare; they have a very high probability of having discovered a new substance. If it's truly as I suspect, they might well help the Dragon Kingdom win another Nobel Prize in Medicine, following Dr. Tu's discovery of artemisinin and her subsequent Nobel Prize."

Intern Huang Dongsheng said, "If the researchers at Sihai Healthcare are so capable, why didn't they produce any achievements before? Could it be that Wang Sihai didn't provide them with research funding?"

Cheng Daoming shook his head, at a loss for how to explain.

At that moment, an intern ran in carrying several convenience bags from Dragon Kingdom Harmony Hospital.

"Professor, the medical examination reports for those few patients have come out. The before-and-after scans, along with the written reports, are all right here."

Cheng Daoming quickly took the medical examination reports of the five patients undergoing the experiment and, with the help of his students, laid them out for comparison.

" Miraculous! Truly miraculous! They didn't falsely advertise; this weight-loss pill really can not only cause weight loss but also treat mild fatty liver and gastroenteritis. Blood lipids have also dropped, and the claim about clearing blood vessels wasn't a lie either. The effects of this mysterious component are so powerful it's simply unbelievable!" Cheng Daoming said excitedly.

Huang Dongsheng added, "I really want to visit the researchers at Sihai Healthcare and ask them what this mysterious component actually is and how it can be synthesized."

Cheng Daoming laughed heartily and said, "I'm going to report to the dean. From now on, the hospital's weight-loss prescriptions will use this specific product, and it can also be prescribed to patients with fatty liver, gastroenteritis, and other conditions. Tomorrow, I'll also approach the relevant leaders at the Healthcare Security Administration to suggest incorporating this medicine into the medical insurance catalog as soon as possible, so that more patients can benefit."

...

The entire internet was waiting for the testing results from anti-counterfeiting influencers like Xin Jifei and Wang Dahai.

At 7:30 PM, Xin Jifei went live first.

"Haha... Good evening, brothers. Sorry to keep you all waiting. See this? The testing report for the Sihai Slimming Pills, along with the medical examination reports of myself and my family members before and after taking them—they're all right here," Xin Jifei said with a smile.

The live chat stream scrolled by rapidly.

"Is it fake medicine?"

"Must be ineffective, right?"

"Brother Fei, did you turn on the slimming beauty filter? Somehow you look like you've lost quite a bit of weight, and you seem much more energetic too."

"Hurry up and announce the results! There are already quite a few paid trolls posting videos online claiming Sihai's weight-loss pills actually work. I'm waiting to screenshot and slap them in the face."

...

Xin Jifei smiled and said, "Don't get so excited, everyone. Let me just give you the results straight: the effects of the Sihai Slimming Pills are genuinely incredible! Just one week, and I've already lost 12 pounds. My second uncle dropped from 230 pounds to under 200 pounds, and his fatty liver has indeed improved, while his blood lipids have also decreased. Let me show you a comparison of the medical examination reports before and after taking the medicine."

The live chat erupted.

"Holy shit!"

"Brother Fei, did you get paid off?"

"Brother Fei, you're my idol! If you hadn't kicked up such a huge fuss online, we wouldn't have paid special attention to the additive issue. I treat you as an idol, so don't treat me like a fool."

...

Xin Jifei laughed and said, "Brother Fei stakes his reputation on this: all of these reports are completely real, and every single word I've said is true either. Honestly, I didn't believe a weight-loss pill could have this many effects myself, but with the facts right in front of me, I have no choice but to believe it. Although I failed to pick the right financial product, gaining health in return makes it worth it."

...

On the other side, Wang Dahai also commenced his livestream.

Before Wang Dahai could even speak, the live chat was already buzzing with activity.

"TL;DR: The Sihai Slimming Pills are real. There is no false advertising."

"Over at Xin Jifei's place, they've already announced the trial and testing results, and it's just as Fatty Di advertised."

"I still don't believe a weight-loss pill can have such powerful functions. As the number one anti-counterfeiting crusader, I trust you haven't been bought off, so hurry up and announce the results."

...

Wang Dahai watched the chat scroll by for a moment before smiling and saying, "Everything the chat teachers are saying is correct. The Sihai Slimming Pills truly have no false advertising; every single effect Di Li claimed is real. These are the medical examination reports of our team members before and after taking the weight-loss pills, as well as the testing report I commissioned from Dragon Kingdom Medical University. Everyone can take a look. According to expert predictions, this undetectable 'Component X' is the critical factor behind why this medicine possesses such powerful functions. Moreover, this component is very likely appearing for the very first time. If that truly is the case, this 'Component X' might just become another artemisinin, helping us win yet another Nobel Prize in Medicine. Comrades, Sihai Healthcare has pulled off something massively awesome this time!"

The live chat went wild.

"..."

"Holy shit!"

"Holy shit..."

Simultaneously, other anti-counterfeiting influencers such as Toutou Anti-Counterfeiting, Four-Eyes Anti-Counterfeiting, Kuangbiao Anti-Counterfeiting, and Peking University Anti-Counterfeiting also went live one after another.

They all used medical examination reports and testing reports to confirm that the Sihai Slimming Pills contained no false advertising, that all claimed effects were present, and that there were no side effects. The only mystery was that even they did not know what the undetectable "Component X" actually was.

At this moment, inside the villa.

Yang Chen was savoring fine wine stored in Wang Sihai's cellar while watching six beauties dance in outfits revealing their long legs.

Yang Chen opened Douyin and pulled up the DJ version of the song "Train Bound for Spring" performed by the beautiful influencer Tun Tun.

"Come on, you girls should learn from her. This is what I want to watch tonight," Yang Chen said with a smile.

The six beauties looked closely at the video, picturing in their minds how to execute the dance.

"Huang Wei, you go first," Yang Chen instructed.

Huang Wei, wearing a short skirt and a tight-fitting T-shirt, walked up to Yang Chen with supreme confidence.

The music started.

*"The train is bound for spring, a new story begins its first chapter..."*

Accompanied by the upbeat DJ music, Huang Wei imitated Tun Tun, twisting her waist and swaying her hips.

Ah, while ordinary people could only hold their phones and scroll through Douyin to watch such dances, Yang Chen could sip fine wine while having it right before his eyes—life in debt was truly wonderful.

As the song ended, Huang Wei panted slightly, her chest heaving up and down, and asked, "Chairman Yang, are you satisfied?"

Yang Chen nodded with a smile and said, "Not bad. Take a rest. Next, Chen Xi, your turn."

Chen Xi, dressed in denim shorts, black stockings, and a sports crop top, began to sway wildly to the rhythm of the music.

Just then, Chang Sheng, the president of Sihai Healthcare, called Yang Chen.

Chang Sheng said excitedly, "Hello, Chairman Yang! Those anti-counterfeiting influencers have released their reports, proving that all our claims are completely real. The products we listed in our Douyin showcase have sold out entirely, and numerous netizens are leaving comments begging us to stock more slimming pills. Chairman Yang, we've made it. Hahaha..."