ryethenovel Chapter 21 Small Hit
Chapter 21 Small Hit
Hey there, get moving!
The DJ was warming up the crowd in the bar, and under the mesmerizing lights, men and women swayed to the rhythm. The men sported unconventional haircuts, wore Semir or Metersbonwe tops, jeans or flared pants, and Anta or loafers. The women wore crop tops, short skirts, and high heels.
Among the group of men and women, one small group stood out. They were tall and stylish, and even their stockings were unique—they were adorned with many sparkling rhinestones, setting them apart from ordinary stockings.
Several models swayed slowly, overshadowing the bar's lead dancer with their good looks, stylish outfits, and unique stockings.
Bar marketing in 2008 was not as professional as it is today; there were no dedicated atmosphere teams.
The bar would hire a few part-time lead dancers to liven up the atmosphere and get the dancers to sway along with the DJ. The lead dancers weren't angry that their spotlight was being stolen: they were paid to create a lively atmosphere, while the other dancers were just there to add to the excitement without getting paid, so there was no need to get upset.
However, she was deeply attracted by the rhinestone-studded stockings worn by Nangong Xiaoxiao and the others. What kind of stockings are these?
Her family runs a sock wholesale business, so how come she's never seen this style before? As the daughter of a wholesaler, her intuition tells her that these stockings are perfect for nightclubs and will likely become a small hit.
The lead dancer walked forward with a smile and flattered, "Hey, ladies, you've completely overshadowed us lead dancers! Are you professional models or celebrities? Your aura is just different from everyone else's."
No girl dislikes being praised; if she does, it's because the way she's praising her isn't right.
Nangong Xiaoxiao wasn't a haughty person to begin with, and was immediately flattered, replying with a smile, "We're not professional models, we just do it part-time. Little sister, you have such a great figure, if you'd like, you can also be a part-time model, 'Taobao Girls' are really popular now."
Yang Xiaofang leaned closer and asked, "Sister, your socks are so pretty! I've never seen them anywhere else in China. Oh, did you bring them back from abroad?"
This piqued Nangong Xiaoxiao's interest, and she explained in detail, "These are brand-name products from Europe and America, but they are all manufactured by domestic companies." She also described the stockings in detail and told Yang Xiaofang that she could buy them on Taobao.
"A Taobao store?"
Yang Xiaofang's eyes darted around mischievously. Although she'd heard of online shopping and Taobao countless times, she'd never actually bought anything online. Now, it seemed like a good idea: she'd have her boss buy a few dozen pairs for her friends first, and if they were good, she'd talk to her mother about negotiating wholesale with the manufacturer. That way, her mother wouldn't always accuse her of only knowing how to play all day.
……
night.
Guo Xiaomei is a female college student and also a seasoned online shopper. She usually likes to stock up on daily necessities online to save money, and occasionally she will browse e-commerce platforms like a "virtual shopping mall," buying things that catch her eye and keeping them if they are suitable, and returning them if they are not—after all, apart from JD.com, there are quite a few counterfeit goods on other online shopping platforms now.
The following week, she and her girlfriends arranged a social event with the male students from the literature department across the street, to be held at a karaoke bar. She had secretly met the guys there before, and one of them was particularly handsome, exactly her type—the melancholic, artistic type. She had already warned her girlfriends, "Don't try to steal him from me."
To win over this handsome guy, she prepared her "winning outfit" a week in advance: a short skirt, knee-high boots, face cream, eyeshadow, and sheer black stockings. But Guo Xiaomei felt something was missing—the outfit was sexy enough, but it lacked a striking highlight that would catch the eye and deliver the "winning blow."
Guo Xiaomei was idly browsing Taobao when she typed "black stockings" into the search bar, hoping to find some attractive yet unique styles. Scrolling through the products, she actually spotted a pair of stockings that caught her eye.
Among the many images of black stockings, some are straightforward photos of stockings with the words "super low price"—these look cheap, and girls should treat themselves better; others feature models showcasing the stockings' thinness, skin-friendly fit, and snag-resistant properties—they look nice, but they're not amazing.
Among these otherwise unremarkable product images, one stood out remarkably: it was an image brimming with atmosphere, depicting a pair of slender legs clad in black stockings adorned with scattered rhinestones, accompanied by artistic English phrases. This image directly captured Guo Xiaomei's heart.
These aren't just stockings, they're works of art! The scattered rhinestones on them are like moonlight filtering through on a beach at night. This is it!
Guo Xiaomei glanced at the price: 36 yuan for two pairs, plus shipping, totaling 40 yuan, which is equivalent to 20 yuan per pair. She hesitated for a moment—she could afford the price, after all, she had 1000 yuan of pocket money a month, but she was afraid of being scammed by false advertising and buying inferior goods, thus becoming a sucker.
She glanced at the sales figures; this product, called "Disco Socks," had already sold 200 units in a month and had over a dozen reviews. Guo Xiaomei clicked into the comments section:
User "Mo Lan": Yes, they're super slimming and the sparkly fabric looks great. Black stockings are a must-have for mature women! Fast shipping too.
User "Don't Call Me By the Wrong Name": The shimmering fabric is absolutely gorgeous! Wearing it makes my skin sparkle like it's wearing a galaxy on my legs! It's an ultra-thin summer style, not stuffy at all, and the skin-beautifying effect is natural. I love it!
Guo Xiaomei read through the entire comment section. Apart from two particularly positive reviews, the rest were short positive reviews, such as "not bad," "pretty good," "fast delivery," and "the boss gave me an extra pair."
She bit her lip slightly—the phrases "mature and sophisticated style" and "wearing the Milky Way on your legs" truly struck a chord with her, completely captivating her. What was there to hesitate about? It's not like she couldn't afford it! She placed the order decisively.
Hmph, Guo Xiaomei is already looking forward to the arrival of the stockings and how she'll stun everyone at the social gathering.
……
A week later.
During his lunch break, Lin Mu went to a nearby wetland park to rest.
In 2008, Alibaba's headquarters had not yet moved to No. 669 Wenyi West Road in Hangzhou. At that time, Alibaba's headquarters was located on Huaxing Road in the suburbs of Hangzhou, with very limited surrounding facilities. To get to a shopping mall, one had to take a taxi to the Wumart supermarket on Wenyi West Road, which was more than 10 kilometers away.
With nowhere else to go, Lin Mu could only silently admire the wetland scenery in the park.
Drip, drop, drop——
Lin Mu received a call. He answered, and Li Zhi's voice came through: "Brother Lin, Factory Director Mao asked me to make sure to thank you! Brother Lin, what are your plans now?"
"Hmm," Lin Mu thought to himself, "Director Mao has passed the test."
A week has passed since the product launch, and the "Spring Diary" store has already sold seven or eight hundred pieces of rhinestone stockings. This is equivalent to selling 100 pieces per day, and 3000 pieces per month. Don't underestimate this number—it won't amount to much in 2025, let alone be in the top ten of the category, not even in the top 50; but now (2008), 3000 pieces sold per month is definitely in the top three of the category, and may even have the potential to become number one.