Chapter 517: The Wheels of History Move

Eight in the morning marks the start of the day at the company. Most are still half-asleep.

There’s a saying, “Waking up early makes you dumb all day.” There’s some truth to it.

The sight of bright blue and yellow colors jolts everyone awake instantly.

Some are usually just in time for work, not even in the building yet, they stand frozen on the street.

These advertisements are placed in the most prominent spots. Just a glance upwards and the simple images with text are clear and memorable, especially the solid-color designs.

“How is this possible…”

“Alipay and group-buying?”

“This joke’s too big…”

People at Dianping’s headquarters stand puzzled by the floor-to-ceiling windows, all wearing a similar look of bewilderment.

More arrive, asking, “What’s happening?” They reach the windows and are stopped in their tracks.

Zhao Zhengjie, who handles market direction, has been in frequent contact with the group-buying team. Since their arrival in Kyoto, he hasn’t slept well. Just last night, he finally rested easy.

Now, it feels as though a mountain has collapsed before him, crushing the confidence and excitement previously filling headquarters.

Perhaps it’s like a sudden chill pouring over you from head to toe.

LaShou, Nuomi, and Dianping have all lost to group-buying in the market.

As the group-buying war winds down, their only chance seemed to be leveraging mobile payment barriers for a win.

Now, all hopes are dashed by the striking blue and yellow patchwork.

Chen Jiaxin has withdrawn her gaze, her eyebrows knitted in confusion.

From Shanghai to Kyoto, this iron lady, often dismissive of men, has been repeatedly impressed by Jiang Qin’s tactics. Yet, this time she’s baffled.

Alipay and group-buying? Two completely unrelated platforms, now united.

“How could this be?”

“Did we overlook something?”

Chen Jiaxin ponders deeply before muttering to Zhang Li. He listens, then walks away from the window.

Moments later, he returns and shakes his head at Chen Jiaxin.

Yang Xueyu also looks away. “President Chen, what’s going on?”

“I just had Zhang Li check. Alipay hasn’t integrated LaShou’s app yet.”

Yang Xueyu is astonished. “What’s the logic in that? Our own investment not using our service but supporting a competitor?”

He remains silent for a long while, realising Chen Jiaxin is watching him. He then seriously pulls out his phone and calls Robin at LaShou.

Without group-buying, Dianping and LaShou would be rivals. But with Alipay joining group-buying, it’s as if the tyrant of the group-buying market has returned.

No, not returned—it never left!

In such a scenario, Dianping and LaShou naturally align as allies without needing a formal agreement.

Soon, Robin answers ominously over the phone, his tone suppressing immense frustration.

“President Luo, where are you?”

“Headquarters.”

“You’re back in Kyoto?”

“Yes.”

Strange things started happening yesterday when LaShou’s IT manager burst into the CEO’s office. Colleagues in Hangcheng spotted the six-person tech team from group-buying joining Alibaba.

Wu Bo was initially puzzled, not grasping the implications until his face suddenly changed.

But on deeper thought, it seemed impossible.

Helping strangers instead of their own? Passing weapons to strangers beating their own child? Who would understand such a move?

Thus, Wu Bo booked the earliest flight to Hangcheng to see for himself.

But everyone underestimated how quickly events would unfold.

Overnight, streets in four major cities were plastered with joint advertisements from group-buying and Alipay.

Cui Yiting stands on the street, overwhelmed by the pervasive sky blue and bright yellow. The fiery energy seemed to be setting the whole field ablaze.

What barriers are there really? Group-buying is always one step ahead…

She recalls her last meeting with Ye Ziqing in June. Ye Ziqing’s skin looked great—no dark circles or acne. She mentioned that working with Jiang Qin always felt like innovating through an era. Plus, there was no rush, allowing her good sleep.

“President Luo, did you know about the group-buying and Alipay deal?”

“Yes, I knew.”

“This came out of nowhere. Our entire headquarters is in chaos. We’ve been old friends, can you tell me, has Alibaba invested in group-buying?”

“They planned to, but were immediately refused by Jiang Qin.”

Yang Xueyu incredulous: “Alibaba hasn’t invested in group-buying, yet they’re providing payment services? You didn’t know?”

After a long pause, Robin responds: “What if they signed with them before us?”

“What does that mean?”

“We started the mobile payment project this year and got in touch with Alipay through our investment manager. But the group-buying contract with Alipay wasn’t signed recently.”

Yang Xueyu frowns over the phone: “Signed ahead of time?”

Robin affirms.

“How much earlier?”

“Two years.”

Yang Xueyu, puzzled: “Two years?”

“Yes, the contract between group-buying and Alipay was signed back in October 2009.”

Yang Xueyu’s mind buzzes, a tingling sensation crawls up his spine, reaching the nerves in his hand holding the phone.

The group-buying sector had only been developing for two years by then. Alipay didn’t even have a license at that time, and the group-buying market wasn’t yet established. How could they have partnered?

“Old Luo, have you been drinking? What are you saying?”

“Hear me out. Our boss was also shocked when he learned about the Alipay and group-buying deal. He rushed to Alibaba overnight to verify.”

“And then?”

“Then, our boss saw the contract signed two years ago. Mr. Pang mentioned that providing payment services to LaShou already breached the contract terms, but they withheld the information under pressure.”

Yang Xueyu’s phone is on speaker—necessary when calling a rival company in such a public setting.

Hearing Robin finish, both he and Chen Jiaxin fall into deep silence.

Big companies are highly conscious of their integrity, especially third-party payment platforms like Alipay, which handle real money transactions and dare not breach contracts.

Jiang Qin leveraged a significant time difference, pre-emptively implementing plans before the concept of mobile payment even existed for most, securing the toughest deals.

It’s similar to how GIS services were also strategized a year in advance.

But this is outrageous. It seems the wheels of history aren’t just moving forward on their own but are being kicked forward by Jiang Qin.

“2009…”

“We only set up our site in May 2009…”

Chen Jiaxin returns to her office and sits back in her chair. She notes that even from here, she can still see the advertisements for group-buying and Alipay.

Once driven out of Shanghai by group-buying and chased to Kyoto, the iron lady is filled with a sense of defeat.

That’s why she moved her office here, to see the group-buying ads daily as a reminder to never let up, to eventually get back what she owes.

What she owes has not yet been returned, and now there’s a new, larger debt…

At that moment, Chen Jiaxin’s door opens. Zhao Zhengjie from the marketing department steps in, handing her his resignation letter, bowing apologetically.

Chen Jiaxin, coming from the marketing department, feels a tug at her heart seeing Zhao Zhengjie resign.

“Don’t be rash. I’ll pretend I didn’t see this. Take it back and think it over.”

“President Chen, I’ve thought it through very clearly.”

Zhao Zhengjie states firmly, turning his head and brushing aside his hair.

Chen Jiaxin pauses, spotting a bald patch the size and shape of an egg at the lower right of his head, completely hairless and somewhat shiny.

Zhao Zhengjie sighs: “Ever since group-buying came to Kyoto, I haven’t had a good night’s sleep. Please, President Chen, approve it.”

Chen Jiaxin remains silent, signs the paper, then turns away, no longer speaking.

In the afternoon, several others arrive in Chen Jiaxin’s office offering their own resignations, unwilling to face what’s coming with group-buying.

This time, Chen Jiaxin chooses to leave, seeing no one.

Meanwhile, Yang Xueyu and Robin once again sit in a teahouse, filling an ashtray in half an hour.

“Is Alipay integrating with LaShou?”

“Yes, it officially starts tomorrow afternoon. Alipay spoke to us, hoping we could help them penetrate the second and third-tier markets with their financing.”

Yang Xueyu is silent for a moment: “I’m just now seeing, Alipay is actually the biggest winner.”

Robin glances at him, noncommittally.

Group-buying has the highest market share in first-tier cities, and partnering with Alipay provides a fast track to promotion.

LaShou has the most setups in second and third-tier cities; Alipay intends to use it to quickly penetrate these lower markets.

As they fought in the group-buying wars, they saw this one as the enemy, that one as the friend. But stepping back after it all, they realize in the world of big companies, there are no friends or enemies, only interests.

Thinking about it, group-buying has always been like this—never making enemies nor targeting anyone, focusing only on taking whatever they can.

“Group-buying may not be as big as those major players yet, but its style is very similar. It’s using every resource available to grow, including your eggs at LaShou.”

“Jiang Qin… a sovereign’s stance. It’s just his closeness with Alibaba might be dangerous.”

Yang Xueyu looks at him: “How so?”

Robin sets down his teacup: “Look at LaShou’s experience. We agreed to invest, to complete their ecosystem, but they never treat us as their own. They didn’t even know about the strategic alliance between Alipay and group-buying.”

“What about group-buying for Alibaba? Without an investment, there’s no control. That’s going to be a thorn in Alibaba’s side, they’ll inevitably make a move on group-buying.”

“Compared to that, I think Jiang Qin’s decision was unwise. If he had leaned towards Tencent, it might not have been as dangerous, except Tenpay just doesn’t cut it. They haven’t even made a move to promote it yet.”

Just as he finishes, Robin’s phone pings with a news alert from the trendy Tonight’s Headlines.

He glances at it, his expression freezes, and after a long silence, he’s still motionless.

“What’s up?” Yang Xueyu asks curiously.

“I take back what I said. Jiang Qin is incredible. I’ve been too narrow-minded. Is this guy really just twenty?”

Robin shows his phone to Yang Xueyu, displaying the news item.

The National College Forum Zhihu and Tencent-owned instant messaging app WeChat have reached a strategic partnership, claiming to redefine the mobile social sphere.

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