Chapter 655: Time Is Running Out for My Father-In-Law

After a major promotion by Cloud Flash Pay, Group-Buy Delivery has been steadily eating into the market share as Hungry Yet? struggles severely without the necessary funds.

This business seems cursed with frailty; even without the cash burn assault from Group-Buy Delivery, it feels like it’s riddled with holes, extremely unstable.

Especially since the delivery market has matured, promotions are not as effective anymore.

Some people have even started deleting the Hungry Yet? app from their phones, making it hard to get them to reinstall, no matter how much money is spent.

Thus, in front of certain eateries, one can often see four or five Group-Buy riders in yellow waiting for orders, while a sole, vulnerable blue-clad Hungry Yet? rider shivers nearby.

A few days later, the lone figure in blue quietly turns into another in yellow.

This minimal market shift is, however, quite conspicuous.

Riders have started to decrease; one can imagine how the platform’s order volume has also fallen, as netizens discuss the decreasing visibility of Hungry Yet? riders in recent months.

Yellow, indeed, seems to be the most contagious color; everybody loves it.

“Group-Buy Delivery’s promotions are store-specific and vary by region, focusing mainly on restaurants that do substantial dine-in business.”

“Additionally, these restaurants have reported high local sales in Hungry Yet?’s recent reports.”

Chen Jiaxin sounds like a merciless reporting machine, gently placing the document on the table, waiting for responses from the meeting room.

“Jiang Qin doesn’t spend without a reason,” Zhang Xuhao comments quietly.

“Exactly. The marketing department didn’t dare act rashly. After three days of checking, we found that the brands involved in these discounts have entered their strategic partnership plans. They’re splurging to heat up the market and speed up the incubation of the brands they want to grow.”

Zhang Li takes over from Chen Jiaxin, “This isn’t speculation, as the group-buy deals for these stores also involve significant discounts.”

Chen Jiaxin rubs his temples, “Some stores even boosted their ratings on Public Review at the start of the month and issued coupons for regular customers riding the positive reviews.”

Typically, discounts come in two types — platform-specific and store-specific.

Platform discounts apply store-wide and are issued by the platform, whereas store discounts are only applicable at specific stores and provided by the merchants.

This means that brands collaborating with Group-Buy are using these discounts distributed through various channels to boost sales and reputation.

Meanwhile, Jiang Qin aids from behind, spending money to pressure the market, hoping to spark a conflict that will further heat up the market.

“Damn, it’s so messed up.”

Heads of PR, marketing, and business departments start their heated discussions in the meeting room.

They imagine a taunting figure, beckoning them to spend money with a challenge, “Come on, burn your money. Not doing so isn’t manly.”

Trouble with Hungry Yet? is one thing; Public Review’s boss has nearly had a stroke, and still, they’re trying to get them involved – it’s like they’re trying to put their hands in someone else’s wallet without getting bitten!

Previously, Zhang Xuhao wouldn’t have tolerated such provocation.

Like a fierce warrior, he would roar into the battlefield.

Unexpectedly, though, he’s calm now, with only the word “incubation” buzzing in his head.

Hungry Yet? focuses solely on delivery…

During an earlier interview, Zhang Xuhao had confidently stated that Hungry Yet? specialized exclusively in professional delivery, whereas Group-Buy Delivery was merely a hobby.

Retrospectively, that statement highlighted Hungry Yet?’s greatest weakness.

Because Group-Buy operates delivery as a sideline, it also manages a supply chain, community group buying, incubates various dining brands, and even leverages forum influence to dominate the college student market.

Conversely, Hungry Yet?, being a delivery specialist, sticks to delivery only.

One investment round might bring back some market share for Hungry Yet?, but there are no other benefits, akin to mirages — all illusionary.

In contrast, orders for Group-Buy’s supply chain continue to rise, further incubating brands contracted with them and strengthening their operations – they cannot lose.

“Boss, from this moment on, the market is entirely under Group-Buy’s control. They command the winds and the rains.”

After speaking, Chen Jiaxin takes a deep breath, suddenly feeling a weight lift off his shoulders as he slouches back in his chair.

After half a year of market saturation, few new growth cities remain.

This mature market demands confrontation with Group-Buy Delivery to revive momentum.

However, direct confrontation seems like certain defeat, a no-win situation.

“I recommend we stop burning money.”

Chen Jiaxin offers his advice.

Hearing this, Zhang Xuhao stands and moves to a large map in the meeting room, examining the areas marked with blue flags.

These represent Hungry Yet?s current market zones, mostly concentrated in north-central China.

Initially, Hungry Yet?’s main business was centered around Hangcheng to Shanghai. Group-Buy Delivery expanded from this base, spreading nationwide, spreading like a pancake.

This extensive spread has already reached a market value nearing ten billion.

However, near those blue flags, a persistent yellow flag always appears, like a ghost that can’t be shaken off.

These small flags are Hungry Yet?’s hobby for stress relief, made using children’s colored paper and toothpicks. While crafting these flags, Zhang Xuhao adds his personal touch, always making the yellow flags slightly smaller than the blue.

Visually, the yellow seems to cling to the blue.

Besides, a few red flags are present, although the number is dwindling and almost negligible now.

After a silent contemplation, Zhang Xuhao suddenly opens a drawer on his desk and adds more small yellow flags beside each existing one.

This new flag is named Group-Buy Supply Chain.

He inserts another flag next to two yellow flags; this one is called In-store Group Buy, followed by a third called Daily Specials, a fourth named Xihan Heqing, and a fifth called Wanzhong Mall.

He wants to add a seventh yellow flag, but runs out of flags half-way through.

This latest flag is called Group-Buy Cloud Flash Pay.

After placing the flags, Zhang Xuhao steps back, feeling a chill in his heart.

Even if the real world and the flags are the same size, with yellow not being larger than blue, the dense yellow flags on the map now completely surround the blue.

A part-timer, an amateur, has swallowed the world.

From the beginning, he took pride in offering “professional delivery,” but now he must admit that the delivery war isn’t just about delivery.

Cloud Flash Pay, the supply chain… the opponent’s strategies are simply too varied.

With a snap, Zhang Xuhao removes a blue flag, yet his gaze remains resolute, like a general who maintains his honor in defeat, thinking, “I will surely return.”

Then he realizes that choosing to avoid the battle doesn’t make him any less of a warrior — because the business world is like a battlefield, and retreating in the face of overwhelming odds requires immense courage.

Preserving his strength and reorganizing might indeed be the best strategy — damn, he truly is a talented leader who knows when to advance and when to retreat!

“Boss, Hungry Yet? has shut down operations in five cities, scaled back their operations, and laid off over 500 employees. It seems like a move to reduce burdens and reoptimize their structure.”

“What?”

Jiang Qin had just arrived at headquarters and hadn’t yet warmed his seat when he received this call from Ye Ziqing.

Continuing from the other end, “It’s true. Plus, several brands we were promoting in our region have been delisted for various alleged violations.”

“Damn, how can someone be so shameless? Not burning money anymore and not even informing me? That’s just wasting my money!”

“?”

Jiang Qin sighs, unable to help but gaze out the window at the autumn scenery.

He had continuously provoked, waiting for Hungry Yet? to react, hoping they would lash out like Group-Buy did against Meal Point.

The result, however, was a profound disappointment.

“What about Public Review? Didn’t Zhang Tao get discharged from the hospital? They were all eager to reclaim a portion of the group-buy market. Why aren’t they fighting? I’m practically riding their faces!”

Holding a string of prayer beads, Ye Ziqing responds over the phone, “Boss, it seems as soon as Zhang hears your name now, he gets all jittery.”

Feeling wronged, Jiang Qin retorts, “And so? All he got was a cerebral congestion, I got loneliness!”

After hearing this, Ye Ziqing’s fingers speed up twirling the beads, silently chanting “Amitabha”.

“Let’s stop burning money after this week’s promotions, or else it’ll be abusing market dominance and lead to unfair competition. Let’s give them some breathing room and yield some market share to prevent their despair.”

Jiang Qin: Merit +1

As the chill of incoming winter lingers with a hint of warmth, a bustling city street begins to fill with morning commuters.

A large truck bearing the Group-Buy Supply Chain logo drives from the suburbs into the urban area, delivering goods, with yellow-clad riders occasionally passing by and gradually disappearing into the morning fog along streets plastered with Cloud Flash Pay ads.

After the morning ordering rush, some riders choose to pause accepting orders and head to either the Group-Buy Supply Chain or Xihan Heqing warehouses for a rest, charging their batteries and grabbing a refreshing 1-liter Kang Mai Lang.