Chapter 115: Bringing in an Expert
by xennovelXu Chen forced an awkward smile and slid the laptop screen closer so Fang Jun could see it.
He flipped to the product information for Fuyan Jie and said,
“This is… the product we have to pitch for this round.”
Fang Jun leaned in for a closer look. Her calm, unreadable face gave way to utter confusion and surprise.
Huge question marks seemed to fill her single-lidded eyes.
She picked up the half-finished Flat White on the table and took a long gulp.
“You’re an eighteen-year-old high school student. Are you sure you can handle an ad for this kind of product?”
Xu Chen thought for a moment and replied,
“Our laws don’t actually forbid an eighteen-year-old from doing this…”
Fang Jun said nothing.
Xu Chen knew she wasn’t talking about the law—he’d been joking.
Clearly, Fang Jun didn’t find it funny.
The silence grew even more awkward.
Xu Chen hesitated, then added,
“Precisely because I’m not familiar with this kind of product, I want to consult a doctor directly.
Last-minute cram session to boost our field expertise.”
Fang Jun paused before speaking:
“You’re up against international, publicly traded companies in this pitch…
And it’s a product category you know nothing about and can’t possibly understand.
Yet you act like you’ve already won…”
Xu Chen explained earnestly,
“Most sanitary pad ads are made by greasy middle-aged men.
A lot of car ads come from people who don’t even have a driver’s license or can’t afford a decent bike.
Real estate ads—some can’t even afford a down payment on a single bathroom…
That’s the advertising and consulting industry.
Only those who can quickly learn different categories and understand diverse consumers qualify as true ad professionals.”
Fang Jun’s surprised expression softened, and she fell silent.
She pulled a black clamshell phone from her pocket.
Xu Chen glanced over—Motorola’s latest Blade series.
He remembered when it launched, it sold for over eight thousand yuan—more than his Nokia N70.
Without a word, Fang Jun activated the camera, snapped a photo of a paragraph on the screen, and said, “Click.”
“I’ll call my mom at the hospital. She should be able to find a relevant specialist.”
With that, Fang Jun stood up to make the call.
Xu Chen considered tomorrow’s pitch, then suddenly asked,
“Ms. Fang, can I make… a more demanding request?”
Fang Jun stopped in her tracks.
“Go ahead. Demanding or not, I’ll see if it’s doable.”
Xu Chen said, “If we could get a local Shanghai doctor, that’d be great…
If she happened to be a real expert—a chief or associate chief physician—that’d be even better…
And if she could join us for the pitch tomorrow, that’d be perfect!”
Fang Jun said nothing.
Xu Chen put on an obedient smile, “I know it’s a big ask, Ms. Fang. If it’s too much, no worries.
Just having someone in the field give us a quick phone consultation works, too.”
Fang Jun thought for a moment and asked, “Why do you want this?”
Xu Chen explained,
“You were right—because of my age, gender, and status, I seem unprofessional in the women’s wash market.
That lack of expertise could hurt our pitch tomorrow.
It’s East Morning Star Advertising’s biggest weakness in this competition.
Weaknesses need solutions.
If we add a genuine expert to our team, we instantly boost our credibility.
If we bring in a doctor who just sits there, I can introduce her as our project consultant during the pitch, and my credibility concerns vanish.”
Fang Jun frowned thoughtfully, “That’s actually a good plan…
Wait here. I need to make some calls.”
She grabbed her phone and left.
Xu Chen watched from inside the café as Fang Jun stood outside, making two or three calls.
Her ponytail swayed gently with each word she spoke into the phone.
After a while, she returned with her usual composure.
“I’ve arranged for a female gynecologist to give us a phone consultation after 8 PM.
She can also come tomorrow, but there are two conditions.
First, she only has one hour and can’t exceed it.
Second, she won’t speak unless prompted—she might just sit there silently.
Understand that doctors are very cautious, especially around medical advice—even in private meetings.”
Xu Chen replied, “Don’t worry. She doesn’t need to speak during the pitch.
Her presence alone will show we’ve got an expert consultant.”
…
…
After leaving the terminal, the two queued for a taxi.
In this era before ride-hailing apps, you had to line up at stands outside the airport. Unauthorized vans—“black cars”—were risky.
When it was finally their turn, a yellow taxi pulled up.
It belonged to Jinjiang, one of Shanghai’s five major taxi companies.
Drivers there were locals, rarely taking detours or overcharging.
The cab quickly got onto the elevated highway, speeding toward downtown.
Fang Jun had Xu Zhiquan’s copy of Xu Chen’s itinerary and booked them into the same hotel.
Around 5 PM, the taxi stopped at the Borui Holiday Hotel lobby.
Renhe Pharmaceuticals’ admin had reserved it—a three-star business hotel at around 280 yuan a night.
It was within walking distance of tomorrow’s pitch venue.
They checked in at the front desk.
Renhe Pharmaceuticals had covered Xu Chen’s room cost; Fang Jun paid her own plus a 600-yuan deposit.
Xu Chen couldn’t help but remark,
“If you’d told me earlier, the brand owner could’ve covered our flight and hotel.”
Fang Jun swiped her card, unfazed.
Well… that cold indifference of someone from a wealthy family.
Their rooms were next to each other as they headed to the elevator hall.
Fang Jun said, “Rest up first. I’ll take you out for dinner later.
If you want to shop or sightsee afterward, I can show you around the JA district—I know it well…”
Xu Chen said, “Thanks, Ms. Fang.
I still have a call later and need to revise tomorrow’s PPT tonight.
Business comes first. I’ll just grab something from the hotel restaurant.”
Fang Jun turned to him,
“And you say you don’t work hard?!
Any teenager in Shanghai would be out exploring and having fun.
Your head’s full of work and pitches…
I’ve never met anyone as driven and diligent as you.
What’s infuriating is you’re not just hardworking—you’ve got a great background and top-tier intelligence…”
She really sounded mad as she spoke those words.