Chapter 244: First Hour Online: 80,000 Orders! Dingdong Community Launched!

On April 5, WeChat 4. launched, introducing Moments, and the English version was officially renamed WeChat.

Zhang Xiaolong paid homage to Instagram's album feature, sparking a trend among Chinese netizens to share (show off) their lives.

WeChat's user base surged rapidly toward 200 million.

That afternoon, Lashou. om announced it had completed its C-round funding of $110 million and restarted its IPO roadshow, clearly aiming to raise more capital to dominate the group-buying market.

On the same day, Gening, Lüjian, and Fengyuan Pharmacies in Lucheng, along with Yifeng, Fumei, and Haoyao Shi Pharmacies in Shanghai, officially joined KuaiPao Waimai.

From now on, people could order daily medicines or Life Blockers at home, delivered by food delivery riders.

Meanwhile, KuaiPao established branch offices in Hangcheng and Jin Ling, preparing to enter those local delivery markets.

…

…

Zhuxianzhuang Technology Park, Building 9.

Chen Yansen opened a product document sent by Cao Dahua, which listed two new products.

The standard version of the Orange 10000mAh mobile power bank, priced at 99 yuan;

The fast-charge version of the Orange 10000mAh mobile power bank, priced at 199 yuan.

Featuring a steel casing, it consisted of four 2500mAh 18650 lithium-ion cells, with core components supplied by Desai Battery.

The fast-charge version used higher-charge-rate 18650 lithium-ion cells and optimized the circuit design, adding charging protection features.

Compared to similar-capacity power banks from Pinsheng, Ai Guo Zhe, and other brands, Orange's price was roughly equal, slightly higher by about 20% than ordinary brands.

Chen Yansen glanced at the material cost, thought for a moment, and changed the prices to 69 yuan and 139 yuan.

Senlian Capital, as one of Desai Battery's core shareholders, plus purchase orders from the Orange phone factory, accounted for nearly 40% of the company's business.

Desai's supply price was naturally the lowest in the industry.

Cao Dahua calculated all costs—cells, circuit boards, casing, packaging, wiring, labor, and shipping—and found it was under 50 yuan.

Even at 69 yuan, the gross profit margin still reached 40%.

Chen Yansen had never intended to profit from power banks, phone cases, or Bluetooth earphones; these peripheral products were merely tools to keep the factory running and ensure worker incomes.

The morning passed in a flash, and it was noon.

Chen Yansen went downstairs and walked straight into the cafeteria; as soon as he entered, he saw Liang Bo and Wang Teng sitting nearby, eating and chatting.

"Today's Headline's download numbers are insane—five straight days at number one. I'm warning you, as soon as today ends, tomorrow you'll have to pay for the ad space on the Orange App Store."

Wang Teng said with a laugh.

The boss's support period for Today's Headline was only five days; once it ended, all free ad slots would be removed immediately.

"Come on, you think I can't afford it?" Liang Bo retorted.

Today's Headline's launch was perfect—it hit 15 million downloads in five days and surpassed 10 million registered users.

Its information feed was filled with native ads from Pinbei, Orange Tech, KuaiPao Waimai, and Kuaide Taxi; though all belonged to Senlian Capital subsidiaries, advertising fees still had to be paid.

Today's Headline wasn't short on cash, so Liang Bo was confident.

Moreover, Today Tech planned to form an advertising sales department; as long as daily active users were stabilized and retention maintained, earning 30 to 50 million yuan per month was no problem.

Chen Yansen listened to their conversation and smiled faintly.

He got his meal, didn't join them, but sat across from Meng Jie, with Ye Qiuping beside her.

When had this woman become close to Meng Jie?

Chen Yansen sneered inwardly; clearly, his previous reprimand of Ye Qiuping hadn't been harsh enough, prompting her to develop other ideas.

Meng Jie, absorbed in her meal, felt the shadow fall over her and looked up instinctively; seeing Chen Yansen, her lips curled slightly as she asked, "Want a chicken leg?"

Chen Yansen smiled, pushed his tray over, took the chicken leg, then turned to Ye Qiuping: "You and Meng Jie seem quite close?"

Over the past two days, he'd often seen them entering and leaving the cafeteria together.

"Miss Ye is so nice—she's taught me a lot," Meng Jie said, putting down her chopsticks and linking arms with Ye Qiuping.

"Is that so? Director Ye, come to my office this afternoon. We need to discuss some brand promotion plans in depth."

Chen Yansen looked at her with a faint, knowing smile, speaking slowly.

"Yes, Boss."

Ye Qiuping's expression remained calm, but her heart skipped—a beat; she realized her actions had misled him.

Meng Jie, oblivious, stayed with Chen Yansen until they finished lunch.

Half an hour later.

Chen Yansen returned to his office, poured himself a cup of tea, leaned back in his chair, and pondered: the Lucheng No. 4 phone factory was scheduled to begin production next Monday.

Initial production would focus on OEM orders from Huawei and Xiaomi; if Orange mobile power bank sales met expectations, some capacity could be shifted there.

The Shencheng factory would handle only Orange phone manufacturing, gradually transforming into an integrated R&D and production facility.

After all, Shencheng had complete infrastructure and strong appeal for high-end talent—no need to cram everyone into Xucheng.

"Tap-tap-tap—!"

At that moment, a knock came at the door.

Chen Yansen recognized it was Ye Qiuping and replied coolly, "Come in."

Ye Qiuping entered, closed the door softly, and hurriedly explained: "Boss, I have no ill intent toward Meng Jie—I only wanted to befriend her because she's your girlfriend."

"I don't believe you."

Chen Yansen stared straight at Ye Qiuping, smiling lightly.

Twenty-eight-year-old Ye Qiuping, though an old book, had grown fuller and more mature, radiant and lovely—white shirt, gray suit, linen wide-leg pants—perfectly matching her fierce figure.

"Then what do I have to do for you to believe me?" Ye Qiuping sighed helplessly; wasn't it normal for a subordinate to befriend the potential boss's girlfriend?

Correct—in her view, Meng Jie was likely just one of Chen Yansen's many backup options.

Given Chen Yansen's practiced demeanor, she didn't believe he had only one girlfriend.

"Pull the curtains shut." Chen Yansen leaned back in his chair, giving a casual order.

Ye Qiuping's heart lurched—she instantly understood his meaning, yet she wished she hadn't.

An hour later, Ye Qiuping bit her lip and finally couldn't help asking: "Boss, are you almost done?"

Chen Yansen glanced at his watch and said impatiently, "Stay put!"

…

…

Three days later, April 8, 10 a. .

Orange Mall, Pinbei, Taobao, Suning, Guomei, and KuaiPao Waimai launched the Orange mobile power bank simultaneously.

10000mAh, only 69 yuan!

Comparable power banks from generic brands cost over 100 yuan; major brands went for over 200 yuan.

Orange Tech had 20 million users, all with significant demand for power banks—and 69 yuan was indeed cheap.

In the first hour online, 80, 00 units sold!

Buyers in Shanghai and Lucheng received their orders within half an hour.

At this point, Taobao and Jingdong hadn't yet realized the threat of pre-positioned warehouses; they thought Orange Tech's move to store products in Yunsu Express warehouses and delivery stations was foolish.

Delivery speed improved, but storage and management costs were too high to scale widely.

Ma Liyun, upon hearing this, didn't take it seriously.

But Liang Changlin, owner of Shanghai Yaya. om, was deeply inspired after ordering an Orange mobile power bank on KuaiPao.

He kept thinking: if he set up an online service station in central areas with dense residential communities, offering home cleaning referrals, utility bill payments, package pickup, grocery shopping, and appliance repair, wouldn't that be like creating an offline 58 Mall?

The more Liang Changlin thought about it, the more promising the project seemed—it avoided direct online competition with 58 Mall and didn't force a head-on clash with KuaiPao.

Unlike O2O models, he defined this business model as S2C: helping home cleaners, renovators, and appliance repairers sell their skills and services directly to buyers.

Profit came from two directions: first, sales commissions; second, platform-owned products.

A veteran, Liang Changlin acted decisively; within two days, he registered the trademark "Dingdong Community" and began hiring R&D and rider staff in Zhangjiang Technology Park, Pudong.

On the other side.

Chen Yansen, accompanied by Gao Wei and Song Yuncheng, drove to Lucheng.

As soon as they exited the highway, Xu Minggang called.

"Brother Chen, you're in Lucheng? I've reserved a table at Lucheng Fu for your welcome dinner."

Xu Minggang's laugh was hearty, his tone warm and familiar.

"I've invited Secretary Tao—should I include her?"

Chen Yansen suggested with a smile.

He had no time to entertain Xu Minggang, Tao Jingwen, and others one by one—they'd eaten together before, after all.

"Fine, leave it to me," Xu Minggang declared.

Chen Yansen hung up.

This trip to Lucheng had two purposes: to attend the unveiling ceremony of the Lucheng No. 4 Super Factory, and to ask Meng Yuanzhi for a legal taxi operating license.

Within Anhui Province, only Meng Yuanzhi would dare approve it.

Kuaide Taxi differed radically from traditional taxi companies—drivers joined with their own vehicles, owning no fleet cars.

This unusual, odd license would likely be recognized nowhere but Anhui Province.

Meanwhile, the number of part-time drivers (private car owners) on Kuaide Taxi was exploding.

In 2012, Kuaide Taxi had always hovered on the edge of compliance.

(End of Chapter)