Transmigrating As a Poor Fake Heiress with Trillions in Family Asset - Chapter 43

Chapter 43: Not Within Delivery Range

As a villain in the original novel, Kou Yan’s treatment by the author was like that of a stepson. But since Sang Jing arrived in this world, he suddenly seemed to have become the author’s favorite son—his treatment was worlds apart from the male lead’s.

In the original plot, to torment the female lead, the author gave the male lead, Yan Ye, immense power but also many constraints, leading to endless conflict. Kou Yan, however, was designed to be the ultimate boss. His tragic end was mostly due to his mental instability; the more his illness flared, the less rational he became, eventually leading to his own downfall.

Now, with a clear head and a sudden desire to “rely on Sang Jing,” Kou Yan’s plan was flawless. He mobilized the full strength of the Kou Group to snatch the Yan Group’s business, declaring openly: “As long as Yan Ye stops targeting Jing-Selection, I will stop targeting the Yan Group.”

He didn’t hide this message, so the entire circle knew. Yan Ye, furious that Kou Yan was interfering in his “feelings” for Sang Jing, smashed vases and scattered documents in his office. But he couldn’t vent his rage—he had already received calls from his father and grandfather warning him not to let a woman ruin the company’s interests. He was forced to back down.

…

The Skeptical Merchant

With Yan Ye out of the way, merchants no longer feared retaliation. However, the New Year Goods Festival presented a different challenge: perishability and seasonal demand.

Feng Gu, a small factory owner who processed cured sausages and meats, was torn. He was a loyal user of Jing-Selection—his wife bought groceries there, and they’d upgraded their appliances through the app.

“I’m tempted,” Feng Gu told his wife, “but other bosses say it’s unreliable. New Year goods aren’t like electronics. If they don’t sell before the holiday, they’re dead stock. We’d lose our shirts.”

His wife countered, “Weren’t those apples about to rot when Jing-Selection sold them? And didn’t the Chen Group stock up hundreds of millions in appliances? Sang Jing hasn’t failed to clear inventory yet. You’ve always wanted to expand; why not gamble this once?”

Feng Gu slapped his thigh. “You’re right! If she can sell out fridges and fruit, she can sell meat!”

He signed up, ignoring the mockery of his peers who called him a fool. He put his phone aside, told his wife to handle the naysayers, and went to the factory to start overtime production.

…

The Global Craze

While merchants debated, the news of the New Year Festival reached overseas. In South Korea (Country H) and Japan (Country R), where cultural ties to the Lunar New Year are strong, netizens were drooling over the leaked images of Chinese delicacies.

The prices were the “lethal weapon.” Ten pounds of sausage for a fraction of the local price? Flower-shaped steamed buns? Hot pot soup bases? “Can we please get international shipping?” became the cry of foreign netizens.

Most didn’t believe it was possible. Even the former MD general manager mocked the idea: “Jing-Selection is delusional. Our labor costs are too high; their ‘cheap delivery’ model can’t work here. International shipping is a pipe dream.”

…

The “Missing” Character

Han Zhengyan, a colleague of the former MD manager, was one of those who secretly loved Jing-Selection. He had a full shopping cart but was depressed because the app always showed the Chinese characters for “Not within delivery range.”

One evening, while browsing the app to “satisfy his cravings,” Han Zhengyan froze. He stared at his phone, his fingers trembling. He couldn’t read much Chinese, but he had memorized the “Not within delivery range” notification.

One character was missing.

He screenshotted it and sent it to a Chinese-speaking friend. The friend replied with a string of exclamation marks: “It doesn’t say ‘Not within range’ anymore! It says ‘Within delivery range’! I’m going to try it too!”

Han Zhengyan didn’t hesitate. He clicked “Pay” immediately, terrified the missing character would jump back. The process was a bit complex—it included import taxes and a shipping fee because of the distance—but he didn’t care. Three minutes later, the order was placed.

His friends were skeptical. “It’s a scam! They’re just taking your money from across the border.”

Panicked, Han called the customer service line. To his surprise, they had an international representative who spoke Korean. “Sir,” the rep explained, “we have installed self-service pickup lockers in many areas of Country H. The goods will be delivered to a locker near you, not your doorstep.”

…

The Delivery

Two days later, the internet was ablaze with “scam” accusations. Suddenly, a blogger posted a photo of themselves at a locker. “I can’t believe it! It arrived in two days! Did they send it by rocket?” Then: “OMG, these apples are so sweet and cheap! Even with tax and shipping, it’s way cheaper than our supermarkets!”

Han Zhengyan received a text: Your package has arrived at the locker. Please pick it up within 48 hours.

He rushed to a shop near his apartment that had been converted into a pickup point. Seeing the large bank of lockers, Han felt a surge of pride. He took his boxes and walked home with his back straight.

His skeptical friend called him immediately. “Did you really get it?!” Han acted cool. “Yeah. Only two boxes so far, the rest should be here in a few days.” “I just checked, my neighborhood isn’t open yet,” the friend begged. “Can I ship my stuff to your house? I have a long list I want to buy!”

Han grumbled, but he knew the truth. As his friend’s long screenshot of a shopping list arrived, he realized: Who could possibly resist Jing-Selection?