Chapter 85

Negative information spread online almost instantaneously.

As the news gained more attention, several competing brands jumped out.

Some tried to take advantage of the hype, while others tried to add fuel to the fire.

"Flower Gift" and "Luxuriant Flower Lane" successively posted on their accounts, claiming that their products would never engage in passing off inferior goods as high-quality ones.

"Daily Flower Talk" directly started a livestream, teaching netizens how to distinguish real roses.

The backdrop banner in the live studio conspicuously read "Jing City's First 'Real' Flower Shop." The satirical meaning was unambiguous.

Sheng Mumu drove to the company. Before she even stepped into the office building, she could already hear the noisy chaos coming from inside.

Rings of the telephone, clacking of keyboards, customer service staff answering calls...

However, when she went in, it was not quite like what she had imagined.

Although everyone had grave expressions, they were not in a frenzied rush.

Before Sheng Mumu arrived at the company, Cheng Zhuo had already instructed the employees: try to appease the customers as much as possible, be courteous in attitude, neither servile nor overbearing.

Seeing that the boss Sheng Mumu had finally arrived, everyone's expressions relaxed to varying degrees.

They were all waiting for her to take charge of the big picture.

Sheng Mumu stood in the middle of everyone, not wasting any time on superfluous words:

"Meeting in the large conference room in ten minutes."

With that said, she strode towards her office.

Glancing back, she lifted her chin at Cheng Zhuo:

"Come to my office. Jiamu will be here soon. Let's sort out the meeting agenda first, we three."

Cheng Zhuo froze for a moment.

During his studies abroad, Cheng Zhuo had been a management trainee at many renowned companies.

The Sheng Mumu before his eyes now overlapped with the images of those corporate leaders he had seen in the past.

Decisive, composed, orderly.

Watching her slender yet powerful back, Cheng Zhuo quickened his pace to catch up.

Without noticing, he had unconsciously changed how he addressed her, responding:

"Sure, Boss Sheng."

Soon, Qin Jiamu arrived at the company.

Sheng Mumu fetched a cup of water at the water dispenser. Her slim, fair hand held the cup as she lightly leaned against the wall. After glancing at the clock on the wall, she quickened her speech:

"We have eight minutes to discuss this. Cheng Zhuo, brief me first on the current situation."

Cheng Zhuo felt the urgency of time. He furrowed his brows and nodded, speaking concisely.

"Right now, online opinion is very unfavorable to us. Black posts are continuously being shared and upvoted."

"Many media outlets have called asking about the authenticity of the rumors and requesting interviews with us." "Customer service has received many complaints. After explaining and trying to pacify their emotions, still over half of the customers want to cancel their orders."

Having conveyed the current circumstances, Cheng Zhuo's frown deepened even more.

"Boss Sheng, Sis Jiamu, we didn't use mums as roses like the news reports said. Why don't we just send lawyer's letters directly and go after those spreading rumors and defamation? That's the simplest and most effective method."

"You're thinking too simply," Qin Jiamu took over the conversation. "Just trying to clarify is a bad approach. Now that things have escalated to this point, many onlookers won't even verify if the news is real or fake. They just want to participate in the condemnation and stand on the side of the louder, greater number."

Sheng Mumu nodded in agreement and added:

"Jiamu is right. Once we fall into the self-defense trap, we become the passive party. We'll be subject to all kinds of attacks and nitpicking from the outside, even if we have a clear conscience. Our brand image would still be affected."

Qin Jiamu: "Let's hurry and discuss my thoughts—"

Having worked in advertising planning for many years, Qin Jiamu had handled quite a few crises.

She quickly proposed several methods to redirect public opinion and prevent the situation from deteriorating further.

Sheng Mumu pursed her lips tightly. As she listened to Qin Jiamu speak, she absentmindedly tapped her chin with her fingers.

This was a habitual tic of hers when pondering something.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up as she calmly stated: "How about we just let the black posts continue to spread and make good use of the momentum?"

She and Qin Jiamu exchanged a look. Qin Jiamu quickly understood her intention. Though slightly uneasy, she still chose to trust Sheng Mumu and gave a firm nod.

On the side, Cheng Zhuo, the youngest with the least experience, was still clueless.

Several minutes later, the three entered the large conference room.

The company's thirty-odd employees had all arrived, with expressions of anxiety or unease.

Sheng Mumu would be leading the meeting.

Under everyone's gaze, she stood before the conference table.

Her fingertips rested on the table surface as she slightly leaned forward.

After scanning the room, she spoke in a calm tone:

"Thank you all for staying dutifully at your posts when this emergency came up. Firstly, please rest assured and believe that Yueji has a clear conscience and does not fear false accusations and smears."

This simple yet powerful line brought some tranquility to everyone's hearts.

Sheng Mumu narrowed her eyes slightly. Her tone suddenly became completely different from earlier.

Cool, resolute.

"Next, we'll mainly take three steps to seize this opportunity and expand our brand promotion."

As soon as she finished speaking, faint cries of surprise sounded in the conference room.

Some murmured to each other, some looked doubtful.

Did they mishear? Boss Sheng actually said to "seize the opportunity"?

Whether they could even get through this was uncertain, yet she wanted to promote their brand? Some of the more seasoned employees showed faint disdain. They started doubting if they had chosen the wrong boss.

If they had known the Yueji leader was so incapable yet still so confident, they wouldn't have joined a start-up even for a higher pay.

Sheng Mumu tapped the table, the crisp sound ringing out.

Her calm gaze swept over everyone. She raised her voice and continued:

"First, do not close the commentary sections or delete negative posts on our website, app, Weibo, public account, etc."

"Second—" She turned to look at Cheng Zhuo. "Cheng Zhuo, you handle the media contacts. Arrange individual interview times for every media outlet that reaches out. Not a single one is to be declined."

She looked towards the group again. "Third, the procurement department will contact our overseas suppliers to increase the quantity of our next batch of orders. Have them provide timestamps and photographic proof of the entire planting, harvesting, and transportation process for all the flowers."

She paused, then looked towards the corner of the room at a few men in plaid shirts.

"Engineer Yu, you and your team will add a dynamic feedback feature to the website and app backends within two days. Every customer can trace each bouquet back to its origin, harvest date, packaging date, etc. based on their order information. Can you make it work?"

The one Sheng Mumu called Engineer Yu was the head of the technical department and the employee with the highest salary in the company.

Engineer Yu held a ballpoint pen under his chin. He pondered for around ten seconds, mentally running through the backend logic.

Then he looked up confidently and responded in a neither servile nor overbearing tone:

"No need for two days. Our department will work overtime tonight and definitely launch it by midnight."

Engineer Yu glanced left and right at his subordinates. "Come with me now. Each person take one module and get started."

"Okay!" Hearing their boss's command, the programmers in plaid shirts responded in chorus and followed him out of the conference room.

When hiring Engineer Yu, Sheng Mumu had given him a great deal of autonomy.

She now tacitly approved of the technical department's early departure.

Sheng Mumu understood very clearly that the purpose of a meeting was to solve problems, not to make the employees sit there listening to the boss talk big.

"The UI and product departments can go get to work first too. Cooperate fully with Engineer Yu. Although time is tight, I still hope the pages won't be too shabby. Show me your professional capabilities."

The product and UI department employees responded in chorus:

"Got it, Boss Sheng."

Having made all the arrangements, Sheng Mumu clapped her hands together.

The corners of her bright eyes slightly lifted as she encouraged everyone:

"Go on and get busy, thanks for the hard work."

Everyone: "Yes ma'am!"

In less than ten minutes, the meeting ended.

Those employees who had doubts about Sheng Mumu at first now had them completely dispelled as they left the conference room.

She was confident, clear, and decisive.

She had won over all the employees with her own abilities.

After everyone gradually left the conference room, Sheng Mumu heaved a long sigh of relief. Her palms were slightly damp with sweat, but she felt an indescribable sense of exhilaration in her heart.

It was a feeling she had long missed.

The sense of achievement in overcoming obstacles in her career.

She enjoyed it very much.