Because she knew that to make a change, the price to pay would be far too great. She alone might not be able to accomplish it. Besides, what if she failed? Ming Yue dared not imagine the immense pressure she would have to face. In the end, even if she truly possessed Xue Yang’s talent, she probably couldn’t bring about any real change.

Furthermore, the supermarket’s senior executives were all veteran employees who had been there for several years, if not over a decade. Initially, they had scoffed at Xue Yang. They hadn’t left simply because they wanted to see what kind of mess he would make of the supermarket. When he proposed lowering prices for a promotion, everyone laughed in secret. They had wondered what brilliant plan he could possibly come up with. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be such a terrible idea, one that amounted to self-sabotage. If a method like that actually worked, they would have used it long ago. So what if they sold all their inventory now? The only real beneficiaries would be the bargain-hunting customers; the supermarket would be the loser.

A merchant, by definition, is someone who makes a profit. Xue Yang’s approach meant that, at best, he could be considered a great philanthropist. That title might have been useful in ancient times, but now...

Xue Yang was well aware of what everyone was thinking, but he didn’t let it show. Instead, he looked at another person and said, "Sister Mei, please bring out the financial statements for the past few days of the promotion."

"Alright, President Xue."

The woman addressed as Sister Mei was a sharp-looking woman in her early forties with short hair. Her initial impression was similar to Gong Li’s, but where Gong Li carried an air of authority from her years as a mentor, Sister Mei seemed more pragmatic and astute. Called upon by Xue Yang, Sister Mei quickly sifted through a pile of documents and pulled out a report detailing the financial data from the promotional event.

Initially, she had also held reservations about the price-cutting strategy Xue Yang proposed. However, when she compiled the data from the very first day, she was astonished. The sheer volume of sales and the remarkable results made her doubt her own eyes. To be certain, she recalculated everything several times, and the outcome was identical each time. A surge of excitement filled Sister Mei’s heart, and she wanted to share the good news with the other executives immediately. But on second thought, she remembered that Xue Yang was the new boss. She decided to keep the information to herself for now, waiting for his instructions before revealing the thrilling data.

Xue Yang took the financial report, reviewed it carefully, and nodded in satisfaction. "Very good. Even after selling all the overstocked inventory, we still managed to turn a profit."

"That’s impossible!" an older man with a booming voice immediately objected. He was Xia Jianguo, the sales manager.

Xue Yang glanced up, his eyes briefly pausing on the man’s name tag. He recognized this particular veteran employee, who often flaunted his seniority and position yet maintained an extremely casual attitude toward his work. He knew that Xia Jianguo frequently ignored the supermarket’s regulations, often arriving late and leaving early. He even abused his authority by taking products from the store without paying, causing constant, yet helpless, frustration for the logistics department.

Facing Xia Jianguo’s skepticism, Xue Yang smiled faintly and asked calmly, "Manager Xia, what is it that you doubt?"

"How can you possibly profit from ’buy one, get one free’ deals, or selling products at seventy or even ninety percent off? At best, you might break even. You didn’t have Sister Mei cook the books to fool us, did you?" Xia Jianguo challenged.

Upon hearing this, Sister Mei’s face turned livid. As a financial professional with years of experience, she held the accuracy and authenticity of her data to the highest standard. To be baselessly accused of falsifying accounts was a grave insult to her professional integrity.

"Manager Xia, watch your words!" Sister Mei retorted sternly. "This is a financial statement. Every single figure is real and valid."

Xue Yang gestured for Sister Mei to calm down. He turned to Xia Jianguo, a sharp glint in his eyes. "Manager Xia, I understand your confusion. But I must tell you, these promotional strategies were not shots in the dark. They were the result of meticulous calculation and planning.

"First, we used big data to analyze customer purchasing habits and needs. We discovered that our overstocked goods were exactly what they wanted. Therefore, we chose ’buy one, get one free’ and discount promotions to attract them and stimulate their desire to purchase.

"Second, we adjusted the product displays and layout, placing promotional items in prominent locations to increase their visibility. At the same time, we ramped up in-store advertising, informing customers of the sale through broadcasts and posters, further boosting their desire to buy.

"Finally, we strictly controlled our costs. We optimized the procurement and logistics processes, which lowered our operational expenses. Through these measures, we successfully converted our stagnant inventory into cash flow while still turning a profit."

Listening to the explanation, Xia Jianguo’s face alternated between pale and flushed. He had never expected Xue Yang to have such a comprehensive plan.

He stammered, "W-well... that still doesn’t rule out the possibility that you falsified the accounts."

Xue Yang chuckled softly. "Manager Xia, if you have any doubts about our financial statements, you are welcome to inspect the original data and vouchers at any time. Our supermarket has always operated on the principle of integrity, and we would never do anything that violates professional ethics or the law."

Rendered speechless by Xue Yang’s words, Xia Jianguo could only shut his mouth and sit awkwardly in his seat, not daring to utter another sound.

Cui Hao watched from the side, stunned as Xue Yang single-handedly took on the wily old-timers of the supermarket. Truly worthy of being my adoptive father. That presence, that verbal skill... If it were me... I’d be completely speechless. Thinking of that scenario made Cui Hao shudder.

Ming Yue was also watching Xue Yang in astonishment. In that moment, she saw not a sophomore barely twenty years old, but a commanding leader who reigned over the business world. Sometimes she couldn’t help but wonder if Xue Yang was like the protagonists in novels, reborn with his own system. Otherwise, how could someone from an ordinary family possess such sharp business acumen? Every step he took seemed meticulously calculated. She believed that even a single misstep could lead to utter ruin, yet Xue Yang had boldly carved out a grand path for himself. At this moment, she felt even more grateful that she had broken away from her family. She believed that one day, Xue Yang would truly create a new business empire. By then, she would be a founding member, no longer having to live at the whim of the Wang Family. Perhaps they would even have to rely on her.

Thinking of such a future, Ming Yue felt even more motivated.

The other supermarket executives were now completely at a loss for words.