Free Web NovelChapter 516: Chapter 516: A Moment of Flexing, a Trainwreck When You’re Out of Stock
On the evening the high-end sanitary pads were produced,
Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory’s official Weibo and major e-commerce platforms suddenly posted a bombshell announcement.
[Ding’s · Agarwood—A Guardian Through Ten Millennia. The world’s first premium personal care product infused with real Ten-thousand-year-old Agarwood. Warms the body, soothes the uterus, relieves pain, and calms the mind. Limited to 100 pads per month. Price: 5,000 yuan per pad.]
The moment the news dropped, the internet exploded.
"Holy shit! Am I seeing things? 5,000 yuan for one pad? Is this a sanitary pad or a sheet of gold foil?"
"To the commenter above, even gold foil isn’t this expensive! How many packs of normal pads could you buy for that price? I don’t even spend that much in a whole year!"
"This is insane, right? Sophie just released one for 500 a pad a few days ago, and I already thought that was highway robbery. Ding’s just went and added a zero? Are they trying to shoot for the moon?!"
"Ten-thousand-year-old Agarwood, for real? Isn’t that the stuff of legends? Using it to make sanitary pads is just too extravagant."
The comment section was in an uproar.
The first reaction of most netizens was shock and disbelief.
Someone did the math:
"A period lasts at least seven days. Even if you only change it once a day (which is unhygienic), that’s still 7 pads, which is 35,000 yuan. If you’re more diligent and change it three times a day, that’s over a hundred thousand for the week. My God, what kind of family can afford that?"
"This is just a blatant IQ tax, isn’t it? Didn’t Ding’s used to focus on cost-effectiveness? How did they get so corrupted?"
"Hey, commenter above, don’t just hate. If it’s from Ding’s, it’s quality. Did you forget their eye drops and Dragon Bone Powder? They’re expensive, but they actually work."
"Exactly. Sophie’s 500-yuan pad is fake high-end. This one from Ding’s might actually have the goods. Ten-thousand-year-old Agarwood! That’s a medicinal ingredient that can save lives."
Even though the internet was in an uproar, with endless voices of doubt and ridicule,
the moment they went on sale...
[00:00:01]
[Stock: 0]
"What the fuck? It’s gone?!"
"I hadn’t even clicked yet! Instantly sold out?"
"I guess there are just too many rich people. I’m not worthy."
Staring at the grayed-out "Sold Out" button, the netizens were all dumbfounded.
’In this day and age, you even have to fight to buy a 5,000-yuan sanitary pad?’
「...」
「In Shanghai, inside a secluded and luxurious private garden.」
The afternoon sun streamed through elegant floor-to-ceiling windows, casting its glow on a priceless Persian rug.
A few exquisitely dressed, graceful women sat around a circular table, enjoying a top-tier afternoon tea.
These weren’t the typical social media influencers with plastic surgery faces, showing off designer bags. They were true heiresses of wealthy families and the wives of magnates.
Their every move exuded a calm and noble air that came from a lifetime of wealth.
"Have you all tried the new sanitary pads Sophie just released?"
The speaker was Xie Xiaoling, the cherished daughter of one of the country’s top real estate tycoons.
She gracefully lifted a bone china teacup and took a sip of black tea. "They claim it has some kind of negative ion chip, so I jumped on the bandwagon and bought a few packs. My thoughts... it’s just so-so. Other than the pretty packaging and a slight cooling sensation, I didn’t find it all that amazing."
"Lingling, your news is so behind the times."
Shen Ying said with a smile, putting down her macaron.
She was the heiress of the Shen Group and famously the most well-informed person in their circle.
"Sophie’s is just an IQ tax. Haven’t you seen the latest news? Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory also released a high-end sanitary pad. Now *that’s* the real deal."
"Ding’s?"
Xie Xiaoling raised an eyebrow. "The one that makes Chinese medicine? What kind of good product could they possibly make? Don’t tell me it just reeks of herbs?"
"This time is different."
Shen Ying mysteriously pulled a small, exquisite purple box from her Hermès bag. "This time, they used... Ten-thousand-year-old Agarwood!"
"Ten-thousand-year-old Agarwood?!"
The eyes of the other socialites at the table instantly lit up.
Every one of them came from a family that collected countless rare treasures, so they were certainly no strangers to a top-tier fragrant wood like Agarwood.
"Is that for real?"
Xie Xiaoling was skeptical. "A treasure on the level of Ten-thousand-year-old Agarwood, used to make sanitary pads? Isn’t that an absolute sacrilege?"
"It’s real. I got lucky. I had someone write a purchasing bot specifically for it, and I managed to snag 10 pads. I happened to bring them today to show you all something special."
Shen Ying carefully opened the box and took out a "Ding’s · Agarwood" pad.
The moment she tore open the outer packaging,
a deep, mellow, and distant fragrance, carrying a hint of coolness and sweetness, instantly filled the air, even overpowering the aroma of the top-grade Darjeeling black tea on the table.
"Oh my god... this scent..."
Xie Xiaoling was the closest. She took a deep breath, completely stunned.
"This is absolutely top-grade Agarwood, and it’s aged material."
Her family owned several Ming Dynasty Agarwood ornaments,
but this scent was even purer, even more penetrating than any of those!
"It’s so soothing..."
Another socialite couldn’t help but close her eyes. "Smelling this, I feel like the dull ache in my lower abdomen from a moment ago is gone. My whole body has relaxed."
"This is definitely the real deal."
Everyone exclaimed in amazement.
Using this level of Agarwood to make sanitary pads... even for socialites like them, who had seen it all, it felt deeply shocking and... extravagant.
"I heard that a while ago, Divine Physician Li Xu from Feng City had a type of life-saving Agarwood."
Shen Ying lowered her voice. "Back then, many powerful figures tried to get their hands on it but couldn’t. Looking at it now, the Ten-thousand-year-old Agarwood that Ding’s is using is probably a byproduct of that Agarwood, or at least a high-quality material from the same source."
"No wonder they dare to sell it for 5,000 a pad. This isn’t a sanitary pad; this is basically body care with pure gold."
Xie Xiaoling’s eyes burned with desire. "How are the effects? Have you used it?"
"I have," Shen Ying said, a satisfied smile on her face. "How should I put it... That dragging feeling I used to get, the cramps—completely gone. And... the fragrance is released continuously, so even the... you know... odor is gone. You just feel fragrant all over. I feel like I’ve truly become a refined woman, inside and out."
Hearing this, the other socialites could no longer sit still.
"I want to buy some too! Where do you get it?"
"Me too."
"Forget it. It sold out instantly. They only release a limited quantity of 100 pads a month, and the entire internet is fighting for them."
Shen Ying spread her hands. "Even with all my money, I can’t buy any from the second batch."
Everyone’s eyes instantly turned green with envy, staring fixedly at the remaining nine pads in Shen Ying’s hands.
"Yingying, darling, we’re such good sisters..."
Xie Xiaoling’s smile was exceptionally warm. "You know, it’s my time of the month, and the pain is awful. How about you spare one for me? I’ll pay you double."
"I want one too! I haven’t been feeling well these past few days either!"
"I’ll pay triple."
Shen Ying panicked, clutching the box to her chest like a precious treasure. "No, no way! I only managed to get these few, and I need them for myself! Don’t you dare try to take them!"
"Oh, don’t be so stingy. What’s one pad between friends?"
"Exactly! Good things are meant to be shared."
Under the barrage of pestering, wheedling, and even threats and bribes from the group of socialites, Shen Ying ultimately couldn’t hold her ground.
She ended up giving one to each of them, leaving only two or three for herself.
Staring at the empty box, Shen Ying’s heart ached so much it felt like it was bleeding. She regretted ever taking it out to show off.
’So much for showing off. It’s all fun and games until you’ve got nothing left.’
