Chapter 547: Chapter 55: The Celebrity Effect (Bonus Chapter for 10 Fans Combined) (Part 4)
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"This mat is made from Purple Bamboo strips, measuring 150cm by 200cm," the commentator announced. After a pause, he seemed to predict that there would be skepticism among the crowd.
"Purple Bamboo to make mats? Can Purple Bamboo be used for that? The advanced cooling mats exported by our company, not a single one is made of Purple Bamboo. The last time Mr. Huang and I went fishing in the open sea off Qingdao, we used Purple Bamboo fishing rods. What did the senior angler say then? He mentioned that Purple Bamboo has excellent toughness, a beautiful color, and is the best choice for making fishing rods," said the honorary chairman of the Beijing City Fishing Association, who also happens to be the owner of a well-known bedding manufacturer.
Hearing his remarks, the guests shook their heads one after another, some even suggested that Mr. Qiu must have made a misjudgment this time. Although the mat has a rather unique appearance, if the bamboo material is not suitable, it’s all for naught.
"At a product demonstration, where there is appreciation, there’s also scrutiny. My Purple Bamboo Mat has several advantages. First, it’s softer than a woolen blanket, second, it’s dense and waterproof without trapping hair, and third, it has a magnificent color," President Qiu, puffing out his quail-belly, waddled through the crowd with a swaying gait.
He had the mat moved to a well-lit and airy area, took a piece of white silk, and had someone hold up a cup of water. Placing it under the mat, the setup resembled the ritual of testing a bride’s chastity, making the male guests laugh, while the female guests frowned.
Xiao Xian was speechless watching it all; she hadn’t even properly checked the mat after finishing it herself, unsure of what exactly President Qiu was trying to sell.
"Miss Wang Keke, would you mind lending a hand?" President Qiu called out to one of the female guests who had previously participated in the auction for a black swan specimen.
Wang Keke is a well-known pure and youthful celebrity in the country, only twenty years old, with fair and smooth skin and an innocent demeanor. Being called out by President Qiu, the celebrity Wang Keke had no choice but to step forward.
"Congratulations on just becoming the spokeswoman for a Japanese cosmetic brand called KStwo," President Qiu congratulated her.
Upon hearing this, Wang Keke showed a smile; it was an international first-tier brand, and her ability to represent it was due to her high popularity and excellent skin.
"Next, could we have a young guest, a child?" The second guest President Qiu called out was a five or six-year-old girl, dressed like a doll, at the demonstration with her mother.
After everyone was called out, Mr. Qiu had the indoor lights turned on, making the Purple Bamboo Mat brilliantly light up; silver bamboo specks on its surface glistened like stars, eliciting exclamations of amazement. Before the exclamations subsided, the little girl couldn’t help but squat down, touched the mat, and innocently exclaimed, "It’s so smooth."
President Qiu then said to Wang Keke, "Miss Wang, please bring the child back." Seeing that the girl was adorable, Wang Keke picked her up, and the girl, not shy at all, wrapped her arms around Wang Keke’s neck.
"Sweetie, touch this beautiful big sister’s face; she’s a big star," coaxed President Qiu, tempting the girl. Hearing it was a big star and thinking she might not have the chance again, the girl tilted her head, then reached out and touched Wang Keke’s face.
"How about it? Which is smoother, the mat or the beautiful big sister’s face?" As the guests laughed at President Qiu’s brazen comparison, the innocence of his question was quite apparent.
"The mat is smoother," the girl, only a few years old and oblivious to others’ feelings, blurted out the truth.
Once the words were spoken, the crowd went quiet. Wang Keke’s face couldn’t hold the expression, unsure whether to keep holding the child or to put her down.
The idea that a mat woven from coarse bamboo could be smoother than her skin was clearly a direct blow to her dignity.
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President Qiu simply smiled without speaking.
Wang Keke squeezed out a few words, "How could that be? Little kid, lying will make your nose grow, you know. Are you saying my skin isn’t good?"
"Big sister’s skin is really smooth, just like an egg. But that mat is even smoother," the little girl responded with a childish voice, and Wang Keke’s expression improved slightly, managing to save a bit of face for herself.
The girl’s mother hurriedly came forward and took her daughter back. Those guests who had previously been indifferent became curious and touched the mat, indeed finding it incredibly smooth. What was most remarkable was that no matter how people touched it, the mat remained cool to the touch.
Think about it, not everyone can touch the face of a big star, but by buying such a mat, and thinking about its texture that’s even finer than a beautiful woman’s skin, imagine spreading it on the bed - what kind of enchanting experience that would be.
In the crowd, some people were already itching to move, starting to write down their bids.
"Everybody, hold on a moment. The few benefits I’ve mentioned just now haven’t all been showcased," President Qiu was quite confident in this mat. He turned around, took a cup of water from the microphone holder’s hand, and poured the entire cup onto the mat.
"What’s this act about?" Xuerou and Xiao Xian looked at each other in confusion, and Mrs. Zeng also watched with interest.
The mat was lifted up by a corner, and the cup of water remained intact on its surface. Not a single drop spilled over, and the white silk shone, without the slightest sign of dampness.
After a while, the water on the Purple Bamboo Mat slowly got absorbed into the bamboo strips. Press it with a hand, and the bamboo strips became even more plump and shiny.
"As you all have seen, not a drop of water has leaked; it’s all locked inside the mat. This excellent mat makes women sleep beautifully and men sleep with energy," President Qiu stirred up the crowd’s emotions again.
"My goodness, how many stitches must be woven to make such a dense mat? The bamboo used for weaving the mat is also strange; it even shrinks water," came a wave of amazed mutterings. The guests who had not been moved before also took out their pens and started writing.
Even the female star Wang Keke followed suit and wrote down a price on a piece of paper, only not sure about how much to write. In her heart, she secretly thought that no matter what, she had to win this mat that had embarrassed her. If it fell into someone else’s hands, her joke would only get bigger.
Besides, perhaps sleeping on that mat, her skin would get even better. Wang Keke thought for a while and wrote down a price.
"Xiao Xian, your Aunt Zeng will also bid for you," Mrs. Zeng said on the side, quite admiring President Qiu’s promotional methods.
The few pillow mats at home were also made by Xiao Xian. Previously, she hadn’t realized so many benefits. After sleeping on those pillow mats, Mrs. Zeng and Grandma Zeng’s sleep quality had improved somewhat. Sleeping with the air conditioning on, they didn’t feel their skin tight in the morning, which must be the effect of the pillow mats. If the effect of a small pillow mat is so good, not to mention the effect of a whole mat.
"Auntie, don’t join in the fun. If you really like this kind of mat, I’ll ask Master to find some more bamboo and weave a new one," Xiao Xian stopped Mrs. Zeng.
Even without Mrs. Zeng joining in, the Black Box next to the Purple Bamboo Mat was still in high demand.
After all was said and done, about fifty or sixty people had stepped forward to submit their slips of paper.
The appreciation event proceeded for a while longer before President Qiu prepared Hong Kong-style refreshments to entertain the guests, whose spirits were high, inviting them to go and rest. (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian () to cast your recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)