[Chapter 506: Widespread Reactions]
Linton's health product store had truly pulled off a miracle this ti. In less than a day, it sold out an entire month's supply. What was even more ridiculous was that this wasn't so hunger marketing stunt -- they genuinely ran out of stock.
The store posted a notice announcing that the next restock of the Vitality and Beauty Pills wouldn't be until the 6th of next month. Even more frustrating for custors was that no reservations or deposits were accepted. Everyone had to be treated fairly. If you wanted to buy, you had to co in person and wait in line on the 6th.
That ant from now until the 6th, the store had no products to sell, and the employees had little to do. But that wasn't entirely true -- they still kept the doors open during business hours to entertain inquiries.
Though, without any Vitality Pills or Beauty Pills to sell, and no pre-orders allowed, what good was the store even being open? Was it just to let people admire the posters and soak in the atmosphere?
Surprisingly, the store saw a steady stream of visitors every day. At first, locals ca just to check out the scene and admire the "Beautiful Angel" posters. Soon, it beca a popular stop for tourists from out of town.
...
That very evening, almost every form of dia -- TV, newspapers, and the internet -- buzzed about the Vitality Pills and Beauty Pills. The hottest topic was Linton's net worth.
Indeed, soone had already done the math. On just that single day, sales of the Vitality and Beauty Pills had totaled an astounding $1.7 billion. While the exact costs of these pills were unknown, it was obvious even to the casual observer that the manufacturing costs wouldn't exceed 10% of the retail price. This was a standard practice upheld by all pharmaceutical giants over the years.
But Linton's approach differed from those drug conglorates. Usually, companies justified their sky-high prices with exorbitant research and developnt costs -- and people reluctantly accepted that. Linton, however, openly said on television that he had received the pill formulas in a dream via divine revelation and had then independently refined them.
In other words, the research and developnt costs could be incredibly low. Yet, the prices were shockingly high, aning the profits were outright astronomical.
By that calculation, Linton was making at least $1.5 billion in pure profit on the day.
It was insanely wild -- no longer just the Arican Dream, but the rise of the next richest man. In a country that worshiped capital and wealth, Linton's fan base exploded, nearly turning him into a national idol.
The second hottest topic was the "Beautiful Angels." Posters of these 21 beautiful won dominated all dia outlets.
Previously, a few dia voices had sneered at Linton's 20 girlfriends -- Madonna, Nicole Kidman, and others -- calling them shaless for sharing the sa man. But now, those critiques had vanished. The dia praised the won's taste and discernnt.
Young won everywhere were intensely envious, especially those actresses with so level of attractiveness, many of whom wanted nothing more than to replace them.
Yet, the most discussed figure among them was the 21st Beautiful Angel -- the only one absent from the event that day: Xu Qing.
Rumors linking her romantically with Linton erged during the filming of the You'll Be In My Heart music video, flooding the tabloids. Now, it was confird -- Xu Qing was genuinely Linton's 21st girlfriend. Her absence at the event only fueled public intrigue.
Reporters spun countless stories and theories, desperate to attract attention no matter how wild. As for Linton's responses at the scene, people mostly ignored them.
Xu Qing was simply too unique, too compelling a subject.
...
How was it possible that a woman nobody knew -- a woman from across the Pacific -- could win Linton's favor, receive abundant resources, and beco a Beautiful Angel? And even more baffling, she didn't show up to the most important occasion.
Every angle of this mystery stoked public curiosity. People were eager to gossip.
Fashion brands took notice, realizing Xu Qing hadn't yet signed any endorsents in North Arica.
Here was a premium candidate. Brands that hadn't signed up the other 20 Beautiful Angels suddenly felt a surge of excitent and urgency -- especially with Linton's backing. They had to make their move quickly.
Soon, Mira started receiving a flood of lucrative offers to have Xu Qing endorse fashion labels. The prices were sky-high, generally topping $3 million a year -- almost on par with rising Hollywood stars.
Of course, these endorsent deals were limited strictly to fashion at this ti.
Still, a small faction of the dia tried to drag Xu Qing through the mud, claiming she wasn't attractive enough, didn't suit mainstream tastes, lacked fa, and was being a diva by skipping the grand opening.
Unfortunately, there was almost nothing to dig up on her. She had barely appeared in the U.S. before, so allegations were pure fabrication. No dia outlet dared risk filing outright falsehoods because Xu Qing had already been officially recognized as a Beautiful Angel -- Linton's unequivocal 21st girlfriend.
Those sar campaigns were clearly orchestrated by soone behind the scenes.
Xu Qing's teoric rise had triggered a collective backlash from a certain group: Hollywood's various actresses.
Particularly those who viewed themselves as naturally stunning considered Xu Qing a mortal enemy. They believed she was stealing their opportunities.
If Xu Qing hadn't been in the picture, surely this 21st Beautiful Angel role would have belonged to them.
Given Xu Qing's soaring popularity, there was no denying it -- they had to attack her viciously.
For the foreseeable future, controversy surrounding Xu Qing was inevitable.
But that was just how it went: controversy kept the heat going, and the people at the center of it often gained even more fans.
As long as no real scandals erged, that was a huge advantage -- and with Xu Qing, there simply wasn't any dirt to find.
...
anwhile, the hottest topic online remained the effects of the Vitality and Beauty Pills.
Many fans posted glowing testimonials on forums, sharing before-and-after photos to flaunt their transformations. So even shared shocking images of their skin breaking out in black spots shortly after taking the dicine.
Everyone who used the pills described them in one word: Magical. Two words: Absolutely Magical. Three words: Worth Every Penny.
Initially, so people grumbled about the high prices. But as more users posted their feedback and pictures, those complaints evaporated -- replaced by a flood of voices urging Linton to ramp up production.
While dia and audiences gorged themselves on gossip, the sellout of Vitality Pills and Beauty Pills had much deeper repercussions than re hype.
*****
spatreon/Sayonara816.
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