<h2>Chapter 438: Three Stages of Pain</h2>


    With Guo Taining’s curt response, the enthusiasm in Si Yueting and Liu Yiyao immediately vanished into thin air. There didn’t seem to be even a glimmer of hope, for Director Guo was set in his ways and circumspect by nature. The girls believed that it was impossible to change his mind. They nced at Xiao Luo dejectedly with looks of defeat on their faces.


    “A regr person speaks 300 words in a minute, so 100 words would take approximately 20 seconds. Director Guo is only allowing me to speak for 20 seconds. Are you sure that this is an opportunity?” Xiao Luo said.


    Hmm?


    Guo Taining, who was still focused on his medical book, looked up and shot a nce at Xiao Luo. “You’re a rather interesting young man. I can change the rule since you think that it is too unfair,” he said, “Recently, one of my friends purchased a batch of men’s socks, where each pair costs a thousand dors. Most people flinched at its price, and the socks were left unsold in the shopping mall. Since you are a salesperson, you must be good at promoting things, do you think you can solve this problem for him?”


    A thousand dors for a pair of socks?


    God, how was it possible to sell them? No matter how wealthy a man was, he would not spend a thousand dors on a pair of socks.


    Si Yueting and Liu Yiyao were vexed; this was even more challenging than the hundred-word challenge. It appeared that Guo Taining was deliberately making things difficult for them.


    Of course, they didn’t say that out loud. The two of them were not able toe up with an answer even after racking their brains because, ording to their knowledge, regr guys could buy three pairs of socks for just ten dors. Whoever willing to spend a thousand dors on a pair of socks must be crazy.


    Guo Taining shifted his gaze back to his book indifferently and said, “A few of my former ssmates who are now professors helped analyze the situation and concluded that the only solution was to write this batch of socks off.”


    Si Yueting and Liu Yiyao both thought to themselves, who would be stupid enough to spend a thousand dors on a pair of socks?


    “Director Guo, I have an idea, and your friend could give it a try,” Xiao Luo said.


    “Oh? What is that idea?” Guo Taining asked, looking up again.


    Xiao Luo smiled and said, “Since no man would buy those socks, why not sell them to women?”


    Si Yueting and Liu Yiyao’s hearts sank when they heard what Xiao Luo said. Si Yueting reminded him in a hushed tone, “Brother Luo, those are men’s socks, not women’s, why would any woman want to buy them?”


    Guo Taining kept silent for a moment, then smiled at Xiao Luo and said, “Just like this youngdy said, those socks are for men, women buying men’s socks, don’t you find it weird?”


    “Weird? Actually, not at all.”


    Calmly, Xiao Luo exined, “Disy this batch of expensive socks beside some high-end cosmetic products. After a woman spends thousands or even tens of thousands of dors on cosmetics, feel a little guilty for splurging on herself. And if she has even a teensy bit of affection for her husband, she would, deep down in her heart, feel anxious for not thinking or caring about her husband enough. And, at this very moment, when she turns around and sees the socks that cost a thousand dors, her anxiety and guilt will immediately drive her to get a pair of those for her husband. And, undoubtedly, she will now go home with pride and be more open with her husband about having gone shopping. This is how you can sell the socks.”


    Oh, my God!


    Si Yueting and Liu Yiyao were astonished after hearing what Xiao Luo had said, and they looked at him as if he was an alien. His way of thinking was awe-inspiring, selling men’s socks to women; just how did hee up with that idea? How was he able to think of that?


    Thedy who led them into the office was so astounded that she had her mouth wide open. Xiao Luo’s idea was so amazing, and although they had yet to try it out, she already agreed with him.


    A twinkle appeared in Guo Taining’s eyes, and he finally put the medical book down and nodded as he said, “Interesting… interesting, young man, your director couldn’t answer the same question.” He turned to the woman who was standing beside him, “Xiao Yun, bring us some tea, please.”


    “Yes,” the woman, Xiao Yun, immediately took the tea kit out and started preparing some tea.


    Guo Taining stepped out from behind his desk and gestured them over. “Come this way!” he said.


    Xiao Luo nodded and followed Guo Taining to the couch where the tea kit had been set. He knew that he had already earned himself the right to have a deep conversation with Guo Taining.


    Si Yueting and Liu Yiyao exchanged looks, and they were over the moon. They saw a glimmer of hope now and inwardly apuded Xiao Luo.


    “Young man, I did consider Huayao Corporation, but everyone is bound to some moral obligations. I worked with the Sales Director in Renhe Medicines, Cui Yongsheng, for many years, and we are very close, so nothing can change my decision to give the contract to Renhe Medicines. However, I admire young men like you, and today will be the beginning of our friendship; if we need any medical equipment in the future, I will contact you.”


    Guo Taining was a simple man who had returned to the natural path. He calmly poured some tea for Xiao Luo with a smile on his face.


    What he had just said made Si Yueting and Liu Yiyao feel like they had fallen from heaven down to hell, and the glimmer of hope they saw just now was suddenly gone.


    Xiao Luo did not rush to the main topic, but instead, he sipped some tea and shot a nce at the medical book on the desk. “That book is about how to reduce the pain that a parturient suffers during thebor, I presume?”


    “Yes, the book is written by Lin Qiaozhi, the founding mother of our country’s obstetrics and gynecology. It seems that you have some knowledge about the medical field, why don’t you share what you know about women inbor?” Guo Taining replied.


    “Yes, sure, I’ll share a thing or two, but forgive me for showing off in front of Director Guo, who is the expert in this field. The process ofbor is divided into three stages, as you know. The first stage includes contractions of the uterus that result inbor pains, which are simr to menstrual cramps, like boiling the frog in warm water. Therefore, the pains would generally not be such a big deal for women who have experienced menstrual cramps.


    In the second stage, the contractions intensify, and when the cervix dtes until it is big enough to fit three fingers, thebor pains will be more and more intense. This is where many parturients shiver at the thought of having to experience the pain once every few minutes, as it is a pain that increases in its intensity each time. This is when thebor room is filled with their endless piercing screams.”


    Xiao Luo discussed the process ofbor with Guo Taining in a logical order.


    “Hmm, pretty good,” Guo Taining said, beginning to admire the young man in front of him.


    Si Yueting and Liu Yiyao were again shocked, as they couldn’t believe that their team leader, Xiao Luo, knew so much about the subject. He was awesome!


    Xiao Luo smiled and went on to exin, “The babyes out of the obstetric canal in the third stage, there’s actually nothing much to talk about in this stage. After the baby is born, all the pains will slowly fade away, the mother will feel relieved as nature takes its course. I would like to emphasize on the second stage—as this stage which brings the most suffering to the would-be mother, both physically and mentally. Some women remain in this stage for more than ten hours, and some for three days and nights, and it can be unbearable, as they’d feel as if they were in hell.


    Every minute and every second would feel like a century to them. Some women evenmitted suicide by jumping off buildings because they could not take the pain. Although there are techniques that achieve so-called painlessbors nowadays, the effect of anesthesia is still limited, the pains are only reduced but not eliminated. Director Guo, am I correct?”


    Guo Training had a rather awkward look on his face as he nodded sullenly. “What you said is correct,” he said.


    “Director Guo, ten years ago, there was a woman who jumped off the building from the inpatient department on the fifth floor of your hospital because she could not stand the pain from the second stage of thebor process. She passed away together with her child in her uterus, and that woman was your ex-wife, am I right?”


    CRACK!


    Guo Taining’s hand suddenly twitched, and the teacup in his hand slipped to the floor, shattering into pieces.