As time went on, more and more women began to purchase sanitary napkins openly, and the silent barrier was slowly being broken down.

A woman from the 1920s recalled, "In the past, whenever that time of the month came, we were confined to our homes as if we were sick. But Kotex gave us freedom. We could go out, work, and visit friends just like anyone else."

The improvement in health standards was equally significant.

Thanks to the use of more hygienic disposable materials, the incidence of gynecological infections and related diseases dropped significantly.

Women no longer needed to repeatedly use and wash cloth pads, which reduced the chances of bacterial growth.

Iterative technological advancements further promoted the widespread adoption of sanitary napkins.

The safety pin fastening method of the 1920s;

The introduction of adhesive backing in the 1960s;

The invention of winged pads in the 1970s;

The appearance of ultra-thin pads in the 1980s—each innovation made the product more convenient and comfortable.

Production costs continuously decreased with large-scale manufacturing, transforming sanitary napkins from a luxury item into a mass-market consumer product.

By the 1950s, over 70% of women in the United States were using disposable sanitary napkins.

Globalization then brought this product to the rest of the world, making it a daily necessity for billions of women.

’Now, it’s time for another revolution,’ Li Xu thought to himself.

Sanitary napkins didn’t just need to be clean and absorbent.

They also had to offer more advanced functions, like regulating the body and eliminating odors.

Just as he was thinking this, the clinic door was pushed open, and Yang Qing and Lin Xiaoyu walked in, talking and laughing.

"Sisi, we’re here!"

Yang Qing held two milk teas in her hand, grinning as she handed one to Song Sisi.

Lin Xiaoyu walked right up to Song Sisi, looked her over curiously, and asked, "Is the hemostatic cloth really that amazing?"

Song Sisi took the milk tea and said confidently, "Of course it is. Come on over, you two. I’ll get you some and show you how to fold them."

She turned, took out a few packs of hemostatic cloth from a cabinet, and handed them to Yang Qing and Lin Xiaoyu.

The two took them curiously, feeling the soft texture of the hemostatic cloth with looks of surprise.

This was especially true for Lin Xiaoyu.

Though she had reported on the topic and even interviewed surgeons, she had never actually seen the hemostatic cloth, as it was only used in hospitals.

This was the first time she had ever touched it.

While demonstrating, Song Sisi explained in detail how to fold the hemostatic cloth into a suitable shape and secure it with a bandage or medical tape.

Yang Qing and Lin Xiaoyu followed her lead, learning how to fold it.

"Wow, Sisi, you’re amazing! You’re practically an inventor," Yang Qing exclaimed in admiration.

Lin Xiaoyu nodded repeatedly. "Exactly! Does this mean we won’t have to worry about sanitary napkins anymore?"

The three of them chatted quietly, discussing all the various "clever uses" for the hemostatic cloth.

Li Xu, standing nearby, faintly overheard their discussion. Although it wasn’t appropriate for him to join in, he gained a deeper understanding of the hemostatic cloth’s potential as a feminine hygiene product.

He picked up his phone and called Ding Kaifang.

"President Ding, how is production of the hemostatic cloth coming along?" Li Xu asked.

"Doctor Li, things are looking very optimistic for the hemostatic cloth. We’ve been buying up Willow Catkin from all over the country recently, and we’ve collected a lot, so our reserves are now very plentiful. What’s more, I’ve had people improve the manufacturing process by adding some cotton yarn. This way, not only do we maintain the original absorbency and softness, but we can also reduce the amount of Willow Catkin needed, making it last longer."

"And what about sales?" Li Xu added.

This time, however, Ding Kaifang’s tone was a bit helpless. "As for sales... here in Feng City, thanks to the government mandate and the quality of the cloth itself, the hemostatic cloth has been fully rolled out. All the major hospitals are designating it for purchase.

However, it’s still difficult to promote it in other cities.

The interests of those hospitals and some traditional medical dressing manufacturers are too deeply entangled. Just because our product is good doesn’t mean we can automatically conquer the market.

In fact, a portion of the hemostatic cloth we’re producing now isn’t selling.

But I’m confident that with the superior performance of our hemostatic cloth, we’ll definitely be able to capture a larger market share within a few years."

After listening, Li Xu laughed and said, "President Ding, it doesn’t have to be that much trouble. There’s a better opportunity right now that can help our hemostatic cloth quickly break into the market—a market that’s even vaster than the one for medical hemostatic cloth."

The moment Ding Kaifang heard this, his interest was piqued. He hurriedly pressed, "Oh? What kind of opportunity? Doctor Li, tell me quickly."

Li Xu played it coy, countering with a question of his own, "President Ding, have you been following the sanitary napkin incident recently?"

Ding Kaifang replied without hesitation, "It’s been such a huge mess, of course I know about it. CCTV even exposed it, and the internet has been in an uproar these past few days. Those unscrupulous businesses are utterly devoid of conscience."

As the general manager of a large corporation, Ding Kaifang’s business instincts were exceptionally sharp.

With Li Xu’s hint, he immediately connected the "sanitary napkin incident" with the "hemostatic cloth," and an idea instantly formed in his mind.

"Doctor Li, are you saying... we should use our hemostatic cloth to make sanitary napkins?"

Ding Kaifang’s voice trembled, clearly from extreme excitement.

Li Xu smiled and didn’t answer directly, instead asking back, "What do you think?"

"What do I think? It’s absolutely brilliant!"

Ding Kaifang said excitedly, "The market for feminine hygiene products is enormous, and sanitary napkins are daily consumables. This market is much, much larger than the one for medical hemostatic cloth. If this really works, our hemostatic cloth won’t just sell—it’ll be in high demand. The profits from this would be incredibly lucrative."

He grew more and more excited as he spoke, filled with anticipation for the future.

But he quickly calmed down. "Doctor Li, how effective is our hemostatic cloth when used as a sanitary napkin?"

If the performance was only average, they still wouldn’t be able to compete with some of the international brands.

Li Xu relayed Song Sisi’s feedback. "Song Sisi used it yesterday afternoon and said the results were excellent. Not only is the absorbency good, but there was also hardly any odor. She even felt that the cramping in her lower abdomen was significantly reduced. I believe that Ding’s hemostatic cloth is completely viable as a feminine hygiene product."

After hearing this, Ding Kaifang made the call on the spot. "Alright. In that case, I’ll make arrangements immediately. I’ll have the factory produce a batch of sanitary napkins, then find more women to test them and collect their feedback."

"I’ll leave it in your capable hands, President Ding," Li Xu said with a smile.

"It’s no trouble at all! This is a huge opportunity," Ding Kaifang said cheerfully.

After hanging up, Li Xu was about to turn around when he noticed Yang Qing and Lin Xiaoyu looking at him with expectant expressions.

They had obviously overheard the conversation between Li Xu and Ding Kaifang, and excitement was written all over their faces.

"Doctor Li, did I hear that right? Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory is going to produce sanitary napkins?" Yang Qing asked excitedly.

Lin Xiaoyu also looked at Li Xu, her eyes sparkling.

’This is a huge scoop.’

’My magazine has a new story!’