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In the spring of 1997, the air in Silicon Valley was filled with the scent of money and dreams.

Su Ning stood outside the San Jose Convention Center, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the admission pass on his chest.

This is the sixth COMDEX electronics show, a mecca for the global technology community.

He was followed by two young engineers...

Li Wentao brought in a Tsinghua University graduate from the Shanghai branch, and Mark Ratson, a former Apple employee he had just poached.

"Boss, Dell's booth is in section C." Li Wentao flipped through the exhibition map, neon lights reflecting off his glasses. "Their newly launched Dimension series is supposedly..."

“Let’s go to Motorola first.” Suning interrupted him, her gaze fixed on the huge blue logo in the distance.

Through the glass curtain wall, you can see the latest StarTAC flip phone on display, which looks like a piece of exquisite obsidian under the spotlight.

The crowd surged into the exhibition hall like a tidal wave.

As they passed the IBM booth, Mark suddenly grabbed Suning's sleeve excitedly: "Boss, look! That ThinkPad 770!"

The engineer's voice trembled with excitement, "The first laptop with a DVD drive, processor speed..."

Suning's gaze, however, lingered beyond the dazzling products, landing on the colors of the exhibitors' name tags...

Blue represents suppliers, red represents buyers, and the rare gold represents top players like Microsoft and Intel.

He glanced down at his red name tag, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly.

“Remember! We’re not here on a pilgrimage.” He straightened his suit collar. “Within three months, Yongren’s logo will appear in that position.”

The finger was pointing to an empty space next to the Motorola booth.

It's important to know that Suning had been preparing for this for a long time. Although the spatial world had been blocked, the necessary advanced technologies were already etched into Suning's mind.

Therefore, Yongren Group has already made the necessary preparations and is just waiting to obtain the patent rights so that it can expand its territory in the communications market.

Motorola's business meeting area is a semi-enclosed space separated by bulletproof glass.

As soon as Suning explained its purpose, the vice president in charge of channel sales gave a polite but distant smile: "Mr. Su, our current distributors are all at the Best Buy level."

“Your company’s shipments in the Asia-Pacific region declined by 12% last year.” Suning took the folder from Mark. “In particular, the penetration rate in the Chinese community was less than 3% – even though this group’s per capita spending on consumer electronics is 1.7 times the average.”

The vice president's eyebrows twitched.

This data comes from a secret survey conducted by Yongren's marketing department; even Motorola's own regional reports are not this detailed.

“We have a complete channel solution.” Suning pushed out another document, “Within three months, 500 retail outlets will cover major Chinese communities across the United States.”

He deliberately tapped the last page of the letter of intent with his knuckles...

It bears the large red seal of the North American Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

Sure enough, the vice president's expression changed.

He hurriedly stood up: "Please wait a moment, I need to call the Asia-Pacific president over."

Taking advantage of the other party's absence, Mark leaned over and whispered, "Boss, where are we going to get 500 terminals? Yongren Electronics only has 37 stores right now..."

“Mark, how many Chinese restaurants are there in America’s Chinatown?” Suning countered, his eyes still fixed on the entrance to the meeting room. “Does having a display rack next to each cashier count as a terminal?”

"Oh my God! Boss, you are a genius."

Twenty minutes later, when Motorola Asia Pacific President Richard Lin…

When an ABC (American-born Chinese) who speaks Cantonese walked in, Suning had already drawn a complete channel matrix diagram on the glass with tea.

The watermarks reflected the light, resembling a spider web covering most of a map of the United States.

“Mr. Su,” Richard said in Mandarin with a Hong Kong accent, “I’m curious, how do you handle after-sales issues?”

Suning smiled.

This is exactly the question he's been waiting for.

“Yongren has a 20,000-square-foot repair and training center in Los Angeles.” He gestured for Li Wentao to open his laptop, and a live monitoring screen popped up…

Dozens of technicians in white coats are inspecting circuit boards. "All technicians have passed Huawei certification training, and the spare parts inventory is 98% full."

Richard exchanged a glance with the vice president.

They knew that in the Chinese community, where small electronics shops were everywhere, after-sales service had always been a headache for the giants.

"There's also a small gift." Su Ning took out a velvet box from her briefcase.

Richard was stunned when he opened it...

Inside is a retro Motorola pager with a pure gold casing and the words "1973-1997" engraved on the screen.

“A replica of your company’s first civilian pager,” Suning said softly. “Gold symbolizes 24 years of leadership, and I want to help you secure the next 24 years.”

"Mr. Su, you are the most outstanding negotiator I have ever met. I wish us a pleasant cooperation."

"Pleasant to work with."

In reality, the negotiations were not as simple as they appeared on the surface. The main reason was that Yongren Group was no small player; it was quite powerful in the American business world.

Therefore, Motorola had already considered the cooperation request from Yongren Group, and it was not too unexpected that the cooperation could be reached.

At the end of the meeting, Yongren secured the exclusive dealership rights for Motorola in the Chinese community, as well as a 15% discount on purchases compared to the market price.

On the way back to the hotel, Li Wentao rubbed his hands excitedly: "Boss, how did you come up with the idea of ​​giving away a gold pager? That was absolutely brilliant!"

Outside the car window, the lights of Silicon Valley spread out like a galaxy.

Suning rolled down half of the car window, letting the night breeze dispel the smell of cigars on his suit: "When Hong Kong returned to China in 97, these ABC executives didn't say it, but they were all panicking inside."

He tapped his temple. "Gold + tradition, no Chinese person can resist this combination."

"Boss, do you think these ABCs see our Yongren Group as their future support?"

"Of course! Survival in America is inseparable from gangs. The predecessor of our Yongren Group was the Five Blessings Gang."

"No wonder Richard Lin agreed so readily."

"Wentao, there are no real fools in this world. All cooperation is based on interests. Therefore, our Yongren Group is Motorola's best partner, and I believe their board of directors also thinks so."

……

Three months later, Yongren Technology's advertisements were everywhere.

During prime time on a Los Angeles Chinese-language television station, an advertisement featuring Suning itself was played on a loop: "Yongren Communications, Motorola's official partner!"

The scene cuts to a warehouse piled high with mobile phone boxes, accompanied by the clear and resonant voice proclaiming, "No gifts this holiday season! If you must give a gift, we only accept..."

Meanwhile, a secret acquisition is underway in Santa Clara. Suning stands in the Lightning Communications company's laboratory, his fingers tracing a rusty piece of equipment.

This is an RF tester from the early 1990s; it now looks like a museum exhibit.

"Just for this?" Emily kicked the machine, her high heels scratching the metal casing.

As one of the major shareholders of Yongren Group, she had just finished reviewing the debt list of the bankrupt company.

"For this." Su Ning took down the yellowed patent certificate from the wall—US5487099, multi-band antenna adjustment technology.

"Do you know why Nokia was able to catch up and surpass others? It's because they mastered similar radio frequency technology."

The company's founder, John, was sitting in a corner drinking whiskey when he heard this. He looked up and said, "Young man, this technology is at least five years ahead of its time. When we made the prototype in 1991, even venture capitalists couldn't understand the principles."

"The times have caught up with you now." Suning squatted down to be at eye level with the old man. "Name your price, including all the patents and your team."

The negotiations continued until the early hours of the morning.

As John Sr. finally signed the contract, the morning light of Silicon Valley was streaming over the hills outside the window.

The old man's trembling fingers touched the company logo—a yellow lightning bolt: "You know what? Steve Jobs came here once, and he said we should focus on making products that consumers can understand."

“Steve was wrong.” Suning carefully put away the contract. “Great technology should wait until consumers are ready.”

"Mr. Su, would you be willing to retain the Lightning brand?"

"Of course! But the color should be changed to transparent, because that might look cooler."

"Mr. Su, thank you so much. You are the most generous business owner I have ever met."

On the helicopter ride back, Emily was flipping through the acquisition documents when she suddenly burst out laughing: "So you had Li Wentao study radio frequency principles for two months just so he could talk about technology with Old John today?"

“Not only that.” Su Ning adjusted the volume in his headphones, “I also sent his grandson to the best private school in Palo Alto.”

He pointed to the factory buildings arranged like building blocks below, "Look, that's our future."

As the helicopter flew over Sunnyvale, the newly built R&D center of Yung-Jen Technology gleamed silver in the sunlight.

Further away, container ships in the Port of Los Angeles are carrying the first batch of OEM mobile phones bound for Asia.

These machines are emblazoned with the Motorola logo, but they already utilize Lightning Communication's patented technology internally...

No one knew that this was a foreshadowing by Suning.

Of course, Suning also knows where the future world factory will be, so this factory is just a transition, and it will continue to invest in building factories in China.

Now that I am in this world, there is no need for that idiot Guo anymore.

……

On Christmas Day 1997, Yung-Jen Technology opened its first "Smart Living Experience Center" in Los Angeles' Chinatown.

On opening day, red lanterns and LED screens complemented each other, and a lion dance troupe leaped over an inflatable archway to the rhythm of "Gangnam Style"...

This magical mix became the focus of media reports later on.

Inside the store, sales assistants with ponytails demonstrate products to different customers in Mandarin, Cantonese, and English.

In the most popular corner, there is an IBM Aptiva computer equipped with a Chinese interface system independently developed by Yongren. Elderly overseas Chinese with white hair line up to experience the handwriting input function.

"Boss, a reporter from The Wall Street Journal is waiting for you in the VIP area," the PR director whispered.

Just as Su Ning was about to turn around, an old man in a Tang suit grabbed his sleeve: "Young man, can this 'Motorola' take Taishan back?"

The elderly man held up a StarTAC mobile phone with a "One-Click Dialing of Family Numbers" sticker specially made by Yongren on the screen.

“Yes, sir.” Su Ning bent down to help the old man press the preset button. “Your son will answer the phone in just three seconds.”

He pointed to the signal booster on the ceiling—the first civilian product using Lightning communication technology.

In the VIP section, the blonde female reporter was staring blankly at a bowl of mango pomelo sago.

"Try it, this is an invention of Yongren employees." Suning smiled as he sat down. "Mangoes symbolize the vitality of Silicon Valley, and sago represents the resilience of the Chinese people."

The reporter scooped up a spoonful, his eyes immediately lighting up: "Mr. Su, Yongren's model is very unique—it's neither like a traditional distributor nor a technology company. How would you define yourself?"

“A bridge.” Su Ning looked out the glass window. At the shop entrance, Li Wentao was teaching several Mexican immigrants how to say “smartphone” in Spanish, while Mark was helping an elderly Vietnamese woman set up her Chinese radio.

“Eastern manufacturing capabilities, Western technological innovation, plus the American market.” He turned his gaze back and drew a triangle on the table with his finger. “Yongren stands at this intersection.”

After the interview, Suning walked alone to the back alley of the experience center.

This is a pile of old appliances ready for recycling...

Cassette recorders, CRT televisions, and the original Nintendo game console.

They are like seashells washed ashore by the tides of time, quietly waiting to decay.

My phone vibrated; it was a weekly report from the Suzhou factory: the first batch of self-branded "Yoren" and "LTG" mobile phones had been successfully trial-produced, featuring a modular design and supporting one-click switching between Chinese and English systems.

In the attached photo, young workers on the assembly line are holding up prototypes and making peace signs, while a banner in the background reads "National Brand Goes Global".

The familiar sound of an engine came from the alley entrance.

Emily pulled over in her red Ferrari, and Suri, in the passenger seat, shouted, holding up her newly bought Game Boy, "Dad! I beat the game!"

As they got into the car, Suning noticed a sticker with Yongren's logo on his son's game console—a souvenir from the opening of the experience center.

It is unclear when exactly, but this symbol, which evolved from the "Five Blessings Gang," has quietly infiltrated the capillaries of mainstream American culture.

"Go straight home?" Emily asked, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel.

Suning fastened his seatbelt and glanced at his watch: "Let's go to the airport first. Richard Lin's flight arrives in an hour; he wants to see our community model in person."

As the Ferrari entered Sunset Boulevard, the car radio was broadcasting a year-end economic review: "...The Asian financial crisis continues to spread, but US tech stocks are bucking the trend and rising. Analysts point out that personal computers and mobile communications will be the next century's..."

Suri hummed a song she learned in kindergarten in the back seat: "It's a small world after all..."

Suning looked in the rearview mirror.

In the mirror, the neon sign of Yongren Experience Hall gradually fades into the distance, while ahead, the entire galaxy of the digital age slowly unfolds.

He knew that this time he was no longer chasing the waves, but standing at the forefront of the tide.

Of course, the current Five Blessings Gang elders are all completely subdued by Su Ning. After all, Su Ning may seem like a legitimate businessman, but the Five Blessings Gang elders are well aware of Su Ning's ruthlessness.

Now that Suning is willing to help everyone make money, it's something the Five Blessings Gang's veterans are naturally eager for.

If someone were to cause trouble for Suning, they would be a complete idiot, because there are some things they simply can't handle.

...(End of chapter)