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Being fired by Raytheon didn't bother Suning much.

That assessment report from the Army Personnel Command simply locked up his future within the defense industry.

Furthermore, a vague yet potentially fatal mark was left on his "clean" resume...

"Potential reliability risks".

After all, Su Ning's actions on the Vietnam battlefield showed a close relationship with the engineering corps aiding Vietnam, which was something that the US military and even the US military-industrial complex could not allow.

Suning did not hesitate for long, and did not even intend to return to Greentown, Alabama.

There are warm memories there, and his caring foster mother.

But at this moment, what he needs is not the comfort of his family, but a track that allows him to start afresh and not be bound by the shadows of the past.

Going back there would only worry my mother and easily bring back those potentially malicious eyes.

Therefore, Suning's destination is clear—Los Angeles, California.

Unlike the East Coast's rich history and traditions, the West Coast in the early 1970s was brimming with a completely different kind of vitality.

While Silicon Valley's semiconductor industry is booming, the area around Los Angeles is filled with a unique atmosphere that blends the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry with the unbridled growth of emerging technologies.

This place is further removed from the political magnetism of Washington, D.C. and the Pentagon, and values ​​innovation, courage, and future potential more than an overly clean past.

This place is suitable for burying the past, and even more suitable for starting anew.

Upon arriving in Los Angeles, Suning gave himself almost no time to catch his breath.

He quickly rented a small, relatively quiet but easily accessible office in downtown Los Angeles.

He then embarked on something that seemed quite forward-thinking and even somewhat mysterious at the time…

They registered a technology company whose parent company is located in the Cayman Islands.

The Cayman Islands, that remote British archipelago known for its financial secrecy and tax advantages, provided a necessary protective shell for his nascent business entity.

This outer shell can effectively block certain unnecessary scrutiny and also leaves room for possible future capital operations.

As for the company name, he chose "Lemon Tech".

The company logo is a simple and bright lemon cut in half. The bright yellow contrasts with the simple black lines, conveying both the relaxed and energetic feel of California and the subtle sense that the sourness hides energy and value waiting to be extracted.

This seems to be a metaphor for his own situation...

He was seen by the mainstream system as a flawed, squeezed-out "lemon," but he insisted on using this sourness to brew his own flavor.

On the day the company was successfully registered, he sat in an empty office with only a temporary desk and a chair.

Outside the window was the not-so-poetic cityscape of Los Angeles, but his eyes were unusually bright.

This will be his new starting point, a "battlefield" completely under his own control.

Just as Suning had settled down and was beginning to conceive the first specific product direction for Lemon Technology, he received a long-distance call from Green Town.

Mrs. Gan's voice, as gentle and concerned as ever, came through the receiver.

"Su Ning, where are you? Has something happened at Thor Corporation?" Her information network was excellent, and her tone held no blame, only deep concern. "Are you alright? Why haven't you come home?"

Su Ning felt a warmth in her heart and quickly said nonchalantly, "Mom, I'm fine. I'm in Los Angeles now. There are some issues with Thor... because I didn't help the poor in Vietnam, the military thinks it's not suitable for me to stay any longer. Also, I've decided to go out and learn how to start my own business."

“Suning, you’re right! But starting your own business? That requires a lot of money, right? You’re all alone out there, you need money for everything…” Mrs. Gan’s voice immediately became urgent. “Wait here, I have some savings here, I’ll transfer it to you right away. Is one million enough to get things started?”

Suning choked up instantly.

He knew that Mrs. Gan had some savings, mainly the result of her years of running a bed and breakfast.

One million dollars is an absolute fortune in this day and age; it could very well be almost her entire fortune.

“Mom, no need!” he hurriedly refused, not wanting to cause trouble for his mother. “I have a plan, and I can handle the start-up capital myself. Thor Corporation gave me compensation, and with my demobilization pay, it’s enough. Besides, don’t worry, you can keep your money for yourself; you’ll need it for retirement and the guesthouse…”

"You silly child, don't be so formal with me!" Mrs. Gan's tone was full of helplessness, after all, Su Ning had been exceptionally sensible since childhood. "Isn't my money your money too? You need it right now. I've seen it on TV and in the newspapers; starting a business or company is incredibly expensive these days. How can you manage on your own without enough capital? Are you going to have to beg for a bank loan and be at the mercy of others? Listen to me, take the money, consider it my investment in your future, okay?"

“Su Ning, let Mom help you one more time, okay? I know you’re very capable, but Mom also wants to… do something for you as well.”

Su Ning held the receiver, her eyes slightly warm.

He knew exactly what this money meant to Mrs. Gan; it was her guarantee for the rest of her life.

I don't actually need this money urgently; I have enough funds and technology in the spatial world.

But at this moment, he could no longer refuse.

This is not just a sum of money; it is his mother's unreserved trust and support, the weight upon which she places all her hopes.

Rejection will only hurt her feelings.

Su Ning was silent for a few seconds, then finally took a deep breath, "Okay, Mom, I'll listen to you. This money... consider it a loan from me, or you can consider it an investment in Lemon Technology. Once I make money, I'll pay you back with interest and give you dividends."

"Forget about lending or dividends. Your company is doing well, that's the best dividend for Mom." Hearing him accept, Mrs. Gan immediately became happy, as if she had accomplished a great task. "You can focus on your work and don't worry about home. The grocery store business is doing well, and I'm in good health. Just... be careful in everything you do, and don't overwork yourself."

"I know, Mom, take care of yourself too." After giving a few more words of advice, Su Ning hung up the phone.

A few days later, a huge sum of one million dollars was transferred from a small bank in Greentown, Alabama, to Lemon Technology's designated account in Los Angeles.

Looking at the bank's notification, Su Ning felt the burden on her shoulders grow even heavier.

This is no longer just about fighting for oneself and a promise about love; it also carries the hopes and expectations of a mother who has given her all.

He stood by the office window, the Los Angeles sunlight streaming through the glass and illuminating the company letterhead on the desk with a picture of a sliced ​​lemon.

The failure of the political review kicked him off his original path, but by a twist of fate, it pushed him onto another, perhaps broader, road.

His mother's financial support was like a warm ocean current flowing into the harbor where he set sail.

Now, everything is ready, except for the final push.

Next, it's time for Lemon Technology and Suning to extract value and make their voices heard on this west coast full of opportunities and challenges.

……

Los Angeles, California.

A simple office next to Santa Monica Boulevard is now Lemon Technology.

The yellow and black lemon icon on the wall by the office door stands out in the California sunshine, as if announcing the start of a fresh yet slightly sour challenge.

To Mrs. Gan, a million dollars in start-up capital was a huge sum of money.

But in the money-burning tech industry, especially in the minicomputer sector that Suning was targeting, it was like a pebble thrown into the ocean. In 1970, Silicon Valley and the Los Angeles area had already gathered a group of tech fanatics and sales geniuses who had left large companies for various reasons, or who harbored dreams but had nowhere to put them to use.

Suning doesn't have a big-name brand like Raytheon or IBM. What it can offer is a vague but enticing vision, and an equity incentive plan that may far exceed the norm, based on future earnings.

Suning's recruitment target is technical geniuses who feel suffocated within large corporate systems and are eager to quickly put their ideas into practice.

So he placed uniquely worded job ads in the Los Angeles Times and several emerging tech publications: "Tired of long meetings and bureaucracy? Want to build the future from scratch? Lemon Tech cuts through rigidity, extracts innovation, and is looking for hardcore engineers who dare to eat 'sour lemons'."

In addition, there are sales talents who have a keen sense of opportunity and dare to sell the "future" to corporate clients.

Such people are even harder to find, requiring a combination of technical understanding, exceptional eloquence, and almost reckless confidence.

Of course, we also need pragmatic hardware engineers and skilled technicians who can quickly turn blueprints and ideas into physical objects.

The interviews were conducted in that empty office, usually with only Suning and the applicant sitting opposite each other.

The first interviewee, David Fleming, a young man with thick glasses, messy hair, and who had just dropped out of Caltech, walked into the office carrying a stack of circuit diagrams he had designed himself.

He was a little nervous at first, but his eyes lit up when he talked about the technology.

“Mr. Fleming,” Suning said, flipping through his densely packed, highly creative sketches, especially those concerning the design of a simplified central processing unit (CPU) instruction set, “your ideas are very bold. But I’d like to know, what is your vision for the future of computers? What should it look like?”

David pushed up his glasses and spoke quickly, “Sir, computers shouldn’t just be huge machines locked in air-conditioned rooms, requiring special white coats to maintain them. They should be smaller, cheaper, and affordable enough for ordinary people like me, even small shops and studios, to handle inventory, calculate payroll, or… or simply to learn programming!”

"IBM only cares about large corporate and government orders; they don't care about the needs of ordinary people at all!"

Su Ning nodded; this was exactly what he wanted to hear.

“Well said. That’s exactly the kind of machine Lemon Technology is going to make. We call it ‘Lemon I’—a desktop computer for small businesses, research institutions, and affluent enthusiasts.” He stood up and drew a diagram on the whiteboard. “Based on the simplified instruction set concept you mentioned, using the latest MOS 6502 microprocessor (which costs far less than Intel’s chips), integrating memory, keyboard input, video output interfaces… the goal is to keep the cost below one-tenth of the IBM System/3.”

David's eyes widened, and his breathing quickened. "One-tenth? This...this might require sacrificing a lot of performance..."

“No,” Su Ning interrupted him, her gaze sharp. “It’s about optimization, innovation, finding the golden ratio of cost-effectiveness. We need the smartest designs, not the most expensive parts. Mr. Fleming, are you willing to take on this ‘sour lemon’? The position is Chief Hardware Architect, the base salary isn’t high, but there will be considerable stock options.”

David nodded vigorously, almost without hesitation, "I do! Mr. Gan! I believe this is the future!"

"Great! Congratulations on joining Lemon Technology."

"Sir, it is my honor."

The second interviewee was Jack Walsh, a former IBM regional sales representative, in his mid-thirties, wearing a neatly pressed suit and with shrewd eyes.

He was "persuaded to leave" by his former employer because of his "overly aggressive sales strategy".

Looking around at the shabby office and the young Su Ning, he wore an undisguised expression of skepticism.

“Mr. Gan, to be frank, I’ve seen many entrepreneurs like you, full of dreams, but most of them end up…” He shrugged. “Your ‘Lemon No. 1’ sounds good. But how can you convince me that it can snatch a piece of the pie from giants like IBM and DEC? Why should customers believe in a… um… freshly cut lemon?”

Instead of answering directly, Suning pushed a crude but functional prototype in front of Jack.

This prototype was created by our own space world based on 1970s technology; for an omnipotent space world, it's just making rudimentary toys.

"Jack, give it a try. Open it and run this simple inventory management program."

Jack operated it with suspicion, and after a few minutes, the look of doubt on his face was gradually replaced by surprise.

"The response is... very fast. The interface is also more user-friendly than I expected."

“That’s our advantage.” Su Ning leaned forward, his tone persuasive. “IBM sells not just machines, but also their vast service network, long delivery cycles, and high prices. We sell ‘plug and play,’ ‘affordable efficiency.’ Our target customers are small and medium-sized enterprises, dental clinics, law firms, and university labs that IBM has overlooked. They don’t need massive systems; they need solutions to their immediate problems, and they have limited budgets.”

He paused, then dropped his trump card, "Jack, at IBM, how much commission do you get for selling a system? Here, the base salary isn't high either, but for every 'Lemon One' you sell, you get a 15% commission, plus company stock options. More importantly, you're not selling a cold, impersonal product; you're helping small business owners embrace the future. You'll be a pioneer in opening up a new market, not caught in the cutthroat competition of the old system. Isn't that more challenging and rewarding than following the established path at IBM?"

Jack looked at the unassuming but innovative machine in front of him, and then at Suning's eyes, which burned with ambition and conviction.

He was silent for a while, then suddenly laughed, "Mr. Gan, you're a great salesman, at least you successfully sold me out. Okay, I'll take this 'lemon'!"

Congratulations on making the wisest choice.

……

A few months later, at a small accounting firm in Pasadena, Suning personally led Jack and the slightly improved "Lemon One" prototype for a demonstration.

The client was the firm's owner, a cautious old gentleman named Howard Miller.

“A…computer on the table?” Mr. Miller, wearing his reading glasses, examined the machine skeptically. “What can it do? Is it faster than my current electric calculator and typewriter?”

“Mr. Miller,” Jack replied smoothly, turning on the computer and running the pre-prepared, simple accounting software. “As you can see, you can enter all your customer data, and the software can automatically calculate taxes, generate profit and loss statements, and balance the bills. Querying a customer's transaction history only takes a few seconds, instead of rummaging through thick ledgers. Moreover, the data storage is more secure and less likely to be lost.”

Mr. Miller took a closer look, still somewhat hesitant. "It sounds good. But... is this reliable? Your company... Lemon Technology? I've never heard of it. What if it breaks down? IBM at least guarantees 24-hour on-site service."

At this moment, Suning spoke, his voice steady and confident, "Mr. Miller, I understand your concerns. Reliability is our primary design goal. The components used in 'Lemon One' have all undergone rigorous testing, and the structure is simplified as much as possible to reduce potential points of failure. As for service, we offer a one-year on-site warranty, and if any problems arise, our technicians will arrive within 48 hours. More importantly,"

He pointed to the clear data on the screen, "The time it saves you and your employees is enough to recoup the cost of this machine within a year. Time is your most valuable asset, isn't it? Why not try to free up yourself and your team with a small investment?"

Suning's persuasive words, combined with Jack's skillful demonstration, ultimately won over Mr. Miller.

He became Lemon Technology's first enterprise customer.

Although only one machine was ordered, it later became a living advertisement for Lemon Technology in the Pasadena small and medium-sized enterprise circle.

……

In late 1970, Lemon Technology sold more than fifty "Lemon No. 1" computers without any traditional advertising investment, relying on precise talent recruitment, a compelling vision, and a capable team including Suning and Jack to conduct on-the-ground sales.

The clientele includes small accounting firms, law firms, university research groups, and even a few tech enthusiasts.

While fifty units might seem insignificant to IBM, for the startup Lemon Technology, it represented over a million dollars in revenue, proving the viability of its business model and product positioning.

More importantly, they successfully carved out a niche in a market segment that was overlooked by giants and established an initial reputation.

The office was no longer empty; it was now crammed with engineers working feverishly, salespeople constantly making phone calls to customers, and piles of components and machines being assembled.

The air was filled with the scents of solder, coffee, and the tense yet excited atmosphere typical of startups.

Suning stood in the corner of the office, watching his busy team and the cut lemon icon on the wall.

The U.S. military's suspicions kicked him off the defense industry track, but propelled him to the forefront of the civilian technology wave.

His mother's trust fueled his startup, and he and his team are using this sour "lemon" to try to squeeze out a cup of sweet and sour nectar belonging to the dawn of the personal computer era.

The road ahead is still long, and competition will intensify as markets are discovered.

But at this moment, in Los Angeles in 1970, Lemon Technology had successfully cut the first crack, letting the Los Angeles sunlight in.

...(End of chapter)