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Lemon Technology's offices are now bustling with activity.

The pungent smell of solder mingled with the rich aroma of coffee, while the sounds of keyboard typing, engineers discussing, and salespeople's incessant phone calls created a slightly chaotic entrepreneurial symphony.

The icon of a lemon being cut on the wall seemed to appear even more vibrant because of this busy activity.

Suning is discussing the initial concept of "Lemon II" with David Fleming, with the goal of higher integration and a more user-friendly interface.

Just then, the receptionist and administrative assistant knocked on the door and came in, looking a little nervous. "Boss, a Mr. Chen wants to see you. He says... he has a big order to discuss."

"Oh? Please invite him to the conference room."

"Okay, boss."

A moment later, a middle-aged Asian man dressed in a well-fitting dark suit and with a composed demeanor was led into the conference room.

Those shrewd eyes, with a scrutinizing quality, swept over the prototype machine being tested without making a sound.

The other party handed him his business card and introduced himself, saying, "Mr. Gan, hello! My name is Chen Wenyuan, and I am the head of 'Pacific Technology Trading Company'."

"Mr. Chen, hello! Please have a seat."

"Thank you."

"Mr. Chen, would you like tea or coffee?"

"Coffee will do."

"Nancy, pour Mr. Chen a cup of coffee," Su Ning instructed her secretary.

"Ok."

“Mr. Gan,” Chen Wenyuan said, getting straight to the point as he sat down, speaking in fluent but slightly accented English, “Your company’s ‘Lemon No. 1’ has recently attracted a lot of attention in the small business community.”

"Mr. Chen, you flatter me," Su Ning said with a polite smile, gesturing for the other party to sit down. "I wonder if there's anything we can do to cooperate today?"

Chen Wenyuan didn't exchange many pleasantries. "Mr. Gan is a straightforward person, and I won't beat around the bush either. I'm very interested in your company's 'Lemon No. 1'. Our company hopes to purchase one hundred units at once."

One hundred units!

The number made David Fleming, who happened to be delivering documents, tremble and almost drop the files.

This is undoubtedly the largest single order since the startup Lemon Technology opened, enough to keep the production line running at full speed for quite some time.

However, Suning did not show the expected ecstasy on his face.

He picked up the coffee cup on the table, took a small sip, and calmly looked at Chen Wenyuan.

One hundred units is not a large scale for real commercial distribution or large enterprise applications.

However, considering Mr. Chen's Chinese identity, his somewhat rigid wording, and the rather broad-sounding company name "Pacific Technology Trade,"...

A clear guess quickly formed in Suning's mind: this Mr. Chen, or rather the real buyer behind him, was likely from across the ocean, to that slowly awakening Eastern giant.

"One hundred units is indeed no small number." Su Ning put down his coffee cup, his tone calm and devoid of much emotion. "What is Mr. Chen's company's business scope?"

"The main purpose is to promote scientific and technological exchanges and trade between East Asia and the United States," Chen Wenyuan answered tactfully, with a trained caution. "We believe that the 'Lemon One' is a high-performance, cost-effective, and easy-to-use computer that is very suitable for introduction into some developing research institutions and educational units to help them improve their computing capabilities."

These words almost confirmed Suning's guess.

Research institutions, educational institutions...

This is almost a euphemism for the universities and research institutes of the major Eastern power.

In the early 1970s, although relations between East and West were still in the final stages of a freeze, some extremely limited and non-sensitive scientific and technological exchanges had already quietly taken place at the grassroots level.

Astute buyers began searching globally for "grey area" products that were not strictly blocked by the COCOM agreement but possessed considerable technological capabilities.

Lemon Technology's "Lemon No. 1" perfectly fits this positioning...

Its technology is novel, based on commercially available microprocessors. It does not belong to the most cutting-edge, strictly controlled military or mainframe technologies, but its performance and ease of use far exceed those of small calculators of this era, and it can just meet some basic teaching and scientific research computing needs.

A brief silence fell over the meeting room.

David Fleming seemed to realize something as well, and looked at Su Ning with some nervousness.

This order is extremely tempting, but the risks involved are also self-evident.

Will dealing with trading companies with such unclear backgrounds attract unnecessary attention or even trouble?
Chen Wenyuan seemed to sense Su Ning's hesitation. "Mr. Gan, please rest assured. We are a legally registered trading company, and all transactions will be cleared through formal channels. We can use a prepayment plus a final payment via letter of credit at sight to ensure the safety of your company's funds."

“What we value is the excellent design and practicality of ‘Lemon One’. Moreover, we believe this is just the beginning. The East has enormous market potential, especially in universities and research institutions, where the demand for computing tools is long-term and continuously growing.”

Suning tapped his fingers rhythmically on the table.

He was certainly aware of the risks.

An order of one hundred units is indeed too small to test that huge market; it's more like a cautious trial.

However, Chen Wenyuan's last words woke him up—"This is just the beginning."

How many universities and research institutions does this great Eastern country have?
How much will they need computers in the future?
It was a vast market with virtually no ceiling.

More importantly, Suning's future plans for Lemon Technology are extremely clear...

Lemon Technology's strategy was to rapidly iterate and launch new consumer electronics products every year, similar to the pace later adopted by Apple.

This means that "Lemon No. 1" will soon be replaced by "Lemon No. 2" and "Lemon No. 3".

Products that are not cutting-edge and are about to be replaced are introduced into a market that craves technology and has unlimited future potential through compliant private trade channels.

This is not only a good deal, but also a highly strategic move.

He remembered why Thor had fired him...

That damn "political vetting" and "reliability risk".

At this moment, he is silently confronting that rigid mindset and barriers on another track in his own way.

Thinking of this, the hesitation on Suning's face disappeared. "Mr. Chen, Lemon Technology will accept one hundred 'Lemon No. 1' units. We hope this is the beginning of a long-term and stable cooperation. Please believe that Lemon Technology's product iteration speed is very fast, and new models with better and more powerful features will be launched every year. We hope to have a deeper and broader space for cooperation with you in the future."

Chen Wenyuan was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Suning to be so decisive, not only agreeing to the order but also directly pointing out the future direction of cooperation and product iteration strategy.

The cautious expression on his face finally melted away, revealing a genuine smile. "Mr. Gan truly has vision and foresight! I believe this is just the beginning of a brilliant collaboration. We'll discuss the specific configuration and delivery details later!"

After seeing Chen Wenyuan off, David Fleming immediately approached, "Boss, one hundred units! That's fantastic! But... over there..."

Su Ning patted him on the shoulder, his eyes deep: "David, there are some things we shouldn't be thinking about. What we need to do is keep creating a better 'Lemon.' And,"

"Don't you think it's a cool thing to have our machines running on the oldest land in the world, helping the people there to learn and explore? Hurry up and optimize the production line; these 100 machines must be perfect. Our 'Lemon II' should also speed up its progress."

"Yes, sir."

Lemon Technology is not only carving out a niche market in North America, but also quietly opening up a hidden route to the East, full of opportunities and challenges.

As a result, Suning's blueprint for launching new products every year and building a technology empire has become clearer and more resolute.

……

In January 1971, the California sun seemed to be focused on Lemon Technologies' office and showroom, which had doubled in size.

An almost boiling sense of anticipation filled the air.

The yellow and black lemon icon on the wall has now been polished to a shine, as if foreshadowing a new harvest.

Although the launch event for "Lemon II" was simple, without flashing lights or celebrity appearances, it still attracted computer enthusiasts, small business owners, and journalists from several tech magazines who sensed the trend.

Compared to the somewhat cumbersome "Lemon No. 1," which relied mainly on command-line operation, "Lemon No. 2" represents a significant leap forward. Suning stood in front of a makeshift podium, a curtain covering his back.

He was wearing a simple shirt and jeans, but his eyes were sharper and more confident than they had been a year ago.

"Ladies and gentlemen," his voice boomed through the somewhat crude loudspeaker system, carrying a resounding certainty, "a year ago, we brought 'Lemon One,' and we told you that computers could be smaller, cheaper, and more accessible to ordinary people. Today, we will deliver on our next promise—computers can be even more powerful and easier to use!"

Then he suddenly pulled back the curtain, revealing a more compact, streamlined, off-white machine to everyone.

It features an integrated display, a redesigned keyboard with a better feel, and most notably, it was the first machine of its kind to introduce a prototype of a graphical user interface operating system—Lemon OS 1.0.

Although the graphical interface was very primitive, with only icons and simple mouse click functionality, it was enough to leave everyone present speechless.

"Based on the more powerful MOS 6502 enhanced processor, the standard memory configuration has been upgraded to 48KB, expandable to 64KB!" Suning's voice had an inexplicable penetrating power. "We've developed a brand-new Lemon OS system. Even if you don't understand complex commands, you can still use this..."

He picked up the slightly clunky mouse and introduced it, "...This device, which we call a 'mouse,' allows you to click on icons on the screen to open programs and manage files! Our goal is to enable anyone to learn how to use 'Lemon 2' for word processing, spreadsheet calculations, and basic data management within half an hour!"

The audience immediately exploded.

Reporters frantically pressed their shutters, tech enthusiasts craned their necks, and business owners began rapidly calculating the cost savings and efficiency gains the machine could bring them.

"Mr. Gan! What's the price?" someone shouted from below the stage.

Suning smiled slightly and released a figure that was enough to ignite the market: "'Lemon No. 2' base configuration, priced at $2499!"

This price is only one-fifteenth, or even one-twentieth, of the price of a similar IBM machine!

While it is still a huge sum for an individual, it is already an accessible threshold for countless small and medium-sized enterprises, research institutions, and wealthy technology enthusiasts.

The press conference turned into a buying frenzy.

The several hundred units that were prepared in advance were all reserved within just a few hours.

Orders poured in from all over the United States, and even from across the ocean through the channels of Chen Wenyuan and others.

Lemon Technology's switchboard was practically overwhelmed with calls, and an unprecedentedly long queue formed outside its offices on Santa Monica Boulevard, with people waiting to buy or inquire.

"Boss! We did it! We did it completely!" Jack Walsh waved a thick stack of orders, his face flushed with excitement. "It's a miracle! I've never seen such a strong market response to a new product!"

David Fleming, his eyes dark but his spirits high, stared intently at the steadily running demo unit, muttering to himself, "Mouse...graphical interface...they really bought it! We did it, boss, we really did it!"

Looking at the bustling scene before him, Su Ning felt a surge of immense accomplishment, but even more so, a sense of calm that "it should be this way."

He casually patted Jack on the shoulder and said, "Tell the production line to operate on three shifts and do everything possible to ensure supply. Also, notify the media that Lemon Technology has officially launched a nationwide authorized distributor recruitment program."

"understand!"

……

Just as "Lemon 2" was sweeping the west coast of the United States and beginning to spread to the east coast.

The simple-minded and incredibly fast Forrest Gan also embarks on the most peculiar journey of his life.

Because of his incredible, almost instinctive, ping-pong skills, Forrest Gump was selected for the U.S. national ping-pong team.

He will represent the United States in an international table tennis invitational tournament in Nagoya, Japan.

Forrest Gump felt both curious and excited about going to a country where he had heard "chickens are everywhere".

However, in Nagoya, everything is bizarre and surreal.

Despite the language barrier and unfamiliar food, Forrest Gump focused solely on playing his game well. His unique and tireless style of play attracted considerable attention and curiosity.

One day, during a break in the competition, the team arranged to go on a field trip.

Forrest Gump was slightly delayed because he was tying his shoelaces. When he came out, he found that the US team bus had already driven away.

As he looked around blankly, a bus with unfamiliar Chinese characters on it, which also looked like it was there to pick up athletes, stopped in front of him.

The driver and the accompanying staff looked at the young man, who was wearing a US team uniform and had a kind face, and asked him a question in Japanese.

Although he couldn't understand Japanese, he saw a ping-pong paddle pattern on the bus and assumed it was going to the competition venue. He nodded with a silly smile and walked straight up.

Sitting in the car were members of the table tennis team from the great Eastern country.

They looked at the young American man who had suddenly appeared with curiosity.

Forrest Gump responded with his signature, innocent smile and said, using the few greetings he knew, "Hello!"

A member of the Tokyo University team who could speak some basic English tried to communicate with him: "You... American player?"

Forrest Gump nodded vigorously: "Yes! Forrest Gump. I play ping-pong."

A simple conversation ensued.

The Dongda team members found that this young American was not hostile at all and was adorably innocent, so they shared their snacks with him and even gave him a Forrest Gump gift.

Forrest Gump listened with great interest, occasionally exclaiming "Wow!"

The atmosphere inside the car was unexpectedly harmonious and pleasant.

This dramatic scene was captured by an Associated Press reporter who was following behind.

A photo showing an American table tennis player riding in a car with members of the University of Tokyo, chatting happily, was quickly transmitted back to the United States and attracted close attention from high-ranking diplomats.

At this juncture, the delicate relationship between East and West needed an opportunity to break the ice, and this scene, full of coincidence and goodwill, provided an excellent entry point.

A few days later, an even more sensational piece of news arrived: the US table tennis team accepted the formal invitation from Dongda University to hold a historic friendly match!
This was the beginning of what would later be known as "Ping-Pong Diplomacy."

In this highly anticipated friendly match, Aganna's pure and powerful skills, as well as the pure sportsmanship he displayed both on and off the field, transcending politics, were broadcast throughout the United States via television.

In a post-match interview, when pressed by reporters about the political implications of his statement, he scratched his head and said, "I just like playing table tennis. They are all very nice people. Because my brother, Su Ninggan, is of Chinese descent, I especially like the University of Tokyo; the food there is really delicious. I ate Peking duck, shredded pork with sweet bean sauce, and donkey rolls in Beijing..."

This instantly made him a household name in the United States as a "people's hero" and a "naive diplomat".

The ice between East and West was cracked by a small ping-pong ball.

Meanwhile, the wave of technology, with its own inherent charm, silently permeates everything.

In Lemon Technology's office, Suning watched a television report about "Ping-Pong Diplomacy" and Forrest Gump, a meaningful smile appearing on his face.

He pointed to Forrest Gump's kind and familiar face on the TV and said to Jack and David beside him, "Look, the world is getting smaller. Some barriers can be broken down by the purest things. Whether it's ping-pong or..."

He turned and pointed to the "Lemon 2" being assembled on the assembly line, "...our pursuit of ease of use and innovation."

Jack immediately understood his boss's meaning and said excitedly, "Boss, this means... the business environment for us through Mr. Chen might be more favorable? The potential of that market is even greater than we imagined!"

“That’s right,” Suning nodded. “Ping-pong diplomacy opened the door to exchange, and technological and commercial exchanges will inevitably follow. What we need to do is ensure that our ‘lemon’ is always the freshest and juiciest one. David, the preliminary research on ‘Lemon 3’ must catch up immediately. I want to see the prototype by this time next year!”

“Yes, boss!” David Fleming’s eyes gleamed with the light of a tech fanatic, and he immediately threw himself into the new idea.

The torrent of history and the ripples of individual destiny converge in a strange way at this moment.

Forrest Gump, with his innocence and ping-pong paddle, unintentionally participated in and propelled a major event that changed the world order, becoming a household name in America.
Suning, with its foresight, technology and business acumen, opened the door to the personal computer era with the "Lemon 2" computer, and keenly seized the huge business opportunities brought about by the easing of relations between East and West.

The winds of East and West began to flow because of table tennis, and they will surely set sail on the ships of technology and commerce.

Lemon Technology, this small boat that has just set sail, is riding this favorable wind and heading towards a broader and more unknown blue ocean.

Suning knew that his era had only just begun.

...(End of chapter)