Tech startup: I really do make mobile phones!

Chapter 133 Orange Storm Begins
The sunlight, just entering September, carrying the last bit of scorching heat of late summer, slanted into the floor-to-ceiling windows of the general manager's office at Orange Technology, illuminating a corner of the mountain peaks in the green landscape within the fish tank, making it a truly beautiful sight.

Gong Yun walked briskly through the door, her face beaming with an undisguised smile, holding a freshly printed document that still carried the warmth of the printer.

"Mr. Chen, it's settled!" Her voice was crisp as she gently placed the document on the smooth table in front of Chen Mo: "The national subsidy of 10 billion yuan for smart contract phones will be officially finalized on September 1st, and we will get 9%!"

The document header prominently displays: "Announcement of Bidding Results for Representative Domestic Manufacturers of the Three Major Telecom Operators."

下面一串名字和数字——酷哌（38%）、中星（25%）、菊花（15%）、幻想（12%），最后一行，橙子（10%）。

Chen Mo remembered that in his previous life, Kupa occupied an exaggerated 42%, but in this life, due to Orange's intrusion, each family should have lost some share.

From this perspective, Morgan Stanley's Lu Qingyue's estimate of 35% of the national subsidy share for Kupirin is quite accurate.

"Zhonghua Cool Fantasy is a familiar face among carrier contract phones, no surprise!"

Gong Yun lowered her eyes slightly, and a faint smile curved her lips.

"But our sudden appearance of the 'orange' has really surprised many people outside the industry!"
I read several financial news reports this morning, and when they mentioned those four companies, they also mentioned us briefly. We've finally become a familiar face to consumers!

Chen Mo's gaze swept over the number representing 10%, and his mental calculations were astonishingly fast.

This year's national subsidy is 12 billion yuan, and 10% of that is 120 billion yuan.
Based on Orange 1's price of 328 yuan per contract phone for operators, after deducting the channel fees saved, the actual profit is firmly at 16.1%.

This is 3.1 percentage points higher than the hard-earned channels they built themselves.

Chen Mo somewhat understood why, three years later, when the national subsidy was discontinued, Kupai suffered a complete paralysis.

With the contract phone channels of the three major operators serving you, the profit is about 20% higher than building your own channels. If you were in their shoes, you probably wouldn't be able to resist "cutting" your own channels as a pledge of loyalty to the operators.

Unfortunately, relying on heaven and earth is not as good as relying on yourself. Three years later, the operators stopped providing national subsidies. Without money, who would care about a brand that is already failing?

Chen Mo lightly tapped the line “Shenzhen Orange Technology Co., Ltd. (10%)” with his fingertip, as if striking a musical note.

"Making a small profit from the contract phone subsidy at the beginning of September is secondary!"

He looked up, a glint of light in his eyes.

"The key is this gust of wind."

Gong Yun followed Chen Mo's gaze and saw the interface of the Sohu portal news website faintly visible on the screen on the desk.
The results of the national subsidy contract phone battle are explosive! Zhonghua Cool Fantasy Orange wins bids from five major manufacturers.

"Zhonghua Cool Fantasy Orange is one of the top five manufacturers! Haha, that's a quick label being thrown around, but we need to be prepared for this trend!"

Chen Mo leaned forward slightly and looked at Gong Yun.

"Sister Gong! Is the 'Orange Wind Breaking Waves New Life Project' fully prepared?"

Gong Yun lowered her eyes and smiled lightly, exuding a calm and composed air of having everything under control.

"President Chen, please rest assured! The company's cash pool currently holds 12 billion yuan, with a daily net inflow of 52 million yuan, which is more than enough to cover the marketing expenses for the entire September event period."

"Good! Good! Good!" Chen Mo said three times in a row, a smile spreading across his eyes. He tapped his fingers three times on the table, as if the first drumbeat of the September battle had already sounded.

Sunlight fell into his eyes, illuminating a vibrant hope and expectation.

Orange Mobile has fired the first shot in its counterattack from rural towns to cities.
The camera suddenly shifts, fading the glow of the setting sun over the North China Power Electronics Building and plunging into a vibrant, bustling atmosphere of youth.

In a university in Beijing, the auditorium, which had just finished its freshman welcome party, was brightly lit, and the air still held the lingering warmth of the songs and dances and the vibrant energy of the young people.

Below the stage, a sea of ​​freshmen, who had just taken off their camouflage uniforms, had their faces still flushed with excitement.

The student council president spoke into the microphone, his voice carrying an official politeness.

"Thank you Orange Technology for their generous support of this gala! Now, please welcome Mr. Zhao from Orange Technology to introduce a special perk for new students! Please give him a warm welcome!"

Sparse applause broke out, tinged with a mix of weariness and curiosity after the party ended.

A figure emerged from the side of the screen.

Zhao Tiezhu, Orange Technology's "most affectionate" man, wearing a slightly loose trendy T-shirt, his hair styled in a somewhat unruly manner, walked empty-handed to the center of the stage, swaying slightly.

Since arriving in Beijing on a business trip, without Brother Chen or Sister Gong by his side, as the team leader of Orange's Beijing ground promotion team, no one dared to control him, and so he let himself go.

He took the microphone, but didn't rush to speak. Instead, he slowly scanned the audience with his somewhat cynical eyes.

That look, arrogant yet strangely friendly, like a proud rooster, instantly captured most of the college freshmen's attention, even silencing their buzzing chatter.

Dear Star Brothers and Moon Sisters

He spoke, his voice not loud, but his unique "poof talk" seemed to hook through the microphone, clearly penetrating everyone's ears with a distinctive, slightly lazy yet extremely catchy tone.

"Did you enjoy the show? The songs were great, the dances were beautiful, and I noticed that your seniors are not only knowledgeable but also... well, quite good-looking."

Mr. Zhao's down-to-earth manner immediately elicited a knowing burst of laughter and whistles from the audience.

Zhao Tiezhu grinned, revealing a set of white teeth. After his laughter subsided, he suddenly raised his voice, revealing his shrewdness and worldly wisdom.

"Now that everyone's had their fun, let's get down to business. I know you're all fresh out of college and your pockets are empty. Some of you have to be very careful with the allowance your parents give you, and you even have to scrimp and save to buy a cell phone, right?"

These words struck a chord with some of the freshmen, and a buzz of discussion arose from the audience, mixed with sighs of deep empathy.

"So!" Zhao Tiezhu waved his arm, pointing to the huge, eye-catching banner hanging down in the center of the stage. The orange phone logo and the words "Orange Wind Breaking Waves New Life Plan" were particularly striking under the lights.

"I, Zhao Tiezhu, am here today on behalf of Orange Technology to bring you warmth and support. Just four words: 299! The Youthful Price is Here!"

He deliberately dragged out his tone, making every word of the half-slogan he remembered sound resounding.

Hmm! Zhao Tiezhu even got that half of the slogan wrong.

"Our Orange 1 phone, originally priced at 499, is now only 299!"

He held up two fingers and forcefully made a "2" gesture in the air.

"Wow"

The audience erupted in chaos.

299? Some of these students came from rural areas and knew the price of oranges. This price was much lower than expected, like a bomb thrown into the crowd.

Exclamations and waves of disbelief swept through the crowd.

"Yes, it's 299! Why?"

Zhao Tiezhu seemed to have anticipated this reaction, and proudly raised his chin, his youthful vigor even more pronounced.

"Just because you're college students! Just because you have that admission notice in your pocket! Just because you have that unique student ID number! One student ID number, one cell phone! No deception, young or old!"
This is what we call the 'Orange Wind Breaking Waves New Life Plan'! Our internal codename is even cooler and more awesome: 'Operation Autumn Wind'!

In high spirits, Zhao Tiezhu, getting quite excited, started making jokes about the marketing department, saying that General Manager Chen was trying to take advantage of college students, even using the code name "Operation Autumn Wind" which was jokingly referred to internally.

"you."

Zhao Tiezhu suddenly pointed to several students in the audience who were taking pictures with their phones. Some thought he was about to get angry and took even more pictures. College freshmen are at a rebellious age.

"Yes! Take the photos! Hurry up and take them! Post them on your Beijing campus BBS forum! Post them in your QQ chat groups! Too much trouble? Taobao and Jingdong customer service can verify your student ID online and place your order directly!"

Zhao Tiezhu was always happy to show off his abilities in such a prominent way, especially in front of a group of college students with higher education than him, where his desire to perform was even stronger.

As for stage fright, forgetting lines, or being speechless, those don't exist. As long as our CEO Zhao is in the right mood, he can just perform based on his feelings.

If someone were to approach him now, they could faintly smell the strong aroma of baijiu (Chinese liquor).

Zhao Tiezhu: I wasn't born strong, I was just born... Oh, you've got it wrong. I, Zhao Tiezhu, drank rice porridge as a child and never drank milk in my life. I just had a little bit of baijiu before going on stage.

Chen Mo was unaware that this was not the first time Zhao Tiezhu had made a fool of himself on behalf of Orange Technology.

In later generations, Zhao Tiezhu's TV shopping clips from Orange Technology became a "regular" in Bilibili's parody section, spawning countless memes.

The key is that he has always been able to take a joke, never takes netizens seriously, and even provides materials on his own initiative.

For example, the way he greeted everyone with "Star Brothers and Moon Sisters" is exactly like Lei Jun's catchy "Are you ok?" greeting, which has definitely become a memory anchor engraved in people's DNA.

Just like when you hear "Are you OK?", the classic image of Lei Jun wearing an Indian headscarf and veil immediately comes to mind.

Upon hearing "Star Brothers and Moon Sisters," Zhao Tiezhu's "mature" old face would involuntarily leap into one's mind, with his loose-fitting trendy T-shirt, unruly hairstyle, and casual, swaying gait as he spoke.

Zhao Tiezhu, pointing towards the auditorium entrance, declared, "Starting tomorrow, the school registration point will be our Orange's headquarters! We'll verify your admission notices on-site—money for service! What's the top number again?"

He paused deliberately, then grinned mischievously, feigning deep thought.

"I don't care how many people are there. Those who arrive early will get limited edition orange phone cases, adorable orange stickers, ring holders, and high-definition screen protectors for free from me, Zhao. That's it!"

Is there a loophole in this verification process based on the notification letter?
some!

But Zhao Tiezhu did it on purpose. Brother Chen's spirit of technological equality should be upheld, but the implementation should be flexible!
"Ho!"

This completely ignited the passion of these college freshmen.

The students stood up excitedly, craning their necks to look towards the doorway, as if the orange stall had already been set up there.

Someone shouted, "Really?!"

"Student ID number is fine?"

"An acceptance letter will also be acceptable?"

"299! Is it a model machine?"

Real gold and silver! Ten times the compensation for any fake!

Zhao Tiezhu patted his chest, his voice vibrating through the microphone.

"But listen up, everyone!" He suddenly stopped joking and his eyes sharpened. "One per person! We only accept your student ID number! If we catch any scalpers, I'll beat them to a pulp!"

"This event only lasts for one month in September! It won't last long, first come, first served! If you're slow, you can just go cry to your broken Nokia!"

"Hahaha!"

The tension, coupled with the immense temptation, swept over the audience, who burst into laughter, followed by even more enthusiastic applause, cheers, and whistles that nearly lifted the roof off.

The youthful passion and the excitement of getting a good deal intertwined, creating a scorching wave that crashed and echoed throughout the auditorium.

Zhao Tiezhu stood in the center of the stage, like a firecracker with its fuse lit, startled and jumping around, looking with satisfaction at the nascent orange storm that he had personally stirred up.

At a university in Shanghai, crowds thronged the area near the freshman registration point.

Orange Technology's roll-up banner booth was set up under a large sycamore tree, making it particularly eye-catching.

Several sales promoters, all wearing matching orange vests, were extremely busy.

A freshman girl with a ponytail and rosy cheeks had just paid for her new Orange 1 phone and was clutching it tightly in her hand, as if it were a precious treasure.

The saleswoman in front of her had a friendly smile, like the girl next door.

"Come on! Little sister, it's activated, right?"

The saleswoman had a gentle voice and patiently provided guidance.

"Click here! Great! Open the camera app, smile. So pretty! Then click this share icon, select Weibo. Yes, add the text 'Orange Wind Riding the Waves, My New Gear! @OrangeTechnology'. Click send! Done!"

The girl looked at the Weibo post she had just sent, her smiling face on the screen holding the new phone box, and then at the poster hanging on the stall that read "Show off your orange phone and win big prizes," her eyes sparkling.

"Sister, is this all? Can we really win a prize?"

"Of course!" The saleswoman nodded with a smile, pointing to the free gifts piled up next to the stall.

"Here! No need for you to draw. Stickers, phone cases, stands, screen protectors—which do you like? Pick one!"

The girl's gaze darted back and forth between the stickers with cute little oranges and several stylish phone cases, her face scrunched up in a troubled expression.

"They're all so pretty! I want to put the stickers on my textbooks, and I also want a phone case, what should I do, sister?"

She raised her head, with a hint of coquetry and a tentative look.

"If I get my sisters to buy one, could you... could you give me two for free? I just need a case and stickers!"

The saleswoman looked at the girl's expectant, wet eyes and chuckled. Without hesitation, she picked up a popular transparent frosted case and a set of cartoon orange stickers and stuffed them into the girl's hand.

"Okay! I believe you! Here you go!"

The girl's eyes widened in surprise, as if she couldn't believe it was so easy: "Sister, you trust me that much?"

"of course!"

The saleswoman smiled, her eyes crinkling with a hint of teasing.

"Little sister, you're so pretty and innocent. You're clearly a girl of your word. Hurry up and come back! The freebies are first come, first served, and they won't wait for anyone!"

"Thank you, sister! I'll be right back!"

Like a happy little deer, the girl clutched her phone and the free gift tightly to her chest, then turned and disappeared into the crowd, her ponytail bouncing merrily.

Sure enough, less than ten minutes later, the girl, panting, pulled her equally curious roommate back to the stall.

The line of people behind them had quietly lengthened.

An orange storm is quietly spreading across the unfamiliar campus in the most vibrant way.

At a university in Guangcheng, in the early evening.

The scorching heat subsided slightly as the sun began to set, and the air was filled with the scent of grass and sweat.

The sound of dismissal whistle and the tired but still loud shouts of "Kill! Kill! Kill!" came from the direction of the playground—the freshmen's military training for today had come to an end.

A green torrent instantly surged into the dormitory area, with people in camouflage dragging their heavy steps, their faces bearing the red and black tan of the sun and the weariness of training.

Several orange-vested sales promoters, like hunters with a keen sense of smell, led seven or eight students who were obviously students from the school and temporary day laborers. They seized the opportunity and immediately dispersed.

"Students! Military training must have been tough!"

A full-time employee of Orange, with a loud voice, held up a promotional leaflet and a small bottle of water, as if waving a flag.

"Look this way! Orange Technology is offering a special perk for new students: take home the latest Orange phone for just 299 yuan! You can buy it with your student ID! Even if we're not selling it, you can still come over and get a bottle of water just by posting on Weibo!"

The temporary student workers behind him were clearly more familiar with the terrain and the "enemy situation," and their movements were swift as the wind.

They moved nimbly between dormitory buildings, either in pairs or solo.

Someone quickly put up an eye-catching "Operation 299" poster in a prominent place at the entrance of the dormitory building.

Some people carried thick stacks of flyers and started "sweeping" the buildings, knocking on each dormitory door, floor by floor.

"Hey student! How about checking out Orange Technology's new student benefits? Only 299!"

Temporary worker Xiao Wang knocked on a dormitory door and quickly introduced himself to the several boys inside who had just taken off their camouflage uniforms and were slumped in chairs, his face showing a sense of closeness as fellow students.

"299? Really?"

A boy suspiciously took the flyer, and several others gathered around.

When they saw the eye-catching price and the words "For freshmen only, purchase with student ID number" on the flyer, their tired eyes instantly lit up.

Value for money is always the most effective way to cut into students' wallets.

Questions about how to place an order online and where the offline stalls were located began to rise and fall in the sweltering dormitory corridors.

The orange-clad figures of the ground promotion team stubbornly penetrated and spread against the backdrop of camouflage.

The largest lecture hall in the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Shenzhen University.

The air conditioning was blasting cold air, but it couldn't extinguish the heat emanating from the hundreds of freshmen, a heat filled with curiosity and bewilderment.

On the podium, Dean Lin, with a few gray hairs and a serious expression, finished his speech on the history and spirit of the college. He pushed up his glasses and his tone became warm and solemn.

"Therefore, students, by choosing materials science, you have chosen limitless possibilities for the future!"

"Today, we are honored to have with us an outstanding alumnus who graduated from our School of Materials Science and Engineering and is already creating the future!"
He is not only a successful entrepreneur, but also the core inventor of the disruptive technology of gaseous lithium batteries!
He is none other than Mr. Chen Mo, the founder and president of Orange Technology, and your senior colleague! Please welcome him!

The applause was fairly enthusiastic, but it was mostly polite.

The freshmen craned their necks, eager to see who this "distinguished alumnus" was.

Chen Mo walked onto the podium through the side door.

He was wearing a well-tailored light-colored suit, without a tie, and with one button casually undone at the collar of his shirt, his posture was tall and neat.

He exudes the calm and collected aura of a pragmatist, quite different from ivory tower scholars like Dean Lin, yet his eyes reveal the sharpness of a young entrepreneur.

Hello everyone, fellow freshmen!

He smiled and waved to the audience, his gaze sweeping over the young faces.

Chen Mo did not immediately talk about the company or the products.

He recounted his embarrassing experiences of staying up all night doing experiments with his senior classmate Liu in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Shenzhen University, his frustration and resentment when facing failure, his elation when he first obtained breakthrough experimental data, and his experiences of running into obstacles and being ridiculed as "fools" with Xiao Zhao in the early stages of his entrepreneurship.

His voice was not loud, and his pace was slow, yet it seemed to possess a certain magnetic force, truthfully presenting the hardships of struggle and the sweetness of success to his younger schoolmates.

The lecture hall gradually quieted down, with only the low hum of the air conditioner and Chen Mo's gentle yet firm narration.

The inspirational chicken soup was cooked to perfection.

"So, everyone! You have to forge your own path. Relying on heaven or earth is not as good as relying on yourself. The knowledge you gain will never betray you!"

Chen Mo changed the subject slightly, his smile remaining gentle, but his eyes sharpened a bit.

"Returning to my alma mater today, besides seeing everyone and sharing some of my experiences, I really want to give everyone some confidence to 'take risks,' or rather, a little 'starter gear.'"

The large screen behind him lit up at the right moment, and the artistic words "Orange Wind Breaking Waves New Life Plan" popped up, next to which was a striking picture of the Orange 1 mobile phone and the impactful "299 yuan".

"Ha~"

A chorus of boos, a mixture of surprise and slight disappointment, rose from the audience. They were soft, but clear enough in the quiet classroom.

In the back row, a muscular guy with a buzz cut muttered something in a moderate voice that carried clearly to the front.

"See? I told you. Just like back in high school, successful people come back and end up selling things, tsk. Selling books, courses, and sentimentality. Now they're selling cell phones?"

Several classmates around him chuckled softly, their expressions revealing a knowing understanding of the situation.

Chen Mo, standing on the podium, heard everything clearly.

He showed no anger whatsoever, and even the gentle smile on his lips remained unchanged.

Chen Mo's gaze was precisely fixed on the buzz-cut boy who was making a fuss, and his voice, coming through the microphone, was clear and calm.

"This student is right. Selling things is not shameful. The key is whether the thing is worth it and whether it is useful to you."

He paused, his eyes open and honest: "The Orange 1 phone, with a market price of 499, is here today, exclusively for new students of the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Shenzhen University, for only 299 with their student ID number. All accessories—phone case, screen protector, stickers, and stand—are included!"

He stopped looking at the boy and scanned the entire room.

"I, Chen Mo, do not engage in forced sales. If you junior students find it useful and the price is reasonable, then you can buy it."

"If you think it's useless, or that it's cheap and of poor quality, you can just treat it like your senior brother. I just came back today to chat with everyone and have a bowl of chicken soup. When I wake up tomorrow, I'll forget about it."

He shrugged, his relaxed posture carrying a strange persuasive power.

"Our booth is right outside, and the event details are all on the big screen. I won't say more. As for whether it's worth it, we're all adults, so you can judge for yourselves."

There was a brief silence.

The boy with the buzz cut who had been egging him on suddenly froze, his disdain and smugness vanishing. He stared intently at the Orange 1 phone on the big screen, his eyes widening with each glance.

Then, he suddenly nudged his roommate next to him with his elbow, his voice trembling with surprise.

"Holy crap! I've seen this phone brand before! It was on the news yesterday, the brand that gets government subsidies! The Orange phone that sells for 499 yuan without a carrier plan! That's right! Exactly the same as in the news!"

He no longer cared about saving face and jumped up, the chair legs screeching loudly on the smooth floor because of the sudden movement.

At this time, the national subsidy is a genuine price reduction, with fewer shady practices, making it quite attractive to everyone.

He pointed at the screen, shouting to his roommate, and then seemingly to the entire classroom, "It really is 499! That's a 200-yuan discount! Hurry up! You'll miss out if you're late!"

Before he finished speaking, he shot out of his seat like a cannonball and headed straight for the classroom door.

This was like lighting a fuse.

The lecture hall erupted in chaos!

"Holy crap! The one that was mentioned in the news?" the student asked belatedly.

"Really? That cheap?"

"Quickly! Go out and see!"

"Don't push! Student ID! We need your student ID to verify!"

The freshmen, who had just been scrutinizing and slightly resistant, were completely ignited by the huge price difference and the genuine reactions of their companions, and their desire to buy was completely ignited.

The crowd surged toward the entrance like a floodgate being opened, and the small disturbance quickly turned into a buying frenzy.

On the stage, Chen Mo watched as the orange glow outside the door was enveloped by the surging crowd and the back of the boy with the buzz cut squeezed into the crowd. The gentle smile on his lips finally deepened and settled into a confident air of certainty.

Orange Technology's September urban counter-offensive plan has truly taken advantage of university students, with the orange autumn wind fairly sweeping across university campuses in every city.

Orange banners, orange flyers, and orange vests, like sparks, spread from universities in the four core first-tier cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.

299! This is the terminal price at which Orange theoretically doesn't go through distribution channels, keeping the gross profit to 4.6%, which meets the system's minimum requirement of 3%, and is not considered charity pricing.

The Orange 1 phone, priced at 299, is like a precise scalpel, cutting open the wallets of new students and also slicing open a corner of the first-tier market that was firmly controlled by major domestic and international brands.

Chen Mo stood behind the huge glass curtain wall of the School of Materials Science and Engineering teaching building at Shenzhen University, looking down at the long line of people queuing up in front of the temporary stalls, winding like a river, flowing into the soil of youth.

These are all seeds for Orange users!
If we wait another five years, they can afford our Orange brand high-end mobile phones. If we wait another ten years, maybe we can sell them an Orange brand car?

He picked up the bottled water next to the podium; the water droplets condensed on the bottle slid off, reflecting the dazzling sunlight outside the window.

Orange Mobile still has a strong foundation in the rural market, but at this moment, a powerful "orange" wind, carrying the heat of the September sun, is breaking through the seemingly solid barriers of first-tier cities and sounding the clarion call of attack at the ivory tower.

He took a small sip of water, the cool liquid sliding down his throat. His eyes seemed to reflect vibrant orange hues, sharp as the rising sun.

These vibrant and energetic college freshmen are not only the future of oranges, but also the future of this nation and this country.

(End of this chapter)