Tech startup: I really do make mobile phones!

Chapter 137 The Birth of Pingguo's Companion
After Gong Yun reported to Chen Mo that she was going on a business trip for a week to find sales channels for Orange 1, the Shenzhen office lost a pillar of stability but gained a strange vitality.

Every morning, Zhou Yumeng, the receptionist, is always the first one to arrive.

She slipped into Chen Mo's empty general manager's office with practiced ease and quietly fed the tropical fish in the aquarium in the corner.

Watching the fish happily gather and compete for food, she nodded in satisfaction.

Then, carrying an exquisite cat bowl, she walked towards "Little Mi's Home." To the left was the sunny area, and to the right was the room with the "Office" sign—that was the "office" of Mi Manager, who was currently the most popular employee at Orange Technology.

Pushing open the door, a small cat, entirely golden except for its white paws, was lazily lounging on its own "boss chair" covered with soft cushions.

Xiao Zhou respectfully placed the bowl on the specially made small table, inside which were several pieces of top-quality freeze-dried chicken.

"Manager Mi, President Gong is away on a business trip, so I'll be taking care of you this week! May everyone have a smooth and safe day today!"

After quietly "reporting" her work to Manager Mi, she returned to the front desk, satisfied, to begin her day's work.

As external pressure continues, more and more employees like to sneak into "Manager Mi's office" during lunch breaks or other breaks.

The employees lined up, each holding a small piece of freeze-dried food that Manager Mi loved, waiting for their turn to report to the "leader" or simply to pet "Manager Mi" to relieve stress.

Within the core team of Orange Company, the loyalty of the "Mi faction" members who support Manager Mi even subtly surpasses that of the "royalist faction" of boss Chen Mo.

At noon, after feeding the fish, Chen Mo remembered Gong Yun's instructions and strolled over to "Xiao Mi's Home".

A small queue had already formed at the entrance, and Zeng from the marketing department was holding up a piece of freeze-dried food, urging the bespectacled man from the R&D team in front of him to hurry up.

"Dude, hurry up! I'm reporting to Manager Mi!"

Chen Mo couldn't help but smile, his tense nerves easing a bit.

It seems that with "Manager Mi" in charge, the mental health of Orange employees doesn't need to be a major concern for the time being.

However, the pressure of the actual inventory still weighed heavily on Chen Mo's mind. He decided that he could not place all his hopes on Sister Gong, as that would be irresponsible.

The atmosphere in the general manager's office was serious.

Chen Mo summoned the finance specialist, Zhao Tiezhu with a menacing look, and Wang Kai from the market research team.

"Wang Kai, tell me the situation," Chen Mo gestured.

Wang Kai opened the folder and spoke rapidly.

"President Chen, President Zhao, Fantasy has made its move! In early October, they will launch three smartphones, fully covering the high, mid, and low-end markets!"

"Leji W100: Basic model, Android 2.2, 3.7-inch screen, featuring high cost performance at 699 yuan!"
Leji 3GW101: Dual-mode, Android 2.3.4, with external keyboard and gesture recognition.

Leji Fish-Motion Edition (3GT100): Customized fish motion technology, TD network connectivity, AMOLED screen.

"The key is the Leji W100!" Wang Kai emphasized. "With the national subsidy for 'genuine products' certification, we're going to directly penetrate the campus markets in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. Our core strategy consists of three points!"

1. Price anchoring + stepping on oranges:
A banner hangs on campus: "Counterfeit phones for 299? Add 400 yuan for a high-quality, domestically made phone!"
They offered a "50 yuan discount for student ID" deal, but the actual transaction price was 649 yuan, creating a false impression of a "cheap" price!
2. Social fission:
"Dormitory Leader Plan" -- Recommend 5 people to buy, and the dormitory leader will get a dream power bank!
"Classroom Task Card" - Weibo's "Leji Blackboard Writing" contest: Upload a clear photo for a chance to win a year of free screen protector application service!
3. Trust in genuine products:
The Fantasy logo has been made into an "anti-counterfeiting scratch card"!
Offline "Leji Verification Stations" were set up to conduct extensive A/B comparisons between counterfeit Orange phones and genuine Fantasy phones!

During the pre-launch period on October 1st, they launched a widespread online campaign featuring a sponsored article titled "A Senior's Blood and Tears Story: A Certain Orange Counterfeit Phone Exploded!"

"What a load of nonsense!"

Zhao Tiezhu slammed his fist on the table, the scar on his right eyebrow throbbing.

"Isn't this just copying our campus marketing strategy? They even copied the exact same campaign we shared on Weibo. Shameless!"

Chen Mo's expression wasn't good either, but his tone was calm.

"Calm down, kid! I asked Manager Lin, and marketing ideas themselves are not protected by law unless they directly use the materials and slogans we designed."

He looked at the enraged Zhao Tiezhu: "I called you here not to argue with Huanxiang. Let him fight his way, we'll fight ours. Do you remember what I said at the meeting yesterday: 'Openly repair the plank road while secretly crossing the Chencang pass'?"

Zhao Tiezhu took a deep breath and suppressed his anger.

"Brother Chen, what do you mean?"

"The inventory buildup from our September promotions is a pressing issue!"

Chen Mo pointed out the crux of the matter and then continued his analysis.

"In October, a large number of new products from major domestic and international brands were launched, causing electronic products to depreciate rapidly!"

“We currently have 1.2 million units of electronic materials stored in the Yantian Port storage cabinets. In 15 days, the number will rise to more than 2 million units. The storage costs are snowballing every day. By the end of October, they will swallow up half of our profits. We must sell this batch of goods as soon as possible!”

He walked to the window and pointed into the distance.

"Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen are full of money and resources. If we try to compete head-on, it's like an egg hitting a rock. But 70-80% of their firepower is concentrated on the coastal areas, leaving the central and western regions weak. The promotional budget that each city can get is at most tens of millions."

Chen Mo turned around abruptly, staring intently at Zhao Tiezhu.

"We'll put up 3 million! You personally lead the team, along with your 'Four War Gods,' and charge towards the mountain city!"

"Using Chongqing as a bridgehead, we will wage guerrilla warfare against universities in second- and third-tier cities in the southwest, concentrating our superior resources and forces to create momentum on local battlefields and establish a price advantage!"

"We need to revitalize this 10 billion yuan of dead money as quickly as possible, and at the same time, quietly plant the seeds of future growth for Orange in the Southwest!"

A glint flashed in Zhao Tiezhu's eyes, and he grinned.

"Got it, Brother Chen! The Southwest, right? I'll go and turn this upside down right now, I guarantee I'll complete the mission!"

At the same time, in the port city.

Because Feichi Electronics is a shell company, its office looks very shabby.

Wearing a well-tailored Chanel suit and carrying an Hermès handbag, Gong Yun paid the taxi fare in fluent Cantonese and gave a generous tip before walking in with great poise.

The receptionist was intimidated by her aura and cautiously asked, "Miss, is there anything I can help you with?"

Gong Yun smiled slightly, her voice cool and clear.

"Find your boss, Fatty, and tell him that Miss Gong has arrived."

The receptionist, not daring to be negligent, quickly pushed open the inner room door: "Brother Ji, a Miss Gong is looking for you!"

From inside came Fatty's impatient curses: "Damn it! Who's this Miss Gong? I know so many girls! Tell her to come in!"

Gong Yun nodded to the receptionist: "No need to trouble yourself, I'll go in by myself."

She gracefully pushed the door open and entered, then locked it with a "click" behind her.

The receptionist vaguely heard a few Cantonese shouts and a muffled thud coming from inside, followed by Fat Ki's increasingly distorted "uh-huh" sounds.

Not long after, the office door opened.

Gong Yun calmly straightened her slightly wrinkled collar and walked out unhurriedly, as if she had just gone in to have a cup of tea.

She even nodded politely to the receptionist before taking the elevator away.

Just as Gong Yun left, two burly henchmen, Ah Bao and Ah Hu, wearing floral shirts and with menacing faces, strolled back, cigarettes dangling from their lips.

The moment the elevator doors closed, Ah Bao seemed to instinctively turn around and glance at Gong Yun's back before being urged by Ah Hu to enter the office.

"Brother Ji, we're coming back." The words stopped abruptly.

Their leader, Fatty, was sprawled on the floor in a sorry state, a clear size 36 high heel print on his chubby face, with blood dripping from his nose onto the expensive carpet.

"Fuck your mother!"

Fatty groaned, grimacing as he clutched his back, and in an extremely comical posture, with his legs spread apart, he swayed back to his office chair.

"Damn it! Luckily I've been training regularly, otherwise I'd really be childless!"

When Ah Hu saw his boss being beaten, his eyes widened in fury. He pounded his chest and roared, "Who dared to hit Brother Ji? Tell me! I'll send his whole family overboard to fill a fishpond!"

"Fill your mother's fishpond!" Fatty was so angry that he grabbed the ashtray on the table and smashed it over. Ah Hu covered his head and ran away.

After venting his anger, Fatty, panting heavily, yelled at the still relatively calm A-Bao, "Go! Call Xiao Jing from the front desk in!"

The receptionist, Xiaojing, came in nervously.

Fat Kee, clutching his throbbing groin, irritably ordered, "Take 100,000 in cash and immediately find Attorney Wong. Tell him we have a batch of cell phones that need to have their country of origin changed, and that we'll ship them from a bonded warehouse to North America. Tell him to make the documents look nicer, and hurry up!" A few days later, Fat Kee, along with Leopard and Tiger, flew to Shenzhen and arrived at a grand office building in Bao'an District.

The three "socially adept" individuals stood out from their surroundings. Amidst the curious yet slightly fearful gazes of the employees, they were led by the secretary to the top-floor president's office.

Behind the enormous desk sat a middle-aged man with eyes as sharp as a hawk's and a cold, hard aura.

He looked up at the three uninvited guests, his voice devoid of any warmth: "Fatty, what do you want?"

Overwhelmed by the other party's imposing aura, Fatty instinctively shrank back, then felt he had lost face in front of the two henchmen, and forced himself to spit on the clean floor.

"What? Boss Wan! I, Fei Ji, am a legitimate businessman. Can't I come to visit you unless there's something wrong?"

The middle-aged man, referred to as Boss Wan, frowned slightly and leaned forward a little, exuding an invisible pressure.

"Do you think that I, Wan Mingji, am only good at business?"

Fatty felt a chill run down his spine, but still forced a smile and said, "Tsk, Ji Mingzai, oh no, Boss Wan, you really are a master in business."

He glanced around the luxuriously decorated office, his gaze landing on a picture of a cargo plane on the wall, before deliberately changing the subject.

Wow! These days, they use airplanes for delivery?

"My time is precious!" Wan Mingji's voice grew even colder: "Are you testing whether I can behave like a human being now?!"

Feiji couldn't withstand the pressure and blurted it out.

"Miss Miyako! Miss Miyako is looking for me!"

Upon hearing the words "Miss Gong," a sharp glint flashed in Wan Mingji's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and leaned back in his chair: "Her seeking you out is none of my business."

Fei Ji, as if grasping at a lifeline, grew bolder and pointed at Wan Mingji with his finger.

"Do you dare say that when you started your business in Shenzhen, you never took any money from your family?!"

Wan Mingji's eyes flashed with sternness: "Back then, I was just using the name to ensure my safety. I didn't touch a single penny of Gong Sheng's money. Believe it or not, it's up to you!"

Seeing that his attitude seemed to be softening, Fei Ji immediately seized the opportunity and, with a tearful voice, pressed on.

"Boss! Zhao Jie and his entire family are dead now, there's no way to prove anything. You say you didn't take it, I say I didn't take it, but Miss Gong insists I have to spit it out. If I spill the beans, even you, Boss Wan, won't get anything. You'd better watch out!"

He started acting like a scoundrel.

Wan Mingji stared intently at Fei Ji, his index finger tapping slowly and firmly on the table, making a soft, rhythmic sound that seemed to resonate in Fei Ji's heart.

After a long pause, he asked in a deep voice, "How many?"

Fatty's chubby face immediately broke into a wide smile: "Not too much! 5 million worth of goods, let's each eat half!"

Wan Mingji sneered: "You're willing to expose my secrets for such a small amount of money?"

Fatty's face stiffened, and he said awkwardly, "Hey boss, not everyone is as capable as you, Ji Mingzai—no, Boss Wan—making money is as easy as turning on a tap!"

“Miss Gong immediately asked for 200 million mobile phones and 10 billion worth of goods. I’ve worked my butt off for the past few years and only have 3 million in assets. How am I supposed to afford that? I’ll have to beg and plead to get 5 million. Then I’ll have to come to you, Boss Wan, for help right now!”

Wan Mingji remained silent for a moment, then nodded.

"I can pay the money, but I don't want a single item. You should make it clear to Miss Gong that after this, all favors between us are wiped clean, and we'll go our separate ways from now on."

"No problem! Absolutely no problem!"

Fei Ji was overjoyed and rubbed his hands together, then tentatively asked, "Also, for that batch of goods going to North America, I'll pay you the market price for the air freight, Mr. Da Wan!"

Wan Mingji flatly refused: "I, Wan Mingji, do business, and I don't do anything that crosses the line."

Fat Ki quickly explained, "It's not crossing the line! It's perfectly legitimate! It's just a cell phone, not some kind of counterfeit product. I'm just shipping it over there to sell. I have to make a living, after all!"

Wan Mingji stared at him for a few seconds: "It's a normal solo situation, just follow the procedure. If anything goes wrong, it's none of my business."

"Understood! Thank you, Boss Wan!" Fatty bowed and scraped.

Before leaving, Fatty, still unable to suppress his gossip, took a step closer and lowered his voice.

"Boss Wan, I heard that after Zhao Jie died, Miss Gong started keeping a gigolo named Chen Mo, and she treats him incredibly well! What do you say?"

"see a visitor out!"

Wan Mingji's face darkened, and he immediately pressed the call button.

The secretary politely asked Fei Ji and his two companions to leave.

When news came back that Gong Yun had "solved" the inventory of 100 million units, half of the weight on Chen Mo's heart was lifted.

Meanwhile, Zhao Tiezhu led the "Four War Gods" and 3 million yuan worth of ammunition to attack the southwestern mountain city. The guerrilla warfare began to show results, and the local market was opened up by the price of oranges at 299 yuan.

The hardware configuration of the Fantasy W100, except for the screen, is roughly the same as the Nietzsche 1. It sells for 699, which is truly a testament to the quality of domestic products.

Oranges are a great example! It's easy to do A/B comparisons to show their value for money.

Thus, a strange scene emerged in the domestic market: the Fantasy Music Phone W100 was crushing Orange Phone (a knock-off) in coastal cities, while the original Orange Phone was crushing the Fantasy Music Phone W100 in the southwest region.

However, due to the relatively low consumption potential in the Midwest, the sales of the Leji W100 were already low, so Fantasy did not pay much attention to it.

Zhao Tiezhu succeeded; in just one week, he sold 32 units, and the inventory was finally reduced to a reasonable level.

However, besides Gong Yun and Zhao Tiezhu, who addressed the two issues related to inventory, the market quietly opened a third window of opportunity for Orange 1 in a way no one had anticipated, or rather, the ceiling collapsed.
The people at Orange Technology, however, were so focused on the task at hand that they didn't even have time to look up.

I initially thought I was being choked, but it turned out I was just wearing my sweater inside out.

In October, the Apple 4 was officially launched in China, and with its overwhelming performance and stunning design, it instantly swept the market.

However, its stunning screen and processor come with equally "stunning" power consumption.

With an estimated battery life of 4-6 hours, it only lasts 3-4 hours under heavy use, which seems insufficient. Fully charging its 1450mAh battery also takes a long 3-4 hours.

This has become a sweet dilemma for Apple fans.

It can be said that "battery life" is the only "pain point" for Apple 4 users in China at present. Of course, that's for domestic users who haven't yet discovered the design flaws in call signal strength.

Just then, on a geek BBS forum, a tech guru posted a brilliant thread:
"Squeeze every minute out! The emergency charging vulnerability of the Apple 4 Dock interface revealed!"

The core message of the post: When the battery of an iPhone 4 is low, an OTG data cable can be used to bypass system restrictions and achieve "emergency charging"!
One stone caused a thousand waves!

Some vendors in North China who made a fortune from the phone cases Chen Mo produced in advance immediately focused their sharp eyes on the "cheap" phone Orange 1 that used a generic mini USB interface!

A brilliant idea spread like wildfire.
The "Apple 4 Dedicated Companion Phone Case" has arrived!
Inside this specially designed phone case, a special data cable with OTG functionality is cleverly embedded.

Users simply insert the Orange 1 into the card slot on the back of the phone case. When the Apple 4's battery is low, the "host mode" of the Orange 1 is triggered, and power is continuously supplied to the Apple 4 through the embedded OTG cable!

In the streets and alleys of Shenzhen, a peculiar yet harmonious scene has begun to emerge: Apple 4 users are all "carrying" their beloved devices with a "small backpack" that is about two-thirds the size of their devices.

This "backpack" is ingeniously designed, fits perfectly, and even thoughtfully includes a space for the rear camera of the Apple 4.

The orange logo of Orange 1 is not very noticeable under the cover of the phone case.

People only focus on its amazing feature—30 seconds! Just 30 seconds! It can instantly "revive" the iPhone 4, eliminating battery anxiety!

Nobody cared what brand the power bank sealed inside that phone case "backpack" was; the vendors told them it was a smart screen power bank.

That's really rare!

These days, even power banks can make phone calls.

Now, it has a catchy and fitting name, which has spread by word of mouth in Shenzhen's digital circles and quickly become popular.

"Pingguo Companion!"

Of course, you can also call it by its full name: Orange 1 Smart Screen Display Communication Power Bank!
Meanwhile, Chen Mo was completely unaware of this, and was rejoicing that his two capable subordinates had almost cleared out the inventory.

The production capacity of Orange 1 has been successfully reduced to below 30,000 units, leaving only the Nietzsche OEM factory with the capacity. The production cycle is scheduled to end at the end of November, and then the remaining stock will be sold off slowly to recover funds.

Despite facing public backlash and competition from rivals, Orange Technology has already recovered most of the funds invested in Orange 1 through compound interest, and production capacity is gradually declining. Orange Technology's various businesses are moving toward the "positive" trajectory that Chen Mo believes it to be.

(End of this chapter)