Hong Kong variety show: The mastermind behind the scenes is emerging.

By the end of August 1983, the OEM factory in Shenzhen had become like a giant steel heart, pulsating day and night under the protection of Lu Chen's crazy capital injection and the local government's "green light".

As the architect of this storm, Lu Chen returned to Hong Kong after his trip north and went back to his understated yet luxurious Lu family estate on Peak Road. Instead of immediately throwing himself into intense business competition, he began his "summer vacation" as the big boss Lu.

Every morning, Lu Chen would listen to the melodious piano music in Ruan Wen's art-filled music room. After handling some official business at Jiahe in the morning, he would leave work early at noon. In the afternoon, he would accompany Ruan Mei for a walk on the tree-lined path of the manor, or pick up Qiu Di from get off work, enjoying the rare tranquility like an ordinary rich young master.

This kind of nine-to-five life, even with a touch of gentle warmth, was a "soft reset" for Lu Chen's brain, which had been tense for months.

However, for the citizens of Hong Kong, every second of the last few days of August was torture.

Because Longteng Technology's official launch date is set for September 1st.

……

Thursday, September 1st.

Before dawn, and before even a hint of light had appeared in the east, long, serpentine shadows had already appeared in front of the "Dragon Tech" specialty stores in Central, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Causeway Bay of Hong Kong, where an abstract dragon head holding a chip logo was displayed.

Those were citizens who had rushed over overnight to queue up.

It's worth mentioning that when Lu Chen founded Longteng Technology, he rejected the "two-tier distribution model" that was prevalent at the time. Instead of sending products to those chaotic electrical appliance stores, he boldly opened ten directly operated stores and twenty specially trained franchise stores in the most prosperous areas of Hong Kong.

This tactic was learned from Apple's later "brand moat" strategy.

At eight o'clock in the morning, the sunlight completely bathed the streets of Central.

On the first floor of Landmark, in front of Longteng Technology's flagship store, the queue had piled up three or four layers high, and even the local police officers had to be mobilized to maintain order.

Nine o'clock sharp.

With a crisp "click," two huge, completely transparent tempered glass doors were slowly pushed open by two employees dressed in matching black polo shirts with a red dragon head logo embroidered on their chests.

"Welcome to Longteng Technology."

His voice wasn't loud, but it exuded a well-trained and approachable charm.

The citizens at the front of the line rushed in, but after stepping through the door, they all seemed dazed for a few seconds.

Shocked.

That was an aesthetic shock that transcended time.

In the early 1980s, most electrical appliance stores in Hong Kong were dimly lit, with shelves filled with a dense array of wires. Even the counters of major brands were often just like those in jewelry stores, displaying their products in large glass cases.

But the Longteng flagship store in front of me looks like a laboratory that has been moved out of a science fiction movie.

The floor is a cool gray self-leveling compound, and the ceiling is adorned with minimalist white spotlights, illuminating the entire space impeccably. But what truly catches the eye are the long, light-colored wooden tables that stretch across the entire store. On these tables, there are no cluttered promotional posters, only various products attached to thin security chains.

Rows of colorful Longteng PC-1 computers stood quietly, their fully graphical interfaces gleaming alluringly on their screens. On the adjacent display stand, the Longteng D1 mobile phone sat sideways, its exquisite metallic finish and retractable antenna instantly making every man's eyes water. On the other side, several Longteng VCD players were connected to a massive CRT color television, looping high-definition movie clips, the effect stunning everyone present.

There was no sales pitch, no noise; everything exuded a unique sense of sophistication.

"This...this is really an electronics store? It feels even more upscale than HSBC's VIP lounge!" A middle-aged woman who led the way in subconsciously wiped her hands, afraid of dirtying the gleaming tabletop.

At this moment, the well-trained staff, with smiles on their faces, quickly guided the crowd to different display areas according to the "diversion guidance" manual.

"Dear customers, this is our Longteng personal computer showroom. You can personally experience our graphical operating system developed based on the Longteng kernel."

"This is our DragonD1 digital phone, which is currently the world's first personal mobile terminal that supports digital signals and has an LCD screen."

"If you enjoy movies, you should definitely check out the Dragon VCD player here. We use laser reading technology, and the picture quality far surpasses that of traditional VHS tapes."

In an instant, a series of uniform gasps of surprise filled the entire store.

The interior design and displays, which can be described as "alien technology" in this era, made even the usually outspoken Hong Kong housewives cautious and left even the self-proclaimed well-informed elites speechless.

Although Lu Chen really wanted to make a purchase right away, since it was the 1980s and payment methods were still quite primitive, the booth area could only offer a "trial" experience. If you decided to buy something, you needed to go to the checkout area at the back to get a "receipt," and after paying, staff would retrieve the goods from the warehouse at the back. Unfortunately, without mobile payment in the last century, buying things was incredibly inconvenient.

With the guidance of the sales staff, many people started trying out the products on the display case. However, many more customers did not have the patience to listen to the introduction. They turned around and rushed to the checkout counter, loudly announcing what they wanted and the quantity, urging the sales staff to pack it up quickly, fearing that it would be out of stock by evening.

Immediately, another long queue formed at the checkout area. Some wealthy businessmen even pulled out stacks of gold-edged Hong Kong dollars and loudly proclaimed, "I want to order ten!" But the clerk maintained a professional smile and reminded them, "I'm sorry, sir, to ensure that more people can experience the DragonPass D1 phone as soon as possible, each person is limited to two units per purchase. If you need more, please queue up again."

In this era where everything is sold offline, Lu Chen knows it's impossible to completely ban reselling, so Jiahe can only use this method to increase the purchase cost for scalpers as much as possible.

……

Ah-Qiang is a typical Hong Kong man. As the chief engineer of an ocean-going freighter, he has spent most of his life adrift on the endless high seas. In his eyes, the world is blue, salty, and lonely.

Six months later, the cargo ship that Ah-Qiang was on finally slowly docked at the pier in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Because the sea voyage went very smoothly, not only avoiding the storm but also delivering the goods ahead of schedule, the shipping company boss generously awarded each crew member a substantial bonus. Combined with Ah-Qiang's savings from the past six months, his savings account now held a whopping HK$70,000.

In Hong Kong in 1983, 70,000 dollars was enough for an ordinary office worker to work for several years without eating or drinking.

The first thing Ah-Qiang did after disembarking was head to the Landmark in Central. He planned to treat himself to a high-end VCR and rent a bunch of the latest trending videotapes to catch up on the blockbusters he'd missed over the past six months. He also planned to go on a blind date and then enjoy a peaceful vacation.

However, as soon as he stepped into the first floor of Landmark Plaza, he was stunned.

At the entrance of that shop with a dragon head logo that I don't know what it is, the queue stretched from the first floor all the way to the basement.

A-Qiang curiously patted a well-dressed man at the end of the line and asked, "Brother, what are you buying? Why such a big fuss? Did Rolex go on sale?"

The man turned around and looked at Ah-Qiang like he was an alien: "You must have just returned from Mars! Longteng Technology! Today's the first day of sales, Longteng VCD, Longteng mobile phone, are you even a Hong Konger if you're not buying?"

Ah Qiang chuckled awkwardly, "I did just get back from the sea; I've been adrift for half a year. This Dragon Soaring Technology... is it really that miraculous?"

Upon hearing that he was a seasoned seaman, the man immediately became enthusiastic and began to ramble on like he was promoting his own son: "God? That's practically alien technology! You know, cell phones—no wires, no big battery pack, just this little thing in your hand, and it can send text messages! And VCD players—the discs are only the size of your palm, the picture quality is several times clearer than videotapes, and they don't get stuck in moisture! And that Dragon computer…"

With his older brother's constant encouragement, A-Qiang's eyes lit up. Only a fool would buy a video camera like this! So without saying a word, he joined the queue.

This line lasted for two hours.

When A-Qiang finally stepped into the gleaming boutique, he felt an unprecedented shock.

The electronic products on the long table all exuded a cold and expensive metallic beauty. He tried to pick up the cell phone codenamed "D1," and the touch was a million times more delicate than the ship's control stick he used to hold.

"Sir, how can I help you?" a female shop assistant with two dimples asked softly when she smiled.

Ah Qiang took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart, and waved his hand: "I want a Longteng computer, a Longteng VCD player, and... two Longteng D1 mobile phones."

Ah Qiang bought two cell phones not to resell, but for a selfish reason. He's thirty years old this year. Although his income is considerable, his job often requires him to spend half a year at sea at a time, and several girlfriends have broken up with him. As he gets older, he wants to settle down. So he plans to apply for a switch to short-haul shipping after this three-month long vacation. Although the salary is lower, he'll be able to spend more time ashore and it will be easier to find a partner.

He had already planned it out: if he met a girl he liked, he would just give her a Dragon phone. With that kind of class and prestige, wouldn't that be enough to win her over?

The salesperson smiled and confirmed the order, then gently reminded him, "Okay sir, since the Longteng computer you purchased is quite large, if it's inconvenient for you to carry it, you just need to leave your address, and we also offer 24-hour door-to-door delivery service."

Ah Qiang was overjoyed to hear that the service was so thoughtful.

After leaving his address and paying, he excitedly walked to the side, holding the two exquisite boxes containing the phones firmly in his hand. He couldn't wait to open one of them, and seeing the black body gleaming under the light, his smile was brighter than if he had found gold.

Just then, the shop assistant gave an apologetic smile to the customers queuing behind him.

"We are very sorry, everyone. Our first batch of Dragon D1 phones has sold out. The next batch is expected to arrive in three days."

Upon hearing this, a sigh of resentment erupted from the crowd queuing behind.

Ah Qiang felt a surge of secret joy, glad that he was lucky.

Just as he was about to leave, a clear voice, tinged with a hint of anxiety, rang in his ears.

"Excuse me, sir, please wait a moment."

Ah Qiang turned around and saw a beautiful woman in a beige business suit, with her hair in a ponytail, exuding the aura of an urban white-collar elite, staring intently at him. The girl had fair skin and wide almond-shaped eyes. Although her forehead was slightly sweaty from anxiety, it added to her captivating charm.

"Brother, you bought two, could you... sell one to me? I queued for three hours just to buy a DragonD1. I can pay extra, really, please." The girl clasped her hands together, her small face pleading as she looked at the phone in his hand.

A-Qiang was stunned. To be honest, he had never been asked a request so closely by such a beautiful girl in his life. Looking into the young lady's bright almond-shaped eyes, A-Qiang had a momentary struggle in his mind.

But then, he thought of his yet-to-be-present "future wife," and the loneliness he had felt on the high seas for the past six months. He instinctively tightened his grip on the two boxes, then shook his head seriously. "I'm sorry, miss, I can't give this to you. This phone is for my girlfriend; I can't just give it to anyone else."

The young woman was stunned. She was always the center of attention at school and at work, and she thought that with her beauty and sweet talk, this seemingly dull-witted "dark-skinned" man would surely agree. She never expected him to refuse so decisively, without even a chance to negotiate.

But the reason they gave was perfectly reasonable; after all, it's normal to buy one for family or girlfriend these days. The girl could only stomp her foot helplessly, sighing at her bad luck, and quickly walked out of the store.

Ah Qiang stood there, touched his nose, and breathed a long sigh of relief. He felt that he had protected his future happiness, but for some reason, watching the beautiful woman's departing figure, he felt a sense of emptiness in his heart.

It seems like... I missed something very important?