dtnovels Chapter 165 The Fantasy Princess
Chapter 165 The Fantasy Princess
8:00 AM, Alienware Corporation office.
Lingyun signed the last document and handed it to Alex.
"I need to go back to China for about two weeks."
Alex took the document.
"On the game development side..."
"Proceeding as planned, with video conferences every Friday."
"Spark Labs Opens..."
"If there's not enough time, you'll host," Ling Yun said. "Please have Michael Dyer and Jerry Sanders cut the ribbon, and Sophia has the press releases ready."
"clear."
Ling Yun got up and packed his luggage in a black suitcase containing a few clothes, a laptop, and documents.
At the airport, check-in is being processed.
There weren't many people at the first-class counter. He handed over his passport and checked his luggage.
As I turned around, I saw a young woman talking on the phone. She was in her twenties, wearing a beige suit and pulling an LV suitcase.
"...I understand, Dad. I'll talk to him properly. But his temper...yes, yes, I'll try my best."
The voice was crisp, but tinged with impatience.
Ling Yun glanced at her.
Liu Qingqing, daughter of Liu Chuanzhi, founder of Yixiang Computer, should have just returned from studying in the United States and is gaining experience in the company.
In future generations, she will found a ride-hailing app and become an internet celebrity. Then, due to data security issues and government warnings, former U.S. intelligence officials will appear in the company's upper echelons, and her family will be stigmatized.
Right now, she's still a reluctant heiress.
Boarding has begun.
First class, seat 2A. Liu Qingqing was sitting in 2C, by the aisle.
After takeoff, the flight attendants brought us drinks.
Liu Qingqing ordered red wine. She took out the documents and looked at them, her brows furrowed.
The document was titled "Suggestions on Adjusting the Technology Roadmap of the Fantasy Computer." Lingyun glimpsed several keywords: abandon independent research and development, introduce foreign technology, and reduce costs.
Liu Qingqing flipped through a few pages and tossed them onto the small table. She picked up her glass of red wine and took a sip.
"Chief Engineer Ni is just too stubborn," she muttered under her breath. "He insists on doing everything himself, which is costly and slow."
Lingyun pretended to be reading a magazine.
Liu Qingqing made another phone call.
"Secretary Wang, my father is arriving in Shanghai tomorrow? Okay, arrange a meeting with the municipal government officials. As for Chief Engineer Ni... don't inform him yet. Let's talk about it after we've finished our discussions."
She sighed after hanging up the phone.
The flight attendant brought the meal. Liu Qingqing only ate a few bites of salad.
After Ling Yun finished eating, he put down his tray. After the flight attendant took it away, he got up and went to the restroom.
When they returned, Liu Qingqing was staring blankly out the window.
"Excuse me," Ling Yun pointed to the window seat, "this is my seat."
Liu Qingqing moved her leg away.
After sitting down, Ling Yun opened his laptop and looked at the updated version of the bidding proposal sent by Zhao Weiguo.
Liu Qingqing glanced at the screen.
"Spark Technology?" she asked.
"Yes." Ling Yun didn't look up.
"Never heard of it. A new company?"
"Not exactly new. We make computer parts and operating systems."
"Oh." Liu Qingqing turned her head away uninterested.
After a while, she spoke again.
"You install operating systems? Windows?"
"My own system. The Star System."
"Never heard of it," Liu Qingqing said. "Everyone in China uses Windows now. There's no future in developing your own operating system."
Lingyun closed his laptop.
Why?
"It's about the ecosystem," Liu Qingqing said. "Without software, without games, who would use it? Our company, Yixiang Computer, also wanted to develop its own system before, but we gave up. Just install Windows directly; it's easier and sells better."
"So, Vision is just an assembly plant now?"
Liu Qingqing's face darkened.
"That's not how it works. We also have research and development..."
"What are you developing? Chassis colors?"
Liu Qingqing glared at him.
"Who are you? What gives you the right to criticize our company?"
Ling Yun, founder of Spark Technology.
Liu Qingqing paused for a moment, seemingly trying to recall the name.
"Never heard of it," she concluded. "A small company, I guess."
"Yes, a small company." Ling Yun reopened his computer. "But we're developing operating systems, optimizing chips, and targeting the education market. What are you doing? Negotiating government relations? Driving down costs?"
Liu Qingqing's face turned red with anger.
"What do you know! Running a business is about making money! What's the use of just having technology if you can't make money?!"
"Making money and developing technology are not contradictory," Ling Yun said. "But if you only focus on making money and don't develop technology, you'll be eliminated sooner or later."
"What a joke," Liu Qingqing sneered. "We dream of annual sales of two billion. What about you?"
"Our profit last year was 100 million."
Liu Qingqing fell silent.
After a while, she asked.
"Are you really building a system?"
"They really are doing it."
Is anyone using this?
"It will be available soon," Ling Yun said.
Liu Qingqing turned her head and continued looking out the window.
But Lingyun could tell she was thinking.
The plane continued its flight.
Ling Yun closed his eyes, but couldn't fall asleep.
He was thinking of Ni Guangnan.
Mr. Ni should be working on his imaginative computer project now, but he's in an awkward situation. He insists on independent research and development, but the company has shifted to a trading model. The old man has lofty ideals, but nowhere to put them to use.
People like this should come to Xinghuo Technology.
The plane landed at Shanghai Pudong Airport.
10:20 PM.
While collecting their luggage, Liu Qingqing stood to the side. She glanced at Ling Yun several times, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping herself.
After clearing customs, a middle-aged man was waiting for Liu Qingqing, holding a sign that read "Imagine Computer".
"Ms. Liu, the car is outside."
Liu Qingqing nodded, glanced at Ling Yun again, and turned to leave.
Ling Yun and Zhao Hu took a taxi to the hotel.
On the way, he called Li Ziyu.
"Could you help me find Mr. Ni Guangnan's contact information? It would be best if we could arrange a time to meet."
"Ni Guangnan? The chief engineer of Fantastic Computers?"
"right."
"He's a very stubborn person."
"I know, but we need him."
"Okay, I'll inquire about it."
By the time I arrived at the hotel and finished washing up, it was already midnight.
Ling Yun opened her email. Zhao Weiguo had sent an update: the bid had been submitted, and the bidding would begin next week.
Chen Lingling attached a detailed cost analysis table.
He replied, "Well done. We'll discuss it in detail when I get back to Jinan."
The next morning, Li Ziyu called.
"Mr. Ni is currently in Shanghai attending a technical seminar. It ends at 2 PM today. I asked someone to pass on a message saying you'd like to see him. He agreed, and we'll meet at the hotel coffee shop at 3 PM."
"Okay, send me the address."
Lingyun arrived at the coffee shop at 2:50 pm, ahead of schedule.
At exactly three o'clock, an elderly man in his sixties walked in. He was wearing a gray jacket, had gray hair, and was slightly hunched over, but his eyes were bright.
"Chief Engineer Ni." Ling Yun stood up.
"Mr. Ling." Ni Guangnan shook hands firmly. "I heard you're the founder of Spark Technology?"
"Yes. Please sit down."
The two sat down. Ni Guangnan ordered a cup of green tea.
"What do you want?"
"I would like to invite you to Xinghuo Technology." Ling Yun got straight to the point.
Ni Guangnan smiled.
"I'm 63 this year, and I'll be retiring soon."
"Age is not a problem," Ling Yun said. "Your understanding of technology and your judgment of the industry are exactly what we need."
"Spark Technology...what does it do?"
"Operating systems, hardware optimization, educational informatization, internet cafe chains, game development."
"The scope is quite broad," Ni Guangnan said, taking a sip of tea. "But what's the core?"
"Break the monopoly," Ling Yun said. "Use openness to fight against closedness, and technology to fight against compradors."
Ni Guangnan paused for a moment.
"Comprador...that's a very strong word."
"But it's true," Ling Yun said, "Imagine Computer has already shifted to a trade route, hasn't it? Abandoning independent research and development, focusing on distribution channels and government relations."
Ni Guangnan remained silent.
"No one listens to you inside," Ling Yun continued. "Young people think you're old-fashioned, and the leaders think you're impractical. But Xinghuo Technology needs people like you. We need someone to tell us where the technology is headed and where the pitfalls are."
"Are you really building a system?"
"They're really working on it." Ling Yun took out his laptop and opened a demonstration video. "This is the Starry Sky system, this is optimized for the AMD platform, this is the educational version, and this is the game development tool."
Ni Guangnan put on his reading glasses and looked carefully.
I watched for ten minutes.
"That's interesting," he said. "But what about the ecology?"
"It's under construction. University projects are the first step, internet cafes are the offline entry point, and gaming is the breakthrough point."
"Where's the funding?"
"Just raised $1.2 million."
Ni Guangnan raised his head.
"So many?"
"Investors are optimistic about our story of breaking the monopoly."
Ni Guangnan took off his glasses and wiped them.
"I've been fantasizing for over twenty years," he said. "From Chinese character cards to microcomputers, I've come all this way. Now... I'm definitely a bit tired."
"Come to Xinghuo, you won't have to work hard," Ling Yun said. "You'll be the chief engineer, in charge of the technical direction. You won't have to worry about personnel or finance, just technology. You choose the team, you set the budget."
Ni Guangnan smiled.
"I don't care about the money, but I want control over the technical decisions."
"It can be written into the contract."
Ni Guangnan looked out the window. The sky over Shanghai was overcast and gray.
"Liu Chuanzhi talked to me yesterday," he said. "He said the company needs to transform and the technology department needs to be downsized. He asked me to mentor the younger generation in preparation for retirement."
"You agreed?"
"I neither agreed nor refused," Ni Guangnan said, turning back. "But I felt uneasy. I've spent my whole life in technology, and now I'm just retiring."
"Then let's go to Xinghuo," Lingyun said. "We're just starting out, and we need a pillar of strength like you."
Ni Guangnan picked up his teacup and slowly finished drinking it.
Give me three days to consider.
"it is good."
Ling Yun left his business card and departed from the coffee shop.
Stepping out of the hotel, a breeze from Shanghai blew in, carrying a damp scent.
He knew that Ni Guangnan would come.