Chapter 477 Haisi

In March, the branches of trees in Shenzhen are adorned with new buds.

Early in the morning, Huawei Terminal President Yu Chendong's fingertips slid across his tablet computer and stopped at the Weibo post released by the "Mobile China Alliance".

The black words on the white background made the corners of his eyes twitch slightly.

The media's ability to surmise is always beyond imagination. The news that "Yu Chendong may be transferred to Huawei Cloud Service, and Liang Hua, head of Huawei's supply chain, will take over the terminal" is spreading like wildfire, as if it is a foregone conclusion.

I put down the tablet and rubbed my tense brows. During this period of time, heavy pressure was pressing in from all directions, almost suffocating me.

Years ago, when the announcement was issued indicating that the terminal business did not meet the standards and the year-end bonus was zero, the scene of a group of emotional executives blocking the office door and demanding "an explanation" in fierce words is still vivid in my mind.

Since taking over the hot potato of Huawei mobile phones last year, he has worked tirelessly to try to turn things around, but has failed to produce impressive results.

The cruelty of the market and internal doubts are like two huge mountains pressing on my shoulders, and I often feel exhausted.

What's next? What will Mr. Ren decide? These doubts and confusions are gradually eroding his confidence.

At this moment, the internal phone on the desk suddenly rang, and after it was connected, the voice of the CEO's secretary came: "Mr. Yu, Mr. Ren, please come up now."

Here I come! Yu Chendong took a deep breath, straightened his slightly wrinkled suit jacket, stood up and hurried away.

The office on the top floor is spacious and simple.

Ren Zhengfei was writing at his desk. The 69-year-old man was in good spirits, with clear thinking. He processed documents at an astonishing speed, with the neatness and decisiveness unique to a soldier.

When she heard Yu Chendong coming in, she just raised her eyes slightly and motioned him to sit down first.

Yu Chendong was familiar with the old man's habits and did not dare to disturb him. He sat down quietly on the chair in front of the large desk and waited.

About ten minutes later, Ren Zhengfei finally stopped writing, raised his hand to push the reading glasses on his nose, and looked at his subordinates calmly.

"Chendong," the voice was gentle but powerful, "I've always wanted to talk to you in detail, but I was too busy before the New Year and didn't have time. Today is the perfect time."

Leaning forward slightly, he said, "Tell me, what are your plans for this year?"

Yu Chendong took a deep breath, put aside all distracting thoughts, and laid out the plan he had thought about countless times.

"Mr. Ren, I believe that the terminal business, especially mobile phones, must stick to the mid-to-high-end route. This is the only way to survive and the way forward."

Noticing Ren Zhengfei's almost imperceptible nod, he felt relieved, spoke faster, and his logic became clearer: "The low-end mobile phone market is already a bloody battle.

Xiaomi has achieved the ultimate in price-performance ratio. If we continue to compete on price and cost, we will have no advantage and will only fall into a quagmire, making it difficult to even survive, let alone profit and development.

Eighty percent of smartphone profits come from the mid- to high-end market. We must charge into that market!

Yu Chendong's eyes were blazing, and his voice was filled with determination: "Mr. Ren, it will definitely be difficult at the beginning!

But as long as Huawei can hold on, once its mobile phones gain a firm foothold in the mid-to-high-end market, there will be a bright future ahead.

If Huawei's devices want to become the backbone of the company's business, rather than a drag, they must take this path!"

Ren Zhengfei listened quietly, his deep eyes revealing no emotion, but Yu Chendong could sense that he was listening carefully and weighing the strategic logic behind it.

The old man has experienced many ups and downs in his life and has a keen eye. Naturally, he can see the huge risks involved, but he can also see the huge rewards that may be brought behind it.

Seeing that the old man's expression had eased and he didn't object, Yu Chendong considered it again and again, and then spoke in a serious tone, cautiously testing his options:

"Mr. Ren, if we really want to gain a foothold in the high-end market and compete head-on with international giants like Apple and Samsung, there's something crucial, something we absolutely must do."

After a pause, he met Ren Zhengfei's gaze and spoke word by word, "I hope the company can persist and increase investment to make our own chips, so that HiSilicon can truly become the heart of Huawei phones."

After saying that, he held his breath and stared at the old man opposite him, with expectation and uneasiness intertwined in his eyes.

This idea had been brewing in his mind for a long time, but it was a serious matter.

Developing your own chips means billions or even tens of billions of dollars of investment every year. According to Moore's Law, this is an endless competition that requires long-term, strategic and continuous transfusions at the company level.

The office was suddenly silent. Ren Zhengfei did not express his opinion immediately, but stared at Yu Chendong with his eyes that had seen through many ups and downs.

After a long time, he slowly leaned back in his chair, with a complex and indistinguishable emotion passing through his eyes, including scrutiny, consideration, and a very faint recognition of the courage of the person in front of him to go all out.

At a time when the terminal business is in such a predicament, it takes courage and persistence to come up with such a plan that requires continuous "burning of money" at the level of tens of billions and has an uncertain future.

"Chip!" He uttered the word slowly, as if weighing its immense weight. "Chendong, you have a long-term vision and are quite courageous. But I'll let me think about this for a few days before giving you an answer."

The Huawei CEO spoke with great caution: "I have always advocated for a technological approach and have been willing to invest in R&D. This is the foundation of Huawei's growth to where it is today.

But chips are different! They are a bottomless pit. Once you choose to step into it, there is no turning back. You can only fight to the end.

If we give up halfway, the tens of billions of dollars invested in the early stages will all be wasted. As the head of the company, I must be extremely cautious with every step I take.

How should the company's resources be allocated? When will the terminal business see improvement? When will chip R&D produce results? All aspects need to be considered comprehensively and cannot be decided on a whim.

Yu Chendong's heart was relieved a little. At least he was not directly rejected, which meant there was hope.

I nodded immediately, saying sincerely, "Mr. Ren, I understand your difficulties and the company's overall considerations. Regardless of the outcome, I will do my best to develop the terminal business."

"Yeah." Ren Zhengfei's expression softened a bit. "Don't worry too much. Whether you make chips or not, you're the president of Huawei's terminal business."

This sentence was like a reassurance, calming Yu Chendong's wavering mood.

The old man changed the subject and said, "The day after tomorrow I'm going to BJ to attend the National People's Congress. You pack up and come with me north."

Yu Chendong was stunned when he heard this, and he was puzzled. The old man was going to the meeting as a representative for official business, but why was he going with him? He was confused for a moment.

Ren Zhengfei said bluntly, "The guy from Tenda Technology asked me to meet him. He said he had something important to discuss. He even mentioned your name and wanted me to bring you along."

Yu Chendong was even more confused: "Tengda Technology? The richest man?"

Ren Zhengfei looked at his subordinate's bewildered expression and waved his hand, "Don't overthink it. Once BJ meets, everything will become clear."

Then he added, "Let's sort out the HiSilicon chip plan over the next few days. The more detailed the better. When I get back from BJ, we'll have a formal meeting to discuss this matter."

The four words "to be discussed at the meeting" were like a sharp ray of light, instantly piercing through the fog and anxiety in Yu Chendong's heart.

The road ahead is still full of thorns, and Mr. Ren's attitude remains cautious, but this sentence means that his proposal, on which he is betting everything, has truly been put on the table of Huawei's highest decision-making level.

"Yes! Mr. Ren, I will go back and prepare immediately!" Yu Chendong nodded vigorously, and his previous fatigue and anxiety seemed to be swept away.

At the same time, the morning sunshine became brighter and brighter.

In the private room of the coffee shop opposite the Tengda Technology Building, the light is soft and the air is filled with the rich aroma of coffee.

Liu Shishi picked up the bone china cup, took a sip, and her eyes fell on Liang Jianzhang, CEO of Ctrip.com, who was sitting opposite her.

Ever since the New Year's Day wedding that shocked the entire Internet, the richest couple has become the focus of major high-end travel agencies in BJ.

The honeymoon trip of the two is undoubtedly a golden signboard that can leverage the high-end market.

Among China Youth Travel Service, Caesar, and Ctrip, whoever can win this order will become famous in the high-end customized tourism market.

Although Liang Jianzhang is also a well-known figure in the business world, he did not dare to be arrogant in front of the wife of the richest man, and spoke in a humble tone:

"Thank you for taking the time to meet me, Ms. Liu. I heard you're very interested in the Northern Lights, so Ctrip has prepared a detailed plan for you to review."

Liu Shishi smiled and nodded, understanding what she meant.

Liang Jianzhang was once a professor at Peking University’s Guanghua School of Management. The meeting was made possible thanks to his connections at Peking University.

Her husband had to prepare for a representative meeting and deal with company affairs these days, so he left the honeymoon arrangements entirely to her.

Liu Shishi was gentle and polite, with a gentle smile: "I'm sorry to bother Mr. Liang to come all the way from Shanghai."

The woman who came with Liang Jianzhang handed over her business card at the right moment, saying in a competent voice, "Hello, Ms. Liu. I'm Hou Yue, the head of Ctrip's high-end customization department."

Hou Yue was wearing a well-tailored suit and had neat manners. It was obvious at first glance that he was a capable subordinate of Liang Jianzhang.

Liu Shishi took the business card and nodded.

Hou Yue immediately opened her tablet and began to explain in detail: "The Iceland trip we designed for you and Mr. Song uses a service model that includes a private butler and a team of external experts.

Although April is not the best time to view the aurora, we have contacted the Institute of Astronomy at the University of Iceland, and their experts will provide real-time aurora forecasts and recommendations for the best viewing locations."

Liu Shishi listened very attentively, and Hou Yue’s explanation was professional and detailed.

From private jet route planning, to helicopter transfers to Thingvellir National Park, to a comprehensive emergency plan for Iceland's unpredictable weather, every detail has been carefully considered.

"We will arrange for you two to stay in an Aurora-themed superior suite, each with floor-to-ceiling windows and an open-air hot spring, so you can enjoy the Northern Lights even from indoors."

The sliding screen displays hotel photos. "In addition, there are special experiences such as glacier hiking and geothermal hot springs. If you have enough time, you can also arrange a puffin watching tour in the Westman Islands."

Liu Shishi's eyes lit up and she became interested. She couldn't help but chat with Hou Yue about some details.

After a moment's silence, he turned to Liang Jianzhang and said, "Mr. Liang, I'm very satisfied with Ctrip's proposal. I'll confirm it with my husband tonight. If he has no objection, please have Manager Hou contact my assistant directly to discuss the specific matters."

Liang Jianzhang remained expressionless, but was extremely happy in his heart.

The "Zhenpinyou" series, which he launched against all odds at the beginning of the year, finally found the most ideal spokesperson.

If Ctrip can win the honeymoon order from the richest couple, it will surely open up new prospects in the high-end tourism market.

The honeymoon trip was finalized. When Liu Shishi saw Liang Jianzhang off and turned back to the box, it was almost noon.

I opened my laptop, logged into the official website of Poly Auction House, and carefully browsed the recent auctions of antiques and jade.

Light and shadow flowed on the page, and a wide variety of treasures passed by her eyes one by one. Liu Shishi's eyes were focused, and her fingers occasionally slid across the touchpad to zoom in on the details and examine them carefully.

Her father-in-law Song Zhang's 50th birthday is approaching, and as his daughter-in-law, she has to prepare a birthday gift that shows her thoughtfulness and is appropriate to her status.

While browsing, the door of the box was gently pushed open, and Mrs. Zhang Tong, Mrs. Lei Jun, walked in with a smile.

"Master, have you been waiting for a long time?"

"Sister Tong is here." Liu Shishi smiled sweetly, closed her computer, stood up to greet her, and at the same time asked the waiter to serve the food.

The dishes were ordered long ago, and they included grilled New Zealand langoustines and Australian steak, served with freshly shaved white truffles. The refreshing aroma instantly filled the room.

The two of them ate and chatted.

Zhang Tong mentioned that the Poetry Charity Fund he helps manage has made recent progress and has built 86 primary and secondary schools across the country.

After hearing this, Liu Shishi's expression straightened and she thanked him sincerely: "Thank you for your hard work, Sister Tong. This is really a great thing."

Zhang Tong waved his hand and said with a smile, "I feel at ease that I can contribute to charity in a practical way."

As he spoke, he noticed that Liu Shishi kept glancing at the computer from time to time, so he asked with a smile what distracted her.

Liu Shishi sighed softly and told her about the troubles she had in choosing a birthday gift.

Zhang Tong pondered for a moment and suggested, "I remember your father-in-law is the chief physician of Union Hospital, right?

Considering his profession, perhaps we could find a different approach and give him some rare ancient medical texts, which would be more appealing to him?"

Liu Shishi suddenly felt her thoughts become clear. She just saw on the website that a rare printed edition of "The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine" would be auctioned next month.

"That's great, thank you Sister Tong for the reminder!" She felt relieved immediately and planned to focus on competing for this set of books and choose a few other antiques as alternatives.

Having solved a problem, Liu Shishi looked much more relaxed. She closed her computer, took out a document from her bag and handed it to Zhang Tong.

Zhang Tong smiled knowingly. Liu Shishi had previously mentioned to her her plan to establish a venture capital fund focused on angel and Series A investments in companies, and had invited her to be the CEO.

After taking the document and looking at it, I saw that it was "Huiwen Asset Management Company" with a paid-in capital of 500 million. I couldn't help but marvel at its wealth.

Suddenly remembering something, Zhang Tong raised an eyebrow and asked again, "Shishi, didn't you say before that you spent over a billion to give Mr. Song an elemental wall, and that you were short of cash? How come in the blink of an eye..."

Liu Shishi blinked and raised the corners of her lips slightly: "I debited it from my husband's salary card."

Zhang Tong couldn't help but laugh, and curiously asked, "How much does the richest man earn a year? Don't be like some big guys who only receive a one-yuan annual salary, which is pure show."

"He's at the highest level of Tengda's management, level 18." Liu Shishi smiled, "120 million after tax, 10 million per month.

I transferred some money from his card, added it to my own little treasury, and gathered this 500 million, which is enough for us to get by for a while."

Zhang Tong smiled after hearing this: "You two are really the envy of others. You used your husband's salary card to start a company. President Song's 'family allowance' is really generous."

Liu Shishi's eyebrows curved, with a hint of feminine pride: "He has no idea about daily expenses.

This money has been lying in the card for a long time, why not use it to make some small investments for me. Sister Tong, let’s do it together!”

Zhang Tong nodded and gladly accepted the CEO position. She also wanted to see if she could truly make a name for herself in the investment world.

(End of this chapter)