Chapter 533 Another Decade
The accompanying assistant quickly set up a simple interview area and adjusted the lighting.
Tan Chonghan, a top media figure, sat across from Song Ci in a relaxed manner, without any script, and opened his speech directly and powerfully:
"Mr. Song, after much discussion, the editorial department hopes to invite you to be the cover character of the magazine in the first week of July. I wonder if you would agree?"
"Sure." Song Ci answered straightforwardly, then asked in detail, "Is it the American version or the Asian version?"
"It's the Asian edition." Tan Chonghan's expression straightened as he explained solemnly, "After careful evaluation, the editorial department believes that Tenda Technology is the largest Internet company in Asia. Asia is undoubtedly your home turf.
The readers here, the elites and emerging middle class in the pan-Asian region, are precisely the group most deeply influenced by Tenda Technology and who can most resonate with your story.”
He paused again, then added a detail that emphasized professionalism, "Do you need to prepare an interview outline in advance?"
"No need." Song Ci smiled calmly, his demeanor calm. "Except for the parts involving personal privacy, Editor-in-Chief Tan can express himself freely."
A flash of shock flashed across Tan Chonghan's eyes. This young man before him had such astonishing achievements, yet he was as calm as the deep ocean.
He responded to various accolades from the outside world, including the honor of being featured on the cover of Time magazine, with a composure beyond his years.
He had interviewed too many successful people, many of whom were deliberately performative or nervous in front of the media, but it was rare to see someone like Song Ci, who acted as if he was just attending a tea party with old friends.
After obtaining Song Ci's consent, the assistant turned on the recorder and camera, and the red indicator light came on, marking the official start of the interview.
Tan Chonghan took a deep breath and threw out the opening remarks he had been preparing for a long time, his tone sincere and direct: "Mr. Song, thank you very much for being willing to meet me.
Before coming here, I had been thinking about a question: Why did the founder of a company that built a product that connects two billion people around the world always choose to stay out of the spotlight?
He did not give Song Ci time to be polite and humble, and continued to advance with a steady pace but every word was weighty:
"But with Tenda Technology's current size and your current status, keeping a low profile might be a luxury. You can't hide it anymore.
Every decision you make affects global technology and reshapes the ecosystem of countless industries.
Ten years ago, the world was talking about Steve Jobs and his iPhone, which redefined mobile devices.
Twenty years ago, people looked up to Bill Gates and his Windows, which opened the door to the PC era.
And now, observers around the world are saying that you and your WeChat are destined to be the cover star of the business world for the next decade. You are defining 'connection' itself.
These powerful words directly placed Song Ci in the great sequence of science, technology and business history. Liu Shishi, who was sitting quietly on the side, listened with her beautiful eyes full of amazement.
The cover of Time is a globally recognized passport to influence, which means that her husband is being promoted from a successful entrepreneur to a world-class business leader who is on par with legendary figures such as Bill Gates and Steve Jobs in terms of media discourse power.
Listening to this high praise, Song Ci just smiled slightly, his expression remained calm, as if the other party was talking about another person who had nothing to do with him.
Tan Chonghan keenly noticed that Song Ci was not shaken by this "sugar-coated bullet" and immediately changed his angle, his voice becoming deeper and more powerful:
"Throughout my career, I've had the privilege of interviewing nearly every benchmark business leader since China's opening up to the outside world. They are all exceptional and have contributed greatly to China's economic growth.
But it is undeniable that during their heyday, most were still in the stage of learning and catching up with Europe and the United States. And you, Mr. Song, are an exception."
Tan Chonghan looked at Song Ci with a burning gaze, his voice clear and firm:
"You are the first Chinese entrepreneur to make Silicon Valley giants feel strategic anxiety and force them to humble themselves and seriously study, learn and even imitate their business models.
Tenda Technology is not catching up on the existing track, you are opening up a brand new track.
The fact that a Chinese company pioneered and successfully implemented the grand concept of 'connecting everything' is a groundbreaking event in itself."
He paused briefly to let the power of his words sink in, then offered his final words of persuasion, his tone carrying a weight of history:
"Looking at the young generation of entrepreneurs around the world, no one can match you. This era, this position, requires you to stand up.
This is not only a personal honor for you, but also a symbol. It represents China's scientific and technological strength, and it has truly reached the forefront of the world and is competing head-on with European and American giants.
This is a historical responsibility that 'who else but me' can do, and you cannot shirk it."
These words, like a stone thrown into a lake, finally caused Song Ci's eyes, which had always been as calm as water, to ripple with a trace of deep thought. He did not refute or evade with humble words as before.
He was indeed used to hiding behind the products before, but Tan Chonghan's words made him clearly realize that the situation has changed.
The giant ship of Tenda Technology has grown. It needs a clear banner and a loud voice to convey its ideas and propositions to the world.
Song Ci slowly raised his head, his eyes became extremely deep, as if reflecting the sea of stars in the future.
After a brief thought, he continued the editor-in-chief's words and made his first public, kingly declaration in front of the world's authoritative media.
"Editor-in-Chief Tan, you are right. Tengda is indeed trying to do something different." Song Ci's voice was not loud, but extremely firm.
Tan Chonghan smiled expectantly and asked, "Is it about 'connecting everything'?"
"No!" Song Ci shook his head slightly, "The word 'connection' has been used too much, it's become a bit generalized and superficial.
WeChat itself is not the ultimate goal, it is just a digital highway we have built.”
Song Ci used a very vivid metaphor to begin explaining his business philosophy: “Mr. Bill Gates brought computers into thousands of households. He is the founder of the PC era;
Mr. Jobs put the Internet into our pockets and was a revolutionary of mobile Internet.
They are all great definers, creating epoch-making products. And Tenda wants to be the founder of an ecosystem.”
"We build roads, formulate safe and efficient traffic rules, and then open the roads so that all people, goods, services, information, and ideas can run freely and smoothly on this highway.
WeChat Pay is more than just a payment tool; it's the fuel station that fuels the "transaction" sports car.
Tenda Cloud is more than just a business; it is the intelligent roadbed system that supports the stable operation of the entire digital highway."
“For all these reasons, my ultimate vision for Tenda Technology has never been the pinnacle of a single product.
It is a core concept: to improve the efficiency of the entire social operation.
When this road is wide enough, extending in all directions and connecting everything, the real value created by Tengda will far surpass the illusory titles of "world's number one" or "richest man".
It will be a whole new digital world full of infinite possibilities.”
Tan Chonghan listened attentively and nodded unconsciously.
The young man in front of us has long since broken out of the thinking scope of "product design" and elevated his own strategy to the level of "ecological founder" and "rule designer".
This is a high-dimensional business philosophy with a vision and pattern that transcends the times.
At this moment, he deeply understood why WeChat was able to develop in the siege of giants and build such a huge ecosystem. This is the dimensionality reduction attack of ideas.
In the following interview, Song Ci talked freely about everything from the future of artificial intelligence, to the theory of big data, to the profound impact of mobile payments on social structure.
His insightful views and rigorous logic not only demonstrate his strong leadership and profound business philosophy, but also reveal many forward-looking views on the future of the technology industry.
Tan Chonghan was deeply moved as he listened to the poem. He felt that the words of Song Ci revealed grand ideas that were several steps ahead of the times and were full of the wisdom of using Internet technology to transform the world and benefit the general public.
As the interview drew to a close, Tan Chonghan, as usual, asked a relatively personal question:
"Mr. Song, becoming the richest man in Asia and even among the world's richest people, what is your deepest feeling about this rapid accumulation of wealth?"
Song Ci smiled calmly upon hearing this, and his words carried an unfathomable calmness:
“Wealth is just a by-product of hard work and opportunities; it has never been a goal I pursue.
Sometimes, too much wealth makes me feel... well, tired."
“…” Tan Chonghan was speechless for a moment. He opened his mouth but couldn’t say anything for a long time.
I really want to ask: Mr. Song, are you tired because you have too much money to spend?
This kind of Versailles-style speech goes beyond the scope of his collection of interview quotations.
Even Cai Yinong, who had remained silent throughout, couldn't help but look at Liu Shishi beside him. The meaning in his eyes clearly said:
"Is your man always so pretentious at home? The key is that he acts so naturally and refreshingly, it's impossible to refute!"
When Liu Shishi received Sister K's gaze, she could only respond with a helpless smile with a little pride. She often couldn't keep up with her husband's jumping thoughts.
"Mr. Song, thank you very much for accepting this interview. I have benefited a lot from talking with you."
Tan Chonghan sighed sincerely, and then signaled to the assistant next to him with his eyes.
The assistant understood and immediately took out several carefully printed renderings from his briefcase and handed them to Song Ci.
Tan Chonghan introduced at the right moment: "Mr. Song, these are several cover designs that the editorial department has designed for you, including the main title and visual concept."
Song Ci took it and looked at it with interest. The main title was very concise and powerful: "THE CONNECTOR".
The design concept for the cover image is a profile of him, gazing into the distance.
The background is a constantly flowing, flashing blue stream of data representing two billion users around the world, which has a strong visual impact.
Liu Shishi also came closer to take a look and couldn't help but praise it: "The design is very cool and futuristic."
Seeing Song Ci's satisfied look, Tan Chonghan felt relieved and took the opportunity to move forward:
"Mr. Song, when would it be convenient for you to arrange for a professional photography team to take your official cover photo?"
Song Ci never liked to procrastinate, so he said directly, "It's better to do it today than today. I'll change my clothes and we can shoot now."
Tan Chonghan was stunned. "Now? Here? Isn't this too... casual?"
Seeing this, Liu Shishi couldn't help but chuckle and explained, "Editor-in-Chief Tan, don't forget, this is Hengdian, one of the most professional film and television shooting bases in China.
What kind of background do you want? We have professional makeup artists, stylists, photographers, and everything else you need. It's even better than many professional photo studios."
Upon hearing this, Tan Chonghan burst into laughter and slapped his forehead: "My mindset is fixed! Then... please help me change my clothes, Mr. Song."
About half an hour later, Song Ci changed into a well-tailored dark suit and reappeared in the makeshift studio.
Just by changing his clothes, his whole temperament changed instantly from the casualness in the lounge to the calm and capable business leader. His handsome face was more clearly defined under the professional lighting, and his aura was compelling.
Tan Chonghan watched from the side and was amazed.
He had to admit that Song Ci had the most outstanding appearance among all the entrepreneurs he had met. He was worthy of being called "Asian God of Face" by netizens. He was simply a darling favored by God.
Several photographers and staff members in the crew also heard the news and came over curiously to watch, all wanting to witness the filming of the Time magazine cover with their own eyes.
Following the photographer's instructions, Song Ci sat or stood, meditated or gazed into the distance, and calmly shot more than a dozen sets of materials with different scenery and lighting for subsequent selection by the editorial department.
Tan Chonghan looked at Song Ci and Liu Shishi standing together, and his heart suddenly moved. The scene before him was full of dramatic tension:
Song Ci is handsome and elegant in a well-tailored suit, full of modern urban sense; Liu Shishi is dressed in gorgeous clothes, beautiful and gentle, full of ancient historical flavor.
The two people's equally matched looks, one modern and one ancient, one contemporary and one traditional, form a strong visual contrast, as if it is a dialogue across time and space, beautiful and harmonious.
My mind raced, and I immediately seized on this inspiration and suggested, "Mr. Song, Madam, could you take a few photos together? I'd also like to take a few photos of Madam alone."
"Me? A solo photo?" Liu Shishi was slightly taken aback. She could understand a group photo, but being photographed just for her was a bit surprising.
Tan Chonghan explained with a smile, his tone carrying a hint of foresight: “There are many Chinese celebrities who have appeared on the cover of Time magazine. Wang Fei, Jackie Chan, and Jay Chou have all received this honor.
But I have a strong feeling that with your growing influence, Madam, you will soon be on the cover of Time magazine. This time, perhaps it can serve as a wonderful prelude."
"Can I really?" Liu Shishi's eyes flickered, her gaze bright as she looked at her costume. "Do I need to change into a modern dress?"
“No, no, no.” Tan Chonghan waved his hands repeatedly, his eyes full of admiration, “This ancient costume is very good!
One is a technology leader who defines the future digital world, and the other is a well-known actor who inherits the oriental classical aesthetics.
Being in the same frame in such a setting is inherently full of storytelling and fun, and this is the charm of cultural exchange."
Upon hearing this, Liu Shishi nodded happily, a bright smile on her lips: "Then let's listen to Editor-in-Chief Tan and shoot a costume drama."
Inside the studio, the lights came on again, enveloping this extraordinary couple.
(End of this chapter)
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