Rebirth: Seven Years in a Great Dream

Chapter 21: Going to Beijing

The small rental apartment was filled with a deep sense of warmth. Since returning from his journey through time, Mu Dong had always felt a sense of guilt. His misfortunes in the other timeline had placed a financial burden on this family. Xiao Xiao had stood by him through thick and thin; while their life wasn’t exactly hardscrabble, it was certainly tight. So Mu Dong resolved that, in this timeline, he would make sure Xiao Xiao lived a more comfortable and carefree life. Mu Dong had never dreamed of becoming rich and powerful. He only hoped for modest prosperity—enough to spend his days peacefully with Xiao Xiao, wait for Xing’er, treat his family well, and work together to make their lives a little better. The two of them enjoyed a happy dinner together. After taking a shower, they snuggled up to watch TV. Being alone together like this, Mu Dong couldn’t help but feel aroused after a short while, and with a bashful smile, he asked her to make love. Xiao Xiao was still feeling some soreness down there, so she gently refused: “Sweetheart, let’s wait a few days…” “All right,” Mu Dong thought. “I’ll just have to hold off.” She’s my wife—I need to be considerate. But he couldn’t help but take a few little liberties with his hands and lips. Mu Dong waited until the live lottery drawing on TV began. He pretended to pull out his lottery ticket, waiting to see the results. In reality, he had already committed both sets of numbers to memory. The drawing ended—no win. Xiao Xiao was a little puzzled and asked, “Why did you buy a lottery ticket? Are you short on money? I still have some here. Oh, right, the dowry money is still with me—I’ll give it to you.” After all, Mrs. Li had entrusted the Mu family’s betrothal money to Xiao Xiao to handle as she saw fit. Mu Dong waved his hand and said, “You don’t need to give it to me. Just keep it—spend it whenever you want. I’m not short on money right now.” Xiao Xiao had never asked Mu Dong about the storage yard—not because she didn’t care, but because she didn’t want him to overthink it. In Xiao Xiao’s mind, if a man wanted to take on a challenge, she’d let him go for it, but she wouldn’t meddle. Xiao Xiao laughed and said, “If you’re not short on money, why are you buying a lottery ticket?” Mu Dong replied, “I passed by a lottery booth today and saw someone buying a ticket. I thought to myself, since I won your jackpot last night, I should buy a ticket and try my luck.” Well, that’s a good enough reason. Xiao Xiao blushed and scoffed, “How does the saying go? ‘Lucky in love, unlucky at the casino.’ I’m afraid that money of yours is going down the drain.” Mu Dong sighed inwardly. “Honey, can’t you just wish me well? You’re such a jinx!” He said, “I’m just buying it for fun—it’s a welfare lottery, so I’m doing my part for charity. I’ll keep buying them until the end of the month, and if I don’t win, I’ll stop.” He’d finally managed to brush it off. Xiao Xiao had to work tomorrow and needed to get some rest early. The two watched TV for a while longer, then fell asleep in each other’s arms. Over the next few days, Mu Dong drove Xiao Xiao to work every day, bought groceries, and cooked meals. In his spare time, he spent part of it at home organizing some information he’d recorded earlier. The rest of the time, he rode his electric scooter around the city, following memories from another time and space to visit places that had changed, hoping to gather more information and look for potential investment opportunities. During that time, he bought lottery tickets twice—once on Friday and once on Monday—but didn’t win either time. Every day or two, Mu Dong called Mu Daguo to check on the sand yard. Everything was running smoothly there; about 500 truckloads of sand were unloaded daily. Daily sales of sand amounted to roughly 10,000 yuan. The Mu Family Yard is known for its excellent service and has already built a strong reputation among truck drivers, so sales have naturally been on the rise. On Tuesday morning, Mu Dong received a call from Han Yong, telling him to get ready to go to the Beijing headquarters first thing tomorrow morning—the leadership had finally decided to have a chat with Mu Dong. Mu Dong calculated the time and estimated he’d be back in a day or two at most. With two more lottery draws coming up on Wednesday and Friday, he felt helpless but had no choice but to go to the lottery outlet and buy his Wednesday ticket in advance. As he was about to leave the lottery outlet, he thought for a moment and bought his Friday betting slip as well. That evening, Mu Dong told Xiao Xiao about his trip to Beijing. Xiao Xiao felt a bit reluctant to let him go; Mu Dong had been taking such good care of her these past few days, making her feel pampered, and she was thoroughly enjoying this indulgence. In that department, thanks to Mu Dong’s tireless efforts, Xiao Xiao had acquired a taste for it and become addicted to that intense, passionate connection—and she even occasionally embraced the new tricks Mu Dong came up with. Now that she heard Mu Dong was going on a business trip, she felt a double sense of reluctance—both emotionally and physically. Although she was reluctant, Xiao Xiao fully supported whatever Mu Dong decided to do; she was a woman of great grace. But even a magnanimous woman has her own little romantic whims. That night, Xiao Xiao took the initiative much more than usual; even the “top position”—which she had firmly refused on previous occasions—she half-heartedly agreed to try. Mu Dong was both surprised and delighted. A good woman is truly a treasure—and Xiao Xiao is just such a treasure. Early the next morning, feeling refreshed and invigorated, Mu Dong and Han Yong boarded the high-speed train bound for Beijing. This high-speed train line was opened in 2008 for the Olympics; it was very fast, and in two and a half hours, Mu Dong and Han Yong arrived at Beijing Station. The two hailed a taxi and headed straight to the Northern Electronics Headquarters. As the taxi drove past Tiananmen Square, Mu Dong gazed out the window at Chang’an Avenue. These buildings, which frequently appeared on television, felt completely different when seen in person. Tiananmen Square wasn’t as towering as it appeared on TV, but it exuded a sense of grandeur. The Great Hall of the People was truly magnificent, especially its towering columns, which held their own even when compared to ancient Roman architecture. In his previous life, Mu Dong had visited Beijing twice. The first time was for a conference; he was in a hurry and only had time to stroll through Wangfujing, without getting to see anywhere else. The second time was a sightseeing trip with Xiao Xiao. They joined a three-day tour group, but the tour guide rushed them from place to place. They visited quite a few attractions, but only in a flash. It truly lived up to the saying: “Sleep on the bus, take photos when you get off.” As the scenery flashed by outside the window, Mu Dong snapped out of his reverie and engaged in casual small talk with Han Yong. Han Yong said, “The big boss at headquarters wants to meet you. Don’t be nervous, okay?” As an enterprise directly under the Ministry of Information Industry, Northern Electronics had a general manager at the full bureau level—a rank Mu Dong had never encountered before. At the western end of Fuxing Road, where Northern Electronics’ headquarters was located, Han Yong and Mu Dong got off the car at the entrance. Han Yong was a seconded manager and had a headquarters ID card, allowing him to come and go as he pleased. Mu Dong, however, was out of luck. Even if he were still employed—as an ordinary sales representative at a branch office—he wouldn’t be allowed into headquarters. Not to mention that he didn’t even hold that title anymore. So Mu Dong had to register and sign in at the security desk, then wait for someone from headquarters to come out and meet him. As it turned out, there was no need for anyone to come out to meet him—Han Yong was a headquarters employee himself, so he led Mu Dong inside. Come to think of it, the whole situation was rather comical. Han Yong first took Mu Dong to the Human Resources Department, where he found the director, Chen Hong, and explained the purpose of their visit. Chen Hong gave Mu Dong a thorough once-over and said, “You look much more energetic in person than in your photo.” Well, it seemed this matter had indeed caused a bit of a stir at headquarters; they’d probably dug up all his old hiring records. Mu Dong called the General Manager’s Office to report his arrival. After hanging up, he turned to Han Yong and Mu Dong and said, “Let’s go. I’ll take you there.” Northern Company was set within a large compound. Three buildings surrounded the courtyard; two of them were small, three-story structures that looked somewhat aged. The third was a high-rise with over ten stories, where most of the office staff worked. The three of them came down from the upper floor, crossed the courtyard, and arrived at a small building on the east side. They went up to the third floor and stopped in front of a room at the northernmost end. Chen Hong knocked lightly on the door. Mu Dong glanced at the door—there was no door number or any other markings. A young woman wearing a work uniform skirt opened the door; she was presumably a secretary. The secretary greeted Chen Hong in a low voice, then led the three of them inside. Inside was an office of about 70 to 80 square meters, covered with thick red carpet that made no sound at all when stepped on. On the north side of the room stood a row of tall bookshelves; in front of them was a large desk, where an elderly man with a slightly receding hairline was seated, writing something. From Mu Dong’s vantage point, all he could see was the man’s slightly receding hairline and gray-white hair. This was Wu Gang, the General Manager of the parent company, whose name was well-known throughout the entire organization. Mu Dong thought to himself that, judging by that bald spot alone, he looked much worse in person than in photos. Hearing someone enter, Wu Gang looked up and said, “Everyone’s here. Please have a seat.” He then turned to his secretary and said, “Xiao Liu, make some tea.” Chen Hong led the two men toward the chairs opposite Wu Gang’s desk, but to their surprise, Wu Gang waved his hand, pointed to the sofa nearby, and said, “Take a seat over there. I’ll be ready in a moment.” Chen Hong’s heart skipped a beat. In the presence of a superior, there are strict rules regarding where to sit. When reporting work to a superior, one naturally stands or sits across from the desk. This is the established seating arrangement between superiors and subordinates. The sofa, on the other hand, was in the guest area—reserved for visitors. Who were these visitors? Superiors, peers, or friends and family—and that was it. Chen Hong and Han Yong were both subordinates, which left only Mu Dong. At the very least, Wu Gang had already placed Mu Dong on the same level as friends and family. Recalling that Wu Gang had just told Xiao Liu to “make tea” rather than “pour water,” Chen Hong thought to himself, “It seems General Manager Wu places extraordinary importance on Mu Dong.” After a minute or two, Wu Gang put down his pen and walked over. He was about 1. 65 meters tall, slightly plump, with a bright, rosy complexion and lively eyes. Wu Gang first shook hands with Chen Hong and Han Yong, then walked over to Mu Dong, shook his hand, and didn’t let go. They stood there, holding hands as they talked. Wu Gang’s voice was loud and resonant, full of confidence. Mu Dong thought to himself, “This boss must have practiced bel canto singing in the past.” “Young Mu, I’m sorry to bother you. I’ve called you all this way, but I really couldn’t get away. Actually, if I’d had the time, I should have paid you a visit myself,” Wu Gang said. The three of them were taken aback—this was an unusually humble stance. Wu Gang had no choice. A report on the future outlook for the regional market, which he’d come across by chance, was like striking gold to him. The operational mechanisms of state-owned enterprises couldn’t keep up with the rapidly changing mobile phone market; the company’s business had been shrinking repeatedly, and there was a sense of despair throughout the organization. Yet this report boldly predicted future trends in mobile phone performance and changes in market channels—it was a truly pleasant surprise. When he looked into it, he found out that the person who wrote the report had been laid off! He was furious! He ordered the person to be rehired, only to be told that the person had started their own business. Later, with no other options, he had no choice but to pressure Han Yong into providing a more comprehensive report. The second report was even more systematic and in-depth than the first. It really piqued Wu Gang’s interest. He was determined to meet Mu Dong in person, have a good chat, and see if he could extract some real insights. Since he wanted to get the real scoop—and the other party was no longer bound by company constraints—he naturally had to adopt a more humble approach. Mu Dong was genuinely flattered and quickly replied, “President Wu, please don’t say that. I used to be a member of Northern Electronics—one of your own. It would be my honor to do whatever you ask.” Wu Gang was very pleased with Mu Dong’s attitude. It seemed this young man was doing quite well at the SD branch and held the company in high regard. With this sense of loyalty, things would be much easier. The group sat down to talk. Wu Gang asked, “Mu, I’ve carefully read both of your reports, and they’ve been very enlightening. There’s just one thing I don’t understand—what led you to conclude that smartphones will become increasingly intelligent in the future?” Mu Dong felt a pang of bitterness in his heart, thinking to himself, If I told you I’d traveled back in time, would you believe me? He replied, “President Wu, today’s mobile operating systems are already moving toward smart functionality, though it hasn’t yet reached a large scale. Currently, the Symbian system used on Nokia phones and the Windows Mobile system used on Motorola phones have both enabled smart operations. Last June, Apple in the U. S. released a smartphone running OS X, which has already attracted consumer attention overseas. This July, Apple released the i Phone 3G, which runs on 3G networks, sparking a buying frenzy in the European and American markets.” As he finished speaking, the others present nodded in agreement—this young man had clearly done his homework. Mu Dong continued, “Currently, mobile phone sales in China are still dominated by basic models. Smartphones are available, but they’re expensive and have a very low market share. Given the changes in overseas markets and the close integration of the Chinese economy with the global economy, I personally believe that the widespread adoption of smartphones in China is only a matter of time. Furthermore, according to Moore’s Law, as chip processing speeds continue to accelerate, I don’t think it will take too long. Therefore, I’ve concluded that smartphones will gradually become widespread.” Wu Gang nodded and asked, “What impact do you think these changes will have on the mobile phone market?” Mu Dong replied, “Actually, mobile phone sales channels have been evolving over the past few years. We’ve moved from the previous multi-tiered distribution and agency system to the current flattened channel structure. Judging by the current situation, I believe sales channels will become even more streamlined in the future, eventually reaching a point where there’s only one step: direct sales by the manufacturer.” The others present gasped. This guy sure has some nerve. Northern Electronics had a broad business scope, ranging from electronic components to large-scale electronic equipment. However, its mobile phone division had always relied on distributors and agents. If manufacturers started selling directly, there would be no place for Northern Electronics. The mobile phone division, which had been highly profitable in recent years, would no longer have a reason to exist. Wu Gang asked, “Is it really that serious?” Mu Dong said, “President Wu, this is just my hypothesis; no one can say for sure how things will turn out. However, there is a precedent we can draw on from the domestic air conditioner market. In 2004, Gree Air Conditioning and Gome Electrical Appliances parted ways over pricing issues. Among Gree’s countermeasures—in addition to partnering with other retailers—a key strategy was establishing its own retail stores. Although the mobile phone market differs significantly from the air conditioning market, this example shows that if a manufacturer is powerful and has a good reputation, it is entirely feasible to operate its own retail stores.” Wu Gang sighed and said, “Then distributors like us really have no way to survive.” After speaking, he fixed his piercing gaze on Mu Dong and asked, “Young Mu, do you have any suggestions regarding our company’s future?” Mu Dong sighed inwardly—he really didn’t want to say anything. So he lowered his head in deep thought, remaining silent. Chen Hong and Han Yong also stared at Mu Dong. The room fell silent. After a minute or two, Han Yong said, “Little Mu, just say whatever comes to mind.” Mu Dong thought to himself, “Brother Yong, you really are a chatterbox.” Oh well, after all, this company had trained me for two years and even gave me a hefty sum of money before I left. With that in mind, Mu Dong slowly raised his head and said, “I do.” Wu Gang said, “All right, then tell us about it.” Mu Dong replied, “Virtual network operations.” Wu Gang looked a bit puzzled and said, “We’ve tried virtual network operations in some provinces before, but the results were just so-so.” Mu Dong replied, “The ‘virtual operations’ we did before—where we’d buy out a specific range of phone numbers and release them—strictly speaking, that doesn’t really count as virtual operations. It’s just selling phone numbers.” Wu Gang laughed and said, “You might as well just call it number scalping, heh.” Mu Dong laughed as well. He continued, “The virtual network operator I envision has its own dedicated number range, its own rate plans, and its own retail stores. In these stores, we can sell both phone numbers and mobile phones. No matter which manufacturer it is, they ultimately need to establish a retail presence. Even if a phone manufacturer operates its own retail stores, it still needs to partner with other retail outlets. Once we have a nationwide network of retail stores, we’ll become a partner that all phone manufacturers must court—and one that major telecom carriers will also vie to partner with.” Wu Gang laughed and said, “Little Mu, that’s a pretty big pie you’re painting here, but if we really roll it out, we can achieve the results you’re describing.” Mu Dong thought to himself: If it weren’t so big, I wouldn’t even mention it—only large state-owned companies have the resources to pull something like this off. But he said aloud, “President Wu, I was just talking off the cuff. It’s just a discussion—the feasibility and such still need to be researched.” Wu Gang said, “Mu, why don’t you come back and take charge of researching this?” Mu Dong waved his hands repeatedly and said, “President Wu, I have family matters back home—I really can’t get away. Thank you for the invitation, but I’m truly sorry.” Wu Gang spread his hands and said, “That’s too bad.” Then he turned to his secretary and said, “Little Liu, go get those things.” A moment later, Xiao Liu returned, carrying a mesh bag containing two bottles of Maotai. They looked quite old; the paper wrappers on the bottles had even turned slightly yellow. Wu Gang took the two bottles and said to Mu Dong, “Mu, you’ve come all this way, so I should really treat you to a meal, but I have a meeting at the ministry this afternoon.” He then turned to Chen Hong and said, “Here’s what we’ll do, Chen Hong. Make arrangements to take Mu out for Peking duck at lunchtime. Han Yong should come along too.” He then turned back to Mu Dong and said, “Mu, these two bottles of liquor were given to me by a former superior. I have high blood pressure and can’t drink, so I’m passing them on to you. Take them home and let your father try them.” Mu Dong quickly stood up and said, “Director Wu, this is far too valuable—I really can’t accept it.” Wu Gang took Mu Dong’s hand, pressed the wine into it, and said, “Do me a favor for my old man’s sake—just take it.” Mu Dong was at a loss; he didn’t know how to respond. If he didn’t accept it, he’d be refusing to give him face. What should he do?