1977: The beginning of the blind date with the daughter of the king

Chapter 759 Lenovo is gone!

As Liu Zhi rode his bicycle all the way home, he was filled with hesitation.

The institute's intention was for him to represent the Chinese Academy of Sciences in a joint venture with Hong Kong partners.

However, Liu Zhi felt that, given the current situation, the Chinese Academy of Sciences could do it on its own. Just look at Sitong; the domestic market is definitely easy to do these days.

As for changes in national policy, he wasn't too afraid. His father had connections with many important figures, so he was confident in the overall direction of the country.

When Liu Zhi returned home, he was surprised to find that his father had come back.

After thinking for a moment, Liu Zhi decided to ask his father for advice.

"dad!"

"Ok?"

Liu Gushu, who was studying Hong Kong Island commercial law cases at his desk, looked up at his son when he heard his voice.

"Dad, I have something I'd like to ask you."

Afterwards, Liu Zhi recounted his inner turmoil to his father, Liu Gushu.

After listening, Liu Gushu pondered for a moment.

"Okay, let me make a call and ask for you."

Then, Liu Gushu picked up the phone on the table and dialed.

He was originally an official of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and had extensive connections in foreign trade and economic cooperation. Soon, Liu Gushu found out the inside story of this cooperation.

Do you know who is collaborating with the Chinese Academy of Sciences this time?

After hanging up the phone, Liu Gushu looked at his son and asked calmly.

Liu Zhi shook his head: "I don't know!"

He only knew it was a company in Hong Kong, but he had no idea who it was.

"It is the Bao family, a wealthy family in Hong Kong Island. To be precise, it is Bao Zeyang, who is now very famous in Hong Kong Island."

Liu Gushu said in a deep voice.

"Bao Zeyang?"

Liu Zhi was somewhat puzzled.

Is this person very capable?

Seeing his son's bewildered expression, Liu Gushu sighed.

"He's not just good at it. Let me put it this way: in the current business landscape of Hong Kong Island, Bao Zeyang's company is probably one of the top two. He's a business prodigy, a genius among geniuses."

“He basically controls the core industries of Hong Kong Island. Now that he has specifically named the Chinese Academy of Sciences for cooperation, I mean you should get involved.”

"If you can build a good relationship with his company, it will be far more effective for you than if you try to do it alone in China. The Bao family in Hong Kong can now be considered the number one Chinese family in Hong Kong."

Liu Gushu spoke earnestly to Liu Zhi.

After listening, Liu Zhi immediately understood what his father meant.

This is the biggest towering tree on Hong Kong Island. If we don't grab it now, wouldn't that be a waste of an opportunity?
Thinking of this, Liu Zhi nodded decisively: "I understand, Dad. I'll go back and tell Director Zeng."

Inside a detached garden villa at the Jianguo Hotel, Li Changhe looked at the report submitted by Ella and smiled slightly.

"Ni Guangnan, Wang Shuhe, Zhang Zuxiang, Liu Zhi"

He really didn't expect that there were many "familiar faces" on the list of personnel arranged by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Sure enough, history has its inertia. Even if he changed some of history, these people would still stand out.

Take Ni Guangnan, for example. He is now a core technical expert at the Institute of Computing Technology. He returned from an exchange program with the Royal Institution of Canada. Such a person understands English and can communicate directly with their members in Hong Kong. He can also read foreign language materials. Such a person will definitely be sent out as a technical research and development representative.

Take Liu Zhi for example. He has a father who is knowledgeable in law and is good at maneuvering. It is perfectly normal for someone like him to be arranged by the Chinese Academy of Sciences to be a member of the joint venture.

However, if that's the case, then the possibility of further associations is probably gone.

"Boss, what should we do with these people next?"

At this moment, Ella looked at Li Changhe and asked softly.

She didn't really understand computers, a technological product.

"In this way, we'll allocate their researchers separately to set up a research and development center in Beijing. You can contact Loong Technology Company in the US and have them send some of their staff here with computers. Then, we'll have the Chinese Academy of Sciences develop the necessary localization work."

"We'll create a Chinese-language version of the new generation of [Loong] computers and release it in Hong Kong."

"By the way, let them develop a character library, including writing an input method and a simplified/traditional Chinese switching function, since Chinese people in Southeast Asia use traditional Chinese characters more often."

"As for these members who are not R&D personnel, I will have them join the company in mainland China later. You don't need to worry about them for now."

Li Changhe thought for a moment, then gave instructions to Ella.

"Okay, boss!"

"Okay, let's leave it at that for now and get the framework up and running first."

After Ella left, Li Changhe got up and went out.

Outside, Shen Juncheng was already waiting. He then took Li Changhe into the car and quickly drove out of the Jianguo Hotel.

It was the same small restaurant. When Li Changhe and Shen Juncheng walked in, a pretty young girl was already waiting there.

Upon seeing Li Changhe enter, Yaomei immediately stood up.

"Big brother, Brother Changhe!"

"Sit down, little sister. We're all family here, no need to be so polite."

Li Changhe waved to his younger sister, signaling her to sit down, and then the three of them sat down.

"Little sister, I think Juncheng has already told you why I asked you to come here, right?"

After taking his seat, Li Changhe smiled and said to Yaomei.

The younger sister nodded: "Big brother said, Brother Changhe, you want me to start a business, right?"

"Yes, so what do you say, dare to do it?"

When the youngest sister heard Li Changhe's question, she nodded solemnly.

"Brother Changhe, I'm willing to do it, but I don't know if I can do it well. I've never touched this computer before, and I don't know what it is. I'm afraid I won't be able to do it well."

The youngest sister voiced her concerns. Li Changhe waved his hand: "You can think of this as similar to appliances like televisions and refrigerators. What you need to do is purchase them from abroad and then sell them domestically."

"For you, your main tasks are twofold. First, sales. Juncheng will help you with this in the early stages. These days, those who can afford computers are mostly state-owned enterprises. You need to learn how to maintain good relationships with these clients."

"Secondly, there's after-sales service. Computers have many electronic components, so people who don't know how to use them at first are prone to making all sorts of mistakes."

“Didn’t I ask your brother and the others to compile a list of honest, hardworking, and reliable people? You can gather these people together, bring them into the company, and then have them all learn repair.”

"I will arrange for teachers from Hong Kong Island to teach these people how to repair computers."

As Li Changhe spoke to Yaomei, Yaomei took out a notebook and quickly jotted down his words.

"Also, little sister, this is just the beginning. In addition, you can look into a company called Sitong. They make typewriters, which are a simplified version of computers. You can also study this. You can import them from overseas and sell them."

"The current market for typewriters is definitely larger than that for computers, but in the long run, computers will be the mainstream, and our core business will definitely be in computers."

"In addition, you can also thoroughly understand the market for products like televisions and refrigerators. If you do well, I will also give you home appliance sales business."

"Also, little sister, remember one thing: we are building a brand, so we must do a good job in after-sales service. This is a very important part of building our brand image. We must not think that just because we have goods and we are in a seller's market, we can be unscrupulous."

"After you establish your company, you need to set up a dedicated after-sales service system. It's not that we'll abandon you once the goods are sold. We operate on the principle of integrity, and this includes various maintenance systems for the goods after the sale."

Li Changhe began to instill some cognitive concepts in his younger sister.

In the 1980s and 90s, the commodity market was a typical seller's market. As long as you had goods, you didn't have to worry about selling them in such a large domestic market. Therefore, it was a paradise for private entrepreneurs.

However, this has also fostered a get-rich-quick mentality. Many companies don't last long because they don't focus on service and are crushed by newcomers who offer superior service.

Li Changhe didn't care about those tiny bits of profit, so he emphasized these things to Yaomei. What he wanted to build was a long-lasting brand, not just a product to make money.

Upon hearing Li Changhe's explanation, Yaomei nodded earnestly: "I understand, Brother Changhe."

"Let Juncheng help you with the company registration. Juncheng will give you 800,000 yuan, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences will contribute 200,000 yuan. The shares will be split 20/80, with us owning 80% and the Chinese Academy of Sciences owning 20%. They will only participate in profit sharing. We will have control of the company. Let them hold shares, mainly because they are affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences."

"Of course, the Chinese Academy of Sciences has arranged a few people. You can decide how to arrange things for them, whether it's sales or technical training. The accounts will be clear, which will make it easier to pay taxes and distribute dividends."

"Everything is difficult at the beginning, so I won't ask too much of you at the start. In the first six months of this year, get the business running smoothly, and then start doing things slowly."

"Don't worry about money. If you need money, just tell Juncheng and I'll have him give it to you."

Li Changhe didn't expect his younger sister to achieve immediate success. Talented people are cultivated gradually in a suitable environment, especially given the current industry environment in China.

The youngest sister nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then mustered up her courage to ask, "Brother Changhe, may I ask what exactly this joint-stock company you mentioned is?"

"A joint-stock company?"

Hearing his younger sister's question, Li Changhe was a little surprised, but after thinking about it for a moment, he understood.

In this era, people are familiar with state-owned factories, and then with individual businesses in the last two years. For them, the shareholding system is indeed a very rare concept.

The subsequent promotion of the shareholding system reform was inseparable from Li Changhe's teacher at Peking University, Li Yining, who was one of the core driving forces behind the shareholding system reform.

However, not many people understood the shareholding system in 1984.

"I do know a little about this shareholding system. Tianqiao Department Store is currently conducting a pilot program, and it is said that they will issue shares and raise funds in two days. Each share is 100 yuan. Our units have been recommended."

Shen Juncheng then spoke up.

Li Changhe smiled and said, "I overlooked that. Generally speaking, it's the same as the old concept of 'fractions' or 'shares.' Whoever had more 'fractions' had the right to manage the company and make the decisions. Of course, in modern business, the shareholding system is a more complete corporate system."

“Okay, little sister, you can arrange your time these next few days. I’ll arrange for you to go to Peking University for some advanced studies. I’ll find you a teacher to give you a simple lesson on science.”

After thinking about it, Li Changhe decided to have someone explain some basic knowledge to his younger sister. Many people at Peking University knew about this, especially those majoring in economics.

Although Li Changhe and his classmates from the class of '77 have all graduated, quite a few have stayed on to pursue postgraduate studies. Whether they are studying under Li Yining or Professor Dai, they have a firm grasp of this kind of knowledge.

"Okay, Brother Changhe, I'm available these few days. You can arrange it for me."

"Well, Juncheng, take a look at your men and pick a few clever ones to go with Yaomei. Anyway, it's the same whether you teach one person or a group of people. Let them all learn, and how much they can grasp will depend on themselves."

"Okay, I'll find a few educated people."

Shen Juncheng immediately agreed.

After chatting with Shen Juncheng and Yaomei, Li Changhe made a phone call to Zhu Lin's office to tell her that he would pick her up from get off work on his way home.

At 5 p.m., Zhu Lin, wearing a floral dress, walked out of the CCTV building.

Seeing Li Changhe's car parked by the roadside, Zhu Lin walked over, opened the car door, and sat down.

"It's much cooler inside the car!"

It was already hot in Beijing at the end of June, and Zhu Lin naturally felt hot as she walked out.

"Why don't you drive this car to work from now on?"

Li Changhe thought for a moment and then spoke to Zhu Lin.

He usually leaves his car at the airport and doesn't use it at all. He only drives it occasionally when he comes back. Li Changhe thinks it would be better to let Zhu Lin drive it.

Driving this year isn't as conspicuous as it was in the previous two years. After all, the government just issued a notice in February allowing individuals to purchase tricycles, motor vehicles, ships, and tractors. A chicken-farming tycoon in rural Beijing has already bought a used Toyota, which even made the newspaper.

"Forget it, I'm here to work after all, why would I drive alone?"

"By the way, when are you leaving?"

After listening, Li Changhe smiled and said, "What, are you in such a hurry to get rid of me?"

"Stop talking nonsense!"

Zhu Lin rolled her eyes at Li Changhe, annoyed. This man was just spouting nonsense.

"My teacher called me recently, wanting to take advantage of the good weather these next two months to see if I can film the scenes for the Kingdom of Women. Isn't that what we're waiting for?" "She means that it shouldn't be later than October, and we should film it as soon as possible while it's still cool. She wants you to arrange your time accordingly."

What's your side of the story?

Zhu Lin said softly.

Li Changhe thought about it and realized that the US presidential election would be over in November, and he would definitely have to go to the US then.

Therefore, the best time to schedule is before October.

"How about we do it in September? I'll probably be back around October 1st to participate in the National Day celebrations, so let's do the filming in September."

Li Changhe thought for a moment and then said to Zhu Lin.

(End of this chapter)