Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 413 Weaving a Web
In He Yuzhu's study, the father and son sat facing each other.

"Dad, what's the important matter that you urgently called me back?" He Yaozong asked.

"You chose the communications section yourself, did you forget something?" He Yuzhu took a sip of tea and said unhurriedly.

“Dad, you mean Hong Kong?” He Yaozong immediately realized.

“You still remember Hong Kong?” He Yuzhu put down his teacup. “I thought you always thought your older brother should be in charge there.”

“No way,” He Yaozong laughed. “I understand what you mean. Previously, our main focus was on opening up the European and North American markets and dealing with Nokia and the like. Domestically, we just got GSM access and the focus was on connecting with the postal and telecommunications departments to establish an experimental network. The Hong Kong market really needs some work.”

"Good to know. Hong Kong holds a special position; it's a bridgehead and a testing ground. It's of great significance for our GSM technology to gain a foothold there. What are your plans?"

"I plan to go to Hong Kong next month to establish Yellow River Communications' Hong Kong branch. On the one hand, we will leverage our first-mover advantage in GSM to obtain a mobile phone operating license in Hong Kong; on the other hand, we will rely on Hong Kong's international status to establish a sales and technical support center for Southeast Asia. Mobile phone terminals can also be launched in Hong Kong first to establish a brand image."

He Yuzhu nodded: "The idea is right, but we need to act quickly. Motorola and Ericsson won't stand idly by. Do we need support from headquarters?"

"Regarding funding and equipment, I need my elder brother to coordinate. In addition, I would like to bring a technical team from the Special Economic Zone company over."

"Sure, you can coordinate it yourself. There's one more thing: the online business needs to be put on the agenda."

"A network?" He Yaozong thought for a moment. "You mean, the interconnection between computers? Like the internal network we built for the research institute?"

"No, that's not all. What I want you to see is a much larger scale, the interconnection between cities, and even between countries. In North America, a technology called the Internet is moving from the military and academic institutions to civilian use. For our Vision system to develop in the long term, it cannot do without a network ecosystem. This can also be piloted in Hong Kong."

He Yaozong's expression turned serious: "I understand. You mean to simultaneously establish an internet service company in Hong Kong to try to provide basic internet access services?"

"Yes, we're not expecting to make a profit in the early stages. The key is to gain experience, build a team, and understand user needs. On the hardware side, I'll have your Uncle Mao oversee the development of switches and routers. On the software side, we'll develop corresponding third-party applications based on the Vision system, such as instant messaging and websites. You'll personally handle this, and find a capable person to be in charge of the Hong Kong internet branch."

"I understand websites, but what is instant messaging?"

He Yuzhu gave a brief explanation, and He Yaozong said, "Isn't this just like text messages on our phones?"

"That's about the same idea; more features will be added in the future."

“Okay, I’ll go back and find people and build a team. Let’s set up the framework first, starting with dial-up access and a simple email service. As for instant messaging and the website, I’ll have to take a look first.” He Yaozong felt the burden on his shoulders grow even heavier.

“Yes, go for it boldly. Mobile communication and the internet are the lifeblood of the future. Only by connecting these two lifelines can the Yellow River truly stand firm in the future information age.” He Yuzhu looked at his son with expectation in his eyes. “Remember, Hong Kong is the root of the Yellow River. Never forget it.”

"I understand, Dad."

A few days later, He Yaozong headed south with the preliminary plan and the software team from the Institute of Microelectronics.

Then He Yuzhu was nagged by his mother and wife for not giving the children enough time to stay at home. He Yuzhu felt helpless. There were only a few adults in the third generation of their family. What could they do?

During this time, He Yuzhu also made a phone call to Chen Sheng.

"boss."

"Ah Sheng, AMD and Neo-Vision have a new project coming up. In the next few years, connecting computers via networks will be a major trend. There should already be signs of this in North America."

"Yes, boss. We've been keeping an eye on things. There are currently some dial-up BBS sites, and some academic networks as well."

"Simply paying attention isn't enough; you need to actively participate. Register a new company in North America as an investor, and name it 'NetLink.' The business focus should be on providing network access and services. Start by building a large, stable BBS platform, offering technical discussion forums, newsgroups, and file downloads. Simultaneously, develop a user-friendly email system, especially an enterprise-oriented email service. Neo-Vision can cooperate by promoting the enterprise email service as a value-added feature of the Vision system."

"Do we have to handle the operations ourselves?"

"Yes, we should start by doing it ourselves, exploring experiences and understanding user needs. The key is speed; we need to establish the platform and standards before others fully react. If there are any technical shortcomings, we can acquire promising small teams or collaborate with universities. Funding will be allocated from Neo-Vision's profits and accounted for separately."

"Okay, boss. I'll come up with a concrete plan as soon as possible."

"Remember to think long-term. You may not see direct benefits now, but in the future, the value of the network will be beyond imagination."

"clear."

The heavy industry factory is almost finished. He Yuxin made a special trip back to Beijing to get equipment, but since it was all large equipment, it couldn't just appear out of thin air. He Yuzhu had no choice but to go back to Hong Kong.

He Yuzhu stayed in Hong Kong for half a month, arranging the equipment needed by the heavy industry in batches, and then inspected each company one by one.

When old friends like A Lang, Bai Yifeng, Gu Yuanheng, and Xian Xingyao got together for a meal, they couldn't help but show some reluctance to part ways.

“Boss, now that you’re stationed in Beijing, we brothers feel like there’s a void in our hearts.” A Lang poured He Yuzhu a full glass of wine.

He Yuzhu raised his glass and clinked it with everyone: "Hong Kong is our root. Even though I'm not here, my heart is here. Now that Yaozu is in charge here, you uncles and elders should help him out. The future ultimately belongs to the young."

He glanced at his old comrades present: "If you miss me, you can come back to Beijing anytime. Or, in a few years, if you want to retire and take a break, you can also go to Beijing. I still have a few courtyards there, right next to my house."

Bai Yifeng laughed and said, "That would be great! We can follow the example of Uncle Fang and Uncle Zhao and get together to play chess and drink tea every day."

"I'm afraid you can't stay still," Gu Yuanheng joked.

The atmosphere warmed up again.

He Yuzhu knew that this transition would take time, but he had to let go and allow the next generation to truly grow up, and the same went for these old brothers.

Before leaving Hong Kong, He Yuzhu went to see Orion again. The old man was about to retire and would never be promoted to section chief, but Orion was content.

As for inviting Orion to Beijing, He Yuzhu didn't say anything; given his special status, it would probably be difficult.

News of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of China was disseminated throughout the country via radio, television, and newspapers. Among the key points, the discussions on "socialist market economy" and "seizing opportunities and accelerating development" were repeatedly mentioned and interpreted.

After the meeting concluded, He Yuzhu sat in his study, carefully read the full text of the meeting communique, placed it on the table, and gently tapped the words "National Medium and Long-Term Development Plan" with his finger.

He got up, walked to the door, and called out, "Xiaoman, come to the study."

A moment later, Xiaoman pushed the door open and came in: "Brother Zhu, what's up?"

He Yuzhu pushed the newspaper in front of her: "Take a look at this. The country's development direction and priorities are very clear. Our Yellow River is getting bigger and bigger, and we can't just bury our heads in our work without looking up and seeing the bigger picture."

Xiaoman didn't read the newspaper, but nodded: "Indeed, future development must keep pace with the country's progress."

“I’m considering establishing a ‘Group Strategic Development Department’,” He Yuzhu said, explaining his idea. “This department won’t be responsible for specific business operations; it will only do three things: research policies, analyze the macroeconomy, and align with the country’s medium- and long-term plans. This will ensure that the future investment and development direction of the Yellow River Group aligns with both commercial interests and national needs.”

Xiao Ma immediately understood the importance of this department: "That's a good idea. What are your thoughts on personnel selection?"

"The person in charge needs to understand both economics and politics, and also have considerable vision and perspective. Internal selection and external recruitment will be carried out simultaneously. You will take the lead in preparation, and formulate departmental responsibilities and selection criteria," He Yuzhu instructed. "The first batch of members should be highly capable, and we should prioritize quality over quantity. We can draw promising young talents from various companies, or we can recruit some experts with real skills from universities and research institutions."

"I understand." Xiaoman noted down the key points. "The office will be located in Beijing?"

"Okay, put it here for easy access to information and communication. Please submit a proposal for start-up capital and budget."

"Okay, I'll get on it as soon as possible."

Xiaoman has always been very proactive.

A few days later, a preliminary plan for establishing the "Yellow River Group Strategic Development Department" was placed on He Yuzhu's desk.

The plan details the department's positioning, functions, organizational structure, and initial personnel composition.

At the same time, Xiaoman also initiated the process of internal selection and external recruitment.

This news caused quite a stir among the senior management of the Yellow River Group.

He Yuxin was the first to call and express his support. He felt it the most deeply, and it would be really painful if he didn't get it right.

"Brother, this department is essential, but are you planning to shirk your responsibilities?"

"What are you thinking about? Do you expect me to figure everything out? Do you want to work your brother to death?"

"No, I thought you wouldn't even care about the big picture anymore."

"No, unless I can't do it anymore."

"You're in such good health, you can work for decades more." "Save it, I'd love to retire even if you don't want to."

Xu Damao called: "Brother, I wholeheartedly support the establishment of a strategic development department! We can get a head start on any policy trends in the future."

"I don't want to keep figuring things out by myself all the time; it's too tiring."

"We're all used to listening to you. Are we going to listen to this department from now on?"

"They give suggestions, and then make decisions in meetings."

"Oh, I see. That will be quite troublesome in the future."

"What's the trouble?"

"It's alright, it's alright," Xu Damao hurriedly replied.

Xiaoman acted swiftly, and the framework of the Strategic Development Department was quickly established.

She defined the department's responsibilities as broader than He Yuzhu had initially envisioned, not only studying domestic policies but also incorporating the industrial trends and technological developments of major global economies into her analysis.

Regarding the selection of personnel, she personally conducted interviews and promoted two middle-level managers from within the organization who were sensitive to policy and had an economics background, and also hired a senior researcher from outside the organization who had experience working in overseas research institutions.

He Yuzhu looked at the final list and the job descriptions, and nodded: "As expected of my capable wife, you've thought of everything more thoroughly than I have. Let's do it this way."

"We can't let you shoulder everything alone." Xiaoman smiled. "This department will be your external brain from now on."

The first report after the Strategic Development Department officially began operations analyzed the key industries that the country would support after the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, as well as the new trends in the international transfer of the electronics industry.

The report recommends that the group, while consolidating its existing advantages, increase investment in cutting-edge fields such as integrated circuits and optical communications, and pay attention to the talent and technological resources that will flow out after the collapse of its northern neighbor.

He Yuzhu forwarded the report to the heads of each branch office, asking them to provide feedback based on their own business.

After reading the report, Xu Damao called He Yuzhu: "Brother, this report is giving me a headache. There are so many new terms in it, like 'industrial upgrading' and 'technology spillover,' all so convoluted. But I understand the general direction: we can't just bury ourselves in production anymore; we also have to keep an eye on the right timing and location, right?"

"That's pretty much the gist of it. Your communications business is of paramount importance. You need to start preparing the technology for optical communications, which was mentioned in the report."

"Understood, I've already had the people at the R&D center start collecting data."

Just then, He Yuzhu's phone rang. After giving Xu Damao a few instructions, He Yuzhu hung up and answered the phone: "Hello!"

"Uncle He, I am Zhou Lei."

"Xiao Lei, what's up?"

"The situation in the north is completely chaotic, and our most important trade route has been cut off! The two containers stuck at the port there can't be retrieved now!"

He Yuzhu frowned slightly: "Is he alright?"

"Our people were brought back ahead of schedule; it's the goods."

"The goods are lost, but the people are safe. Notify Wu Yang to suspend all trade through official channels. As for those research institutes and factories I asked you to contact before, is that private connection still working?"

"That line is still there! It's all single-line communication, quite discreet. I've recently contacted a few engineers who have some good stuff, but they're asking for high prices."

"As long as the product is genuine, the price is negotiable. Safety is paramount; it's better to be slow than to make any mistakes."

"understand!"

At noon, just after He Yuzhu finished dinner, Lao Fang and Lao Zhao strolled into the yard.

"Zhu Zi, are you finished eating?" Old Fang asked.

"Hey, why didn't you come right on time for lunch today? Did you change your ways?" He Yuzhu teased.

"Go away, as if I'm starving," Old Fang said irritably.

"He just doesn't have any food to eat. I won't let him into my house next time," Old Zhao added.

"Hmph, if you don't feed me, I'll come over every day. It's Zhu Zi's fault for making me move here. I've sent the nanny home, so he has to take care of me."

"Alright, alright, if you'd like to come and eat, come on over. My family won't miss your pair of chopsticks."

"That's pretty much it."

"By the way, what brings you two here?"

"Let's talk in your study."

"Row."

Upon entering the study, He Yuzhu brewed some tea. Old Fang picked up his teacup, took a sip, and squinted his eyes contentedly. "Da Hong Pao? You managed to get your hands on such a fine thing."

"It's not from the mother tree." The tea tree in He Yuzhu's space had grown up long ago. Now that he doesn't grow crops, the space is basically filled with vegetables, fruits, and tea trees. As for taking them out, it depends on his mood; he'll take some out whenever he feels like it.

"That's pretty good too," Old Zhao said, picking up his teacup and taking a sip.

"Since you two are here to freeload tea, we'll give you two ounces each when you leave."

“We have something to say, but we won’t stand on ceremony with your tea,” Old Fang said.

"Let's get down to business. The fact that you two came together must mean something important."

"I heard that your group has recently established a Strategic Development Department?"

He Yuzhu raised an eyebrow slightly: "Uncle Fang, your information network is truly impressive."

"Hey, with such a big recruitment drive, it's hard not to know," Old Fang chuckled.

"And then what? Is anyone even in charge of this?"

"Old Fang, if you can't say it, then don't say it. Let me do it," Old Zhao said as soon as he saw that Old Fang's opening remarks were leading him astray.

He Yuzhu poured tea for the two old men: "Uncle Zhao, please speak."

Old Zhao put down his teacup and said seriously, "We've been retired for quite a few years now. We usually read the newspaper and play chess, which is a leisurely life, but we always feel like something is missing. The work you've done in setting up this Strategic Development Department is exactly what we need. Studying policies and analyzing the economy are our old professions."

Old Fang quickly chimed in, "That's right! We were thinking, how about we become your consultant? No salary needed, just lunch provided, and the occasional cup of your fine tea. You're just idling at home anyway, might as well put your remaining energy to good use."

He Yuzhu paused for a moment, looking at the two elderly people with gray hair in front of him. He was touched, but more than that, he was worried.

"Uncle Fang, Uncle Zhao, I appreciate your kindness. But this job is no easy task; it requires reviewing a large amount of documents and analyzing them. Considering your age..."

"What's wrong with age?" Old Fang glared, his voice immediately rising eight octaves. "You think we're senile? Let me tell you, He Yuzhu, when it comes to reading documents and grasping the essence, your men can't compare to us!"

Old Zhao was relatively calm, but his tone left no room for doubt: "Zhu Zi, we know you're doing this for our own good. But we know our own bodies best. Using our brains and having something to do is better than just sitting around doing nothing all day. If you really make us do nothing, that's when things will really go wrong."

Looking at the two elderly people's stubborn expressions, He Yuzhu knew they were serious.

He pondered for a moment and came up with a compromise.

"How about this, I can give you the title of consultant. But let's agree on three rules."

"First, you two don't need to go to the office; I'll have someone deliver the relevant materials to your homes. Second, you can review a maximum of two reports per week, providing some ideas and suggestions; let the younger people handle the actual writing and errands. Third, and most importantly, you can't overwork yourselves; if you feel unwell, you must rest immediately. If you two don't agree, then forget about it."

Old Fang and Old Zhao exchanged a glance, both seeing satisfaction in each other's eyes.

"Alright! We'll do it your way!" Old Fang slapped his thigh. "Don't worry, we know what we're doing. We want to live a few more years to see how far you've taken the Yellow River."

Old Zhao smiled and nodded, "It's perfect for staying home to review reports and use your brain. If you need to look up any old files or understand the background of past policies, we might be able to help."

(End of this chapter)