Those Years When I Was Forced to Top the Forbes List

Chapter 287 Ex
Wu Guangzheng was weighing the pros and cons in his mind.

Although he does not have much authority, Hong Kong is likely to support such a proposal.

With an increasing number of strong internet companies listed on the mainland, a large influx of Hong Kong companies could revitalize some of Wharf Holdings' idle properties.

If he can balance the interests of Hong Kong with the policy direction of the mainland, and actually achieve some results, this will be beneficial to him both publicly and privately.

However, it's unclear how capable this Mr. Chen is. If he makes a lot of noise but accomplishes little, it's meaningless. Or, if he's too aggressive in his actions, it could very well bring him trouble.

He thought for a moment, then laughed.

"I think Mr. Chen's suggestion is excellent. If you are confident in organizing the relevant forces on the mainland, I can initiate a seminar on a bilateral cooperation pilot zone in the name of the Trade Development Bureau! What do you think?"

With a single sentence, he shifted all the pressure onto Chen Xuebing.

Those present secretly thought that experience was indeed valuable; the mainland's methods were very sophisticated.

Regardless of his power, Wu Guangzheng could easily initiate a seminar.

Moreover, what is a seminar?
Test the water temperature.

Discussion is one aspect, but it's even more important to see how the outside world reacts.

If there is too much external resistance, the process can be temporarily suspended on the grounds of "the need to coordinate the interests of multiple parties" or "the limitations of the CEPA framework".

Chen Xuebing was also making an assessment in his mind.

"Bilateral cooperation" and "relevant forces"—these phrases pretty much set the framework for him.

For bilateral cooperation, there must be at least one local government that can connect with Hong Kong.

Hong Kong and Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Zhuhai, or even Hong Kong and Guangdong.

The relevant forces are internet companies.

It's a big deal, and it might require a lot of effort.

But it has the potential to change the landscape of Hong Kong.

Hong Kong's development process is too similar to that of Europe, with an extremely high service sector and an extremely low manufacturing sector, a typical "Dutch disease". As the mainland gradually opens up, its role as a "super-connector" between China and the world is also weakening. Since 2015, its economic growth rate has lagged far behind that of the mainland, growing less than double in 20 years, and declining almost in sync with Europe.

In his previous life, he had traveled to and from Hong Kong many times, and the feeling of being solidified in all aspects was very obvious. He watched as the gap between Hong Kong and Shenzhen on the other side of the strait widened, leaving only high labor costs, high prices, and high land prices.

In fact, given Hong Kong's own international influence and the significant improvement in the international status of the motherland it relies on, this is completely inappropriate.

To break through the current impasse quickly, leveraging the power of "Internet Plus" might offer an opportunity to reshape Hong Kong's innovative capabilities.

From a personal perspective, Hong Kong is also a great gateway to the world for him.

He couldn't see the end in sight, whether it was how to do it or what he could gain, but the feeling of having a paintbrush handed to him and the opportunity to splash ink in the world gradually stirred his creative passion.

Even if it fails, at worst they'll just slink away from Hong Kong, and Hong Kong's situation won't get any worse.

I've considered the worst-case scenario, and it's perfectly acceptable.

In this life, you must always strive forward.

Let's do it.

After a moment's hesitation, Chen Xuebing smiled slightly: "No problem, thank you for your trust. However, I have a lot of things to do right now, and the preparations will take some time. I will visit Hong Kong before the New Year, and we can schedule the meeting for next spring, how about that?"

Seeing that the young man readily accepted the challenge, Wu Guangzheng thought that the meeting could be large or small, and failure wouldn't matter, so he smiled and said, "Great! Spring, that's a good omen! I hope that it will also be the spring of Hong Kong's technology industry!"

Chen Xuebing was in high spirits and remembered a poem he had recently read.

"The spring river rises with the tide, level with the sea; the bright moon rises with the tide. Rippling waves stretch for thousands of miles; where on the spring river is there no moonlight? So, I dare to borrow the imagery of Zhang Ruoxu's 'A Moonlit Night on the Spring River' to name this conference 'Spring River Tide Surges, Digital Intelligence Blossoms,' combining 'digital' (data-driven) and 'intelligence' (intelligence). What do you think?"

Wu Guangzheng's eyes lit up: "Not bad, very poetic!"

Upon seeing this, Liu Chuan immediately burst into laughter, picked up his wine glass, and stood up: "What a fine poem, and what a wonderful thing! I am very pleased to see that our gathering today has led to such a success. Let's raise a toast!"

The atmosphere improved considerably, and everyone raised their glasses with smiles.

Chen Xuebing didn't want to continue participating in the pointless work, so he simply picked up the two-ounce wine jug in front of him.

"I really have something to do in a bit, so I'll just have this one drink to toast everyone."

After drinking some foreign liquor and then downing two ounces of baijiu in one go, Chen Xuebing smelled quite drunk when he came out in the cold wind.

Lin Huixiang was pleased to smell the alcohol on Chen Xuebing and was quite into character. She helped him carry his bag and led him to a taxi, repeatedly instructing him, "Pretend to be drunk when we get home! Just lie down and sleep! I'll have Mengzhen take care of you!"

Chen Xuebing sat silently in the back of the Mercedes-Benz, watching Pudong flow by outside the window. It seemed brighter than when he first came at the end of last year, and he now had a part in that change.

He will become the city's top taxpayer.

Spreadtrum and MediaTek will share the Turkish market in mainland China equally, and will soon be making hundreds of millions in monthly profits.

He used Spreadtrum's profits for the next six months to acquire Analog Devices, ensuring that management could persuade shareholders to invest their funds when the deal with Huawei was finalized.

For Spreadtrum's future development, its industry position, and its soaring success after listing, minority shareholders must take a bite of this pie and make him the controlling shareholder of Spreadtrum.

Many things that followed have now been settled.

In a single day, he was granted access to the inner chambers.

More than anything, it's the fulfillment of an experienced engineer having work to do.

There's no end to the work in this era; there's simply no end to it.

I feel comfortable.

When I got to my front door, I was surprised to find it was a combination lock.

Lin Huixiang pressed the keypad a few times, and when the door opened, she winked at him and put her hand on his arm. He immediately understood, his body went limp, and his eyes became vacant.

"Mengzhen! Come quick and help!"

Xin Mengzhen came out from inside, wearing a matching set of rabbit headbands, rabbit pajamas, and rabbit slippers. Her face was freshly washed, and there was still a hint of moisture on her brows.

"Chen Xuebing, what happened to him?"

Before Xin Mengzhen could question him, Chen Xuebing broke free from Lin Huixiang, his eyes still blurry as he searched for the toilet. When he saw a bright room, he rushed straight in and slammed the door shut.

"yue"

The soldier started his performance while holding the sink, actually enjoying the fragrant restroom.

There was a pile of bottles and jars on the table, one of which was still open.

Next to the window sill, which has a slightly downward-facing ventilation opening, there are two coat racks.
Tsk tsk.

This girl has actually started wearing matching lingerie sets now.

However, it seems a bit too big.
He suddenly remembered that the master bedroom of this house had a separate drying room when it was planned.

Damn, it's Lin Huixiang's.

The scene suddenly turned ugly as Chen Xuebing hugged the sink and vomited violently.

"Is he alright?" Xin Mengzhen's anxious voice rang out from outside. "How much did he drink to vomit like this?"

Chen Xuebing, still slightly drunk, replied, "It's nothing, I'm just imitating a dragon's roar, ugh!"

A burst of laughter came from outside, but it quickly turned serious.

"Stop being so sarcastic!"

"Mengzhen, do you know who's having dinner today? It's that second son-in-law who inherited the shipping magnate's fortune!"

"And that Guo Guangchang! And the big boss of Lenovo! The son of Lu Guanqiu of Wanxiang! Holy crap, it's like a dream!"

"Chen Xuebing is really amazing now, I'm telling you, you should..."

The sound gradually faded into the distance.

Chen Xuebing rinsed his mouth with water to clear away the smell of alcohol, then washed his face with the facial cleanser on the table, restoring himself to his most handsome appearance.

Hearing no sound outside, I cautiously opened the door and went out, only to find Xin Mengzhen leaning against the wall by the door with her arms crossed.

startled him.

Xin Mengzhen noticed the moment he regained consciousness; his deep eyes seemed to see through the truth.

"Is everything okay?"

"It's alright." With a strong sense of conviction, Chen Xuebing instantly regained his senses and leaned against the wall, staring at her.

A smile gradually appeared on his face: "I'll stay for a while and then leave."

Xin Mengzhen didn't say anything, resting her head on the wallpaper and staring at him.

This position makes it look like the two of them are lying on the same bed.

The moment of silence was undoubtedly a romantic one, with so much unspoken between them.

Chen Xuebing even wanted to have another drink with her.

But for Xin Mengzhen, it was an inappropriate relaxation.

She enjoyed it for only a moment before straightening up and heading towards her bedroom.

"Sleep here. The bed in the guest room has been made up for you. You know which room it is."

Chen Xuebing raised his eyebrows, feeling somewhat disappointed and unwilling to follow such an arrangement.

"No, I'll sit on the sofa for a while and then leave."

When he didn't want to pretend to be drunk anymore, he actually felt a little tipsy. He sat down on the sofa in the living room and noticed a small white cat wandering around the balcony with the French windows closed. When it saw him coming, it meowed weakly at him.

He greeted the kitten in a friendly manner: "What's your name?" "Hand-pulled pancake! Sounds nice, right? It makes you feel all chubby!" Lin Huixiang brought him a glass of iced plum juice from the kitchen, then looked curiously in the direction of the bedroom hallway: "Where's Mengzhen?"

Chen Xuebing shook his head, but a smile appeared on his face as he leaned back on the comfortable fabric sofa.

"Hand-drawn cakes, that name isn't exactly cute to employees, it should be something to be gritting your teeth about."

He murmured to himself, watching with great interest as the kitten jumped onto the cat tree.

I don't know when I fell asleep.

When I woke up, the living room lights had already fallen, and the light and shadow on the ceiling were the neon lights and moonlight from outside. I was covered with a thin quilt.

The door to the outer balcony is already closed.

A small single sofa has been added to the balcony. Xin Mengzhen is facing away from him, her soft hair draped over the backrest, the ends of her hair drawing elegant arcs in the air.

Chen Xuebing stepped into the brand-new slippers on the ground and felt the perfect arc of the sole conforming to his arch. This subtle thoughtfulness made him feel relaxed.

He got up and slowly opened the sliding door to the window.

Xin Mengzhen shook her head slightly to wake up, and when she noticed the movement behind her, her shoulders tensed up slightly.

The glass window in front of her reflected Chen Xuebing's approaching figure.

Chen Xuebing also saw two white lines in the reflection: the kitten in her arms and her feet curled up on the sofa.

The two people's reflections gradually overlapped in the night, yet maintained just the right distance.

"What, the emperor is guarding the country's gates, afraid I'll launch a sneak attack?" Chen Xuebing's teasing voice was still a little hoarse.

The balcony is connected to two doors, one in the living room and the other in the master bedroom.

Xin Mengzhen didn't respond to the teasing. She put down the kitten in her arms, got up, and turned on the living room light.

"You have work in the morning, right? I bought you some toiletries. Go wash up quickly, and I'll heat up some porridge for you."

Chen Xuebing then noticed an oil paper bag with the FamilyMart logo on the coffee table in the living room, revealing a plastic toothbrush packaging, a blue towel, and even a square box containing a razor.

"You didn't work this morning? What time did you get up?" He had already learned from Lin Huixiang that Xin Mengzhen had opened a company in Zhangjiang, so he asked, "Shall we go to Zhangjiang together later?"

"No, I'm going to rest."

"Then I won't go either." Chen Xuebing sat back on the sofa listlessly. "Don't worry about getting hot. I'm going to Beijing later. I can eat on the plane."

Xin Mengzhen ignored him and went into the kitchen to heat something up.

When Chen Xuebing finished washing up and came out, the kitchen next to the living room was already filled with delicious aromas.

He walked into the kitchen with a hint of suspicion in his eyes.

He still vividly remembers the bowl of lard noodles that Xin Mengzhen cooked back then; she could never replicate that complex aroma.

Sure enough—there were still two paper bags on the ground, and a pile of takeout containers on the table, but a few dishes had already been secretly put into plates.

Chen Xuebing then laughed: "You scared me to death! I thought you'd changed your personality."

Xin Mengzhen's cold expression finally broke down.

"I made the porridge myself."

"Okay, then let's have some porridge." Chen Xuebing's hand, which had been hidden behind his back, came out: "Here's a gift for you."

Xin Mengzhen was slightly taken aback, looking at the uniquely designed phone in his hand and a used charger.

...

The two sat on the sofa.

Xin Mengzhen fiddled with the Kirin phone, her eyes filled with undisguised surprise.

Chen Xuebing, holding a bowl of plain porridge, said as he ate, "This is an engineering prototype, it doesn't have a packaging box. I'll send you one once the finished product is made."

"No need, this engineering prototype is already very good. Do we need to improve it?" Xin Mengzhen flipped through her phone, revealing a professional and serious expression.

Then, she discovered a problem.

"I can't open the back cover? Can't I change the battery?"

Chen Xuebing grinned.

"The integrated battery is non-removable, and the pins inside are all welded, eliminating the need for a separate outer shell and connecting parts, which makes this phone much thinner and lighter."

"Because of this, the current charger interface needs to be improved. Charging overnight only provides enough power for a few hours of playtime. I asked the connector manufacturer to design a dedicated 5V 1A 28-pin interface for me."

These internal designs could still be modified even after the press conference, so Chen Xuebing had a special team from Qidian to test them out and refine them to perfection.

“This design,” Xin Mengzhen suddenly looked up, a glint in her eyes, “could completely overturn industry standards.”

It's something new again.

Chen Xuebing's thinking and talent are unparalleled in her life.

But then she remembered Chen Xuebing's other phone and quickly suppressed her renewed admiration, saying firmly, "But you don't need to give me a new one. We have our own battery supplier, and I can modify it myself."

Chen Xuebing raised an eyebrow.

Xin Mengzhen's sudden, subconscious resistance to him felt abrupt to him.

He realized that Xin Mengzhen might already know about Yang Qingyue.

We have to shift the blame.

Thinking about it, he chuckled softly.

"Oh, I forgot you're President Xin now. Without me, will the succession go smoothly?"

He glanced around at the surroundings with a knowing look in his eyes, and said slowly, "If you hadn't kicked me out, this sofa should have been moved a little further out, and I was also planning to install an electric track for the curtains, as for the balcony design."

When he stopped speaking, Chen Xuebing stood up, his voice so soft it was almost inaudible.

"Whatever, you never listen to me anyway."

An ex can always break through your defenses with a single sentence and reach your most sensitive spot.

The moment Chen Xuebing turned to go to the kitchen to put the bowls down, Xin Mengzhen's fingers tightened around the edge of her phone, her knuckles turning slightly white.

Actually, what grievances did she have?

None of this was his fault.

When Chen Xuebing finished washing the dishes and came out, Xin Mengzhen was already gone.

He walked to the door of the master bedroom and knocked lightly.

"gone."

There was no movement inside.

He hesitated for a moment, then turned and went out.

The room was dimly lit, and Xin Mengzhen was curled up in the blankets.

Hearing the door close outside, her tears finally gave up their resistance and uncontrollably streamed down her face.

She wiped away her tears and looked at the photo album on her phone. There were some photos of the lab, and a few selfies of Chen Xuebing, his expression both smug and cute, as if they were taken specifically for her.

She laughed, but as she laughed, she felt her heart skip a beat and she felt like crying again.

My phone suddenly vibrated.

Starlink Reminder—

Hand-drawn cake: Don't log out of this account yet, it's an internal account. Send me a message if you miss me.

She paused for a moment, then tapped the pop-up notification, and her phone automatically opened Starlink.

There is only that one message.

She saw a "me" below, hesitated for a moment, and then clicked it.

The screen displays her nickname: Jianbingozi.

Her Starlink ID is: "woaichenxuebing"

Her tears turned into laughter.

Back in the message interface, I replied with an "Oh".

More messages have been added below.

Hand-drawn cake: I'll still be in Shanghai for the next couple of days, not too busy. If you'd like to treat me to a meal, just call me.

Shanghai's 2G network speed was good, and his quick response made her feel like he was right next to her.

Fried Bingo: "I don't want to."

Hand-drawn cake: "Actually, I don't blame you. You have things you want to do [red lips] + [rose]"

"Hey."

Xin Mengzhen laughed out loud, then blushed slightly at the sight of red lips on the screen, as if Chen Xuebing had actually kissed her through the internet.

Frying Bingo: "You scoundrel!"

(End of this chapter)