Rebirth 04: Starting from Taking an Unconventional Approach

Outside the publishing house, night fell quickly, and Mirror Lake Square was filled with people strolling and sightseeing.

Han Fei walked out of the publishing house, checked his watch, and then raised one hand to flag down a taxi.

"Let's go to the mobile company," Han Fei said after sitting down in the back seat, smelling the sour smell of the sweat-soaked artificial leather seats and the aroma of scallion pancakes.

"Okay, metered or 15 yuan?"

"The meter is set," Han Fei said, leaning back on the headrest and closing his eyes.

A voice came from the car radio, saying that the latest statistics from the Ministry of Information Industry showed that as of the first quarter of this year, the number of mobile phone users in my country had successfully exceeded 300 million, and the volume of SMS services had increased by more than 150% year-on-year.

"Three hundred million?" The driver stepped on the gas, and the car sped through the yellow light at the intersection. "My goodness, that number sounds terrifying. My daughter was calculating with me the other day that one in four people in the country carries a mobile phone."

Han Fei chuckled a few times: "Yes, things are developing too fast. In the future, I'm afraid everyone will have one for sweeping the streets and buying groceries."

The driver turned the radio volume down.

"That's great, it'll make it easier for me to find customers! But the phone bills are really expensive. My wife was arguing with me the other day, saying my monthly text message bill is almost half the cost of a gas cylinder... This thing costs a dime every time you press a button, it's like it's eating money. And those random text messages, like 'I won a big prize,' 'Request a song,' 'Send blessings,' they're just tricks to get you to reply and get paid!"

Han Fei opened his eyes: "Master, have you also received those text messages that deduct money for replying?"

"Yeah, right! I impulsively unsubscribed last time, and wow, my phone bill showed an extra five dollars that month!"

"If what I receive isn't a scam, but rather some interesting little stories, like... rural anecdotes, everyday family matters, the kind that's a bit stimulating, would you be willing to pay a few cents per chapter?"

Han Fei's eyes met the driver's in the rearview mirror, and he saw a curious expression on the driver's thin face.

"Oh, that's a fresh idea," the driver said with a smile. "A story... well, that depends on how interesting it is. If the content is substantial, it's good for passing the time while using the toilet, much better than those dry articles in the newspaper. Spending a few cents is cheaper than buying a magazine, right? But how would you send it? Just a text message? Wouldn't that be divided into eight hundred segments? Hey, are you with China Mobile?"

"Ha, I'm not," Han Fei said, then closed his eyes again.

Half an hour later, Han Fei stood alone downstairs at the mobile company building and took a deep breath. He pushed open the door and went to the counter in the lobby on the first floor.

"The publishing house?" the receptionist said, raising an eyebrow involuntarily as she took the business card Han Fei handed her. "Wait a moment, I'll make a call and ask."

Han Fei nodded and looked around.

Because it was evening, there were only two receptionists, two security guards, and four people sitting in dark blue velvet chairs waiting to be served in the lobby. The white light from the spotlights on the ceiling and the white marble floor made the place seem very deserted.

Han Fei turned around and saw a huge "Dynamic Zone" logo on the wall opposite the counter, next to which was a walnut-colored corporate culture wall with neatly arranged gold-framed display boards.

Han Fei stood in front of the culture wall, his gaze sweeping over the display boards. The content of the boards was nothing more than the company's philosophy, development history, honors and awards... Finally, his eyes settled on a display board in the "Core Team" area showcasing key figures.

"Sir," the receptionist said.

Han Fei didn't respond, but stared at the photograph on the display board. The man in the photo looked to be in his fifties, with a neatly slicked-back hairstyle and a square face with a polite smile. But what attracted Han Fei's attention wasn't the man's appearance, but the small print below the photo.

Deputy General Manager: Zhang Qiming.

"Sir," the receptionist called again, interrupting Han Fei's thoughts. He turned around and looked at the receptionist with an inquiring gaze.

The receptionist apologized that her boss was unavailable to see guests today, but Han Fei saw no remorse in her eyes.

"Then I'm sorry to bother you," Han Fei said absentmindedly. As he left the hall, he glanced back at the display board one last time.

Zhang Qiming.

He had no recollection of the face in the photo, but he was certain he had seen the name somewhere before, and not long ago.

Han Fei took the bus home and bought two steamers of xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) and a cup of soy milk downstairs in his apartment complex for dinner.

After returning home, he put dinner on the coffee table and walked around the house, looking through the bookshelf drawers, trying to recall which book or notebook he had seen the name Zhang Qiming in.

An hour later, he had found nothing.

Finally, he arrived at the room where his father had lived.

When his father first fell ill, Han Fei took him in to live for six months, but since his father was hospitalized, the room has been abandoned. The piles of papers that used to cover the floor, the books that filled the crooked bookshelves, and the enamel mug that had been filled with tea leaves for a week are all gone. The furniture has been pushed into a corner and covered with sheets.

A ray of moonlight shone through the window and fell on a bundle of old books tied together with rope, which lay in the center of the empty bedroom floor.

Han Fei turned on the light and squatted down beside the bundle of old books. Only then did he finally remember that these books were left behind by his father in other rooms of the house. He had once tidied up the rooms and put them here, hoping that his father would come to pick them up after being discharged from the hospital, but his father never made it out of the hospital.

Han Fei untied the ropes and flipped through the books. There were various novels such as *Song of Youth*, *Sunny Day*, and *Water Margin*, as well as various magazines, and an internal special issue marked "Not for Public Sale"—

"Wave Riders: A Glimpse into the People of Shanghai Post and Telecommunications Over the Past Twenty Years" (compiled and printed in 1998).

He opened the book "The Wave Riders," held it up to the light, and saw his father's name on the title page.

Special Contributor: Han Baohua.

Zhang Qiming's name is prominently listed on the editorial board.

Han Fei suddenly realized that his father and Zhang Qiming had edited a book together six years ago.

He continued flipping through the pages and found that it was a booklet recording typical figures and deeds in the postal and telecommunications system since the reform and opening up.

In 1998, the postal and telecommunications system was undergoing a major transformation, the separation of postal and telecommunications services. Mobile communication services were about to be separated from the post and telecommunications bureaus and established as an independent mobile communication company. Against this backdrop, the former post and telecommunications bureaus were filled with both anticipation and anxiety about the future, and this book was compiled as a spiritual legacy and a commemorative album for employees on the eve of the separation.

Han Fei searched the table of contents and came across Zhang Qiming's article, which included several black-and-white photos. Although the face in the photo looked younger, there was no doubt that the man in the photo was the same person he had seen in the photo on the mobile company's display board.

"So that's how it is," Han Fei thought. "After Zhang Qiming left the postal and telecommunications system, he became the vice president of the mobile company. Everything makes sense now."

He turned to the last page and saw the following passage in the brief editor's note:

"...The compilation of this book has benefited from the strong support of all sectors. Special thanks to Han Baohua, President of Qingniao Publishing House, for his professional guidance on manuscript polishing and layout planning. His rigorous literary style and excellent aesthetic sense have greatly enhanced this publication. — Respectfully written by Zhang Qiming"

Han Fei closed the book and let out a long breath.

This makes things much easier.