One Hundred Sixteen: Company Affairs

“How do you know this project will make a fortune? What if we end up losing all fifty billion dollars?” Wei Hua asked.

“I’m not just sitting idle, you know. Do you think I’d hand over four hundred million dollars to you two and then just ignore it? I’m not like those tycoons who can make billions with a flick of a finger. I pay close attention to these things. The Bell Labs mobile communication system has already launched commercial operations in Chicago, and business is doing very well. I believe our system is comparable to theirs, so our business should be just as good,” Rong explained.

“Comparable? Let me tell you, once our system is completed, it will be far more advanced than Bell Labs’ mobile network. At the very least, we can achieve global calls within our network. That means anywhere in the world, as long as you use our Iridium satellite phone, you can call any other Iridium user, no matter where they are. As long as their phone has power and they’re on Earth, we can locate them,” Wei Hua elaborated.

“That impressive? So, we’re even more powerful than the Li family?”

“There’s no way around it! That’s the power of technology—something that no one can resist. But we still need to cooperate with the Li family. Our Iridium satellite phones can’t only communicate with each other; we also want to connect with wired phones. For that, we must work with the Li family. Don’t get too arrogant and offend them, especially in Hong Kong, where we absolutely need their cooperation. As for Mainland China, we’ll need to work with the Post and Telecommunications Bureau, and that’s where your family connections come in.”

“Cooperate with the Mainland? Is that really necessary?” Rong asked.

“Very necessary! Haven’t you noticed the changes in the country these past few years, especially in Shenzhen across the border? In a few years, many people in the mainland will be able to afford satellite phones. We need to build a good relationship with the Mainland’s postal system now so that our products can gain sales approval and be allowed to connect with the Mainland’s wired telephone system. Waiting until the last minute won’t work. We Chinese place great importance on cultivating relationships.”

“I understand. I’ll handle those connections carefully. Are you going to visit the Mainland?”

“No, I won’t. I’ve been away for so many years without returning home. I plan to visit next year, but if I go now, it would be like coming home for a short visit. If my sisters find out, I’ll be in trouble. So I’d rather not go. You can go on my behalf. After all, you can represent the company. Also, you and Jesse need to organize a task force to negotiate with telecommunications companies worldwide, striving to cooperate and achieve signal connectivity. Only then can our system truly offer global calls, not just within our own network.”

“Got it! I’ll remember that. We’ll send people to handle it soon! Let’s head home quickly!” Jesse replied.

“Right! You two should head back soon. I just came to see you and won’t disturb you any longer. I’ll visit again after I return from the Mainland,” Rong Zhi Jian said, realizing he had become a third wheel spoiling the couple’s intimacy. No wonder Jesse hadn’t been friendly to him. He hurriedly left.

The couple, escorted by bodyguards, returned to their residence. Once home, they shared a passionate moment. Later, as they lay in bed, Wei Hua caressed Jesse’s skin and asked, “How are the appliance manufacturers in Shenzhen doing?”

“Busy! All orders are booked through the second half of next year. I’ve just realized how powerful the Mainland’s purchasing power is. People line up at our company’s entrance to pick up goods; some even bring luggage and wait outside. Our production capacity is still too small to meet the demand,” Jesse said.

“That’s normal. The Mainland has a billion people. Think about how many households there are and how many TVs they need. Compare that to how many TVs our production lines can make annually. So your situation is expected. But relying solely on ourselves isn’t enough. You should consider establishing a joint venture factory with the Mainland to manufacture TVs—not just black and white, but color sets as well. We’ll contribute technology and capital, and the Mainland will supply land and labor. However, we must maintain controlling interest. That might be difficult, but it’s essential; otherwise, our business will quickly collapse. You must find every way to accelerate our market penetration in the Mainland. I don’t want Japanese electronics flooding the Chinese market.”

“Understood, my Lord Wei! You’ve told me this many times already!” Jesse had lived with Wei Hua for years and spoke fluent Chinese. If one only heard her voice without seeing her, they’d think she was a native.

After resting in Hong Kong for a few days, Jesse returned to the Mainland to attend to business. Meanwhile, Wei Hua began contemplating the matter of a spatial ring. Back in Indonesia, he had wished for such a device; if he’d had it then, he wouldn’t have had to destroy the entire arms depot. He could have extracted most of the weapons for Lin Jihan, Yu Xiaomeng, and Jiang Hua. Now that he had mastered True Fire, he considered crafting a spatial ring for himself. It would be a valuable backup—one never knows when it might be needed. At the very least, it would make smuggling arms for Lin Jihan and the others much safer. So, Wei Hua started attempting to forge a spatial ring.

He gathered leftover materials from forging the fusion reactor’s containment shell to use for the ring. The ring was successfully forged; however, when Wei Hua infused his spirit energy into the “Xumi Spatial Array” to activate the space, the ring suddenly crumbled into powder.

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