Chapter 357 When I was seventeen
Lin Shuyi was increasingly unable to understand Lu Yiming's logic.
Since Lu Yi knew that Xiaolingtong had so many shortcomings, why did he still invest in it?
It's like, you know there's a dead end ahead, but you still rush in.
Isn't this fucking sick?
Facing Lin Shuyi's doubts, Lu Yiming smiled faintly and said, "Because Xiaolingtong is cheap enough. In the face of absolute price, any shortcomings will no longer be shortcomings. Just like you are sitting in a Rolls-Royce now, you can't stand its chassis is not tough enough, the sound insulation is not strong enough... these problems? No, because it is a luxury car worth millions or tens of millions. But if this Rolls-Royce only sells you 50,000 yuan, will you care about its chassis and sound insulation or control and other things?"
The construction cost of Xiaolingtong is much lower than that of traditional 2G base stations, and precisely because of the low cost, the charges are very cheap.
Just like the Xiaolingtong service first launched by Yuhang Telecom, it is charged one-way, and answering calls is free. The monthly rental is 20 yuan, and the call charge is only 20 cents per minute.
This rate standard caused a great sensation in that era, because it was only about one-fifth of that of China Mobile and China Unicom, and was basically the same as fixed-line services.
In addition, the price of Xiaolingtong mobile phones is very cheap, only a few hundred yuan. Compared with mobile phones that cost tens of thousands of yuan, it is not at all in the same league, so it is very attractive to users.
Other investors hesitated because they were unsure about the country's policy direction, but Lu Yi knew it clearly.
In June 2000, the Ministry of Information Industry issued a notice to position Xiaolingtong as "a supplement and extension of fixed-line telephones", which marked a loosening of the policy restricting the development of Xiaolingtong.
By then, telecom operators in various regions will launch PHS services one after another.
Wu Ying also earns 23 billion yuan a year thanks to the Xiaolingtong business!
Even if this money can only be earned for a few years, it is still incredible. Lu Yiming was drooling just by looking at it.
If it wasn't too late to make plans now, he would have wanted to grab this business.
However, a gentleman should help others to achieve their goals. Since Wu Ying has already taken action, Lu Yiming can only participate in the investment and share the profits.
Lin Shuyi immediately understood Lu Yiming 's logic and couldn't help but give him a thumbs up and said, "Your angle is really tricky. There are requirements for 10,000 yuan, 1,000 yuan, and 100 yuan. I'm tempted by what you said. How about I invest in Xiaolingtong as well?"
Lu Yiming said: "If you really want to invest, it's better to invest in Majieke than in Xiaolingtong. I think Majieke is more interesting, and I invest more in him."
"Majek? That guy is just talking nonsense. What's the point?"
Lin Shuyi refused without thinking: "He has nothing in his hand, but he dares to brag to the sky. I tell you, don't be fooled by him. That guy doesn't look like a good person."
Lu Yiming smiled and said, "You can only make money if you have a bad character. You don't understand. If ordinary people want to make a lot of money , they have to have extraordinary means, be bold, careful, and thick-skinned. He meets the requirements perfectly. Are you sure you don't want to invest?"
"No."
Lu Yiming didn't try to persuade him any further.
After the party, Lu Yiming started to negotiate the investment. Of course, these matters were left to Li Yiwen.
Li Yiwen was very shocked when he learned that Lu Yiming was actually planning to invest in Majie.
Apparently Majek has become famous.
"Why would you invest in this guy? He is not reliable at all. He created several fancy websites but he didn't make much money."
It's no wonder that Li Yiwen was not optimistic about Majeke. The truth is that in 1998, the Internet atmosphere in China was not particularly strong. It was mainly a group of high-level intellectuals who were crowded in their own circles and making trouble together. It was still a long way from being popularized among the whole people.
If something cannot be popularized among the entire population, then its market share is destined to be very small.
Li Yiwen said: "To be honest, I don't think online shopping is going to work, because there are still many obvious problems that have not been solved. Online shopping is just losing money. Let's not talk about anything else. How many people have computers at home? Among these people, what percentage will buy things online? If you have the spare time, you might as well use the money to open a shopping mall."
Lu Yiming did not refute Li Yiwen, but said: "It is true now. But if you do business without a long-term vision, you will lose money. The reason why I invested in Majek is mainly to bet on the future. Internet shopping will definitely become the mainstream of the market in the near future. Think about it, is the economy developing more and more? Are people getting richer and richer? Are computers getting cheaper and cheaper? By then, every household will have a computer, just like the United States now."
Li Yiwen understood it all at once, and said in a daze: "No wonder you asked me to buy Amazon stocks when I went to the United States before."
However, he then frowned and said, "Since you think highly of this track, why don't we just do it ourselves? Why do we have to invest in Ma Jieke? That guy has a bad reputation in the industry. He is regarded as a restless braggart. Do you think he will succeed?"
Lu Yiming smiled faintly and said, "We have a big business now, so blind expansion is not advisable. Besides, online shopping is a very long track, and I don't have the energy I need now. It would be better to pay Ma Jieke to do it. Besides, he is not successful now, so everyone says he is bragging. But when he succeeds, it won't be called bragging anymore."
Li Yiwen was speechless and said, "Are you so sure that he will succeed? What if you are wrong?"
Lu Yiming said very casually: "Then it's just a loss of 5 million US dollars, no big deal."
“…”
Very good, you have successfully pretended to be cool again.
After handing the details of the investment to Li Yiwen, Lu Yiming picked up his schoolbag and returned to the campus.
Wednesday, November 18th.
Shi Qingxue started to feel depressed early in the morning. When it came time for lunch, she had a pouty face and seemed to be hesitant to speak when she looked at Lu Yiming several times.
Lu Yiming reached out and touched Shi Qingxue's lower abdomen: "What's wrong? Are you feeling uncomfortable? Let me feel it."
“No…”
Shi Qingxue dodged and slapped Lu Yiming's dirty hands away.
Although the two had physical contact, Shi Qingxue was still very shy in the cafeteria with so many people around.
"Hey, do you remember what day it is today?"
Lu Yiming pondered for a moment and said, "Yesterday seemed to be the International College Student Day. As for today, there is nothing special. What's the matter?"
"Hmph, I won't talk to you anymore."
Shi Qingxue held her rice bowl and went to find Cao Jingwen, who was sitting diagonally across from her at the next table, with a pout on her face.
Cao Jingwen sat so far away because she said she didn't want to be teased even when having a meal. She also said she would definitely get revenge when she found a boyfriend.
Cao Jingwen looked at Shi Qingxue who sat opposite her with an unhappy look on her face, and immediately smiled and said, "You finally remembered me?"
Shi Qingxue held her chin up unhappily and asked Cao Jingwen depressedly: "Do you think Lu Yiming has forgotten that today is my birthday? I have tried to test him several times, but he didn't react at all."
"So this is why you have such a stern face. I thought you two were having a fight."
Cao Jingwen helped Shi Qingxue complain, "Lu Yiming really doesn't care enough."
However, she then changed the subject and said, "Boys are all like this. They often even remember their own birthdays. Why don't you remind Lu Yiming?"
Shi Qingxue snorted and said, "I don't want to. It would be so embarrassing. I have already reminded her before."
After dinner, Shi Qingxue and Cao Jingwen left without waiting for Lu Yiming.
During the afternoon class, Shi Qingxue was absent-minded, worried about gains and losses, and struggling whether to remind Lu Yiming again. As a result, after school in the afternoon, she finally decided to tell Lu Yiming, but when she turned around, Lu Yiming was no longer in the classroom. Shi Qingxue wanted to ask Li Quanwang, but found that Li Quanwang was not in the classroom either, and she was so angry that she stomped her feet.
Feeling depressed, Shi Qingxue followed Cao Jingwen to the school gate. Su Yunjin was already waiting outside the school in her car.
Every year on birthdays, Cao Jingwen and her close friends would go to Shi Qingxue's house for dinner. Su Yunjin greeted them and said, "Xiao Cao, long time no see."
Cao Jingwen said obediently: "Hello, Aunt Su."
Su Yunjin asked Shi Qingxue, "Why don't you invite a few classmates to your home tonight to have some fun together?"
Shi Qingxue shook her head, a bit of melancholy showing on her face. When she thought that Lu Yiming actually forgot her birthday, she felt a little angry. Naturally, she was not in the mood to call any friends - besides, she didn't have many friends at school.
By seven o'clock, it was gradually getting dark outside.
Shi Caijiang came out pushing a three-layer cake. There were seventeen candles on the cake, which meant that Shi Qingxue was seventeen years old from that moment on.
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..."
Even my grandmother, who was on the other side of the ocean, called to send her blessings.
Cao Jingwen asked expectantly, "Xiaoxue, what wish do you plan to make this year?"
This should have been a very happy thing, but Shi Qingxue was not happy at all, because the person she thought about day and night was no longer by her side.
"I……"
Just at this moment, the doorbell rang.
Shi Caijiang frowned slightly and said, "Who's here at this time? Aunt Liang, go open the door."
Aunt Liang went to open the door.
Outside the yard, Lu Yiming's voice came: "Happy birthday!"
Shi Qingxue's eyes suddenly lit up and she ran towards the front yard like a rabbit.
Seeing Lu Yiming standing in front of her holding flowers, she burst into tears with excitement.
"And me! And me! Happy birthday to classmate Shi Qingxue."
Li Quanwang rushed over breathlessly, and when he reached the door, he held onto the door frame and gasped for breath.
Although she was very touched, Shi Qingxue felt unhappy when she thought of Lu Yi playing dumb. She immediately put her hands on her hips and pouted, "Why are you here?"
Li Quanwang waved his hands and said breathlessly, "Stop talking. I was so exhausted just now. You don't know that Lu Yiming dragged me almost all over the city to celebrate for you right after school. But we finally got it done before dark."
Lu Yiming came over, hugged Shi Qingxue's slender waist, sniffed her girlish fragrance, and said lovingly, "Did you think I forgot your birthday?"
Having her thoughts exposed, Shi Qingxue blushed slightly. She punched Lu Yiming's chest and murmured, "Bad guy..."
Lu Yiming grabbed Shi Qingxue's hand and ran to the center of the yard. Shi took out his cell phone, dialed a number, and said, "You can get to work now."
With a whoosh sound, countless fireworks rose into the sky from all directions, shining brightly with the bright stars in the sky.
Shi Qingxue covered her mouth with her hands, tears welling up in her eyes. She was so excited that she couldn't express it in words.
Obviously, Lu Yiming gave her a big surprise.
Such a loud noise naturally alarmed the people in the house. Everyone ran out and looked at the sky full of fireworks. They were shocked by the beautiful scene before them.
Cao Jingwen looked up and said in confusion: "Today is not New Year's Eve, why are there fireworks everywhere?"
Then, she saw Lu Yiming and was surprised. She asked, "Did you put it there?"
Li Quanwang quickly took credit and said, "There's me too, there's me too."
Su Yunjin looked at Lu Yiming with a smile and said, "No wonder you said you would be late today. It turns out you prepared such a big surprise for Xiaoxue."
Shi Caijiang looked at Lu Yiming and said, "For such a large-scale fireworks display, have you bought all the fireworks in the city?"
In fact, spending money is a small matter. The key is to seek approval from the government, and the procedures are not simple at all. Lu Yiming owed a lot of favors to the Lin family for this.
But when he saw the blooming smile on Shi Qingxue's face, he felt that it was all worth it.
Cao Jingwen was so envious that she went forward and hugged Shi Qingxue, jumping up and down: "Oh my God, this is too romantic, this is a fireworks show prepared just for you."
Shi Qingxue was touched and felt even more shy. She held Lu Yiming's hand tightly and said, "Thank you."
Lu Yiming scratched her nose and said, "It's not enough to just thank you verbally. At least you should give me a kiss, right?"
Shi Qingxue looked around, and while everyone was watching the fireworks, she quickly kissed Lu Yiming on the left cheek, and said shyly, "Are you satisfied?"
This Lu Yiming is getting more and more daring. He actually made such an embarrassing request in front of her parents.
However, Lu Yiming pushed further: "Why only one side?"
After saying this, he turned his right cheek away.
"Do you deserve a beating?"
Shi Qingxue clenched her little pink fist and waved it in front of Lu Yiming.
However, she still stood on tiptoe and pecked Lu Yiming on the right cheek.
