Chapter 680: Even a Mother Can't Be Changed

The scene was filled with laughter and cheerful chatter; even though the Principal was explaining the issue of monopolies, no one cared.

Because hardly anyone present had any connection to the cultural industry — they were all leaders in manufacturing, energy, or technology.

In any case, this guy had put on a show for the Principal — with a telescope you couldn't even find an opponent.

But the fact that he could say such a thing also showed the Principal's dominance in the entertainment industry, forcing even Jack Ma to respond actively.

To the point that even Lao Wang Zong was helpless.

"Good innovation isn't afraid of regulation, but it fears being regulated by yesterday's methods."

Jack Ma didn't directly respond to the 'choose one of two' issue, and the meaning of his words was: even the higher-ups aren't managing it, so why are you worrying needlessly. He said again: "The Principal keeps explaining there's no monopoly — is that a guilty conscience?"

"A truly guilty person sees wind and thinks it's rain; I just explained a little, and you already think I'm guilty?" Fang Hong faced him with an open, composed look.

Facing someone like this, you must be composed, and your heart must be strong enough — otherwise they'll easily see your timidity.

Some people in the guest seats couldn't help but clap; the applause was scattered — these two really were a perfect match of equals.

And no matter how Fang Hong spoke to him, Jack Ma didn't show anger — perhaps this was the composure one should have when facing matters.

"A truly confident person shouldn't explain themselves over and over; explaining is concealing. You clearly don't have it, yet you insist on explaining that you don't — that's a bit like the flavor of covering your ears to steal a bell. People will then think you really do have it. Those who understand you don't need explanation; those who don't, the more you explain, the blacker it gets," Jack Ma seemed to be speaking on Fang Hong's behalf.

But in reality, he was still saying Fang Hong had a guilty conscience.

"Everyone looks at problems from different angles, with different depth and breadth. I've always acted with a clear conscience. When others have doubts, I just explain a bit. Whether you believe it is up to you; whether I say it is up to me. You clearly have it, yet you insist on saying these ambiguous things to educate everyone — it sounds reasonable, but in reality says nothing." Fang Hong said.

From the lending at the start to the 'choose one of two' now, everything Jack Ma said sounded very reasonable, but in reality said nothing.

Jack Ma gave a slight smile — this guy really was being a bit unreasonable; whatever you said, he'd use your own words to argue the opposite — a bit sophistical.

"The Principal is an excellent businessman, his enterprise is very large, and he's admirable. He can't speak well — not because his IQ isn't enough, but because his thinking isn't enough."

This was starting to get personal from Jack Ma; he didn't even let Fang Hong refute, and said again: "Some companies can't be allowed to live too comfortably, without a sense of crisis — they'll lose vitality in the industry. To keep such an industry sufficiently vibrant, we're willing to be that competitor."

To be able to dress up grabbing market share as something so noble and grand.

Yet he went on: "In the next ten years, China's greatest opportunities lie in the health industry and the happiness industry. The cultural industry must be changed with internet thinking, using capital to drive industry reshuffling."

This was a declaration of resolve to enter the cultural industry, to bring a capital reshuffle to the film and television sector — he was going head-to-head with Fang Hong.

For this industry, capital was originally a dimensional reduction attack, just like Fang Hong's hundred-billion this time.

"It's not something you can just say you'll change here. Honestly, you can't even change your own mother — in this industry, you have to change yourself first." Fang Hong said.

The cultural industry is strictly controlled and heavily constrained; if you go too far, you'll get hammered. Everyone has to adapt to the rules and regulations within.

"Hahaha!" The applause broke out again at the scene.

One said the other's thinking wasn't enough, wasn't smart enough; the other said the other was just daydreaming.

Lei Bus squinted his eyes, smiling so hard his wrinkles all came out, looking very pleased; Lao Wang Zong was also covered in wrinkles, both looking very hyped.

Although they also had past grievances with the Principal, seeing Jack Ma rendered speechless by the Principal still felt pretty satisfying.

Jack Ma's face was expressionless, his chest rising and falling slightly, as if he were forcefully suppressing his anger.

The audience found this discussion more thrilling than watching a play — like witnessing a brilliant debate, and it would be talk fodder over tea and meals. But debates have no winners; it's just trading barbs.

The real winner still has to be decided in the business arena.

The host checked the time and ended the discussion at the right moment: "The four of you are all outstanding figures in your industries, radiating dominance. As for who's the winner, we'll all be watching with bated breath..."

Wu Xiaobo took the stage and said some remarks, thanking everyone for attending this grand event, inviting them to come again next year.

With this, the awards ceremony officially ended, and the guests filed out of the venue in small clusters.

Some made plans to dine together — for instance, Lao Wang Zong and Jack Ma's group of entrepreneur acquaintances went to eat together, and naturally they muttered among themselves as they left.

What they were muttering about was unknown, but their sidelong glances kept drifting toward Fang Hong — clearly they were talking about him.

The struggle in the cultural field had only just begun. What Jade Rabbit would face head-on next were giants like Alibaba, Tencent, and Wanda — Jack Ma had made his meaning very clear.

But they were also attacking each other — it was nothing more than a prolonged free-for-all.

Fang Hong and Lei Bus were together, walking out while chatting: "Principal, only you can go head-to-head with Jack Ma for two rounds."

"I was just talking nonsense. I don't take him seriously, I'm not afraid of him, I have no reverence for him. You guys can't out-talk him because you're too rule-abiding, too concerned with face." Fang Hong said he himself had no shame.

Indeed, debating Jack Ma — you can't be too concerned with face.

"Hahaha!" Lei Bus, Zhou Shouzi and a few others laughed, laughing heartily.

Especially Lei Bus — he'd been bullied by Jack Ma several times, bullied to the point he couldn't talk back, only able to explain and counter to reporters afterward.

When they debated Jack Ma, it was very hard to react on the spot — they weren't as quick-witted as Jack Ma, and could only react afterward.

Oh... so everything Jack Ma said was crap. Da Qiang Zi was like that — only good at sniping from afar; ask him to go at Jack Ma on the spot and he'd be useless.

Liu Tianxian was also beside them, a smile on her face.

"But it's already something — we can't always be bullied by him, someone has to be able to keep him in line."

Lei Bus turned to Liu Tianxian and joked: "Tianxian, when the Principal was pursuing you, was he this shameless too?"

"Yes, when he was pursuing me he was completely relentless." Liu Tianxian said quite proudly.

"No way, wasn't it you who was pursuing me? You were completely relentless toward me. I didn't agree, yet you insisted on marrying me." Fang Hong said it with perfect seriousness.

"Look at him — that's just how shameless he is, telling bare-faced lies with his eyes wide open." Liu Tianxian pouted and punched him unhappily.

Fang Hong dodged slightly, and the onlookers burst into laughter.

Passersby glanced at them, seeing them chatting so happily.

Jack Ma's gloomy face also glanced this way.

Just as they were chatting, Li Bin and others, along with a few energy industry bosses, came over and invited: "Principal, let's go have a meal — we've already booked a spot."

"No need, I have things to do, I won't go." Fang Hong waved his hand.

Liu Tianxian was pregnant — how could she attend a dinner like this, where everyone would be drinking.

"Just us few, no one else. Tell us about the future trends of New Energy, let us learn from you." Li Bin invited.

The others all nodded in agreement.

The Principal's earlier talk on New Energy at the conference had been quite good — very clear, giving them a stronger, more steadfast sense of conviction.

Even those who were previously hesitant, after hearing his speech, felt that the future truly belonged to New Energy.

"No need for pilgrimage—I was just speaking casually," Fang Hong declined.

He had said everything he needed to say; there was nothing more to add. What to do now was up to them.

"Alright then, let's chat again if we get the chance," Li Bin said, seeing Fang Hong's firm refusal and not pressing further.

Watching them walk away, Lei Bus invited, "Principal, would you like to have dinner with us?"

"We really won't be eating—we truly have other matters," Fang Hong emphasized.

"Yes, not tonight—next time," Liu Tianxian helped say.

"Alright then!" Lei Bus had thought the Principal would reject Li Bin's dinner but accept theirs.

He himself wanted to have a deeper chat with Fang Hong about Electric Vehicle, feeling he understood it well.

Fang Hong of course knew their intentions; there was nothing more to say—just go ahead boldly. He had already thrown his full support behind them; the state had shown such determination—saying more would be meaningless.

After bidding them farewell, Fang Hong and Liu Tianxian walked out the hall's main door; it was already midnight, but the streetlights were bright, and shadows moved along the tree-lined paths.

Just after the meeting ended, there were still many people, walking in groups, discussing the earlier debate—this topic had them thoroughly engaged.

Their dining spots were scattered across the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse's various hotels, where many dining options existed.

But reporters also intercepted big names at various intersections, interviewing them.

"Let's go home," Liu Tianxian said after stepping out, feeling much lighter—the atmosphere inside had been stifling.

At that moment, a reporter approached and blocked them, asking, "Principal, I saw Jack Ma dining with a group—why wasn't you invited?"

This reporter was good at stoking conflict.

"Even if invited, I wouldn't have time!" Fang Hong replied directly.

"Don't you feel lonely then?" the reporter asked, referring to the internet circle.

"I'm not lonely—I already have someone with me. No one can break me," Fang Hong said solemnly, gesturing to Liu Tianxian beside him—his meaning was clear.

Liu Tianxian glanced at the reporter, rolling her eyes at his big talk.

"Tianxian, do you think the Principal is right?" the reporter turned to Liu Tianxian.

"I think a meal is nothing big—if we want to eat, we can host any kind of dinner. Why rely on others' meals? Do you think their food is that delicious?" Liu Tianxian replied bluntly.

This left the reporter speechless.

After the interview ended, Fang Hong gave her a thumbs-up and laughed, "General Manager Liu, so commanding! You've got the style of President Fang."

Liu Tianxian laughed, tapping his shoulder twice, "I'm defending you, you know."

The two laughed as they exited Diaoyutai State Guesthouse; the guards on either side stared straight ahead and saluted them.

"Oh!" Liu Tianxian bent over, clutching her stomach.

"What's wrong?" Fang Hong held her, anxiously asking.

"The little one seems to be kicking me," Liu Tianxian felt it.

Fetal movement typically begins around 16 to 20 weeks.

"Really?" Fang Hong was surprised.

"It seems real," Liu Tianxian said—it was her first time feeling this, and after carefully sensing, it seemed to have stopped again.

"Then let's go home quickly—I want to listen too," Fang Hong said, astonished and eager.

"I can't walk—carry me," Liu Tianxian coaxed.

"How can I carry you?" Fang Hong pointed to her big belly.

"True—I'll walk then. Just hold me," Liu Tianxian raised her arm, speaking like an empress, clearly seeking tenderness.

The two supported each other, vanishing into the night.

The next day, the live video of the "Ten Economic Figures" was posted online, and clipped segments spread everywhere across the internet.

The first to react were the New Energy and automotive stock sectors—stocks of BYD, Geely Auto, JAC Motors, Yutong Bus, and other New Energy-related car companies rose significantly.

All because the Principal said Europe's environment couldn't support Electric Vehicle—its electricity wasn't under its own control, and its computing power wasn't strong.

But we had long been laying out computing power, and our electricity capacity is number one globally—our environment is ideal.

Most importantly, as the Principal said, to defeat traditional cars, we must switch tracks to Electric Vehicle—the global automotive market is enormous, and with state support, everyone is willing to take the gamble.

This must be pursued without wavering—his words gave the Electric Vehicle market ample confidence.

Even unlisted new automakers found fundraising much easier, mainly because Fang Hong had told their story for them.

He told it logically, convincingly, with great foresight.

And companies supplying Electric Vehicle components—Gotion High-Tech, EVE Energy, Tianqi Lithium, and other battery and lithium mining firms—also saw their stocks surge.

Unlisted battery makers like CATL and Lishen saw their valuations skyrocket.

Even motor and electronic control suppliers flourished.

Wind and solar energy were equally hot!

Artificial Intelligence was just as booming—stocks of companies like iFlytek, Baidu, and DJI, which had invested in Artificial Intelligence, soared, fiercely pursued by major capital and investment banks.

DJI had also invested in AI-driven systems, focusing on drone vision technology.

This trend even affected Artificial Intelligence in the United States—Fang Hong's words spread rapidly.

After all, he spoke most about computing power and Artificial Intelligence, declaring that the Fourth Industrial Revolution was computing power.

He explained it thoroughly, like a weather vane!

Nothing else—just because his vision was decades ahead, so he knew what the future held: investing one dollar in computing power today could return three or four dollars.

This was a super-industry worth trillions.

His words drew widespread attention to China's entire emerging Electric Vehicle industry and Artificial Intelligence sector.

Capital is inherently highly sensitive, especially to information, and Fang Hong was a highly successful, influential figure—his words carried weight.

As long as they carried some weight and convinced even a portion of people, they could inspire more to believe.

"This man has great awareness—he clearly understands what we most need right now." In a room filled with landscape paintings, someone was speaking.

"Could it just be luck?"

"Luck wouldn't make him speak with such certainty. Look at every word he said—he's desperately explaining that New Energy and Artificial Intelligence are the future, trying to make people believe in these two industries. He must have sensed something."

They were watching Fang Hong's solo speech; they ignored the later quarrel and verbal battle with Jack Ma.

It was like children fighting.

"It's strange—he didn't mention 5G or the Metaverse at all. I'd really like to hear his views on 5G and the Metaverse."

If this man understood Artificial Intelligence, he should have understood 5G and the Metaverse too.

Is he unimpressed? Or is he hiding his true opinion?

The Metaverse is hot right now—everywhere in the world is buzzing. Giants like Facebook, Microsoft, Google, and Tencent are all making moves, and nations like South Korea and Ouzhou have shown intense urgency toward it.

China can't fall behind—it's exploring from multiple angles as well.

In other words, tech giants all favor the Metaverse but are somewhat indifferent to Artificial Intelligence.

Technology is always a race—you never know which innovation will one day change humanity's fate.

Take Nvidia—no one expected their GPUs to unleash such power.

Even now, its market value hasn't surged; it still hovers around ten to twenty billion dollars. In just one or two years, who could have guessed their GPUs would play such a huge role in Artificial Intelligence? But tech insiders are still groping in the dark.

Only now is the AI Chip showing signs of rising—it's not quite the same thing.

Fang Hong is pushing domestic capital to invest heavily in these two areas, while giving 5G and the Metaverse only slight attention.

He alone can't win the tech race—he needs the state, and he needs capital. As always, no money means nothing; this is basic infrastructure.

Without tens or hundreds of billions, you don't even have a seat at the table.

(End of chapter)