Chapter 169

Orange F1 is an Orange smartphone factory model specifically launched for the African market.

It supports quad-SIM quad-standby, a 3. -inch screen, 512MB + 8GB RAM, a 2320mAh large battery, and runs on AuroraOS 1. .

In specifications, it absolutely crushes the Shanxing S5300 and Huawei Ascend Y100.

Yet Zhou Jinling and others spent two months barely clearing the first batch of 50, 00 units in inventory, which left Chen Yansen dissatisfied.

After all, from the design phase, he had instructed the R&D team to optimize battery capacity, back panel material, camera algorithms, and switched to a larger aperture lens—all to meet local users' actual usage needs.

"Zhou Jinling said Abyssinia isn't as backward as we imagined; he recommends upgrading and improving the Orange C1 and launching it in Africa alongside the Orange F1."

Cao Dahua relayed this faithfully.

"Alright, I understand. Have the factory produce another 100, 00 units." Chen Yansen paused, then instructed Cao Dahua.

Thinking about it, even the poorest places on earth have rich people—he'd clearly underestimated Abyssinia's consumer capacity for electronics.

Judging from Zhou Jinling's work report, Orange phones had already broken into the local market.

"Got it, I'll arrange it," Cao Dahua replied with a smile.

After Orange phones surpassed 8 million cumulative sales, Cao Dahua quit his job as a teacher at the Xu Academy.

He devoted himself entirely to working for Chen Yansen!

His wife complained a few times, but Cao Dahua shut her down with one line: "Are you teaching me how to do my job?"

If he sticks with Chen Yansen and works hard, given Orange Tech's investment in its own factories, he's destined to become a major figure in the phone industry.

When he left Shencheng in defeat years ago, he was determined this time to seize the opportunity and realize his dream of rising to prominence.

A man can lose a hundred times, but he must win once.

Chen Yansen asked further about production plans; based on the current monthly sales totals from Orange Mall, Taobao Flagship Store, and Pinbei Mall, all major platforms would need to switch to in-stock links before mid-December.

The current sales pace clearly couldn't keep up with production speed.

"I've spoken with the production manager—we'll reduce overtime after December 20th to control output."

Cao Dahua said.

Chen Yansen understood: either open new sales channels or launch a new model to ease this situation.

Underwhelming sales in Africa were dragging down Orange Factory's expansion progress.

"Should we talk to Old Lei and take over Xiaomi's ODM orders?"

After hanging up, Chen Yansen pondered silently.

Only when Pinbei and Orange Tech employees began leaving for dinner did Chen Yansen snap back to reality—he checked the time: already 5 p. .

Forget it; Xiaomi's order volume isn't even enough to fill Orange Factory's tooth gap.

Chen Yansen took the elevator to the third floor, gave brief instructions to Zhang Cong and Zhou Ze, then headed downstairs.

After getting in the car and waiting a few minutes, Meng Jie appeared, carrying her laptop bag, sprinting over with a smile and sliding into the passenger seat.

"Last time Zhao Maolin took me to dinner, that restaurant's ambiance and food were pretty good—I'll take you there."

Chen Yansen smiled as he explained to Meng Jie.

The restaurant he mentioned, of course, was Mingli—he wanted to see what Meng Jie looked like in Tang-style attire.

"Then let's go early and come back early—I have a Tax Law class tomorrow morning, and that teacher is brutal; everyone calls her 'The Roll Call Killer.'"

Meng Jie grinned.

"No problem," Chen Yansen replied casually—he'd already booked the hotel and had no intention of letting Meng Jie return to campus.

With that, he sped toward the city center.

After his spiritual sense broke through to level 11, his car driving skill on the panel skyrocketed to Three-Star Professional (17/100) in just half a month.

This proved his earlier strategy of not wasting Xinhuo points on useless skills was correct.

After his physical and spiritual stats broke through their peaks, Chen Yansen learned new things effortlessly, making rapid progress.

Even the Eight Vajra Exercises—he'd merely practiced them a few times, and his experience already climbed to One-Star Beginner (91/100).

Still, Chen Yansen felt that with his 10-point physique, this technique offered little benefit, so he didn't take it seriously.

Meanwhile.

On a bustling street corner in Abyssinia, East Africa, a busy Orange smartphone specialty store was packed with customers.

Zhou Jinling, speaking broken English, was negotiating with a customer.

His English was decent, but his accent was heavy, each word popping out like Liu Qiangdong's style.

"Brother Zhou, we've only got 20 units left in the warehouse—won't last till tomorrow."

A salesperson, holding an empty box, sighed helplessly.

"Damn! Headquarters won't ship us more for at least another half-month—tomorrow we're painting walls again. Can't sit idle."

Zhou Jinling, smoking the butt of a cigarette, took money while cursing.

Sweat stains soaked his white shirt, clinging damply to his skin, yet his mood was exhilarated.

In the past month in Asbeba, he first studied the market, then opened a specialty store at the market entrance, and began promoting the Orange F1 to nearby merchants.

The cooperation model was blunt: Zhou Jinling supplied resellers at $89 per unit; they kept the profit margin, and he bought back unsold units.

But after the domestic smartphone explosion incident, Orange phone sales plummeted sharply.

Once selling 20–30 units daily, now they managed only 3–4.

Just as Zhou Jinling and his two colleagues were worried, Cao Dahua called, bluntly stating: "If sales don't pick up, the boss will replace you."

"Replace you" was a polite way of saying "fire you."

Zhou Jinling had nowhere to retreat—returning to Shencheng meant losing everything and being mocked; he had to fight for a chance.

He'd grown accustomed to luxury; spending his life as a mere screwdriver operator was unbearable.

So he gathered his remaining two team members, hired a local advertising company, and began "painting walls" in surrounding cities.

In plain terms: the same wall advertising common in rural China, which Zhou Jinling had imported to Africa—copying the tactics of China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom.

A wall ad three meters high and eight meters wide cost little—just $30 including labor.

Zhou Jinling painted over a hundred walls, each displaying the Orange F1's appearance, labeled in English with specs, price, and a special emphasis: buy one phone, get a second battery free.

To his surprise, the method worked remarkably well.

Warehouse stock sold out quickly; they pulled in another 500 units from specialty stores in other cities.

Within just three days, they were sold out again.

Upon hearing Zhou Jinling's tactic, over a dozen other market teams began doing the same in their own regions.

Suddenly, commercial zones across Asbeba were plastered with eye-catching Orange phone ads.

$99!

3. -inch large screen, quad-SIM quad-standby, two batteries, 8GB massive storage smartphone!

The phonetic brand name "Orange" instantly became a hot commodity.

"Nonono! Sold out! Sold out!"

After selling the last Orange F1, Zhou Jinling shouted loudly at the customer.

"Shit!" Several customers who missed out glared angrily, still loitering by the counter, grumbling.

Zhou Jinling didn't care—he waved them off, shook his head, repeatedly saying sold out, telling them to come back in two weeks.

After the customers left, Zhou Jinling rushed back to the warehouse to personally verify inventory—he trusted only himself now.

"Brother Liang, I heard Zhou used to be a big boss in Huaqiangbei—could that be bullshit?"

A salesperson named Jin Xu asked his counterpart Qi Liang.

Jin Xu had joined Orange Tech right after moving to Shencheng and was later assigned to Abyssinia.

Qi Liang was different—he'd previously worked in the marketing department of Ouhan phones and had followed Zhou Jinling for years.

"Bullshit? You don't know anything! A year ago, Brother Zhou drove a Mercedes S-Class out of Huaqiangbei, tipped waitresses at business KTVs at least a thousand yuan, and ate abalone and sea cucumber like rice."

Qi Liang sneered dismissively.

Indeed, Zhou Jinling had once been on top—everything went smoothly.

"Damn! That's insane?" Jin Xu stared in awe.

What did Zhou Jinling look like now?

Wearing a $10 shirt, smoking $1 cigarettes, half his hair turned white—he looked like a fifty-year-old old man, with not a trace of his former boss aura.

"You only see Zhou's downfall—he once earned over a hundred million a year. Don't underestimate him. Don't casually call him 'Old Zhou'—one day he might rise again, and when he does, you'll beg to call him Brother Zhou, and he might not even reply."

Qi Liang warned seriously.

At that moment, Zhou Jinling, just stepping to the door, paused—his eyes dimmed briefly, then brightened again.

"I will rise again," Zhou Jinling vowed silently.

"Alright, I'll treat him more respectfully from now on," Jin Xu said carelessly.

"Cao Zong and Zuo Zong are both old friends of Brother Zhou—I heard he got into Orange Tech thanks to Zuo Zong's recommendation," Qi Liang added, glancing at Jin Xu.

"No way! Why didn't you tell me sooner!" Jin Xu froze—he had no idea Zhou Jinling had this connection.

If he'd known, he'd never have called him "Old Zhou" every day.

"Cough! Cough!" Zhou Jinling deliberately cleared his throat, then stepped out.

"Brother Zhou, I was ignorant before—tonight I'll treat you to a foot bath as an apology."

Jin Xu grinned and approached, smiling ingratiatingly.

"Foot bath? No thanks—you're all too dark-skinned, I can't bring myself to touch them. Since the stock's sold out, let's all go drink tonight."

Zhou Jinling draped his arm over Jin Xu's neck, speaking casually.

He understood Jin Xu's attitude shift was due to Cao Dahua and Zuo Hongyu, but he didn't care.

This three-man team was his lifeline to rebuilding his status at Orange Tech—he had to win over every one of them to have a chance at a comeback.

Otherwise, someone like Jin Xu, a naive fool, might not be much help, but if he dragged us down or caused trouble, he'd be impossible to stop.

"Brother Zhou, I heard from locals there are whiter ones too—let's drink first, then go get foot massages."

Jin Xu grinned, letting out a chuckle.

"Whiter on top or below?" Qi Liang pressed.

"You two ease up, don't get yourselves sick," Zhou Jinling shook his head and refused.

If any of Zhou Jinling's old acquaintances saw this scene, they'd be utterly astonished.

After all, Zhou Jinling used to be a veteran of the pleasure quarters, with no stunt he wouldn't try.

Clearly, after enduring such a crushing blow, Zhou Jinling's mindset had changed completely.

On the other side.

Chen Yansen and Meng Jie left Mingli Restaurant and drove toward the Sky Garden.

"This doesn't seem like the way back to campus?" Meng Jie noticed something was off and asked curiously.

"It's too late—don't go back to campus. Let's just stay in the city for the night."

Chen Yansen said casually.

Meng Jie checked the time—it was only 8: 0. How was that late?

But she didn't argue. Flashing through her mind were images that made her heart race, and she quietly lowered her head.

She thought to herself: No wonder Chen Yansen insisted on buying me that Tang-style Hezi dress—he had ulterior motives all along.

Meng Jie gazed at Chen Yansen, her eyes glistening.

(End of Chapter)