Chapter 37: Li Kui Meets Li Gui ===GLOSSARY=== [{

Bonas walked into the exhibition hall, where crowds thronged—both Chinese and foreigners like himself—and he even spotted several familiar faces from the industry, including representatives from IBM, Lotus, and Sun Software.

Bonas was the head of Microsoft’s domestic hardware division, established in 1982; compared to the software division, Microsoft’s hardware division had not shone brightly in recent years, but it was a field Microsoft had long sought to enter since going public.

For software industry peers arriving here, clearly aiming to enter the mainland market, Bonas paid no mind—it was Microsoft’s software division’s concern, not his.

Though part of the same company, Microsoft had internal factions: the factions of its two founders, Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the rivalry between software and hardware divisions, and more; the hardware division was perennially overshadowed by software, so Bonas had no interest in software’s affairs.

Upon entering the exhibition hall, Bonas headed straight for the booths of IBM, HP, Apple, Dell, Xerox, Toshiba, and other computer companies.

At these booths, Bonas raised his camera and snapped photo after photo; Microsoft had no plans to enter the full computer market, but computer screens, mice, keyboards, data cables, motherboards, and chips—all were of interest to Microsoft.

Microsoft had not launched its own computer brand and focused only on components not because it lacked desire or funds, but because it feared alienating major computer brands; if Microsoft launched its own computers, it would become mortal enemies with IBM, HP, Apple, Dell, and if these companies refused to cooperate or load Microsoft’s OS, it would be a disaster for Microsoft.

Though Microsoft already dominated the computer OS market, rivals like Lotus, IBM, Sun, and Apple still existed, preventing Microsoft from breaking ties with the entire computer hardware industry.

Unable to launch full computers, Microsoft could still boil the frog slowly—releasing computer components from time to time, claiming they enhanced user experience with Microsoft’s system.

This “boiling the frog” tactic annoyed computer brands, yet they could not stop Microsoft from researching these components.

Microsoft was taking it step by step; once it developed components—even motherboards and chips—it could launch a computer with a single announcement.

At every computer brand’s booth, Bonas snapped photos, documenting every new product these companies had unveiled.

But after touring a few booths, Bonas lost interest, as nearly all the computers on display were old models, some dating back three or four years.

Though these models still performed comparably to domestic brands—and perhaps sold for higher prices due to brand prestige—this obvious inventory-clearing behavior bored Bonas; he came to see new products, not relics.

After examining computer brands, Bonas moved to the booths of peripheral manufacturers such as Logitech, Cherry, Filco, and Japan’s ALPS—current primary competitors of Microsoft, and all ripe targets Microsoft could easily squeeze.

But to Bonas’s disappointment, like the computer brands, these peripheral firms also treated the mainland as a dumping ground, exhibiting only old products, with no new ones brought over.

After circling half the exhibition hall, the atmosphere remained lively, with domestic dealers placing orders on the spot to import foreign brands, but Bonas had lost all interest.

As he packed up his camera and prepared to leave, Bonas paused at one booth—he saw a mouse display, surrounded by a small crowd, but the brand was unfamiliar: “Mechanical Silver Mink Mouse” in Chinese and English, with the manufacturer listed as Hanxi Dongling Gaokexing.

After hesitation, Bonas approached the booth; though he had no hope that a domestic peripheral maker could produce anything remarkable, since he was already here, a quick look wouldn’t hurt.

In a few days, Bonas would return to Microsoft’s U.S. headquarters to report on the domestic computer hardware landscape—including what foreign giants had launched—and to assess the current state of domestic peripheral firms; learning now couldn’t hurt.

Bonas walked up to the Silver Mink mouse booth, glanced casually—and froze, eyes wide, locked on the mouse displayed for visitors to try.

Looking at the Mechanical Silver Mink mouse, Bonas breathed heavily; it resembled Microsoft’s own ergonomic mouse under development, yet every detail was different.

“Can I try it?!”

Gao Peng, at the booth, heard an awkward accent, looked up, and saw Bonas; his heart leapt—he thought he’d encountered a foreign computer company executive.

“Of course!”

Gao Peng said, then turned to the English-major college student hired from the university district: “Explain the Silver Mink mouse to him.”

Today, Gao Peng had promoted the Mechanical Silver Mink mouse to many computer firms, but with little success; when executives from major brands heard it was developed by a domestic company, they wouldn’t even look.

Domestic exhibitors were also hesitant about adopting the Silver Mink mouse; though they found it more comfortable and responsive than square mice, their biggest concern was whether users would accept its unusual design.

A few local computer accessory retailers, however, were willing to order a batch to test the market; the Silver Mink mouse, priced at 150 yuan—about twenty dollars—was far cheaper than foreign mice costing eighty or ninety dollars, making it a rare bargain.

Back then, selling computers was wildly profitable; assembling one could earn thousands, let alone components; some brands claimed their parts were imported, charging absurd prices; at 150 yuan, the Silver Mink was a rare act of domestic conscience.

As Bonas used the Silver Mink mouse, his shock grew; its technology and tactile feel utterly surpassed Microsoft’s own prototype.

“Was this mouse independently developed by your company?!”

Bonas revealed his Microsoft identity and probed Gao Peng.

He then inquired further about Dongling Gaokexing; learning it was a startup headquartered in Pingyang—a city he’d never heard of—with no overseas partners, Bonas exhaled deeply.

He stared at the Silver Mink mouse, a flicker of greed in his eyes: “Mr. Gao, may I take several photos? I’m very interested in this product, but I must consult headquarters; if they approve, we could jointly develop it with Dongling Gaokexing!”

Gao Peng, having learned from the two students what Microsoft was, had no doubt about Bonas’s words; those never scammed simply couldn’t imagine how many scams existed.

Bonas took dozens of photos of the Silver Mink, asked for technical specs, then left, glancing back every few steps; after exiting the hall, he rushed to the airport and bought a ticket to the U.S. that same day.

Gao Peng excitedly called Li Dongling: “Brother Li, Microsoft wants to partner with us! Someone from Microsoft tried our product and said they’d collaborate!”

Hearing the news, Li Dongling paused, but didn’t suspect deceit; though he doubted Microsoft, with its scale, would care about Dongling Gaokexing now—the gap between them was no smaller than an ant and an elephant—if Microsoft truly partnered, even if the Silver Mink made no profit, merely manufacturing mice for Microsoft under its brand would be a win for Dongling Gaokexing, and Li Dongling would accept it.

If they could cling to Microsoft’s leg—even as a subordinate—wouldn’t the Silver Mink mouse sell itself with Microsoft’s name attached?

“Manager Spencer, I’ve found the future of Microsoft’s mouse—we must launch it, immediately!”

Bonas rushed back to Seattle and urgently sought out Spencer, head of Microsoft’s hardware division.

“What?!”

Hearing Bonas, Spencer laughed; finding the future of the mouse industry in a place with almost no computer users? He thought Bonas was joking.

But when he saw the photos, his laughter vanished; he picked up his phone: “Lab—I want this mouse to represent Microsoft at next week’s Las Vegas Computer Expo. Use any means, spare no cost!”

Hearing Spencer’s order, Bonas exhaled in relief, then remembered: “What about patents? This mouse was just developed by that Hanxi company…”

“Bonas, sometimes in this world, the first to produce something doesn’t own it forever.”

Spencer smiled. “We’re Microsoft. Trust me, Bonas—this mouse will be far more useful in Microsoft’s hands than in that company’s. We lead global technological trends, contributing to human civilization!”

Bonas wanted to speak but held back; Spencer clearly had no intention of acknowledging the Silver Mink or Dongling Gaokexing; even if Microsoft merely “borrowed” the Silver Mink’s design, what did it matter? Over the years, Microsoft had “borrowed” from countless companies—from OS to office software.

Even Xerox and Apple couldn’t stop Microsoft—why fear an unknown Asian startup?

It was like an elephant fearing an ant blocking its path; Microsoft was the elephant, and Spencer believed anyone daring to block its path would be crushed underfoot.

Inside the New Tech Daily office, Lin Shiman browsed news from the U.S.; since the Computer Daily went viral, dozens of imitative tech newspapers and magazines had sprung up in China, with New Tech Daily among the top, thanks to its frequent reporting on U.S. tech developments, drawing many domestic subscribers eager to track global tech trends.

Of course, New Tech Daily couldn’t afford to station reporters in the U.S.; instead, it hired Chinese students there to extract reports from local media and transmit them via email, fax, or phone to the office, which then republished them—this tactic allowed New Tech Daily to often secure first-hand U.S. tech news.

That day, as Lin Shiman reviewed the overseas news, she noted Microsoft’s announcement of a new ergonomic mouse at Las Vegas, planning to feature it in the next issue—then paused, struck by a strange familiarity.

She frantically flipped through the pile of newspapers beside her and found an advertisement for the Mechanical Silver Mink mouse—a puff piece in a local paper.

After comparing Microsoft’s mouse with the Silver Mink, Lin Shiman rushed to the editor-in-chief’s office like she’d discovered a new continent: “Editor-in-Chief—we’ve got a major story!”

“Technological innovation should not be plagiarism; inferiority is no excuse for theft! Silver Mink Mouse Steals Microsoft’s Latest Product!”

The latest issue of New Tech Daily, with bold headlines, directly accused the Silver Mink mouse of plagiarism, dropping a bombshell on China’s tech industry.