Chapter 51: The Darkest Hour Before the Dawn

As one of the most closely watched figures in the tech industry, and even the news industry, Li Dongling's final sentence in the arrival hall was instantly reported by major media outlets, subsequently stirring up quite a commotion.

However, most people who saw this news now did not take Li Dongling's words seriously. Li Dongling's statement represented an ambition for China to become the world's largest manufacturing nation, where everything from daily household goods to home appliances and machinery would be produced domestically before being exported overseas.

Yet the reality was that most goods in China, whether in the electronic tech or mechanical processing industries, were essentially imported. They were either made in Japan, or they were goods from America, Germany, or France. Even the neighboring Koreans had products superior to those made domestically.

Under such circumstances, daring to propose the concept of "Made in China" could be called a shocking statement. However, most people who saw the news simply assumed Li Dongling was boasting. Some even began to compare Li Dongling to Boss Mou, who was known for talking big. Boss Mou also frequently made earth-shattering claims, but aside from his group of followers, most people just watched the spectacle and didn't take his words to heart.

But in the tech industry, many people sighed deeply upon seeing Li Dongling's words at the airport. They also wanted to make bold declarations and vow to compete with foreign brands, but in the end, they could only sigh helplessly.

At the Giant Group headquarters, Shi Laoban looked at the report about Li Dongling in the newspaper on his office desk and gave a casual smile. Giant was currently at its peak, and Shi Laoban was in high spirits, even carrying a hint of arrogance and haughtiness. Of course, the Giant Group gave Shi Laoban the qualifications to be that way!

Shi Laoban wanted Giant to become the IBM of China. Among the figures most admired by Chinese youth, Bill Gates ranked first and Shi Yuzhu ranked second. Now, it seemed a certain Li would have to be added to the list. But Shi Laoban was definitely the most influential figure in China's tech industry at the moment.

As for Li Dongling, who had been in the spotlight recently, others might feel envious, but Shi Laoban didn't feel much. The path Li Dongling was currently walking, along with the spotlight and media pursuit, were things he had already enjoyed. Whether in terms of scale, staff, or revenue, the Giant Group was far stronger than Dongling High-Tech, so naturally, he wouldn't feel any envy.

But Shi Laoban was somewhat interested in Li Dongling and thought about finding an opportunity to meet him. Shi Laoban was confident that in the future, he would also make Giant's products sell all over the world, and he wanted to talk to Li Dongling about the overseas market.

However, after putting down the newspaper, Shi Laoban also felt some anxiety. His goal was for the Giant Group to complete its IPO next year, but after computer tariffs were lowered, foreign computer brands began to impact the domestic market. Facing seasoned foreign computer brands, domestic companies had almost no power to fight back. Even the Giant Group had been impacted, and its performance had been affected.

Shi Laoban, who had a large amount of cash sitting in his account, hadn't been as flustered as the major computer brands, but he knew that if he wanted to complete the IPO next year, and with the 70-story building currently under construction, he also needed a large amount of cash to maintain operations. The Giant Group had to make changes!

Thinking this, Shi Laoban turned his gaze to the domestic health supplement market survey report he had commissioned, then picked up the phone and dialed.

In Hong Kong, a red sports car pulled up in front of a high-end private hospital. A short-haired woman wearing a red coat, a tight-fitting wool sweater underneath, tight jeans, and high heels hurried out of the car.

"Miss Ning!"

Arriving in front of the ward, medical staff were already waiting there and called out to Ning Wenge.

"How is my father?" Ning Wenge asked anxiously.

"There was a sudden situation just now, but he has stabilized. You can go into the ward to see him now!" the nurse said to Ning Wenge.

Entering the ward, a person with graying hair lay on the bed, his frame very thin. Ning Wenge hurried in and grasped the hand of the person on the bed. "Dad!"

To Ning Wenge's call, the person on the bed had no reaction. Ning Wenge's hope turned to silence, and she then asked the medical staff behind her, "When will my father be able to wake up?!"

"This requires observation. Our hospital will provide Mr. Ning with the best medical services..."

Hearing these platitudes, Ning Wenge knew the situation was very bad and stopped them. "I know. You all go out first. I want to spend some time alone with my father!"

Once everyone else had left, Ning Wenge rested her head on Ning Wantian's hand, her face filled with unstoppable exhaustion.

A few months ago, Ning Wenge, who was still studying abroad in England, was urgently notified to return and take over her father Ning Wantian's Ning's Trading Import and Export Company.

The Ning family's company mainly handled trade channels in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Siam, and other Southeast Asian regions—that is, acting as an agent for foreign brand products entering Southeast Asia, or selling products from these regions to Europe and elsewhere, earning the price difference.

However, in recent years, many trade agency companies had emerged in Hong Kong, and competition had become extremely fierce. For the same brand, the Ning family charged a 15% channel agency fee as profit, but other companies only required 10% or even 5%. This caused the Ning family's trading company's performance to continue to decline. In his anxiety, Ning Wantian suffered a cerebral thrombosis and fell into a coma. After surgery, he had yet to wake up.

Walking out of the ward, Ning Wenge once again became the capable and decisive new-generation leader of the Ning family. In the eyes of outsiders, Ning Wenge was turning the tide to save the Ning family company, but only she knew how difficult it was now.

Leaving the hospital, Ning Wenge drove toward the company again. These days, she basically lived at the company. When tired, she would wash up and rest at a hotel next to the company, then return to the company to get busy.

Before going upstairs, Ning Wenge bought a newspaper on the way. It wasn't until evening that Ning Wenge finally looked up and twisted her stiff neck. Since she took over the Ning family company, she had already laid off a batch of people and even sold off many properties and real estate holdings, which finally allowed the Ning's Trading Company to catch its breath.

But this was only temporary. If she couldn't secure new high-profit products to represent, the Ning family's company would sooner or later be unable to hold on.

Stretching her neck, Ning Wenge took a sip of coffee and picked up the newspaper on the table to read. She didn't expect to see any useful news; she just treated it as relaxation.

After reading several pages, it was either news about Hong Kong and Taiwan entertainment stars or which tycoon in Hong Kong was having an affair with a star. Ning Wenge used to like reading these gossip columns, but now she had no heart for it at all.

Flipping through a few more pages, just as Ning Wenge was about to put down the newspaper, she saw Li Dongling's figure again. At first glance, she thought this was another young actor just launched by TVB or Shaw Brothers, but then seeing the words "Computer Mouse King" made Ning Wenge stop her movements.

The reporter for this newspaper first recorded the madness he saw regarding the Silver Mink mouse at a computer mall in Guangzhou.

"I saw with my own eyes that the users who went to the computer mall to buy computers were most concerned not with the computer brand, nor the computer configuration, but the mouse!

Those buying computers used whether it was equipped with a mechanical Silver Mink mouse to judge the quality of a computer. This is puzzling and makes people feel it's crazy, but it is indeed the case. It happened right before my eyes. The Silver Mink mouse is currently the most popular electronic product in the mainland. Countless people believe it represents high technology and are proud to own one!

Today at Guangzhou International Airport, the founder of Dongling High-Tech, who developed the Silver Mink mouse, shouted the slogan 'Made in China.' I don't know if this will come to pass, but it truly makes people feel it's crazy. The electronics kings, television kings, fan kings, etc., of Hong Kong have never dared to shout such a slogan. Our newspaper is inviting Mr. Li to come to Hong Kong for an exclusive interview..."

After reading the entire report, Ning Wenge could feel that Hong Kong media and reporters were mostly curious about Li Dongling and Dongling High-Tech, but they didn't seem to have much interest in introducing the Silver Mink mouse. This might also have to do with their mindset. Currently, Hong Kong companies had a psychological advantage over the mainland, believing that Hong Kong's technology and products were superior to the mainland's, so naturally, there was no need to introduce any Silver Mink mouse.

But Ning Wenge's eyes lit up. She wasn't sure if representing the Silver Mink mouse would be profitable, but if she could secure the agency rights for the Silver Mink in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, it would be beneficial for improving the reputation of Ning's Trading Company!

"Perhaps, it is time to make a trip to the mainland!" Ning Wenge said, looking at the newspaper.

Inside the hotel suite, Li Dongling was on the phone with Hu Zixian in Hanxi. Previously, when he was in New York, communication between the two sides was inconvenient, and they had only spoken on the phone sporadically a few times. Now that he was back, Li Dongling certainly had to ask about the situation of Dongling High-Tech in the country.

In the suite's living room, Yao Luoying, Gao Peng, and Gao Zhiyuan were talking.

"Luoying, it's been a long time since we last met, right? I remember when we were still in the same residential compound, you were just such a little girl. Now you've grown so much!"

Gao Zhiyuan said with emotion as he looked at Yao Luoying. By now, he and Gao Peng knew who Yao Luoying was, but the two families had long since moved out of the same compound, and Yao Luoying had gone to school elsewhere early on, then studied abroad. Having not seen each other for so long, they hadn't recognized her for a moment.

"Brother Zhiyuan is still the same as before. How is Uncle Gao's health now?!"

Listening to Gao Zhiyuan's words, Yao Luoying smiled gracefully and asked about the situation of the Gao family.

"Yao..." Gao Peng looked at Yao Luoying and hesitated. "Assistant Yao, regarding Uncle Yao, does Brother Li know about it now?!"

Hearing Gao Peng mention Yao Zhengru, Yao Luoying frowned. She wasn't sure if Li Dongling knew about her relationship with Yao Zhengru. She felt that Li Dongling must have seen some clues, especially this time when going to America, Yao Zhengru had specifically sent someone to protect Yao Luoying's safety. But Li Dongling had never mentioned these things to her, making Yao Luoying unable to guess Li Dongling's thoughts. She felt that Li Dongling didn't seem to care much about these things.

"What are you talking about? Chatting so happily?"

"Lawyer Gao, right? Thank you for your help this time!"

Li Dongling came out of the room and looked at Yao Luoying, Gao Peng, and Gao Zhiyuan with a smile. ===== CHAPTER 52 =====