Chapter 541: Su Yuanshan's Guilty Conscience
"Boss, can I ask… what's the basis for your judgment?"
For the first time ever, Qin Si asked "why."
It wasn't that she didn't trust Su Yuanshan—on the contrary, she trusted him so completely that it became unsettling. In the world of investment, apart from market manipulation—which she considered small-time tricks—true mastery came from grasping the pulse of the economy and always standing on the cutting edge of the wave.
She knew Su was a genius, especially in software design and integrated circuits. That much was unquestionable. But… he had no experience in economics or finance.
This disparity gnawed at her, so much so that it had become something of an obsession.
And now, when Su once again asserted that the internet bubble was nearing its peak, she realized that if she didn't ask, this confusion would eventually become a mental burden.
"You really want to know?" Su Yuanshan smiled.
"Yes. I really do." Qin Si nodded without hesitation.
"It's actually very simple…"
Seeing the thirst for knowledge in her eyes, Su knew she'd probably held this question in for years.
"I don't view capital trends from a capitalist's lens," he said, suddenly turning serious. "Qin Si-jie, there's no one else on this planet who thinks more deeply or understands more clearly where technology is headed than I do."
"My understanding of the internet—alone—is worth more than the combined understanding of every so-called tech and investment expert on Wall Street. Do you believe that?"
Qin Si didn't respond. She didn't have to.
"And now," Su continued, "a man just as smart as I am has published a bestselling book that echoes the same confidence I hold about the future. Tell me—if someone like Bill Gates believes in that future too, doesn't he have the power to inflate the balloon?"
Qin Si bit her lip, inhaled deeply, and nodded slowly. "Haomin once told me—you're the most brilliant genius he's ever met."
"Genius isn't the point. The point is that out of all the geniuses in this world, I'm the only one thinking about the future of technology while also believing in it—and more importantly, having the ability to make it real."
"Based on that alone, until I make a strategic misstep, internet growth will unfold just as I've predicted. There will be a period of explosive growth… followed by stagnation… then the capital bubble will burst."
"I estimate this will happen within three years. Over the next three years, countless internet companies will go public. Massive waves of speculative capital will flood the sector… and all we need to do is exit early."
"I understand." Qin Si nodded again, this time with clarity.
"Oh, by the way, do you know someone named Epstein?"
As Su Yuanshan was about to leave, her casual question made him freeze. "I've heard of him. Isn't he some Wall Street playboy?"
"Yeah… Epstein wants to meet you." Qin Si shrugged and opened her laptop, displaying an email. "If you're not interested, I'll just tell him you're busy."
"Not interested," Su said immediately, frowning. After a pause, he added, "That guy's reputation is rotten. You should keep your distance, too."
Qin Si blinked. "Huh? Where'd you hear that gossip?"
Su didn't say it aloud, but he thought: I know because I've lived through the aftermath in another life. That man did far too many heinous things—and in the end, brought many others down with him, only to die mysteriously in prison.
No way would Su get involved with someone like that.
"Don't ask. Just trust me. I don't like the guy."
Qin Si nodded with a teasing smile. "Alright then, I'll tell him plainly: you don't like him."
"…"
The next day, Su and Ye Rudai toured Microsoft's headquarters. Melinda was in Washington awaiting the birth of their child—the due date was next month. In Ye's eyes, that alone disqualified Gates from her list of "ideal men."
Back in Gates' office, Su and Gates continued their discussion about 64-bit systems and processors. The conversation lasted nearly three hours. In the end, Gates finally gave a verbal commitment.
"Su, I'm sorry—Microsoft cannot commit to supporting any specific processor. But I can promise this: if you launch a 64-bit processor, we will provide system support."
"Thank you." That was all Su wanted to hear.
"But Su…" Gates hesitated, then looked him straight in the eye. "How long are you planning to keep supporting Linux?"
"…" Su Yuanshan suddenly felt a bit guilty. For years, both Yuanxin and Xinghai had been quietly optimizing Linux. Their custom distribution had even become something of a standard in the Linux community.
And here he was, trying to cozy up to Microsoft while also helping its biggest rival behind the scenes.
"It's like this…" Su took a breath, trying to find the right words. "Bill, you know the strengths of Linux even better than I do… Alright, alright. I promise: going forward, Yuanxin will only support Linux on mobile platforms. Okay?"
Gates continued staring at him.
"…Fine. Our X86 laptops are launching later this year. We'll pre-install Windows 95 on them. Satisfied?"
"Now we're talking."
For Gates, getting Windows 95 to dominate the Chinese market had taken multiple trips. But due to pricing and piracy issues, legitimate sales remained low. Everywhere he looked, he saw pirated copies.
Not that he was panicking—both he and Su agreed that China, with its massive population, was a long-term, sustainable market.
What Microsoft needed was to play the long game. Rather than worrying about piracy, Gates was more concerned with competitors.
If the public could be educated about software licensing—and if entire PC OEMs could be convinced to standardize on Windows—it would pave the way for profitable future versions.
"I just hope the other PC manufacturers follow your lead," Gates added, looking at Su. "If they'd agree to bulk license deals, we could offer significant discounts."
"We'll take it slow, Bill…" Su said with a grin. "My homeland is still poor. Give her some time."
…
After spending three days in Seattle, Su Yuanshan returned to Silicon Valley.
At the same time, back at Yuanxin's Technology Park, preparations were in full swing for a launch event. It wasn't clear whether the event was "big" or "small" in scale—but either way, everything was moving rapidly.
"Director Chen, can you read these letters clearly?"
Standing at the center of the conference stage, Chen Jing was illuminated by the projector above her, casting words onto the large screen behind.
At the side of the stage, Duan Yongping was working the mouse on a laptop, enlarging the text bit by bit.
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Chapter 542: Based on Merit
"It's alright."
Chen Jing wasn't nearsighted—the glasses she wore were just non-prescription, for style.
"Then let's run through the script," Duan Yongping said, visibly relieved. He had written the product presentation script himself for the upcoming launch event and had coordinated closely with Chen Jing during its preparation. They'd even scripted light-hearted banter to keep the presentation fluid and engaging—leaving no room for error.
To ensure that every slide change matched Chen Jing's narration perfectly, Duan decided to operate the presentation computer himself.
"No need to run through it again. The more we rehearse, the more nervous I'll get," Chen Jing joked lightly.
Duan coughed and gave a wry smile. "Thank you for your hard work, Director Chen."
"If you think it's tough, you should be the one up here."
"Cough—cough—cough…" Duan Yongping broke into an exaggerated coughing fit.
Off to the side, several assistants from the executive office giggled. They knew the truth: Director Duan was great at everything—except speaking in front of a crowd. Chen Jing had even coined a term for it: presentation phobia.
This launch was Farcore's (Yuanxin's) first truly public product release for the digital consumer market, held at their Tech Park and targeting the national media. Unlike the previous CPU press conference, which had strong political overtones, this one was a pure commercial affair.
Major attendees included national and regional television media (like CCTV), tech magazines, newspapers, internet media, telecom operators, and distributors.
With such a heavy lineup of guests, Duan's phobia was understandable. Even if he weren't nervous, it would still fall to Chen Jing, the CEO, to take the stage.
Especially since, a week later, she would host an event of the same scale in the United States.
The reason for the one-week gap? Simple—Su Yuanshan was overseas.
"Alright, let me rehearse the opening one more time."
Chen cleared her throat and began going through the opening sequence.
Back in her office, Chen Jing placed the two new phone models and an MP3 device on her desk and began thinking seriously about how to further enhance the presentation script.
At that moment, An Siying knocked. "Director Chen, it's a call from Boss Shan."
"Alright." Chen set the phone down, picked up the desk phone, and smiled as she answered. "Couldn't sleep?"
Su Yuanshan's voice on the other end sounded anything but sleepy. In fact, he was in a great mood. "I was wondering if I could help polish your script—maybe add some exaggeration to hype up the product."
"Did you come up with anything?"
"Nope," Su admitted honestly. He had read the document and found it already well-crafted.
"Then let's leave it. Don't worry, Duan and I have gone over everything multiple times. And most of what matters will be handled in the live demo."
"Right, the demo segment is the core. Also…" Su paused, hesitating. "Have we prepared any, uh, 'gifts' for the journalists?"
Chen didn't answer directly. Instead, she responded with a question. "What do you think?"
"I think I'll go with what you think."
"My thinking is to go with whatever you think."
"…" After a moment's silence, Su finally said softly, "Let's not set a bad example."
"Got it. But we'll still take care of their meals and lodging."
"Of course. Alright then, I won't disturb you. I'll make sure everything's ready on my end and be back in a week."
…
After hanging up, Su lay on the bed, tossing and turning. He couldn't sleep.
The next day's product launch would mark Farcore's official entry into the digital consumer electronics space.
Though held in China at the company's own Tech Park, the launch's impact was undeniably global. The world wouldn't necessarily be influenced by Farcore's products right away—but everyone was watching to see if Farcore could pull this off.
Especially their allies in Japan.
If Farcore could make a splash even in its own "poor market," then it could undoubtedly cause a wave internationally.
"It's the details that matter most…" Su murmured, forcing himself to close his eyes.
In three days at most, he'd know the results.
The next day, he forced himself to ignore the launch and instead visited AMD—specifically to hear some venting from the ever-outspoken Jerry Sanders.
Because of Farcore's agreement with Intel, it could no longer maintain its previously warm ties with AMD. And in fact, due to competition in Southeast Asia and the mainland, the two companies had become direct rivals, particularly in pricing and market positioning.
Still, Su hoped to maintain a personal friendship with Sanders.
The feeling was mutual.
And though they could no longer be allies, they weren't exactly enemies either. In fact, they reached a tacit agreement: matched pricing, let the better player win.
If small companies like Farcore, Xinghai, and AMD all turned on each other and started a brutal price war for crumbs in the low- to mid-end market, it would be exactly what Intel—currently riding high on the success of its Pentium Pro—wanted to see.
On the third night, Su Yuanshan shut off all communication devices and instructed everyone not to disturb him. He needed real rest.
Until day four.
…
Su rose early that morning. For the sake of composure, he deliberately refrained from checking emails.
He hadn't even turned on his phone when he went to brush his teeth.
"Ah… Xiao Shan, up already?" Yang Yiwen yawned, descending the stairs in pajamas and slippers.
"Morning, Sister Yiwen. What's for breakfast?"
"You? Cooking?" she gave him a skeptical look. "I don't buy it."
Su Yuanshan, after all, was treated like royalty around here. No one expected him to wash a dish, much less cook.
"Heh, just asking."
At that moment, Wen Xiaoqian came downstairs already dressed, tying her hair as she moved.
"I'll do it. I know Qin Si's recipes."
Su blinked and quickly asked, "Xiaoqian—no news for me yet?"
"Hmm? Nothing," she said, shaking her head.
Su frowned. He looked into her eyes and saw the exhaustion there.
A moment later, Wen finally cracked and grinned. "Boss Shan, day one—fifty thousand units."
"Today, all of Silicon Valley will be watching," Yang Yiwen added with a laugh. "We all stayed up waiting for news—except you. You slept like a log."
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Chapter 543: Farcore's Silicon Valley Office
Farcore, Chairman's Office.
Chen Jing, Duan Yongping, Wan Yongliang, and Zhou Xiaohui sat together for a quick internal meeting.
"Based on the direction of national policy, it's likely that in the future, greater emphasis will be placed on consumer spending during the May Day, National Day, and Spring Festival holidays."
Chen's face still carried some redness, her voice slightly hoarse, but her energy was unmistakable. She sat cross-legged, eyes focused on sales statistics from malls and telecom service centers nationwide—by this point, Farcore's two new phone models had already surpassed 80,000 units sold.
Farcore hadn't pulled this move just to create buzz. They were in it for serious business.
That's why the company had released two phones at once.
One was the vidoo5M, equipped with MP3 playback functionality. The other, designed identically but with standard features, was simply called vidoo5.
Why use the same exterior design? To satisfy a very specific emotional need in the user base—call it vanity, social signaling, or plain old envy management.
Now it was clear: the strategy had worked. Sales were split roughly 2:8 in favor of the standard model. Yet vidoo5M retailed nearly 3,000 RMB higher, approaching 9,000 RMB—making it one of the most expensive phones in the world.
"Boss Shan predicted this," Zhou Xiaohui said, as Farcore's long-time executive assistant. She had remained at headquarters to fully support the launch. "He said as the economy develops, people will have more money in their pockets—but old habits die hard. Most folks are still used to saving rather than spending."
Duan Yongping laughed. "That mindset has to go."
Zhou Xiaohui nodded. "That's why the state will likely increase or extend holiday periods to stimulate consumption, especially in tertiary industries like tourism."
Chen agreed. Her views aligned with Su's. From any angle, longer holidays would help unlock spending. In fact, she'd heard from certain sources that the higher-ups were already discussing more public holidays.
"So, while holiday sales data is important, it's not our end goal. Still, we must pay close attention to these peak seasons," she said, coughing twice.
"Director Chen, maybe you should rest?" Zhou Xiaohui sat beside her and, seeing the bloodshot eyes and pallor, leaned closer with concern.
"I'm fine. Just a cold—some meds will fix it. But don't sit too close; you don't want to catch it."
"…Alright." Zhou smiled wryly, though she didn't move away.
"By the way, Xiaohui, what's the word from Silicon Valley?"
"Boss Shan sends his congratulations—and his usual sweet talk," Zhou shrugged with a grin. "He'll personally inspect the venue and process at our Silicon Valley branch tomorrow, then meet with Jobs before flying back."
"Alright." Chen nodded, but after a pause, her expression grew wistful. "It's a pity. If he had stayed there, this launch might've had even more impact."
The others silently agreed. Everyone understood that Farcore was in a key growth phase, and both Boss Shan and Chen needed to follow the plan carefully.
And when it came to face and influence in the Valley—even though Chen was Farcore's CEO—she couldn't match Su's level. With her, they could get support from people like Carrie of Xinghai, or a few industry peers. With Su, they could attract major players.
"Give it time, Director Chen. There'll be more opportunities," Duan Yongping said cheerfully.
Chen smiled. "Yes, there will. Let's wrap up. I'll fly to the Valley the day after tomorrow. Duan, the domestic side's yours."
…
Whether or not Silicon Valley would be "rocked" by Farcore's product launch, Su Yuanshan didn't know. But he did know one thing: the big phone manufacturers definitely wouldn't be sleeping well.
When he arrived at Farcore's Silicon Valley branch, he could feel his own sense of purpose sharpening.
To call it a branch office was generous. It was more of a liaison post. Farcore had always been cautious about encroaching on the giants' turf, carefully keeping its U.S. presence limited to partner liaisons and administrative functions.
In essence, they'd been playing it safe—like a small provincial bureau stationed in Beijing.
And like any "Beijing liaison office," the local head needed to be someone who understood the terrain, well-connected and socially nimble.
Enter Louis Carter, recommended by Carrie. She'd described him frankly: not a top tech guy, but sharp when it came to business and markets. A veteran from AT&T with a wide network. Divorced, broke, and paying alimony—but willing to jump ship as long as the paycheck was right.
In short, the ideal guy for Farcore's current phase in the Valley: throwing stones to test the water.
"Boss, you're here."
Carter, a man in his early forties, greeted them in a sharp suit. Upon seeing Su and Wen Xiaoqian, he stepped forward and ushered them into his office.
"Carter, is everything ready?" Su shook his hand and jumped straight to the point.
"All prepared, just as per HQ's instructions and flowcharts." Carter was energized, his eyes bright. "But I do have a small suggestion."
"Let's hear it."
"Boss, this launch marks our official entry into the North American market. So, we shouldn't limit the event to just the tech circle. From a PR angle, we should aim for wider media exposure—not a change in procedure, just an expansion in impact."
He paused and locked eyes with Su Yuanshan.
Carter had chosen Farcore over Xinghai because Xinghai, being public, required strict governance—even Carrie couldn't just pull strings. Farcore's division, by contrast, had fewer than thirty people. But Carter could see where things were headed.
Farcore wasn't going to ignore the North American market forever.
And Carter? He wasn't gunning for a branch manager position. He had his sights on becoming Farcore's future North American president.
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Chapter 544: I've Always Been Capable
Su Yuanshan looked at Carter with interest. This guy's got ambition, he thought.
But ambition wasn't a bad thing. After all, Farcore had already reached the point of no return. With the domestic launch a resounding success, the company was now fully committed to international expansion.
To prepare for this, Wang Rui—Su's senior and head of all Farcore's overseas operations—had already accepted that he'd be living apart from his family for the foreseeable future.
"You got any specific ideas?"
"I do, Boss," Carter said without hesitation. "The issue right now is that most of our invited media are from online and print outlets. Compared to China… the difference is quite stark."
Obviously, Su thought. Back in the mainland, Farcore was the hometown hero. One phone call, and reporters came running. Resources? Endless.
Here in North America, Farcore was still a complete unknown. The best they could do was buy a few billboard ads and maybe run a low-budget campaign on major web portals—"better than nothing" kind of stuff.
"We could invite a crew from the Discovery Channel to do a feature," Carter proposed.
"Discovery Channel?" Su repeated.
"Yes. I went to school with the senior editor of their tech segment. I think he'd be interested in doing an interview with a tech leader from China."
Now that got Su's attention.
He had been planning to take it step by step—perhaps using his connections at Sony to gradually penetrate U.S. media. But here Carter was, suggesting a direct feature on Discovery Channel?
He hesitated. "Are you sure their tech segment would do a piece on us?"
Carter coughed lightly. "Well… it's not so much that I'm sure. But I'm pretty sure their sponsorship department would be sure, Boss."
"…" Su resisted the urge to roll his eyes, then chuckled. He didn't give an immediate answer. "Alright. When Director Chen gets here, bring it up with her. See if she's got time to handle it."
"Of course."
With that, Su turned his attention back to checking the launch plan in detail.
If Chen Jing had managed to run a picture-perfect event in China, then he had no excuse to drop the ball here. Even if he wasn't physically on stage, he had to make sure all the groundwork was flawless.
Carter, seeing that Su wasn't in the mood to chat further about marketing, quickly shifted gears and joined him in reviewing the schedule.
Two hours later, Su and the team headed to the event venue to survey the site. The U.S. launch was still four days away, and setup couldn't begin until the day prior—so for now, they could only walk the space and make mental notes. No rehearsals yet.
On the way back, Carter was visibly fidgeting, full of things he wanted to say but holding back. Su noticed.
Once they got in the car, he decided to ease the man's mind a bit.
"Carter, for this launch, Farcore's head of international operations, Mr. Wang Rui, will also be coming. He'll be stationed here permanently after that."
"We'll be honored to welcome him."
"Wang Rui is my senior," Su said, carefully choosing his words. "He's the one who personally brought our current CEO into the company."
That wasn't just a statement—it was a message.
Anyone with a title at Farcore knew the story of how Wang Rui recruited Duan Yongping. It was legendary inside the company.
That legacy alone was why Carter still believed there was space for him to rise.
Carter nodded solemnly. "Mr. Wang is clearly a man of great integrity."
"Haha, just don't say that to his face." Su smiled. "But yes, my senior has a strong sense of ethics. He never overlooks talent."
Which, in Su-speak, meant: If you prove yourself, there'll be room for you here.
Carter got the message loud and clear.
The car cruised down Silicon Valley Boulevard. Su checked the time, then looked out the window. After visiting Jobs later that afternoon, he'd be flying straight back to China.
After the explosive sales results during the May Day holiday, Su expected Jobs to have a much clearer picture of the digital product market's future.
Just then, Su's private phone rang.
"Xiaohui-jie? It's pretty late there—what's going on?"
"You should talk to Director Chen," Zhou Xiaohui's voice was unusually calm. "She's sick… and she's currently—"
Su shot upright in his seat, heart pounding. "Currently doing what?!"
"She's getting an IV drip."
"Damn it, don't scare me like that! What's the diagnosis? Is it serious?"
"The doctor says it's just a severe cold, but due to her exhaustion, her immune system's down. She needs rest…"
Su pressed his lips together. After barely two seconds of thought, he made his decision.
"Tell her to rest. Don't let her come. I'll handle the launch here."
"Alright… do I need to come over?"
"No. Call my senior. Have him bring the team and the materials. That's enough."
"Got it."
As soon as the call ended, Su immediately dialed Chen Jing's number. After a few rings, he heard her slightly hoarse but remarkably steady voice.
"What? Which traitor snitched on me?"
"Don't play tough, Jing-jie. You're sick. Rest. I'll take care of the launch."
"You've never hosted a launch. And I've already prepared everything here."
Judging by her tone, no one would've guessed she was ill. But Su trusted Zhou Xiaohui—and the doctor.
"Just because I haven't done it doesn't mean I can't." His voice softened. "It's just selling products. I've always been good at that."
There was a pause on the other end. Then Chen Jing chuckled weakly, finally dropping the facade.
"You really think you can handle it?"
"Believe me," Su said gently. "I've never not been able to."
"…Alright."
After hanging up, Su leaned back in his seat, exhaling slowly with his eyes closed.
The car glided silently to a stop.
Carter and Wen Xiaoqian exchanged glances, unsure whether to interrupt.
"Xiaoqian, help me prep the invitations."
"Huh? Sure. Who should we invite?"
"Apple, Microsoft, AT&T, Qualcomm, Motorola."
Su opened his eyes and took another deep breath.
"In my name."
If fate had decided it was up to him to make a splash in Silicon Valley—then it was going to be a goddamn explosion.
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Chapter 545: Domestic Consumer Purchasing Power
"Carter, did you say earlier that the editor-in-chief of the Discovery Channel's tech segment is your classmate?" Su Yuanshan paused and asked again.
"Yes, Boss," Carter replied promptly.
"Good. Then let him host a segment on the future of consumer electronics and have Discovery Channel attend our launch event. Oh… and if we're doing a special feature, it'd be best to find a counterpart for the dialogue too." As Su spoke, he narrowed his eyes, mentally flipping through potential names.
In terms of personal ties, his best connection in the Valley was Gates. But given Microsoft's positioning as a PC software company, a discussion on consumer electronics would feel forced. Moreover, Su had already invited Gates to appear as a supporter—if he also asked him to go on TV, it would make the personal favor too big.
And in business, favors always had to be repaid.
After weighing his options, Su realized that the most fitting partner was still Jobs. Compared to Microsoft, Apple leaned more into consumer devices.
The problem was… Jobs could be quite stubborn. Su wasn't sure whether the man would agree to do him the favor.
"Alright. I'll give you a day. If the program can be confirmed, see if we can turn my meeting with Jobs into a televised conversation."
Carter's eyes lit up immediately!
Su Yuanshan was a well-known prodigy in Silicon Valley and on Wall Street—people loved the narrative of a young tech genius. But to the average American, Su was still an unfamiliar name.
Jobs, however, was a household name in North America. His reputation rivaled even Gates.
If Su could appear in a televised dialogue with Jobs…
Carter grew visibly excited. "I'll fly to Maryland right away!"
"Can you make it in time?" Wen Xiaoqian had already memorized the U.S. map en route and knew that Maryland was on the East Coast—a five-to-six-hour flight from California.
Su didn't care about those logistics. He nodded directly, "No matter what, keep me updated by phone."
"OK!"
…
Changing speakers at the last minute was typically a major taboo in event planning, and even Su Yuanshan began to feel the pressure.
He'd bragged in front of Chen Jing that he was "never not capable," but the truth was—he'd never hosted a product launch before. At most, he had led technical briefings and internal strategy meetings.
His long-standing negotiating edge came from his understanding of the future, which gave him overwhelming psychological leverage. That advantage helped him glide through many situations.
"Thank goodness for Gates's book," Su said, reclining on the couch and smiling at Qin Si. "Qin Si-jie, do you have any friends in television media? Anyone who could lend a hand?"
"I do, but placing ads is one thing. Getting the kind of positive press you had in China? That's hard." Qin Si had been informed immediately about Chen Jing falling ill and missing the event, but she had always placed near-blind trust in Su Yuanshan. She didn't think he'd have any trouble with the presentation—in fact, she believed it might turn out even better with him at the helm.
"So Carter's Discovery Channel contact might not work?"
"Not necessarily. Discovery's still a commercial outlet, and they follow market principles. You're already a buzzworthy figure—and pairing you with someone like Jobs would definitely drive viewership. But why not just invite Gates?"
"He's my backup plan. If Jobs turns me down, I'll go chat with Gates about his book instead…" Su checked the time, thought it over, and finally decided to call Gates.
His wife's due date was just around the corner—this required a personal ask.
…
That night, just past 11 PM, Su got a call from Carter. His old classmate—Discovery Channel editor and producer Powell—was intrigued by the "tech prodigy from the mysterious East" and quite interested in hosting a dialogue between Su and Jobs.
Su finally relaxed after hanging up and had one of the best night's sleep in weeks.
The next afternoon, he arrived at Jobs's office.
Originally, the meeting had been arranged for Su to promote Farcore's foundry services and continue discussing joint chip development with Apple. But with Chen Jing absent, and with Su hoping to turn the meeting into a televised dialogue, the morning's schedule was completely upended.
Thankfully, Jobs wasn't the kind of rigid old-timer who refused to adapt. His stubbornness only extended to product philosophy and dreams, not to meeting formats.
And in fact, compared to debating technical specs, what he really cared about was the official sales data from Farcore's launch—the very reason Su had timed the meeting right before flying back.
Armed with those results, he was going to show Jobs the future of digital devices.
"Steve, I'll be honest with you… Our CEO fell ill unexpectedly, so I'll be staying behind to host the launch," Su said as soon as he sat down, without even sipping his coffee. "I hope you'll attend in person."
Jobs didn't hesitate. He smiled, nodded, and politely expressed concern for Chen Jing. Then he asked seriously, "Su, can you tell me the sales ratio between your two phones?"
"About 2:8. But we expect the ratio to grow. See, the vidoo5M was designed more as a concept product—to drive sales of the vidoo5. That's why we intentionally restricted production. What we didn't expect was just how strongly the market would respond."
Jobs quietly did the math and was left momentarily speechless.
Even with just 10,000 units of the vidoo5M, that translated to $12 million. Add in 40,000 vidoo5 phones, and Farcore had pulled in $50 million in sales—on launch day alone.
That one-day total exceeded what many tech giants managed in a month.
"The purchasing power is that strong?" Jobs seemed to be asking himself.
Su just smiled.
Jobs had no idea about the realities of the Chinese market—he didn't know how the May Day holiday had, thanks to years of aggressive promotions by major appliance retailers, become a season of explosive spending.
His vision was still limited to the North American market.
In short, the guy was still a little arrogant.
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