Our Times Episode 24 Recap
> Our Times Recap
After his store was vandalized with red paint by Zhao Si Hu’s men, Lu Hainiu urged Xiao Chuang to go into hiding, warning that Zhao Si Hu controlled a dangerous gang capable of anything when pushed. Lu Hainiu gave Xiao Chuang two thousand yuan and told him to find a safe place, with Xiao Chuang promising to repay his debt of 102,000 yuan.
Reflecting on his situation, Xiao Chuang felt that breaking up with Xie Hang had been the correct decision. He then called Xie Hang’s former company, only to be informed she no longer worked there. Xiao Chuang left his own number, 020-9001568, hoping she would get the message. Just a short distance from Lu Hainiu's store, Xiao Chuang was ambushed, blindfolded, and tied to a chair by Zhao Si Hu’s thugs.
They took all his money and left him guarded by a young man while they went to eat at food stalls. When Xiao Chuang regained consciousness, his guard, Zhang Ping Ping, the same person he had met in a Shenzhen detention center, removed his blindfold.
Zhang Ping Ping explained that Zhao Si Hu was enraged because Xiao Chuang had failed to deliver the promised laserdisc players, causing him significant public humiliation after boasting about having the city’s first entertainment center with such equipment. He warned Xiao Chuang that Zhao Si Hu intended to "deal with" him that very night.
Xiao Chuang implored Zhang Ping Ping not to participate in such a grave act, highlighting that it would make him a murderer with no chance of redemption. He proposed they escape together, retrieve his lost money, and start a legitimate business, promising to always look out for him. Zhang Ping Ping, a naturally timid person, was swayed by Xiao Chuang’s words. He untied Xiao Chuang, and they fled, leaving Xiao Chuang’s cellular phone behind in their haste.
Determined to find Huang You Wei, Xiao Chuang recalled the fraudster mentioning his ancestral home in Foshan, near a clinic called Pochilam. Since Zhang Ping Ping was a native of Foshan and had nowhere else to go, he agreed to accompany Xiao Chuang, addressing him as "Brother Xiao" and placing his trust in him. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Pei Qinghua called Tan Yuan, who was at her university preparing to attend a lecture by an Intel engineer.
They discussed the high penetration of computers in the US, where many families owned 586 computers and even elementary students used them. Tan Yuan expressed her hope that Chinese-made computers, though currently struggling and often unknown internationally, would eventually make their mark globally. Their conversation, a weekly ritual, was brief as Tan Yuan had to attend her lecture. In Beijing, Ms. Luo met with the President of the institute, advocating for Huayan to prioritize autonomous research and development.
She emphasized Huayan's technical advantages from being backed by the institute and its extensive sales experience gained from two years of distributing Conpo computers. Ms. Luo made it clear that the department would offer full support, urging the President to communicate this to Lin Yimin and Tan Qizhang. Upon hearing the proposal, Lin Yimin expressed reservations, believing Huayan lacked the capacity for autonomous R&D at its current stage.
Tan Qizhang, while having long championed the idea of independent branding, highlighted the practical challenges: a lack of capital, factory space, and the infrastructure needed for a modern assembly plant. He advised the President to present these difficulties to Ms. Luo, expecting her practical approach to elicit direct assistance. Pei Qinghua was initially perplexed by Director Tan’s apparent rejection of the R&D initiative, given Tan Qizhang's past enthusiasm for developing their own brand.
However, Tan Qizhang explained his strategy was one of "retreat as advance." He anticipated that by presenting the obstacles to Ms. Luo—a pragmatic leader whose determination he believed the President and Lin Yimin had underestimated—she would step in with direct support from the department. He noted that the true challenge wasn't resources but rather achieving "unity" within their team, subtly referring to Lin Yimin's resistance.
In Foshan, Xiao Chuang and Zhang Ping Ping’s search for Pochilam proved fruitless, and their funds were dwindling. Zhang Ping Ping called his family, only to learn that Zhao Si Hu’s men had also ransacked their home, leaving his family angry and urging him not to return. Zhang Ping Ping lamented having only five yuan left after paying for their accommodation. Xiao Chuang reflected somberly on his own lack of family support.
They eventually found Qianhetang, where an elderly man confirmed it was the former site of Pochilam. Showing the man a photo, Xiao Chuang learned that Huang You Wei’s family had moved to Hong Kong, and their old house across the street had been abandoned for decades. Resigned to a waiting game, Xiao Chuang decided to stay.
Zhang Ping Ping rented a room above Mrs. Wang’s convenience store, conveniently located opposite Huang You Wei’s old residence, for three months at 50 yuan per month, paying half upfront. Xiao Chuang contacted Lu Hainiu, informing him of his location in Foshan and his unwavering resolve to recover his money from Huang You Wei. He provided the convenience store's phone number, 0757-396078, as his new contact.
Lu Hainiu recounted Zhao Si Hu’s aggressive visit to his store the previous day, where he had nearly destroyed it in his search for the laserdisc players. Lu Hainiu assured Xiao Chuang he was not blamed and that they were brothers, also mentioning that Pei Qinghua had been trying to reach him.
Confronting their financial predicament, Zhang Ping Ping suggested selling Xiao Chuang’s treasured harmonica, but Xiao Chuang refused, just as he wouldn't part with Zhang Ping Ping’s "golden monkey charm," a family heirloom. Xiao Chuang then called Pei Qinghua, fabricating a story about being on a business trip and having a broken cellular phone to conceal his true circumstances.
Pei Qinghua excitedly shared the good news: his recent achievement had led Conpo to agree to Xiao Chuang’s return to Huayan, with his workstation ready. However, Xiao Chuang, with a heavy heart, declined the offer, claiming he valued his freedom and had become wealthy. He said that once one had seen "the big world," it was impossible to go back to a "hard life."
He then abruptly ended the call, leaving a bewildered and disbelieving Pei Qinghua on the other end. A critical article titled "The National Computer Brand’s Final Struggle: Foreign Trade Agents May Be the Biggest Culprit" appeared in Electronics Technology News, detailing the decline of domestic computer brands against foreign competition. Tan Qizhang and Pei Qinghua discussed it. Tan Qizhang, still pursuing his strategic agenda, felt the article was not harsh enough.
He instructed Pei Qinghua to ask Shu Zhi Hong, the journalist, to write an even more scathing piece, explicitly naming Huayan and even himself if necessary, to provoke a stronger reaction and accelerate their R&D plans. Shu Zhi Hong initially assumed Pei Qinghua was attempting damage control but found his request for harsher criticism intriguing, eventually agreeing to relay the unusual feedback to her editor.
Meanwhile, Su Xi met Xie Hang and informed her that Xiao Chuang had called her old company and left a number. Xie Hang immediately dialed Xiao Chuang's cellular phone, but Zhao Si Hu answered. Zhao Si Hu, his voice menacing, warned Xie Hang that Xiao Chuang was on the run, having made him lose both face and money, and threatened that if Xiao Chuang did not appear soon, Xie Hang would "lose a friend."
Frightened, Xie Hang immediately requested leave from work. In Foshan, Xiao Chuang and Zhang Ping Ping continued their vigil at Huang You Wei's abandoned house while fruitlessly searching for work. Driven by the compelling news reports and Huayan's precarious position, Ms. Luo once again pressed the President, stressing the urgency of autonomous R&D and proposing Huayan acquire Kunlun Computers' motherboard manufacturing workshop at a low price to solve their factory problem. She reiterated the department's unwavering financial and policy support.
The President, now fully convinced by Ms. Luo’s commitment, reconvened with Lin Yimin and Tan Qizhang. Lin Yimin, however, remained vehemently opposed, recalling Huayan's past financial losses from ambitious ventures and fearing they would jeopardize their current gains from Conpo sales. He even brought up past incidents to discredit Tan Qizhang, leading Tan Qizhang to angrily storm out. The President admonished Lin Yimin for undermining team unity.
As news channels announced Beijing's failed bid for the 2000 Olympic Games, with Sydney emerging as the host city, a sense of disappointment settled over many. It was against this backdrop that the President gathered everyone to make a momentous announcement: on September 24, 1993, the Party Committee had officially approved the launch of Huayan's autonomous brand project. Tan Qizhang delivered an impassioned speech, likening their new venture to Beijing’s Olympic bid—a courageous first step, regardless of immediate success.
He emphasized the necessity of challenging foreign brands in the monopolized market, affirming that despite the difficult and perilous road ahead, taking that initial step was the true beginning of success. The President, acknowledging Ms. Luo’s high expectations, called for collective effort to uphold this crucial banner. The announcement was met with enthusiasm as the team celebrated the launch of their own R&D project. Back in Guangzhou, Xie Hang visited Lu Hainiu’s store.
Lu Hainiu tried to cover for Xiao Chuang, claiming he was on a business trip to Hong Kong. But Xie Hang, already aware of Xiao Chuang's predicament from her phone call with Zhao Si Hu, pressed him for the truth. Her determination, culminating in a threat to damage his store, compelled Lu Hainiu to reluctantly provide her with the contact number for Mrs. Wang's convenience store, where Xiao Chuang could be reached.
