Our Times Episode 9 Recap
> Our Times Recap
Xiao Chuang waited at the entrance of Baosong Steel Company, hoping to speak with Mr. Xu, the factory manager. Mr. Xu recognized Xiao Chuang as a Conpo mainframe salesman but stated he had an important meeting, directing his secretary, Mr. Wu, to handle the matter. Xiao Chuang explained that a previous colleague's unprofessionalism had caused issues and asked if Huayan Technology could be reconsidered, as they aimed for a long-term partnership.
However, Mr. Wu reiterated that the factory had already chosen another brand and the decision was final. Despite Xiao Chuang's attempt to offer a gift and request a meeting, Mr. Wu sent him away, emphasizing that further discussion was pointless. Pei Qinghua then arrived unexpectedly, having learned from others about Xiao Chuang's trip, which Xiao Chuang had disguised as a "trivial" matter in Tianjin.
Pei Qinghua chided Xiao Chuang for keeping him in the dark, asserting that he wanted to be involved. He shared a tip from Xu Yang: their institute director had an acquaintance at Baosong, Chief Luo of the Information and Automation Department. Seeking Chief Luo, they encountered a gatekeeper who, after accepting a Hatamen cigarette from Xiao Chuang, advised them that Chief Luo’s department was of no importance and she had no real authority in the factory.
He explained that Director Yu of the Information Management Office was the one truly in charge, and the two superiors were often at odds. The guard warned them that Chief Luo's position was merely a formality. Despite the guard's discouraging words, Pei Qinghua and Xiao Chuang decided to proceed, as Chief Luo was their only lead. They found her working late in her office. Chief Luo immediately deduced their purpose—the mainframe purchase.
She declined their attempts to offer dinner or gifts, stating that the factory had already committed to purchasing Jefferson's mainframe. Pei Qinghua pressed her to understand Jefferson's advantage, and Chief Luo revealed it was the price: Jefferson's total offer was a third lower than Conpo's. Pei Qinghua instantly suspected that such a low price must mean an incomplete configuration. Although he lacked proof, he believed that with detailed documentation, he could expose the scheme.
Chief Luo agreed to provide the materials for their review, but strictly within the conference room, forbidding them from taking anything out. She promised that if their report could convince her, she would create an opportunity for them. Pei Qinghua meticulously reviewed Jefferson's documents in the conference room. He identified that Jefferson's sales list notably excluded the storage backup system and other peripheral devices.
He concluded that Jefferson's strategy was to lower the initial price to secure the contract, then compel the factory to purchase additional, essential equipment later once the system was operational. Chief Luo confirmed this matched her own suspicions. She instructed them to finalize their report that night, assuring them she would arrange a meeting the following day for them to present their findings.
Xiao Chuang expressed concern about Director Yu's influence, but Chief Luo firmly stated that this procurement, vital for the state-owned enterprise's information transformation, would not tolerate any errors. Xiao Chuang enthusiastically offered to share the burden with Pei Qinghua, who immediately assigned him tasks. Meanwhile, Xie Hang visited Huayan Technology in Beijing, looking for Xiao Chuang, but was told he was away on a business trip. She asked for his contact details.
Xiao Chuang was delighted when he received her call. He admitted he wanted to call her as soon as he arrived but didn't have her home phone number. Xie Hang told him she was returning to Shanghai by train at 7:40 PM the next evening. Xiao Chuang, despite having a crucial meeting that day, assured her he would return to Beijing afterward, regardless of the outcome.
They agreed to meet at the VHS room the following afternoon, with Xie Hang promising to wait for him. Xiao Chuang was thrilled, telling Pei Qinghua that Xie Hang had said she would wait. The next day, Chief Luo convened the meeting at Baosong. Pei Qinghua and Xiao Chuang presented their report, detailing Jefferson's deceptive pricing strategy.
However, Director Yu quickly intervened, dismissing their findings as "baseless" and accusing Chief Luo of orchestrating the presentation to undermine him, especially since Huayan had lost the initial bid. Mr. Xu, siding with Director Yu, declared that Jefferson was a world-renowned brand and insisted on proceeding with the original plan, ending the discussion. Feeling helpless, Chief Luo could not sway Mr. Xu, and Pei Qinghua and Xiao Chuang decided to return to Beijing that afternoon.
On the train back, Pei Qinghua couldn't sleep, troubled by the factory's refusal to believe their evidence despite knowing Jefferson's false offer. Xiao Chuang tried to console him, suggesting it was the factory's problem, not theirs. However, Pei Qinghua insisted on reporting the full situation to Tan Qizhang, deciding to go to his house immediately upon arriving in Beijing, as it was Sunday. Xiao Chuang agreed, mentioning he would also go to see Xie Hang one last time.
Upon arriving in Beijing, Pei Qinghua went directly to Tan Qizhang’s house. Tan Qizhang was upset about Xiao Chuang’s recent actions. When Tan Yuan returned home, her father left to fix her bicycle chain, asking Pei Qinghua to watch the pot for lunch. Tan Yuan was still angry at Pei Qinghua for missing their dance, accusing him of lying about leaving a message on the dorm message board, which she claimed was empty.
Pei Qinghua sincerely apologized, explaining his urgent business trip to the Northeast forced him to leave quickly and that he had tried to leave a message. Tan Yuan, still keeping her door closed, slid a note under it, asking how he intended to compensate her. Pei Qinghua, with no pen, signed a paper under the door that read, "Pei Qinghua invites Tan Yuan to join him. . ." This gesture brought a smile to Tan Yuan's face.
During lunch, Pei Qinghua asked Tan Qizhang if he had any reference materials on Jefferson mainframes. Tan Yuan enthusiastically chimed in, offering her help and mentioning that their school's computer room had an old Hongbo mainframe, and she had excelled in her mainframe theory class. However, when Pei Qinghua asked a specific technical question about the "subsystem storage protection function" to prevent system memory interference, Tan Yuan was at a loss for words and quietly ate.
Meanwhile, Xiao Chuang was waiting at the VHS room for Xie Hang. The owner noticed he had been there for hours, happily watching the same movie three times. Xie Hang finally arrived, apologizing for her delay, explaining she had been discussing an important matter with her parents. She revealed her decision to return to Beijing, stating that Shanghai no longer held anything for her, and she planned to resign. Xiao Chuang was overjoyed, promising to wait for her.
He presented her with a peach blossom card, regretting that the real blossoms had withered due to recent heavy rains, and they made a promise to see them together the following year. When Xie Hang inquired about his business trip, Xiao Chuang admitted it hadn't gone well. Xie Hang then folded a paper plane for him, sharing a childhood belief: if the plane flew high, things would turn around. The paper plane soared, symbolizing hope.
Back in their dorm, Xiao Chuang celebrated Xie Hang’s return, but Pei Qinghua was still absorbed in studying Jefferson’s mainframe data. He discovered a crucial detail: Jefferson’s interface dimensions were consistently 0. 2 smaller than the standard used by Conpo and other brands. To confirm this, they needed to measure another machine, so Pei Qinghua asked Tan Yuan for help accessing her school's old Hongbo mainframe.
Tan Yuan snuck them into the computer room, where they verified the Hongbo's dimensions matched the standard, proving Jefferson's design was unique. Their mission was nearly compromised by a security guard, forcing Pei Qinghua and Tan Yuan into a tense, close-quarters hiding spot that created an awkwardness between them. On the way back, Pei Qinghua explained the full extent of the "plot": this unique design would trap Baosong into later buying only Jefferson’s own "extremely expensive" peripherals.
He stressed this was now about the "safety of our country’s assets" and they "must fight to the end." Xiao Chuang, oblivious to the tension between the other two, chattered on about their narrow escape. Xiao Chuang and Pei Qinghua rushed to their institute to inform Tan Qizhang, who was initially annoyed by their abrupt manner. They urgently explained Jefferson's plot, asking to contact Chief Luo. Tan Qizhang, who had also harbored suspicions, was relieved to finally have concrete evidence.
Chief Luo, identified as Luo Lihua, was informed of the "Jefferson's plot." She reiterated the critical importance of the "information transformation project" for state-owned assets and instructed them to be at Baosong in two days, when the contract was scheduled to be signed. Tan Qizhang thanked Chief Luo, who in turn credited Pei Qinghua and Xiao Chuang for their significant efforts. Two days later, at Baosong, Mr. Xu was preparing to sign the contract with Wang Chong, Jefferson’s representative.
Just as he reached for the pen, Chief Luo burst in, accompanied by Xiao Chuang and Pei Qinghua, declaring that the contract could not be signed due to a "major trap" in Jefferson’s mainframe that would lead to "immeasurable" future losses. Mr. Xu initially dismissed it as a mere "difference of opinion" between Chief Luo and Director Yu. Chief Luo insisted that her intentions were "professional, not personal," and that she had "full assurance" in her claims.
She implored Mr. Xu to listen to their explanation, warning of severe regret if he didn’t. Given the gravity, Mr. Xu allowed Pei Qinghua and Xiao Chuang to present their findings. They meticulously presented their detailed report, proving that Jefferson's seemingly low quote was achieved by removing essential "storage backup systems and peripheral devices." They further highlighted the critical issue of Jefferson’s unique, smaller interface dimensions, which differed from the standard sizes of Conpo, Hongbo, and other mainstream brands.
This unique design would force Baosong to exclusively purchase Jefferson’s proprietary accessories, such as a tape drive costing "20,000 dollars," at "extremely expensive" prices. They demonstrated that the true full cost would be "more than double Conpo's equipment," clearly exposing it as a "trap." Director Yu attempted to discredit them, questioning the source of their data. However, Chief Luo countered by threatening to escalate the matter to the Electrical and Mechanical Department, which would jeopardize Baosong’s funding for the project.
Director Yu immediately distanced himself from Wang Chong, claiming he had "only found out about this now" and accusing Wang Chong of deception. Mr. Xu, enraged by Director Yu’s duplicity, called him "outrageous" and demanded an explanation. Ultimately, Mr. Xu granted Chief Luo "full authority" to make the final decision regarding the mainframe supplier.
After the dramatic confrontation, Chief Luo praised Xiao Chuang and Pei Qinghua, telling them they had "successfully prevented the loss of state-owned assets" and that the country needed talents like them. Both men felt a profound sense of accomplishment, realizing they had found their "worth" through this significant incident, which extended far beyond merely selling computers. They then proceeded to discuss the specific terms of the new contract.
