Chapter 104: The Blinking Little Icon
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Reborn in 1993
Jiang Xiwen knew perfectly well what Wang Xunfei wanted to do. According to the course of history, in the early days of his entrepreneurial career, Wang would begin experimenting with various kinds of software. Once the internet became widespread, he would officially develop the instant-messaging program QQ.
Before Wang Xunfei arrived in Yangjiang, Jiang Xiwen still had one thing to do: rent a room at Yangjiang No. 2 Middle School and furnish it as an office.
Qi Huanchang found Jiang Xiwen’s actions rather strange, but he was too lazy to ask about them. He knew only that everything Jiang Xiwen did carried some special significance. His own role was simply to wait until everything was complete, then enjoy the delightful surprises that followed.
“Fatty, the office is ready. You should resign now.”
Jiang Xiwen patted Qi Huanchang on the shoulder and gazed at the office before him, brimming with ambition.
“From this moment on, this is the first office of our company. History will remember this page: March 1, 1994. Yangjiang No. 2 Middle School. Jiang Xiwen and his partner, Qi Huanchang, took the first step toward creating their digital empire.”
This time, Qi Huanchang was the one rolling his eyes. He kept at it for quite a while, only to realize that Jiang Xiwen had not even glanced at him. Bored, he let his eyes return to normal and said, “Xiwen, are you really going to resign? This teaching job is pretty good. We can develop games in the computer lab. Why do we need to rent a separate place?”
Jiang Xiwen smiled. “If we don’t look professional, how are we going to attract Wang Xunfei to join us?”
“What? You plan to lure him in with this office?” Qi Huanchang slapped his forehead. “Wang Xunfei is a very independent man. If he starts a business, he’ll definitely want to be in charge of the core work. I was still wondering how to turn him down, and you’re thinking of bringing him in?”
“Of course!” Jiang Xiwen nodded. “Once we buy three more Pentiums, this place will start to look the part. But the office itself isn’t what will attract him. It’s the little program I’m going to install on the computer.”
Qi Huanchang had no idea what Jiang Xiwen was thinking. The boy’s mind was becoming increasingly impossible for him to follow. By now, he had resolved to follow Jiang Xiwen wholeheartedly. Yet he knew that Wang Xunfei was extremely proud. What, exactly, could Jiang Xiwen offer to make him willingly join their not-yet-registered company?
A week later, a clean-cut young man wearing glasses and carrying a small travel bag appeared at Yangjiang Railway Station.
That man was Wang Xunfei.
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Jiang Xiwen did not come to meet him at the station. As for this future titan of the Chinese internet, if Jiang wanted to bring him under his command, he had to leave a deep impression on him from their very first encounter. Put more formally, it was personal charisma. Put it in internet slang, it was an aura of supreme dominance.
The moment Qi Huanchang saw Wang Xunfei, he happily went forward and gave him a hearty hug.
“Cough, cough!” Wang Xunfei coughed several times and shouted, “You fat bastard! It’s only been a little over a year since we last met, and you’ve gotten even fatter. Take those pig trotters off me! You’re strangling me!”
“Haha, Xunfei, you’ve gotten thinner over the past year. You’re looking more and more slender.” Qi Huanchang laughed heartily. “Come on, let’s go to the Yangjiang River Delicacies Restaurant first. I’ll treat you to a welcome dinner.”
Wang Xunfei shook his head. “Forget it. I ate some spoiled instant noodles on the train, and my stomach feels awful. Is there somewhere I can rest?”
“That works too. I’ll treat you to that meal another day. Just stay at my office. There’s a bed there, and it’s big enough. I usually sleep there myself.”
Qi Huanchang had originally planned to book Wang Xunfei a room at the Yangjiang Hotel, but Jiang Xiwen had instructed him only to bring Wang to the office. This had left him deeply puzzled. Wang Xunfei was already a department head at a software company in Nanshen City. If they wanted to attract him, they ought to offer him better conditions. Still, despite his doubts, Qi Huanchang followed Jiang Xiwen’s instructions and said exactly that to Wang.
“Your office?” Wang Xunfei asked as they walked. “Aren’t you teaching at Yangjiang No. 2 Middle School? Why are you living in an office? Didn’t the school provide you with a dormitory?”
“I resigned. It happened last week. I found a new place, so I gave the dormitory back to the school. I’m still at No. 2 Middle School, though—I rented an office there.”
Wang Xunfei stared at him in surprise. “What? You’ve gone into business on your own? I came this time intending to persuade you to go to Nanshen with me, and I didn’t even know how to bring it up. Weren’t you always opposed to developing commercial software? And now you’ve changed your mind?”
Qi Huanchang smiled. “I’m developing game software now. The company hasn’t even been registered yet. There are only two of us. We’ll talk about the rest after we get it up and running.”
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The more Wang Xunfei listened, the stranger it seemed. “Fatty, how did you become so muddled after only a year apart? You haven’t prepared anything, you’ve rented an office, and you’ve already started a business. You might as well have kept your teaching job and written programs in your dormitory.”
“Xunfei, do you remember the child I told you about?” Qi Huanchang said with a chuckle. “He’s my boss. All of this was arranged by him. I trust him…”
“Which child? The student you said independently developed a cash-register system for an entire department store and earned a hundred and sixty thousand yuan? I thought you were joking. There really is such a prodigy?” Wang Xunfei’s eyes widened further and further.
Qi Huanchang nodded. “You’ll understand once you meet him. I can’t say for certain whether he or you is more talented, but he’s full of expectations for you. He wants you to join the company we’re about to establish.”
“Me? He knows me?” Wang Xunfei gave a carefree laugh. “You’re getting more confused by the day. You’re fooling around with a child, and everything you’ve described sounds like child’s play. Besides, I have no interest in starting a game-software company. Fatty, don’t tell me some little brat has managed to deceive you.”
In Wang Xunfei’s view, a person introduced through a friend’s account might be praised to the heavens, but without personally investigating him, no one would casually enter into a partnership with him. Judging from what Qi Huanchang had said, the way they were setting up this company seemed almost absurd.
Yet the more absurd it appeared, the more curious Wang Xunfei became. He wanted to see for himself what kind of child had managed to turn Fatty Qi’s head.
Before long, the taxi stopped outside Yangjiang No. 2 Middle School. Led by Qi Huanchang, Wang Xunfei entered the office, which had been fully furnished for a week.
Jiang Xiwen was sitting before the computer, watching a small flashing icon on the screen as he played with something.
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