Chapter 83 Regret for Creating Alibaba (Jack Ma), Initial Success (Director Lin)

January 1981, Aerospace City.

The Dongfeng Auditorium was exceptionally lively.

Hundreds of people were squeezed onto long wooden benches. The smell of dry tobacco mixed with the scent of old cotton-padded clothes was so strong it made one's eyes sting.

A red banner with white characters hung above the rostrum:

"Red Star Labor Service Agency 1980 Annual Summary Meeting."

In the center of the first row, Elder Qian was draped in his faded military overcoat, both hands resting on his cane as he sat with his eyes closed, resting.

To his left was the base's Deputy Commander-in-Chief Zhang Zhengguo, and to his right was the Director of the Power Room, Wang Bin.

The rows behind them were filled with the "big shots" who had dealt with the Red Star factory over the past year—the director of Micro-Motor Factory 702, the CEO of Plastic Factory No. 3, Manager Sun of Dongfeng Department Store...

"Hello? Hello?"

Lin Xi tapped the microphone twice with his finger, and a sharp "screech" of feedback pierced through the noise of the auditorium.

He walked onto the stage, his deep blue work uniform washed crisp and neat, the fountain pen in his chest pocket reflecting the cold light.

"Dear leaders, dear comrades."

Lin Xi didn't bring a script. He leaned his hands on the podium, his gaze sweeping across the audience.

"I won't waste time with empty talk or platitudes. Let's get straight to the results."

A burst of good-natured laughter erupted from below. This young Manager Lin really knew how to speak to their hearts!

The Streamer's light screen unfolded before Lin Xi's eyes, and the bullet comments were already flooding the screen:

【It's here, it's here! The moment to flex has arrived!】

【High energy warning ahead! Non-combatants, please evacuate immediately!】

【I'll bet fifty cents that these old seniors didn't bring enough heart medication for this.】

The corners of Lin Xi's mouth curled up slightly as he held up one finger:

"First item: regarding the 'Red Star · gentle breeze' product series."

"As of December 31st."

Lin Xi's tone was flat.

"In the domestic market, through Dongfeng Department Store and various provincial supply and marketing cooperative channels, we have sold a total of 2.5 million fans and related products."

"In the overseas market, we delivered 1 million units in orders this year. For next year, including orders from Sears Department Store, the total has already exceeded..."

"1.5 million units."

"The grand total is five million units."

Boom—!

It was as if someone had tossed a flashbang into the auditorium; the place instantly exploded into a frenzy.

Five million units?

"Quiet."

Lin Xi pressed his hands down, giving the crowd no time to digest the news.

He turned around and wrote two large characters on the blackboard: 【Authorization】.

"Second item: technical authorization and industrial driving."

"This year, we didn't just manufacture ourselves; we also led our brother units to manufacture."

"Eighteen large state-owned factories, including Huashang Factory and Hongfeng Factory, have seen their incomes rise significantly through our 'patent licensing + OEM' model."

"Some factories have been brought back from the brink of death, and almost all of them have seen their technical equipment upgraded by a level."

The several factory directors sitting in the back rows looked at each other, their faces showing expressions of both shame and gratitude.

Initially, they had looked down on Lin Xi, thinking he was just an "opportunistic speculator."

As it turned out, the young and old of their entire factories were now relying on Red Star's orders to receive their bonuses.

"Third item," Lin Xi's voice suddenly rose,

"and also the most important one."

"Micro-motors and the Rare Earth Strategy."

He looked toward Elder Qian. Elder Qian still had his eyes closed, but his fingers gripping the cane were lightly tapping out a rhythm.

"Relying on Elder Xu's team's rare earth separation technology and our neodymium iron boron patent fortress."

Lin Xi paused, a sharp arc curving at the corner of his mouth. "We have successfully gained leverage over thirty-four international giants, led by Braun and Philips."

"In the niche field of electric shavers alone."

"The patent licensing fees alone..."

Lin Xi stopped.

The entire hall fell dead silent. Not even the sound of breathing could be heard.

Everyone stared at Lin Xi's lips, waiting for that number.

"Income for this year is 1.8 million USD."

"Projected income for next year..."

"10 million USD."

"And, this is net profit."

Creeeak—

The director of the Micro-Motor Factory's buttocks seemed to be on springs as he suddenly bolted upright, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

US dollars? Ten million? And it's net profit?

This wasn't printing money; this was straight-up robbery!

Lin Xi patted the chalk dust off his hands and gave his final concluding remarks: "In summary."

"The Red Star Labor Service Agency, in the year 1980."

"Achieved domestic revenue of 5.2 million RMB."

"Achieved foreign exchange earnings..." Lin Xi took a deep breath, his voice echoing in the hollow auditorium, "18 million USD."

Silence.

Deathly silence.

At this moment, time seemed to freeze.

What did 18 million USD mean?

In 1980, the country's foreign exchange reserves were extremely tight; they wished they could split a single penny in two to spend it.

A brand new Boeing 737 cost roughly that much.

In other words, the Red Star Service Cooperative had earned the country a giant airplane in one year!

As for that 5.2 million RMB?

The Lanzhou Textile Factory, with ten thousand people working themselves to the bone for a year, could only turn over 10 million.

Shanghai Huashang, the pride of light industry, turned over 8 million a year.

Yet the Service Center, which everyone saw as a "junkyard" or a "sewer" a year ago, had accomplished something this big?

For a moment, everyone had a bit of trouble processing this information.

"Finally."

Lin Xi closed his folder and revealed a signature, harmless-looking smile.

"The path of converting aerospace technology for civilian use can be considered..."

"To have shown initial success."

Pfft—!!!

Zhang Zhengguo, who was drinking water, sprayed a mouthful of tea out.

Initial success?

You call this initial success?!

Then if you were to "achieve great ambitions," would you have to buy out the Federal Reserve?

The bullet comments in the stream went completely wild:

【Versailles! This is top-tier Versailles humble-bragging!】

【Director Zhang: Listen to that, is that even human speech?】

【Elder Qian: Tone it down a bit, I'm afraid their hearts won't be able to take it.】

【Is this the legendary 'Jack Ma regrets founding Alibaba, Director Lin's initial success'?】

【18 million USD! In terms of purchasing power, that must be several billion, right? The Streamer is truly as wealthy as a nation now!】

A full minute passed.

Thunderous applause finally erupted like a tsunami.

Sun Erga was clapping frantically, his palms turning red, with tears and snot running down his face together.

This year had been too difficult.

From being treated as a fraud to being treated as a spy.

Until today, they finally stood tall!

Zhang Zhengguo stood up and pressed his hands down, signaling for everyone to be quiet.

This usually stern deputy commander-in-chief now had an unmistakable flush of excitement on his face.

"Comrades, the numbers are shocking."

Zhang Zhengguo took the microphone, his voice steady and powerful. "But this isn't just a matter of money."

He pulled a stack of documents from his coat; they were official red-headed documents from the capital.

"This year, letters of commendation from the First Ministry of Machine Building Industry, the Ministry of Foreign Trade, the Resources Department... have been flying in like snowflakes."

"Especially the Rare Earth Strategy."

Zhang Zhengguo's eyes were bright as he scanned the room:

"In the past, we were the 'blood bank' for Western countries; they set whatever price they wanted."

"Now? We are the 'overlords' who hold the pricing power and can choke others' necks!"

"This is a turnaround on a strategic level!"

"All of this stems from that 'unconventional' decision back then."

Zhang Zhengguo looked at Lin Xi, his eyes full of admiration.

"It stems from Comrade Lin Xi's courage and vision."

The audience erupted in thunderous applause once again.

For a full 3 minutes, no one stopped!