Chapter 131 – Meet Lao Ma
Lu Haifeng focused on the man before him—Old Ma.
In the business world of China, only Old Ma and Little Ma of Shenshi were true titans.
Old Ma stood, smiling warmly:
"You're too kind. Lu Haifeng, I've heard your name countless times. I'm honestly impressed now that I see what you've built."
Haifeng smiled and gestured for him to sit.
"Haha, you flatter me, President Ma. Let's sit and chat."
The entourage took their places, instinctively leaving the center seats for the two protagonists.
As they settled, Old Ma chuckled:
"The rise of China Star Technologies (CS) caught even me off guard. I heard you're about to launch a new phone soon?"
Haifeng wasn't surprised. After all, Old Ma had previously tried to invest in CS—and Haifeng had politely stalled him.
It was common for internet giants to invest in hardware companies. Both "Ma's" had stakes in Dami Company (Xiaomi) too.
Haifeng replied modestly:
"President Ma, you're giving us too much credit."
Then, with a grin, he added:
"Since you're here, why not take a look?"
He waved to his secretary, Xiao Ai, who quickly returned with several phones.
Haifeng disassembled one and handed it to Old Ma.
Old Ma studied it carefully.
At first glance, it resembled the Hongmeng X1, but subtle differences, especially the fingerprint scanner design, stood out.
Curious, Old Ma asked:
"This must be the next-generation Hongmeng S model, right? And equipped with fingerprint recognition? How's the cost control?"
Haifeng answered casually:
"The tech's not that special. We've kept costs under ¥200 (~$27.50)."
The casualness of his tone hit the audience like a silent flex—Only CS could talk about cutting-edge tech like it was trivial.
Old Ma powered on the phone and immediately praised it:
"The screen is phenomenal. Visuals are on par with the Hongmeng X1. The build feels superb. Stylish but understated—hidden sophistication."
"If I were rating it, I'd give it 9.5 out of 10."
Haifeng smiled:
"Glad you like it.
It's powered by the Zhulong A2 chip, with fingerprint recognition, optical image stabilization, a 20MP front camera, and a 15MP rear camera."
Initially, the specs didn't seem mind-blowing, but CS's real strength wasn't raw numbers.
It was execution—optimization that outclassed brands flaunting higher megapixels.
Old Ma asked:
"How much are you selling it for?"
Haifeng teased:
"How much would you buy it for?"
Old Ma laughed and thought for a moment:
"Middle class? Under ¥10,000. Petty bourgeois? Under ¥8,000. White-collar worker? Under ¥7,000. But if I were setting the price? ¥5288 (≈ $727)."
Haifeng smiled slyly:
"Oh? Why so?"
Old Ma explained:
"At ¥5288, it's still competitive... But let's be honest—can anyone afford to price it that low?"
Haifeng chuckled:
"Maybe no one else—but we can."
Old Ma almost choked.
(You monster. You're the reason no one else dares to sell expensive phones anymore.)
Trying to shift the mood, Old Ma grinned:
"How about opening a flagship store on Tmall?"
Haifeng joked:
"Free?"
Old Ma quipped:
"Are you short of money?"
Haifeng replied without missing a beat:
"Of course. We're a small company—nothing compared to your tech empire."
The room struggled to hold back laughter.
They all knew:
CS had deep pockets.
The "small company" act was shameless—but hilarious.
Old Ma laughed and countered:
"Fine. Since you're supporting our Double Eleven event, I'll consider it."
Haifeng agreed to put up ¥50 million (~$6.87 million) in coupon subsidies for Double Eleven, negotiating cheekily to waive Tmall's merchant handling fees.
Old Ma smiled playfully:
"You think I'll agree?"
In truth, the handling fee was negligible—CS's coupon generosity far outweighed it.
Half-jokingly, Old Ma proposed:
"Or better yet, why not let me invest in China Star Technologies?"
Haifeng didn't hesitate:
"Not a chance."
CS's connections and semi-military tech involvement meant private financing was off-limits—even if they wanted it.
"Right now, CS isn't suitable for external financing. And President Ma, even if we were raising funds... Would you dare to take it?"
Old Ma chuckled wryly, fully understanding the implications.
The others in the room were stunned.
A tech company... that couldn't even be bought into? Now that was a power move.