Chapter 135 – Design
Liu Jianyu lifted the Hongmeng S2 and tapped the screen with ease. The display came to life, bright and fluid under the lights. His voice carried a quiet pride.
"This time, we used tempered glass for the rear shell. It's tough, durable, and certified by Rhein for blue light protection."
He let the screen speak for itself for a few seconds, then continued:
"Up front, we adjusted the camera layout to shrink the notch. That gave us an 85% screen-to-body ratio."
That stat turned heads in a market where even breaking 80% was tough. The phone didn't push full-screen territory yet, but the design already pushed boundaries—clean, crisp, premium. People noticed.
At other phone companies across China, expressions turned grim. The Hongmeng S2 wasn't a minor upgrade. It was a serious shot across the bow.
From the textured glass back to the refined front panel, it was clear: China Star Technologies had gone all-in.
The air online and in boardrooms was tense. Everyone watching had the same thought:
The wolf has arrived.
At Xiaomi headquarters, Lei Jun's smile was gone. The moment he saw the Hongmeng S2's finish and screen quality, his demeanor shifted.
Executives nearby kept quiet, stealing glances at their boss's face.
Then, unexpectedly, Lei Jun chuckled.
"Looks like CS wants to punch the international brands this time. That thing… that's not just a strong release. It's a rare flagship for China."
But his expression stayed sharp as he added:
"And this isn't even their top-end model. It's positioned as mid-range premium."
"When a product like this sits in the middle of the lineup… what kind of monster are they hiding in the high-end?"
Silence. Then understanding.
They'd all been thinking it—he just said it first.
China's domestic brands each had their strengths. Some chased camera clout. Others focused on raw chip performance. But proper flagship balance? Almost none.
Most phones in the domestic market landed well below ¥4000.Anything beyond that price range? Only three models counted:
Apple's iPhones
Samsung's flagships
CS's own Hongmeng X series
Now, just from the design and screen alone, the Hongmeng S2 was clawing into that space. And everyone knew it had the Zhulong chip and the Hongmeng OS under the hood.
The only unknowns left: camera and battery.
If those hit the mark, the pressure on everyone else would skyrocket.
Lei Jun leaned back and muttered under his breath.
"Let's just hope he prices it high enough… give the rest of us some breathing room."
He admired Haifeng—he had always respected him. But right now, admiration was clashing with survival instinct.
If the Hongmeng S2 dropped close to the Mi 4 pricing, the damage wouldn't be gradual. It would be immediate.
Back on stage, Liu Jianyu gave a slight smile.
"These things on the outside? They're eye candy. They matter, sure. But the real story is what we built into this phone."
He let the words hang.
"In every major spec—from performance to optimization—the Hongmeng S2 is built to lead. And if I say we're ahead of the pack, I'm being polite."
Some in the audience scoffed. The S1R had made waves, but only in chip and OS. Its cameras, battery, and finish were average at best.
They remembered the jokes. That CS's shell felt cheaper than a third-tier clone phone.
Now, Jianyu was talking like CS had leapfrogged the entire industry? It felt bold to the point of arrogance.
But Jianyu didn't flinch. That's precisely why he said it.
The more people doubted, the more satisfying the reveal would be.
"Let's take a proper look. We'll go from outside to in."
The screen behind him shifted to a clean 3D animation of the Hongmeng S2. It rotated slowly, revealing every angle.
"First up," Jianyu said, facing the model, "let's talk camera."