Chapter 26: It Is Unmannerly Not to Reciprocate

After completing the administrative procedures, Qin Fang arrived at the door of the registered technical consultant’s office, feeling uneasy. After struggling with her hesitation for a long while, she finally knocked.

Hearing Li Dongling tell her to come in, Qin Fang stepped inside. What met her eyes was a very minimalist office; apart from various documents and a few books, there was nothing else. Li Dongling had not purchased much to furnish the space.

"Please, sit."

Li Dongling, who was hunched over his desk writing, looked up and spoke to her. "Would you like something to drink? Water, tea, or coffee?"

The coffee and other supplies had been brought back for Li Dongling from other cities by Zhang Ao, Fan Xugang, and their team of salespeople. Back at the Xicheng No. 1 Wireless Factory, these men were nothing more than well-connected idlers who did nothing, but as long as they were put to good use, they were remarkably capable—especially when it came to getting things done; they were smooth, polished, and knew exactly how to pull strings.

"Water, water is fine."

Qin Fang lowered her head, her fingers tightly twisting the hem of her shirt. Seeing her state, Li Dongling poured her a glass of hot water.

"Thank you so much for this," Qin Fang said as she accepted the glass, holding it with both hands.

Li Dongling shook his head. "Whether you can succeed here in the General Affairs Section depends entirely on you. The General Affairs Section must not only coordinate the relationships between the Sales and Production sections but also communicate with the Supply and Transport departments. Computers we purchased will arrive this afternoon; in the future, the General Affairs Section will be using computers for office work, and you will need to learn how to use them."

Anything that requires talking to people to get things done is never easy, especially in a state-owned enterprise. The General Affairs Section was not a superior to the Production, Supply, or Transport sections, so coordinating these departments would be no simple task.

Computerized office work was beginning to appear in domestic companies. Even the "paging centers" that were popping up everywhere across the country to serve pagers were forced to adopt computers due to the massive surge in demand, requiring operators to type at least eighty words per minute to be hired. Paging operators, much like flight attendants, had become a highly sought-after profession for young women, with dozens or even hundreds of people often competing for a dozen openings.

"I understand," Qin Fang replied. Her voice was soft, but her answer was firm.

Li Dongling looked at her. Although her face was pale, it could not hide her delicate features. Due to her recent emaciated and haggard state, her eyes appeared particularly large, occasionally flashing with a vulnerability that, to a man with a "Mende complex," would likely evoke an immediate sense of pity.

After a few moments, Li Dongling looked away. The atmosphere in the office turned heavy. Qin Fang quietly looked up and saw Li Dongling frowning slightly, as if lost in thought.

"That day... I’m sorry."

Although her voice was very low, Li Dongling heard her.

Li Dongling remained noncommittal, offering no response, which made Qin Fang increasingly nervous. After a long silence, he finally spoke. "I hope that day, you didn't do it on purpose."

Qin Fang felt a sense of relief, but then the next sentence stunned her, and she stared at him in shock. "But who told you to do it that day?"

"I just want to know who is trying to target me. As long as you tell me, I won't blame you, and you can continue working here."

Li Dongling could tell that, given Qin Fang’s personality, she wouldn't have done such a thing if she hadn't been instigated, or even coerced and tempted. Otherwise, she wouldn't have suddenly changed her mind at the very end that day.

Qin Fang looked at Li Dongling in surprise, her heart rate accelerating, her face turning even paler. "It was... Liu Jiande. He wanted his son, Liu Shirong, to get into the Technical Section. He said that if I could get you to leave the No. 1 Wireless Factory, he would let me take over Wei Qiang’s permanent staff position."

The reason Li Dongling had brought Qin Fang into the Component Factory was to get to the bottom of this matter. Although he had already suspected it, hearing Qin Fang confess everything finally resolved the issue that had troubled him for so long.

"I understand."

After saying this, Qin Fang let out a long sigh of relief. This matter had been like a heavy stone pressing on her heart for a long time, causing her great anxiety, and today, she had finally let it go.

Hearing Li Dongling give only a cold acknowledgement with no intention of saying more, Qin Fang opened her mouth, but instead lowered her head and walked out.

"Sister Qin!" Wei Hongying, who had been waiting outside out of boredom, waved at her as she emerged. "Sister Qin, what did you and Brother Li talk about? Why were you in there so long?"

"Nothing much, just instructions regarding my work."

"Is that so?" Wei Hongying looked at her skeptically, taking in her old clothes which still couldn't hide her curvaceous figure—something that even she, a fellow woman, couldn't help but envy.

Following Wei Hongying's gaze, Qin Fang looked down, her face turning crimson instantly. She tapped Wei Hongying on the head. "You little girl, what are you thinking? It’s really time for your family to find you a husband!"

"Besides, he’s a college graduate who created the satellite dish project. What am I? I’m just a widow with a mountain of troubles... how could I be worthy of him?"

Hearing Qin Fang’s voice grow lower and her eyes begin to redden, Wei Hongying hugged her. "What are you thinking, Sister Qin? I know for a fact that those young punks at the No. 1 Wireless Factory talk about you the most. If you just beckoned, any one of them would be falling at your feet..."

"Stop talking nonsense, you wretched girl! How can you say such things!" Qin Fang’s face turned bright red, and she reached out to grab her.

Inside the office, Li Dongling tapped his desk lightly. Courtesy demands reciprocity. Since Liu Jiande had been willing to stab him in the back for the sake of a permanent position in the Technical Section, if Li Dongling didn't pay him back, wouldn't that be a sign of disrespect to Manager Liu and his son?

However, with his current strength, a direct strike might not necessarily do much to Liu Jiande. After all, this was only Qin Fang's verbal testimony, and without other physical evidence, Liu Jiande could easily brush it all off.

After thinking for a while, Li Dongling felt that he needed to wait. The Xicheng No. 1 Wireless Factory wasn't going anywhere, and Liu Jiande couldn't just abandon his position as general manager and run away. Given the current state of the factory, it was nearing collapse, and Li Dongling would have plenty of opportunities to settle the score with Liu Jiande.

In the afternoon, two 486-configuration computers, along with printers and other office equipment, were delivered to the Component Factory. In China, these were considered high-tech items at the time. These two computers, the printer, the software, other equipment, and shipping costs totaled over fifty thousand yuan.

By next year, domestic computer prices were expected to drop. Media reports had already hinted that starting next year, the import tariff on computers would be reduced from 200% to 26%. This meant that the domestic computer industry, from software to hardware, was about to face a major reshuffling.

Zhang Xiaocheng, Zhou Wenyan, Wei Hongying, Zhang Ao, and many others ran to the General Affairs Section to gawk at the two computers.

"I read in the newspaper that this is the thing that can connect with people in America and England. You write a letter on the computer, and they get it right away. It's much faster than sending a letter..." Zhang Ao said as he looked at the computer after it was turned on.

"E-mail!"

In the entire Component Factory, Li Dongling was the only one who had touched a computer, so the task of teaching them how to use it naturally fell to him.

"Yes, yes, that's it—e-mail. Can it really send messages that far?" Zhang Ao asked excitedly.

Li Dongling nodded. "But you have to install network cables. These computers aren't connected to a network yet, so they can't communicate with the outside world!"

Qin Fang and another girl from the General Affairs Section watched Li Dongling operate the computer intently. The other girl had been "airdropped" into the Component Factory; her family had connections with the Pingyang municipal government, and as soon as they heard the General Affairs Section had been established, they immediately got her placed there.

These two computers would primarily be used by Qin Fang and the other girl, so Li Dongling focused his instructions on them.

Li Dongling turned on the computer. The number of useful software programs was limited, but relying on developing software to make money right now was pure fantasy. Not only did domestic software companies copy each other, but even overseas, companies were constantly plagiarizing. Coupled with the existence of the "big devil" Microsoft, a company could spend a huge amount of capital to launch a new piece of software, only to have it copied to death by competitors within months, followed by rampant piracy.

Holding the mouse, Li Dongling felt awkward. He looked at the mouse—it wasn't a scroll-wheel mouse yet. Microsoft had just released an ergonomic mouse that year, but it hadn't become widespread. Using the standard mouse that came with the computer, Li Dongling felt it was quite cumbersome. Looking at the device, he suddenly wondered: what if he were to introduce a scroll-wheel mouse?

The thought flashed through his mind. Li Dongling continued teaching Qin Fang and the other girl, walking them through the process so they would know how to open programs and use the printer. Seeing that Qin Fang was hesitant to touch the machine, Li Dongling didn't overthink it; he reached out, took her hand, and placed it on the keyboard.

When Li Dongling took her hand, Qin Fang’s body stiffened, and her ears turned bright red. Not daring to look back at him, she focused on the steps he had just taught her and slowly began to use the computer.

Right now, the two of them looked clumsy using the computers, but once they truly became familiar with them, the difference would immediately become apparent.

After teaching them for a while, Li Dongling received a call from Gao Peng and had to leave.

Arriving at the entrance of the Dongling High-Tech office building, Li Dongling saw that the exterior had been cleaned, making the building look brand new.

"Brother Li!"

Seeing Li Dongling arrive, Gao Peng, who had been waiting at the entrance, immediately walked up to greet him.