Rebirth 2010: I taught Mr. Lei how to make a mobile phone

Chapter 981 Internet Giants Gather for Informal Talks

January 15, 2019, Tokyo.

The lingering snow of winter has not yet melted, clinging to the bare branches, just like the heroes who once dominated the world, now with their temples frosted with white.

Old Ma raised his head and gazed out the window.

He was much thinner than last autumn, and the once burning flame in his eyes had been extinguished, leaving only a deep pool of calm and a sense of having seen through everything.

On the screen lay a newly drafted email, the recipient list densely packed with names: Ding Lei of NetEase, Wang Xing of Meituan, Huang Zheng of Pinduoduo, Su Hua of Kuaishou, Mao Wenchao of Xiaohongshu…

They were once the brightest stars in the Alibaba Group's internet constellation, but now, under the shadow of the vast celestial body on the other side, they are each searching for their own drifting direction.

Last night, Chen Mo's phone call contained neither threats nor inducements; it simply laid out the reality: Ant Group's downfall and shattered IPO dream were merely a watershed moment. With his retirement, everything was set in stone, and there was no possibility of a comeback.

Next, these systems, having lost their core leaders, will fall apart.

If the "Other Shore Group" launches a merciless campaign of harvesting and encirclement, the outcome will only be a one-sided defeat.

Meituan will be devoured by Tencent and Ele.me; Pinduoduo's social sharing model will be overshadowed by ByteDance's algorithmic onslaught and WeChat's blocking; the unique community atmosphere of Kuaishou and Xiaohongshu will also inevitably be swallowed up by Douyin and Zhihu...

As for Taotian, with the support of JD.com and Douyin, it was able to maintain its position, but eventually fell behind and was eliminated over time.

"Their only way out," Chen Mo said softly, yet each word carried immense weight, "is, as you said before, competition, but also cooperation."

Teacher Ma, you wouldn't want to see them defeated one by one, and eventually wither away, would you?
Perhaps you're thinking of monopolies. Meituan, Xiaohongshu, Kuaishou, and Taotian are gone, but in the future, there will be ChouTuan, XiaoLvShu, ManJiao, and TaoDi. It's just a matter of time and effort; the tides may still be rolling, but the sky has changed. Don't you agree?

If anyone else had said that, Lao Ma might have scoffed and dismissed it as nonsense, but the man on the other end of the phone was Chen Mo, who not only destroyed the financial empire he had built from scratch, but was also a ruthless person who would even pull the plug on his own internet when he got angry!

He knew in his heart that Chen Mo's phone call wasn't a threat, but a prediction.
What he truly couldn't let go of these days were his former comrades-in-arms.

They call him "Teacher," "Principal," or "President Ma," not only because he founded Alibaba, but also because he has guided them, shared his vision, and helped them develop in countless strategic meetings.

If Jiang Fan were still alive, he might have been able to deal with Chen Mo, just like when Zhuge Liang passed away and Jiang Wei took over the mission.

Unfortunately, Jiang Fan sought to develop his career overseas for protection.
Alibaba now has a large and capable workforce, and it is not incapable of protecting itself, but it no longer has a leader.

Even if he were to continue in charge, he wouldn't be confident of defeating Chen Mo now, let alone in the present situation.

It's important to understand that the other side has already established its dominance, not only across the strait, but also with competitors like Tencent, Baidu, and JD.com, which rivaled Alibaba in the same era, as well as emerging forces like ByteDance, Ele.me, and ride-hailing services.

Since there's no chance of winning, it's better to plan for the future.

If things don't look good in the West, they will in the East. Anyway, things have already been separated over there, and he's clean now. If we give him some face and help him promote it, he might even get a share of the pie later.
Assessing the situation and making judgments are essential skills for someone at his level; these are his most genuine thoughts at this moment.
Old Ma sighed; perhaps this was the last bit of strength he could muster. He lightly tapped his finger to delete the email.

Instead, he personally called these people.
Looking at Cao Guowei from Sina on the list, Lao Ma remembered Chen Mo's special reminder at the end and skipped over it.
January 17, 2019, Hangzhou.

The lake surface was shrouded in mist on a winter's day, and the crisp air carried a hint of desolation. A private clubhouse on the shores of West Lake, converted from a century-old mansion, was witnessing a historic meeting that would reshape the landscape of China's internet industry.

Under the warm yellow light, Lao Ma had just revealed the tone of the meeting to everyone present. After a brief argument and discussion, things finally calmed down, but the heavy atmosphere in the room could not be dispelled.

The dozen or so people present all understood that this informal meeting might determine the future direction of the Chinese internet.

a moment,
As the heavy wooden door of the conference room slowly opened, Chen Mo, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Biyuan, stepped into the room first.

He was dressed in a dark Chinese-style top, and his steps were steady. Although he did not try to show off, he attracted everyone's attention the moment he appeared.

Following closely behind were a host of internet giants, including Liu Qiangdong of JD.com, Pony Ma of Tencent, Robin Li of Baidu, Zhang Yiming of ByteDance, and Zhang Xuhao of Ele.me, all exuding an imposing aura.

After exchanging pleasantries, everyone took their seats, with the seating arrangements clearly defined.

It can be said that all the influential figures in the Chinese internet today have gathered here.

On the left are all members of the Alibaba group: former chairman Jack Ma is at the head, and the new leader Zhang Yong looks exhausted.

At this moment, Daniel Zhang could no longer be carefree. As the new leader of Alibaba, he wore an undisguised weariness on his face, a result of the immense pressure from Alibaba, JD.com, and ByteDance, but more than anything, it reflected a kind of resilience.

Meituan's Wang Xing, who was later present, had a complex expression. He understood the general situation at hand, feeling both resentment and resignation to reality. Meituan's current downsizing was painful, but he had to find a new way forward for the company.
Huang Zheng of Pinduoduo seemed somewhat excited. He crossed his arms in front of the table, a signature, enigmatic smile on his face. He was a smart man and knew that although the rules of the game had changed, the game itself continued.

Ding Lei of NetEase appeared much more composed. As a "living fossil" in the internet industry, he has long been accustomed to the ups and downs.

Previously, the other side was locked in a fierce battle with Tencent, but now it's simply a change of opponent. The situation is becoming clearer, and all it needs to do is adapt to the changing circumstances.
On the right side, Chen Mo was the leader, followed by Pony Ma, Liu Qiangdong, Zhang Yiming, Zhang Xuhao, Zhang Chaoyang, and the rest of the group.

It's easy to see from the attitudes of both sides that this is a dialogue where the strengths are clearly unequal.

This is the first private, informal meeting between representatives from both sides.

After speeches by Lao Ma and Chen Mo, representatives from all sides began to express their opinions. Surprisingly, the talks did not begin with the usual tense atmosphere, but rather presented an atmosphere of seeking common ground while reserving differences.

Zhang Yong began by outlining Alibaba's expectations for a fair competitive environment. He emphasized that Alibaba is willing to use digital technology to help the market supervision bureau move towards a new generation of market governance system and do its utmost to create a fair, just, prosperous and orderly economic order.

Wang Xing believes that the "involutionary" competition of low quality and low price is unsustainable in the long run. Market competition ultimately needs to return to the essence of business, and platforms need to serve all stakeholders, including consumers, merchants, and riders, in order to achieve sustainable development.

Huang Zheng, in his unique way, discussed the value of different consumer market segments and talked about some industry-wide pain points he is currently facing.

Pony Ma, Liu Qiangdong, Zhang Yiming, and others also offered constructive suggestions based on their respective fields.

After everyone had finished chatting and some progress had been made, Chen Mo lightly tapped the table, and the entire room immediately fell silent.

(End of this chapter)