Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 438 Revisited After Fifty Years
After intense coordination and rigorous review by multiple departments, the initial draft of the "Special Area List" was finally placed on Lao Fan's desk.

The document bag was made of thick kraft paper, with a prominent security classification label affixed to the seal.

Old Fan put on his reading glasses, untied the string, pulled out a thick stack of documents, and flipped through them page by page.

The more he looked, the more his brows furrowed.

The list was more detailed than he had initially expected. It not only marked obvious military facilities such as major naval ports, airports, missile sites, and radar stations, but also included many seemingly ordinary factories and research institutes that actually undertook important scientific research or production tasks, as well as some remote units named with code names.

The names of many organizations are themselves classified as confidential.

"How can this thing be given away directly?" Old Fan put down the documents, rubbed his throbbing temples, and muttered to himself.

The level of detail in the list reflects the seriousness of the problem.

He realized that during the relatively peaceful period in the past, some people's awareness of confidentiality may have been relaxed, and the potential risk of leakage for this emerging, commercially masquerading geographic information collection activity was underestimated.

This list cannot be handed over to He Yuzhu untouched, even if he trusts He Yuzhu himself. Moreover, commercial companies have a large number of personnel and many procedures. If any link goes wrong, the consequences will be unimaginable.

However, we should not abandon the development of electronic maps altogether.

After pondering for a long time, Lao Fan picked up the red secure phone and connected to his superior.

"Sir, I've reviewed the list; it's very detailed. However, precisely because it's so detailed, providing it directly to companies carries significant risks. Yes, I understand. I believe this serves as a reminder that our confidentiality work under the new circumstances has some weaknesses that need immediate attention."

A few days later, a special coordination meeting was held internally, led by Lao Fan's department and attended by the public security, armed police, relevant local troops, and local secrecy departments.

The theme of the meeting was not merely to discuss how to handle map collection by Yellow River Communications, but to examine and deploy geographic information protection work for important and sensitive targets from a more macro perspective.

During the meeting, Lao Fan presented some cases that had undergone anonymization to illustrate the potential harm caused by the illegal acquisition of precise geographic information.

The participants reached a consensus and decided to immediately launch a round of targeted publicity and education on confidentiality and to investigate potential risks.

Soon, warning signs such as "No Photography" and "No Surveying" were quietly added around some research units and logistics bases located on the outskirts of cities or in relatively open areas across the country.

The local armed police and the unit's internal security department have increased the frequency of patrols in the surrounding area and the intensity of checks on suspicious persons.

The public security department began to conduct a round of investigations and public education on industries within its jurisdiction that may come into contact with sensitive geographic information, such as surveying and mapping, logistics, and taxis.

As for the "list" given to Yellow River Communications, after further study and consultation, a highly simplified and generalized version was finally formed.

This version only lists a few clearly defined restricted areas, such as "various military management areas", "core areas of state organs", and "scientific research, production and testing bases included in the scope of state secrets", and provides simple identification methods and contact channels for handling questions. Specific names and coordinates are omitted.

Lao Fan personally delivered this simplified list to He Yuzhu.

"Zhu Zi, this is the finalized guideline." Old Fan handed over the document, his tone serious. "Specific locations cannot be listed; that's the rule, and I hope you understand. Your people must strictly adhere to these red lines when operating in the field. If you encounter any gray areas, it's better not to follow them than to take risks. We will arrange for the relevant units in the region to conduct necessary supervision and inspections, and we hope for your cooperation."

He Yuzhu took the document and quickly glanced through it.

He was so astute that he immediately understood the meaning behind those few thin pages.

He nodded and placed the document on the table: "I understand the rules. Don't worry, the people from Huanghe will only operate outside these few lines. If we encounter anything we're unsure about, we'll proactively consult and report. As for how you need our cooperation in supervision, have someone directly contact Yaozong."

He paused, looked at Lao Fan, and added meaningfully, "In some places, let alone collecting materials, people shouldn't even be allowed to get close, right?"

“We’ve considered that.” Old Fan nodded. He knew that He Yuzhu was reminding him, and he also knew that the other party fully understood his hints and bottom line. His last bit of concern was put aside.

“Okay, then let’s do it this way,” He Yuzhu nodded.

With the distribution of the simplified list and the completion of internal training, the field data collection work of the Yellow River Digital Map Division has been restarted.

This time, in addition to their work permits, the team members also received an "Electronic Map Data Collection Permit" jointly issued by the Surveying and Mapping Bureau and relevant departments, bearing anti-counterfeiting markings.

Following the replanned route, they carefully avoided all known sensitive areas, and their actions became more disciplined.

Occasionally, when patrolling armed police or internal security personnel approach to inquire, they are usually allowed to pass smoothly after both parties verify their documents and permits.

Then, He Yuzhu issued new instructions to the European and American sides.

"Ah Sheng, it's me."

"Boss, your orders."

He Yuzhu said, "New-Vision is ready to launch a new project, 'Super Vison.' The goal is to develop an embedded intelligent system for handheld terminals, or rather, smartphones, or smart handheld terminals."

He made detailed requirements based on the earliest smartphone functions he remembered from his previous life, and then made arrangements for NeoComm: "The development of the next generation of NeoComm feature phones should be compatible with this system."

Chen Sheng quickly took notes on the other end of the phone, then asked, "Boss, where are the boundaries of this 'intelligent system'?"

He wasn't foolish enough to ask what the fundamental difference was between this and the mobile operating system they were currently developing!
"There are no boundaries. In fact, this system will be able to achieve everything that can be done on a computer in the future, although there will still be differences in functionality."

"I understand. Then, could we port the VISON system over?"

"You'll have to verify that yourselves, but the premise is that it won't affect the future development of the VISON system."

"I see."

"Also, you should contact Taishan Group. The LCD screen is very important, especially the touch control screen."

"Hiss, like in the movies?" Chen Sheng gasped.

"Yes."

"Okay, I'll go contact them as soon as I get off the plane."

The next day, in North America, at the headquarters of New-Vison Corporation.

Chen Sheng convened a cross-company conference call with the CEO and core technology director of New-Vision, the CEO and R&D head of NeoComm, and the CEO and chief engineer of the LCD technology company under Taishan Group.

Chen Sheng skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the point.

"Gentlemen, the boss has new instructions. New-Vision will launch a new project codenamed 'Super Vison'." Chen Sheng's voice was clearly transmitted through the microphone to all sides. "The goal is to develop a completely new embedded intelligent operating system for handheld terminals. His requirements are..."

After stating He Yuzhu's requirements, he paused to allow the attendees to process the information.

A few minutes later he continued, “It’s fundamentally different from our existing VISION system and the simplified system customized for feature phones. The boss’s requirements are: it needs to have more powerful multitasking capabilities, a more user-friendly human-computer interaction interface, and it needs to support the installation and running of third-party applications. Essentially, it needs to be an open platform.”

David Lee, the R&D head at NeoComm, a middle-aged Chinese man wearing black-rimmed glasses, immediately frowned: "Mr. Chen, this means that the hardware performance requirements will increase exponentially. The existing mobile processor architecture and memory capacity may not be able to support such a 'platform'."

“We need to overcome the hardware bottleneck; this is something that NeoComm’s next-generation terminal R&D must keep up with.” Chen Sheng looked at David Lee. “The boss has clearly demanded that NeoComm’s next-generation products be designed around the ‘Super Vision’ system. This is not an option; it’s the core.”

David Lee took a deep breath, feeling the pressure on his shoulders increase, but still nodded: "Understood. We will add a new project team to begin evaluating chip selection and architecture design."

New-Vision's CTO, an American named Alan Page, was more focused on the system itself: "Chen, porting the VISION system to handheld terminals is one idea, but power consumption and resource usage are huge challenges. We might need to completely rewrite the kernel and underlying drivers, which is a massive project that can't be done overnight. Has the boss given a timeline?"

“The boss understands the difficulties involved and hasn’t set unrealistic deadlines,” Chen Sheng replied. “But he emphasized that the ‘Super Vison’ project should not affect the continued development and iteration of the existing VISION system in the personal computer field. Resources need to be coordinated, but we can’t rob Peter to pay Paul.”

Ellen Page agreed: "We need to establish a separate 'Super Vison' project team, drawing some of the best talent from the existing team and recruiting some newcomers with experience in embedded systems and low-power design."

At this moment, a middle-aged man surnamed Jin, an LCD engineer from Taishan Group, spoke in accented English: "Mr. Chen, we have received a notification from Taishan headquarters and will fully cooperate. Regarding the touch control screen you mentioned, we have accumulated some experience in the research and development of small and medium-sized TFT LCDs, but there is still a long way to go to achieve stable and accurate touch functions, especially in terms of anti-interference and durability. This will take time and a lot of joint testing."

“Jin Gong, the touchscreen is a key interaction method that the boss has particularly emphasized, and we must overcome it no matter how difficult it is.” Chen Sheng said firmly, “New-Vision and NeoComm will provide the necessary interface protocols and technical support. We need you to produce usable samples as soon as possible, even if the initial costs are high and the yield is low, it doesn’t matter. We need to solve the problem of having them first.”

The video conference lasted nearly three hours and initially clarified the division of labor: New-Vision will lead the research and development of the "Super Vison" system kernel, application framework and development tools; NeoComm will be responsible for the design and integration of the matching hardware platform; and Taishan Group will tackle the touch screen and related driver and calibration technologies.

After the meeting, Chen Sheng stayed alone in his office to draft a preliminary plan and resource requirements list to report to He Yuzhu.

He knew that this would be another tough battle with huge investment and a long duration.

The future that the boss envisioned, where computer functions are integrated into the palm of your hand, may seem distant, but every time He Yuzhu makes such forward-looking plans, it is ultimately proven that he is ahead of the times.

He picked up his pen and solemnly wrote down the words "Super Vison Project Launch Outline" on the paper.

After listening to Chen Sheng's report on the Super Vison project, Chen Sheng was about to hang up the phone when He Yuzhu suddenly remembered something and called Chen Sheng back.

"Sheng, there's one more thing. Remind New-Vision, and also have NeoComm check it out."

“Boss, please speak,” Chen Sheng replied immediately.

“I recently looked at some technical materials and a question came to mind. Since our current computer systems were all developed in this century, in order to save storage space, the internal clock and date are used to represent the year with two digits, such as '99' representing 1999.”

“Yes, boss, this is common practice,” Chen Sheng confirmed, wondering why his boss was suddenly interested in such technical details.

“Hmm,” He Yuzhu said slowly, “I’m wondering, when the time jumps from ’99’ to ’00’, will the system recognize it as 1900 or 2000?”

On the other end of the phone, Chen Sheng paused for a moment, then realized what he meant, and his tone immediately became serious: "You mean this could cause date calculation errors, system instability, or even a crash?"

“It’s just speculation,” He Yuzhu said, not wanting to make any definitive statements. “But think about it: if the bank’s calculation system mistakenly records a transaction from 2000 as occurring in 1900, how will the interest be calculated? If the timing program of an industrial control system malfunctions, could it cause a production accident? And what about the communication equipment and future handheld terminals we are developing that rely on precise time? This could be a potential, systemic problem. There’s not much time left until 2000; you’d better assess it.”

A fine layer of sweat instantly broke out on Chen Sheng's back.

As the head of North America, he actually understands the technology better than He Yuzhu.

This problem may seem simple, but it could be buried deep within countless lines of code and hardware logic. Once it erupts, the impact could be immeasurable.

"Boss, I understand! This is a critical issue, I'll personally oversee it immediately! Have New-Vison, NeoComm, and all departments within the group involved in software and embedded systems conduct a comprehensive screening and evaluation!"

"We need to act quickly, there's not much time left. If a risk is confirmed, develop a repair plan as soon as possible," He Yuzhu instructed. "This concerns the reliability of our products and the reputation of the group."

"Yes! I'll do it right away!"

After hanging up the phone, Chen Sheng didn't dare to delay for a moment. He immediately contacted New-Vision's CEO and CTO through an encrypted line and conveyed He Yuzhu's 'speculation'.

Initially, when New-Vision's core technical staff heard about this "two-digit year date problem," they were somewhat dismissive, thinking it was just a simple logical judgment that most modern systems should be able to handle correctly.

However, under Chen Sheng's insistence, they still formed a temporary evaluation team to conduct an in-depth review of the VISON system kernel, compiler, and date processing modules of several important application software.

A few days later, the evaluation team's preliminary results surprised everyone.

They discovered a hidden assumption in a low-level library function used for file system timestamp recording: the function defaults to recognizing dates in the 20th century only if the year is greater than or equal to 70 (i.e., 1970, the start of the Unix epoch). This means that when the year changes from "99" to "00", the function will interpret "00" as 1900, not 2000!
Although this function is not called in all scenarios, it can cause unpredictable errors when it is involved in processes that require calculating date spans (such as software licenses, log archiving, and scheduled tasks).

"This is a ticking time bomb!" New-Vision's technical director looked at the report, sweat beading on his forehead.

A more in-depth investigation was then launched, and it was found that similar problems were not isolated cases.

In some embedded code optimized for specific hardware platforms, some legacy commercial database interface drivers, and even some network communication protocol implementations, there exists potentially risky code based on the principle that "years less than a certain value are considered to be from the 1900s".

The importance of the problem was instantly elevated to the highest level.

New-Vision immediately assembled a team of skilled personnel to form a special task force to tackle the "Y2K" (Year 2000 Problem) problem.

Their task is to locate all at-risk code segments and develop corresponding patches in the shortest possible time.

The laboratory was brightly lit, where programmers manually reviewed the dense lines of code and wrote a large number of automated test scripts to simulate the critical time point from December 31, 1999 to January 1, 2000, and to stress test the various functions of the system.

The process was complicated and arduous.

Some risks are deeply hidden and require repeated testing and scrutiny to discover.

The team often argued until late at night about how to handle a boundary condition.

At the same time, Chen Sheng also had NeoComm conduct a simultaneous check, while He Yuzhu directly notified He Yaozong about Yellow River Communications in China.

He Yuzhu was also notified by Huagao Technology, as they also have their own self-developed system.

In addition, the IT department of the Yellow River Group also received instructions to conduct a self-inspection and crack down on bugs in the internal financial, logistics, and human resources management systems.

As August drew to a close, the "Y2K" upgrade patch for the Vison system was finally rolled out globally.

For individual users and some enterprise customers, this is simply a system update that requires confirmation.

New-Vison's customer service and technical support departments are on high alert to handle a potential surge in inquiries.

Regarding the mobile phone business, NeoComm, after a thorough investigation, confirmed that its feature phone system, due to its relatively simple architecture and the limited number of core functions involving complex date calculations, was less affected, and the corresponding microcode updates were quietly completed through the channels of partner operators.

In contrast, the IT department within the Yellow River Group was in dire straits.

The group has a wide range of businesses, and in its early years, it developed a variety of management systems, including financial, logistics, warehousing and manufacturing execution systems (MES).

Each one of them is interconnected and has far-reaching consequences.

The IT director, bearing the directive from He Yuzhu that the issue must be completely resolved by December 1st, practically lived in the office. He led his team and technical experts drawn from various subsidiaries, working day and night to screen, test, patch, and simulate operations across the new year.

The process was extremely difficult, and many other problems were discovered during it, which made the IT director very nervous.

In September, Lao Fan sent an invitation, which surprised He Yuzhu.

The next day, Lao Fang and Lao Zhao came over and said they would also be going. Then He Yuxin, He Yaozong, Xu Damao, Lu Shuyi and others told He Yuzhu that they had received invitations. Even He Yaozu had received an invitation to attend as a representative of Hong Kong businessmen. He Yuzhu knew that this was a large-scale invitation.

October 1st arrived quickly, marking the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Tiananmen Square in Beijing was newly decorated and filled with festive joy.

He Yuzhu, dressed in a brand-new dark Zhongshan suit with a small national flag badge pinned to his chest, rode with Lao Fang, Lao Zhao, and others to the viewing platform. He Daqing, Chen Lanxiang, Xiaoman, and the children stayed home to watch the live broadcast on television.

Representatives from all walks of life, foreign guests, and role models gathered on the viewing platform.

He Yuzhu and others are categorized as outstanding entrepreneurs, but not with Lao Fang and Lao Zhao. Their positions are not particularly high, but their vision is excellent.

He stood quietly, gazing at the newly renovated and even more magnificent Tiananmen Gate, his thoughts drifting back to that afternoon in 1949.

At that time, he was surrounded by his young parents, a healthy old lady, and several little ones.

The whole family squeezed into the jubilant crowd, standing on tiptoe, watching the red flag slowly rise and listening to the proclamation resound through the sky.

Fifty years have passed in the blink of an eye, and the country has undergone a complete transformation. His own life trajectory may not have followed his original plan, but he felt that he had not wasted his title of "time traveler" for what he had done in the past.

After the solemn flag-raising ceremony, the military parade officially began.

"Model soldier—take your positions!"

With a resounding command, the troops marched with powerful strides, like a moving city wall, passing through Tiananmen Square one after another.

The officers and soldiers of the Army, Navy, and Air Force were in high spirits and well-equipped, demonstrating the strict discipline and high morale of a modern army.

He Yuzhu's gaze swept carefully over the familiar standard rifles, new infantry fighting vehicles, and towed artillery.

"Huh?" Just then, He Yuzhu spotted a familiar formation, or rather, a few familiar people, and a smile appeared on his face.

Wu Wanli, Yu Congrong, and He Yuyan—they are from the armored vehicle squad. No wonder we couldn't contact them before; they were secretly training.

The main battle equipment of the army that was unveiled this time is mostly an improved version of the previous equipment, which reflects solid foundation and steady improvement, but it is not the kind of epoch-making "secret weapon" that the outside world has speculated or expected.

He had seen the outlines of wheeled armored vehicles, new self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, and communication command vehicles with long antennas in the cooperation project documents of Huagao Technology or Heavy Industry.

His mood was calm, with a sense of scrutiny and understanding.

As the vehicle formation of the strategic missile force slowly drove in, a low, barely suppressed gasp of amazement rose from the reviewing stand.

The massive, robust missile launchers, covered in camouflage canvas, resembled silent behemoths, exuding a chilling aura of intimidation as they were towed by heavy-duty tractors.

This is a true national treasure, a solid shield to ensure peace.

He Yuzhu's eyes became exceptionally deep at this moment. He knew how powerful these "weapons of mass destruction" would be in the future.

An aerial formation roared in, with fighter jets, bombers, and tankers flying in neat formation across the sky.

As the domestically produced fighter jets flew past with practiced ease, He Yuzhu's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile.

He recognized the figure. Although it was not the most advanced model that was publicly displayed, its smooth aerodynamic layout and stable flight attitude had already demonstrated the great progress of China's aviation industry.

The entire parade was solemn, dignified, and full of power.

There were no overly advanced concepts or fancy equipment; it was more like a comprehensive review of the solid foundation of the national defense industry and the spirit of the People's Army.

He Yuzhu understood the deeper meaning behind this: to bide one's time and conceal one's abilities.

After the military parade, a mass procession followed, and a sea of ​​joy instantly overwhelmed the solemnity of the square.

The floats, songs, dances, and cheering crowds showcased the remarkable achievements of all sectors of society and the happy lives of the people over the past fifty years.

Standing on the viewing platform, He Yuzhu looked at the grand scene before him, feeling a mix of nostalgia for the past, satisfaction with the present development, and cautious anticipation for the future.

After fifty years of trials and tribulations, he stands here again now in his sixties.

After the military parade, He Yuzhu and his relatives and friends took a car back to Nanluoguxiang.

As soon as the car turned into the alley, we heard a commotion coming from courtyard number 95.

The courtyard gate was wide open, and the inside was bustling with people, even more lively than during the Chinese New Year.

The elderly and children of the He family compound were all waiting for them in the front yard.

"Dad, you're back!" He Yaozu shouted.

"You got home before us," He Yuzhu said with a smile.

“I’m closer to home,” He Yaozu said.

He Yuzhu walked into the courtyard with a smile on his face and was immediately surrounded by his grandchildren.

"Grandpa, we saw the military parade on TV! It was so impressive! Those tanks and planes, they were so fast!"

"Grandpa, those uncles in the marching formation, they raised their legs all the same height, that's amazing!" The granddaughter squeezed in, her little face flushed with excitement.

He Yuzhu patted the children's heads, then looked past them and saw He Daqing and Chen Lanxiang being surrounded by people under the eaves of the main house.

The two elders sat in rattan chairs, covered with a thin blanket, their faces beaming with pride and satisfaction. What an honor it was for so many members of their family to be able to attend.

"Zhu Zi, come here quickly and tell us about it. Isn't it more exciting to see it live?" He Daqing's voice was still loud and clear. Although his legs and feet were not as nimble as before, he was full of energy.

Chen Lanxiang smiled and waved, "Yes, you can see it clearly on site, right? It just flashes by on TV."

He Yuzhu walked over and sat down on the stool next to the two elders.

Xiaoman handed over a cup of warm tea and asked in a low voice, "Are you tired? You've been standing for ages."

"Not tired." He Yuzhu took the teacup, took a sip, and said to his parents, "Seeing it in person is even more impressive; the atmosphere is completely different."

At this time, Xu Damao, He Yuxin, He Yaozong and others also returned one after another, making the courtyard even more lively.

Everyone was excitedly discussing the military parade they had just witnessed.

Looking at the lively scene before him, and recalling the spectacular scene on TV earlier, He Yaozu couldn't help but ask, "Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, Mom, you always say that you participated in the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China fifty years ago. What was it like back then?"

This question immediately stirred up memories for the older generation.

He Daqing leaned back in his chair, squinted his eyes, and fell into a distant memory: "Fifty years ago, it was nothing like today. Back then, your grandma, your dad, your mom, and I would squeeze into the crowd in Dongdan early in the morning. There weren't any good viewing platforms like that. Everyone was standing, tiptoeing, and pushing forward just to get a better view."

Chen Lanxiang picked up the conversation, her voice gentle: "Yes, back then your father was just a boy, and your mother was even younger. When they were squeezed in the crowd, your Aunt Siyu was held up by your father to see her."

"Ah, Aunt Siyu also participated. How old was she back then?" He Yaozu asked in surprise.

“Hehe, she’s not even a year old yet. But how could we miss this opportunity? I didn’t want to take her in at first, but your dad insisted. Otherwise, your Ping Grandma would have to stay home and look after her. No, I should say your grandma would have to stay home and look after her,” Chen Lanxiang said.

"Ah! Why?"

"Your Grandma Cuiping has a mission!" Chen Lanxiang said with a smile.

Xiaoman softly added to the children, "Back then, the square wasn't as flat and open as it is now. The troops participating in the parade had a lot of equipment captured from the enemy—a hodgepodge of equipment from all over the world. There were few planes, so they flew twice. Compared to what we see today, which is all new equipment made by ourselves, it's incomparable."

He Yuzhu listened to his family's story without interrupting, simply sipping his tea in silence.

The scene from fifty years ago remains vivid in his mind: the sea of ​​people, buoyed by their simple yet passionate enthusiasm; the red flag, rising slowly from a makeshift flagpole, carrying immense significance; the parade troops, bearing the scent of war and rudimentary equipment, yet brimming with fighting spirit; and the resounding declaration echoing across the square.
"However, that feeling of joy is the same!" He Daqing raised his voice, pulling He Yuzhu back from his memories. "Back then, everyone felt that dawn was breaking and good days were coming! Looking at it today, we really have caught up with these good days! The country is strong, the army is strong, and our family is doing well too!" As he spoke, his gaze swept over his children and grandchildren, his face filled with undisguised satisfaction.

"Yes, yes! Life is getting better and better!" Everyone echoed, and the courtyard was filled with laughter.

The afterglow of the setting sun spilled into the courtyard, bathing everyone in a warm golden light.

The television inside the house was still replaying the grand military parade, and the jujube trees in the yard were laden with fruit, while the pomegranates were bursting open.

Looking at this peaceful and prosperous scene of four generations living together, and recalling the vicissitudes of half a century ago, He Yuzhu gently held Xiaoman's hand beside him. The two smiled at each other, and many words were no longer needed.

Preparations for the family dinner began in the afternoon.

In the kitchen, He Yuzhu, wearing an apron, was personally cooking.

The younger brother, sister-in-law, son, and daughter-in-law helped out, washing vegetables, cutting meat, and peeling garlic, working busily and enthusiastically.

The fire in the stove was blazing, and the braised pork stewing in the large iron pot was bubbling and steaming, filling the entire courtyard with the rich aroma of soy sauce mixed with the spiciness of scallions and ginger.

"Brother, the fish is ready. Do you want it steamed or braised?" Xu Damao came in carrying a large, cleaned carp, sweat beading on his forehead.

"You're asking me to steam a carp? Have your cooking skills not improved at all over the years?" He Yuzhu didn't even turn his head, focusing intently on rubbing salt and cooking wine onto a plump chicken, preparing to make Sichuan-style saliva chicken.

Xu Damao chuckled: "Hehe, I need time to learn! I'm always running around, it's good enough if I can recognize all the seasonings."

He Yuxin, who was slicing cured meat, laughed and said, "Brother Da Mao, those hands of yours are now used for abacus and signing contracts. You should leave the wok-frying to the professionals."

"That's right, everyone has their own expertise!" Xu Damao placed the fish on the cutting board. "Brother Zhu, let's braise it then, it'll be more flavorful!"

He Yuzhu glanced at the fish and nodded, "Leave it there, I'll take care of it later. Yaozong, open the jar of yellow wine I brought and warm it up. Let your grandparents drink some warm wine later to relax their muscles and improve blood circulation."

"Okay, Dad." He Yaozong replied and went to get busy.

In the courtyard, children chased and played, their cheerful laughter mingling with the sounds of bustling activity from the kitchen.

Chen Lanxiang, Wang Hongxia, Wang Cuiping and others sat under the eaves, watching the children with satisfied smiles on their faces.

"Shuyi, is Huagao Technology still that busy lately?" Xiaoman asked Lu Shuyi, who was peeling garlic.

Lu Shuyi rubbed her slightly sore wrists and nodded: "Mom, I'm still busy. Several key projects are at critical junctures, so I can't afford to slack off. But watching the military parade today, I feel that all the hard work is worth it."

Wang Cuiping sighed, "Yes, seeing the country so strong makes us old folks feel at ease. You young people, keep up the good work, things will get even better in the future."

As darkness fell, bright electric lights were turned on in the courtyard.

Five large round tables were set up and covered with clean tablecloths.

One after another, dishes with appealing colors, aromas, and flavors were served: glistening and tempting braised pork, fragrant braised carp, crispy-skinned and tender Sichuan-style chicken, steamed assorted preserved meats, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and winter melon and pork rib soup, all exuding a rich and delicious aroma.

He Daqing and Chen Lanxiang were helped to sit in the main seats, and the family members sat around them in order of seniority, filling all five large tables.

He Yuzhu picked up the warm rice wine, stood up, looked around at his family members, and said in a loud voice, "Dad, Mom, today is a joyous day. Our country is fifty years old, and it's getting better and better! Our family is also thriving and prosperous! Come, the first cup of wine, to wish our country prosperity and strength!"

"May our nation prosper and flourish!" Everyone stood up, echoing in unison, and drank their wine in one gulp.

He Daqing's face was flushed with excitement as he said, "Great! Great! Looking at you all, looking at this life, your mother and I are content with our lives!"

Chen Lanxiang nodded repeatedly, her eyes slightly moist.

Then, everyone started eating, and the atmosphere at the table immediately became lively.

The children eagerly picked out their favorite dishes, while the adults toasted each other, chatted about everyday life, discussed the exciting moments of the military parade, and exchanged information about their work.

He Yaozong clinked glasses with Xu Damao and asked, "Uncle Damao, has there been any progress in the lawsuits between the Traditional Chinese Medicine Alliance and those companies?"

Xu Damao chewed on a piece of chicken and mumbled, "It's just a lot of wrangling! They're trying to exploit loopholes in the patent, but it's not that easy. We're not afraid of them now, it's just that the process is tedious. What about your side?"

"My dad gave me a new task!"

"Oh, how come I haven't heard of that?"

"Smartphone project."

"Tell me more details," He Yuxin said, while He Yaozu listened attentively.

He Yaozong put down his wine glass, cleared his throat, and had the excitement of a technologist talking about cutting-edge fields on his face: "The 'smartphone' project that my dad proposed this time, simply put, is to integrate many of the functions we usually use on computers, such as more complex office processing, internet browsing, and even various customized software that may appear in the future, into a phone that can be put in your pocket."

"Put a computer inside a phone?" Xu Damao paused, raising an eyebrow. "That's a novel idea. What kind of phone would it be? As thick as a brick?"

“The appearance will definitely need to be constantly iterated, with the goal of being lightweight and portable,” He Yaozong explained. “The key lies in the ‘chip’ and ‘system’ inside. NeoComm is working with New-Vision in North America to develop a new system called ‘Super Vison’. This system is not like the fixed programs in our current feature phones; it’s more like a platform that allows users to install and uninstall various applications, just like installing programs on a computer.”

Ho Yiu-cho picked up the conversation. With his extensive experience in Hong Kong and overseas, he added, "I've also heard similar concept prototypes in some overseas technology forums and internal exchanges. They call them PDAs. Is this what it is?"

"It's much more advanced than that. You know, that PDA is basically used in industry, maybe for warehousing or something."

"Well, if the new phone can really be made, it won't just be able to make calls and send text messages."

"Yes, for example, you can use your phone to check emails, process documents, navigate maps, and even watch movies in the future. Imagine being able to handle business or entertainment while sitting in a car or at an airport; this will bring about a great change to mobile work and lifestyle."

Although Xu Damao's main business is in traditional Chinese medicine, as a core member of the group, he is also very sensitive to the major trends in the communications industry.

He pondered for a moment and said, "If this really works out, the requirements for the communication network will be much higher. Our current GSM network is fine for voice calls and text messages, but to transmit large amounts of data, such as real-time maps and email attachments, the network speed will need to be increased several levels. This involves a huge investment in infrastructure, but also a huge market opportunity." He looked at He Yaozong, "Is your telecommunications company prepared for next-generation network technology?"

He Yaozong nodded: "My dad mentioned it before, and our lab is already researching 3G technology. Indeed, without the support of high-speed mobile networks, smartphones are like good cars without wide roads—they can't run. It's a systems engineering project; terminals, systems, and networks must develop in tandem."

Listening to his son and brothers' discussion, He Yuzhu slowly opened his mouth, setting the tone for the discussion: "Yaozong is right, this is an ecosystem, not a single product. The 'Super Vision' system, NeoComm's hardware, Taishan Group's touch screen, and the various future applications Yaozu mentioned, including the network support Da Mao mentioned, are all indispensable. Right now, it seems like a large investment, high risk, and slow returns, but this is a track for the future. We may not be the first to cross the finish line, but we must start early and master the core technologies and patents."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the group: "The internet is connecting the world, and the future of mobile communications is to put the internet in everyone's pocket. The opportunities here are potentially greater than any business we've done in the past. The future of communications and electronics is about to take flight, and each of your fields needs to be prepared to connect with this."

(End of this chapter)