Time Travel: The Queen's Coronation

After marriage, Li Zhanwen and I lived a simple but happy life, raising our children together. Together, we built Zhongding into a multinational corporation, and within ten years, I became the world's richest man.

From an ordinary farm girl to the world's richest person, my success story has been widely circulated. My story has been written into books or adapted into film and television works, and I have been constantly invited to various interview programs.

Host: (Smiling, facing the camera) Welcome everyone to this episode of "Time's Elite." I'm your host, Zhang Jing. Today, we're honored to have invited a shining and accomplished leader in the business world—Wei Qing, founder of Zhongding Group! Let's welcome him with applause!

Me: (smiling, dignified) Hello, host!

Host: Mr. Wei, we know that you were a programmer working in technology at the beginning. Can you share with us what led you to start your own business?

Me: I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to share my experience on this show. Initially, I majored in computer science and planned to pursue a technical career. However, I was fortunate to have my mentor, Xiao Yuan of Yuanyuan Group. He gave me tremendous support, and together we built Yuanyuan from strength to strength. When the company reached a certain size, I needed to transition from technical to management. After accumulating management experience and capital, I wanted to strike out on my own, so I founded Zhongding.

Host: Why didn’t you leave Yuanyuan after you founded Zhongding?

Me: Yuanyuan is like my root. As long as it still needs me, I will not leave easily.

Host: In your career, is there a person or a sentence that has had a particularly great influence on you?

Me: Yes, Xiao Yuan had a huge influence on me. When I was a student, he had high hopes for me and supported me unconditionally. This gave me immense confidence and allowed me to face challenges head-on.

Host: We know that you have encountered many difficulties during your entrepreneurial journey. Can you tell us about the one that impressed you the most?

Me: The most profound memory was the acquisition of the Sosby Group five years ago. Because Sosby was a foreign company, their employees came from a completely different cultural background than ours. After the acquisition, we failed to pay attention to some local customs. The local employees felt provoked and insulted, leading to a massive protest and strike. This incident caused us significant losses, and we put a lot of effort into handling it.

Host: Can you tell us specifically what the problem is?

Me: Actually, I just didn’t pay attention to the details. Due to religious beliefs, some foreign employees don’t eat pork. However, most of the food at a dinner party after the acquisition was made of pork, which caused some conflicts.

Host: The differences between different cultural backgrounds do exist. How do you manage them?

Me: First and foremost, middle management must understand cultural differences to avoid missteps when assigning tasks. For example, if middle management knows that an employee doesn't eat pork, they should avoid making pork the primary meat. Otherwise, others might misunderstand and think you're being deliberate or provocative. From that point on, all expatriates must learn the local cultural taboos to avoid pitfalls.

Host: Does this situation still happen now?

Me: Nothing like this has happened in recent years. After all, if you fail the exam, you cannot be assigned abroad.

Host: There is a TV series called "Girl's Success Story" that is currently on the air. This TV series is adapted from the work "Queen's Coronation" by the famous biographer Xu Wei. This work tells your story. Are you watching this TV series?

Me: (laughing) I am watching it. All my friends and family are watching it. Sometimes they would ask me if some of the plots are true.

Host: Can you give an example?

Me: (Smiling) It's about the relationship between the protagonist Wei Qing and the second male lead Xiao Yuan. Many people have asked me if there was a secret relationship between Xiao Yuan and me. I want to clarify here that Xiao Yuan and I are just friends, and there has never been any romantic relationship between us!

Host: (Laughs) Maybe the male actor is more handsome, so everyone is a little bit obsessed with their couple.

Me: You can all you want, but that’s just the plot!

Host: I saw your son post a video of you interacting with him by posting barrage comments. Did you also post barrage comments while watching this drama?

Me: Yes! I always like to open and post comments when watching videos because they are very interesting.

Host: Can you share with us which plots you posted barrages for or which netizens’ barrages you think are more interesting?

Me: It’s the plot of Wei Qing and Xiao Yuan. Everyone may like to watch the story of Cinderella and the domineering president. There are too many CPs in the barrage, and it even happened in reality, so I posted a lot of barrages to clarify.

Host: Do you think the screenwriter has portrayed the character Wei Qing, who is based on you, in a three-dimensional way?

Me: Because I write novels myself, I feel the screenwriter's portrayal isn't three-dimensional enough. The original novel was written based on an interview with me, so it's a documentary. But this drama has been adapted into a romantic idol drama, with even the lead male character, the second male character, and the third male character coming to Wei Qing's aid when she encounters difficulties. I feel like this negates my achievements! I didn't rely on men to achieve my current success! Relationships are only a small part of my success, not the whole story! I've worked with many outstanding men, but it's a win-win partnership, not a coercive one. Collaboration is essential in business!

Host: You just said that your achievements were not due to men, so some people would argue that Xiao Yuan was not a man? And your success was due to Xiao Yuan, your mentor.

Me: Actually, there's a misunderstanding. People think that truly independent women rely on themselves and no one else. This is wrong, because humans are inherently social beings who need to collaborate with each other. Relying on one person won't get you anywhere in society! For example, Xiao Yuan provides the platform resources, and I provide the technical expertise. We complement each other, and there's no such thing as one relying on the other. When I encountered difficulties, I took the initiative to solve them. But you can't say that I relied on a few men just because I collaborated with them to solve them. That's wrong! It's a mistranslation! But if you say they relied on me, then I have no problem with that! (Laughter)

Host: Hahahaha! Finally, do you have any advice or words for young people who are pursuing their dreams?

Me: Well, I'd say, be brave and pursue your dreams! Don't be afraid of failure, because every failure is a step towards success. Also, learn to balance work and life and maintain inner peace and happiness. Remember, your value isn't defined by others, it's created by you. Believe in yourself; you're stronger than you think!

Host: Thank you, Mr. Wei Qing, for your wonderful sharing today. Your stories and wisdom have undoubtedly inspired and encouraged the audience. Let us once again give you a warm round of applause! We look forward to your continued leadership and continued success in the future.

Me: (Smiling) Thank you, host, and thank you, Times Elite. I hope everyone can find their own stage and shine!

Returning home that evening, I looked at my children at the dinner table. The eldest, Jiashu and Jiache, were already twenty, and the youngest, Changheng and Rourou, were already in their teens. Li Zhanwen and I had already entered middle age, our faces bearing the marks of time. As the Yangtze River's waves push forward, my younger generation has grown up! They will inherit the empire we've built and shoulder the burdens we've shouldered.

I fell into a sweet dream at night and dreamed of that hot summer, the starting point that changed my destiny.

The book is finished!