I am not Ximen Qing.

The internet can create sensational events. The Taiwan CHI virus, which directly attacks motherboards, requires Lenovo's QDI motherboard after-sales service department to constantly refresh the CMOS every day and every month. The spirit of Silicon Valley is subtly and gradually surging in Zhongguancun Street.

The revolution in education has begun, the revolution in information technology has begun. Zhang Chao, a DIY enthusiast, would always show off his hippie spirit at Zhongguancun Electronics Street whenever he promoted his company's educational software. This place was also a paradise for copying. All because the profits were so huge, the risks were worthwhile. Why not start a computer company? Like Lenovo, Founder, Tsinghua, Tongfang, Shida, Great Wall, HP, IBM, Dell—everything was readily available. The world was filled with the allure of money. A portion of the profits from the educational revolution software could be used to acquire a private computer company called Apollo, reducing all sorts of bizarre computer hardware problems for school principals. Sometimes, even hundreds of engineers couldn't solve the computer's inherent malfunctions. This was the spirit of speculation, stemming from the Soviet Union's belief in American economic treatment methods, euphemistically called shock therapy, and the pursuit of absolute market liberalization. This gave Chinese leaders an unparalleled opportunity to speculate and make a fortune, a spirit of creation and savior. The world has gone mad.

1998 was a special year, with a large number of state-owned enterprises in Northeast China going bankrupt, leading to a wave of unemployment. Humans are pitiful creatures, sometimes they are, sometimes they aren't. If generations have worked for a large state-owned enterprise, and suddenly the enterprise goes bankrupt, the workers, besides knowing how to be laborers, really don't know anything else. Heavy manufacturing wasn't a problem, but once the economy returned to a free market, the workers couldn't immediately seize the opportunities.

Zhang Chao had long foreseen the development trends following the reform and opening up. He could network with computer assemblers throughout Zhongguancun and form alliances with major distributors. He also had established channels for HP peripherals, printers, Canon products, Sony products, and even Apple products. What influenced him most deeply? The Zhongguancun speculative legend. He was among the first to realize the problem of unbalanced distribution of educational resources in China, which presented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for his company to become a unicorn. The rapid development of the internet information industry had the greatest impact on the traditional Haidian book market. With the rapid adoption of computers, traditional learning and reading habits in individuals and families changed. The golden age of Zhongguancun, one of the three chapters of the era of gold, silver, and iron, was filled with magical stories. Anyone who came here and spent months wandering around the electronics market would be considered an idiot to truly appreciate its grandeur. The entrepreneurial revolution in Silicon Valley made me realize that book knowledge and real-world practice are worlds apart. A thousand repetitions in the classroom with outdated textbooks are no match for a glance at a priceless CPU in an electronics market. Intel, AMD, and Cyryx—the three giants of high-end devices—are all driven by the desire to start a business. Rent a space, buy dozens of computers, and launch a massive computer technology training program. They'll teach anything; it's an era of insatiable thirst for knowledge.

The information explosion unexpectedly gave rise to the first spirit of equal and free entrepreneurship, which emerged from the various electronics markets and the shops and malls of Zhongguancun. This was an entrepreneurial paradise, a place where entrepreneurs, educated in the spirit of freedom and equality, were unaware of the legendary stories of American companies and Intel, but the great technological products born from the entrepreneurial spirit of these pioneering entrepreneurs were indeed displayed in every corner of the store counters.

The focus may differ, but the topics of discussion remain constant, brimming with enthusiasm yet undeniably revolving around the naked reality of money in this era of pure wealth. Every evening at the end of the day, stories of incredible fortunes—overnight riches, hundreds of thousands, millions, even tens of millions—are commonplace. This extreme lack of transparency in information creates enormous wealth. For example, someone might work themselves to the bone for a year to earn ten million, but then effortlessly make hundreds of millions selling EGA chips from a small counter in Hong Kong, even achieving a public listing. Information asymmetry generates massive profits. It doesn't require intelligence; one only needs to choose the right trend and direction. Rent a counter or shop in any electronics market. All electronic components have general agents, primary agents, and secondary agents. These agents will fill the shelves whenever they see space. Once the products are on the market shelves, the quantum theory of probability and uncertainty begins to exert its matrix and force effects. This is the realm of knowledge creation and innovation.

Zhang Chao, brimming with quantum concepts and theories, saw every opportunity for creative and innovative ideas in the world. His team brainstormed from morning till night, constantly discussing and implementing the startup plans he discovered. Students were incredibly enthusiastic; his educational revolution was a hot seller in Beijing's exhibition halls, convention centers, museums, and libraries. He proposed the concept of seizing the window of opportunity, because the period of elimination was fast approaching. Just as Moore's Law applies to the graphics card industry, in the life-or-death choices between ATI and NVIDIA, and in the battle between AMD and Intel, Cyrix had gradually lost its market share, leaving only the battle of giants.

The United States will not allow trusts to monopolize any sector, as that would hinder innovation. Xerox inspired Steve Jobs' revolutionary advancements at Apple, and similarly inspired further innovation at Microsoft and Google. This is somewhat similar to the creative process of copying art, originating from the spark of inspiration from the Muses. He admired Microsoft, Apple, Google, and Intel, and aspired to work for these great companies. For entrepreneurs with a physics background, the difference between an entrepreneur and a businessman, and their broader implications, might not be clear. The huge profits and prestige brought by the sale of tens of thousands or even millions of books, including software, have propelled a company team from a few hundred to thousands. They've also acquired their own office building in the high-tech industrial park of Shangdi, the information industry base of Haidian District, forming a complete industrial chain with leading unicorn companies like Huawei and Lenovo, as well as other high-tech private enterprises in the information industry.

Sitting in the company, seeing the brightly lit offices of international giants with their culture of working overtime at night can elevate a company's strategic thinking to a new level. Because everything is blank, simply pushing forward product development and market launch will immediately generate a huge response. This tidal wave of response can cause a loss of the importance of truth and direction, leading to frenzy, fearlessness, and misguided judgments. Helen's company continues to achieve one sales record after another. If everyone knows Apple's entrepreneurial history, everything revolves around the product. From the Apple computer, born in a garage, to the first, second, and third generations, and the groundbreaking birth of Lisa, everything in the company revolves around the product. Whether the company encounters bottlenecks or peaks in its development, Apple is always the protagonist.

As Dickens said, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." Is there ever another era so conducive to entrepreneurship? No, there isn't. Any unicorn can be born in a student dorm room, or in a garage. The true Silicon Valley spirit of open and free entrepreneurship is a competition of passion, a pursuit of product perfection, and an endless drive for innovation. IBM's meteoric rise and its giant brand influence in the business world are immense. Even Gerstner's IBM elephant could dance a romantic waltz; the alliance between Intel and Microsoft (WinIntel); Xerox as the source of all inspiration. Jobs seized a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; Gates, a master of the art of "theft is worse than creation," exemplifies this, as seen in Google's open-source Android operating system—a clash of two artistic philosophies.

IBM's success in the business world was not accidental. It stemmed from its unwavering focus on core technologies for enterprise development and its continuous innovation that led the world in technological advancement. Similarly, Helen Parker, riding the wave of the times, developed revolutionary educational software that met industry demands. These projects were uncharted territories, and having something was always more impactful than having nothing – a characteristic of the era, a time of diverse choices. Everything was also characterized by fervor, a fervent, exclusive, and blindly enthusiastic response to anything new. Without computers, computer rooms had to be built, computers purchased, software installed, internet access established, and new-era computer talent cultivated. Those who understood computers, could program, and develop software systems were considered highly skilled, and those who provided computer training were the first to earn their initial fortune.

Various bizarre computer malfunctions couldn't stop the exploration and pursuit of computers. Learning a DOS operating system could take months, Win98 a year, and Office 97 a few months. Photoshop, 3D Max, and other professional software and system projects became popular due to the ever-increasing power of computers. The fission of Silicon Valley's innovative spirit developed little by little in the seemingly bustling electronics markets of Zhongguancun. These markets were once much larger than the garage of Steve Jobs' parents. There were the Keyuan Electronics Market, the Zhonghai Electronics Market, the Silicon Valley Electronics Market, the Kehai Electronics Market, and countless other electronics markets scattered throughout the surrounding area.

Haidian is the birthplace of the magnificent Three Hills and Five Gardens, the back garden of Ming and Qing emperors, and the garden most beloved by Nalan Xingde. A world of lotus flowers, lakes and ponds, Changchun Garden, Qinghua Garden, Qichun Garden, Changchun Garden, Yuanmingyuan Garden, Yilan Garden—imagine the pervasive scholarly atmosphere here, with countless bookstores of all sizes in Haidian. Zhang Chao seems invincible, possessing the courage and luck of Huo Qubing. Everyone in the company idolizes him like a leader, displaying a ruthless edge reminiscent of the Wolf of Wall Street. He brings forth one innovative idea after another, developing a catering management software system. The company leadership sometimes holds meetings in restaurants and eateries of all sizes in Beijing. Since the educational revolution is so blazing hot, why doesn't the catering industry develop an information management system? Without the internet, without information, it's tantamount to backwardness, tantamount to annihilation, tantamount to being attacked. Backwardness invites attack. China has suffered from the consequences of closed-door policy and blind self-confidence. Even the arrogant Qianlong Emperor probably didn't foresee that his greatest masterpiece would be destroyed by the Three-Body Problem of the Eight-Nation Alliance. An elephant crushing an ant shows no pity or sympathy, because the difference in their levels of understanding is too vast. Only Li Hongzhang himself knows his reflections after his missions to the United States and Germany. Quantum theory isn't new, but very few people in Zhongguancun truly understand it. Zhang Chao, however, is one of them. He's far more capable than Zhang Cheng. In the director's eyes, Zhang Cheng is revered like a Buddha within the company, but what is he compared to the plethora of talent at prestigious universities like Tsinghua and Peking University? Nothing at all.

Wang Shuxue, with a square face, upward-rolling eyes, and large lips, liked to frequent the Zhongguancun market to get a feel for the market. After acquiring Apollo Computer, Heien Cumpany unexpectedly gained the services of Cao Ge and Xue Caizi. One had worked in IBM's division, and the other in HP's division, both driven by dreams of achieving great things. They joined Apollo Computer as partners. But who could have imagined that the founder would pass away unexpectedly? This was a stroke of luck amidst misfortune.

Providing compatible PCs to schools always resulted in some problems. The era of DIY PC building was over, and Zhang Chao simply acquired Apollo Computers. Cao Ge and Xue Caizi were deeply impressed by Zhang Chao's quantum theory; the results were undeniable, a truly mythical accumulation of wealth. Before that, Apollo Computers was like an elephant compared to an ant. Having cultivated the IT industry for so long, they possessed abundant experience and connections, making large-scale marketing campaigns, advertising planning, and television advertising a natural fit. Everyone believed in Zhang Chao's quantum theory of entrepreneurship, pursuing the entrepreneurial spirit that was the driving force for a company's sustainable development. However, Wei Hua, in charge of the software development department, rationally believed that the company's crisis was growing. Relying on Zhang Chao's individualistic approach was creating bottlenecks; continued innovation with the existing team was almost impossible, because a single slogan could immediately generate billions in revenue—a unique moment in Zhongguancun's history.

Wei Hua, as the project leader for Zhang Chao Software, possesses exceptional abilities, and the educational software does indeed meet current market share and needs. However, with the rational foresight of a programmer and architect, Wei Hua believes the company still lacks a flagship product to firmly establish itself in the market. Educational software is highly policy-driven, and its sustainability over the next decade cannot be guaranteed. The revolutionary Xerox graphical operating system gave rise to giants like Apple and Microsoft. IBM propelled Microsoft to success. From DOS to Windows, Apple's fully closed ecosystem demonstrates how application software and hardware can maintain innovative vitality in market competition.

Industry users and enterprise users should be the future development direction. This includes the oil industry, the tobacco industry, and financial system software. However, perhaps Zhang Chao made too much quick money back then, despite his impressive slogans—aiming to be the next Microsoft, the next Oracle, the next Chinese unicorn.

Jiang Tao was working in Cao Ge's advertising and marketing team, waiting for an opportunity. He didn't need to rack his brains; he could simply follow the team's lead. He summarized Zhang Chao's quantum theory, deeming it too avant-garde and flamboyant. He thought Newton was better, more reliable on Earth, and that standing on the shoulders of giants was much more practical—it seemed more promising and offered tangible benefits than quantum theory. This was Jiang Tao's "Giant Theory," "Talent Theory," and "Financier Theory." He believed Zhang Chao was a tragedy for Zhongguancun and for China, frequently cursing Zhang Chao for his shrewdness and inflexibility. He believed that no matter how much cash flow a company received, a corresponding internet bubble would always emerge.

Wei Hua is a top student from Beijing University of Science and Technology, while Jiang Tao is a top student from Beihang University. Due to their work, Jiang Tao would occasionally and sensitively communicate with the software development division, raising various challenging development problems posed by clients. Both Wei Hua and Jiang Tao share a common trait: they are skilled at building teams. In a company, having your own team is essential to earning respect and being valued. Zhang Chao holds a double degree, and programming is one of his passionate driving forces. However, as his market share continued to grow, he focused too much of his energy on creativity, working from morning till night, naturally delegating more responsibility to Wei Hua.