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墨書 Inktalez
Time quietly slipped into the summer of 1989. The spring breeze of reform and opening-up had blown for a full decade, and the land of China was bursting with vitality, while also surging with unprecedented currents of change. For Jiang Tao, these years were the most fruitful and transformative of his life.
His Jiang Hai Electronic Service Co., Ltd. was no longer the small stall in a market corner or the little shop in an alley it once was. With solid technology, reliable reputation, and an ever-expanding business scope, Jiang Ji had become a well-known brand not only in the city but also in the surrounding areas. He had even acquired land on the outskirts of the city to build a small processing workshop and warehouse, specifically to handle the growing refurbishment business and to experiment with small-batch part manufacturing.
His second child with Lin Wei, a lively and adorable daughter named Jiang Xiaoya, was already over a year old. Their son, Jiang Xiaodong, was particularly mischievous, running around their spacious and comfortable courtyard all day long. Lin Wei devoted herself entirely to family life and assisted Jiang Tao in managing the company’s finances and administration. Old Master Liu and Wang Hao, who had grown into a technical backbone of the business, managed the daily affairs of the shop and workshop efficiently. Jiang Tao himself played more of a role as the "helmsman" and "technical consultant," dealing with higher-end business matters and contemplating the long-term development of the company.
Everything seemed to be on a stable and beautiful track.
However, the market would never remain unchanged, especially in this era of rapid transformation.
One day, Jiang Tao took Lin Wei and their two children to visit the largest department store in the city, which had just reopened after renovation, to buy new clothes and toys for the kids.
The mall was bustling with people, filled with a lively atmosphere. The most eye-catching area was undoubtedly the home appliance section on the first floor. Brand new Changhong color televisions, Haier double-door refrigerators, Little Swan fully automatic washing machines… these large items represented the latest trends and quality of life, attracting countless citizens who stopped to gaze at them with longing eyes. The salespeople wore matching uniforms and enthusiastically introduced the products' features, a stark contrast to the indifferent attitude seen in state-run stores just a few years prior.
As Jiang Tao watched the excited crowd and then glanced at his own store where refurbished black-and-white televisions and single-tub washing machines were still selling well, he felt a faint sense of crisis for the first time.
"Times have changed..." he mused quietly. "People are no longer satisfied with just 'having'; they are beginning to pursue 'quality' and 'novelty.' Relying solely on repairing old items might soon fall behind."
Lin Wei seemed to sense his thoughts and gently nudged him: "What’s wrong? Did you see something you like? Should we buy a color TV to take home?" They were still using a 14-inch black-and-white television that Jiang Tao had refurbished himself.
Jiang Tao smiled: "We do need to buy a color TV, but not right now. I’m thinking that our business needs to change as well."
Just as Jiang Tao contemplated future directions for development, new challenges quietly approached.
The next day, Wang Hao came to Jiang Tao's office with a serious expression.
"Brother Jiang, something's happened!" Wang Hao said anxiously.
"What’s going on? Take your time; don’t rush," Jiang Tao gestured for him to sit down.
"A new appliance store just opened on Liberation Road—the busiest street downtown—called Southern Electric! I passed by yesterday; it’s impressive!" Wang Hao gestured animatedly. "It has two floors decorated like something out of Hong Kong—shiny! They have all imported goods: Sony, Panasonic, Hitachi… every brand you can think of! They not only sell new items but also repair them! They’re advertising that their technicians are all from Guangdong—top-notch skills!"
Jiang Tao frowned slightly: "Southern Electric? From Shenzhen?" By the end of the 1980s, it was indeed not surprising that some powerful individuals from southern China were expanding their markets northward.
"Most likely!" Wang Hao nodded. "The key is they’re offering an opening promotion—repair fees at 20% off! They’re specifically targeting imported appliances! I heard from Old Master Liu that there’s been a noticeable drop in customers coming in for repairs on imported goods or inquiries about high-end refurbishment lately; it seems they’ve all been attracted over there!"
"Oh?" Jiang Tao lightly tapped his fingers on the desk as he fell into thought.
He wasn’t afraid of competition; in fact, he welcomed it—competition fostered progress. But this rival had come out swinging right away, directly entering his most profitable area—the repair of imported appliances and high-end refurbishment—where technical barriers were relatively high. This was clearly aimed at him or rather at this segment of the market.
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