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Chapter 1493: Chapter 1336: Chicanery (Please Subscribe!)
Million downloads.
This number.
People in the industry are nothing but jealous, extremely jealous. Penguin is feeling pretty frustrated; if there’s the first million, can the second million be far behind? And when it reaches the tenth million, who can extinguish WeChat?
Times.
Are getting tough.
...
Evening.
Midnight.
The first-day download figure for WeChat was released.
Two million three hundred and thirty-six thousand.
Two million and fifty thousand domestically, and thirty-one thousand internationally. From the language versions, it’s clear that the international users are mostly Chinese; the download volume from foreigners is minimal and can almost be neglected.
Tang Qing is not in a rush.
Take it slow.
He’s not worried about someone snatching his international users.
Don’t forget.
He still has ERV. Before the launch of WeChat, they used the mature chat tools slowly developed through playing "Warfire" and "World," and then extended it, launching the yet-to-be-born WHATSAPP.
In later years.
Talking about user numbers.
This software exceeds WeChat’s billion, and anyone who has used it will think it’s weak by comparison, lacking in functionalities. Therefore, the future competition between WeChat and it will be ’differentiated competition.’
...
The next day.
New Year’s Day.
School was on holiday.
Half-past ten in the morning.
An old acquaintance visited the Villa.
"Haven’t seen you in half a year, have you been to Africa?" Seeing Ayman, Tang Qing couldn’t help but laugh.
In response.
Ayman was already used to it.
"I’ll turn white again soon," Ayman pouted. Mid-month, his cousin hoodwinked him, spiking the essential oil with melanin, but compared to then, it’s much better now.
That’s why he dared to go out.
"This must be Miss Maji," Tang Qing looked at the woman beside Ayman, knowing that, apart from coming to see him, Ayman was here to send out wedding invitations.
Previously.
It was because of her.
Ayman planned to co-operate with his brother in Algeria to open an oilfield.
And he had roped in Tang Qing as well.
And now.
It has finally come to fruition.
The parents of both sides agreed.
The wedding is coming up soon.
"Hello, Tang, it’s a pleasure to meet you," Maji bowed slightly, politely speaking. Before coming here, she had heard endlessly about Tang Qing from Ayman.
Having seen him now.
He really is extraordinary.
Women trust their intuition when sizing up others, but she couldn’t see through this young man who is simply a businessman. Even though his net worth is almost on par with Bill Gates, he shouldn’t have such a strong presence... of authority.
Strange.
Could this be a characteristic of Huaxia?
"Same here, I hope you enjoy your time in Huaxia," Tang Qing said with a smile. Coming from a big family, her manners and etiquette were impeccable, and being beautiful as well, no wonder Ayman was so fond of her.
"Please, take a seat."
"Where’s Snow?"
After sitting down, Ayman asked.
"She went shopping with classmates. Today being the first day of 2008, there are performances and events in many places, but as you know, my face is no longer suitable for going out," Tang Qing replied.
Upon hearing that.
Ayman nodded in understanding.
Looking at Tang Qing.
He wondered how his mind worked.
We are all humans.
But the difference is so immense!
The first time Ayman met Tang Qing was in Hawaii. Back then, Tang Qing was just a rich man, and his worth was within Ayman’s comprehension. But in just two years, he had become unfathomable.
After chatting for a while.
"Tang, what do you think about the prospects of doing internet business in Saudi?" Ayman asked curiously, feeling itchy about it. To others, his oil-digging profession just made him seem like a local tyrant.
Yet he felt it meant more like being foolish.
Always buying the most expensive things.
If not a fool, then what?
Saudis shouldn’t leave such an impression, especially not to their neighbors in the UAE, whom he quite disapproved of—flaunting their wealth when times were good, but what would they do when the oil business went south? Eat dirt?
He found out.
Drilling for oil.
Exhausting and grueling, and still not as good as the internet business.
"The internet is the future. Anywhere with internet access, devices to connect, and netizens, there’s opportunity. But, compared to the stability of oil drilling, internet business is almost like gambling."
"Out of ten gambles, nine are lost," said Tang Qing.
"I know, I’m really envious of you, holding that one-in-ten chance of winning," Ayman remarked with a sigh.
Suddenly Tang Qing shifted the conversation.
"If you want to win, it’s not impossible."
"Oh? Do you have any good methods?" Upon hearing this, Ayman eagerly asked.
"If you don’t participate, don’t you win?" Tang Qing said, seeing Ayman and Maji with their mouths wide open, he didn’t tease them further, "Alright, just kidding. I have a suggestion, it’s up to you whether you’re interested or not."
A little bit teased.
Ayman didn’t mind at all.
"Let’s hear it."
"Saudi’s population is too small, just over 10 million citizens. Frankly, with that base, the ceiling for an internet business is quickly reached—you have to expand internationally."
"But once you enter the international market, as you know, there are already many internet giants, and they are even carving up the Saudi market. It’s hard for you to gain much benefit."
"So, I think you could start in an area where Saudi is most deficient."
"The most deficient?"
"You mean water?" Ayman asked instinctively.
Saudi lacks water.
Common knowledge to the world, many places are perennially drought-stricken, with forest coverage merely at a bit over one percent. Of course, it’s irrigation water that’s lacking, not drinking water—there are so many desalination plants.
Capable of desalinating millions of cubic meters per day.
Enough for drinking and irrigation.
"No, I’m talking about the future of Saudi, like agriculture," Tang Qing said with a light smile.
"???"
Both were utterly confused.
All this mystery, just to tell me to take up farming?
He’s a prince.
Even though princes are a dime a dozen in Saudi, that’s still a position of prestige. If he took up farming, who knows how many would laugh at him? Ayman thought he had heard wrong and asked uncertainly, "You mean farming?"
"And breeding," added Tang Qing.
"..."
No mistake, he was being advised to take up agriculture.
"You’re not joking?"
Ayman stared at Tang Qing.
"I’m serious. What’s wrong with farming? Food security is the fundamental baseline of a nation’s security. Now, Saudi’s dependency on international agricultural products is increasingly..."
A few minutes later.
Under Tang Qing’s persuasive pitch about ’grain security and prince’s responsibility.’
Ayman found the idea of farming and camel breeding not so bad after all.
Of course.
It wasn’t all just coaxing.
Doing agriculture on Saudi soil.
Costs would be sky-high, unimaginable, but soon, this issue would be solved. Myanmar Environmental Technology Company was about to step in once again, targeting the fertilization of semi-desertified land.
Semi-desert.
Not total wasteland.
A wasteland is just sand; the soil has lost its fertility. With the latest technology from scientists, transforming a desert into arable land costs a fortune, and not many countries can afford it.
But for semi-desert land that still retains fertility, the transformation is much easier. In at most a year, it can grow grass; in two, trees; and in three years, fertility can be fully restored.
The costs are within a manageable range.
Of course.
It can be accelerated, but at higher costs.
At the same time.
If a wealthy country wishes to transform deserts.
Why not earn the money?
