1998, Meeting the Great Emperor

　　On the radio, the familiar melody began to play:

　　Come on, come on, let’s meet at 98!

　　Come on, come on, let’s meet in 1998!

　　Let's meet amidst the sweet spring breeze,

　　Let's meet again in those everlasting youthful years,

　　Heart-to-heart, heart-to-heart,

　　Meeting year after year,

　　No matter near or far…

　　Great Emperor, we’ve made a promise.

　　In the autumn of 1998, a rebellious young man, backpack in hand and brimming with the fiery passion of someone fresh out of school eager to make his mark on the world, arrived in Chengdu. It was you, Chengdu the Great—your arms wide open—you welcomed this naive teenager into your embrace.

　　Great Emperor, you’ve been my second school for 14 years. In your classroom, I’ve carefully studied: life, work, how to be a person, and how to get things done. I don’t want to graduate—because there’s still so much more to learn with you.

　　I remember when I first joined the company—it was still at No. 17 Hongshan Road. In that factory space of two to three thousand square meters, I began my journey at Dadi with my very first role: a production worker. Back then, the factory wasn’t mechanized; many tasks were completed entirely by hand. One thing I dreaded most was unloading goods—each bag of corn protein powder weighed more than I did! Thankfully, my colleagues were always there to help and look out for me, making sure I was assigned the lightest jobs every time. And so, I spent eleven whole months working tirelessly in the production department.

　　In September of the following year, I embarked on the second leg of my Great Emperor journey—sales.

　　Driven by my understanding of the production process and craftsmanship, as well as the dreams I nurtured during my student days, I joined the sales department. Back then, the company had only four or five sales staff in total. My workplace also shifted from Hongshan Road to Ma'anshan—quite an upgrade for me at the time, as it meant moving closer to the city center. In the sales department, my tasks were fairly straightforward: making phone calls, delivering goods, collecting payments, and occasionally visiting clients. Yet even in these simple duties, there was joy to be found. The highlight of my job was undoubtedly organizing trips to "gather at the market"—a cherished activity that allowed us to explore nearly every township across Sichuan province. Armed with tote bags, we’d pack a few packets of “Dadi Xiang” snacks, along with a few pens and notebooks, which we’d present to customers as thoughtful little gifts. As we wandered through bustling streets and lively marketplaces, we never forgot to entertain ourselves with spontaneous fun. My colleagues often teased me, saying I looked "shy" and "delicate," so they’d frequently ask me to play the role of a village girl, while Manager Qi would strut confidently down the "T-shaped runway." And let’s just say, those late-night journeys—when we’d race from one county to another—often turned into hilarious moments, especially when Manager Qi was tasked with doing his own version of a catwalk halfway through the trip. It was truly an experience filled with endless laughter and camaraderie!

　　Beyond that, the biggest takeaway from running around township markets was that it helped me say goodbye to singlehood and led me to meet my current wife. Perhaps it’s because I’m just too “handsome”—we fell in love at first sight, all thanks to an umbrella I accidentally left behind with her during one of my market visits, which ultimately sealed our lifelong bond.

　　As the market evolves, competition intensifies, and sales models shift, the company is continuously innovating and reforming. Back in June 2001, Mr. Xian, who was then overseeing daily operations, approached me for a conversation. He mentioned that the company had introduced some new initiatives—specifically, plans to set up offices outside the province, with Yunnan being the first location considered. He asked if I’d be willing to take on the role of the "King of Yunnan." I replied that I needed some time to think it over and would give him an answer within four months. Before I knew it, those four months had slipped by. Then, on October 27, Mr. Xian and Mr. Li came to see me again, urging me to make a decision right away. To be honest, at that moment, I was torn between conflicting thoughts. Yunnan had always been a place that filled me with dread—deep down, I viewed it as a region where "troublesome people" thrived, plagued by border unrest and rampant drug trafficking. Yet, despite my reservations, I ultimately decided to wholeheartedly accept the company’s offer.

　　At noon on October 30, Zhao, the manager of the Sales Department at the time, and I boarded the train bound for Yunnan, marking the start of the third leg of our grand journey.

　　Having arrived in Yunnan, we had no resources to rely on—everything had to start from scratch. The people were strangers, the city felt alien, and even the language we spoke was unfamiliar. Carrying a heavy emotional burden, I kept reminding myself every day: "Keep going, keep going—and keep pushing through! I can do it, I can do it, and I *will* make it happen. After all, effort always leads to reward." Back then, our working environment was incredibly simple: the stove was just two wooden planks stacked together, the table was fashioned from two crates topped with newspaper, and the bed was an old secondhand one we’d managed to find. There were moments when, looking at these humble surroundings, I couldn’t help but shed tears of both sadness and determination…

　　However, the greater pressure still came from work—at that time, there was no "old capital" to fall back on; everything had to start all over again. As someone studying education, this was undoubtedly a huge challenge. So, I embarked on the second peak period of learning in my life—this time focusing on animal nutrition, feed processing, disease prevention and control, pig farming production, market sales, and business management. Whenever I heard about short-term training programs anywhere, no matter how costly, I made sure to attend. Back then, names like Chen Anzhi, Zhang Jingui, Yu Shiwei, and Meng Huichun were household names; whenever they held classes in Kunming, I never missed a single one. In fact, I actively participated in numerous courses offered by institutions such as Yunnan University and Kunming University of Science and Technology.

　　Effort never betrays those who put their hearts into it. During this period, I also built up a strong network of contacts. By 2004, I had established myself in Yunnan with a fresh new image. At that time, businesses in Yunnan were still quite backward, so I engaged in extensive discussions and practical exchanges with many companies—covering areas like sales and management—and did my best to offer them additional value-added services. In this way, I not only won over customers but also captured the market.

　　Plum blossoms release their fragrance only after enduring bitter cold; a precious sword gains its sharp edge through relentless sharpening. The journey ahead is long and arduous, yet I shall tirelessly search both high and low. And so, the work continues—this story still unfolds.