Lu Wei

Biodata

Background / History

Recruitment and Computer Business

Lu Wei joined Sun Electronics in 1993 after an interview with Zhou Xingwen, Zhang Xiaotong, and Liu Mingyao. Although initially shy, she became animated when discussing the company’s business. She identified a growth bottleneck and recommended contacting manufacturers and moving from wholesaling toward producing an independent brand. Zhou hired her after she declared that she would not be selective about opportunities to prove herself 16.

Assigned to contact major manufacturers, she approached Intel directly and reported a preliminary agreement within days. She subsequently modified computer-case designs supplied by Zhou, attracting the attention of Intel’s China office. Her negotiations helped establish the partnership on terms close to Zhou’s requirements. Intel also sounded her out about joining the company, but she declined 16 17.

Lu Wei helped finalize Intel and HP distribution arrangements as Sun Electronics expanded its Young Dreamer computer business 17.

Sun Electric Appliance City and Property Development

When Sun Electronics considered opening an appliance center in Beiguan City, Lu Wei recommended renovating an existing building rather than constructing a new one. She identified a largely inactive state-owned department store near Beiguan City Experimental Primary School and secured its lease, along with unusually favorable investment terms from the city 18.

After renovations finished on August 13, Lu Wei transferred to Beiguan to manage the center. She recommended her former classmate Cai Qing as her replacement in Sun Electronics’ business department. The new Sun Electric Appliance City had four floors and seventy employees; Lu Wei oversaw its preparations, handled official relations, and scheduled its opening ceremony for August 27 18 19.

As the business expanded, she handed daily mall work to deputy manager Wang Xiaoyan and pursued government approval for Zhou’s property projects. She signed an investment agreement with the municipal government for developments on two Beiguan sites. She also accompanied Zhou and Zhang Xiaotong to negotiate the lease of the struggling Yulin County MSG factory and summoned accountants to distribute money to its workers as it prepared to produce chicken bouillon 20.

Third Brother’s Treatment and Overseas Outreach

In early 1994, Lu Wei used her connection with a department director at Beijing 301 General Hospital to arrange heart surgery for Third Brother. She organized his appointment, travel, and an accompanying caregiver, then helped persuade him to accept treatment. She told him that the operation’s success rate in Beijing was ninety percent, compared with fifty percent at Provincial Medical University 27.

Zhou subsequently asked her to find English speakers who could visit Stanford University and contact people interested in internet development. Cai Qing returned from Stanford with investment materials, which the group reviewed in Lu Wei’s office before Zhou approved venture funding 27 28.

Lu Wei later helped welcome Third Brother home after his successful operation and arranged a reception at Mountain Wild Home. At a subsequent group meeting, she introduced him as Shen San, the person responsible for the newly established transportation company 32 33 35.

Schools and Russian Trade

Lu Wei supported Zhou’s proposal to establish a profitable private school alongside a free charitable school. She later reported that the school renovations in Sichuan and Anhui were nearly complete, with combined costs of approximately twenty-three million yuan and projected monthly expenses exceeding 800,000 yuan. She also accompanied Zhang Xiaotong to consider sites for further schools 35 42 46.

Meanwhile, Sun Electric Appliance City began scouting branch locations in nearby cities. Zhou instructed Lu Wei to treat these acquisitions as property investments 42.

When Zhou and Guo Zhen proposed exchanging Chinese goods for Russian military supplies, Lu Wei prepared a shipment of clothing, food, and handicrafts for Third Brother’s expedition. She privately questioned why the group should risk smuggling when its legitimate businesses were more profitable. Zhou explained that he wanted shared illicit interests to create leverage and protection against powerful officials. Although frightened by the risks, she remained interested in seeing what he could accomplish 42 43.

Trading Reassignment

During Sun Group’s reorganization, Zhou dissolved the trading studio and placed Lu Wei directly in charge of trading. Electronics City passed to Zhong Rui, while she temporarily moved into a private office at the city’s securities exchange. Zhou considered her a rare talent whose outward gentleness concealed firmness, and wanted her nearby to assist with the group’s wider affairs 48.

In early May 1995, she followed Zhou’s instruction to sell the group’s shares gradually. The investments produced a profit of more than fifty million yuan, and she received a five-million-yuan dividend. Most of the remaining proceeds went toward school construction and Sun Homeland’s funding shortfalls 48.

At a later roundtable meeting, she reported that all domestic stocks had been sold, several property developments were proceeding simultaneously, a supermarket had opened in the first phase of Sun Garden, and the Yulin County school buildings were nearing completion 50.

Appearance

• Lu Wei is described as a pretty young woman with delicate eyebrows 16 43.
• When she stands beside Zhang Xiaotong, Zhou repeatedly remarks that the two resemble sisters, with Lu Wei the older of the pair 32 42.

Personality

Lu Wei is initially reserved, but becomes confident and articulate when discussing work within her expertise. Zhou characterizes her as gentle on the outside yet firm within, comparing her temperament to a needle hidden in cotton. She is cautious and meticulous, works effectively without drawing attention to herself, and rarely complains even when overloaded 16 42 48.

She respects competence and admires Zhou’s practicality rather than a pursuit of grand achievements. Her trust does not prevent her from questioning him: she directly challenges the financial logic and danger of the Russian smuggling venture before accepting his explanation 43 48.

Among familiar colleagues, she is playful and teasing. She jokes about Liu Mingyao’s attraction to Cai Qing, laughs at Zhou and Zhang Xiaotong’s bickering, and can be embarrassed by Zhou’s flirtation despite her usual professional composure 18 19 28 43.

Abilities & Skills

Commercial Negotiation

• Manufacturer relations: Negotiates with Intel and HP, helping secure agreements important to Sun Electronics’ computer business 17 18.
• Government negotiations: Obtains the appliance center’s lease and favorable municipal investment terms 18.
• Discretion: Deflects questions from Intel’s planning director before consulting Zhou about how to proceed 17.

Business Analysis and Investment

• Growth planning: Identifies the limits of expanding wholesale sales through additional staffing alone and advocates developing an independent brand 16.
• Cost assessment: Proposes a substantially cheaper and faster alternative to constructing the appliance center 18.
• Trading: Manages the group’s stock operations cautiously and carries out its staged exit from the market 48.

Administration and Coordination

• Operational management: Oversees appliance-store preparations, staffing arrangements, merchandise readiness, and opening events 19.
• Personal connections: Uses a hospital contact to arrange Third Brother’s treatment and communicates the request clearly in a short telephone call 27.
• Logistics: Coordinates medical travel, reception arrangements, and supplies for Third Brother’s Russian mission 27 33 43.

Design Adaptation

• Computer cases: Modifies Zhou’s supplied concepts into designs that attract Intel’s attention 17.

Relationships

• Zhou Xingwen — Employer and trusted collaborator. She admires his abilities and practical outlook; he values her judgment, discretion, and quiet effectiveness. His use of “Sister Lu” is a familiar form of address, not an established family relationship 18 42 43 48.
• Zhang Xiaotong — Senior colleague with whom she manages business affairs, reviews financial statements, and investigates school sites 18 42 46.
• Cai Qing — Former classmate and close friend. Lu Wei recommends her as her successor at Sun Electronics; despite their contrasting temperaments, both respect capable people 18 48.
• Liu Mingyao — Early business partner at Sun Electronics. He initially reserves judgment about her interview performance, then works with her on the company’s expansion 16 17.
• Third Brother / Shen San — Recipient of her help arranging heart surgery and later a business associate. She organizes his welcome-home dinner, introduces him to Sun Group’s leadership, and supplies goods for his Russian venture 27 33 35 43.
• Guo Zhen — Becomes familiar with her through Third Brother’s treatment and later approaches her with Zhou to request goods for Russian trade 27 42.

Notable Quotes

“Opportunities choose me. I won't be picky about them.” 16

“In terms of profit, neither border trade nor smuggling currently earns as much as our regular businesses. Why take this risk?” 43

“You're practical rather than chasing grand achievements. There aren't many people like that anymore.” 43