Huawei's Honor 3X sold out—2 million units gone in just 30 minutes—and the entire mobile industry was stunned.
Haifeng wasn't. He understood the real reason behind the number:
"It wasn't just the product—it was Huawei's foundation, timing, and marketing.
Right specs. There are no competitors this month. And a press blitz that landed."
It looked explosive, but he knew this wasn't a miracle.
It was inevitable.
And while everyone stared at Huawei in awe, Haifeng's Star Series took advantage of the temporary inventory vacuum.
He dropped prices, reactivated flash sales, and let Honor burn through their stockpile.
The Real Target: Xiaomi
Huawei's Honor 3X wasn't just aimed at China Star—it hit Xiaomi harder than anyone.
The phone's price-performance ratio crushed Xiaomi's Mi 3 Telecom Edition.
Cheaper
Better performance
Stronger comms tech
And Huawei's reputation behind it
Inside Xiaomi HQ, Lei Jun held an emergency meeting.
"Push the Mi 4 release forward," he ordered.
Initially slated for later in the year, the Mi 4 would now be launched ASAP—equipped with the Qinglong 810 chip.
"Try to get China Star to deliver chips sooner," Lei said.
"And see if they can manufacture the phone for us, too."
He knew China Star's production line still had capacity—and they might be his lifeline in this storm.
Meanwhile… On Weibo
At 10 a.m. the next day, China Star's Audi Automobile Division posted the official announcement:
"Nationwide Dealer Recruitment Now Open"
Within an hour, it was trending in the Top 10 on Weibo, even outshining the Honor 3X hype.
The reactions were intense:
"Whoa! A 5 million agency fee and a 10 million deposit?"
"Benz and BMW don't even charge that much. Is Audi nuts?"
"That's robbery. Who'd apply for that?"
"If no one signs up, this Audi brand is doomed."
"Huaxing makes great phones, but can they make good cars too?"
Some critics laughed it off.
Others… were intrigued.
In the Liu Group Headquarters
Liu Zihao, heir to a billion-RMB dealership empire, stared at the announcement with burning excitement.
"Dad, we've got to get in early."
"Audi might look weak now, but it's a subsidiary of China Star.
You think a company that built the Hongmeng S1R would mess up their cars?"
"If we lock in 20 or 30 dealership rights now—
We'll be printing money in a year."
His father smiled and shook his head.
"You brat… You sure talk big."
But he didn't say no.
And in his eyes? You could already see it.
Temptation.