Li Nannan: The so-called Interplanetary Mutual Aid Network is about connecting neighboring planets into an alliance, sharing intelligence, and helping each other to improve defense capabilities. Its core spirit is mutual watch and mutual aid.
It sounds very advanced, Jiang Ye became invigorated.
Li Nannan: Currently, the plan's format is to add the commander-in-chief and planetary leader of each planet into the same group chat.
Jiang Ye was stunned. It sounded grand, but it was just creating a group chat?
So anticlimactic?
Li Nannan: What are you waiting for? Send me your phone number, and I'll add you to the group.
Jiang Ye scratched his head, I don't have a phone number.
Li Nannan: How is that possible? You get a phone number when you buy a phone, right? Don't tell me you don't even have a phone.
Jiang Ye: I'll go buy one right now.
This time it was Li Nannan's turn to be speechless. After a while, she sent an emoji: Big brother, you're amazing.
It was late at night. Jiang Ye hastily ate a couple of bites of food, reluctantly changed his clothes, and went downstairs. He drove out in his base vehicle.
The headlights were turned to their brightest, illuminating the path forward as he traversed the darkness-shrouded wilderness.
Soon, the lights of Binhai City appeared on the horizon.
Jiang Ye drove onto the highway and headed straight for the city center.
The Yingwu Mobile phone store stood prominently at the intersection, its silver-white sign shining brightly, quite conspicuous. Through the glass walls, one could see inside: the walls and floor were pure white, the lights were also white, and several white-suited store clerks were yawning behind the milky-white counters displaying many mobile phones.
Jiang Ye walked in. The store's interior was too white, giving him the illusion of entering a sterile room.
Several clerks immediately came forward, "What type of phone are you looking for?"
"You're still open this late at night?" Jiang Ye nodded, "I'll just look around first."
Jiang Ye went to various counters to look at the display models. The phones of this era looked vastly different; many were barely recognizable as phones, resembling watches, bracelets, or even small cards instead.
"This model is this year's latest, explosion-proof and waterproof. After booting up, it automatically activates holographic projection, which can be projected into the air or onto a flat surface."
"This glasses-style phone uses retinal projection, projecting the screen directly onto your eyes. It's absolutely safe and secure, preventing privacy from being spied upon."
"This one is a watch-phone integrated unit, and its display method is also holographic projection."
"This is a new chair we just got in stock, made of plywood, with adjustable height. It..." The clerk accidentally misspoke.
The clerks were all very enthusiastic, following Jiang Ye closely. Whatever he looked at, they would explain it, after all, he was a big spender, and they had to serve him well.
Most phones started at five figures, with the most expensive glasses-style phone priced at an astonishing 580,000.
Jiang Ye was not accustomed to the strangely shaped phones, but he couldn't find a traditional smartphone. He ended up choosing an older model with a foldable screen.
The entire phone was only seven inches, made of transparent soft leather. It automatically turned on with a long press and was powered by body heat and sunlight. When in use, it was held in the hand like a primitive phone, and when not in use, it could be casually rolled up and put in a pocket, which was very convenient. It was an evolution of the foldable screen phone and was almost discontinued in this era.
The price was not expensive, 49,000 yuan.
The clerk wrapped the new unit, placed it in a phone box, then put it in a white carrier bag and handed it to Jiang Ye. Da Feng Novel Network.
Jiang Ye paid and left, returning to his base vehicle.
He opened the box and took out the foldable screen phone.
The first step was to verify identity information: scan fingerprints, faces, and irises, and read aloud what was displayed on the screen.
[Identity bound!]
[Your phone number is: jy-11202321]
Then, the phone desktop appeared, very simple and pure white.
Jiang Ye remembered that when he bought a phone as a child, as soon as the new phone turned on, the screen was full of pre-downloaded apps. The conscientious ones could be uninstalled, while the unscrupulous ones couldn't even be removed.
But this phone had an unusually small number of apps, only four in total.
[Call]
[Chat]
[Camera]
[Mall]
Jiang Ye tapped on Call, which brought up the dialer interface. The contact list was still empty.
The chat interface was also similar to QQ or WeChat, but without any contacts.
The camera function was quite comprehensive, with many professional modes that Jiang Ye didn't understand, as long as it could take pictures.
The so-called Mall was the app store of the past.
Jiang Ye opened the app store, and currently, only two apps were available for download.
Flip a Coin and Daily Tasks.
Jiang Ye didn't download them; he still had important business to attend to.
He sat in front of the base console, opened the private message window with Li Nannan, and typed a message.
Jiang Ye: I bought a phone, my number is jy-11202321, how do I add you?
Li Nannan: Add me through the chat function. My ID is lnn-66667777.
Jiang Ye was amazed. That lucky number was too domineering.
He fiddled with the phone for a while and finally found the add friend interface. He entered Li Nannan's phone number.
Unexpectedly, adding a friend required answering questions.
[Question 1: Why are you adding me as a friend?] [Dating] [Work] [Regular Friend]
Jiang Ye chose [Work]. He wouldn't dare choose the first option even if he had the guts.
Judging by the question, Li Nannan was likely still single.
[Question 2: Am I beautiful?] [Beautiful]
Jiang Ye stared wide-eyed and searched for a long time, but there was only one option.
Good heavens, truly good heavens.
He clicked [Beautiful].
Friend request successful.
Li Nannan's avatar was her own ID photo, with a smile, looking vibrant. Her username was "Little Nannan Who Craves Hugs."
Jiang Ye leaned back, so shocked that the phone almost flew out!
Was this really the hot-tempered, serious, decisive female officer?
Indeed, you can know a person's face but not their online persona!
The phone vibrated, and a new message arrived.
Li Nannan: Who are you?
Jiang Ye: It's me, Jiang Ye. Didn't you ask me to add you?
Li Nannan: Hurry up and change your username and avatar. You haven't filled in any information. Who would recognize you like this!
Jiang Ye looked at his personal profile. The avatar was a pale face, clearly the initial image for no avatar, and the username was his phone number.
He tried taking a selfie with the phone; the result was decent, neither handsome nor ugly. He uploaded the avatar.
He also changed his username to: Jiang Ye.
He skipped the personal signature.
He couldn't think of a suitable username for now, so he used his real name. A true man never changes his name or hides his identity.
Below were a string of messy information, several pages long. Jiang Ye was too lazy to fill them out and left them blank for now.
The phone vibrated, and a new message arrived.
[Li Nannan invites you to join the group "Loving Family"]
Jiang Ye almost spat blood on the spot. The group name was too cheesy. Only people born in the 20th century would come up with such a name.
There weren't many group members, only 10. Jiang Ye clicked to accept and joined the group instantly.