Traveling back to 1966, starting by living in a cowshed.

Chapter 63 Daily Interview

The movement, which lasted for several months, finally subsided. The striking workers returned to their posts one after another, and the trams that had stopped running resumed their journeys on the tracks. Only the remaining slogans on the street corners and the faint graffiti on the walls silently told the story of this turmoil.

But the attention of Hong Kong residents was soon drawn to another explosive news story.

"Best-sellers in the West! Hong Kong-made air fryers sweep the European and American markets!"

"A revolution in fried food! Lin's Group products become new favorites in Western households!"

"The trade fair was incredibly popular, with orders booked up for three months in advance. An interview with Lin Zhou, founder of Zhonghua Home Appliances."

At newsstands in the early morning, headlines from major newspapers vie for attention, with brightly colored pages featuring product images of air fryers and scenes of European and American consumers snapping them up, attracting passersby to stop and buy.

The Hong Kong Daily devoted a full page to a detailed report on the grand occasion of the US Consumer Electronics Show, stating: "At this International Consumer Electronics Show, Zhonghua Home Appliances from Hong Kong made a stunning appearance with its self-developed air fryer. Its innovative concept of 'oil-free frying' and its taste comparable to traditional frying instantly won over discerning Western consumers."

The trade fair garnered over 1.8 orders on its first day, with subsequent orders growing exponentially, exceeding 10 units to date, covering more than ten countries including the UK, France, Germany, and Italy.

Sing Tao Evening Post delved into the details of Lin Zhou leading the team to participate in the exhibition: "According to sources, Zhonghua Home Appliances' team consisted of fewer than ten people, yet they stood out among numerous international brands thanks to their accurate market positioning and highly persuasive on-site demonstrations. During the exhibition, Mr. Lin Zhou personally demonstrated how to make Western-style dishes such as French fries, chicken wings, and cod using an air fryer. The golden and crispy finished products attracted long queues of onlookers, and many buyers signed cooperation agreements on the spot. Even a European supermarket chain offered him a generous exclusive agency deal, all of which Mr. Lin Zhou politely declined."

Some newspapers even linked Lin Zhou's rise to prominence with recent events in Hong Kong: "Amidst the turmoil in Hong Kong, Chung Hwa Home Appliances defied the trend, successfully entering the European and American markets with air fryers as a breakthrough. This not only earned praise for Hong Kong's manufacturing industry but also set a remarkable record for local brands going global. Some industry analysts pointed out that Lin Zhou's move can be described as 'strategic maneuvering in turbulent times,' seizing the opportunity of international trade fairs to quickly capture international market share. His business acumen and strategic vision are truly admirable."

These reports, like pebbles thrown into a calm lake, have stirred up ripples across all sectors of Hong Kong society.

In a luxurious estate, a serious discussion was taking place in the conference room of several long-established wealthy families. Huo Zhenting, the head of the Huo family, looked at the newspaper in his hand, his fingers lightly tapping the table, and said in a deep voice, "This Lin Zhou certainly knows how to seize opportunities. While we were busy stabilizing our local business during the movement, he quietly expanded his business to Europe. Now that air fryers are selling like hotcakes in the West, this kid's base is completely secured."

The representative of the Li Group sitting opposite him frowned deeply: "It's more than just stabilizing the situation. The European and American markets have extremely high acceptance of his products. If we expand production scale in the future, it may affect the overseas expansion of our home appliance brands. What's more troublesome is that his 'oil-free' concept hits a health nerve for Westerners, making it difficult to replicate."

"What's most infuriating is that he got a free lunch," an elderly man wearing gold-rimmed glasses snorted. "During the movement, many factories shut down, logistics were disrupted, and our overseas orders were affected. He, on the other hand, took advantage of this gap to push his products out. By the time we realized what was happening, he had already taken over most of the market. How are we supposed to get a share?"

Silence fell over the conference room, and everyone's faces were solemn. They had originally thought Lin Zhou was just a newspaper owner who had established himself in Hong Kong with a few novels, but they never expected him to have such a long-term vision and execution ability. Now he had become the founder of an internationally renowned brand and had become a competitor they could not ignore.

Meanwhile, in the foreign chambers of commerce in Hong Kong, the foreigners were also discussing Lin Zhou. William, the president of the British Chamber of Commerce, rubbed his temples and looked at Lin Zhou's information in his hand: "Lin Zhou, 21 years old, came to Hong Kong from the mainland in the second half of 1966, and then founded the Zhonghua Daily. In the beginning, he gained a foothold by distributing it for free, and then quickly seized market share with the novel 'A Step into the Past'. This year, after inventing the air fryer, he made a name for himself at the trade fair in the United States and became a dark horse. Now he has already gained popularity in Western countries... I didn't expect such a young Chinese man to have such a business mind."

"His products are indeed very competitive," said Hans, a German businessman standing next to me. "My friend in Frankfurt told me that Zhonghua's air fryer was very successful at the exhibition. Germans are very receptive to this kind of healthy and convenient kitchen appliance, and many families are now discussing this product."

William shook his head: "What's more concerning is his style of doing things. Rejecting exclusive agency agreements with several European supermarkets and insisting on operating his own channels shows he has considerable ambition and doesn't want to be controlled by others. Now he has factories in Hong Kong, channels for communication, and a foundation in overseas markets; his future development is limitless. We need to find a way to restrain him and prevent him from expanding so smoothly."

The foreigners each had their own agendas; some wanted to seek cooperation, while others planned to unite to suppress him. For a time, Lin Zhou's name became a key topic on their desks.

"Boss, we've received calls from over a dozen newspapers requesting interviews, including Hong Kong correspondents from The Times and Le Figaro. Would you like to make arrangements?" Secretary Ms. Chen asked softly as she walked in with a notebook.

Lin Zhou didn't even look up, continuing to write with his pen: "Reject all."

Ms. Chen paused for a moment, then nodded: "Okay. By the way, Editor-in-Chief Chen from the *Zhonghua Daily* also called, saying they'd like to do an exclusive interview with the boss. They're our media outlet, so perhaps...?"

"The Zhonghua Daily is fine." Lin Zhou stopped what he was doing, looked up, and said, "Have them come to the company at 10 a.m. tomorrow. I will personally give the interview."

Ms. Chen was somewhat puzzled: "Boss, other newspapers have a greater influence, especially overseas media. Wouldn't it be more beneficial for product promotion if we could get them to interview us?"

Lin Zhou smiled and said, "The Zhonghua Daily is a newspaper I run. Now that our air fryer has achieved success, it's natural to support our own media. As for those overseas media, our products have already gained recognition in the West, so we don't need their coverage this time. In fact, maintaining a bit of mystery will attract more market attention."

Ms. Chen suddenly realized and quickly wrote it down: "I understand, I'll reply to Editor-in-Chief Chen right away."

The next morning, Chen Jingzhi, the editor-in-chief of Zhonghua Daily, arrived at the company on time with reporters and photographers. Upon entering the spacious and bright office, Chen Jingzhi immediately noticed the world map hanging on the wall, with dozens of locations marked with red thumbtacks.

"Boss, what are these?" Chen Jingzhi asked curiously.

"These are the countries and regions that our air fryers currently cover," Lin Zhou explained with a smile. "Soon, there will be even more red pins on this map."

The interview began in a relaxed atmosphere. The reporter first asked, "Mr. Lin, how did you come up with the idea of ​​developing an air fryer? After all, there are already many kitchen appliances on the market, such as ovens and deep fryers."

Lin Zhou leaned back in his chair, his mind racing. In an instant, he came up with an excuse, pretending to recall, "Actually, this idea originated from a dinner with friends. We were eating fried food at a Western restaurant, and my friend complained that although it tasted good, it was too high in calories and bad for your health in the long run. I thought to myself, could we develop an appliance that could produce the texture of fried food without using oil? After several months of research and development and hundreds of tests, we finally launched the air fryer we have today."

"Then why did you choose to expand into the European and American markets first, instead of continuing to cultivate the Asian market?"

"Because European and American consumers have a greater demand for fried food," Lin Zhou stated frankly. "Westerners love to eat French fries, fried chicken, and fried fish; it's almost a part of their daily diet. However, they also pay close attention to health, so the 'oil-free' selling point is more attractive in the Western market. Moreover, the European and American markets have strong purchasing power and are more receptive to new products. It will be easier to open up the European and American markets first and then drive the Asian market in turn."

Speaking of the popularity of air fryers in the West, Lin Zhou's tone was filled with pride: "I've always believed that good products transcend national boundaries. Air fryers are truly a boon for people in Western countries. They enjoy the flavor of fried food but worry about the health problems caused by excessive oil intake, and our air fryers solve this dilemma precisely. Utilizing high-temperature air circulation technology, it allows food to achieve a fried texture without oil, preserving its deliciousness while reducing oil intake. This is the core reason why it's so popular in the West."

"So what are Zhonghua Home Appliances' plans for the future? Will they expand production or launch new products?"

Lin Zhou nodded: "The production scale will definitely expand. We have already completed a small industrial park, which is expected to be put into large-scale production this month. At that time, the production capacity will increase by dozens of times to meet the demand of overseas markets. As for new products, our R&D team is already working on them. We will launch upgraded versions of air fryers for different groups of people, as well as other types of healthy kitchen appliances, striving to make Zhonghua Home Appliances a globally renowned healthy home appliance brand."

During the interview, the photographer frequently pressed the shutter to capture Lin Zhou's confident and composed demeanor. Now, he has become a leading figure in guiding local brands to the world stage. Behind this achievement lies his vision and unremitting efforts.

Following the interview, the Chung Wah Daily published a full-page interview titled "Oil-Free Revolution, Hong Kong's Pride – An Interview with Lin Zhou, Founder of Chung Wah Home Appliances." The article detailed Lin Zhou's entrepreneurial journey, product development philosophy, and future development plans, filled with support and praise for local brands.

This interview, once published, sparked another round of heated discussion. Hong Kong residents applauded Lin Zhou, with many saying after reading the newspaper, "Lin Zhou has really brought honor to Hong Kong, getting Westerners lining up to buy our Hong Kong-made appliances!"

"Support local brands! I'll choose Zhonghua for my kitchen appliances from now on!"

"We hope that more Hong Kong companies can follow in the footsteps of Zhonghua and expand beyond Hong Kong to the world!"