The situation was urgent.
Xiaomi's Mi 3 lineup was no match for Huawei's Honor 3X—not in processing power, camera quality, battery life, or anything.
Honor 3X was rapidly eating away at the market Xiaomi had painstakingly built over the years.
If this trend continued, the consequences would be devastating.
To fight back, Lei Jun and Xiaomi made a bold move:
They advanced the launch of their new flagship, initially planned for later in the year, to the end of June.
On the phone, Liu Jianyu sounded worried.
"President Lu, Xiaomi's rushing this time... I'm afraid the Mi 4 might have some configuration issues."
But Lu Haifeng wasn't worried.
He knew Xiaomi's digital series well.
In the mobile world, there was an old saying: "Buy even, not odd."
Historically, Xiaomi's even-numbered flagships—Mi 2, Mi 4, Mi 6, Mi 8, and Mi 10—had been runaway successes.
The odd-numbered models? Hit or miss. Some are so problematic that Xiaomi even skipped the Mi 7 altogether.
Lu Haifeng replied calmly:
"No need to worry. Lei Jun won't risk embarrassment. If he wants to beat Huawei Honor, he'll ensure the Mi 4 is loaded."
After all, it wasn't just any ordinary phone.
The Mi 4 would be powered by Qinglong 810, the flagship chip processor developed by Lu Haifeng's company.
And Xiaomi would almost certainly stack it with premium materials elsewhere to keep pace with Huawei.
The next morning, an invitation lay neatly on Lu Haifeng's desk.
Xiaomi Corporation cordially invites you to the Mi 4 Product Launch Conference — June 30
Liu Jianyu glanced at it, a little hesitant.
"President Lu, are we attending?"
After all, in about a month, Haifeng's own China Star Hongmeng S2 smartphone would launch—
putting China Star and Xiaomi in direct competition.
Haifeng didn't even flinch.
"Since Lei Jun invited us personally, how can we refuse? You're coming with me."
Even if the rivalry was inevitable, business courtesy mattered.
Besides, Haifeng and Lei Jun genuinely had a decent relationship.
Lei Jun was an interesting guy, and truth be told, Xiaomi's launch events were famous for being part product reveal and part comedy show. I think it's worth attending just for the spectacle.
Know your enemy, know yourself.
Win every battle.
Early the next morning, Haifeng and Jianyu boarded a flight to Yanjing.
When they arrived at Zheng Industrial Park, Lei Jun was already waiting at the gate, all smiles.
Haifeng stepped forward, laughing:
"President Lei, it's been months! You're looking radiant. You must have something exciting in store today."
Lei Jun welcomed them warmly, personally escorting them to a private lounge prepared just for them.
The environment was quiet and luxurious—clearly, Lei Jun wanted them to be comfortable before the show began.
By 6:30 PM, the conference hall was buzzing with excitement.
The lights dimmed.
Lei Jun walked confidently onto the stage.
Sitting below the stage, Lu Haifeng leaned forward slightly, curious.
He was especially eager to see two things:
The Mi 4's final specs—and its price.
Lei Jun opened the conference with a smile:
"We've made full preparations this time. Tonight, we bring you two top-tier products."
Calm and steady, Lei Jun had mastered the flow of a live press conference.
Watching him, Haifeng couldn't help but be intrigued.
What exactly had Lei Jun prepared to counter the Honor 3X?
As the presentation rolled on, Lei Jun finally raised the curtain:
"This—our latest flagship—is the Mi 4."
"It runs on the top-end Qinglong 810 processor, co-developed with China Star Technology.
After Xiaomi's special tuning, the chip's performance will blow you away!"
"Let's not just talk—let's show it."
With a flourish, Lei Jun gestured at the giant screen behind him.
86599 points!
The benchmark score flashed onto the screen, larger than life.