Wendy and Yifan greeted me at Hong Qiao Airport – so good to avoid the terrible long line for taxi, and taxi driver’s unpleasant look for short distance to my home. Wendy observed: “You are always very happy after you visit Beijing every time”. That is absolutely true. Beijing, more like Silicon Valley, brought inspiration to me. As an ENFP, inspiration and new ideas are the necessary food for my life.

Beijing gave me the impression, especially after meeting with Xiaolai, that people thinks about “useless” stuff more than people in Shanghai – one of the hundreds of subtle ways a city sends you the message (quote). Useless is a good word here – the philosophical, deeper thinking of life. Uselessness is the remoteness one’s thinking from the daily principles, facts, and the benefits. Just because of it, most people would argue to “get real”, to “stop dreaming!” That is the key impression I got during this trip. The talk with Kai-fu this afternoon in his newly established Innovation Works gave me the same impression. BTW, he presented me his new book “Make a World of Difference“. I read it at airport, and on the plane. Better than I expected.

P.S. Beijing was so cold today – it stopped me from breathing when the wind blows against your face. I called a taxi, and opened the door, the wind blew the door to wide open and the taxi driver complained along the whole drive, threatening me to compensate him if the door broke.