Chapter 10: The Shocked Naval Commander
“Is it that the money I just donated is not enough?”
“If that’s the case, I’ll find another way. Let me see if I can donate enough money for the Navy Department to build another submarine in the future. What do you think? Of course, money for a cruiser is also fine, but I need some time to prepare. Otherwise, I can’t come up with so much money to donate right now, because I also have to consider the family business!”
“So, we can’t cut off the capital chain of the family business!”
Seeing Chief Engineer Chen Ziting, who had a face full of surprise, and Chief Engineer Ye Zaifu,
Zhou Wenhua was startled and thought to himself if the money he donated was too little, so he awkwardly added.
“Hahaha! No! The money you donated is already the most I’ve ever seen from a merchant!”
“You know, when we were building the ‘Xian Ning Warship’ and the ‘Yong Sui’, the Navy Department’s high-level officials, and even the Grand Marshal were desperately looking for money, and even had to sell some old ships to scrape together enough to build them!”
“The more expensive ‘Yong Sui’ warship cost around 970,000 national currency. Now, you alone are donating an aircraft carrier and a minesweeper. You are truly a rich man!”
“It’s also good fortune for our Navy Department. To build more various types of warships, our Commander Yang has been very worried about money for a long time. Your appearance and donation now have given him a great surprise!”
“So, as the chief engineer of Jiangnan Shipyard, I am also very grateful for your kind gesture, and I agree to your request. As long as you have time to come here to learn shipbuilding technology, you are always welcome!”
“I won’t limit your time, but I can only tell you that learning shipbuilding technology is not a simple subject. You will probably need to spend a lot of time learning to get started, and my teaching is quite strict, so you will have to accept my guidance, and even scolding, at all times!”
“I worry that you might give up halfway due to my strict teaching or the difficulty of learning!”
“Especially since you also need to divert your attention to operating your family business, so you need to consider carefully whether you truly want to follow us to learn shipbuilding technology!”
Looking at Zhou Wenhua, who was still embarrassed,
Chief Engineer Ye Zaifu, after regaining his composure, responded with hearty laughter.
“I think so too!”
“If you have truly made up your mind to follow us to learn shipbuilding technology, then, like Director Ye, I welcome your arrival anytime! I also won’t limit your learning time!”
After Ye Zaifu finished speaking, Chen Ziting immediately echoed him.
“Don’t worry! I am determined to learn shipbuilding technology, and I am not afraid of difficulties!”
“Because I have a goal, which is to build the most powerful aircraft carrier and carrier-based aircraft for our country’s navy!”
“I want to use these new shipbuilding technologies to defend our country’s territorial waters and make contributions!”
“So please accept me as your apprentice!”
“I am willing to take time to diligently learn all shipbuilding technologies!”
Hearing this, Zhou Wenhua’s eyes lit up, and he was overjoyed.
He immediately happily became an apprentice and learned from them.
“Alright! Then it’s settled!”
“Let’s go have lunch now! And later I’ll take you to tour our Jiangnan Shipyard and discuss the arrangements for your upcoming study time!”
“And where is a good place to start learning from!”
Seeing that Zhou Wenhua had made up his mind to follow him to learn shipbuilding technology,
Chief Engineer Ye Zaifu readily agreed and said.
He also took the initiative to invite Zhou Wenhua to lunch and tour Jiangnan Shipyard.
As for Chen Ziting, he also smiled and agreed with Director Ye’s suggestion.
Thus, the three of them, in a harmonious atmosphere, headed towards the restaurant of Jiangnan Shipyard.
For Zhou Wenhua, having lunch at Jiangnan Shipyard was also a novel experience.
Moreover, he had never expected that wanting to become an apprentice to Director Ye Zaifu, who was the top-tier expert in domestic shipbuilding technology of this era, would go so smoothly.
Perhaps it was because the other party felt he was contributing to the navy’s construction that he was so easily accepted as an apprentice.
Of course, there might also be the recommendation of Chen Ziting, a good friend of his father.
But regardless, Zhou Wenhua was very grateful to both of them.
And he also hoped that he could soon achieve success in his studies and become a talented person with top-tier shipbuilding technology.
Jiangnan Shipyard,
Director’s Office,
That afternoon, after finishing lunch, Director Ma Deji was reading the current affairs newspaper when
he received two large-amount checks from HSBC Bank, personally delivered by Chief Engineer Ye Zaifu.
One check was for the donation of money for the aircraft carrier, and the other was for the donation of money for the minesweeper.
These two sums of money were given to Chief Engineer Ye Zaifu by Zhou Wenhua as donation checks before he left, after Zhou Wenhua had lunch with Chief Engineer Ye Zaifu and Chen Ziting, toured Jiangnan Shipyard, and discussed the regular study times and subjects.
So, Chief Engineer Ye Zaifu immediately rushed over to give them to Director Ma Deji and instructed him to immediately call Commander Yang Shuzhuang of the Navy Department.
“Hiss! Are these two checks really from the Zhou family’s donation to our Navy Department for building an aircraft carrier and a minesweeper?”
“Is the Zhou family that wealthy?”
“This is over a million national currency!”
When Director Ma Deji held the two huge checks, his face was completely dumbfounded, and after the shock, he still had an expression of disbelief as he chattered to Ye Zaifu.
“If it wasn’t donated by someone from the Zhou family, did I pick it up? Or steal it?”
“I don’t have that much money to donate!”
“You know how much my salary is! Director!”
Seeing that Director Ma Deji still looked incredibly surprised, Chief Engineer Ye Zaifu smiled and teased him.
“Hahaha! Yes! You’re so right, our salaries really can’t afford to donate so much money!”
“I’ll call Commander Yang right away. I believe he will be very happy!”
“Even as shocked as I am!”
“This is over a million national currency!”
“How many people would we have to ask for donations to get so much money to build warships?”
After Ye Zaifu’s words, Director Ma Deji paused for a moment and then let out a hearty and joyous laugh.
While speaking excitedly, he picked up the phone on his desk and started dialing.
Soon, he connected to the office of Commander Yang Shuzhuang of the Navy Department.
“You said what!”
“The Zhou family donated over a million national currency to us to build an aircraft carrier and a minesweeper?”
“Where is the person from the Zhou family? Where are they now? I’m coming to see them immediately!”
“I must thank him properly!”
After hearing the good news from Director Ma Deji,
Commander Yang’s face was full of surprise, but he quickly became emotional and excited, shouting into the phone.
“Ah! Commander! But the other party has already left our Jiangnan Shipyard. He has returned to the Zhou family to handle business!”
Startled by Commander Yang’s excited and joyful emotions, Director Ma Deji hurriedly responded awkwardly.
“What! He’s gone?”
“No! Prepare a car for me immediately! I must go and thank him personally!”
“What our Navy Department needs most now are patriotic individuals like this who are wealthy and willing to donate money for shipbuilding!”
“I must thank him in person!”
But upon hearing that Zhou Wenhua had already left Jiangnan Shipyard,
Commander Yang, contrary to his usual behavior, continued to issue instructions with considerable excitement.
“.”
Director Ma Deji.
“.”
Chief Engineer Ye Zaifu.
Both of them were surprised by Commander Yang’s unusually excited reaction.
At the same time, they both secretly wondered if the Navy Department was really so short of money to build warships lately!
That’s why their attitudes have completely changed?
A Navy Commander is actually so anxious about a businessman who has already left?
A Naval Commander actually became so nervous about a departed businessman?
