Chapter 59: At Wits’ End
Under Fan Ren’s affirmative response, the cooperation agreement was quickly finalized.
Xinghai Technology side provides high-voltage radio technology, equipment, and the corresponding carbon nanotube material to be used.
Kyoto Optical Instruments Research Institute side provides the funds required for the upgrade of a complete set of 5-nanometer lithography machines, relevant technicians, and one 5-nanometer lithography machine for the upgrade.
After the upgrade is completed, Xinghai Technology enjoys the priority procurement right for the lithography machine and only needs to pay the cost price of the equipment, but the quantity does not exceed 5 units.
Subsequent procurement can be given a certain degree of discount, but that’s a later story.
The reason for the quantity limit is that Guo Xin Technology, as a listed company, cannot sell such cutting-edge equipment with an extremely long manufacturing cycle to Xinghai Technology at cost price without limit.
However, Fan Ren expressed no objection to this. His most urgent goal at present is to complete the radio upgrade of the lithography machine equipment as soon as possible.
The laboratory in Linhai is temporarily managed by Jin Qiaoying for daily affairs, while technical affairs are handed over to A’dai for management.
Such as the work of preparing carbon nanotubes, all led by A’dai and the technical department employees.
In the Linhai City Area, a private high-end club.
Jin Ze sat in an elegant and quiet tea room, in front of him was a female tea artist wearing a simple yet elegant goose-yellow outfit that outlined her graceful figure with alluring curves.
The movements of the tea artist’s hands flowed like water, like a beautiful ancient painting scroll.
Jin Ze leaned back in his chair with eyes slightly closed. Upon closer look, his eyelids trembled slightly from time to time, clearly accustomed to this scene and paying it no mind.
He had still underestimated Fan Ren.
In the materials laboratory of San Xin Headquarters, a group of top materials science researchers, after a large amount of theoretical verification, very pessimistically told him a piece of news that made him angry.
In terms of graphene purification, the researchers were confident that they could reach world advanced levels while ensuring a certain necessary research and development investment.
But this meant nothing to Jin Ze.
What he wanted was high-purity graphene at a cost of around 500 per gram, or even carbon nanotubes that could be directly used in chip manufacturing materials. It was meaningless if they couldn’t achieve that.
In response, those highly paid researchers said that materials science is, from a certain perspective, a science of trial and error.
Just like the discovery of graphene, where scientists accidentally obtained it by ‘tearing tape’: placing graphite flakes on tape, repeatedly folding and tearing the tape to continuously peel off graphite layers, ultimately obtaining graphene with only a single layer of carbon atoms.
This process was full of chance, and they really couldn’t achieve it in a short time!
This was no longer a matter of the scale of research and development investment; it required a certain amount of luck.
“General Manager Jin, the person is here.”
The tea room door was gently pushed open, and Yu Zheng walked in, spoke, and waited for a reply.
“Bring him in. You all leave. Xiu Xi here is enough.”
Jin Ze said softly with his eyes closed, and Yu Zheng retreated on tiptoe upon hearing this.
Soon, footsteps sounded again.
“General Manager Jin.”
Jin Ze finally opened his eyes. In front of him was Lu Youbin, who not long ago had sold the nanotube technology successfully developed by Xinghai to San Xin for 5 million.
But now Lu Youbin’s face was as black as the bottom of a pot.
“Sit. Xiu Xi, pour tea for Mr. Lu.”
“General Manager Jin, I told General Manager Yu before that after that incident, San Xin must not threaten me in any way, or else no one benefits.”
Lu Youbin knew that his identity compared to the successor of San Xin in front of him was worlds apart.
But thinking of the overt and covert threatening tone when Yu Zheng found him, he couldn’t help suppressing his anger.
“Oh? Really? Indeed, the subordinates are unreliable in handling affairs. Please calm down, Mr. Lu. Xiu Xi!”
Jin Ze didn’t care about his attitude at all, called out to the woman pouring tea, and gestured with his eyes.
The tea artist called Xiu Xi by him elegantly put down the tea set upon hearing this, slowly walked behind Lu Youbin, placed a pair of soft, boneless tender hands on his shoulders, and then stuck her whole body to his back like a clingy kitten.
Lu Youbin’s old face visibly flushed red. This woman had an excellent figure, elegant movements and demeanor, and was beautiful.
At this moment, her demeanor immediately made him involuntarily lean slightly toward the woman behind him.
Watching all this, a trace of mockery flashed in Jin Ze’s eyes, and he then smiled and said, “How about it? Calmed down now, right?”
Upon hearing this, Lu Youbin forcibly resisted sinking into the gentle embrace behind him, quickly straightened his waist, and kept a slight distance from the woman behind him.
“General Manager Jin, no need for this, I…”
Before he finished speaking, he suddenly lost focus slightly.
The woman behind him immediately pressed close again. He could clearly feel the soft touch on his back, as well as the enchanting breath from the woman’s breathing, carrying the fragrance of tea flowers, spraying on his side face.
“No rush. Let Xiu Xi relax you first.”
With that, Jin Ze got up and walked out. For Lu Youbin’s reaction, he was already ninety percent sure about the follow-up matters.
As the door slowly closed, soon the quiet tea room transmitted waves of embarrassing moaning sounds.
Xinghai Technology General Manager’s Office.
Jin Qiaoying had changed into a plain outfit today. Sitting across from her was Liu Jun, who was now the general manager of Xinghai high-voltage radio branch company.
“What’s wrong with Second Brother? His phone is unreachable. And what’s going on with Xinghai? How did it suddenly get on the White Alliance high technology embargo list?”
Liu Jun’s tone was somewhat urgent. He had only learned of this news not long ago, and when he called Fan Ren right after, no one answered, so he hurriedly came to Xinghai Headquarters.
“Carrying out a cooperation in a secrecy unit, it’s normal that you can’t contact him. The embargo list matter has no leads yet. But you’re here just in time, saving me a trip.”
Jin Qiaoying concisely answered his questions, then took out a set of high-voltage radio technical data incorporating carbon nanotubes that Fan Ren had organized a few days ago and handed it over.
“Look at these. They originally needed to be kept secret, but now with Xinghai on the embargo list, certain companies will inevitably investigate Xinghai’s information targetedly. This patent naturally can’t be hidden.”
She rubbed her temple. These days, all kinds of emergencies were being handled by her.
From the initial equipment being detained, to Xinghai being added to the embargo list, followed by handling the cooperation matters with Kyoto Optical Instruments Research Institute.
The troubles weren’t over yet.
The As Company 14-nanometer lithography machine detained by United States customs for Xinghai was fully paid for.
Now with the equipment detained, As Company expressed helplessness while directly playing rogue.
No refund!
The reason was also simple: the lithography machine was detained by customs and had nothing to do with their company. If Xinghai had any questions, they could first retrieve the detained goods and then talk about refunds.
This statement was logically flawless.
But Jin Qiaoying clearly knew that given As Company’s status in the United States, not to mention continuing to ship the lithography machine to China, even just retrieving it and shipping it back to As Company would be no difficulty.
Detaining the equipment was targeted at Xinghai Technology, and As Company had great leeway in this.
But now the other party was using this disgusting excuse to detain Xinghai’s funds along with it.
That was 1.5 billion, not a small amount.
Thinking of this, helplessness appeared on Jin Qiaoying’s face.
Xinghai was still too weak now.
