Chapter 576: Silent for Three Years
"Our path is simple: separate from Yuanxin, transition transparently into a professional foundry, and actively pursue capital cooperation to get listed as soon as possible."
"At present, the foundry's greatest strength lies in its well-established production and management systems, as well as our large pool of highly skilled line workers. We've calculated it—even with a full-scale chokehold, it's virtually impossible to shake our dominance in post-fab processes."
At this point, Jiang Qingchuan finally couldn't help himself. He spread his hands and said with some frustration, "Even if they want to play dirty, they can't seriously expect to rob us of our hard-earned bread and butter, right?"
…
After Su Yuanshan highlighted the critical business units most vulnerable to the WA Agreement, the meeting entered an open-discussion phase.
It was during this session that Zhu Yuanxin raised his hand.
Chen Jing noticed right away and gave him the floor with a subtle cough and a gesture.
Zhu nodded, flipped open his notebook, knocked on the desk once with its cover to draw attention, then looked up with a smile.
"President Shan, President Chen, Dr. Xi, everyone. I think that when facing a blockade like this, we need to borrow a page from the old Eighth Route Army's playbook."
"The Eighth Route?" Su Yuanshan arched an eyebrow. Zhu had been personally recommended by Chen Jing to the executive board, described as someone with strong ideas. But so far, Zhu had kept a low profile, offering little input during meetings.
To be fair, that was understandable—given his relative seniority and the lower strategic weight of his design division, it wasn't easy for Zhu to speak on the same level as the big names around him.
"Decentralization," Zhu said, sitting up straighter. "While Yuanxin is widely recognized as a tech company, the outside world primarily sees us in two ways: one, as a semiconductor company combining chip design and manufacturing; and two, as a telecom equipment provider."
"But I think… we could have a third identity. A fourth. Even dozens more."
He paused to let that idea sink in.
"For instance, we could become a consumer electronics company—like Sony."
"Over the past year, our design center has focused entirely on supporting in-house product development. But I'll be bold here—Yuanxin's current consumer electronics don't even come close to fully utilizing our design capabilities. A lot of my guys are moonlighting, taking side gigs to scratch that creative itch."
A few people frowned at the mention of moonlighting. But Su Yuanshan didn't mind. He nodded for Zhu to continue—clearly grasping where this was going.
"So, to better tap into their potential, to let the design center grow, and to prepare ourselves for the digital era…"
Zhu swept his gaze across the room and finally locked eyes with Su Yuanshan. "President Shan, Yuanxin has the country's best chip design capabilities and unmatched industrial execution. The only thing we lack… is innovative product design for digital and consumer electronics."
He paused again, then added with a sigh, "For years, our country has struggled. That's a fact. But didn't we all grow up with dreams? I wanted to build a perpetual motion machine as a kid—drew up the whole blueprint."
"In today's world, chasing money while suppressing creativity is the social norm. But Yuanxin must be different. We should be a haven for geniuses, for visionary ideas. We should be the ones who fund those ideas."
"So I hope you'll allow us to let our imagination bloom. Who knows—maybe one of those ideas will change the future."
Su Yuanshan's smile deepened, and he nodded encouragingly. "Go on."
That small gesture lit a fire in Zhu's chest. He clenched his fists briefly under the table, took another breath, and continued.
"If we can lead the digital era in product innovation, that would be our strongest weapon against a blockade. Just look at the global success of iMusic…"
At that point, Gao Xiaodi, seated beside him, gave him a nudge. "Zhu, don't just talk in circles—show us something real."
"How can I?" Zhu laughed. "We're designers. Our concepts live in our minds and sketches. For example, one of our junior staff read an article recently about a FogCam livestreaming the Golden Gate Bridge. It sparked an idea—what if we made it cheap enough for home use? Could we invent home video conferencing?"
"Of course, a few years ago we'd have laughed at that. But today… maybe it's worth a try."
Su Yuanshan suddenly interrupted, "Yes. That's a solid idea."
Zhu turned to look at him, surprised, only to see Su Yuanshan smiling and nodding.
"Keep going, Zhu," Su Yuanshan said, quickly jotting down notes. "This is good."
Once again encouraged, Zhu flipped to the next page in his notebook. The others, now intrigued, leaned in slightly to see what else was inside.
"Besides digital products, we could also collaborate with traditional appliance makers," Zhu continued, a little shy now. "Didn't Mr. Gates's book say the future is intelligent? I imagine walking to the door and having it open automatically, followed by the AC turning on, the TV picking your favorite channel, and a voice assistant welcoming you home and starting dinner."
"Okay, sure, it's a bit sci-fi. But Dr. Xi—how hard would it be to do, really?"
Dr. Xi, who had been listening attentively, chuckled when suddenly addressed. "Honestly? It's not hard at all. Just programming."
"Exactly. The hard part is adoption and use. But that's the future—so why not get ahead of it now? We could work with appliance brands to start digitizing controls. Ditch all the knobs and buttons for full digital interfaces."
That got nods from the chip design team—especially Li Mingliu and others.
Yes, adding digital controls to home appliances was child's play compared to advancing semiconductor process nodes. You could do it with a basic microcontroller.
"Very good. Keep going." Su Yuanshan's eyes gleamed with genuine excitement. He, too, now wondered just what else was hidden in Zhu's notebook.
Zhu, sensing the room behind him, took a deep breath, glanced once more at Chen Jing, and turned another page.
Though Su Yuanshan and Chen Jing had made a point of stationing him in the capital to lead the design center, everyone knew the department wasn't considered vital. It was often viewed as an offshoot of the mobile division.
The truth was, Su Yuanshan and Chen Jing had been propping up the "less important" departments all along.
Zhu had never expected to make it into the executive board—not with his credentials or his department's status. Everyone else at the table had stronger resumes.
When he'd confessed those insecurities to Chen Jing, she had simply paused for a few seconds and said, "I believe in you."
And when Su Yuanshan declared at the Flash Memory Alliance Conference that the digital era had begun, Zhu felt something inside him unlock. A force beyond comprehension had opened his meridians and lit up the road ahead for the design center—for him.
He had been with Yuanxin for three years.
Today, he had come to speak.
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Chapter 577: Abandon Illusions, Stay Vigilant
"Apart from the digital and appliance sectors, we can also consider expanding into other industries—for instance, the automotive field."
Zhu Yuanxin looked around the room. "From a cost and accessibility perspective, automobiles are not only qualified, but possibly the earliest industry to benefit from technological advancement."
"For example, can we design a new type of in-car device that eliminates cassette and CD players? And if we add a GPS chip, wouldn't that turn it into a video player with navigation functions?"
"I don't know if you've heard of Bosch in Germany. Last year, they released a navigation system called TravelPilot RGS05. I experienced it personally at the IFA exhibition in Berlin earlier this year. Honestly, even someone like me—who's barely a programmer—could tell that thing isn't complicated. The only real challenge is the map data."
"We might not be able to get overseas data, but we can always collaborate or purchase it. As for China, no one's even doing this yet."
Su Yuanshan looked surprised. "Still no one?"
"No one," Zhu replied with certainty.
Chen Jing thought for a moment and shook her head. "Navigation's been around for a while in the West, but development has been slow due to hardware limitations. What Zhu said about Bosch is spot-on—they're a veteran automotive tech provider. A lot of European car systems use their tech."
"Of course, I'm not saying we should dive into the auto industry right away… I'm just pointing out that these are directions where we might break through," Zhu concluded. "In traditional tech fields, it's easy to get choked out. But in new frontiers—especially ones we pioneer—who's going to stop us?"
Su Yuanshan nodded again. "What else?"
Zhu flipped another page in his notebook.
Su Yuanshan was genuinely shocked now—this guy's thinking went even broader than his own.
"I originally wanted to give President Gao's team an idea… but the more I thought about it, the more I realized it wouldn't work."
Gao Xiaodi turned and faced him. "Don't worry about whether it works—what's the idea?"
Su Yuanshan nodded with a grin. "Let's hear it."
Zhu looked a bit embarrassed but explained, "We've already got two of the three core PC components: the CPU and the motherboard via Meijie. So why not stop relying solely on Chengdian Gaoke and instead help a few smaller branded PC makers grow?"
"But then I talked to some friends at Zhongguancun, dug deeper, and realized that even though the domestic PC market looks chaotic—like a Warring States free-for-all—the total market size is still limited. Right now, brand PCs are all pushing after-sales service and support, building out extensive retail networks. That takes serious capital and channels. Under these conditions, small players can't even enter."
Su Yuanshan nodded again in agreement.
"That's it?" he asked, smiling.
"That's it," Zhu replied honestly. "These are just some scattered thoughts—hopefully a starting point for others."
"Very good."
Su Yuanshan made a strong mark in his notebook.
He had always avoided interfering directly in technologies or products that hadn't naturally emerged—because most innovations required genuine passion and vision from their original creators to truly come alive and grow creatively.
Of course, MP3s were an exception—Yuanxin had to lead the way in creating a product that could absorb the flash memory market and define the era.
But if someone proposed something on their own, he'd support it unconditionally.
…
As the meeting neared its end, Xi Xiaoding finally cleared his throat.
Everyone turned to look at him.
As Yuanxin's Chief Scientist and head of all R&D departments, he was now shouldering the entire burden brought on by the WA Agreement.
"President Chen just mentioned we should take inventory of all of Yuanxin's technology," he began with a wry smile. "Actually, I've already done it over the past several days—it just hasn't been compiled into a formal report yet. Once I finish, I'll distribute it to everyone."
"First of all, I want to apologize."
Su Yuanshan looked startled. "Brother, what are you apologizing for?"
"In the past few years, as Chief Scientist, I've focused mostly on teaching and YXLAB. Even the Pandora Lab hasn't produced any game-changing results for Yuanxin."
As he began to self-reflect, several people chuckled and waved him off, insisting he was being too modest. Never mind everything else—YXLAB had already grown into a serious alternative to Matlab in Chinese universities. And its AI achievements had practically left IBM in the dust.
"No, please hear me out." Xi raised his hand. "Here's the thing—I agree with Xiaoshan's vision. And just like Zhu Yuanxin said earlier, Yuanxin should be the kind of company that pays for ideas and inspiration."
"But that has its limits. When Yuanxin is thriving, that model is sustainable. But if Yuanxin faces a real crisis, Pandora cannot remain aloof."
The Pandora Lab functioned much like a university research center. When other departments hit roadblocks, they sent the problem to Pandora, where senior researchers would brainstorm solutions. On normal days, however, the lab's work often seemed… unrelated.
Take the AI team, for example. Other groups focused on cybersecurity, encryption, data analytics, communications protocols, distributed computing—you name it.
They held many patents, sure—but few had ever been commercialized.
The only profitable project had been YXLAB, and even that targeted stingy universities and barely broke even.
"No, brother," Su Yuanshan interrupted, speaking firmly. "There's no proof that any of Pandora's tech won't be useful one day. If it's science, it will eventually find its place."
"Take CDMA. It was born during WWII and shelved for decades before finally becoming the foundation of 3G mobile tech."
"If we want Yuanxin to become a great company, we can't just focus on short-term gains."
Tian Yaoming jumped in with a grin, "I agree. Dr. Xi, you can rest easy."
Xi smiled helplessly and sighed. "Alright. I won't say more. I'll have the data ready for you all by tomorrow."
Su Yuanshan nodded. Seeing that no one else had anything to add, he closed his notebook and scanned the room.
"Today, we've mostly discussed what to do if things go south. Where we need to go, what we need to do."
He looked around. "Earlier, Zhu Yuanxin hit the nail on the head—how to break through, how to expand, which direction to focus on."
"At the same time, we need to think about which products and sectors should grow with the domestic market, and which ones should target the international market from the start."
"Personally, I believe Zhu's two proposals—a webcam and an in-car navigation system—are not just viable. They're priority projects. Or better yet, projects we should start immediately."
Zhu Yuanxin clenched his fist again, moved by the recognition.
"So, this meeting has only one formal resolution."
Su Yuanshan looked at Zhou Xiaohui, who had been taking minutes this whole time.
She raised her head right on cue and flicked her wrist.
"Self-reliance. Accelerated expansion."
"We must discard the illusions the West has fed us for years. We must stay vigilant—always. That is the only way we won't end up on our knees, begging, when they cut us off."
"This meeting is classified. The records will be sealed."
"Twenty years from now, we'll unseal them and see if I was right."
"Meeting adjourned."
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Chapter 578: The Automotive Market Is Indispensable
Just as everyone was preparing to stand and leave, Su Yuanshan suddenly called out to Chen Jing and the heads of the technical departments.
"President Chen and all tech leads, please stay behind—Senior Zhu, you too. We're adding a technical session to discuss your proposal about in-car computers."
Zhang Rujin, who had already reached the door, paused for a moment before returning to his seat. Technically, this topic didn't concern him—he was responsible for the wafer fab. But clearly, something had crossed his mind.
"Uncle Zhang?" Su Yuanshan smiled. "Interested in joining our conversation on automotive chips?"
Zhang Rujin smiled back and shook his head. "Haha, no, I just remembered something."
"Please share it."
"Automotive chips come with higher material and process costs. That's something you'll need to account for. Also…" He looked discreetly toward Li Mingliu before continuing. "I suggest using programmable logic chips like GAL and FPGA in the early design stages. Once the design is mature and the market expands, then move to tape-out dedicated ASICs. That way, you'll manage costs more efficiently."
Su Yuanshan immediately understood the hint—Zhang was gently calling out the R&D team, especially Li Mingliu's group, for their habit of sending every single minor chip design to the wafer fab for tape-out. Yes, Su Yuanshan had allowed it, knowing those designs were aimed at the mass market and would eventually justify the investment. But using the fab's capacity for trivial control chips? That was excessive.
He nodded firmly. "Yes, we were planning to bring this up anyway. While Yuanxin doesn't currently focus on FPGAs, there's no question that domestic development in this area is essential for the future."
"Alright then. I'll take my leave." Zhang Rujin stood and exited.
…
Once he and the corporate departments had left, only Chen Jing, Su Yuanshan, Xi Xiaoding, Qin Weimin, Tian Yaoming, Li Mingliu, Gao Xiaodi, and Zhu Yuanxin remained—all of them top-tier figures in Yuanxin's tech core.
"Senior Zhu, your in-car computer concept is excellent. You're absolutely right—automobiles are headed toward integration of smart technology and industrial design. Entering the market now, even without immediate profits, gives us a chance to define the future," Su Yuanshan said, once again offering praise before shifting to a serious tone.
"But Dr. Zhang made an important point: automotive products are safety-critical. We must proceed with caution. Costs will be high, yes, but more importantly, we're talking about a very specialized class of chips."
"Of course, we won't try to address full vehicle systems right away. Let's start with in-car navigation. Once we build that foundation, we can gradually expand into sensors, control units, and other full-scope solutions for automotive electronics."
At this point, everyone understood why they had been asked to stay. Aside from Chen Jing and Zhu Yuanxin, everyone present had a background in systems engineering, chip development, or communications.
"That said, I've been thinking. For navigation, we face several major issues," Su Yuanshan continued, turning to Chen Jing. "First, we need to address GPS chip licensing."
Chen Jing knew right away—if he was keeping her back, it was definitely because he needed her help. She just hadn't expected it to be this issue.
To be honest, even though Western countries weren't outright banning the import of GPS chips into China, whether they would allow a mainland Chinese company to manufacture its own GPS chips was a completely different question—especially under the current climate.
While she was still pondering the implications, Gao Xiaodi chimed in. "President Shan, I don't think licensing will be a problem."
Chen Jing turned toward him. "Why not?"
"You might've heard about the recent missile exercises? The Second Artillery Corps launched three missiles. The first hit its target, but the next two veered off course. Rumor has it those used civilian-grade GPS."
Chen Jing paused, visibly taken aback.
Li Yinan added, "Can't confirm the details, but a satellite communications colleague of mine has been working around the clock lately. Guess what he's working on? The Beidou system."
Everyone fell silent for a moment.
Gao Xiaodi laughed. "So, if a company like Yuanxin introduces GPS-based consumer tech into the domestic market, the Americans might actually celebrate."
Su Yuanshan chuckled and nodded. "That's true. The West has a habit of killing off other nations' emerging tech before it grows up."
"But let's be realistic—there's little domestic demand for GPS tech right now. Our primary target remains developed markets like the U.S., Europe, and Japan," Su Yuanshan said, shifting the discussion again. "So how do we overcome this, especially now that the E911 mandate has just been issued? It requires all wireless providers to enable precise network-based positioning."
E911, a policy introduced by the FCC in the U.S. the previous month, sounded like a public safety initiative on the surface. But it came with costly technical demands and legal obligations for wireless network providers—many of which were never fully implemented. It did, however, lay the groundwork for LBS (Location-Based Services).
"That's the carriers' problem," Li Yinan pointed out. "We're just tech providers. I think the bigger challenge is map data. We won't be able to get it ourselves—we'll have to rely on international providers."
Gao Xiaodi added, "And even that cooperation might be blocked."
With everyone speaking at once, Su Yuanshan started to feel a headache coming on.
Thankfully, Xi Xiaoding offered a constructive idea that helped solidify the project plan:
—Develop a self-reliant GPS chip in-house.
—Export only the hardware and operating system to Western markets, using licensing and technical support to collaborate with foreign automakers.
—Domestically, focus on creating an ecosystem around navigation devices by working with Chinese map data providers and automakers.
This approach would allow Yuanxin to enter the auto tech market through cooperation, gradually leading to broader involvement in vehicle electronics—while also building a domestic foundation that could grow independently.
…
By the time the technical meeting ended, it was already after 7 p.m. After a quick meal in the company cafeteria, everyone returned to their work.
Su Yuanshan and Xi Xiaoding walked side by side toward the experimental labs.
A chilly autumn wind blew through, and a yellowed leaf floated down onto Su Yuanshan's shoulder.
"Winter's coming," Xi murmured as he watched Su pick it up and roll it between his fingers like a poet.
"Yeah, almost here." Su clasped his hands behind his back and looked toward the brightly lit laboratory building in the distance. "Brother, earlier you said the Pandora Lab has been drifting aimlessly. Let me give you some direction."
Xi Xiaoding stopped walking. "Go ahead."
"You've got a guy in your lab working on encrypted data transmission, right?"
"Yes."
"Have him design an anti-theft engine control system," Su Yuanshan said, nodding toward a nearby Mazda parked crookedly—one of many cars spilling out of Yuanxin's increasingly overcrowded parking lot.
"You know how in movies, a guy just pops the lock, pulls out two wires, twists them, and the engine starts? What if the car key and the engine had to match a cryptographic handshake? Let's see who can hotwire that."
Xi only needed two seconds to grasp it. "So, a chip in the key and the engine?"
"Exactly," Su Yuanshan nodded. "And once we do that, it opens the door to full vehicle control systems. It would be a major step toward entering the auto industry."
Xi nodded in agreement, then hesitated. "But something like that would require deep integration with automakers. Where would we even get those resources?"
"Simple," Su Yuanshan said as he let the leaf fall. His voice was calm. "We'll buy one."
"Because eventually, I'm going to build cars."
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Chapter 579: The Night Pearl of the Provincial Capital
Su Yuanshan's calm, offhanded remark left Xi Xiaoding stunned.
It took him a few seconds to react before he finally laughed. "You really don't do things halfway, do you? Aren't all the domestic automakers still state-owned? You thinking of buying one from abroad?"
"Forget the big foreign brands for now—I can't afford them. But for small ones, or even shady domestic workshops, why would I go overseas?" Su Yuanshan replied, his tone still relaxed.
Xi Xiaoding stared at him, incredulous. "You're not seriously considering buying a domestic car factory, are you?"
"I am," Su Yuanshan said firmly. "But just like you said, the problem is that all the notable brands are state-owned. Most are only allowed to operate with joint ventures—usually with Japan."
A gust of wind blew past. Su Yuanshan zipped up his jacket and hugged his arms for warmth, continuing his slow walk forward.
"Back in the previous decade, a lot of private car companies did emerge. But as government policy became stricter, most of them didn't survive."
He was referring to the car manufacturing permit system that began in the 1980s. Initially, only First Auto Works, Second Auto Works, and SAIC were granted licenses. But everyone in China knew—wherever there was money to be made, there would be people willing to bend the rules. Even farmers could slap together a workshop and start building cars if they had the capital and the dream.
That's how, during the last decade, a flood of low-cost car brands emerged, filling the streets with wildly diverse vehicles.
Eventually, policy enforcement caught up. Even local-government-backed automakers had to work in secret.
Chery was a classic example. They started by secretly buying a production line and building a factory. Even after they had working vehicles, the state refused to grant a license, wouldn't allow registration, and barred them from selling. Chery had to work under SAIC's name just to get its first models on the market.
"You're not seriously going after a private car company, are you?" Xi asked with a mix of disbelief and amusement. "I know a little about those. Some of their cars cost two or three grand. No air conditioning, no radio, and only one seatbelt in the entire vehicle."
Then something seemed to click in Xi's memory. "Right! I remember taking a taxi once in a car made in this city—it was brutal…"
Su Yuanshan chuckled. "You mean the Night Pearl?"
"Yeah, that's the name!"
"Funny you mention it. I'm actually thinking about buying them."
Xi Xiaoding: "…"
Night Pearl Automotive was a household name in the provincial capital. When their factory was first completed, the road outside hadn't even been named yet. It was eventually dubbed Night Pearl Road by locals.
Like all carmakers of the era, Night Pearl—whose parent company was called Tianju Automotive—had started by scraping together money, importing a production line, and copying existing designs to create a low-cost product for the domestic market.
To be honest, from a future perspective, the vehicles they made would be considered "industrial trash."
But in this moment in time, they were a symbol of China's "automotive dream."
"The key is," Su Yuanshan said with a half-smile, "we need a company that can fully execute our vision. That's something neither a partnership nor a joint venture can give us."
"…You've been thinking about this for a while, haven't you?" Xi asked.
"I have."
That same evening, a sleek black Mercedes slowly rolled down the crumbling pavement of Night Pearl Road, on the outskirts of the provincial capital.
Even at a crawl, the car still kicked up stones from the pockmarked road, sounding like firecrackers against the undercarriage.
To the left and right were single-story shops. Judging by the faded signs, they had once been vibrant small businesses. But now, half of them were shuttered, with "For Lease" signs hanging over the doors. The few still open had no customers, and their owners were playing mahjong together just to pass the time.
At the end of the road sat a factory covering over ten acres. Two tall metal signs flanked its main gate:
Tianju Automotive Co., Ltd.
Tianju Automotive Research Institute.
A rusted, three-meter-high iron gate divided the factory from the rest of the world.
Inside the testing workshop, about a dozen workers and engineers were gathered around a brand-new "mutant" car, engaged in animated discussion.
It was being called a "mutant" because it didn't resemble anything conventional. It looked like a modified Suzuki Alto but had an off-road-style front bumper and an unusually high ground clearance. To top it off, a full-sized spare tire hung off the back.
In other words, it was a poor man's Alto disguised as an SUV.
The workers and technicians chatted around the vehicle, but the factory director and general manager were nowhere to be seen.
…
In the director's office, the general manager and chief engineer were sitting across from each other.
"Mr. Li, I really think I'm ready to leave."
The speaker was Sun Xiaochuan, chief engineer at Tianju, aged forty-one.
He had been lured to the company years ago by Li Junyou's genuine dream of building cars. The very first Night Pearl, the CTJ-1, was his creation—though it had been a blatant copy of the Kia Pride. Every cost-cutting measure possible had been taken: all luxury features were stripped, but it still managed to sell over 5,000 units and became popular with taxi companies across the country. That, by any measure, was a success.
But the second model, the CTJ-2—a knockoff coupe—wasn't as lucky.
Sun didn't like making excuses. When CTJ-2 failed, he pushed for a third version before the company's momentum faded.
However… the third one crossed a line even for him.
He was the one who had built it, but even he felt the design violated everything he believed as an automotive engineer.
Yes, this mutant—the weird Alto-wannabe SUV—was the result of CEO Li Junyou's insistence. He was gambling everything on it, even planning to offer full refunds within a year if customers weren't satisfied.
Sun had had enough.
"Chief Sun, don't do this."
Though Li often played the "rough ex-soldier" persona, he knew that if Sun left now, it would be a huge blow to Tianju's future.
"Our CTJ-3 is a compact off-road mini SUV. It meets the needs of today's drivers."
"Mr. Li, it's not about needs," Sun said, fingers knotted tightly in his lap. He sighed, trying to find the right words.
Just then, the door to the office was abruptly pushed open.
Li looked up, clearly irritated. "Old Wang, what the hell—"
"Mr. Li, it's… it's someone from Yuanxin. I think it's their assistant to the chairman."
"Yuanxin?" Li frowned and glanced at Sun. "Which Yuanxin?"
"From the development zone," Sun replied, just as confused.
"Yes," the workshop supervisor nodded rapidly, trying to suppress his excitement.
"Where are they now?" Li asked, standing up.
"In the workshop, looking at the vehicle."
Li slammed a hand down on the desk and laughed. "Didn't I say it, Sun? Didn't I say a big client was coming?"
With that, he left the room, beaming with pride.
"…Is this a joke?" Sun muttered. After a moment of hesitation, he rose and followed behind.
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Chapter 580: Yuanxin Will Help You Rise Again
Sun Xiaochuan was still full of doubts, but since he was still the chief engineer of Tianju, and a major client had arrived…
Well, it was only right to fulfill his duties and stand this final post with dignity.
He quickly followed behind Li Junyou and made his way to the workshop.
From a distance, he could already see a young woman in a professional black suit standing in front of the new model, her hands clasped behind her back, quietly conversing with a colleague.
Two other Yuanxin staffers were circling the vehicle, pointing out various features, their expressions somewhere between amusement and disbelief. The assembly line supervisor stood beside them, wearing an uneasy smile as he explained the car's specs and features.
…
"Mr. Li, nice to meet you. I'm Zhou Xiaohui from Yuanxin."
Zhou Xiaohui immediately identified the approaching factory director from the way others reacted and greeted him with a polite, businesslike smile. She stepped forward and extended her hand.
"Director Zhou, welcome, welcome." Li Junyou greeted her enthusiastically, stepping forward with both hands. Realizing she was a young woman, he quickly pulled back his left hand and kept the handshake brief, before accepting the business card passed to him by Zhou's assistant.
Zhou Xiaohui
Assistant to the Chairman, Vice President
Yuanxin Technology Holdings Ltd.
"Director Zhou, this way, please…"
Li glanced at the card for just a moment, then subtly passed it to Sun Xiaochuan while using his other hand to gesture toward the office. His smile was even broader now.
Sun accepted the card and gave it a quick glance. His heart skipped a beat.
He had been worried this might be a scam, some small company impersonating Yuanxin.
But the moment he'd seen the black Mercedes parked out front, he'd known better. The license plate said it all: A-YX105.
YX-prefixed license plates were specially issued by the provincial government to Yuanxin's company vehicles—a mark of distinction recognized throughout the city.
And the woman standing in front of him wasn't just any employee. She was the chairman's assistant and a vice president.
In other words, second-in-command in all but name.
But why was someone of her rank visiting a place like this? This was Yuanxin—why would they be interested in a car like theirs?
…
"If I may ask, Director Zhou… what brings you to our humble facility today?" Li Junyou asked cautiously after some polite introductions and greetings.
He had always taken pride in calling Tianju an "institute" rather than a factory—it gave the place more prestige. But now, in front of someone from Yuanxin, he couldn't help feeling a bit humbled. Yuanxin wasn't just any company—it was the company. In the 1990s, maybe Tianju had been a local icon, but after that, all eyes were on Yuanxin.
Even ordinary folks in the provincial capital couldn't stop talking about it. Whether it was a cabbie, a shop owner, or a student, they'd inevitably mention Yuanxin in conversation, like they were all spiritual shareholders of the company.
So no, he couldn't believe Yuanxin was here to place a bulk order for their cars.
"Indeed, I heard that Mr. Li is a veteran?" Zhou Xiaohui asked, glancing toward the corner of the office, where a black-and-white photo of a young man in uniform was tucked under the glass of the desk.
"Yes, I served a few years in the military," Li replied with a nod.
"In that case, I'll speak directly." Zhou Xiaohui smiled slightly. "Yuanxin intends to enter the automotive industry. And since we prefer to begin close to home, here we are."
"You mean…" Li looked startled and quickly exchanged glances with Sun Xiaochuan. "You're looking to cooperate?"
"No," Zhou Xiaohui said flatly. "We want to acquire. A full acquisition."
At her signal, her assistant produced a folder.
"According to our data, Tianju Automotive has three main shareholders, all connected to the Red Plaque Group. They originally invested five million yuan."
"Three years ago, you restructured. The current major shareholders are you and your management team. The others now hold less than 50%. That means you, Mr. Li, are in a position to make executive decisions for the company. Correct?"
"In the past six years, Tianju has sold over 5,300 vehicles under the Night Pearl name. I'll add, somewhat personally—I once took one of your taxis back in the day," Zhou said, smiling at the memory.
"But your company has always faced a significant challenge."
She closed the folder, crossed her legs, and folded her hands neatly over her knee.
"You've never received a national passenger vehicle manufacturing license. Even registering your vehicles has always been difficult."
Li Junyou could no longer remain silent. "We have a production certificate issued by the provincial government and the public security department."
Zhou smiled. "Yes, a provincial permit. But as the national policy framework becomes clearer, local permissions like that will inevitably be phased out."
"Then why would Yuanxin still want to buy us?" Sun Xiaochuan finally couldn't hold back.
He knew this might come across as self-deprecating, but if they didn't clarify Yuanxin's true intentions, neither of them would be able to sleep tonight.
"For Yuanxin, the license is neither the problem nor the priority," Zhou said, still smiling.
Sun and Li looked at each other and both saw the same realization in each other's eyes.
Yes—for Tianju, a production license was everything. But for Yuanxin… it was nothing.
"Then what is the priority?"
"The fact that you're a complete, functioning team," Zhou replied, pulling another document from her case and handing it to Li.
"This is a letter of acquisition intent. Please review it. If you find it reasonable, or if you'd like to negotiate the terms, you're welcome to visit Yuanxin's headquarters and speak to me directly. I won't keep you any longer today."
…
Back at the tech park, Zhou Xiaohui and Fu Zhenhua reported their findings to Su Yuanshan.
In truth, this wasn't even a "fact-finding" trip. In the provincial capital, Tianju was an open book. Ask around on the street, and you'd find out everything—from shareholder spats to petty factory gossip.
For all its fame, Tianju was little more than a glorified knockoff workshop. Its peak workforce of over 300 (including sales and admin) had shrunk to just over 100. The good ones had long since left—sales, admin, and ambitious folks. What remained were the die-hard techies, stubborn but sincere.
Even they didn't work full-time anymore. They rotated shifts, drawing a tiny base salary. Li Junyou called it "waiting for rebirth."
"Rebirth my ass," Su Yuanshan had muttered at the briefing.
Two days later, a gaudy, heavily modified vehicle rolled up to Yuanxin's front gate.
The security guards—who had seen it all—stood in silence, unable to identify the make or model of this four-wheeled monstrosity.
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