That year the flowers bloomed 1981

Chapter 1376 I really can't learn this

Li Ye wasn't surprised that Ma Zhaoxian didn't trust him, thinking that anyone who saw his "Akina Mountain God Car" design would be able to copy it. After all, Li Ye had been prohibiting outsiders from entering the research and development workshop these days, and Ma Zhaoxian hadn't even gone in.

The reason Ma Zhaoxian confirmed with Li Ye was to be prepared when the other party came to visit tomorrow. After all, the other party was a leader, and it would be troublesome to refuse if he insisted on seeing the new project of the branch factory.

But now Li Ye has refused, so Ma Zhaoxian is naturally very puzzled.

Li Ye explained gently, "Uncle Ma, I actually know that in mainland China, so-called design patents are not very effective. So the reason I submitted the design patent was not to guard against internal spies, but against overseas car manufacturers."

"Sigh~~"

Ma Zhaoxian couldn't help but gasp, his eyes filled with doubt as he looked at Li Ye.

For so many years, mainland Chinese automakers have been picking up scraps from overseas automakers, holding onto technologies that are ten years behind and treating them like treasures, ultimately lagging behind by more than a generation.

Even the Beijing-brand commercial van produced by the No. 1 factory copied the appearance of Mitsubishi vans and imported Mitsubishi's chassis technology, barely managing to stitch together a "national excellent" or "ministerial excellent" product.

As a result, Li Ye is now afraid that overseas manufacturers will copy the design of the first factory, especially since the design came from Li Ye, an "outsider".

Li Ye studied economics! Although he has been in charge of technology at the factory, the way Wu Yan and the others act so arrogantly in front of him proves that Li Ye is not a professional.

But Li Ye never brags!
Ma Zhaoxian suddenly shuddered, and the doubt in his eyes turned into shock.

If the first factory produces a product that even overseas car companies need to copy, how much benefit would I, as the head of the light vehicle company, receive?
What a tremendous benefit!

Ma Zhaoxian immediately became serious: "Li Ye, tell me, what exactly makes your product so advanced?"

Li Ye sighed and said helplessly, "Uncle Ma, this product isn't exactly 'advanced,' it's just that our mainland car companies are too incompetent. Even if we give them the blueprints, they don't have a suitable engine, so apart from the appearance, they simply can't replicate it."

Ma Zhaoxian suddenly realized and murmured, "No wonder you've been so persistent in developing our own engines."

Currently, domestically produced engines are quite large and simply cannot fit into the semi-protruding engine compartment of the "miracle car." Foreign companies' engines, on the other hand, are not installed in vehicles other than their own models.

That's why Li Ye spent two years traveling to Europe and the United States seeking help, determined to develop his own engine.

It's just like making a gun. Any excellent firearm needs bullets first before you can build the firearm based on the bullets. Only laymen would build the firearm first and then match it with the right ammunition!
If you don't even have a suitable engine, what kind of car are you going to build?

"They're not allowed to see it! They absolutely mustn't see our new car!"

Ma Zhaoxian has become fanatical.

Earlier, they said that their "small car company" had no reputation in the mainland car industry, but now they have a trump card that Scorpion Daddy has to offer. Will they still lack a future and prestige?
. . . . . . . . .

On Thursday, May 14th, a simple banner was hung at the entrance of the No. 1 factory: "Warmly welcome leaders from higher authorities and guests from Southwest China to visit."

This simple reception model has been the routine of the First Factory for the past two years, but when the people from Southwest Heavy Truck arrived, they started to complain even before they got out of their car.

"Look, look, they're not really welcoming us. They just put up a banner and put us behind the higher-ups."

"Hmm, just one guest from the southwest, and they didn't even write down his/her workplace. The person in charge of receiving him/her is really incompetent."

"You should be grateful, right? Judging by this, it's already good enough that they didn't kick us out."

"."

As the general manager of Southwest Heavy Truck, Shang Bin also heard the whispers of his subordinates, but he was not angry at all. After getting out of the car, the smile on his face became even more sincere.

He waited until Director Yao of the Ministry finished shaking hands with Ma Zhaoxian and others before warmly shaking Ma Zhaoxian's hand.

"Oh, General Manager Ma, I've been wanting to visit you for a while, but I heard you're all very busy. That's why I'm here now, to trouble you even more."

Ma Zhaoxian forced a friendly smile: "Hey, Mr. Shang, what are you saying? Even if we're busy, we still need to prioritize, right? Southwest Heavy Truck is a veteran in the heavy truck industry. We'd be more than happy to have you here to guide us, hehehe~"

Shang Bin waved his arms and said happily, "It's not really guidance, we're just learning from each other and making progress together, hehehehe."

Li Ye stood to the side, watching the two chat intimately, barely able to suppress a smile. He still had so much to learn; this kind of hypocrisy and thick skin was something he couldn't learn in a short time.

Southwest Heavy Truck has a glorious record of producing hundreds of trucks in total over twenty years. If we let them come and provide guidance, wouldn't the first factory suffer losses for two years and go bankrupt in three?

And yet, they're still being modest!
However, before Li Ye could even fully grasp the learning experience, Shang Bin came over to him affectionately.

He grasped Li Ye's large, warm hand firmly, and said sincerely, "This must be Deputy Factory Director Li? I've heard so much about you."
Everyone told me that this Kamaz technology would never have been imported if Deputy Factory Director Li hadn't personally gone to Su'e and negotiated so diligently.
You're not even thirty yet, are you? So young and promising, truly young and promising!

"Hehehehe~"

Li Ye tried his best to make his smile look natural, but in his heart he was cursing.

Shang Bin was telling the truth; without Li Ye, this Kamaz technology would not have been able to be imported.

But Chen Xiaoer and Zhu Laomao have both said in their crosstalk performances that no matter how capable they are, the credit doesn't belong to them. In front of so many leaders, you're praising a lowly soldier like me to the heavens. Are you trying to kill me?
Moreover, Shang Bin pointed out Li Ye's biggest weakness in a veiled way—he was too young.

Li Ye is 29 years old this year. He was already a deputy director-level official more than a year ago. With his contributions to Su'e this year, he is a shoo-in for promotion to director-level this year.

Reaching this position at the age of thirty may seem like a smooth career path to outsiders, but what do those old guys think of it?
Young people lack experience. If they want to take on important responsibilities, do they need to hone their skills for a few more years?

Even someone as exceptional as Pan Xiaoying started working before she was twenty, first at Factory 501, and eventually had to be promoted to a deputy position before she could advance further.

That opportunity is not so easy to seize.

But look at Shang Bin, he's forty years old, in his prime, with both rank and experience. Compared to Li Ye, isn't he a better fit?
Li Ye lowered his head and smiled modestly.

Teacher Ke's words make a lot of sense. You need to have something that no one else can replace so that people can recognize your strengths. Otherwise, they will just point out your weaknesses every day.

. . . . . . . . . . .

The group arrived at the R&D workshop of the first factory and saw large piles of sealed Kamaz test projects.

Director Yao's face darkened, and he asked indifferently, "Is this the project you've been actively fighting for? The country spent so much to bring the project back, and you're just letting it rust here?"

Before Li Ye could speak, Ma Zhaoxian stepped in, smiling, and said, "It's like this, leader. Because we had the assistance of Su E's technical team during our previous research."
Now that they've suddenly withdrawn, we need some time to reorganize the data. Once we're done, we'll begin our research immediately.

Director Yao turned his head slightly and looked coldly at Niu Hongzhang.

Niu Hongzhang reported to his superiors that the First Branch Factory had launched a new project, but now people are saying that Su E has withdrawn its experts.

Shang Bin smiled and interjected, asking Li Ye, "Why did Su'e's technical staff leave? Didn't I hear they were all homeless and only had a place to stay because you took them in?"

Li Ye calmly said, "Because we can't pay salaries. A Su'e technician earns at least a thousand US dollars a month, and some earn two to three thousand. We don't have that much foreign exchange."

Shang Bin asked in surprise, "How can it be so high? I heard that in Su'e, a piece of pork can be exchanged for an excellent engineer to work for you. How can you pay them such a high salary?"

That was in Sue.

Li Ye said calmly, "Now the Lighthouse people are starting to poach people too. They give them at least three thousand US dollars a month, while we give them one thousand. That's already a friendly price between class brothers."

"."

Shang Bin paused for a moment, then suddenly burst out laughing.

"Family price, hahaha, you're right, aren't we brothers all treated like family?"

Even though Li Ye was prepared, he still couldn't help but turn his face away, not wanting to look at Shang Bin's expression. Shang Bin's meaning was clearly that he was referring to the First Branch Factory as "class brothers". So, was the First Branch Factory going to play the family-style price game with him?

Damn it, I could never learn this! How can someone be so shameless?!

(End of this chapter)