Return to 88: Starting from Marrying My Sister-in-law

Luzhou Luogang Airport.

The VIP exit, though somewhat old-fashioned, had an unusually solemn atmosphere.

Xu Changping, dressed in a well-fitting dark jacket, stood tall at the front, followed by several key personnel, including the director of the Municipal Economic and Trade Commission and the head of the newly established High-tech Zone Management Committee, as well as several local mainstream media reporters arranged by the Publicity Department.

Sunlight streamed through the glass ceiling of the passageway, casting geometric shadows on the smooth but slightly worn floor.

Xu Changping remained calm, his gaze steadily fixed on the depths of the passageway. Occasionally, he would exchange a few words in hushed tones with his colleagues beside him, maintaining the composure and seriousness expected of a mayor receiving important investors.

In name, this is a very high honor bestowed by the Luzhou Municipal Party Committee and Government upon the core team of Century Group Semiconductor, led by Lin Chundong, who have come from afar, in order to convey to the outside world their extreme importance attached to the project and their sincerity in cooperating with it.

However, beneath that calm, lake-like exterior, Xu Changping's heart was turbulent and far from peaceful.

His fingertips twitched slightly inside his jacket pocket.

He had already received definite information in advance.

His daughter Xu Siqi, whom he hadn't seen for two years and could only hear on the phone, and his little granddaughter Lu Feifei, whom he had never met since birth and who only existed in photos and videos, were now in this group about to leave!

They discreetly blended into this large technical team under the guise of "accompanying family members" or "internal coordinators within the group."

If it weren't for the many subordinates and reporters with their "long guns and short cannons" standing beside him, Xu Changping would have really wanted to abandon all his status and reserve at this moment, to be the first to rush forward, hug his daughter tightly, and take a good look at his granddaughter whom he had never been close to before.

Two years, more than seven hundred days and nights of longing and concern, at this moment transformed into a burning surge in my chest, almost breaking through the calm shell of what I call "Mayor".

A slightly noisy sound of footsteps and voices came from afar.

Deep inside the passage, figures moved about.

Led by Lin Chundong, a group of people dressed in business casual wear or engineer jackets appeared one after another.

Most of them looked weary from their journey, but their eyes were sharp, their steps were steady, and they exuded a focused aura unique to technical elites.

Xu Changping immediately composed himself, put on a perfectly measured, warm yet authoritative smile, and stepped forward to greet him.

"Welcome, welcome! Chief Engineer Lin, you must be tired from your journey! Welcome to Luzhou, experts!" Xu Changping was the first to extend his hands and firmly grasp Lin Chundong's hands.

Lin Chundong, the lean but determined technical director, also gave a humble smile: "Mayor Xu, you are too kind. It is really too much trouble for you to come to pick us up personally. We are just here to do business."

"Of course, of course!" Xu Changping laughed loudly, his gaze sweeping over the team members behind Lin Chundong as if searching for something, then quickly passing over certain figures. "You are all valuable assets for the development of high-tech industries in Luzhou. The municipal party committee and government attach great importance to the wafer fab project and have prepared a simple meal in the canteen to welcome you."

He turned to the reporters behind him and gestured: "However, there are still many media friends who care about the development of Luzhou who have been waiting here for a long time. They all want to see Chief Engineer Lin and also hope to hear your vision for future cooperation. Chief Engineer Lin, do you think it would be possible to take a few more minutes of your precious time to answer a few questions, so that our citizens and the outside world can feel our confidence and determination in our cooperation?"

Xu Changping's words were watertight, giving reporters an opportunity to interview him while subtly shifting the pressure towards building confidence in the project and cooperation.

Lin Chundong nodded slightly and said calmly, "Since Mayor Xu and all the media friends are so enthusiastic, then I'll just say a few words."

He stepped forward, facing the camera and microphone, his voice not loud, but clear and unwavering: "Hello everyone. I am Lin Chundong, the current head of the Domestic Semiconductor Affairs Department of Century Group, responsible for the overall construction of the Luzhou wafer fab project. Adhering to the strategic instructions of our Chairman Lu, we will go all out to establish ourselves in Luzhou and make it one of Century Group's most important R&D and production bases for advanced semiconductor processes in China."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, a strong sense of mission shining in his eyes: "The semiconductor industry, especially advanced wafer manufacturing, is a vital national asset. We know the road ahead is full of challenges, and there is still a gap between us and the world's top levels. But we have even greater faith in the power of talent, in the potential for our nation's development, and in our country's unwavering determination to develop high-tech industries!"
I implore you all to give us time and to place your trust in us!
My team and I hereby pledge to dedicate ourselves to the construction of the Luzhou wafer fab with the utmost enthusiasm, the most rigorous attitude, and the most professional technology! We are confident and determined to catch up with and even surpass international best practices in key self-developed chip technologies within 5 to 10 years! We will deliver a satisfactory result to repay Mayor Xu and the municipal government for their support, and to repay the expectations of Luzhou and its people!

"Well said!"

"Chief Engineer Lin truly deserves to be called a patriotic scientist!"

"Luzhou needs projects and leaders like these!"

"Well done, Chief Engineer Lin!"

A burst of enthusiastic applause and heartfelt praise erupted from the crowd.

Xu Changping also took the lead in clapping vigorously, his face full of praise and satisfaction.

Just as the atmosphere was harmonious and uplifting, a slightly shrill male voice with a distinct southern accent suddenly rang out from the back of the group of reporters, drowning out the applause:

"Chief Engineer Lin! Look this way! I'm Zhou Wei, a reporter from Daily Financial Observer! I have a few questions!"

Everyone's attention was instantly drawn to it.

A tall, thin man in an ordinary jacket pushed his way forward, ignoring the obstruction of his companions, holding a recorder high in his hand and staring sharply at Lin Chundong.

"Chief Engineer Lin, as far as we know, Mr. Lu Yang of Century Group has publicly promised to invest no less than 30 billion RMB in the first phase of the Luzhou wafer fab project! When exactly will this huge sum of money be in place? Is there any possibility of exaggerating the figures to attract attention?" Zhou Wei's question was direct and sharp.

Lin Chundong frowned almost imperceptibly, but his tone remained calm: "Regarding the project investment plan, our group has a sound financial planning and information disclosure system. The specific pace of capital investment will be strictly implemented in accordance with the project progress and contractual agreements. 30 billion is not just a slogan, but a reflection of Chairman Lu's determination for Luzhou and for the national semiconductor industry. Please wait and see."

However, Zhou Wei clearly had no intention of stopping there. He immediately followed up with a more damaging and personal question, raising his voice several octaves:

"Chief Engineer Lin! According to our in-depth investigation, before joining Century Group, you were a senior process engineer at United Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (UMC) in Taiwan! Your resignation process seems to have been difficult, and some people even say that you 'secretly fled' Taiwan for Singapore? UMC has not yet received your formal resignation report! What is your explanation for this?"

He pressed on aggressively: "You have served in a core position at UMC for many years and have mastered a large number of core technical secrets. Now, as soon as you leave UMC, you immediately join Mr. Lu Yang's team and are quickly entrusted with important responsibilities, leading a team back to the mainland to replicate, or even potentially replicate, UMC's technical roadmap! Does this constitute serious technology infringement and unfair competition? Do you personally feel any moral pressure about this?"

Upon hearing this, the scene fell into an instant silence!
The crowd that had just been applauding enthusiastically suddenly felt as if they had been choked. Everyone stared wide-eyed at the reporter who had asked the question, then nervously looked at Lin Chundong, whose face had suddenly turned extremely ugly, and finally their gazes focused on Mayor Xu Changping, who was standing next to Lin Chundong.

Lin Chundong's face turned pale instantly, his lips pressed tightly together, and a complex mix of pain and anger flashed in his eyes.

That experience of being surrounded and intercepted by secret agents and fleeing in a sorry state is his deepest scar and secret!
At this moment, he was so blatantly exposed in public, and even labeled as a "commercial spy" and a "moral scumbag"!

"Who is this man?!" Xu Changping's previously warm face instantly darkened to a grim degree. He abruptly turned his head, lowered his voice, and sternly reprimanded the municipal government secretary-general beside him, "Who let him in?! Check his press pass! Immediately!"

Although Xu Changping's voice was not loud, the imposing aura of someone who had long held a high position instantly spread out.

The secretary-general was sweating profusely and immediately signaled the security personnel next to him to come forward.

Lin Chundong took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his turbulent emotions and striving to maintain a calm facade, but his slightly trembling fingers betrayed the immense turmoil within him. He stared directly at the reporter who identified himself as Zhou Wei, his voice cold and restrained:
"My friend, my past experiences and job changes fall under the category of personal privacy. As for your baseless speculations and accusations, which are full of malice and prejudice, I have no comment! I, Lin Chundong, have a clear conscience!"

Almost as soon as he finished speaking, two burly security personnel flanked Zhou Wei from both sides.

"Excuse me, sir, please show your valid press credentials! We need to verify your identity!" the security guard said in a deep, firm voice.

Zhou Wei struggled, trying to break free of control, his voice carrying a deliberate air of grievance and incitement: "What are you doing! Let me go! I'm a journalist! I have the right to conduct news interviews and immunity! You have no right to treat me like this! This is obstructing press freedom! Are you feeling guilty?"

"Sir, we have not found any registration information for you, Zhou Wei, a reporter from 'Daily Financial Observer,' at the front desk! Please cooperate with our work and come with us to the security room to explain the situation! Otherwise, we will suspect that you are impersonating a reporter and attempting to disrupt important business events!" The security personnel were ruthless and increased the pressure on their hands.

“This is illegal detention! I’m going to expose you! Mayor Xu! Chief Engineer Lin! You…” Zhou Wei’s shouts were quickly drowned out. Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, he was almost dragged away from the scene by two security personnel.

His threat to "expose you" echoed jarringly in the corridor.

A sudden storm, like a brief downpour, dampened the originally warm and harmonious atmosphere.

An awkward silence fell over the scene, and a shadow fell over everyone's hearts.

Xu Changping's expression remained grim, but as the host and mayor, he quickly composed himself, a reassuring smile returning to his face. He addressed Lin Chundong and his team, saying, "Chief Engineer Lin, experts, I'm truly sorry for the minor mishap. Please forgive the commotion. This was an oversight on our part in security! Rest assured, the municipal government will thoroughly investigate this matter and provide an explanation! The buses to pick you up are already waiting outside. Please get on the buses first, and we'll head back to the city to freshen up. We can discuss the details over dinner!"

Lin Chundong took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and nodded to Xu Changping: "Thank you for your trouble, Mayor Xu." He turned around and signaled his team members to follow.

As Lin Chundong's team boarded the waiting buses one after another, Xu Changping stood there, his tense nerves finally relaxing slightly, and he let out a long, impassive sigh.

The meticulously prepared reception began with such a thrilling start.

As the convoy slowly drove away, Xu Changping's gaze eagerly fell upon the figure who had been quietly waiting in the corner of the rest area next to the VIP passage.

There, Xu Siqi was holding a beautiful little girl, her eyes already brimming with tears, staring blankly at him.

Xu Changping rushed over, his voice trembling with barely suppressed affection: "My good daughter...you're back, it's so good to be back..."

"Dad!" With a choked cry filled with endless longing and grievance, Xu Siqi could no longer hold back, and tears rolled down her cheeks like beads from a broken string.

She held her daughter and nestled into her father's arms.

Xu Changping opened his arms and hugged his daughter and granddaughter tightly.

Feeling the slight twitching of his daughter's shoulder, his heart, hardened by years of experience in officialdom, softened completely.

His hand was a little stiff, yet he touched his granddaughter Lu Feifei's soft little face with utmost care and tentativeness.

“Silly child, you’re such a grown-up, why are you still crying? Stop crying,” Xu Changping’s voice was a little hoarse. He tried to smile and clumsily wiped away his daughter’s tears with his fingertips. “What if you scare our little Feifei if you keep crying?”

He lowered his head, looking at his little granddaughter in his arms, who was staring at him with her big, bright eyes, and a tender smile spread across his face. It was the most genuine love that came after he had taken off all his mayoral masks: "Come here, let Grandpa hold you. Hmm? Our Feifei is so good. She looks just like her mother when she was little... Feifei, do you recognize Grandpa?"

Xu Siqi smiled through her tears, wiped them away, and carefully handed her daughter to her father: "Feifei, quick, call him Grandpa! Call him Grandpa!" The little one was still a bit shy, squirming in Xu Changping's arms and babbling. Although she didn't make any clear sounds, her sweet, childlike voice was enough to melt any cold heart.

Xu Changping held the tiny, warm, and soft life in his arms as if he were holding the most precious porcelain in the world, his face beaming with unprecedented satisfaction and happiness.

A heartwarming scene of father and daughter reuniting unfolded quietly in a corner of the slightly messy airport.

Almost at the same time after the Luzhou Airport incident subsided, Lu Yang, far away in Shenzhen, had already learned the full details of the incident through special channels from the top floor of the Century Group headquarters.

Behind the large desk, Lu Yang's expression was unusually solemn. His fingers tapped rhythmically on the smooth mahogany surface, producing a dull sound.

Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, but it couldn't dispel the gloom between his brows.

"'Daily Financial Observation'? No such person found?" Lu Yang sneered, his eyes flashing with cold light. "It seems the other party is even more impatient than we imagined."

He turned to Gong Ping'an, who was standing solemnly at his desk, and said in a low and serious tone, "Ping'an, the inside information has been confirmed. The 'reporter' who caused the trouble is actually an agent from over there, and his target is very likely Lin Chundong and his family."

Gong Ping'an's eyes sharpened, and he immediately straightened his back: "Boss, I understand! Security in Luzhou must be upgraded immediately! Engineer Lin and his entire core team are key targets for protection!"

“Not bad.” Lu Yang stood up, walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, and looked down at Pengcheng below. “This farce is not just a smear campaign, but also a blatant threat and spying. They want to use public pressure and personal threats to disrupt our plans and even force Engineer Lin to back down! This precisely shows that Engineer Lin and the technology he possesses are the key to our wafer fab project, and the bargaining chip they fear most!”

He turned around abruptly, his gaze fixed intently on Gong Ping'an: "Ping'an, you should understand how rare it is for us to secure the opportunity to build an eight-inch wafer fab in China! This is not just a business strategy, but also a matter of breaking through the bottleneck of the entire national semiconductor industry chain! The sooner it is completed and put into production, the sooner we can narrow the gap with international giants! This project must not be lost, and anyone who tries to sabotage it is our enemy!"

"Don't worry, boss! I, Gong Ping'an, guarantee with my life that I will not allow anyone to lay a finger on Lin Gong or sabotage the Luzhou project!" Gong Ping'an said resolutely, his voice filled with the unwavering resolve of a seasoned soldier.

Lu Yang walked up to him, patted him heavily on the shoulder, his eyes filled with trust and entrustment: "Good! With you saying that, I'm relieved. Here's the deal: you personally lead the team! Transfer a group of the most elite and reliable brothers from the overseas base, and set off for Luzhou immediately! There are two tasks: First, immediately take over and comprehensively strengthen the core security of the wafer fab preparation office and Lin's team's residence, making it as solid as an iron barrel! Second, thoroughly clean up the 'eyes' and 'ears' around Luzhou, especially near the wafer fab site selection area. I don't want to see a single fly get in!"

"Understood! I'll go pick people right away, and we'll set off tonight!" Gong Ping'an said without the slightest hesitation.

"Hmm." Lu Yang nodded, his gaze falling on the man who had been standing quietly behind Gong Ping'an, a man with a muscular build like an iron tower.

"A large army."

"While Ping An is taking people to Luzhou, the security of the group headquarters, especially the semiconductor laboratory, will be entirely in your hands. Pengcheng is our foundation, and it cannot be lost either!" Lu Yang's gaze was filled with scrutiny and expectation.

A fierce light instantly flashed in Dajun's eyes!

He suddenly straightened his chest, clenched his right fist, and slammed it hard against his chest, producing a dull thud like the beating of a war drum.

"Guaranteed to complete the mission!"

He had waited far too long for this important responsibility to take on the task alone!

The situation in China now is different from later generations. The FAST telescope hasn't been installed yet, and information transmission is far less advanced. There are countless people who idolize foreign things and fawn over foreigners. To put it bluntly, 50 yuan is a common sight. Lu Yang has to be on guard. (End of Chapter)