Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 363 When the East Is Dark, the West Is Bright

After formal contact, remember a few points: Core technology patents can be shared; the military won't release those technologies, so we won't be at a disadvantage. Ideally, we should hold the majority stake in the joint venture, because their sales are not as good as ours, and their forces are short of funds. The management team should be primarily composed of our own people, while the other party can send supervisory personnel.

"I understand. What I'm thinking is whether there are other electronics factories we can discuss together."

"Of course, we have wireless communication and some electronic components. We'll discuss the specifics once we've made contact with them."

"Okay, I'll have Brother Da Mao prepare the detailed information right away."

"No rush. There's more to it over there. A lot of our things aren't in the mainland. Let's finalize the switch agreement first."

"Row!"

"Also, tell Da Mao to keep things stable on the local side and not let the talks completely fall apart, but don't give in too easily. Let's drag it out until you reach an agreement on your side."

"I know, brother."

Before He Yuxin could even receive a letter, someone came to He Yuzhu's side. Who was it? Old Fan, of course.

"Hey Zhuzi, that's not very nice of you."

"What's wrong, Lao Fan?"

"You're not playing dumb with me, are you?"

"Really not!"

"What's going on with your electronics factory? When you run into trouble, Uncle Fang, you're not around, so you just pretend we don't exist, right?"

"Well, there's nothing you can do about this."

“We can’t control it, but your third son went to Lao Zhou and then to me, so do you think I can’t handle it?”

"You still care about this?" He Yuzhu asked.

“We may not interfere, but we can act as a go-between. Are we really less capable than a mechanical engineer like him?”

"Yu Xin told me this after she looked for it," He Yuzhu said.

"Alright, for things like this in the future, just come to me, and I'll help you make the connections."

"No, Lao Fan, what's in it for you to be so enthusiastic?"

"Is our company just for show?" Lao Fan asked.

"Okay, I got it. I'll think of you guys first from now on."

“That’s right, no one else has a closer relationship than us!” Old Fan said.

"I thought you'd gotten promoted and forgotten about me."

"Get lost! Do you think I, Lao Fan, am that kind of person? You're my savior, and not just me, but all my old brothers remember that."

"Everyone was just on a mission. There's no need to mention 'savior' anymore."

“You think it’s just a task, but we live because of you. You think you can just stop talking about it?”

"Okay, okay, do whatever you want."

"Hahaha, don't worry, Lao Zhou has made the connections for you. I'll put in a little more effort, and this time there will definitely be no problem. As for the local area, if it doesn't work out, you can just give up for now. It won't affect you much, right?"

"It's just a matter of earning less money; let them earn it for a few years first," He Yuzhu said.

"What, you have other ideas?"

“You don’t think I’ll starve to death if I’m missing that piece of food?” He Yuzhu asked.

"No, we really admire your ability to make money."

“Okay, but don’t make your message too obvious,” He Yuzhu said.

"I know, just pass on a message. You're very famous, this is enough."

"it is good."

"I'm hanging up now, I have other things to do. Remember to let me know when you come back to Beijing next time. It's been a long time since we had a drink together," Old Fan said.

"I think you want to eat my cooking."

"You were right! We made a promise, you'd definitely tell me when you got back."

"I know, you've gotten more long-winded as you get older," He Yuzhu said.

"Hanged up."

In fact, Xu Damao overlooked one point, namely the local government.

He forgot that the other party hadn't forgotten. After the people from the post office left, Xu Damao received a call from both the Guangdong Provincial Government and the Special Economic Zone Government. The gist of the call was that Huanghe Group was a key local enterprise, and the local government would definitely support and coordinate if it encountered difficulties. They hoped that the company could focus on production, and if all else failed, they would help to secure the share from Guangdong Province and the Special Economic Zone.

Xu Damao thanked him repeatedly on the phone, and felt a little more confident than before.

Zhou's father quickly called He Yuxin, saying that the military would contact the factory directly and that he should be prepared.

He Yuxin asked for a rough time, told her family, and then bought a plane ticket to Huacheng.

When we arrived in Huacheng, Xu Damao sent someone to pick us up. After a bumpy ride, we arrived at the Special Economic Zone.

Xu Damao told He Yuxin about the attitude of the province and city. He Yuxin laughed and said, "Then what are you worried about, Brother Mao? At worst, we can just give up this business. Other electrical appliances can make money just as well."

"That's what they say, but I'm not willing to give up all the hard work I've put in."

"Circumstances are beyond our control; let's try a different approach."

"Too!"

Two days later, the military came to inspect the facilities. It wasn't just one or two people, but an entire inspection team. They came not only to inspect the program-controlled switchboard, but also to inspect wireless communications, automobiles, and helicopters.

This can't be solved just in the special economic zone. He Yuzhu thought to himself after receiving He Yuxin's report on the phone: "No wonder Lao Fan was so confident. It seems that Lao Fan and his group must have helped with these people's entry and exit."

As for the results of the inspection, they cannot be described as merely satisfactory; they exceeded expectations. The existing resources along the Yellow River can fill many gaps, such as in communications, certain computing capabilities, and specialized vehicles.

Of course, the two sides couldn't go straight to full cooperation; you can't get fat in one bite. They started by discussing the program-controlled exchange. He Yuxin and Xu Damao also went back to Hong Kong, and the talks lasted for half a month.

The final decision was basically the same as what He Yuzhu had in mind. The military equipment was mostly custom-made, and the factory could sell other products on its own without leaking secrets.

The military was also very interested in analog wireless telephones, as they could travel much farther than radio transmissions, and they didn't care about the size.

However, since base stations and other infrastructure are not yet in place, we can only look on with envy.

The helicopter deal was partially finalized. The reason it was only partially finalized was that the other party only wanted the spare parts; how to use it was their business. He Yuzhu had no objection to this, as it was part of his original plan.

When the people from the post and telecommunications department came again, Huanghe's electronics factory had already put up a sign for a certain military unit and factory. They could only chat briefly before leaving.

The large-scale switches that Xu Damao had previously stockpiled were all ordered by the military. A few days later, several military vehicles drove into the special economic zone's electronics factory, bringing with them a training group of more than 30 technical soldiers.

The team leader was a staff officer surnamed Zhang.

"Mr. Xu, Mr. He, I'll be bothering you for a while now." Major Zhang shook hands with Xu Damao and He Yuxin.

"Of course, of course," Xu Damao said.

"The higher-ups have mandated that they master the installation, debugging, basic maintenance, and simple repairs of the equipment within three months. The factory's engineers will have to shoulder the burden of developing the training materials and plans."

Xu Damao said, "I will make all the arrangements; no one will hold anything back."

The factory quickly set aside a special training room, and one of Liu's engineers began to teach these young soldiers.

We'll start with the most basic principles, and then move on to complex module assembly and circuit troubleshooting.

The soldiers listened attentively, taking copious notes, and even during breaks they would surround the instructor with questions. They were also exceptionally cautious and focused when they got hands-on practice.

The engineers also gave feedback that these soldiers were too weak and asked if they could stay a little longer. Xu Damao asked Staff Officer Zhang about this.

Although Staff Officer Zhang was a little embarrassed, he still insisted on completing the task within three months. As a result, the soldiers worked even harder, and the number of instructors for the training increased from one to three.

In April, both Gong Xue and Cherie Chung were found to be pregnant.

Chen Lanxiang was overjoyed and almost kept Gong Xue at home. Gong Xue had to do a lot of persuasion before she went back to work.

Not only that, Chen Lanxiang called He Yuyao several times, asking him to send his wife back to Beijing. The reason was simple: the guy didn't have time to take care of her.

He Yuyao suggested going to her older brother and sister-in-law's place, but Chen Lanxiang scolded her, saying that they were her older brother and sister-in-law, not her parents, who were still alive.

He Yuyao had no choice but to discuss it with Cherie Chung. Living with her in-laws while pregnant made Cherie Chung unsure of the situation, so she kept putting it off.

Until one day, someone else called her.

"Hongmei, I heard you're pregnant too? That's wonderful! I was panicking at first, feeling like I hadn't arranged so many things. Actually, I thought you could come back; you don't have to stay home every day. You can come and visit my current workplace and learn from them. The people there are all very nice, mostly veteran artists. If you want to perform on stage, it's not impossible. There are also training courses here; you can sign up. Also, Mom is a bit of a nag, but she's a really good person. She prepares everything perfectly for you, which saves you a lot of trouble. And Dad's cooking skills are top-notch."

Gong Xue's words were like a gentle breeze, slowly dispelling Zhong Chuhong's worries.

As she listened to Gong Xue's description on the other end of the phone, imagining the possibility of another life, it didn't seem so unacceptable.

When He Yuyao returned home that evening, he found that Cherie Chung was in a much better mood.

She suggested, "Yuyao, how about I try staying in Beijing for a while? If I really can't get used to it, I'll come back?"

He Yuyao exclaimed in surprise, "Who is so capable that they convinced you?"

"Third sister-in-law."

"Third sister-in-law is really amazing. Then you should go back and stay for a while. I'm really busy here, and to be honest, it's not convenient for your parents."

"Yes, that's what I think too. My third sister-in-law even found me an opportunity to further my acting studies."

"Isn't that even better? The two of you together will keep each other company."

"Yes."

The matter was settled.

Chen Lanxiang was overjoyed when she heard the news and praised Gong Xue highly.

Then I started preparing at home, preparing rooms, daily necessities, and so on.

He Yuyao ultimately failed to get leave. Hong Kong had been quite turbulent lately, with both local and foreign gangs causing trouble. In the end, He Yuxin picked up Chung Chu-hung from the border and sent her directly back to Beijing.

In June of 1985, He Yuzhu received a phone call from someone he never expected.

"Pillar, can you recognize who I am?"

"Old Mei, it's you? Where are Qianli, Wanli, Lao Yu, and Lao Xiong?"

“They can’t get through to you on the phone right now,” Mei Sheng said.

"Wait a minute, old man, are you injured again?"

"No, no, I'm fine, I'm fine!" Mei Sheng said.

"Where are you now?"

“Guess!” Mei Sheng said.

"Shen City?"

“No!” Mei Sheng said.

Nanning?

“No!” Mei Sheng said.

"I really can't guess that."

“Hahaha, I’m in the Special Economic Zone!” Mei Sheng said.

"What? You went to the Special Economic Zone?"

“I’ve taken off my military uniform. I wasn’t old enough to retire, so I transferred to civilian work,” Mei Sheng said.

"Ah, someone of your level, who just came down from over there, how could this be?" He Yuzhu said indignantly.

"What news did you hear?" Mei Sheng asked.

"Never mind that, just tell me why?"

"Hey, I volunteered. You know about my eyes and my physical condition. The military is now dominated by young people."

"No way, you old man, you speak English and you even went to college."

"After so many years in the army, I've long since forgotten everything I learned," Mei Sheng said.

"Do you have a place to stay in the Special Economic Zone? If not, I'll have someone arrange it."

"You'll arrange it? No need, my workplace has arranged it," Mei Sheng said with a smile.

"Where did you get assigned?"

"We're bringing in foreign-invested offices," Mei Sheng said with a smile.

"What a coincidence?" "Didn't you say you speak English?" Mei Sheng laughed.

"The top leader?"

"Hmm," Mei Sheng said with a smile.

"Then we two brothers will be dealing with each other a lot more often in the future."

"I've heard about it. Your Yellow River Group is a household name. I've heard about it so much since I arrived that I'm practically sick of it."

"I'll be going back in a few days, and we brothers must have a good drink together."

"Okay, I'll treat you when you come back. I feel bad that you always treat me."

"This is what you said."

"What, you think you can bankrupt me with just one drinking session?"

"That's hard to say."

"That's not a problem. If there's no food, I'll just eat at your company cafeteria."

"Hahahaha!" He Yuzhu was genuinely happy.

After hanging up the phone, He Yuzhu went straight to contact a boat. Once the boat was arranged, he asked Xiaoman to make the necessary arrangements for him to return to the mainland.

"Brother Zhu, what's the matter? Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Come with me to see an old comrade-in-arms."

"But what about the things I have to do?"

"It's okay if it takes a few days. Just assign the tasks and let them execute them according to the established strategy."

"it is good."

What kind of established strategy is this? Use US dollars to buy things in small quantities, and even if you sell them back in a few months, you can still make a fortune.

As for the foreign exchange market, there's no rush, since the funds are already prepared.

Three days later, in the Special Economic Zone, at dusk.

A car stopped in front of the Grand Hyatt Hotel. As soon as He Yuzhu and Xiaoman got out of the car, Xu Damao and He Yuxin, who had been waiting at the door, came to greet them.

"Brother, sister-in-law, you must be tired from your journey." He Yuxin took the luggage from Xiaoman's hands.

"The rooms are all arranged, shall we rest for a while?" Xu Damao asked.

He Yuzhu waved his hand: "What are you resting for? Has today's main character arrived yet?"

"We're here, we're here! It's in the private room upstairs. Director Mei arrived even before us, saying we couldn't be rude to her as the host." Xu Damao laughed, "Brother, your comrade-in-arms, Director Mei, what a coincidence!"

He Yuzhu glanced at him and said, "I don't know if it's a coincidence or not, and don't overthink it. Today is a reunion of old comrades-in-arms. We'll just catch up and not talk about official business."

"Understood, understood!" Xu Damao nodded repeatedly, his smile unchanged.

The group went upstairs, pushed open the door to the private room, and saw a middle-aged man wearing a slightly worn Zhongshan suit, with a straight posture, standing by the window looking at the neon lights just beginning to light up outside.

He turned around at the sound of the voice, a gentle smile on his face, and the deep wrinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothed out. It was Mei Sheng.

"Zhu Zi!" Mei Sheng strode over, and the two shook hands firmly, looking each other over. They slapped each other's arms with a solid sound.

"Old Mei!"

"old!"

"The same to you!"

They both burst into laughter at the same time, their eyes filled with tears.

Xiaoman stood to the side, watching with a smile. He Yuxin and Xu Damao exchanged a glance and waited quietly at the door.

"Is this your sister-in-law?" Mei Sheng turned to Xiao Man. "I've always heard Zhu Zi mention how beautiful you are. He wasn't exaggerating. I've finally met you today."

"Brother Mei, hello." Xiaoman stepped forward and shook hands with him in a graceful manner. "Brother Zhu has been talking about you all the way here."

"He's afraid I won't get a free drink from him!" Mei Sheng laughed, turning his gaze to He Yuxin and Xu Damao at the door.

He Yuzhu then stepped aside to introduce: "This is my third son, Yuxin, who is now mainly in charge of the mainland area. This is Xu Damao, my brother and childhood friend, who keeps a close eye on things in the Special Administrative Region."

"So this place belongs to you?" Mei Sheng suddenly realized.

"You were the one who said you'd treat me to dinner at the best place!"

"So you were waiting for me here. But it's a deal, I have to pay today."

"Okay, okay, okay, you pay up, I won't let you make a mistake!" He Yuzhu laughed, then waved behind him.

He Yuxin and Xu Damao rushed forward.

"Director Mei, hello!"

"Don't call me Director, call me Brother Mei!"

"Brother Mei!"

"That's more like it!"

Mei shook hands with each of them, his grip firm, his smile gentle yet scrutinizing: "Good, you're all young and promising. This is a private gathering today, no director here, just Old Mei. Your elder brother and I have a life-or-death bond, we're not outsiders."

Everyone then took their seats.

The dishes were arranged in advance and served quickly, mostly local flavors, light and sweet.

The wines, however, were Moutai, Xifeng, and Fenjiu, which He Yuzhu had Xu Damao prepare.

Mei Sheng laughed as soon as he saw the bottle: "These are still the strongest! Drinking rice wine or foreign liquor here in the Special Economic Zone just doesn't feel right."

"I knew you liked this." He Yuzhu personally filled his glass.

After a few drinks, the atmosphere became even more lively.

The two reminisced about their glorious past, talking about familiar names and thrilling events, sometimes laughing and sometimes sighing.

Xiaoman occasionally chimes in, asking about details, and listens attentively.

He Yuxin listened quietly most of the time, while Xu Damao served wine and dishes at just the right time, occasionally cracking jokes that made Mei Sheng laugh heartily.

After a few rounds of drinks, Mei Sheng's cheeks flushed slightly, and he became more talkative: "Zhu Zi, I really didn't expect you to make such a name for yourself. Yellow River Group, what a great name, so impressive. Since I arrived, I haven't had a single day without hearing that name. It's been constantly on my mind. I got curious, and then I looked at the information, and wow, Zhu Zi, you're amazing!"

"Times shape people!" He Yuzhu raised his glass and clinked it with his.

"You're just being too modest! If people aren't capable, what can the times create?"

"What are we creating? We're creating people!" He Yuzhu laughed.

"Yes, yes, just like us."

"There's nothing wrong with it; everyone chooses their own path."

"Yeah, I chose this place myself, so I came here. Now we can sit together and drink again."

"That's right, that makes sense!"

Throughout the meal, He Yuzhu never asked about Wu Qianli and the others. Since Mei Sheng didn't say anything, it meant it was inconvenient to talk about it, but there would be news eventually.

Mei Sheng got drunk in the end, so He Yuzhu asked Xu Damao to book a room for Mei Sheng to rest at the hotel.

Xu Damao and He Yuxin had also drunk quite a bit, and the two of them rested at the hotel.

"Brother Zhu, is everything you're saying true?"

"The peninsula? Yes, it's all real!"

"Then why have you never mentioned it when you went home?"

"What's there to say? Didn't I just make you worry?"

"No wonder you never mention yourselves when you give reports, it turns out you're in such a terrible situation."

"What's so terrible about us? At least we came back alive."

"Yep!"

"Alright, go to sleep. Tomorrow we'll ask Lao Mei if she has time to take a look around the special economic zone together. We can also check out the factories and the port."

"Row."

The next morning, He Yuzhu and Xiaoman met Meisheng at the hotel restaurant.

He looked to be in good spirits, showing no signs of hangover fatigue.

"I drank too much last night, please excuse my poor taste," Mei Sheng greeted him with a smile.

“This is nothing. Back in the day, in the freezing cold,” He Yuzhu said, waving his hand, “Come on, let’s get something to eat.”

At the dinner table, He Yuzhu asked Meisheng about his daytime schedule, and Meisheng replied that he was familiar with the business.

He Yuzhu said directly, "Call your unit and tell them you've gone to inspect companies outside. Have Da Mao and Yu Xin show us around today. I'll also take this opportunity to see the new changes in the special economic zone."

“Okay, that saves me the trouble of transferring a car from my workplace. We don’t have many cars to begin with.”

After a quick breakfast, the group set off by car.

The car first headed towards Yantian Port.

In the morning light, the dock was already bustling with activity. The first phase of the port had been completed, gantry cranes moved slowly, containers were piled up like mountains, and ocean-going cargo ships slowly docked with their horns blaring.

Looking out the window, Mei Sheng sighed, "I heard that just a few years ago this was just a small fishing village dock. Is this also the work of your Yellow River Group?"

"If you have the chance, go to Shekou. It's bigger than here. Of course, if you want to see something more advanced, you're welcome to go to Hong Kong."

“I will definitely go if I have the chance. I want to see what a capitalist city is really like and what kind of life you capitalists lead.”

"That's not a nice thing to say!"

"Hahaha, aren't you a capitalist?"

After visiting the port, they went to the electronics factory.

The expanded factory area is vast, with brand-new factory buildings arranged neatly.

Upon entering the workshop, the production line was running at full speed, and the workers were busy but orderly in front of the assembly line.

Mei Sheng carefully examined the operations at several workstations, and then picked up a newly manufactured tape recorder to take a look.

"You can build a tape recorder so quickly?" he asked.

"And what do you think?" He Yuzhu asked.

"I'm so outdated. It seems I still have a lot to learn."

"One is never too old to learn!"

Leaving the electronics factory, the car headed towards the science and technology industrial park under construction. Large tracts of land had been leveled, pile drivers were roaring, and several main buildings were beginning to take shape.

Xu Damao pointed to the planning map and introduced: "This will be a research and development center in the future, attracting high-tech enterprises from home and abroad to settle in. We plan to build an innovation base that integrates industry, academia and research."

Mei Sheng carefully examined the planning map and suddenly asked, "Is the land approval process going smoothly? Are there any difficulties with the subsequent supporting policies?"

Xu Damao and He Yuxin exchanged a glance.

He Yuzhu smiled and said, "Today I'll just show you around; we won't discuss any specific issues."

Mei Sheng smiled and said, "Alright, let's see today."

They ate lunch at the construction site canteen near the park, a simple meal of two meat dishes, one vegetable dish, and soup.

The workers recognized Xu Damao and He Yuxin and greeted them.

"Do you usually eat here?" Mei Sheng asked.

"Come often," He Yuxin said, "to hear the most authentic voices."

After dinner, they went up to the top floor of the CBD. Mei Sheng gazed at the view for a long time and slowly said, "Zhu Zi, I remember you said back then that for a country to be strong, it is not enough to just have guns; it also needs solid industrial and economic strength."

He Yuzhu gazed into the distance: "Now the opportunity has come. This land has the most hardworking people and the determination to change the world; all it lacks is time and direction."

Mei Sheng turned to him and said, "If only you were still in the country."

"It's the same now, and this identity is even more useful now."

“That’s true. I’ve looked at the policies, and they are indeed better for foreign investment, with fewer restrictions,” Mei Sheng said.

(End of this chapter)