Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 377 The Mother of Dragon Cores
The news that He Yuxin poached Lenovo's technical staff quickly spread within the industry, causing some ripples.

Although Lenovo has not made a public statement, the company considers Yellow River Group to be a potential competitor.

For the computers sold by Huanghe Company, they increased the price of the Chinese character cards by 30%. Don't underestimate those few hundred yuan; this move caused Huanghe Computer's sales to drop, and they lost quite a few orders, especially large-volume purchases.

"Mr. He, what do we do now?"

“It’s alright, it’s just a Chinese character card. You can tell the customer that we’ll cover the extra cost for the card.”

"That adds up to quite a bit of money."

How does it compare to our profits?

"That's not many."

"That's it. Go and negotiate. Of course, we won't support the enemy if Lenovo raises prices without limit."

"clear."

He Yuxin didn't want to be held hostage any longer, so he immediately asked someone to send the latest Chinese character card to the Singapore laboratory.

In a transoceanic phone call, he asked the lab director, "Dr. Peterson, could we set up a special team to research this Chinese character card?"

“Mr. He, the principle behind this thing is not complicated, but the coding is a bit difficult for us foreigners.”

"I see. The group's communications company isn't working on this kind of thing. Could you two work together to tackle it?"

"I need to ask about this. I've heard that the club is also under a lot of research and development pressure."

"Okay, should I talk to the chairman?"

"It would be best if you could tell me, since we are two different departments."

"Okay, then you guys study the hardware part first. You can also look for similar products to learn from."

"can."

He Yuxin called He Yuzhu, and He Yuzhu transferred two people from the communications lab to assist the Singapore lab.

In Singapore, a task force was quickly assembled.

The goal is to develop products that are more stable, lower in cost, and can be directly integrated into computer motherboards or system software, thus eliminating reliance on external expansion cards.

He Yuzhu also mentioned something during the phone call.

"Yuxin, go find a researcher named Huang Lingyi."

He Yuxin asked in surprise, "Huang Lingyi? She shares the same name as my sister-in-law?"

"Hmm, that's not important."

"Then what's important, brother? Is there anything special about this person?"

“I’ve seen some information here. This female researcher has a lot of ideas about integrated circuit design, especially microprocessor architecture.”

"Where is she?"

“It should be at the Chinese Academy of Sciences,” He Yuzhu said.

Although He Yuxin was somewhat surprised that his elder brother was paying such specific attention to a researcher from the mainland, he always trusted He Yuzhu's judgment.

"Okay, I'll send someone to investigate right away."

"Yes, once you find her, go and meet her in person to show your sincerity. She may not have had the chance to realize some of her ideas due to limited circumstances, and we can provide the platform she needs."

"clear."

After hanging up the phone, He Yuxin immediately arranged for people to inquire from various sources.

A few days later, the person was found. Researcher Huang Lingyi had indeed worked at a certain research institute, dedicated to integrated circuit research. However, due to funding and other issues, the institute's development was limited, and some of her research ideas were difficult to advance.

She appears to be in a semi-resting state at the moment.

He Yuxin decided to make the trip herself.

He took an assistant with him and found Huang Lingyi's home according to the address.

It was an old dormitory building belonging to a work unit, and the environment was rather simple.

After knocking, a middle-aged woman with glasses and a calm demeanor opened the door. She was somewhat surprised to learn He Yuxin's purpose, but still politely invited them into the house.

The home is simply furnished, but neat and clean, with bookshelves piled high with professional books and materials.

He Yuxin didn't beat around the bush and directly stated his identity and purpose: "Hello, Researcher Huang. I am He Yuxin from Xiangjiang Huanghe Group. We understand that you have profound expertise and unique insights in the field of integrated circuit design. Our group is preparing to establish its own computer R&D center and chip design department, and we desperately need experts like you to join us. We can provide you with world-class laboratory equipment, ample R&D funding, and complete autonomy in choosing your own technical route."

Huang Lingyi listened quietly, her expression not changing much.

She poured a glass of water for He Yuxin and his assistant, and after a moment's hesitation, slowly spoke: "Mr. He, thank you for your and your company's high regard. In my whole life, I've truly wanted to do some real chip design work. However..."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over the yellowed documents on the bookshelf. "You're a foreign company, so your goals are definitely market share and profits. I'm worried that once I go there, I won't be in control of my own destiny, and my final research direction will deviate from my original intentions."

He Yuxin quickly explained, "Researcher Huang, please rest assured about that. We conduct research and development for the development of the domestic computer field. We definitely need to make money, otherwise where would the research and development funds come from?"

Huang Lingyi smiled and said, "Mr. He, your offer does sound very tempting. However, this is all too sudden for me, and I need time to think it over carefully. Also, I need to discuss it with my family."

He Yuxin knew she couldn't force the issue, so she left her contact information: "Of course, this is a big deal and should be taken seriously. Whatever your final decision, we will respect it. The doors of the Yellow River Group are always open for you."

Leaving Huang Lingyi's house, He Yuxin knew in his heart that although this meeting hadn't immediately convinced her, it had at least planted a seed. The person his elder brother had set his sights on was no ordinary person; the rest would require time and patience.

He didn't bother them any further, and He Yuxin left with his people.

He left, but Huang Lingyi couldn't sleep that night. The foreign company, world-class equipment, ample funding, independent research direction, and so on—these conditions were too tempting for her, who had struggled for years due to funding and equipment issues.

She got up and went to the living room, where she found her research notes and conceptual diagrams accumulated over many years and flipped through them page by page.

Many ideas can only remain on paper due to limitations.

If, if there really were a platform that would allow her to do things freely
Her husband was awakened and, upon coming out, noticed that she was not in a good condition and asked her what was wrong with him.

Huang Lingyi laid out the Yellow River Group's invitation and her own thoughts in detail.

“Lingyi, this is a big deal. Think it through. The environment and management style over there are completely different from the research institute. Moreover, once you go there, it means you'll lose your job here.”

“I know,” Huang Lingyi sighed. “But look at the situation in the institute right now. How difficult is it to get a project? You have to submit countless reports just to buy a decent oscilloscope. I’m already this old. If I don’t hurry up and do something substantial, my life might just pass by like this.”

"You just mentioned the Yellow River Group?"

"Yeah, I wouldn't be so conflicted if it were another company."

"They are indeed very powerful and famous, but would they really support you in doing basic research that doesn't show immediate profits? Their current field doesn't seem to have anything to do with computers, does it?"

"This is also my biggest concern. Mr. He spoke very confidently, but no one knows what the actual situation will be like."

“Why don’t you try to learn more about this company from the sidelines? Look at their past investment in R&D and their reputation?” the husband suggested.

Huang Lingyi nodded; this was indeed a prudent approach.

She decided to find an opportunity to inquire about the Yellow River Group, especially its actual situation in terms of technological research and development.

The results of her investigation shocked Huang Lingyi. The special economic zone's electronics factory laboratory had achieved fruitful research results, and Huang He's influence could be seen in the laboratories of various universities.

Huang Lingyi called He Yuxin, wanting to visit the place. He Yuxin felt that these things didn't mean anything and asked Huang Lingyi to apply for a visa to take her to the places she really needed to see. Huang Lingyi gritted her teeth and agreed.

Huang Lingyi's application was quickly approved, and she was allowed to go abroad for an inspection tour.

He Yuxin personally arranged for someone to escort her to Singapore.

As the plane landed, Huang Lingyi felt dizzy when she stepped into the Singapore Microelectronics Laboratory of the Yellow River Group.

The clean, dust-free environment, rows of advanced equipment that she had only seen photos of in foreign journals, and Chinese and foreign researchers busily moving about in white coats—all of this was a world apart from the research institute environment she was familiar with.

Dr. Peterson, the head of the laboratory, received her and did not show any disrespect because she came from the mainland. On the contrary, he warmly introduced several key projects that the laboratory was working on, including the reverse engineering and integrated design of the "Chinese character card" and the preliminary research on more cutting-edge microprocessor architecture.

As Huang Lingyi watched the fluctuating waveforms on the oscilloscope and listened to the researchers discussing technical details in fluent English, her hands trembled slightly.

She walked up to a piece of equipment, carefully touching its cool metal casing, her eyes flashing with barely suppressed excitement.

“We’ve been applying for this ion implanter for five years, but it still hasn’t been approved,” she murmured to herself.

Dr. Peterson seemed to understand her feelings and smiled, saying, "Ms. Huang, Mr. He specifically instructed that you are welcome to visit freely and feel free to discuss any questions with us. He believes that true research and development cannot be separated from the best tools. Of course, you cannot reveal what you see here, as it relates to the fundamental interests of the Yellow River Group."

“I understand, I understand,” Huang Lingyi nodded repeatedly.

Over the next few days, Huang Lingyi absorbed everything greedily, like a sponge.

She had in-depth conversations with the Chinese engineers in the lab to understand their working methods and the degree of freedom in research and development; after asking about some technical parameters, she discovered that Huanghe was not catching up, but had already taken the lead in some areas.

After asking around, I learned that the chairman of the Yellow River Group had set up the laboratory a long time ago, and the first batch of people were even poached from Fairchild Semiconductor in North America. I couldn't help but admire the businessman's vision.

Furthermore, AMD's patents are actually located under the Yellow River. She found this out, and that's when she understood why Peterson asked her to keep it a secret. This news was so shocking; AMD's technology actually belonged to the Chinese.

Before leaving Singapore, Huang Lingyi called He Yuxin, her voice much firmer than before: "Mr. He, I've made up my mind. I'm willing to join the Yellow River."

He Yuxin smiled on the other end of the phone: "That's great, Researcher Huang! Welcome! I'll have someone follow up on the relevant procedures and compensation issues immediately. Would you like to return to the mainland to handle some personal matters first, or start working right away?"

"Let's get started right away." Huang Lingyi said almost without hesitation. "There are some ideas I can't wait to try out."

She knew this was an opportunity that could change the rest of her life, and might even allow her to touch the dream that had lingered in her heart for many years. She didn't want to waste a single second.

He Yuzhu received a call from He Yuxin and learned that Huang Lingyi had agreed to join. He nodded and said, "Very good. Next, the focus is on building a team for her. She can decide the direction, but there is one condition: don't copy other manufacturers. Her future should be in another field."

"Huh?" He Yuxin was now at a loss.

"The civilian applications are already being handled by Singapore, so there's no need to do the same thing. What do you think she should be doing?"

"Industrial and military industries?" He Yuxin asked tentatively.

"Yes, you can talk to her about this too. I'm worried that she'll be too focused on learning from Singapore."

"I understand," He Yuxin said.

"How's your real estate preparation going?" "I've acquired everything I could in Beijing," He Yuxin replied.

"Then let's go to Shanghai, Guangzhou, or Hangzhou."

"These places too?" He Yuxin asked in surprise.

"Yes, but I think it will be difficult to negotiate. You should be prepared."

"I know that; a lot of effort was put into the construction of Beijing."

"Since you're doing all this yourself, shouldn't you start training people?"

"There aren't any suitable ones right now, so I'll do it myself," He Yuxin said.

“You still need to be trained, otherwise you’ll be overworked in the future with so many industries and so many projects.”

"I will, I also want to spend more time with Ningyu," He Yuxin said.

"You know that's good. Also, after Gong Xue finishes filming this movie, are you considering having another one? Is one girl enough?"

"I'll discuss this with her when she gets back," He Yuxin said.

"Discuss? This is a mission!"

"No way, bro," He Yuxin said.

"What do you mean no? You plan to make a girl as busy as you to death in the future?"

“That’s impossible,” He Yuxin said.

"Then hurry up, you don't need to follow their policies."

“Okay,” He Yuxin said.

The successful commissioning of Huacheng Feed Mill exceeded everyone's expectations.

The high-quality feed formula, coupled with the efficient management of the military enterprise, enabled the product to quickly open up the market and meet the demand, bringing considerable economic benefits to the logistics department.

The factory was bustling with activity, with machines humming and trucks lined up waiting to be loaded.

Xu Damao and Chief Zhao both breathed a sigh of relief; this first step had been taken steadily.

However, the booming business also brought new problems.

As production continues to increase, wastewater and exhaust gas generated during feed production, as well as dust and odors from raw material processing, have begun to impact the surrounding environment.

At first, it was just occasional complaints from nearby villagers, but in the summer, the smell spread with the southerly winds, and the wastewater treatment capacity was nearing saturation, so the problem gradually became apparent.

First, the river water downstream of the factory area became somewhat turbid, and then several villagers near the factory area reported that the well water had an unusual smell.

Finally, the joint complaint letter was delivered to the desks of both the municipal and district governments.

That day, Xu Damao was discussing potential projects with Chief Zhao when he received an urgent call from the feed mill manager.

"Mr. Xu, something bad has happened! People from the city's Environmental Protection Bureau and the district have arrived. They said they received complaints from the public and are going to conduct an environmental inspection of our factory! They say our emissions may not meet the standards!"

Xu Damao's heart sank. He knew there was a problem, but he didn't expect it to come so quickly.

At the beginning of the factory's construction, although environmental protection facilities were provided, the focus was on getting the factory into production and generating results as soon as possible. As a result, the potential long-term environmental hazards were not adequately anticipated.

"Stay calm, cooperate with the inspection, and report the situation truthfully. I will report to Commander Zhao immediately and then go over there."

After learning the news, Chief Zhao also attached great importance to it.

After all, military enterprises need to pay more attention to their image and their relationship with local governments.

He couldn't suppress the matter and reported it to higher authorities. The instructions were: face the problem squarely, actively rectify it, and handle it properly.

When Xu Damao arrived at the feed mill, the inspection was almost over.

The environmental protection bureau staff looked serious as they recorded data.

"Mr. Wang, how's the situation?" Xu Damao asked the technical staff leading the investigation team.

Engineer Wang adjusted his glasses and pointed to the sewage outlet and nearby ditches: "Mr. Xu, the situation is not optimistic. Your factory's chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia nitrogen levels have exceeded the emission standards. The main problem is that the wastewater treatment process cannot keep up with the current production capacity. In addition, the odor problem is also quite prominent, and the nearby villagers have complained a lot."

"What do we need to do?" Xu Damao asked directly.

"A deadline has been set for rectification. Either reduce production to meet emission standards or immediately upgrade environmental protection facilities. Before the problem is resolved, fines may be imposed, and if public reaction remains strong, a production shutdown for rectification may be required."

"Stop production?" The factory manager exclaimed anxiously. "We have so many orders now, the losses from stopping production would be enormous!"

Xu Damao waved his hand, stopping the factory director.

He understood that economic benefits had to take a backseat to the overarching principle of environmental protection.

Moreover, this relates to the image of the military in the eyes of the people.

After seeing the inspectors off, Xu Damao immediately convened a meeting with the factory leaders and relevant technical personnel.

“Everyone is aware of the problem. Complaining and whining are useless. Now we need to find a solution.” Xu Damao looked around at everyone. “We need to take a two-pronged approach. First, we need to contact the equipment suppliers to see if there are any more efficient wastewater treatment solutions with a larger capacity, the sooner the better. Second, I will personally communicate with the surrounding villagers, listen to their opinions, provide compensation where necessary, apologize where appropriate, and strive for their understanding and support.”

After the meeting, Xu Damao called He Yuzhu.

He knew that He Yuzhu was knowledgeable and might have a better solution.

"Brother Zhu, we've run into some trouble at the feed mill," Xu Damao explained the situation.

"Da Mao, this was bound to happen sooner or later. Economic development cannot come at the expense of the environment, and this principle will become increasingly clear in the future. Environmental protection investment is a necessary cost that cannot be avoided."

"I know that what we want now is a quick and effective solution. Stopping production would result in huge losses and would also damage the reputation of the military and the Yellow River."

"In that case, I'll ask people in North America to help us look for solutions. There are many environmental protection technology and equipment suppliers there, so we can see if there are any mature solutions that can be quickly introduced. Also, you should tell the military that when dealing with relations with the local people, we can adopt a more humble approach and offer to help them repair water conservancy projects or support local construction. This might be more effective than simply losing money."

"Okay, brother."

"This is a lesson learned. In the future, when launching new projects, we must have corresponding solutions for environmental protection issues. Otherwise, you can expect people to come after you and cause trouble."

"I know."

"What do you know? There's another layer here, do you know what it is?"

"What?" Xu Damao was a little confused.

"Some people are getting greedy for profits, don't you understand?"

"Well, I really hadn't thought of that."

"You'll figure it out yourself eventually."

"Oh!"

After hanging up the phone, He Yuzhu called Dongda University in North America and asked them to find the appropriate equipment and solutions.

They also assigned tasks to the people on the Yellow River side of Xiao Rizi, and then they just waited for news.

Xu Damao, accompanied by factory leaders and village officials, visited affected villagers door-to-door, sincerely apologized, listened to their demands, and promised to resolve the issue as soon as possible. He also offered to help the village repair roads and provide compensation.

Sure enough, these two points had an effect as soon as they were put forward. The villagers, who were originally indifferent, became very enthusiastic. Some villagers even asked if the feed mill could recruit workers in their village.

Xu Damao then realized that this was the root of the problem, and the ultimate demand of those villagers.

However, he couldn't make that decision, because the factory mainly recruited family members and demobilized soldiers, and it was already at full capacity unless it was expanded.

He found Chief Zhao, who was also in a terrible predicament. The local authorities weren't so easy to deal with; they were eager for the factory to be shut down so that the local government could take over.

"Mr. Xu, please help me solve my problem. The villagers are willing to pay compensation, but they won't hire workers. Many of us are still jobless."

"Commander Zhao, we've already inquired about the equipment and technology, but it won't be quick."

"What should I do?"

"Can't we ask the higher-ups to coordinate something?"

"It's been resolved, but they're still adamant about it."

"In my opinion, the root of the problem lies in the recruitment process. If the villagers stop making trouble, the problem will be solved."

"Can we just fire the current workers and give them the jobs?"

"Then what to do."

"Mr. Xu, we really need your help with this." Chief Zhao grasped Xu Damao's hands with both of his, making Xu Damao's hair stand on end.

"Me? How can I help?"

"With so many factories and construction sites along the Yellow River, don't you need people?" Chief Zhao asked.

Upon hearing this, Xu Damao thought for a moment and said, "Many of us are skilled workers; those who haven't gone to school simply can't learn it."

"What about the construction site?" Chief Zhao asked.

"You guys could actually solve this. Why don't you have the engineering corps mentor them and let them set up their own construction team or something?"

“Yes, how come I didn’t think of that? But there’s definitely no work to do in the early stages, so what about the salary?” Chief Zhao said.

"There are always laborers on construction sites, right? We have a few residential projects to start in Huacheng and Shencheng. Are you interested?"

"Yes, yes, absolutely!" Chief Zhao exclaimed excitedly.

"Then let's do this. Should you go to the village to negotiate, or should I go?"

"Take the engineers with you to negotiate; their skill level probably won't be enough," Commander Zhao said.

"Ok."

(End of this chapter)