Reborn in 2012, building a new energy empire

What made Jiang Haoran pause slightly was that Bai Xiwei had just arrived, her face still showing lingering joy.

Just as Jiang Haoran was about to enter, a light figure stepped ahead of him, running up to Bai Jingming with excitement and affection.

"Dad!" Bai Xiwei's face lit up with barely suppressed excitement. "We won first prize! The gold medal!"

Her tone was filled with a desire to share the joy of success with her closest loved ones.

Looking into his daughter's bright eyes, Bai Jingming's aloof official expression melted away instantly, his gaze softening and even carrying a hint of barely perceptible doting.

He raised his hand, seemingly to pat his daughter's head as usual, but realizing the occasion, he naturally lowered it, smiled, and nodded, saying, "I saw it. You did very well, the project was solid, and the teamwork was excellent."

This praise was directed not only at her daughter but also at her team.

At this moment, Jiang Haoran entered the room and nodded respectfully and with composure: "Director Bai."

Bai Jingming nodded, a very faint, formulaic smile on his face, and pointed to the chair next to the conference table: "Sit."

He then walked to the head seat and sat down. Bai Xiwei naturally sat to her father's right, her gaze subtly shifting between her father and Jiang Haoran.

Bai Jingming's gaze shifted from his daughter back to Jiang Haoran's face, his gentle expression softening slightly as he regained his previous calm and scrutinizing demeanor.

"Congratulations," Bai Jingming said first, his voice steady. "The project itself is good. It doesn't rely on empty concepts; it targets real pain points in the industry. At this age, it's commendable to be able to focus on tackling such a tough challenge."

"Thank you, Director Bai. We've only taken the first step; there are still many challenges ahead, and much more to learn and improve." Jiang Haoran sat upright, answering cautiously.

Bai Jingming picked up the teacup in front of him, gently blew on the floating leaves, but did not drink. It was as if he was just using this action to think: "The direction and posture at the beginning often determine how far one can go."

"The photovoltaic industry is currently in deep trouble. The path of domestic substitution you have chosen is fraught with difficulties in technology, capital, market, and supply chain."

"Especially if you want to truly become a competitive and sustainable company, having technology and product ideas alone is not enough."

"Do you have any preliminary plans for the broader framework, such as future supply chain management, cost control, and even pathways to access capital markets?"

The questions are direct and macro-level, going beyond the technical framework of the competition itself to address the foundation of a company's survival and growth, and rising to the level of corporate operations and strategic planning.

This goes far beyond the duties of a judge in an entrepreneurship competition; it's more like a senior mentor testing and guiding a junior.

Jiang Haoran's mind raced; he knew this was a crucial moment.

He pondered for a moment, and instead of immediately offering an extravagant blueprint, he said sincerely, "Every problem that Director Bai mentioned is a hurdle we must overcome."

"Our core idea is that everything revolves around 'creating a solid product that can withstand the harsh test of the market'—this '1'. Without this '1', subsequent financing stories, market expansion, and even capital planning are just castles in the air."

"Based on this, regarding funding, we are pursuing a two-pronged approach: market-based financing and policy support. We have already received a letter of intent from Shanghai-listed Jiutian Investment. For supply chain collaboration, we have chosen to partner with deep collaborators like Jianguo Precision to collaborate on R&D and share risks. As for the more distant future…"

He paused, his eyes clear, "We believe that when a product can truly create irreplaceable value for downstream industries, the market will give you opportunities, and a healthy and competitive entity will naturally receive reasonable scrutiny from the capital market. Our current goal is to do the first step solidly."

There are no empty promises, only a clear understanding of the path and a pragmatic focus at each stage.

Bai Jingming listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly twice on the smooth tabletop. Beside him, Bai Xiwei also held her breath, her gaze fixed intently on Jiang Haoran, her eyes filled with admiration.

"The thinking is fairly clear. Venturing into high-end manufacturing and trying to create domestically produced alternatives is a marathon. It requires endurance, a systematic approach, and respect for the laws of the industry. It's not a sprint, nor is it about hyping up concepts."

"The policy may provide a favorable wind, but once the wind dies down, those who remain on the field will always be the ones with solid internal strength."

His tone remained calm, but his words carried great weight: "Keep working diligently and steadily. Only by maintaining this clarity and composure, and with this clarity and resilience, can you go far."

After saying that, he stood up, which basically meant the conversation was over.

He didn't look at Jiang Haoran again, but turned to Bai Xiwei, his tone returning to its usual gentleness: "Alright, you young people go celebrate. Xiaowei, remember to come home early tonight."

"Okay, Dad." Bai Xiwei quickly stood up as well.

Jiang Haoran also stood up: "Thank you for your guidance, Director Bai."

Bai Jingming nodded slightly to him, said nothing more, and left the conference room first, accompanied by his secretary.

Only Jiang Haoran and Bai Xiwei remained in the room.

Bai Xiwei visibly relaxed, her lively spirit returning. She walked to Jiang Haoran's side, her eyes sparkling, and said in a low but excited voice, "Let's go, they must be getting impatient!"

The two walked out of the conference room together and headed down the quiet corridor toward the rest area.

Away from the formal and slightly stressful atmosphere, Bai Xiwei's steps became lighter.

She turned her head and looked at Jiang Haoran's well-defined profile, and couldn't help but sincerely exclaim, "Haoran, you answered so well! My dad... he doesn't talk much at home, and he rarely uses that tone to affirm someone his own age."

Her cheeks were slightly flushed, whether from excitement or something else, she couldn't tell. "His questions were actually quite sharp, and you answered them so confidently, that's really impressive!"

Jiang Haoran snapped out of his thoughts of the brief but significant conversation and heard Bai Xiwei's excited praise. He simply smiled slightly and said, "It was Director Bai who was guiding me. It's a rare opportunity."

"Anyway, I think you handled it exceptionally well!" Bai Xiwei's eyes were bright, and her tone was light, as if she had also breathed a sigh of relief for him.

The two walked side by side down the quiet corridor covered with a dark-patterned carpet toward the agreed-upon rest area.

Just around the corner, the faint sounds of laughter and excited chatter drifted in from afar. The door to the rest area was open, and the lights were on.

"Hey, our two heroes are finally back!" Li Jiangshan's loud voice instantly broke the silence of the corridor.

"Hao-ge! Pinch me right now! Is this really ours? Number one in the whole province! Oh my god... How many credits will our advisor give us when we get back? Maybe even a bonus!"

His rapid-fire words, coupled with his expression as if he wanted to have the trophy embedded in his forehead, instantly dispelled the slight gloom in Jiang Haoran's heart, and also amused Zhou Mingyuan and the others who followed him out.

"Yes, everyone has worked hard. The credit belongs to everyone." Jiang Haoran accepted the heavy trophy from Li Jiangshan's almost "devout" hands.

The cool, hard crystal touch returned, mingling with the slight warmth of my palm.

"Wow, it's so heavy! And so shiny!" Li Jiangshan exclaimed, looking at the trophy. "Shouldn't we take a picture together right away? Holding this up! I need to post it on WeChat Moments, and I also need to send one to my mom. She definitely won't believe I could win a provincial first prize!"

Bai Xiwei was amused by Li Jiangshan's expression and chuckled, covering her mouth: "Fatty, all you think about are credits and posting on social media! But... I agree with the suggestion of taking photos!"

The atmosphere became completely jubilant.

The trophy in his hand still seemed to retain some weight, but at this moment, what echoed more clearly in Jiang Haoran's ears, besides the undisguised excitement and shouts of his teammates, was the calm and profound admonition that came from above in the quiet conference room just now.

This gleaming trophy is a warm recognition under the spotlight, and an inspiring starting point on a long journey.

But from this moment on, we need to walk the path beneath our feet more steadily and with greater clarity.