78: Bringing his wife and children to Harbin Institute of Technology

Ye Bingwen walked to the car and looked at Zhao Jianguo through the glass. The car window rolled down halfway, revealing Zhao Jianguo's face from the shadows.

"Ye Bingwen, why are you out so late?"

"Deputy Director Zhao, why are you here so late?"

Zhao Jianguo got out of the car, wearing a black woolen overcoat, a dark gray scarf, and shiny leather shoes. "Get in the car, it's cold outside."

Ye Bingwen didn't move. "Say what you have to say here."

Zhao Jianguo looked at him for two seconds and smiled. "Okay. I heard you signed a letter of intent with the Light Industry Department and are going to set up your own factory?"

Ye Bingwen remained silent.

"Ye Bingwen, do you really think you can succeed without the motor factory?" Zhao Jianguo's smile vanished. "Where's the equipment? Where's the factory? Where are the workers? You're just a student; you have nothing."

"You don't need to worry about these things."

Zhao Jianguo took half a step forward. "Your brushless motor is a key project that the province has decided to support. If you go it alone, it doesn't align with the province's plan."

"Is the province's plan to make me hand over the technology?"

"It's not about handing it over, it's about cooperation. You contribute your technology as equity, the factory provides equipment, workers, and capital, and you receive dividends."

"Three percent profit sharing, plus an exclusivity agreement. Is this what you call cooperation?" Ye Bingwen's voice wasn't loud. "Deputy Director Zhao, I'm not a three-year-old."

Zhao Jianguo's face darkened. "Ye Bingwen, don't be ungrateful."

"I appreciate being appreciated. But I also understand reason. I'm in charge of my own skills."

Snowflakes landed on Zhao Jianguo's shoulder, but he didn't brush them off. "Okay. Ye Bingwen, remember what I said today." He turned and got into his car, which quickly disappeared around the corner.

Ye Bingwen stood in the snow, the wind stinging his face. He turned and went upstairs, where Zheng Shuyun stood at the door with her coat in hand.

"I ran into Zhao Jianguo. He tried to persuade me to sign the contract, but I didn't agree." Zheng Shuyun didn't say anything, but held his hand.

The next morning, Ye Bingwen went to Liu Deben's office.

"Zhao Jianguo came to see you personally, which means he's in a hurry." Liu Deben took off his glasses. "Do you have the answers regarding equipment, factory buildings, and funding for starting your own factory?"

"We're trying to figure something out."

"The school's machinery factory has some spare equipment that we can lend you. There's also a warehouse in the factory that you can free up. You'll have to pay for it yourself."

After leaving the school office, Chen Zhiyuan said that a township enterprise had called and wanted to discuss the matter in person. Ye Bingwen said he would go over on the weekend.

In the afternoon, Su Min called to say that the department wanted Ye Bingwen to give a formal technical presentation next Tuesday. Ye Bingwen agreed.

After hanging up the phone, he continued writing the feasibility report. The door opened, and Zheng Zhiyuan came in holding an envelope. "A woman, in her thirties, said she was from the Provincial Light Industry Department and asked you to look at a phone call."

The envelope contained a note: "Zhao Jianguo came to the Light Industry Department to see the director this morning. I don't know what they talked about, be careful. Su Min."

Ye Bingwen dialed the number. Su Min said that Zhao Jianguo had talked to the director for over an hour, and when he came out, he looked unwell. The director said, "I can't handle this matter; you should go talk to your superiors." Ye Bingwen breathed a sigh of relief.

There was another knock on the door. A woman in a red cotton-padded jacket, with curly hair and carrying a black leather bag, entered. "My name is Zhao Min, a reporter from the provincial television station. I heard you've got a really impressive motor, and I'd like to interview you."

Ye Bingwen became suspicious. "Where did you hear that from?"

"Provincial Science and Technology Department." Zhao Min took out a tape recorder.

Ye Bingwen explained the principle of brushless motors. Zhao Min suddenly asked, "I heard your cooperation with the motor factory has run into problems?"

Ye Bingwen said there were some details in the contract that needed to be discussed.

Zhao Min turned off the recorder, walked to the door, and turned back to say, "Zhao Jianguo also called the TV station this morning, saying that there was a problem with your technique and that we shouldn't report on it. But we've checked, and there's no problem with your technique. We will report as normal."

She left. Ye Bingwen clenched his fingers.

The door was pushed open again, and Chen Zhiyuan rushed in, his face pale. "Bingwen, something's happened. Director Wang from the motor factory came to the school and is causing a scene in the department office. He says you cheated the factory out of their advance payment and demands that you return the money."

When Ye Bingwen arrived at the department office, a crowd had already gathered in the corridor.

Director Wang stood in the middle of the office, his voice loud enough to be heard throughout the entire floor. "Five thousand yuan! A student took five thousand yuan from the factory, then denied the contract and refused to provide any technical skills. Isn't that swindling?"

Ma Kui stood in front of him, his face ashen. "Director Wang, the contract has already been signed. Chief Engineer Li signed it, and Ye Bingwen signed it. You accuse me of swindling money, produce the evidence."

"Evidence? The contract is the evidence!" Director Wang slammed his hand on the copy of the contract on the table. "Look at this, five percent of the shares are for technology investment, and there's a five hundred yuan advance payment. Now he's denying it and wants to set up his own factory. Isn't this fraud?"

Ye Bingwen pushed his way through the crowd. Director Wang saw him and raised his voice even louder. "You've come at the right time! Ye Bingwen, you'd better explain yourself in front of everyone today—are you going to return the money or not?"

All eyes in the office were on Ye Bingwen. Some were curious, some were worried, and some were just there to watch the spectacle.

Ye Bingwen walked up to Director Wang and looked him in the eye. "Director Wang, I didn't deny the contract. It's the factory that wants to change it, not me. The profit sharing is being reduced from five percent to three percent, and they're adding an exclusivity agreement. Do you dare say these terms in front of everyone?"

Director Wang's lips twitched. "That's the factory's decision, it has nothing to do with me. I'm only asking you, are you going to refund the advance payment?"

"The contract hasn't been terminated, so why the refund?"

"The contract? Li Guoliang signed the contract, but he's not the legal representative, so his signature doesn't count!"

"The factory director wasn't there when Chief Engineer Li signed it, but the authorization letter is there." Ye Bingwen took a piece of paper out of his pocket. "This is a copy of the authorization letter Chief Engineer Li gave me. It clearly states that he has the authority to sign the technical cooperation agreement on behalf of the motor factory. Director Wang, would you like to take a look?"

Director Wang's expression changed. He didn't take the paper, but instead took half a step back.

Ma Kui took the authorization letter, glanced at it, and smiled. "Director Wang, this has the factory manager's signature on it. You don't not even recognize the factory manager's handwriting, do you?"

People were whispering in the corridor. Director Wang's forehead began to sweat.

"Director Wang, did you come here today of your own volition, or was someone else sending you?" Ye Bingwen put away the authorization letter. "If it was your own decision, then we can talk things over. If someone sent you, then I understand you're doing someone else's favor. But you need to think carefully: if something goes wrong while you're doing someone else's favor, who will take responsibility?"

Director Wang opened his mouth as if to say something, but then swallowed his words. He turned to leave, but Ye Bingwen called him back.

"Director Wang, wait a moment."

Director Wang stopped but didn't turn around.

"Go back and tell Factory Director Han that the contract is negotiable. But the condition is that the original contract remains unchanged, the profit sharing is not reduced, and no exclusivity agreement is added. If that's not possible, then proceed according to the contract. Legally, I have a solid case."

Director Wang didn't say anything, pushed open the door and left.

The people in the corridor gradually dispersed. Ma Kui closed the door and turned to look at Ye Bingwen.

"What's the deal with the authorization letter? When did Li Guoliang give it to you?"

"Yesterday. He said the factory manager might use the signature issue to his advantage, so he prepared this for me in advance."

Ma Kui nodded. "Li Guoliang is a reliable person."

"Teacher Ma, will what happened today reach Principal Liu's ears?"

"It's been passed on." Ma Kui pointed to the phone on the table. "Principal Liu just called and told Director Wang to get out. Principal Liu wasn't here when he arrived. If he had been, Director Wang wouldn't have been able to even get in the door."

Ye Bingwen was silent for a moment. "Teacher Ma, I want to refund the advance payment to the motor factory."

Ma Kui paused for a moment. "Why?"