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

"Organize...organize the samples."

"What samples were processed?"

"It's...it's those small samples of composite materials."

"What did you do to Xiaoyang?"

Xiao Zhou's lips began to tremble.

"I...I..."

Ye Bingwen looked at him, his tone calm.

"Xiao Zhou, I need to tell you something. How much do you earn a month? Did someone pay you a certain amount to help them change the sample?"

Xiao Zhou's psychological defenses completely collapsed.

He plopped down on the doorstep, covering his face with his hands.

"I didn't mean to... They said they only borrowed it for a few days and would return it afterward... and give me back five hundred yuan..."

"who are they?"

"I don't know... A man called me and told me to put the sample in a cardboard box at the lab entrance."

"They said someone's coming to collect it..."

"How did you get the money?"

"The money has been transferred to my hometown."

Ye Bingwen squatted down and looked at Xiao Zhou.

"Xiao Zhou, do something now that can lessen your liability. Give me that person's phone number and remittance receipt."

I promise I won't hold you personally responsible.

Xiao Zhou rummaged through the house and found an envelope containing a money order. The sender was "Wang Desheng".

The phone number was written on a piece of paper; it was a landline number in the city.

Ye Bingwen glanced at it and put the envelope away.

"Xiao Zhou, this is something only you and I know. If anyone asks you, just tell them the truth. I won't hurt you."

Xiao Zhou nodded.

Ye Bingwen rode his bicycle back to the factory and placed the remittance slip and phone number on the table.

Wang Desheng – the nominal legal representative of Huamao Materials Trading Company.

Horsepower uses the same company.

He organized all the evidence.

Then he dialed a number.

This number was from his past life memories—it belonged to an old classmate from the Economic Crime Investigation Division of the Provincial Public Security Bureau, surnamed Han.

In this lifetime, they have yet to meet.

But Ye Bingwen knew that Director Han was an upright and principled person.

"Director Han? This is Ye Bingwen, a student at Harbin Institute of Technology. I have a lead on an economic crime that I'd like to report to you."

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone.

"you say."

Ye Bingwen used Ma Li to resell supplies through Huamao Company and bribe temporary workers in the laboratory.

He recounted the entire process of exchanging the research samples.

The facts are clear and the evidence is conclusive.

"Could you send over this evidence?"

"Yes. I'll deliver it to the Provincial Public Security Bureau first thing tomorrow morning."

"it is good."

After hanging up the phone, Ye Bingwen put all the materials into a file bag and sealed it.

The news of Ma Li's downfall was told to Ye Bingwen by Director Fang over the phone.

"Xiao Ye, Ma Li has been placed under investigation. The Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection investigated Huamao Company for a month and the evidence is conclusive."

"Zhou Guoliang has also been dismissed. Things are finally peaceful over there."

Ye Bingwen held the receiver.

"Feed? Little Leaf?"

"I'm listening. Thank you, Director Fang."

"Why thank me? It's because you submitted solid materials yourself."

Director Fang paused for a moment.

"But let me tell you, Ma Li's downfall wasn't because he messed with you, it's because he got himself into trouble while trying to mess with you."

Do you understand this principle?

"clear."

"Good. Focus on your work and don't follow his example."

After hanging up the phone, Ye Bingwen sat in his office for a long time.

He opened his notebook and wrote a new line at the bottom: Composite Materials Civilian Market.

In the afternoon, Professor Cai called.

"Xiao Ye, come over for dinner tonight. Your sister-in-law made some pork ribs."

Ye Bingwen was taken aback.

Professor Cai invited him to dinner? This is the first time.

"Professor Cai, I—"

"Don't push it. Seven o'clock, my house, you know, is unit 3, room 201 in the Materials Science and Engineering faculty dormitory."

The phone hangs up.

Ye Bingwen smiled.

Professor Cai is the kind of person who never leaves anyone room to refuse his words.

At 7 p.m., Ye Bingwen arrived at Professor Cai's house on time.

Chen An was also there, sitting on the sofa in the living room, looking at an English journal.

Mrs. Cai was busy in the kitchen, and the aroma of pork ribs wafted out from inside.

"Xiao Ye is here? Have a seat."

Professor Cai came out of his study, holding a stack of materials in his hand.

"Take a look at this first."

Ye Bingwen took it; it was a project application form.

The title is "Application Research of Glass Fiber Reinforced Phenolic Resin in Automotive Parts".

"Professor Cai, this is—"

"I helped you apply for it. It's a new materials application project from the Provincial Science and Technology Commission, with a funding of 50,000 yuan."

Professor Cai sat down on the sofa.

"I've already contacted the auto parts factory, and they're interested. Can you do that?"

Ye Bingwen flipped through the application form, quickly doing some mental calculations.

The budget of 50,000 yuan is enough to buy raw materials and molds.

The auto parts market is much larger than the military parts market; once it opens up, the factory's scale can increase several times over.

"It can be done."

"I knew you could do it."

Professor Cai picked up his teacup.

"There's one more thing. In the defense industry, I have a student who works at the Ministry of Ordnance Industry, and they're launching a new project."

"You need a composite material shell. I told him about your situation, and he said he could give it a try."

Ye Bingwen raised his head.

"Ministry of Ordnance Industry?"

"Yes. I can't disclose the specific model, but the requirements are a level higher than those for military products."

Professor Cai put down his teacup.

"Xiao Ye, if you can win this project, your factory won't be a small workshop anymore."

Ye Bingwen remained silent for a few seconds.

We are pursuing a two-pronged approach: military projects and the civilian market.

This was something he had been thinking about all along, but he never expected that Professor Cai would pave the way for him.

"Professor Cai, I don't know how to thank you."

"You're welcome. I'm working for the country, not for you."

Professor Cai glanced at him.

"Your factory is a production, education, and research base for Harbin Military Engineering Institute. If you succeed, Harbin Military Engineering Institute will have a prestigious reputation."

"If you fail, I'll lose face too. So I'm not helping you, I'm helping myself."

The teacher's wife brought out the steaming hot spare ribs.

Chen An put down his English journal and helped serve the rice.

"Let's eat."

Professor Cai picked up his chopsticks.

"Xiao Ye, do you drink alcohol?"

"Have a drink."

"Chen An, go and get my bottle of Fenjiu."

Chen An took a bottle of Fenjiu liquor from the cabinet.

"Chen An isn't drinking?"

Ye Bingwen asked.

"He doesn't drink. Tech people need to have steady hands."

Professor Cai raised his wine glass.

"Come on, Xiao Ye, have a drink. To celebrate Ma Li's downfall."

Ye Bingwen picked up his cup and clinked it against his.

The liquor was very strong, burning down my throat.

"Professor Cai, you also know about Ma Li's downfall?"

"I know. I also know that it was you who submitted the materials."

Professor Cai picked up a piece of pork rib.

"Don't feel bad. He deserved it. People in the tech field hate those who break the rules more than their competitors."

"Mali broke the rules."

Ye Bingwen did not respond.

Professor Cai is right, Ma Li broke the rules.

The things he did were not respectable, but every single one of them was borderline.