Chapter Twenty

Currently, the lowest Pt (platinum) loading of CCM-type membrane electrodes, which holds a major international market share, can reach 0.2 mg/cm2, while domestic technology can only achieve 0.3 mg/cm2. Zuo Xutong's solution is to reduce the amount of precious metals to below 0.1 mg/cm2 while improving the performance and lifespan of MEA and meeting product standards. The Pt loading is more than half of the world's leading level, which shows how difficult it is. Therefore, the company has set a research and development cycle of 2-3 years for this project.

Peng Kun went home and fell asleep immediately, sleeping until 7:30 PM. After waking up, he ate something simple and then, almost inexplicably, drove to the company. As soon as he entered the company gate, he went straight to the laboratory on the third floor. Sure enough, the laboratory lights were on, and he didn't know how long they had been on.

He stormed in, exasperated: "Why are you back again?"

When Zuo Xutong turned around and saw it was him, fearing she would be kicked out again, she quickly said, "I've washed my hair and taken a shower. Don't worry, the smell won't bother anyone this time."

Peng Kun glared at her angrily, then glanced at his watch. It was only 8:30. With a stern face, he asked again, "Are you asleep?"

"She's asleep. She slept for two hours."

"What a madman!" he said, turning and going upstairs.

A week later, after working tirelessly day and night, Zuo Xutong finally developed a membrane electrode with a Pt loading as low as 0.08 mg/cm², far exceeding the international average. This was undoubtedly a major technological breakthrough. At this point, only three months had passed since the company started the project, but she dared not announce it, fearing it would be another disappointment. Perhaps after some time, she would discover that the catalyst's efficiency was extremely low, or that it would experience significant performance degradation in experiments.

She decided to keep quiet and first conduct two thousand hours of durability testing using the American accelerated testing method to ensure that everything was foolproof before releasing the results to the public.

However, she needed someone to assist her during the testing phase, so she applied to her superiors for an assistant. Thus, Tan Chao once again became her work partner.

However, he seemed uninterested in serious testing, often standing in front of the lab test bench, staring blankly at the numbers flashing on the screen. He showed no concern for the project's progress, mechanically following instructions. He even suggested that Zuo Xutong take the shortcuts of some companies, using 500 hours of accelerated aging to complete the test as quickly as possible when the equivalence principle couldn't be met. Zuo Xutong certainly wanted to publish the results sooner, but as a rigorous researcher, her dedication and belief in science wouldn't allow her to do so.

Only by completing two thousand hours of testing can we ensure that the product meets commercial standards in terms of durability, safety, and environmental suitability. This is a crucial technical verification step, especially during the transition from R&D to mass production.

One day, Zuo Xutong was conducting tests in the lab when she suddenly received a call from Wu Li. After returning to Longjin, she changed her phone number, and few people knew the new number. She usually communicated with work via WeChat and email, and her mobile phone often wouldn't ring for several days.

Wu Li said he wanted to get together with her and asked her to meet at a teahouse. She was so busy lately that she didn't have time to catch up with him, so she refused without hesitation. But Wu Li kept pressing her: "Actually, it's not that I want to see you, it's someone else. He said he called you a few times but you didn't answer and even blocked him."

Zuo Xutong knew he was referring to Luan Mingfeng, so she said irritably, "If you keep nagging, I'll block you too."

Wu Li believed she could really block him, so he quickly said, "No, no, I have something serious to ask you. When you were doing your doctoral studies, did you work with hydrogen energy scientist Chen Yi on membrane electrode research?"

"Yes, Professor Chen had several National Natural Science Foundation of China projects at the time, and membrane electrode was just one of them."

"I heard you're a key member of that project team?"

Zuo Xutong didn't want to waste any more time with him, and her tone became a little impatient: "What is it?"

"Here's the thing, Chao Ma is currently working with Tian Yuying's team to develop ultra-low Pt film electrodes. They're said to be very capable. Mingfeng probably invited you here to ask if you're interested in joining their company's R&D team."

"What stage have they reached?" Zuo Xutong asked discreetly.

“These are trade secrets, how would I know? If you’re interested, you can talk to him in person.”

Zuo Xutong hung up the phone, her heart itching with anticipation. She was particularly eager to know about the research and development progress on Chaoma's end. She wasn't sure if her results would pass the durability test, let alone guarantee that no other problems would be discovered during the test. After much internal struggle, she finally decided to keep the appointment.

Zuo Xutong walked into Yin Cui Xuan, gave Wu Li's name, and someone greeted her with a smile and invited her to sit down in the 'Enshi' restaurant upstairs.

She then realized that the names of the private rooms were all related to tea-producing regions. After going upstairs, she walked past a traditional Chinese ink painting screen and through a moon gate made of solid wood with openwork, and arrived at the gate of "Enshi".

Zuo Xutong knocked on the door twice as a formality, then pushed it open and entered. There was only one person in the private room, sitting at the tea table with his back to the door, drinking tea. Seeing that familiar figure, her heart inexplicably skipped a beat.

Luan Mingfeng turned his head and saw Zuo Xutong. He immediately stood up and explained, "Wu Li had something to do and didn't come."

Zuo Xutong was already prepared and nodded gently.

"Please sit down." Luan Mingfeng pulled out a chair for her and poured her a cup of tea, placing it in front of her.

Besides an ebony tea table and a few chairs, there was also a solid wood tea stand shaped like a root carving, on which sat a rough ceramic incense holder in the shape of a lotus leaf. The agarwood incense in the holder was already half-burned, indicating that Luan Mingfeng had arrived long ago. The tranquil environment of the tea room gradually calmed Zuo Xutong's heart. Because of their previous clashes, she was much more at ease this time.

Luan Mingfeng's expression was somewhat strange. He had been rubbing the small, exquisite cup in his hand for a while, but he didn't take a sip of tea. It seemed that he had a lot to say, but he couldn't find the words to say.

"Old classmate," Zuo Xutong used this form of address to create distance between them, "Just say what you have to say."

Luan Mingfeng gave her a deep look, then put down his teacup: "Actually, after I returned to China, I went to your school to look for you..."

"There's no need to bring up the past anymore," Zuo Xutong interrupted him.

“Okay!” Luan Mingfeng actually nodded obediently, took out a red book from his briefcase and placed it on the tea table. “Then let’s talk about the future.”

Zuo Xutong didn't react at first, wondering if they were going to award her a model worker certificate. But she quickly noticed the two lines of large characters on the "certificate".

"What is this?" She could read, so of course she knew what it was, but she didn't know what he wanted to do.

"The property certificate," Luan Mingfeng uttered softly, then smiled at her and said solemnly, "It's for you."

"What do you mean? Trying to bribe me with the house?" Zuo Xutong laughed, but her laughter was purely to hide her inner unease. In his eyes, she had actually become this kind of person. "Let me guess what you want me to do? Be your secret lover?"

"A secret lover?" Luan Mingfeng looked at her in surprise. "I'm single now."

Zuo Xutong's smile faded, a hint of sympathy in her eyes: "Divorced?"

Luan Mingfeng frowned, his expression even more confused: "What are you talking about? I've never been married."

Zuo Xutong didn't beat around the bush and asked directly, "Wasn't that your daughter on the other end of the phone at the last exhibition?"

“Yes, her name is Balala.” Luan Mingfeng nodded, his face showing the same kind fatherly smile he had shown that day. “I’ll introduce you to her when I have the chance.”

"You weren't married? And you had the baby?" Zuo Xutong thought in surprise, "Rich people have such open minds."

“Guala is a dog, a French Bulldog.” Luan Mingfeng covered his face, shook his head helplessly, and continued, “Did you hear a baby’s voice on the phone? That’s my little nephew, who just turned one year old. My cousin came back from abroad and stayed at my house temporarily. It was a very cold day, and she said she was going to take the baby to the park with the nanny and walk the dog as well. I told her to put clothes on Guala as well.”

It turned out to be… a French Bulldog. Zuo Xutong was so embarrassed she wanted to disappear. Only then did she begin to look directly at the property certificate on the table. The paper was blood-red, with a glaringly gold-embossed national emblem. Below the emblem were two lines of large, striking characters: People's Republic of China/Real Estate Ownership Certificate. How many people had been burdened with a lifetime of debt because of this? Many families had even emptied the wallets of three generations—six wallets in total—for it. And now it was just sitting there, so casually, before her eyes.

“This apartment is near Longjin Station, about 500 or 600 meters from the pedestrian street,” Luan Mingfeng said.

"Why are you giving me a house?" Zuo Xutong knew that it was in the most central area of ​​Longjin City, and the house price was three or four times that of the suburbs. Because land was extremely valuable, it would take several years to launch a new housing development.

“Because I don’t want the house to become a burden for you,” Luan Mingfeng said sincerely.

"I'm not troubled by housing." Zuo Xutong really doesn't think she needs a house. Even if she never owns a house in her life, she will never allow herself to become a slave to a house. She feels that such a life is more miserable than that of African slaves. At least African slaves are slaves to people, while mortgage slaves are slaves to things.

"I appreciate your kindness." Zuo Xutong stood up and grabbed her bag from the chair.

"Wait a minute," Luan Mingfeng said, taking out a small velvet box. He handed the box to her, opened it with both hands, and inside was a ring with a 3-carat diamond that shone brightly under the light.

Zuo Xutong stood there stunned, only to hear the other person say, "I know this is a bit sudden for you, but I'm already thirty years old. After all these years of ups and downs, I've finally realized that the person I love most is you."

She looked at the diamond ring in his hand, knowing it represented another possibility for her life—a path that wouldn't be as winding and arduous as it was now. She could unload all the burdens of life, live a life of luxury, and never have to worry about money again. But was that the life she wanted?

If you marry into a wealthy family, does your primary task in life become bearing children and raising them as a wife and mother...?

Zuo Xutong dared not think any further. Without saying a word, she fled the teahouse in a panic. Luan Mingfeng quickly chased after her and blocked her way: "Don't go, let me finish what I have to say."

Zuo Xutong tried to push him away, but he held her hands tightly.

At this moment, the door of the "Liu'an" teahouse next door opened, and Peng Kun and General Manager Zhou came out one after the other. The two had just signed a supply agreement inside.

As soon as they stepped out of the tea room, they saw the two people holding hands and looking at each other standing outside. Peng Kun's expression froze instantly. He looked at Zuo Xutong, then at Luan Mingfeng, and finally his gaze fell on their hands.