Chapter 272 Cold War Legacy (Bug Fixing): Not Looking for a Mother-in-Law

Once in the car, Wang Xiao didn't rush off to the main topic, but instead showed genuine concern for Sister Miao's situation.

Of course, given that Sister Miao didn't want to stay home on the first day of the Lunar New Year, this concern naturally wouldn't include Sister Miao's family, but rather her work.

Well, to be more specific, it was the things she did on the first day of the Lunar New Year.

"Sister Miao, let me just ask you directly, what is the purpose of your project?"

"Cultural exchanges deepen mutual understanding between young people of the two countries."

Wang Xiao wasn't interested in bureaucratic rhetoric: "What I mean is, what goal do you hope this will achieve? Don't worry about what the Youth League Committee thinks."

Sister Miao hesitated for a moment, then said hesitantly, "I just hope these children can understand that Chinese people's money doesn't grow on trees, and they shouldn't feel like we owe them anything. Sigh, you haven't seen what they're like. Really, a few years ago when I went to Almaty, these children were all like little dolls, so incredibly cute. Now, these little kids are asking for money and cigarettes."

Wang Xiao thought to himself, "Just as I thought. Sister Miao isn't involved in Party building or administration. If it weren't for my obsession, I wouldn't be acting as a tour guide during the Chinese New Year."

"Well, let me be frank: your superficial visit is misguided. It won't be very effective in terms of cultural exchange or mutual understanding."

"If you want them to understand how Chinese people make money, you have to show them poverty, instead of simply telling them that they still have to work after the New Year and that hard work leads to wealth."

Sister Miao subconsciously emphasized: "I just want them to see that we people who can earn money work in the fields during the Spring Festival and take on manual labor from the factory to do at home. We earn our money bit by bit through hard work. Those old men and women, even though they are old, with white hair and hearing problems, are still working."

Wang Xiao shook his head with a smile: "There are many people who don't work during the Spring Festival and enjoy a relaxing holiday, and they live very well. Which government agencies, public institutions (note: in the 1990s, almost all units engaged in tertiary industries) and enterprises with good performance don't give holidays or holiday bonuses during the Spring Festival?"

Sister Miao, with her technical background, had limited verbal skills and was immediately confused by Wang Xiao: "That's different."

Wang Xiao didn't refute her, but nodded instead: "Yes, they are different. They belong to the group with guaranteed livelihoods, so they are not within the scope of this discussion."

“We are talking about people whose lives are not so stable and secure, which is more in line with the current situation of these children’s families in Kazakhstan.”

"Then we'll divide them into two control groups. One group consists of elderly people you took them to see who have many children and grandchildren and still insist on working. With the whole family working and earning money, their family situation must have improved significantly in the past few years."

"The other group is the ones who don't do any work. In some places, middle-aged people, just over forty, feel that they have completed their task as soon as their children get married and start their own families, and immediately become old feudal lords."

Xiao Zhao couldn't help but shake his head and interject, "A girl who marries into a family like that is jumping into a fire pit."

How did he know? Because that's how it is in his hometown.

As far back as he could remember, he had never seen his grandparents work in the fields; they were entirely supported by their children. He assumed that everyone was like that.

When he later joined the army and saw the bigger world, he realized that it was not like that at all.

Conversely, the wealthier the place and the wealthier the family, the more the older generation will support their children and grandchildren.

Therefore, he felt that there was a reason why other people were rich.

Wang Xiao curled the corners of her lips, not commenting on the bodyguard's family affairs, and continued, "Does being hardworking and able to endure hardship and earn money guarantee a good life? Not necessarily."

“Wang Zengqi wrote a novel about a duck farmer who was very hardworking, but he made money and then immediately lost it all at the gambling table.”

“There are people like this nowadays. They work hard all year, go out to work and finally earn some money, go home for the New Year, and then lose it all. They can’t even afford their children’s school fees.”

Xiao Gao smiled wryly: "That's just how my cousin is. He's incredibly hardworking and frugal, but the moment he sits down at the card table, he's completely captivated."

Wang Xiao also declined to comment: "There are also people who finally save up some money, and one side says that the fundraising will make you ten times your money in a year, and the other side says that this bond can make you rich. All their money is swindled away."

"Being able to make money, being willing to make money, and being able to manage money well are all essential qualities for someone to truly be wealthy," Wang Xiao said with a smile. "We need to let these children know that our country has the same problems as theirs. Only then can we understand each other and develop empathy."

Seeing that Sister Miao was stunned, she changed her approach, "Well, this should be the work of the Youth League Committee."

She joked, "If you ever want to transfer to a Party or government position, this is a good opportunity. After all, organizing so many children from Kazakhstan is no easy feat."

"Given this opportunity, if you do a good job and make something outstanding, you can stand out."

She pointed to the vendors outside the car window, "Like water chestnuts."

Ivanov immediately became alert upon seeing the stalls outside and emphasized in Russian, "Wang, your mother said you can't eat cold things, this is cold."

He ate it just last night, he's absolutely sure.

Miao was stunned; she could speak Russian.

Who exactly is this Russian guy referring to as "mother"?

Wang Xiao didn't care about these details at all, and only got to the point: "I'm not talking about eating. I'm saying that many people plant rapeseed and wheat in the fall, and it's easier. Just follow the routine. Few people plant water chestnuts, and it's hard work. Digging water chestnuts is troublesome and it's especially cold. The input costs are high, but if they sell well, the water chestnuts in the field can make a lot of money in one winter. The income is much higher than that of rapeseed and wheat."

The key is how you choose.

Xiao Gao and Xiao Zhao both wished they could take out their notebooks and write it down.

See, everyone has opportunities; it's just a matter of whether you see them as trouble or opportunity, and whether you can make good use of them.

Shi Zetian didn't take notes. He was a technical person and didn't care much for these things, but he was also wondering if his new boss was hinting that he should make something special in regular projects.

Very likely.

Otherwise, why would she bring up something completely unrelated like a Kazakhstani child out of the blue?

They're definitely talking nonsense.

The factory construction expert, eager to achieve results, fell into deep thought.

Sister Miao sighed, "Luckily you didn't listen to me back then and insisted on going out, otherwise you would have been wasting your talents."

She knew that Wang Xiao was actually doing her a favor.

Even if she's not in the party or government sector and has no interest in this area, as long as she has a proposal to present, it's an opportunity for her.

Wang Xiao laughed out loud: "I can't do it. Doing scientific research and technology requires sitting still and being able to endure loneliness. I've only been in a wheelchair for a few days, and I already feel like I'm going to get moldy. So, I'll have to ask you guys for help with this kind of technical work."

Sister Miao asked curiously, "What kind of technical work? What exactly do you want to ask me?"

Wang Xiao, already familiar with the process, directed people into the Jinning Hotel: "You should call home first, otherwise you might have to sleep in the hotel tonight."

This is one of the reasons why she didn't bring anyone back to the Jiangzhimen villa. She could stay up late at night and drag Sister Miao to stay up with her, but she was too embarrassed to bother her parents.

Another reason was that she was afraid that if she brought Shi Zetian back to her villa, it would make the family feel awkward. If she left him alone in the hotel, he would feel lonely and anxious.

Why don't we all stay at the hotel together?

As it turns out, she was indeed very prescient.

On the night of the first day of the Lunar New Year, Sister Miao did not go back to her husband's family to serve them; instead, she served her two bosses.

There's no way around it; the Soviet Union was a treasure trove. Even though it's gone, and it underwent several rounds of looting before and after its demise, people can still unearth countless amazing treasures from it.

From the time we finished dinner, the international long-distance phone in the suite rang incessantly, the fax machine was practically smoking, the burnt smell of thermal paper mixed with the pungent smell of Russian blueprints, and documents covered the entire executive desk.

Thankfully, it was the Lunar New Year, and most of the guests at the Jinning Hotel had gone home. Otherwise, with their shouting and urging while they worked, even the best soundproofing would have disturbed the neighbors.

On the morning of the second day of the Lunar New Year, Wang Xiao and Ivanov, who hadn't slept for a total of four hours in total, brushed their teeth, washed their faces, and hurriedly ate breakfast before taking Shi Zetian, along with their LCD screen factory 2.0 version plan, to the provincial government for a meeting.

Secretary Fang also went to bed very late last night.

In 1994, Jin Ning had limited resources in all aspects. Shi Zetian's arrival was sudden, making him an uninvited guest, so preparations for his reception were rushed.

Even so, the Jiangdong Provincial Government still showed its utmost sincerity. Not only did the top official personally fly back from Beijing to receive them, but even Zhou Mingsheng, the chief engineer of the Provincial Electronics Industry Department, who was also spending the Spring Festival in his hometown, cut short his vacation and was dragged back to attend the meeting.

The Jiangdong Provincial Government building is an old building. Sunlight shines through the Soviet-style vertical-framed windows, casting diamond-shaped spots of light on the faded red-painted floor, shimmering and showing a vibrant vitality.

When Wang Xiao's wheelchair was pushed in, she felt as if the sunlight was dancing on her legs, making her feel incredibly light.

Secretary Fang personally came out of his office to greet her and pushed her into the conference room.

The person who looked like a reporter quickly pressed the flash and snapped a photo.

Wang Xiao cooperated with a smile, but only after being ushered into the meeting room did she quietly ask Secretary Fang, "Could today's meeting be kept private?"

She gestured to the bag Ivanov was holding beside her, "We need to talk more."

Secretary Fang readily agreed: "Today's meeting is essentially a symposium for private entrepreneurs."

The wheelchair stopped in front of the long table, and the quick-thinking conference staff had already moved a dark brown camphor wood chair aside so that Wang Xiao's wheelchair could sit down smoothly.

The Hitachi slide projector in the center of the table was preheating, and the smell of pine wafted from the ventilation holes in its metal casing.

Secretary Fang gestured for everyone to sit down, and said to Wang Xiao with a smile, "Use the slide projector freely today, it's all yours to use."

It seems that Secretary Fang already knew about her request for a slide projector in the Ministry of Science and Technology's conference room.

Laughter filled the meeting room, and the attendees echoed, "Yes, you guys use it well, and we'll take a good look at it."

Wang Xiao smiled and shook his head: "There's no time. I didn't prepare the slides last night. Today, I would like to ask the leaders to help review version 2.0 of our LCD screen project."

Ivanov personally distributed newly printed materials to all participants.

"The core of this 2.0 version is the triangular team of 'Russian-Ukrainian theory + Japanese technology + Chinese mass production' to achieve breakthroughs and upgrades in our LCD screens."

Director Sun of the Electronics Industry Bureau frowned slightly, a look of doubt on his face: "Didn't you import production lines from Japan to make LCD panels?"

Wasn't this expert Ishizawa, wearing a suit with an overcoat and glasses, flown in from Tokyo? How did it suddenly become a theory about Russia and Ukraine?

This is utterly ridiculous! Japan wants to learn LCD screens from the Soviet Union? It's utterly absurd.

Wang Xiao nodded: "You're right, leader. The factory we're about to start construction on uses a complete set of Japanese standards. We'll be purchasing the patents, production lines, and materials for the first-generation STN-LCD line from Japan. You could even think of it as a processing trade enterprise, with the aim of training and developing skilled engineers and technicians. But—"

Her finger pointed to version 2.0 of the project plan. "This is just the beginning. We must complete the TFT-LCD reversal project in the shortest possible time, which is currently the mainstream in the Japanese LCD industry. Of course—"

She looked up and said, “By the time we can mass-produce 8.4-inch screens, I believe Japan’s LCD screens will have already reached the next level of mass production. But we have no choice; we must catch up immediately. We must narrow the gap again and again until we can take advantage of our market specialization to overtake them.”

Another leader from the Electronics Industry Bureau wondered, "Since TFT-LCDs were already outdated when they were first developed, why not just buy them and then study them? My concern is the investment. It's too expensive; I'm afraid you can't afford to keep pouring money into it like this."

His unspoken implication was that if the TFT-LCD production line ran out of money halfway through, and the bosses simply ran away, the Jiangdong Provincial Government would be left with a mess that would be difficult to clean up.

Wang Xiao shook his head and looked at the other person seriously: "Because by then, we won't be able to buy TFT-LCD production lines anymore."

The Chunlan air conditioner in the room was working diligently, but in order to allow for air circulation, the window was opened with a gap about two fingers' width to facilitate ventilation.

The spring breeze, still carrying the scent of winter, blew on her, causing her hair and the cashmere blanket on her legs to sway slightly.

Ivanov moved his camphor wood chair, which, like a mountain, blocked the wind blowing towards her.

The leader of the Electronics Industry Bureau shook his head, his tone becoming more relaxed: "No, by then they'll have better options. For example, their mainstream is TFT-LCD now, and they'll be willing to sell STN-LCD. Otherwise, it'll just take up space and be a waste of money. Why wouldn't they sell something that can make money?"

The Chunlan split-type air conditioner in the conference room was dripping, and mixed with the sounds of children playing with firecrackers outside the window, the air seemed to be filled with the smell of gunpowder.

Wang Xiao looked up, the light from the half-drawn curtains falling on her face, half-lit and half-dark. Her voice was like a sigh: "By then, they won't be willing to sell anymore."

"They're willing to sell now because they don't realize our advantages and they don't take us seriously."

"But once they realize that we have the capability to scale up, they will take us seriously and see us as a potential competitor."

Why would they be willing to sell?

"Our opportunity is now. While we can recruit Russian and Ukrainian scientists, while Soviet technology hasn't been completely obsolete, while we can still get our hands on second-hand production lines, and while COCOM is about to be dissolved and new black hands haven't had time to strangle us, we must act immediately."

"Over the years, how many things have we been willing to pay a high price for but still couldn't buy?"

The air in the conference room seemed to slow down its convection. The fluorescent tubes used for supplemental lighting hummed under the Soviet-style relief ceiling, making the gold-plated slogan "Seize the opportunity to expand opening up" on the wall flicker.

Secretary Fang broke the silence directly: "I also prefer to do it myself. This reverse engineering must be done, and we must hurry up and do it."

The first to respond to the leader's words was Zhou Mingsheng, the chief engineer of the Electronics Industry Bureau: "I agree with the secretary's view. Although liquid crystal display technology was not the Soviet Union's strength during the Soviet era, and its research and development focus was on CRT (cathode ray tube) rather than LCD, it still had its advantages. And this advantage just happens to correspond to our dual introduction project, and the two can be further integrated."

As he spoke, he smiled at Wang Xiao, "I strongly agree with President Wang's philosophy of collaboration, and that's also our strength. You see—"

He gestured to the crowd, "Over here, the liquid crystal materials laboratory currently under construction in Tianjin, a collaboration with Ukraine, can be incorporated into this facility. Also over here, in welding technology, the Northeast Microelectronics Research Institute is currently collaborating with the Paton Welding Institute. Combining these can greatly shorten our breakthrough time."

His elbow rested on the table, pressing down on half of the pen, as he smiled at Ishizawa, "Of course, we all know that these technologies from the Soviet Union are generally still in the laboratory stage, and the yield rate of the Ukrainian LCD prototype is only 30%, far from meeting the standards for mass production. We still need Mr. Ishizawa and your team to 'implement' the process parameters."

With that, he stood up and gave Ishizawa a standard Tokyo bow, saying, "Please."

Zhou Mingsheng doesn't feel ashamed, because what's truly shameful is that, as a semiconductor professional, he hasn't been able to achieve a breakthrough to this day.

Now, others have helped them bring back foreign experts; China's LCD screen industry needs external assistance.

There is a sequence to learning, and each profession has its own expertise; those who specialize in one area can become teachers.

What's shameful about bowing to your teacher? He was genuinely grateful that the other person was willing to lend a helping hand at this time.

Ishizawa listened attentively, taking careful notes in his Sharp electronic notebook, without offering any opinions.

Only at this moment did he stand up and solemnly bow to Zhou Mingsheng in return: "I will do my best to bring Ekishou, uh, LCD to Jinning."

No one thought his slip of the tongue, "えきしょう," was offensive.

The blue light from the Sharp electronic notebook's LCD screen flowed across his lenses like electronic clouds, clouds floating in the sky.

Everyone present was trying to reach out and capture this cloud.

Zhou Mingsheng smiled and extended his hand to him, inviting him: "Mr. Shi Ze, how about we go over and have a good chat? I'm a veteran in the semiconductor industry, and there are quite a few issues I'd like to ask you about regarding this plan."

Shi Zetian hurriedly bowed and said, "You're too kind."

As he was about to lift his foot, he suddenly realized that he was not simply participating in an industry exchange, and immediately turned his gaze to his boss.

Wang Xiao bowed slightly to him and nodded: "You two talk."

Xiao Gao quickly stepped forward, opened the meeting room door for them, and accompanied them out.

Once the door was closed, the atmosphere in the meeting room instantly relaxed considerably.

Director Sun suddenly blurted out: "Soviet technology + Japanese craftsmanship, a new breakthrough for the legacy of the Cold War."

Everyone in the conference room laughed.

The office director, who was acting as the meeting's moderator, smiled and said, "Alright, the technical aspects are finished. According to the next agenda item, we will now discuss the investment. The total investment for the first phase of the LCD screen factory is US$30 million, with the Jiangdong Provincial Government contributing 150 acres of industrial land as equity. Now let's discuss the investment ratio."

The staff at the venue refilled Wang Xiao's cup with water. Her teapot was specially prepared for her, and the warm longan and jujube tea poured out rippled gently under the fluorescent lights, emitting a rich, sweet aroma.

Wang Xiao picked up his cup, took a sip of water, and gently shook his head: "No, LCD screen factories cannot use land as equity."

Director Sun frowned slightly: "That's a bit troublesome. If you're asking for real money, that's..."

His drawn-out tone was Wang Xiao's way of saying, "No, you misunderstood. I meant that the LCD screen factory is a special case and cannot be a joint venture with state-owned enterprises."

A rustling sound immediately filled the conference room, and several people exchanged glances.

This is really over the top.

So, after all that running around for the Jiangdong Provincial Government, things are finally looking up. The bride is in the house, and now the matchmaker is about to be thrown over the wall?

As if oblivious to the officials' discontent, Wang Xiao continued, "Because LCD screen manufacturers have a unique characteristic. Their industry technology iteration cycle is extremely short, only 18 months."

“The government’s money is different from spending private money. Once the government takes a stake, all spending will have to go through layers of approval, which will delay the equipment procurement window.”

"Sharp's Tomas factory took 11 months from project initiation to mass production; while our process, going through state-owned enterprise procedures, takes an average of 22 months. For every month of delay, the window of opportunity for yield improvement closes by 5.7%."

"Moreover, the grafting of Soviet technology requires frequent adjustments to the process. Once state-owned capital gets involved, it is easy to get involved in the controversy of the loss of state-owned assets. Outsiders will think, this thing is still working fine and can be produced. Why do you abandon it and rush to start the next project? You don't care about selling your grandfather's land. The country's assets are all being wasted by people like you who just want to line your own pockets."

Wang Xiao sighed, looking helpless. "This is the trouble with mixed-ownership technology companies. Traditional manufacturing has a long technology iteration cycle, so if there's going to be a dispute, there's still time to sit down and argue. But with LCD screen factories, by the time they have that time to argue, the technology outside has already gone through another cycle."

Is she crazy? She doesn't want to get married, but instead wants to find herself a mother-in-law? She's just asking for trouble.

Director Sun frowned: "You mean, you don't need government support?"

“Of course not,” Wang Xiao shook his head. “On the contrary, we need strong support from the government. Not contributing land as equity is a very powerful form of support. Because we will need to borrow from foreign banks later, and if our land assets account for too high a proportion and our debt ratio is too low, we will not be able to get loan approval.”

She didn't produce the materials she had prepared. In fact, she had already devised a reason to refuse state-owned capital from entering the market, but presenting them now would make it seem like she had planned this all along.

On the contrary, her impromptu answer on the spot further implied that the provincial government's insistence on land as equity was completely unreasonable and inconsistent with the characteristics of the industry.

The director of the General Office also spoke up: "Then we are a little confused. What kind of support do you want? You know, for such a large-scale project that burns through money, it is easier to persevere with government support."

Wang Xiao looked earnestly at the official opposite him: "We are not rejecting Jiangdong's support, but rather we want to turn that support into a bulletproof vest. If we tie it up into a joint venture, it's like putting an iron shell on a pangolin—it looks safe, but in reality, it stifles its ability to traverse mountains and valleys."

Secretary Fang had been listening intently, her gaze occasionally sweeping over the Jiangdong economic growth chart hanging in the conference room. She tapped the table lightly with her fingertip and finally asked, "So what kind of support do you specifically want?"

"Zero land price—"

Before she could finish speaking, Director Sun couldn't help but say, "You've gone a bit too far. You can't always be thinking about getting something for nothing."

Yes, yes, he also knew that the previous provincial government leadership had given her too many preferential treatments; the land was practically given away for free.

See? We've fattened people's appetites; now they all think it's only natural to take land for free.

Wang Xiao laughed and said, "Boss, please let me finish. I also have 'tax linkage' coming up later."

“We signed a 15-year land lease agreement, with the first year’s rent deducted from future taxes. We promised to pay a total of 100 million yuan in taxes within 7 years. Otherwise, we would have to pay back the rent plus late fees. If we exceed the tax target, the government will return 20% as an innovation reward.”

Director Sun was unmoved; in his view, it was still a case of getting something for nothing. Paying taxes was simply a matter of course for factory owners.

Wang Xiao then made another big move: "In addition, we promise to train 300 engineers for Jiangdong. The results of reverse engineering and technology transfer can be transferred to other state-owned enterprises in Jiangdong, such as air conditioning, which needs cleanroom technology. Talent and technology transfer are the real treasure trove for Jiangdong."

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O(∩_∩)O Haha~ My mother-in-law's analogy is something that companies often used in the 1990s, referring to the management departments of state-owned enterprises.