Chapter 73 Shanghai at the end of April, the sky…

In late April, Shanghai was shrouded in a dark, overcast sky, with the air still carrying the scent of the approaching rainy season. But at Xuefangzhai, far out in the suburbs, the scene was quite different. Inside the private rooms, the aroma of tea filled the air.

Li Xingzhou arranged to meet Zhang Jinheng at a secluded teahouse. Originally, they had agreed to meet at their usual spot, the fishpond in Songjiang, but Li Xingzhou was very reluctant to go there, as he had a rather phobia of fishing.

To secure the partnership with Qixing, he spent twenty days out of the month fishing with Zhang Jinheng. It was terrifying, absolutely horrifying. So, he had no choice but to use his financial power to buy up all the fishponds within sight in Shanghai in just a few days.

The conversation began with tea. Over tea, the atmosphere relaxed, and the topic gradually shifted to the equipment auctioned in Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

Li Xingzhou served tea to Zhang Jinheng, staring intently into his eyes, which revealed no true emotion. "With your intelligence and keen market insight, Mr. Zhang, I don't believe you haven't seen the considerable profits in the chip industry. This batch of equipment from Shenzhen and Hong Kong is a very lucrative opportunity."

He came today to persuade Zhang Jinheng to bid for this batch of medical equipment from Shenzhen and Hong Kong. His starting point was simple: firstly, Qixing is one of the leading semiconductor chip manufacturers in China, possessing the most advanced technology and the largest scale of professional equipment, and has also achieved numerous technological breakthroughs and business results in semiconductor testing and chips.

Secondly, although he clearly agreed with what Song Chaoye had told him before, it didn't mean he would help Song Chaoye get that batch of equipment.

Therefore, from any perspective, it is most appropriate for Qixing to acquire this batch of equipment. Then, we can plan carefully and establish a cooperative relationship between Qixing and United Innovation.

They talked for quite a while, but Zhang Jinheng still showed no sign of agreeing.

“They say you shouldn’t let good things go to outsiders. If that’s the case, Mr. Li, wouldn’t you want such a good deal?” Zhang Jinheng paused, then suddenly remembered something. “Based on my understanding of Mr. Li’s investment style, you’re determined to get the investment project you want.”

Li Xingzhou thought to himself, "You really know me well." But the premise of being determined to win is having an 80% or higher chance of success. He never fights a battle unprepared.

“I do want it.” Li Xingzhou smiled slightly, the curve of his lips looking perfect, but his eyes were dark and deep. “With such a high success rate and return on investment, why wouldn’t I want it? It’s just that I’ve left Sunac now, and my funds are currently tight, so I’m willing but unable to do so.”

“I admit that the profits in the chip sector have always been astonishing, but my money didn’t grow on trees.” Zhang Jinheng shook his head and sighed, looking so regretful. “President Li should have heard that Qixing’s production line is having problems now, and I’m afraid that acquiring this batch of equipment at this critical juncture will be extremely difficult.”

Seemingly unsurprised by Zhang Jinheng's attitude, Li Xingzhou was still planning to continue arguing with him about "how exactly this batch of equipment from Shenzhen and Hong Kong is so incredibly lucrative," when Zhang Jinheng waved his hand, interrupting, "Alright, let's not talk about this anymore, it's pointless." He then picked up the tea set on the table and handed it to Li Xingzhou, gesturing with his chin to indicate that the topic should end there.

Li Xingzhou fell silent for a moment, his gaze falling on the wafting aroma of tea. He wondered what could be more enticing than the profits from the chips to persuade Zhang Jinheng to bid for the equipment. After all, time was of the essence, and the auction was just a few days away. However, he had no better ideas at the moment.

Li Xingzhou looked up at the distant, swirling clouds in the sky, and before he knew it, the tea in his hand had run out.

The auction was held quietly at the Shanghai Tower.

The auction is divided into an area for on-site bidding and an area for telephone bidding.

Just as Li Xingzhou sat down in the area where he was holding up a sign, he received a call from Song Chaoye.

"I heard that Huang Shiyu commissioned you to photograph this batch of equipment, right?"

Li Xingzhou frowned slightly, his tone cold and sarcastic, "Aren't you just asking a question you already know the answer to? Otherwise, would she want to see you?"

"..." That really hits home.

However, Song Chaoye did not show any anger, and was even quite calm. "I came here to remind you in a friendly manner that you should not forget what you promised me. You won't try to trick me at this critical moment, will you?" He was not sure if Li Xingzhou would change his mind at the last minute, but then again, he figured he wouldn't dare to play any tricks.

Although the photo doesn't definitively prove that Huang Guodong's death was related to Li Xingzhou, a little investigation would reveal that Huang Guodong had only met Li Xingzhou before his death, which seems quite reasonable.

Li Xingzhou paused, his hand gripping the fuselage, and said with a hint of sarcasm, "I'm not like you, lacking a sense of contractual obligation."

Song Chaoye knew what he meant, smiled indifferently, and said softly, "Ah, back then, anyone would have made the same choice as me in the Black Tower Group acquisition case. If you don't believe me, you can ask Huang Shiyu. Based on my understanding of her, I believe her choice would be the same as mine."

“No, no, no!” Li Xingzhou’s lips curled into a sneer, full of sarcasm. “I need to correct you on one point. Huang Shiyu would make the same choice as you if she only accepted the merger and acquisition plan, not if she conspired with outsiders to scheme against her like you did.”

Song Chaoye: "..."

"So what?" Li Xingzhou paused, his tone even colder and more sarcastic than before, "The possibility you're talking about is absolutely impossible."

Song Chaoye on the other end of the phone seemed to pause at Li Xingzhou's words, remaining silent. Li Xingzhou, however, clearly didn't want to spend another second dealing with Song Chaoye. He glanced at the auction hall, which was gradually filling up with people, his eyes gleaming under the incandescent lights from the ceiling, and then said coldly, "That's all if there's nothing else." He then hung up the phone.

He was sitting in the second row, very close to the auction stage. He glanced to the side and just then Zhang Jinheng looked over. Their eyes met in mid-air. Neither of them exchanged pleasantries. Li Xingzhou nodded to Zhang Jinheng, and Zhang Jinheng nodded slightly in return, as if to say hello.

The auctioneer's voice rang out at the opportune moment: "This auction features medical equipment from the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group. The starting price is ten million, with each bid increasing by one million. The auction is now open."

As the auctioneer finished speaking, it was as if a bomb had been dropped into the room. The sounds of bidding rang out one after another, like ripples suddenly splashing on a calm lake.

"Eleven million."

"Twelve million."

"Thirteen million."

Fourteen million.

"..."

The bidding continued unabated, with participants raising their paddles with swift and decisive movements, as if afraid that a slow move or a delayed verbal offer would result in someone else getting there first. But Li Xingzhou remained motionless from the start, his eyes fixed on the stage, lost in thought.

The people sitting nearby couldn't help but glance at him curiously several times. Even the assistant who was helping Song Chaoye bid was involuntarily drawn to his gaze. However, this was only one of his job duties. After all, in addition to paying attention to the auction, he also had to keep an eye on whether any unforeseen circumstances would occur on Li Xingzhou's side.

Amidst the rising and falling bids, the assistant pressed the phone and asked Song Chaoye, "Mr. Song, I see that Mr. Li hasn't responded yet. Should we just raise the price?"

"No rush, let's wait a bit. Now is not the time for us to make an offer." Song Chaoye's tone on the phone was very relaxed. "What is Li Xingzhou doing right now?"

The assistant glanced at Li Xingzhou and saw that he was still sitting there stiffly, like a fine statue, seemingly oblivious to the actions around him. Moreover, even from his angle, which was not nearsighted, he could only see two-thirds of Li Xingzhou's profile and his deep, quiet eyes.

Just as the assistant was about to say, "He's been doing nothing, like a block of wood," he saw Li Xingzhou raise his hand, in a gesture as if to raise a sign. The assistant frowned: "Start raising the sign now."

"Okay, raise the price."

The bidding continued, and the price rose with each bid.

"Sixty-five million."

"This gentleman has offered 65 million. Are there any higher bids?"

"Seventy million."

"Seventy-one million."

"Seventy-two million."

"..."

"Is there anyone willing to bid higher than 100 million?" the auctioneer asked with a smile.

The assistant moved his lips slightly: "Mr. Song, would you like to add more?"

After a three-second pause, Song Chaoye took a breath and said, "Add."

"But our budget is only one hundred million, I'm afraid..."

Song Chaoye interrupted him directly, coldly saying, "Add."

Seeing that Song Chaoye had already said so, and that he was only entrusted with handling the matter, he didn't try to persuade him any further. He quickly relayed the bidding price, and the auctioneer immediately changed his mind: "One hundred and ten million for the first time."

"One hundred and ten million, the second time."

Just as the auctioneer was about to deliver the final blow, Zhang Jinheng casually raised his paddle, "One hundred and twenty million."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone in the room turned to look at Zhang Jinheng, who was holding up his bidding paddle. No one spoke, and no one raised their paddle to bid higher. From the quiet atmosphere, it was clear that everyone felt the price was about right, and it was obviously close to the highest price they had estimated at the time.

The auctioneer raised his voice: "The bid has now reached 120 million. Is there any higher bid?"

"One hundred and twenty million, for the first time."

In stark contrast to the relatively quiet atmosphere at the scene, Song Chaoye hurriedly asked on the phone, "Who is bidding?"

"One hundred and twenty million, the second time."

"Zhang Jinheng, the CEO of Qixing," the assistant reminded him, "This is the second time we've raised the price to 120 million. Shall we add more?"

"Add more, why not add more? Keep adding, don't stop." After hearing that it was Zhang Jinheng who raised the sign, Song Chaoye was not too worried. After all, everyone knew that Qixing's production line had a problem.

After pulling for nearly five minutes.

"Two hundred million for the third time."

With a clang, the gavel fell, and then the auctioneer solemnly announced with a smile in front of everyone, "Congratulations to Qixing for winning the medical equipment from Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group for 200 million."

"..." This result almost made Song Chaoye on the phone choke, but since the matter was settled, there was nothing more to say. Everything was in his plan, but who knew that a Cheng Yaojin would suddenly appear. Helpless, he could only accept the established fact and hang up the phone.

Once the tense atmosphere dissipated, the assistant was finally able to catch his breath, put down the phone, and leave dejectedly.

At the same time, Li Xingzhou, who hadn't moved much from beginning to end, finally stood up. He casually straightened his suit jacket and glanced at Zhang Jinheng, who was talking to the staff.

Seemingly sensing his gaze, Zhang Jinheng glanced at him, smiled and nodded, and then left the auction venue accompanied by staff.

Li Xingzhou stared intently at Zhang Jinheng's departing figure, his eyes slightly narrowed.

Perhaps it was the white lights in the venue that made his beautiful peach blossom eyes appear too deep and profound, making it impossible for people to see the subtle emotional changes in his eyes.

“Mr. Zhang, why not consider purchasing this batch of equipment? It can increase the productivity of the FAB production line by more than double. As far as I know, Qixing’s FAB plant has an annual output value of no less than 2 billion. With such a large production volume, we cannot guarantee that the equipment will not be unable to keep up.”

When Li Xingzhou steered the conversation back to the Shenzhen-Hong Kong equipment, the private room fell silent. Zhang Jinheng stared at him for a long time, smiling but saying nothing.

Li Xingzhou knew that Zhang Jinheng didn't want to discuss this topic, but based on his understanding of Zhang Jinheng, this man was quite enthusiastic about making money; otherwise, he wouldn't have stepped in when foreign chip companies didn't want to supply Rongchuang.

As the saying goes, if the benefits are large enough, many risks can be mitigated.

"Why are you so insistent on me bidding on this batch of equipment?" Zhang Jinheng looked at him with a smile across the coffee table, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "What benefit would it bring you?"

"Qixing has the reputation of being a leading domestic semiconductor chip company. Currently, foreign chips are creating a monopoly, and at present, Qixing is the only domestic company that uses AI-grade chips. Others are either still in development or are foreign brands. Chips are the key to your core competitiveness."

Seeing that Zhang Jinheng's smile remained unchanged but his eyes were unmoved, Li Xingzhou's gaze sharpened, and he unconsciously emphasized, "It's not smart to ignore this great trend of making money. Mr. Zhang is also an investor, and I think you, as an investor, are well aware of this."

Zhang Jinheng stared at him quietly for a while, seemingly deep in thought, without saying a word.

Li Xingzhou raised an eyebrow, sensing that something was amiss.

He was just about to take another drastic measure when Zhang Jinheng called, so he had to give up for now. But he could still feel Zhang Jinheng glancing at him from time to time.

Moreover, from Zhang Jinheng's conversation with the person on the other end of the phone, he could piece together a small amount of information. It seemed that because of the production line, several companies were not in a hurry to deliver, and as long as they could guarantee delivery by the deadline, Qixing would not need to pay any penalty for breach of contract.

Li Xingzhou breathed a sigh of relief. If there was an 80% chance that Zhang Jinheng would be willing to bid for this batch of equipment earlier, now it was 100%. Although the penalty for breach of contract was a small matter for a leading enterprise like Qixing, no one would give away money if they had too much.

The phone call was still going on intermittently. Li Xingzhou took a sip of tea, appearing unhurried.

Ten minutes later.

Zhang Jinheng put down his phone and after a long pause said, "So, this batch of equipment from Shenzhen and Hong Kong is really incredibly valuable." He paused, then added, "Mr. Li, you're an investor, so your purpose in coming to me shouldn't be just to get me to bid on this equipment, right?"

Li Xingzhou was a straightforward person and didn't beat around the bush. He went straight to the point and said succinctly, "Huang Shiyu, the founder of United Innovation, highly values ​​Qixing's professionalism. Her company is currently developing AI-powered mental health products and is very interested in Qixing's chips. I wonder if there is an opportunity to cooperate with you."

“I’m afraid that won’t work.” Zhang Jinheng frowned. “President Li, you should also know that I can’t start production if the order quantity is too small.”

Li Xingzhou slightly raised his chin, smiled at him, and said, "You can rest assured about that. Just like you were sure about my skills when we went fishing last time, I certainly won't disappoint you this time either."

Huang Shiyu never expected that just a second ago she was enjoying the joy of receiving an award on stage, but the next second, that joy would turn into shock.

She looked at the news on her phone about Qixing winning the bid for Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group's equipment for 200 million yuan, her eyes slightly narrowed, filled with mixed emotions.

Why would Qixing participate in this bidding process?

Didn't they have a problem with their production line?

Just as Huang Shiyu was about to click on the news to take a closer look, someone patted her on the shoulder from behind, and said in a gentle voice, "Shiyu, there's no time like the present. Why don't we go and celebrate on such a good day?"

It's Lu Xiao.

Huang Shiyu put away her phone, glanced back, and said, "Never mind, you've had enough today. Let's do it next time."

"You won an award but you're still unhappy? You look so gloomy. What's wrong? Is something on your mind?"

“Winning the award is certainly a good thing, but do you remember? Today was the auction for that batch of equipment from Shenzhen and Hong Kong, and Qixing won the bid.” Huang Shiyu breathed a sigh of relief. “I’ll sit for a while longer; you can go back now.”

Upon hearing this, an indescribable thought arose in Lu Xiao's mind. She opened her mouth and tentatively asked, "Didn't Li Xingzhou tell you?"

What does this mean? What do you mean Li Xingzhou didn't tell you?

The moment Huang Shiyu realized the implication in Lu Xiao's words, his heart sank. "What do you mean by that?"

-----------------------

Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait, my darlings~ This story will be completed this summer. Please wait a little longer until I finish the work I need to hand over~ (It won't be long "I promise!") If there are any side stories you'd like to see, please let me know in the comments or on Weibo, and I'll try my best to accommodate everyone~ Although I've been very tired from preparing for my postgraduate entrance exam and working on projects, receiving your heartwarming messages on Weibo from time to time has made me incredibly happy and instantly gave me a lot of motivation. You guys are all such angels and so incredibly kind~ Love you all (heart emoji)