Chapter 138 Bidding
When Zhu Hongxing picked up Tao Nanfeng and his three companions at Kyoto Railway Station, he was collectively amazed by their appearance.
Tao Shouxin is over fifty years old, but he is thin and tall, with an elegant temperament and a strong scholarly air. Wearing gold-rimmed glasses, he looks even more gentle and proud, which makes people respect him.
Tao Nanfeng was wearing a short-sleeved round-necked shirt, cropped overalls, and white sneakers. She had a single braid tied at the back of her head and only a jade-colored hairpin pinned to her temples. Her skin was fair and her face was beautiful.
The most handsome one was the young man who was carrying the luggage behind Tao Nanfeng. He was about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, with a pair of sparkling peach blossom eyes, eyebrows like distant mountains, a nose like a hanging gall bladder, and every part of his facial features was exquisite. Coupled with his slender figure and cool expression, he looked like a ray of light standing in the crowd, attracting everyone's attention.
Zhu Hongxing looked at Fan Zhicheng a few more times and praised him reluctantly: "What a good-looking man!"
Fan Zhicheng glanced at him coldly, pursed his thin lips, and frowned slightly. He obviously didn't like people talking about his appearance.
Tao Nanfeng introduced: "Hello, Mr. Zhu, this is my father, Tao Shouxin, and this is my senior brother, Fan Zhicheng. They both teach at Jiangcheng University of Architecture and are consultants to my company."
Zhu Hongxing knew that Tao Nanfeng's company had just been registered for a short time, and originally thought that she would bring two assistants this time, but unexpectedly, she brought experts.
"Tao Shouxin! Hello, Professor Tao, I have heard of your name for a long time, but never had the chance to meet you. I never thought you are Tao Nanfeng's father! Oh, no wonder Tao Nanfeng is so outstanding, it turns out that he has a family background in learning."
When in Jiangcheng, Zhou Ruowei and Feng You often said that Tao Nanfeng was able to pursue a master's degree purely because of his father. Zhu Hongxing did not care about these trivial matters and did not ask who Tao Nanfeng's father was. When I met Tao Shouxin today and heard Tao Nanfeng's introduction, I was immediately overjoyed.
Who is Tao Shouxin? This is the great architect who completed the reconstruction of Mingyue Tower in Jiangcheng! Using reinforced concrete to recreate the former splendor of Mingyue Tower, the world's number one building, can be said to be bold and innovative, and has won the admiration of the world.
Although Zhu Hongxing is not interested in household gossip, he is familiar with famous architects in the industry. He extended his hand and shook hands with Tao Shouxin warmly, saying repeatedly: "Welcome, welcome! Welcome Professor Tao to Kyoto to guide our work."
Tao Shouxin smiled and said, "I don't dare to take on the responsibility of guiding you. I just came here to accompany my daughter and take a look around Kyoto."
Zhu Hongxing said hurriedly, "Of course, of course. I'll ask the bureau to send a car tomorrow to take you three around the Forbidden City."
He turned his gaze to Fan Zhicheng again and asked Tao Shouxin: "Is this also your graduate student?"
Tao Shouxin shook his head. "He is from the same class as Nanfeng. He is a student of Professor Huang Jiafa and has a solid foundation in painting. This time he came to be my assistant."
Zhu Hongxing's eyes moved slightly. Who is Huang Jiafa? He really doesn't know. Huang Jiafa is the director of the Architecture Department of Jiangcheng Jianzhu University. He has strong teaching and research abilities, but not much practical experience, so it is normal that Zhu Hongxing does not recognize him.
Zhu Hongxing took them into the jeep sent by the unit, and after a few greetings, they got down to business.
Zhu Hongxing asked: "Tao Nanfeng, are you going to participate in the bidding this time?"
Tao Nanfeng nodded: "I'll participate." Since I'm here, I have to give it a try.
Zhu Hongxing smiled and said, "Okay, okay, then after I send you to the guesthouse, I will go back to the bureau to get the bid documents for you. There are more detailed design briefs and topographic maps on them."
Tao Nanfeng's eyes were fixed outside the window. The car started moving, and people and objects on the street moved quickly. There is a lot of traffic and it is a bustling scene.
A group of carrier pigeons flew across the gray sky, making a buzzing sound.
There are many large buildings with seven or eight floors in various colors. Interspersed among the high-rise buildings are the flying eaves and brackets of Ming and Qing Dynasty buildings, which are eye-catching.
Her mind was completely drawn to the building, and she didn't hear Zhu Hongxing's words clearly for a moment.
Fan Zhicheng answered for her: "Okay. Is the topographic map a detailed survey map or a hand-drawn map?"
Zhu Hongxing laughed: "Of course it is a detailed survey map. The hand-drawn map I sent you earlier was just a random drawing I made. I just wanted to give a general introduction to the surrounding area of the building."
Fan Zhicheng snorted softly through his nose.
Tao Shouxin glared at him and signaled him to be more restrained. Only then did Fan Zhicheng shut his mouth and did not say "No wonder she is so ugly".
Fan Zhicheng turned to look at Tao Nanfeng, seeing that she was concentrating on looking at the buildings outside the window, and asked softly, "Do you like the prosperity of Kyoto?"
Tao Nanfeng came back to his senses and glanced at him. He didn't say whether he liked it or not, but only commented objectively: "Kyoto has more cars and people than Jiangcheng."
Zhu Hongxing said with a smile: "When I first passed the exam to come to Kyoto from the countryside, my eyes were not enough to see. I felt like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden. Everything I saw seemed strange and exciting."
Tao Nanfeng laughed and said, "So Master Zhu also reads Dream of the Red Chamber?"
Zhu Hongxing's eyes flashed with nostalgia: "When I was studying at Kyoto University, I saw such a large library and so many books for the first time. I was so happy that my head was about to explode. I wanted to spend all my time reading books, including architecture, mechanics, biographies, classics... I read everything. I also read Dream of the Red Chamber at that time."
Tao Shouxin said: "College is the freest time of your life. If you study hard, you will definitely gain something."
Zhu Hongxing nodded and said, "Yes, the four years in college were the happiest time of my life. I had books to read, classes to attend, meals to eat, and classmates to play and discuss with. After graduation, when I was assigned to the Engineering Bureau, I didn't have that much time to read. I was on the construction site almost every day."
We were all educated people, so there was no barrier between us when we chatted and we quickly became familiar with each other.
When they arrived at the Xicheng District Guesthouse, Zhu Hongxing thoughtfully prepared three single rooms for them, with snow-white sheets and quilt covers, soft pillows, dark red furniture, a tin kettle with a peony pattern printed on it, a small mechanical alarm clock on the bedside table, and a pot of green ivy in the gap between the door and the wardrobe. There are two single sofas and a coffee table near the window, with fresh and elegant wood grain.
Tao Nanfeng took a look at the interior furnishings and realized that this guesthouse was of a very high level, so he thanked Zhu Hongxing.
Zhu Hongxing waved his hands embarrassedly: "You're welcome. You are the distinguished guests invited by our Engineering Bureau, so we must treat you with all our heart. Just stay here. If you want to make a phone call, there is a phone in the lobby of the guesthouse that can make long-distance calls, but you have to pay for it, it's a bit expensive."
After arranging the three people, Zhu Hongxing returned to the unit to get the information.
After seeing the design brief and topographic map, Tao Nanfeng and Tao Shouxin's expressions became somewhat solemn.
Tao Shouxin looked at the densely packed task requirements and shook his head: "There are too many requirements and too little room for maneuver. It's difficult."
Tao Nanfeng looked at the location marked on the topographic map and scratched it with his finger.
"It faces the street on all sides and occupies a small area. There is a bookstore to the north, a newspaper office to the east, a primary school to the south, and a hospital to the west. These supporting facilities... Oh! They are all important buildings. Expansion will definitely require foundation construction. I don't know what the surrounding geological conditions are like."
In a word, difficult.
Tao Shouxin asked his daughter: "Have you seen the deadline for the bid? We only have half a month to make a preliminary design plan, which means we have to draw pictures, prepare bids, and complete reports here. Even if we can successfully win the project, construction drawing design, post-service, engineering changes, and final acceptance, do we have to come to Kyoto? The cost is too high, the difficulty is too great, and the cost-effectiveness is not high."
Tao Nanfeng looked at his father: "Dad, I also thought about these questions before coming here."
Tao Shouxin looked at his daughter quietly. He knew that she must have her own plans.
Tao Nanfeng stood up, drew open the beige curtains of the guesthouse room, and looked at the tall and low building outlines under the gray sky, with an impulse surging in his heart.
——She wants to leave her mark in this city.
"Dad, I wanted to reject Zhu Hongxing at first. As you said, the investment is large, the return is small, and the difficulty is high. Why should we ask for trouble for such a project?"
Fan Zhicheng looked at Tao Nanfeng's back in confusion and asked softly, "Then why did you want to participate?"
Tao Nanfeng's voice reveals the fearlessness and sharpness unique to young people.
"Just because it's difficult, should we not participate? My answer is no. The more difficult it is, the more we should face it head-on. Dad, was it difficult for you to rebuild Mingyue Tower? It was difficult too, right?"
Thinking of that period of history, Tao Shouxin's mouth corners gradually rose.
"How can it not be difficult? It is very difficult! Everyone says that the famous buildings in the Song Dynasty are all made of brick and wood, and that if they are to be rebuilt on the original site, they must be restored according to the previous drawings. But I wanted to do the opposite and push for the use of reinforced concrete to build a famous building that will never be burned down by fire again. Many people scolded me at that time, and the scolding was very unpleasant.
What kind of scholar's arrogance and willfulness will make him a sinner in the future; what kind of modern building materials destroyed a historical monument; what kind of pretentiousness and originality lack the character of a scholar...
But I have my own ideas. The brick-and-wood structure of the Mingyue Building was burned down three times by fire. What should we do if we rebuild it and it burns down again? Using reinforced concrete for columns and prefabricated components for flying eaves and brackets, the antique style not only saves time and effort, but is also sturdy and stable. It stands on the bank of the Yangtze River, shining brightly. ”
The more he spoke, the more excited he became, and a sense of heroism suddenly rose in his heart.
"I let them scold me, no matter what they said, I insisted on being myself. I took the design drawings and tried hard to convince the city leaders. Finally, I got their support and built a famous reinforced concrete building imitating the Song Dynasty."
Tao Nanfeng loves listening to his father tell this story the most and never gets tired of it.
It was the first time that Fan Zhicheng heard Tao Shouxin talk about the story of rebuilding Mingyue Tower. He was so fascinated that he didn't know where he was.
Fan Zhicheng, who had been obsessed with the past and somewhat self-pitying, was greatly shocked: it turned out that behind everyone's success there is a difficult journey, and perhaps the suffering he had experienced was not the worst.
Only after the storm will the rainbow appear.
Tao Nanfeng clapped his hands and smiled brightly: "Yes! If we retreat when we encounter difficulties, how can we rebuild Mingyue Tower?"
Tao Shouxin patted his daughter's shoulder lovingly: "You have been stubborn since you were young. Once you decide on something, you will do it to the end. Even if others oppose it, you will silently persist."
Tao Nanfeng said: "Persistence is victory. We should take this as a test. We don't have to win the project, but we must participate in the bidding. It is a rare opportunity to compete with our peers!"
The author has something to say:
Weekend efforts three more ~
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
