Taking Up the Burden

After leaving Ren Jian's office, Lin Xu immediately set his plan into motion.

The first person he needed to deal with was Xu Jin. He had to explain the current situation and persuade him to join Donghua Chemical Fiber Plant as a consultant, taking charge of the subsequent research and trial production work.

In Lin Xu's view, this should have been a "not simple" task.

But the moment he sent Xu Jin the message, a call came through almost immediately.

"Y-you... are you ready already? Can I start now?"

"Where are you? Can I come find you right away?"

"Am I far from you? Is there anything you need me to do?"

Xu Jin's voice carried undisguised excitement, and he was even trembling slightly as he spoke.

"You can come over now."

"I'm about to inspect the new factory building. I also need you to assess what equipment still needs to be added."

"It's three o'clock now. Can you make it by four?"

"I can!"

With a snap, the call ended.

Lin Xu stared blankly at his phone.

What the hell?

He just hung up like that?

He probably would never understand the thought process of someone with Asperger's.

I haven't even sent you the location yet!

Helplessly, he opened the chat window and shared his location with Xu Jin over WeChat.

Then, he immediately informed Ren Jian and hurried toward Donghua Chemical Fiber Plant.

By the time he arrived, Ren Jian had already arranged everything.

The reception staff and guides were in place. After waiting a few minutes, Xu Jin arrived as well, panting heavily.

Truly panting heavily.

"How did you get here? Don't tell me you ran?"

Seeing him drenched in sweat, Lin Xu could not help asking.

"I... I..."

Xu Jin stammered, trying to explain, but in the end he abruptly waved a hand.

"Not important! Not important! Not important!"

"Can we go in now? Can we take a look now?"

"Of course. This way, please."

The guide immediately stepped forward with an enthusiastic smile.

"Hello, leaders. I was the former general manager's secretary at Donghua Chemical Fiber Plant, and I will remain here to serve everyone going forward."

"Today, I'll be giving the two leaders a tour. You both look like practical, hands-on people, so I imagine you'll be interested in our technical equipment."

"Shall we set off now?"

"Let's go."

Lin Xu pulled Xu Jin along, and the two followed closely behind the reception staff into the factory building.

What greeted them was a collection of somewhat outdated but largely complete equipment. The entire factory had been cleaned spotless. Clearly, Donghua Chemical Fiber Plant had put considerable effort into preparing for this acquisition.

"...Don't let the age of our equipment fool you. These were considered highly advanced machines in their day."

"Although Donghua Chemical Fiber Plant has declined now, we—"

"No."

Before the guide could finish, Xu Jin suddenly interrupted.

"None of this will work. It can only be used to manufacture the previous generation of carbon fiber materials. No, most of it won't work!"

"We need new equipment!"

"We need a new melt impregnation production line. We need new hot presses, plasma surface cleaning processes, hydrolysis-resistant dryers..."

"The equipment here needs replacing!"

"This one needs to be replaced!"

"This one too!"

"We have to move faster... faster!"

Xu Jin weaved through the equipment, inspecting each machine one by one, then immediately shaking his head after each examination.

He looked possessed as he muttered to himself, leaving the guide staring in shock.

The guide hesitantly moved closer to Lin Xu and cautiously asked:

"Leader, this... expert... is he perhaps a little...?"

"That's what geniuses are like."

Lin Xu raised a hand to cut him off.

"He's a real genius."

"No matter what he says, listen to him."

"By the way, you said you'll be staying on here as a secretary, right?"

"Then you can start working now."

"Write down all of his requirements. Compile them and give them to me afterward."

"No problem."

The secretary answered at once.

He had figured it out by now. The young man before him was not some rich second-generation heir here to pad his résumé, nor some young master playing at business.

This man had capable people under his command. He was a genuine rising force!

This was too outrageous...

How old was he?

Twenty-three? Twenty-four?

Someone like this was already capable of standing on his own, expanding into new territory in such a crucial sector.

So how exactly had he done it?

He had never heard that Boss Ren had an illegitimate son.

Could he be... a proxy?

The aura around him really did resemble one. Not the air of an official, but something more like... the aura of someone accustomed to killing and conquering.

The secretary formed a few guesses, but did not voice them.

It was better not to pry into such matters.

He coughed and continued asking:

"Should we copy President Ren in as well?"

"No."

Lin Xu shook his head.

"We'll take a look first. Once we're done, submit the budget to the boss."

"He doesn't understand the technical side of this. He just needs to provide the money."

"...Understood."

The secretary said no more.

His gaze toward Lin Xu was somewhat complicated.

This truly was an extraordinarily strange combination.

A decisive boss, a mysterious young man who called the shots, and a somewhat crazed "expert"...

With people like these gathered together...

Were they really planning to do something big?

Several hours later, as dusk deepened, at the Jinling Zhongshan Cadre Convalescent Home.

Xu Qianlin had unusually sat up from bed. An attendant pushed him in a wheelchair to the central courtyard of the convalescent home for some fresh air.

His condition seemed to have improved somewhat, but everyone here, including Xu Qianlin himself, knew that he truly did not have much time left.

The ever-spreading cancer cells were consuming his life. All available medical treatments could only "delay" the inevitable.

Half a year?

Or perhaps, at most, one year before he had to let go.

And within that brief period, the time during which he could maintain a relatively clear state of mind was even more pitifully short.

That was why he cherished it so dearly.

Even while "taking a walk," staff accompanied him, constantly updating him on the progress of their ongoing work.

"...For the launch of the next Mars probe, we should still follow the previous plan and select a different launch window."

"The unusual situation encountered by Zhurong was probably not an isolated incident. We must verify whether the 'event' itself is related to time."

"Also, the probe's robustness—its reliability—needs to be improved."

"If we take rocket payload limitations into account, we can wait a little longer."

"Once Institute 11's new engine is ready, we can revisit the matter."

"There's still enough time."

"I can't wait, but you can."

"Understood."

The staff member beside him quickly recorded Xu Qianlin's words in a notebook, then added:

"Institute 165 is actually progressing quite quickly. At present, only the issue of the silicon carbide self-healing coating remains. If they can solve it, they'll soon enter the test-run stage."

"You don't need to comfort us by saying that. You know I won't live to see it."

"Don't bother with that kind of useless comfort. I definitely won't see it."

Xu Qianlin waved a hand and continued:

"Payload isn't a problem that engines alone can solve."

"At the end of the day, we still need to work on materials."

"Perhaps that's why that kid Xu Jin is so obsessed with PEEK and M46X."

"By the way, how is he progressing now?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the staff member immediately answered:

"Very quickly."

"That company called Skyvault Technology seems to be serious."

"The economic investigation comrades reported that Skyvault Technology's boss, Ren Jian, just turned down an investment worth nearly two hundred million. The news has already spread."

At that, the staff member smiled faintly.

"Come to think of it, it's quite interesting. Those capitalists in the investment world all think Ren Jian has gone mad."

"But the economic investigation comrades reported that Ren Jian's goal is extremely firm."

"He can no longer obtain financing from banks, yet the acquisition and subsequent equipment purchases require money. So this afternoon, he directly entrusted a third-party company to mortgage one of his villas in Tailai Yiran."

"Initial information suggests that after the mortgage, he can obtain 150 million in funds."

"That large a sum?"

Xu Qianlin was somewhat surprised.

"Yes."

"And that villa in Tailai Yiran is actually quite special to him. There was gossip today that he had a huge fight with his wife over it—but that is purely a rumor. It's just a story to listen to."

"It can only be treated as a story..."

Xu Qianlin nodded thoughtfully, then said:

"But what he's doing should be real."

"My boy sent me a message today. It was written very formally."

"He visited the Donghua Chemical Fiber Plant that Skyvault Technology acquired and put forward a series of equipment procurement requirements."

"For some of that equipment, he has not been able to find a source yet."

"He asked me—he rarely uses that word—he asked me to help him, to see whether we could find the equipment as soon as possible and fill the gaps."

"I was still considering whether to help him."

"Do you need us to intervene?"

The staff member picked up the conversation and asked:

"If it's a matter of funding—"

"Funding isn't the problem."

Xu Qianlin waved a hand.

"Ren Jian has even mortgaged his home. He still has money; he simply lacks the connections."

"Give him time to slowly figure things out, and he'll eventually find all the equipment Xu Jin wants."

"It's just that... that kid Xu Jin is in a hurry."

At that, Xu Qianlin paused.

After a moment of silence, he said:

"Then let's help them."

"There are still several domestic companies and research institutes with relevant equipment."

"Go make some introductions for me. Arrange for the equipment to be provided to them first through leasing or lending arrangements."

"Help them get through this period. Once their newly purchased equipment arrives, have Skyvault Technology make up the difference."

"The process must be compliant."

"What I mean is, it must be compliant both in form and in substance."

"Can you do it?"

"Of course, no problem."

The staff member immediately nodded.

"It's a very small matter. Don't worry, I'll take care of it."

"That's good."

Xu Qianlin let out a soft sigh.

"I can't go on anymore."

"I only hope my boy... can take up the burden..."