Rebirth in 1960, My Industrial Age

Chapter 397 Seeking Help, Reporting in Person

"Hey, Secretary Qian, wait a minute, wait a minute."

After glancing at them, the deputy director of the Science and Technology Development Bureau quickly stopped Qian Zhi and asked, "Has Vice President Zhou read all of these?"

While asking questions, Deputy Director Feng also glanced at all the opinions signed by Zhou Fengnian, and found something even more amiss.

There are too many reasons, and they seem a bit deliberate; it would be perfectly normal to receive a processing opinion every now and then.

However, the fact that so many were sent at once, and all of them were related scientific and technological achievements from the same department, made it obvious to him that it was intentional.

"Yes, Director Feng, the leader has read them all, and these are his proposed solutions."

"Please wait a moment, Secretary Qian, let me take a closer look."

Deputy Director Feng carefully reviewed all of Zhou Fengnian's written opinions before asking, "Secretary Qian, does Vice President Zhou have any instructions?"

"The leadership has only one requirement: to maintain a cautious attitude when promoting technology imports and not to blindly and enthusiastically import scientific research and technology for industrialization. Blindly importing technologies could lead to waste, so it is necessary to carefully screen and confirm the future prospects of the technologies."

Qian Zhi processed Zhou Fengnian's words and relayed them all to Deputy Director Feng. Since it wasn't in writing, it didn't matter if he spoke a little bluntly, since there were no records anyway.

Deputy Director Feng understood immediately and then asked, "Secretary Qian, is Vice President Zhou here? I'd like to report to him about my work."

"I'm so sorry, Director Feng, the leader went to the Computer Research Institute this morning. If you have something to report, I can arrange it for you tomorrow."

After thinking for a moment, Qian Zhi said, "The leader may not be back today. If you have any urgent matters, I will give him a call."

"Then let's do it tomorrow. I'd like to report to Vice Dean Zhou tomorrow morning. Thank you for your help, Secretary Qian."

Deputy Director Feng quickly said that he didn't want the leader to come back because of this.

After Qian Zhi left, Deputy Director Feng carefully reviewed all the approval documents that Zhou Fengnian had sent over.

Well, it's basically certain that it has some connection with the Ministry of Foreign Trade. There are projects in various regions, but the source of imports is the Ministry of Foreign Trade, and they are all delivered on the same day and at the same time, which is too obvious.

However, these are all just his guesses. It's also possible that Vice President Zhou piled up his work and only sent it to him after he finished it.

These were all his guesses, but Deputy Director Feng felt that his first guess was very close to the answer.

"Oh ho, even personnel assistance is stalled? Looks like they've offended Vice Dean Zhou over there, tsk tsk."

Deputy Director Feng discovered another possibility, and now he was about 80% certain, but he didn't plan to do anything about it.

Zhou Fengnian was his immediate superior, and he wasn't an academician; he was just an administrative cadre.

If Zhou Fengnian offends him because of "friends" from other departments, a single sentence from Zhou Fengnian at the next personnel reshuffle meeting could render half a lifetime of hard work futile.

"I can't help you at all."

Deputy Director Feng clicked his tongue and shook his head, then picked up the phone and notified them of the decisions for each project listed above, but these could all be handled with a single phone call.

"Old Feng, why is this happening? You guys are going too far!"

Director Ding of the International Economic and Technological Exchange Center under the Ministry of Foreign Trade said anxiously, "When I heard Feng Yuan say that to me, I thought he was joking."

However, upon realizing that Feng Yuan was serious, Director Ding immediately became anxious: "You don't support any of the thirteen technology imports? No, even if you don't support them, you should at least have a suitable reason."

Deputy Director Feng on the other end of the phone said, "Director Ding, don't worry. Of course there are reasons. The official documents will be sent to you this afternoon, and then you will have the reasons for your objection."

Besides, we're just showing our attitude. Even without us, will your technology transfer fail? Not necessarily. You and the local authorities can work together."

Director Ding immediately interrupted, saying, "Don't give me that bureaucratic talk. Aren't you just stirring up trouble? If you don't support us, how can local work proceed without technical researchers?"

Are we to just listen to the foreigners? Or hand over our development rights? How many technical personnel do we even have?

The process of introducing, learning, digesting, and finally transforming technology into one's own is the complete process of technology introduction and exchange.

But after they completed the first step, no one provided support for the second step. They couldn't very well let the local technicians at the tenth level or above absorb the technology.

If they have the capability, why bother importing technology? They could even develop it themselves; after all, there are probably no more than twenty technicians like Zhou Fengnian in the whole country.

"Even if you tell me that, it's no use. I'm just relaying the leader's opinion, Director Ding. That's all. I have other things to do, so I'll hang up now."

"No, no, Lao Feng, how about we grab a drink tonight? Let's not talk about work, just have a casual get-together. Okay, okay, let's go to where you suggested."

After hanging up the phone, Director Ding cursed under his breath, thinking he was going to get ripped off again tonight.

Even if it's a hot pot restaurant, a meal there would cost thirty yuan, and Director Ding started to feel the pinch when he thought about that price.

He works hard for a month and only earns a little over four hundred yuan. Now, a single meal costs almost a tenth of that.

But you can't not invite them, otherwise you won't even know why; normally it's one thing to object to a few, but it's unlikely that they'll object to them all.

If everyone opposes it, then their months of work will have been for nothing, and they might even get criticized.

On the other side, at the Computer Research Institute.

After solving a problem in the supercomputer research and development project, Zhou Fengnian also took the opportunity to visit the latest personal computer developed by the computer research institute.

Compared to when Zhou Fengnian was in charge, the research and development speed has indeed slowed down, and it took three years to launch a new personal computer.

After experiencing it, Zhou Fengnian called Guo Ruihua over and asked, "I just looked, and there are quite a few software programs developed abroad now?"

Upon hearing this, Guo Ruihua quickly replied, "Yes, leader. Although we also have research and development, we can't catch up with the foreigners in terms of manpower. They've been catching up very quickly in this area."

Zhou Fengnian said, "One reason is that there aren't many personal computers used in China. However, we can't lag behind in software development. We need to pay more attention to this area and get more people involved, whether in universities or as individuals."

Despite their efforts to promote personal computers, at that time, only a minority of families could afford to spend several thousand dollars to buy one.

In this respect, they are quite different from foreign countries. While foreigners have started developing games, they are still popularizing computers.

The only thing worth celebrating is the successful rollout in universities. With tens of millions of dollars in subsidies every year, almost every university has installed personal computers.

Foreigners are different; their ordinary families can afford computers, and personal computers have developed like crazy there. Aside from being somewhat lacking in chips and other electronic components, their software and other areas have developed incredibly fast.

"We could set up a separate department for software, and apply for some private subsidies. As long as there's an idea to establish a related company, we can provide a certain level of subsidies."

Zhou Fengnian mentioned several methods to promote the development of computer software, all of which were relatively simple material incentives, and that's all we can do for now.

Their average annual income per capita in towns is only a little over 1,300 yuan, and most families would have to save up for three or four years to buy a computer.

The development is still too slow. If per capita income increases, it will be much easier to sell computers.

Zhou Fengnian stayed at the Computer Research Institute until almost the end of the workday before leaving by car. He then returned to the Chinese Academy of Sciences and worked until eight or nine o'clock before having his driver take him home.

------

"Sigh, what a mess this has been."

After finishing his drink, Director Ding went home and rubbed his head. He originally thought it was a small matter, but he didn't expect that the vice president of the Academy of Sciences was holding them back.

Although it wasn't explicitly stated, Director Ding had already inquired from Deputy Director Feng that the decision to strictly review technology imports was made by Vice President Zhou of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

This is troublesome. As the director of an international economic and technological exchange center, he doesn't have the authority to plead for leniency.

Besides, pleading for leniency wouldn't be appropriate. Director Ding had already read the reasons for the refusal, which were within the reasonable range. If he went to plead for leniency, wouldn't that be an open invitation for Zhou Fengnian to frame them?

"Why are you drinking again? How old are you?"

Director Ding's wife brought over a bowl of honey water and complained, "But my husband rarely drinks it before. There might be other reasons why he's drinking so much today."

"I have to drink it. If I don't, all the work I've done in the past few months will have been for nothing. If I fail, I'll get criticized at the end of the year."

Director Ding sighed and said, "These are all stuck. Do you think he can negotiate to introduce new technologies?"
It's almost the end of the year, where is he going to complete his mission?
After drinking the honey water, Director Ding sat on the sofa to rest for half a day. Finally, he reluctantly decided, "Forget it, I'll go and report this to Leader Zhou tomorrow. If all else fails, I'll have to confront the leader about this."

There was a significant difference in rank between him and Zhou Fengnian, making it difficult for him to visit in person. Even reporting to them required prior appointment.

Seeing her husband sighing, Director Ding's wife couldn't help but advise, "Don't worry about it. If it's not your responsibility, just pass the buck."

"It's not that easy to shake it off. Forget it, let's talk about it tomorrow. Let's rest."

The next day.

Director Ding called the Academy of Sciences early on, and after getting through to Qian Zhi, he told him that he had something he wanted to report to Leader Zhou.

However, since we couldn't get an appointment for that day, Director Ding was rescheduled for tomorrow.

Even excluding R&D, Zhou Fengnian attends almost one meeting a day on average; he is now in charge of almost all the formulation of scientific research projects, and if he were to be strict, he would have to review all the projects under the tiered high-tech development policy.

Although Director Ding couldn't schedule a report for today, it wouldn't be too late to report tomorrow; however, Qian Zhi's attitude made him feel somewhat disheartened.

He thought to himself that he hadn't offended Zhou Fengnian, and they hadn't even crossed paths before. Oh right, Vice President Zhou and Bai Kang, the director of their foreign trade department, were related by marriage, but he hadn't offended Bai Kang either!
Now that he's been blocked, it's giving Director Ding a real headache.

Sichuan Spicy Hot Pot Restaurant.

This is a chain hot pot restaurant opened by Zhou Weitian. He and Qu Ying not only opened Yushantang and Chuanlazi Hot Pot restaurants, but also integrated these restaurants into a catering enterprise according to Zhou Fengnian's suggestion.

The cold storage and procurement of ingredients are all under Zhou's Catering Enterprise.

Zhou's Catering now owns three imperial kitchens, three hot pot restaurants, and two ordinary restaurants, and can earn a considerable amount of money each year.

These days, Sichuan-style hot pot restaurants are packed every day. People in Beijing who are used to eating clear broth hot pot are surprisingly interested in these restaurants that offer both broth and sauce, especially since they have more than two types of broth.

Today, Ren Zheng planned to report the cinema's revenue to Zhou Xianyang and then share the profits, so he chose the Sichuan Spicy Hot Pot restaurant as the location.

They've been to the Imperial Kitchen too many times; it's okay to try something else occasionally.

With a creak, the door to the private room was pushed open, and the three Ren brothers saw Zhou Xianyang walk in. They immediately smiled and said, "Brother Xianyang, please have a seat."

Zhou Xianyang smiled and said, "I'm sorry for the traffic delay."

"We didn't wait long, but there are more and more cars in Beijing. We waited for half a day at the intersection of South Street."

After opening a bottle of juice for Zhou Xianyang, Zhang Jianghe said that they knew Zhou Xianyang didn't like drinking much, so they didn't order any this time.

The group then chatted casually while cooking meat in the pot.

After eating only a few bites, Ren Zheng said, "Brother Xianyang, we agreed on a profit-sharing arrangement every six months. Now that time has come, after deducting the profits from opening the shop, we've earned 1.7 million in the past six months. You can take half, which is 750,000."
"Tomorrow I'll deliver the finances and money to you at the factory, Brother Xianyang."

Ren Zheng is now officially in a bad situation. He opened five large cinemas at once, each with five or six screening rooms. There's no way around it; Zhou Xianyang invested too much money back then, giving him ten million yuan to open the cinemas.

How much does it cost to open a movie theater now? The biggest expenses are buying the house, decorating, and buying equipment. Two million is definitely enough.

They originally planned to rent houses so they could open more cinemas at once; however, Zhou Xianyang felt that five cinemas would be enough, enough to open cinemas in almost all the bustling areas of Beijing.

Opening more of these facilities would be a waste, especially in places with few people where only a few movies can be shown each day.

Ren Zheng thought it made sense after hearing this, so he took Zhou Xianyang's advice and opened five cinemas in a bustling area.

Then, through family connections, they got a batch of Hong Kong and American movies, which were almost always sold out. Sometimes, on weekday evenings, the theaters were more than half full.

A movie ticket costs 50 cents. A movie theater can earn about 3,000 yuan a day. Five movie theaters can earn about 15,000 yuan a day.

They're making money hand over fist right now, and they all want to open more movie theaters in other cities; as long as they can get their hands on movies from outside, they're sure to see a huge success.

"Send it to the factory. This isn't important. Do you think I don't trust you, Brother Ren?"

Zhou Xianyang said with a smile, "More than 700,000 yuan in half a year, I don't even care about this amount of money."

After discussing the movie theater, Ren Zheng asked, "Brother Xianyang, didn't you say a few days ago that those newspapers were giving you trouble? Why did you suddenly quit? Did you run into some trouble?"

(End of this chapter)