Rebirth in 1960, My Industrial Age

Chapter 455 Meeting People Everywhere
"Dad, you're almost at the age to retire, right? How about you become a consultant at my company?"

While brewing tea, Zhou Xianyang said with a smile, "With my son and I working together, those Fortune 500 companies will only be able to grovel before us."

Zhou Fengnian took the teacup and smiled, saying, "Only you would dare to think like that, to have a dean of the Academy of Sciences work for you. No one else would even dare to dream of such a thing."

"Aren't you about to retire? You'll have nothing to do then, so you might as well just sit around doing nothing."

Zhou Xianyang was very envious of his father's abilities. Not to mention his achievements, his father's vision and planning for the future alone had benefited him greatly.

After talking a few years ago, Zhou Xianyang is now developing along the path Zhou Fengnian told him about: mechanical intelligence and interconnection.

He's only just getting started, barely managing to make a smartphone, and he's only just entered the telecommunications industry.

The next step is to delve deeper into these two industries and simultaneously develop artificial intelligence and brain-computer interface technologies.
He wants to use artificial intelligence and brain-computer interfaces as the core to connect all of his products together, so that driving will no longer require hands, but can be controlled directly with the brain.

This is Zhou Xianyang's ultimate goal. Currently, his Guangxun Company and Feiyang Group are just starting out and are still far from achieving this goal.

However, Zhou Xianyang had only heard about this technology from his father. He had asked many people, but most of them only understood the concept and did not know how to conduct the research.

Zhou Xianyang believed that if he invited his father over, Fiberhome Group would definitely develop into the world's number one technology company.

"Don't even think about it. I probably won't be able to retire in my lifetime. Even if I reach retirement age, it's unlikely that I'll be allowed to step down. I have too many important projects on my hands."

After thinking for a moment, Zhou Fengnian sighed and said, "I haven't had much rest in the last few decades. To be honest, I'd really like to travel with your mother. The environment in China is definitely quite different from what I remember."

"Of course! Your era was a time of poverty and backwardness. Now there are skyscrapers everywhere. The last time you left Beijing was for a business trip. It's been so long since you went out on your own."

Zhou Xianyang thought his father was talking about things from decades ago, but Zhou Fengnian was thinking about the world before that.

Although it hasn't been two thousand years yet, China has already developed very rapidly.

One development and change after another quickly emerged and were implemented, and now China's internet environment is about to take off.

Computers have been developing for many years, and their performance has improved a lot. Even their sales prices abroad have increased significantly, but the price increase in China has been very slow.

It was Zhou Fengnian who was suppressing it; otherwise, there would be computers selling for seven or eight thousand, or even tens of thousands of yuan in China.

The cheapest computers now cost just over two thousand, and the most expensive are no more than five or six thousand, which is twice as cheap as computers from abroad.

The average monthly salary is around 1,500 to 1,600 yuan, with some earning over 3,000 yuan.

Zhou Xianyang's companies all offer high salaries; the sanitation and cleaning staff there can earn 2,000 yuan a month, which is among the highest in the country.

Getting into Zhou Xianyang's company is harder than getting into a government agency; there, the income of a county magistrate is less than that of a janitor.

"Dad, is Shenzhou Computer Company planning to restructure?"

After chatting for a while, Zhou Xianyang finally got down to business.

Zhou Fengnian couldn't help but laugh, then pointed and said, "After beating around the bush with me for so long, you finally couldn't hold back anymore? I thought you would continue to keep quiet."

"I'm not trying to hide anything. How could I not know about something this big? I already knew from other people, and they were the ones who called me."

After a moment of hesitation, Zhou Xianyang continued, "I just wanted to ask if you have any detailed information."

"The problem is that the scale is too large, and too many businesses have been shut down. We are now preparing to break it up."

Zhou Fengnian shook his head and said, "The various business departments have been divided up. From now on, Shenzhou Computer will retain private production and sales, while all other businesses involving national security will be taken over by other departments."
Are they calling you to ask if you're planning to enter the computer market?

Zhou Xianyang said, "Yes, they said it's possible to invest. But I want to develop my own Fiberhome computer."

"We need to attract private investment to alleviate the pressure; otherwise, with such a large scale, even a slight change would require a considerable amount of capital. And some people even want to sell—they just ask for it without hesitation."

Zhou Fengnian snorted and said that he knew exactly what the person who made that suggestion was thinking.

Even without the reorganization, Shenzhou Computer remains the world's number one brand, with substantial annual revenue and profits.

However, the impact of cheap assembled computers from abroad in the past two years has been quite significant, resulting in considerable fluctuations in revenue.

In addition, Shenzhou Computer provided excellent benefits to its workers, and the number of workers was enormous, with welfare expenses alone amounting to an astronomical figure each year.

If this continues, it will become a system where everyone benefits from the same pot.

That's why the reorganization was proposed, separating out all the important departments, and leaving the rest to focus on the production, research and development, and sales of civilian computers.

"Your entry will also have its advantages. At least you will get technical support, and you can slowly develop your own computer later. But it's a business matter, so you can make your own decision. I won't say any more."

After rubbing his temples, Zhou Fengnian continued, "There's been too much going on lately."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xianyang asked, "Is it Jishi Biopharmaceutical Company under Hetai Management? The country needs a lot of them?"

"No, it's just a few special drugs that are covered by medical insurance. HeTai didn't even make any requests, and the contracts have already been signed."

Zhou Fengnian casually said, "We never intended to make money off these special drugs from the beginning. We sold them to domestic manufacturers at almost cost price. Now, Jishi Pharmaceutical has made enough."
"Oh, right, I'll divide it up with you guys in a couple of days. He Tai will get 45%, and you and your two younger sisters can split the rest. He Tai has been managing things for the past two years, so he should get a larger share."

After developing a drug to treat diabetes, Jisheng Biopharmaceutical launched three more projects, which took nearly ten years to complete. The drug was approved for market launch last year.

These are all for treating and alleviating certain specific symptoms, and there are quite a few patients with this disease in China; after being approved, Song Hetai took the initiative to apply for inclusion in the list of drugs covered by medical insurance.

The Ministry of Health knew to give them a big thumbs up, since the cost of the medicine was very transparent and Jishi Pharmaceutical Company had almost no intention of making a profit from this move.

With its effective diabetes treatment alone, Jishi Pharmaceutical has captured a significant share of the international market, earning substantial profits and making the company worth billions.

"I don't need it, give it to He Tai and Zhou Yiyi and Zhou Linlin."

Zhou Xianyang waved his hand dismissively. Although Jishi Pharmaceutical's revenue and profits were good, they were far inferior to those of his other companies. He wouldn't compete with his younger siblings for this.

Zhou Fengnian said, "You four should discuss it and finalize this matter when they return at the end of the year; Jishi will still be managed by Hetai, and you can take your share of the profits after the division."

"Okay, I got it. Don't worry about it."

Zhou Xianyang then chatted with Zhou Fengnian about other things; the father and son had so much to talk about when they were together.

Zhou Xianyang was in charge of acting as a loudspeaker, telling Zhou Fengnian all the rumors he encountered and heard outside, and then asking him to analyze what was going on.

After all, Zhou Fengnian held a high position and was able to distinguish between the genuine and the fake.

Although Zhou Xianyang never mentioned Zhou Fengnian while he was out making his way in the world, anyone with a bit of inside information would know that he was Zhou Fengnian's son. After all, Zhou Fengnian was once the richest man in mainland China, and he still is, having been featured in the newspapers several times.

With such background and financial resources, there are few who wouldn't be able to see through it, and even if there are, they've been dealt with long ago.

As they chatted, Zhou Xianyang also mentioned Bai Yuhao, who, after working hard in Lin City for four years, was directly promoted to mayor of Lu City and is now the Party Secretary.

These days, many people get promoted quickly because of economic development, but Bai Yuhao isn't the fastest.

After all, Feiyang Electronics supported Bai Yuhao, and with such a good economic development, they only advanced two levels in ten years.

The next decade will still be an era of economic development. If you seize this opportunity, your promotion speed will not be slow. This momentum will only subside once people's lives become more prosperous.

The father and son chatted until late at night before Zhou Xianyang got up to leave. Both of them had their bodies modified by the cell evolution serum, and four or five hours of sleep were enough to keep them energetic for the whole day.

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The next morning, after having breakfast with his wife and son at home, Zhou Xianyang waved goodbye and left.

He now understands how his father felt back then; once he gets busy, he can't stop. But Zhou Xianyang is okay; he can hire a bunch of people to help share the burden, but his father can't.

After leaving the house, Zhou Xianyang got into his car and drove towards the Ministry of Communications Industry. After registering at the gate, a person got out to pick him up shortly afterward.

Upon seeing the visitor, Zhou Xianyang smiled and extended his hand, saying, "Secretary Bai, it's been a long time."

“Jay Chou, I see you every day, just in the news and online. You’re a key person our department is focusing on right now.”

After shaking hands, Secretary Bai held Zhou Xianyang's hand and smiled, knowing the relationship between his boss and the man in front of him.

They were basically not close relatives or elders, so he adopted a very humble attitude.

"The boss is already waiting for you in the office, Mr. Zhou. Let me take you upstairs."

"Okay, let's go."

Zhou Xianyang said with a smile, and then went upstairs with Secretary Bai.

He knocked twice on the office door and then pushed it open. Upon entering, he saw the person sitting at the desk and said with a smile, "Uncle Pan, it's been a long time. You're still in such good health."

"Xianyang, you're much better at talking than before. I haven't even gotten up yet, and you already know I'm in good health."

Pan Heng waved to Secretary Bai and continued with a smile, "The old boss often says you annoy him, but I don't think that's right."

Zhou Xianyang waved his hand and said, "My dad likes to argue with me, I'm used to it. He can always criticize me from a very novel angle."

"Haha, it's something I thought the old leader could do."

Pan Heng smiled, then sighed and said, "Our old leader has accomplished a lot in the past two years. To my shame, there were some things that I should have handled myself, but I ended up having to trouble him."

When the wireless communications factory was reorganized, it encountered considerable resistance, which gave him, as a deputy cadre, a headache because there were simply too many people involved.

In the end, Zhou Fengnian talked to the leaders for a while, and then the parties jointly formed a team to get the matter done.

The wireless communication factory had been developing for over twenty years, and it was during the period when the communication industry was developing the fastest, so it was very large.

Pan Heng had served as a factory director, and some of his former subordinates were his former employees.

"Let's not talk about that anymore, Xianyang. I believe you know why I called you here. We have a bigger plan coming up, and we need the cooperation of your Guangxun Communications."

Pan Heng said with a smile, "You've developed too fast these past few years. Our department has to rely on the equipment produced by your company."

Zhou Xianyang said modestly, "Private companies can operate with absolute authority, and my father also helped a bit; otherwise, we definitely couldn't compete with you."

Upgrading domestic communication technology is a grand strategy and a lucrative opportunity, and Zhou Xianyang's Fiberhome Communications is well-positioned to benefit from it.

Once he's on the table, he'll earn at least tens of billions, and even more when the communication technology is upgraded next time.

Such a big matter, he only met with Pan Heng today to discuss it. There are more formal matters to come, and it will take a long time to formally establish it.

Zhou Xianyang stayed in Pan Heng's office for two hours before leaving. After leaving, he also visited Wang Mingjie's office.

His relationship with these two people was similar; they often met when they were children.

After leaving the Ministry of Communications Industry, Zhou Xianyang called Ren Zheng to meet up with his old friend.

He had a lot to do next, so he planned to meet with everyone he needed to see before he got busy.

Upon arriving at Ren Zheng's real estate company, Zhou Xianyang couldn't help but click his tongue twice, remarking on how luxurious the decor was.

Upon entering, one is immediately enveloped by an aura of wealth and luxury, though he finds it somewhat unsettling. Zhou Xianyang's tastes are somewhat similar to Zhou Fengnian's, favoring practicality.

He wasn't very involved in the real estate company's affairs; although he had shares, he never went too far.

Send someone to a meeting every year; if there's a bonus, they get it; if not, they don't.

However, Ren Zheng has been very successful in recent years, which can be considered as seizing the opportunity for development.

The hall's opulent decor has attracted many wealthy Chinese.

"Brother Xianyang, why did you have to come out of the blue? If you had told me in advance, I would have booked a private room and we could have had a drink together."

When Ren Zheng saw Zhou Xianyang come up, he immediately smiled and said, "You called me and said the day after tomorrow, but you came a day early. The other two just happened to be out, so now it's just the two of us."

Zhou Xianyang casually said, "I have time tomorrow too. I was just passing by and stopped by. Your office is really nicely decorated. If I ever need a storefront project in the future, I'll ask you for help."

"That's right. Putting everything else aside, if we don't do a good job with this facade project, which rich person would be willing to buy it?"

After Ren Zheng finished speaking, he remembered something, so he went back to his desk, found a bunch of keys, threw them to Zhou Xianyang, and said, "Brother Xianyang, this house is for you. It's a villa we built ourselves."

Go check another day to see if you need anything else; I asked you to revise it for me.

"I don't need it, I have somewhere to stay."

"Then give it to your son, your nephew, or any other relative. This is our own benefit. Li Zhao and I have them too, so just keep it."

(End of this chapter)