Reborn in 2012, building a new energy empire

Early December, a busy weekday afternoon.

After arranging the specific operational strategy for Jiutian Investment in the coming period, Jiang Haoran had a 20-minute phone call with Wang Qiming to confirm that the test data for the latest batch of diamond wire samples from Xinrui Technology would be available in three days. Jiang Haoran then closed his laptop and stuffed it into his backpack.

Outside the window, the sky in Shanghai was a typical wintery leaden gray. He glanced at the time: 2:10 PM.

The flight is at 3:40.

He hailed a taxi and headed to Pudong Airport. Jiang Haoran leaned back in his seat, his gaze sweeping over the rapidly receding city street scenes outside the car window.

The glass curtain walls of office buildings on both sides of the elevated highway reflected the gloomy skylight, while pedestrians hurried along the sidewalks, wrapped tightly in their coats. This city keeps turning, regardless of wind or rain, regardless of which industry is experiencing a downturn.

Check-in, security check, waiting... the process is mechanical and familiar.

After boarding, he found a window seat and sat down. Business class, window seat—this was his usual choice, as he frequently traveled all over the world in his previous life.

The plane slowly taxied, accelerated, and tilted up. The moment the feeling of weightlessness came over him, Jiang Haoran closed his eyes.

The roar of the engines filled his ears, and the fuselage vibrated slightly. He didn't open his eyes again and unbuckle his seatbelt until the plane had smoothly reached cruising altitude.

Outside the porthole, there was an endless sea of ​​clouds.

The afternoon sun shone from the side, tinting the edges of the clouds with a pale gold hue. The clouds, piled up like mountains yet soft as cotton, drifted slowly below.

Occasionally, when the clouds are thinner, one can glimpse the earth below, which appears to shrink like a model. The fields are divided into patches of varying shades of color, rivers meander like silver threads, and roads are as thin as hair.

A strange sense of alienation.

Since his rebirth, his world has been compressed into two dimensions: one is the fluctuating numbers, candlestick charts, and trading orders in the capital market, and the other is the specific equipment, technical parameters, and factory planning in the real economy.

Time was fragmented into minutes, every decision involved real money, and every step felt like walking on the edge of a cliff.

High speed and high pressure.

This is the first time I've ever taken a plane purely for "getting away from home".

Above the sea of ​​clouds, everything appears serene and grand.

There are no price limits, no technological breakthroughs, no negotiations. Only sunshine, clouds, and the abstracted human world below.

This reminded him of the feeling of taking his first airplane ride a few years ago, not many years ago in his previous life, but when he was truly young.

At that time, I felt it was novel, the world was vast, and the future held infinite possibilities.

Later, life taught him that beneath the vast expanse of the world lay concrete struggles and conflicts.

And now, once again, he has gained a brief, detached perspective from this 10,000-meter-high altitude.

He closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind.

But my thoughts flowed on their own.

Jiutian Investment's net asset value has stabilized at 7.5. The infrastructure sector's rally is nearing its end, but he has already begun to plan for the next phase of portfolio adjustments.

Long positions in the futures market continue to show profits, with the main contracts for rubber and rebar hitting new quarterly highs.

Meanwhile, Kirin Technology's diamond wire research and development has entered the most arduous process debugging stage. Every tiny parameter adjustment could render the previous hundreds of hours of trial production futile.

Technological research and development has entered the most labor-intensive "grinding" stage, where there are no shortcuts, only continuous trial and error.

All of these things are in his hands, requiring different forces and rhythms to guide them.

……

The plane began its descent.

As we passed through the clouds, the fuselage was enveloped in a milky white mist, blurring the view outside the portholes. A few minutes later, the outline of Kunming, the capital city, gradually became clear.

Unlike the steel forest of Shanghai, the buildings here are generally lower, and large swaths of greenery seep out from the cracks in the city, with Dianchi Lake shimmering with a grayish-blue light in the distance.

The cabin door opened, letting in warm, humid air, carrying the fresh scent of plants. Passengers rose to collect their luggage, and the familiar clamor filled the aisle.

Jiang Haoran took a deep breath, switched his phone back to normal mode, and followed the flow of people toward the cabin door.

When you step onto the carpet of the covered bridge, those specific matters that were temporarily detached high in the air return to the forefront of your consciousness, clear and concrete.

He stepped down the gangway and into the warm, moist evening air.

As soon as Jiang Haoran stepped out of the arrival gate, he saw Lin Miaomiao waiting in the crowd.

Today she wore a long, off-white coat, which made her skin look even fairer. Her hair was loosely tied back, with a few stray strands falling on her neck and swaying gently with her movements.

Compared to when she was in Shanghai, the youthful naiveté of a college girl has faded considerably, and her posture and eyes now exude a calm and capable air. However, when she smiles, the curve of her eyes remains clean.

When she saw Jiang Haoran, her eyes lit up noticeably, a natural smile appeared on her lips, and she waved.

"Was the journey smooth?" Lin Miaomiao stepped forward and naturally took the small suitcase from his hand.

"Smooth sailing, arrived on time." Jiang Haoran looked her over, his gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny, but mostly admiration. "You look... a little different."

"Really?" Lin Miaomiao blinked, turning her head to look at him. "How is it different? Is it the climate and environment of Kunming that nurtures people, or Shanghai that ages them faster?"

"Neither." Jiang Haoran smiled and walked out beside her. "You don't look like a junior anymore; you look more like Director Lin."

Lin Miaomiao chuckled upon hearing this: "It's all because of studying. Immersed in experiments every day, it's hard not to be 'familiar' with it."

The two walked out of the terminal. The evening light was soft, and the temperature was pleasant. Lin Miaomiao's car was parked nearby; it was an ordinary black SUV, clean and tidy.

"Shall we go eat first?" she asked as she started the car. "I'll take you to try some authentic mushroom hot pot. Although it's not the freshest season, several old shops always have dried mushrooms, and they taste pretty good."

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do." Jiang Haoran fastened his seatbelt. "You can arrange it."

Dinner was at a small but long-established local restaurant.

The wooden tables and chairs, worn smooth by time, filled the air with the rich aroma of mushroom soup. Lin Miaomiao skillfully ordered the dishes and even requested a non-spicy dipping sauce.

"I remember you can't handle spicy food very well," she said casually as she handed the menu back to the waiter.

Jiang Haoran's heart stirred slightly; he hadn't expected her to remember such a small thing. "It seems that Director Lin is not only meticulous in managing projects, but also considerate in treating guests."

"Come on, don't be like that." Lin Miaomiao poured him a cup of buckwheat tea. "I can't be careless in front of an investor like you."

The broth boiled, and various mushrooms were added, instantly filling the air with a delicious aroma. The two ate and chatted, their conversation ranging from the climate of Kunming to the progress of their project.

When Lin Miaomiao talked about her daily life back at the Spring City R&D Center, her tone was calm but her words were clear and organized. She explained in detail where the R&D was stuck and where the breakthroughs were.

Steam rose gently between the two of them. As she spoke, her voice lowered, as if all the unspoken words had melted into the misty vapor, leaving only her bright eyes looking at her.

Something in the air, more lingering than the aroma of mushrooms, is spreading silently.

"It seems you've come to the right place for your internship in Chuncheng." He picked up a piece of porcini mushroom, trying to sound relaxed, but his voice was lower and hoarse than expected, as if trying to hide some ripples caused by that gaze.

Lin Miaomiao looked up at him, her gaze serious: "Technology still needs to be combined with industry. Three years of study in school is not as effective as three months of work here."