Reborn in 2012, building a new energy empire

Chapter 153 Eye of the Storm

On the second day of the exhibition, as the morning light streamed through the towering glass curtain wall of Hall W3, the atmosphere inside was even more bustling than the day before.

After a night of media coverage within the industry, limited discussions on social media, and the news report featuring the image of provincial leaders inspecting the site, the name "Kirin Technology," along with the glaring cost comparison data, stirred up a considerable ripple among professional audiences.

Less than half an hour after the exhibition opened, a thick wall of people once again surrounded the booth. Among them were many familiar faces who had visited yesterday and were here again today with colleagues or more specific technical questions. The atmosphere was more in-depth than yesterday.

Jiang Haoran was focused on talking with a technical representative from a photovoltaic company in Taiwan.

The other party is particularly anxious about the performance of diamond wire in cutting silicon wafers of 120 micrometers or even thinner, which is the mainstream direction of the future. The questions are detailed and demanding.

Gu Qiushi had retrieved a set of optimized process test data specifically for thin sheet cutting from the plate, and the two sides discussed the issues of wire bow control, mortar ratio adjustment, and how to reduce microcracks in thin sheets in an increasingly pleasant manner.

Just then, a subtle disturbance and split occurred in the main passageway behind the booth, where the crowd was constantly flowing.

The group was leisurely patrolling the center of the passage, like a ship on patrol.

The leader was around fifty years old, tall and upright, wearing a well-tailored, high-quality dark gray Chinese-style stand-up collar jacket, and his hair was neatly combed.

He had a lean face with prominent brow bones. Although his eyes showed signs of age, they were still sharp as a hawk's. As he slowly scanned the booths on both sides, he carried a kind of majesty that came from being at the top of the industry for a long time, as well as a calmness and detachment after seeing the ups and downs of the industry.

The color of the VIP badge strap hanging around his neck was different from that of ordinary audience members, and his name was clearly printed in the name column: Lin Guodong.

Half a step behind him were three or four people, including assistants holding folders ready to report at any time, and heads of subsidiaries in charge of technology or marketing. They all walked cautiously and looked respectful.

He is the chairman of Wanhe Solar Energy Group, Lin Miaomiao's father, and one of the pragmatic veterans who fought their way up from nothing to something and from weak to strong in China's photovoltaic industry.

Their pace was deliberately slowed down; they were not merely taking a cursory look.

Lin Guodong's gaze would linger for a moment on the magnificent booths of certain foreign giants, listening to his assistants quickly report the company's latest technological developments or market strategies in extremely low voices. He would simply nod slightly or shake his head almost imperceptibly, rarely offering any opinions.

As the group approached the middle section of Hall W3, the not-so-large but exceptionally eye-catching blue illuminated lettering of "Kirin Technology - A Domestic Diamond Wire Cutting Solution," along with the professional audience gathered in front of the booth—far exceeding the scale of a typical startup—naturally stopped them in their tracks.

His gaze first fell on the LED screen that was constantly displaying data, specifically the line diameter fluctuation of 0.18.

I paused for a few seconds on each of the following: “μm”, “TTV cut to ≤11μm”, and the last line in bold: “estimated cost reduction of 60%-70%”.

His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly for a moment before smoothing out, but the hint of surprise and scrutiny that flashed deep in his eyes was caught by his closest assistant.

Then, his gaze, like a precision scanner, swept over the two stable demonstration machines in the center of the booth, over the silicon wafers on the sample rack that reflected a uniform cold light under the lights, and finally, through the gaps in the crowd, precisely landed on Jiang Haoran, who was talking to someone sideways.

For a fleeting moment, Lin Guodong's usual calm, deep-seated expression froze.

He clearly recognized Jiang Haoran.

It wasn't because of a direct meeting, but because of the photos of young people printed on documents that had been investigated before.

This face, along with those remarks that were repeatedly mentioned during the numerous unpleasant arguments between father and daughter—remarks that he considered idealistic and even somewhat "arrogant"—had long been imprinted in the father's memory in an unpleasant way.

Surprise and unexpectedness are like a stone thrown into a deep pool, creating only fleeting ripples before being replaced by deeper, more complex emotions—a mixture of intense displeasure, instinctive vigilance, and almost harsh professional scrutiny.

Lin Guodong's lips unconsciously tightened downwards, forming a stern and cold line.

He never expected that he would meet the young man his daughter had described as "giving up finance to devote himself to industry" here, at SNEC, a battlefield where the world's top photovoltaic forces gather and fight tooth and nail.

To his even greater surprise, the other party not only actually put together a decent-looking booth, but also—

It seems to have attracted the attention and interest of quite a few people in the industry.

"Domestic diamond wire?" He repeated the slogan on the booth in a low voice, his tone flat, but his assistant beside him sensed an elusive meaning, like a question, or perhaps a condescending sneer.

The assistant quickly flipped through the exhibitor list in his hand, leaned in half a step closer, and added in a voice that only the two of them could hear: "President Lin, this company is registered as Qilin Technology. It was established less than a year ago, and the team has a rather mixed background."

"But—yesterday afternoon, leaders from southern Jiangsu Province led a delegation to inspect the area, staying for over twenty minutes and having a very pleasant conversation. Several industry media outlets reported on it, with eye-catching headlines. Judging solely from the data they displayed on their screens—"

The assistant hesitated slightly before choosing a relatively neutral word, "It is indeed quite impactful."

"Impact?" Lin Guodong let out a short, sharp snort, his gaze never leaving Jiang Haoran.

He saw the young man calmly explaining something to the Taiwanese businessman, his gestures clear, his expression focused and confident.

Seeing the other visitors around nodding or looking thoughtful; seeing the neatly arranged testing instruments, thick paper reports, and detailed technical parameter labels next to the cut samples on the exhibition stand.

All of this was orderly and even subtly revealed a solid sense of professionalism that was inconsistent with the usual chaos or extravagance of startups.

But this "professionalism" did not dispel his doubts; instead, it was like a fine thorn that pierced his heart even deeper.

In Lin Guodong's nearly 30 years of industry experience, high-end manufacturing, especially in core areas such as photovoltaic equipment consumables, has never been a business that can be achieved overnight.

It requires years of iterative technological formulas, the accumulated "know-how" of processes through countless trials and errors on the production line, and a deep understanding and control over every link in the supply chain.

A self-taught finance novice with a glamorous background assembles a team whose background is unknown, and within just one year, they are able to produce products whose performance rivals or even surpasses that of international giants in some aspects, while claiming to cut costs in half?

This fundamentally contradicts the industrial logic and business common sense that he has believed in and practiced for half his life.

In his mind, there are only two possibilities for this: either a once-in-a-century genius has emerged, or it is a elaborate scam that is meticulously designed, embellished with data, and targets the capital market or policy subsidies.

Throughout his life, he has witnessed too many star companies and technologies that were once hailed as "geniuses" ultimately reveal their true colors and vanish like bubbles in the crucible of mass production and time.

He abhors the speculative hype, grand visions, and profit-taking tactics employed in the capital market, viewing them as a malignant tumor that erodes the foundation of the industry.

My daughter, Miaomiao, was probably misled by these seemingly glamorous appearances, these exciting stories of "domestic substitution," and the fearless spirit of this young man.

The frustration and disappointment Lin Guodong felt due to his daughter's "rebellious" choice quickly mixed and fermented with his deep distrust of the "eloquent and flattering" young man in front of him (as he had preconceived notions), making his eyes grow colder and sharper, like a drawn blade.

He didn't immediately step forward to question or make contact. Instead, he stood with his arms crossed, steadily on a slightly elevated spot on the outskirts of the crowd, observing quietly and with a strong sense of pressure, as a thorough examiner, critic, and even a potential exposer.

Observe how Jiang Haoran handles the customer's tricky technical questions, observe every detail when Gu Qiushi presents the data, observe the proficiency and standardization of Wang Qiming's actions when operating the prototype, and even observe the subtle expressions revealed by Zhao Haichuan when he coordinates and records from the side.

His very existence is an invisible yet powerful pressure field.

Several of the Wanhe Solar employees also stopped in their tracks and stood quietly behind him, like a silent guard.

The atmosphere in the originally bustling exhibition area began to subtly change.

Some sharp-eyed visitors recognized the influential figure in the industry, and low exclamations and whispers spread like ripples on water.

More curious, inquisitive, and even slightly spectacle-seeking gazes began to wander back and forth between Lin Guodong's aloof profile and the busy booth of Qilin Technology.

Jiang Haoran actually noticed it the moment Lin Guodong stopped and stared at him.

That gaze was too sharp, carrying an undisguised penetrating power and coldness, completely out of place with the usual technical exchange atmosphere of the exhibition he was experiencing.

He quickly ended his in-depth discussion with the Taiwanese businessmen, politely apologized, turned around, and calmly looked through the crowd, his gaze meeting Lin Guodong's in mid-air.

There was no dodging, no panic, and not even much emotional fluctuation.

Jiang Haoran met that extremely imposing gaze and bowed his head slightly in a very restrained and almost imperceptible manner. The bowing was just right, indicating that he had noticed the other party's arrival without appearing overly enthusiastic or deliberate.

He didn't address him, unsure whether this industry veteran, who clearly came with a scrutinizing air, would want his identity revealed in such a public setting, and he didn't want to leave any room for others to speculate about him trying to curry favor or take advantage of his position.

When Lin Guodong saw him looking over, he raised his chin almost imperceptibly, the scrutiny and criticism in his eyes almost tangible, and the almost cold smile on his lips remained firmly in place.

He did not respond to Jiang Haoran's gesture, but instead took two steady steps forward, getting closer to the edge of the booth.

His gaze first fell on the cut silicon wafer samples. He picked one up, held it up to the light, and carefully examined its edges and facets.

Then, his gaze returned to the LED screen, lingering on the most glaring line of cost comparison data: "60%-70%".

His silence and the icy aura emanating from him acted like an invisible cold current, quickly cooling and freezing the previously heated atmosphere in front of the booth, which had been warmed up by technical discussions.

Some sensitive visitors clearly felt a strange pressure, and their conversations unconsciously became quieter. Some even stepped back slightly to make room, making Lin Guodong's location even more conspicuous.

Zhao Haichuan had already noticed the unusual commotion. When he saw that the person who came was Lin Guodong, his heart sank and a cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.

He glanced at Jiang Haoran instinctively, his eyes filled with worry and inquiry. Jiang Haoran, however, only gave him a quick glance out of the corner of his eye, conveying a clear and steady signal: Stay calm, don't panic, proceed at the established pace.

Lin Guodong stood there and watched for a full three minutes.

Those three minutes stretched out endlessly in the quiet and tense atmosphere. He barely moved, only occasionally adjusting the angle of the silicon wafer in his hand or squinting slightly at a data point on the screen.

It was as if he was using his life's accumulated experience and intuition to conduct a silent and rigorous "stress test" and "full-body scan" of the booth, the company, and the young man in front of him.

Finally, he seemed unable to suppress the growing pent-up emotions in his heart, a mixture of disdain, doubt, and a certain resentment stemming from his daughter.

Or rather, he deliberately chose this occasion and this method to burst this "bubble" that he believed was most likely carefully inflated with data and stories.

He put down the silicon wafer sample in his hand, raised his hand, and pointed his index finger steadily and forcefully at the bold and enlarged slogan on the LED screen: "Estimated cost is only 60%-70% of that of imported benchmark products."

His voice was not loud, even somewhat low, but in the suddenly quiet booth area, it was as clear as a stone falling to the ground, carrying an unquestionable sense of authority and a cold interrogation: "Young man, your slogans are loud and clear."

He paused, his gaze sharp as lightning, fixed on Jiang Haoran, each word striking the eardrums of everyone present: "I just don't know if your data is a carefully crafted bonsai in the lab, or the real stuff that can withstand millions of wear and tear on a mass production line, endure the different silicon materials in a customer's workshop throughout the year, and stand the test of three to five years?"

The moment the words fell, the immense pressure from Lin Guodong, chairman of Wanhe Solar Energy, and his blunt and merciless question hit like ice water poured into boiling oil.

The area in front of the Kirin Technology booth was deathly silent.

All eyes, whether astonished, amused, worried, or simply curious, were fixed on Jiang Haoran, the young man who had suddenly become the eye of the storm.