Reborn in 2012, building a new energy empire

In early September, the summer heat in Nanjing had not yet dissipated.

The sycamore leaves are still lush and green, and students dragging their suitcases bring back the usual hustle and bustle to the campus.

Jiang Haoran returned to his dormitory, put down his backpack, and went straight to the laboratory building of the School of Materials Science and Engineering.

On the east side of the third floor, the door to Professor Sun Zhigang's laboratory was ajar.

Upon knocking on the door, a faint smell of chemical reagents wafted out.

Professor Sun was examining samples at the workbench when he saw Jiang Haoran. He took off his goggles and smiled, "Jiang, you're here so early?"

"Professor Sun, sorry to bother you." Jiang Haoran walked over. "I mentioned to you on the phone last time that I wanted to understand the current state of photovoltaic silicon wafer cutting technology."

"Sit down." Professor Sun gestured to the chair next to him, pulled it over, and sat down himself. "The diamond wire cutting technology you're interested in is indeed one of the current technological approaches."

"It is more efficient, more precise, and less wasteful than traditional mortar cutting." He took several documents from the bookshelf and handed them to Jiang Haoran.

"But the core technology is still in the hands of Japanese manufacturers. There are several bottlenecks in domestic research and development: the performance stability of high-strength steel wire, the uniform fixation of diamond micro powder, and the electroplating process."

Jiang Haoran quickly scanned the technical terms in the literature and asked, "Where does the main difficulty lie in industrialization?"

"It takes a lot of investment to go from the laboratory to large-scale production," Professor Sun said. "Currently, only a handful of companies in China are doing research and development in this area."

He pointed to a small piece of equipment in the lab: "We are also doing related research, but with limited funding, we can only do some basic work. To truly industrialize it, we need a lot of investment and continuous process improvement."

Jiang Haoran listened, quickly calculating in his mind. Technical skills have a threshold, but they are not insurmountable.

The key is talent and continuous financial investment.

After spending an hour in the lab, Jiang Haoran said goodbye and left.

Just as I reached the intersection, I heard a familiar voice: "Senior Jiang?"

Bai Xiwei walked over from the opposite side carrying several books, wearing a white T-shirt and jeans, with a neat ponytail.

"What a coincidence." Jiang Haoran stopped in his tracks.

"I'm here to submit some materials to Professor Wang from our department." Bai Xiwei walked up to him, smiled, and said, "I heard you went back to school. I was just thinking of when to have a chat with you."

"Okay, what's up?" Jiang Haoran asked.

Bai Xiwei paused briefly: "Two things: First, Uncle Wu asked me to remind you that now that you have your own company, things are different from when you were operating alone. In the financial market, compliance is the bottom line, especially in fund transfers and information disclosure; you must be rigorous and compliant."

Jiang Haoran straightened his expression and nodded, saying, "Please thank Professor Wu for me. I've got it."

"As for the second thing..." Bai Xiwei looked around; the sidewalk was bustling with people. "Shall we find a quiet place?"

The two entered an empty classroom. The afternoon sun shone through the windows, casting quiet dappled light between the desks and chairs.

Bai Xiwei sat down in a seat and sorted out her thoughts: "Actually, it's also related to Uncle Wu. He mentioned that you previously hoped to introduce someone in the industry who understands the photovoltaic industry and has a solid technical background."

"Coincidentally, my mother met a returnee through the Overseas Chinese Federation. His situation is special, but it might meet your requirements."

"His name is Gu Qiushi. He has a bachelor's degree from Tsinghua University and a PhD in materials science from MIT. After graduating, he obtained a green card and stayed in the United States, where he works in research and development at a photovoltaic company like First Solar." Bai Xiwei's voice unconsciously lowered, carrying a hint of complex emotions.

"Everything was going well until his wife was diagnosed with a serious illness last year. They exhausted their savings and incurred a lot of debt to pay for her treatment. In the end... they still couldn't keep her."

"After his wife left, he lost everything, defaulted on his debts, the bank seized his house, and he was laid off without compensation." Bai Xiwei sighed softly.

"A once-glorious MIT PhD and a top company R&D staff member lost his foothold in the United States and even became homeless at one point."

"He decided to take his young daughter back to China to start over, but he was still in debt, and things weren't going well back home either. He couldn't wait any longer, he couldn't afford to waste time. In the end... he left."

"By taking shortcuts?" Jiang Haoran's eyes narrowed. He understood what that term meant: crossing the border through unofficial channels.

A former industry elite has fallen to this state.

This reminded Jiang Haoran of a concept that circulated online in 2026: the "kill line".

In the efficiency-driven logic of capitalism, past achievements and accolades are no match for the strangulation of a serious illness, a layoff, or a debt. One misstep leads to a plunge into the abyss.

Gu Qiushi's story is undoubtedly the cruelest footnote to these three words.

Bai Xiwei changed the subject, "If what he said is true, then this person is probably exactly the kind of talent you need."

"However, he set very high conditions. He demanded a sufficiently high annual salary and hoped that after helping the employer achieve certain specific performance or technical goals in the future, he would support him in going to the United States to complete the formalities and bring his daughter back."

"Daughter?" Jiang Haoran caught this crucial piece of information.

"Yes. When he left, he had no choice but to temporarily entrust his daughter to a welfare institution." Bai Xiwei's voice softened. "This obsession is probably his biggest motivation right now."

Jiang Haoran's heart suddenly skipped a beat, and his thoughts raced through his mind in the blink of an eye.

This person is indeed troublesome.

The exorbitant price, complex personal demands, and potential transnational affairs in the future... each of these represents additional costs and variables.

Jiang Haoran calmly weighed the situation.

Gu Qiushi… This name left no trace in his memory. But his technical background and his do-or-die personal experience fit perfectly with the vision of the photovoltaic industry in his mind.

First Solar is currently the absolute giant in the photovoltaic industry, possessing a large number of core processes and cutting-edge technologies.

If this person was truly deeply involved in its research and development, then his understanding of the entire photovoltaic manufacturing process, technical challenges, and industry trends would be invaluable.

Therefore, bringing this person under his command, properly settling him down, and making full use of his expertise will undoubtedly pave the way for the most crucial technical breakthrough in his plan.

As long as he can bring in excess returns, these costs can be resolved and are worth paying.

This is precisely the piece of the puzzle that he urgently needs and is most difficult to find in his photovoltaic strategy.

"Could you arrange a meeting?" Jiang Haoran asked intently.

Bai Xiwei nodded: "When is that convenient for you?"

"The sooner the better."

"Okay, I'll contact him tonight. My mom also thinks he's a rare talent and feels sorry for his past experiences." Bai Xiwei agreed, then her lips curled up slightly, revealing a sly smile.

"But, Senior Jiang, I've helped you make such a big connection. If it turns out to be a real gem, how will you thank me?"

Seeing her unusually mischievous expression, Jiang Haoran couldn't help but laugh: "What kind of thank-you gift does Junior Bai want? Just say the word."

"Hmm..." Bai Xiwei pretended to think, her eyes darting around. "I'll owe you for now. I'll tell you when I've thought it through. You can't go back on your word then."

"Sure, I'll be waiting anytime."

The two parted ways at the entrance of the teaching building.

Jiang Haoran walked towards his dormitory when his phone vibrated.

It was a message from Fatty Li, his tone as boisterous as ever: "Brother Hao! Soybean meal futures went crazy again today! It surged to 4280 in the morning! It's still hovering at a high level, and a bunch of people on the forum are saying it'll go up to 4300!"

Jiang Haoran frowned and replied, "We've already cleared out our positions, haven't we?"

"Absolutely! They've all run away already, now it's just for watching." Fatty Li replied instantly, then sent another message, his words revealing a hint of restlessness, "But judging from this situation, maybe I can actually get my hands on 4300... I'm getting a little itchy."

"Just watch, don't touch it," Jiang Haoran replied briefly and firmly.