Courtyard House: Drunk and tipsy, the whole courtyard exposed at the start.

The translator's expression changed, and he leaned down to whisper in Tatsunosuke's ear.

Tatsunosuke's expression also darkened, but he still nodded and rattled off a bunch of things. The gist of it was: if they're buying the patent, they're aiming for exclusive production.

Moreover, your country simply does not have the technology and conditions to produce such disposable lighters; your equipment is completely incapable of achieving this level of precision.

What's the point of keeping the production license?

Director Zhao and the others frowned slightly. Although it was unpleasant to say, it was the truth.

Zhang Dabiao shook his head: "While $3000 is a huge sum, this is an extremely insulting and predatory offer. I will not accept it."

"Or $30 for an exclusive patent license in Japan for 20 years, starting from the date the patent is approved."

"Or I won't calculate it as one-thousandth of the selling price. For every lighter produced, give me 5 cents RMB in patent licensing fees."

"This is already the bottom line, given Director Zhao's sake."

Zhang Dabiao remembered reading on some websites that the final production cost of disposable lighters had been reduced to 5 cents each.

Of course, that's the price for later. Right now, I'm asking for 5 cents, which is a very low price, isn't it? Isn't that giving me face?

Tian Youfu was stunned, because he didn't know that Zhang Dabiao had already quoted this price to Director Zhao: "Three hundred thousand US dollars?" He looked up abruptly, "Zhang Dabiao, are you crazy! This is outrageous!"

Zhang Dabiao ignored him completely. This guy was annoying. Even Director Zhao didn't say anything, so why was he jumping around like that?

Besides, the patent is mine. How I price it and how I negotiate with the other party is my business. Who the hell are you?

Suddenly, Tatsunosuke said something in Japanese, his tone hurried.

The translator hesitated for a moment: "Mr. Tatsunosuke said...that's impossible. The Japanese market won't accept such high patent costs."

"Then there's nothing to discuss." Zhang Dabiao began tidying up the documents.

"Wait!" Tian Youfu stood up, his face ashen. "Comrade Zhang Dabiao, this is individualism! You are a designer and researcher at the Red Star Daily Necessities Manufacturing Plant. This design should be considered collective property! The factory has the right to decide how to dispose of it!"

Finally, Factory Director Han, who had been silent until now, spoke up: "Deputy Section Chief Tian, ​​you can't say that. Before Da Biao made this invention, he was a temporary purchasing agent for our factory. He wasn't even a formal employee. This is his personal invention and has nothing to do with our factory."

"Let's keep things separate. We don't have the audacity to treat a child's personal invention as the factory's collective property."

That "export-oriented civilian small commodities manufacturing plant" is a precedent. It was ambitious and eager for quick success, so it abandoned the designer Zhang Dabiao and dismissed him with a few hundred yuan. What was the result?

It was only popular for less than six months, and now it's starting to lose money. Moreover, it had previously set up a production line worth hundreds of thousands of yuan, but now it has no overseas orders. Isn't this just asking for trouble?

Secretary Niu nodded and said, "The factory's Party Committee has discussed this and supports employees in making inventions and creations, but the ownership of intellectual property rights must be in accordance with laws and regulations. Zhang Dabiao is not an employee, and his invention was researched at his own expense and was conducted outside the factory—so it belongs to him personally. The factory has no right to, nor can it overstep its authority to dispose of it."

"Our factory will not be involved in matters concerning Comrade Zhang Dabiao's personal patents."

The two leaders worked together to deflect Tian Youfu's words.

Whether the ministry provides quotas or subsidies is irrelevant; we can't let designer Zhang Dabiao get away.

At worst, they'll just follow the same old path: be merged into the steel mill, work for a few more years, and then retire. What are those two old men afraid of?

We can't let Zhang Dabiao down any further.

Director Zhao remained silent with a sullen face; he didn't want to be the bad guy either.

Tian Youfu panicked: "Director Han, Secretary Niu, Director Zhao, this is an instruction from the Ministry! We must consider the overall situation of Sino-Japanese trade!"

"Considering the overall situation does not mean selling technology cheaply." Zhang Dabiao stood up, pulled out the last document from the paper bag, and said, "Since today's discussion is about patent licensing, and Mr. Tatsunosuke and I cannot reach an agreement, then according to business rules, I will not directly participate in this matter."

He pushed the document to the center of the table: "This is the patent full agency authorization letter I signed with Xiangjiang Lou's Trading Company. All commercial negotiations regarding the disposable lighter patent will be handled entirely by Mr. Lou Yufan of Xiangjiang Lou's Trading Company. Please contact him directly with any business proposals you may have."

The meeting room was completely silent.

Tatsunosuke stared at the authorization letter, his expression shifting. The two foreign businessmen, on the other hand, wore expressions of keen interest.

Tian Youfu's hands trembled as he held the documents: "What...what do you mean by this? Handing over the country's technology to Hong Kong capitalists?"

"Zhang Dabiao, this is treason!"

Director Zhao turned his head away at the opportune moment. He knew that the patent was not in Zhang Dabiao's hands, but he did not have such a clear understanding of the information he had received from his superiors. When asked, he said he could not understand the English signature.

This was also a deliberate attempt to test Zhang Dabiao's bottom line. He wouldn't become the bad guy; if he succeeded, he would be credited, and if he failed, he wouldn't have offended Zhang Dabiao.

Zhang Dabiao looked at Director Zhao with interest. He was letting one of his subordinates jump around and clearly sided with the Japanese, while he himself remained silent. This was obviously a laissez-faire attitude, putting pressure on himself and testing his bottom line.

But you can flip the table and quit playing anytime!

I also have a Hong Kong name, Roy Cheung, or Brother Crow!

"First of all, let me clarify that I submitted all the design drawings at the time."

"The country can use my designs however it wants to produce."

"I said this back then, didn't I? I'll donate it, I don't want any certificates or bonuses, I just need the ministry to help me apply for a patent internationally."

"But the ministry didn't do it that way. Instead, they allowed me to find my own way to apply for a patent. Director Zhao, is that right?"

Director Zhao nodded helplessly. This decision was made in a meeting, there are meeting minutes, and many people know about it, so no one took it seriously.

If the ministry had been willing to fund this matter back then, the patent would be in the ministry now, and they would have a lot of say in it.

But who could have imagined...

"I have no money, I can't leave the country, and I don't have Hong Kong residency, so I can't register!"

"Please take a close look at the signatures of all the owners on this patent."

At this point, the group picked up the attachment and began to look at it, only then realizing what had happened—

No one is Zhang Dabiao!

It was Lou Yufan?!

Everyone was stunned!

"Therefore, Lou Yufan had to apply for the patent on my behalf, because among all the people around me who could handle this matter, only Mr. Lou Zhenhua was able to do so."

"The power of attorney is only to protect my personal interests."

"To be precise, this patent is in Lou Yufan's hands; it doesn't belong to the state, nor to me."

"If you want to talk, go talk to him. Talking to me won't help."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Director Zhao and Tian Youfu: "Also, I'd like to remind some comrades of something. It hasn't even been a few years since the victory against Japan, so why are some people already so weak-kneed? The Japanese offered three thousand US dollars to buy technology that could generate tens of millions in value. How is that any different from exchanging glass beads for Native American land back then? We can talk business, but we can't do business on our knees."

"I, Zhang Dabiao, will stand tall and earn my money honestly and clearly!"

"How dare you!" Tian Youfu slammed his hand on the table and stood up.

Tatsunosuke suddenly stood up and bowed deeply: "Mr. Zhang, please reconsider. We can appropriately increase the price..." (The translator translated simultaneously.)

"No need." Zhang Dabiao put away all the documents. "Mr. Tatsunosuke, you should go to Hong Kong and talk to Lou Yufan. Business is business, and he will give you a reasonable commercial offer."

Zhang Dabiao never expected that Lou Bancheng's move would ultimately help him.

If we can negotiate properly, then I can set the price.

Trying to intimidate me with my position? Sorry, I, Zhang Dabiao, am not the patent holder.

You can try to find a solution.