dognovel Chapter 1508 Photolithography Machine
Chapter 1508 Photolithography Machine
Chapter 1508 Photolithography Machine
"How did they do that?"
Li Xuewu looked at Shangguan Qi who appeared in front of him, and before he could ask whether the journey was arduous or smooth, he raised the question that had been buried in his heart for a long time.
Shangguan Qi tidied her hair behind her ear and explained softly, "I only remember seeing it through the camera lens."
She looked into Li Xuewu's eyes and said, "You should know that even if he only told me that these things were leaks."
"Anyway, he's already utterly wicked, isn't he?"
Li Xuewu looked at Shangguan Qi with amusement, raised an eyebrow and asked softly, "He likes you, doesn't he?"
“Um…” Shangguan Qi lowered her head somewhat awkwardly and said, “We are just friends.”
"Oh—" Li Xuewu nodded knowingly and said with a smile, "Since he's come all this way, should we invite him out for a chat?"
"Dresden is a city where tradition and modernity collide, and the pub culture is undergoing a epochal change."
He pursed his lips and asked, "Do you still have his contact information?"
"what do you mean……"
Shangguan Qi looked up at him in surprise and asked, "You want me to invite him out to a tavern? Just the two of us?"
"Who else do you want to bring along?" Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and said, "Don't tell me you think I'm in the way, do you?"
He knew perfectly well that Shangguan Qi had misunderstood, but he insisted on adding another layer of misunderstanding. People who study psychology are all pretty dirty.
"If you don't take me with you, I won't reimburse your expenses!"
"no no--"
Shangguan Qi's expression shifted from disappointment to delight, and she waved her hands repeatedly, saying, "I hope you will come with me," all because of Li Xuewu's words.
She certainly hoped that Li Xuewu could go with her, or even just the two of them going to the tavern together...
Upon receiving the last-minute assignment to go abroad on official business, Shangguan Qi was so nervous that her heart was pounding. Her father and mother remained silent for a long time, not saying a word.
At this moment, her fate was in her own hands, as was the fate of her family.
When she undertakes such missions, especially those abroad, she is adorned with a halo of prestige.
If she chooses to relinquish this spotlight, it will be a liberation for her, but a catastrophe for her family.
For the leaders and officials who approved her business trip abroad, it was an even greater disaster.
When Shangguan Qi was summoned by the organization, she only asked one question: who assigned her to this mission?
She didn't ask about the nature of the mission because she knew she had no choice.
But upon hearing Li Xuewu's name and the group's general manager's guarantee, her anxiety suddenly subsided.
What could be more trustworthy than that name? She was filled with confidence and anticipation for this trip.
Which name?
If you insist on asking for clarification, she will of course say that he is the wise and insightful General Manager Li Huaide, who led Hongxing Factory to glory, created history, and achieved the great cause of Hongxing Steel Group.
After so many years of training and improvement, she is no longer just a simple researcher; the organization has taught her a lot.
I flew to the port city on the Red Star No. 1, then to East Germany. After landing, I felt no fatigue or complaints and rushed over to see him.
If he asked her to go alone to meet her former classmates, she wouldn't refuse, because it was the organization's arrangement and expectation.
But he decided to go with her. Shangguan Qi felt her heart pounding. He hadn't let her down, and she couldn't let him down either.
"But I only have his address from six years ago."
Shangguan Qi suddenly remembered something and looked at him nervously, asking, "What if we can't get in touch with him?"
"How will you know if you don't try?"
Li Xuewu shrugged and said, "Write a copy yourself, and I'll send someone to find him."
"Even if you can't find him there, you can find his new unit by following his original unit. The work trajectory of researchers is not complicated."
He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, "Unless he's been invited to participate in a classified project."
“The management mechanism of research institutes in East Germany may be different from that in China.” Shangguan Qi also agreed with Li Xuewu’s idea, explaining: “It’s a bit like Britain, but not much different from other European countries.”
"Is the management very lax?" Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow and asked, "Then isn't there a trap waiting for us?"
"Huh?" Shangguan Qi was taken aback for a moment, then understood the meaning behind his words, and asked with a strange look, "Are you scared?"
Aren't you afraid of an ambush?
Li Xuewu chuckled as he looked her over and said, "There must be another purpose behind the strict internal management and relaxed external management of scientific researchers."
"With you here, what do I have to fear?"
Shangguan Qi shrugged arrogantly and said, "As long as you're not afraid, I'd be willing to brave even the most dangerous places with you."
"Then I have no choice but to go this time?" Li Xuewu smiled and put down his teacup. "Alright, go write the letter and give it to Comrade Sha Qi. I'll take care of the rest."
"You must promise not to hurt my friend."
Just before leaving, Shangguan Qi looked into his eyes and asked a question in a tone that wasn't very strong, but rather a little pleading.
Li Xuewu looked up at her and asked, "You want my guarantee?"
Seeing Shangguan Qi lower her head timidly, just like when the two first met, she looked pitiful and helpless.
"You believe..."
"I believe—"
"...My guarantee?" Before Li Xuewu could finish his sentence, Shangguan Qi gave her answer, rendering his second half meaningless. "You trust me that much?"
"I trust you completely."
Shangguan Qi raised her head, looked firmly into his eyes, and said, "I will definitely keep your promise to me."
Li Xuewu stared at her for a full half minute before nodding slightly and saying, "Okay, I promise I won't hurt him."
"Thank you, thank you so much—"
Shangguan Qi bowed to him gratefully and left the room with light steps, as if she had received some incredible promise.
Li Xuewu shook his head with amusement as he watched her retreating figure.
At this moment, Sha Qizhi walked in and reported softly, "Ms. Selena has arrived and is waiting for you in the reception room."
This time, Red Star Steel Group spared no expense in its trip to East Germany. In key operations, it not only used its official aircraft without reservation, but also booked an entire floor of a hotel in key cities such as East Berlin for office use.
East Berlin, Leipzig, and Dresden were the three key industrial and technological observation targets designated by Li Xuewu, and the logistical support for them was, of course, excellent.
The team comprised of staff recruited from Hong Kong and the mainland formed a powerful business analysis and working group, far exceeding the size of the working groups of other business members in the delegation.
To put it simply, if the preparations of Hongxing Steel Group were revealed, it would absolutely leave the members of the visiting delegation speechless.
Putting aside his family's wealth, just considering whether he dares to spend money, Old Li has been trained by Li Xuewu to develop a habitual way of thinking.
Spending money on infrastructure development, healthcare development, education development, scientific research development, technological reform, channel expansion, management reform, and enterprise revitalization...
Each of these projects is a major undertaking; any one of them alone would be enough to give other industrial enterprises in the same system a run for their money.
But by using the method of "ants eating elephants," Li Huaide boldly delegated power to Li Xuewu, and the Hongxing Factory achieved miraculous changes in management, economy, infrastructure and many other aspects.
Because he saw hope and tangible results, Li Huaide signed the financial plan for this action plan without even looking at it, in his capacity as the group's general manager.
what does this mean?
This means that without discussion by other members of the leadership team, the special work procedures will be followed, and the financial aspects will be implemented unconditionally.
Of course, this means that if any problems arise, the group's general manager, Li Huaide, will bear the responsibility; this trust is equal to the risk.
There was another small reason: after listening to Li Xuewu's brief report, Old Li knew that this operation would cost a lot, and he dared not look at the specific budget, for fear of feeling heartbroken and shedding tears.
When does he want to watch it?
Once the results of this operation are in, and once the economic and technical negotiations are fully concluded and implemented, we will be able to compare the remarkable and fruitful outcomes with the costs and feel glad we made the decision.
Some people asked, "Does Lao Li trust Li Xuewu so much that he believes he can bring back the technology and cooperation that Hongxing Steel Group wants?"
To put it simply, what Lao Li believed in and trusted was not just Li Xuewu as a person, but Li Xuewu's way of doing things.
He witnessed Li Xuewu pull out six emergency plans from his briefcase, which were specifically for this visit to East Germany.
This does not include the economic and technical inspection and cooperation plan, which truly achieved a systematic classification and the preparation of three plans for one factory.
Which companies in the delegation could conduct such thorough preliminary research and develop such comprehensive preparation plans?
Based on this preparation, even if the operation fails, Lao Li will not blame Li Xuewu; it simply cannot be Li Xuewu's fault.
Another question is, is Li Xuewu only good at writing articles?
Of course not. This group's secretary-general possesses exceptional management skills and a far-sighted perspective, especially in the fields of economics and technology, where he has an extraordinary and unconventional intuition.
In terms of work ability and negotiation skills, no one in the entire group can match him. If he is not capable, then no one in the group is.
Think about it, why didn't anyone dare to stand up and compete with Li Xuewu for such an important opportunity as a delegation visit?
The logic is simple: they can't convince themselves, so why would they stand up and let Li Xuewu embarrass them? Therefore, Li Xuewu must be in charge of this operation.
Watching Li Xuewu achieve even greater success and accumulate more opportunities for advancement, aren't they envious?
Take Suweide for example, how could he not have some grudges?
But this isn't something you can do just because you think about it. What Li Xuewu can do, they can't do, and they're worlds apart. How can they compare?
Therefore, what belongs to Li Xuewu is something no one can take away. They can only accept the fact that the Secretary-General has soared to great heights and can no longer be suppressed.
In fact, this has long been an indisputable fact. Back then, even Yang Fengshan and Yang Yuansong, working together, couldn't suppress Li Xuewu's progress. Now, it's too late to put the brakes on Li Xuewu's progress.
In business matters, if Li Xuewu said he needed to spend 100 yuan, Lao Li would dare to sign a note for him to use for 300 yuan, and if that wasn't enough, he could give him more. That's how straightforward he was.
So when Li Xuewu said he needed Shangguan Qi, Red Star No. 1 was able to deliver Shangguan Qi to him. When Li Xuewu said he needed a safe working environment, the best hotel in Dresden booked an entire floor.
It has all kinds of high-end rooms and meeting rooms.
The working group maintained strict security throughout the entire floor to ensure the safety and confidentiality of personnel and information working there.
Of course, you might ask if this is all the budget for this operation?
That's right, there are also hidden team expenses behind the scenes.
Only a few semi-transparent service teams known to Sandware, as well as two working groups led by Catherine and Selena.
Catherine went to the Ludwigsfeld factory to plan the engine technology that Li Xuewu wanted.
Her competitors were the other members of the delegation. The fact that Red Star Steel Group did not participate in the competition did not mean that it had no interest in Leipzig's industry.
So where did Selena go?
***
"The environment at Straussberg Prison is quite nice." Selena walked in, dressed in expensive fur and black stockings, and wearing high heels, like a little wildcat.
Are you cold or hot?
Li Xuewu pointed to the fur coat wrapped around her upper body and her bare, slender legs, his eyes full of curiosity.
This innocent curiosity made Selena smile and raise an eyebrow, saying, "Haven't you heard the saying? Fresh milk needs to be kept warm, and ham needs to be refrigerated."
"You really are a talent—"
Li Xuewu chuckled and pointed to the opposite side, gesturing for her to sit down and talk. "The fact that you have time to go shopping means this trip went very smoothly."
"You don't need to ask me. I've paid the money, but I've done my job." The young woman, her face brimming with youthful collagen, looked at Li Xuewu with an air of arrogance and said, "Want to know?"
"I just want to know how things are going," Li Xuewu said, leaning forward slightly and looking into her eyes. "As for how much money you spent, I don't care."
"How wonderful it would be if I could always work under you," Selena said, cupping her pretty face in her hands. "I would be willing to do anything for you."
"Is this what I mean by oxen and horses?"
Li Xuewu raised an eyebrow. His words were quite meaningful, as everyone knows that cattle and horses are meant to be ridden.
Selena raised an eyebrow and said with a coquettish smile, "Why don't you show us some real action instead of just talking?"
"I'll give you another bonus, okay?"
Li Xuewu surrendered. Married women are completely uninhibited; you can't mess with them, you can't mess with them.
Selena rolled her eyes at him, amused, and scolded, "Coward—"
Isn't Li Xuewu timid?
He has someone else's food that he can't touch, and he won't touch, unless the person doesn't appreciate it, then he'll water the flowers.
"I saw Fritz Fleischer at the Straussberg prison, a lousy old man."
She knew Li Xuewu had limited patience and didn't dare to tease her boss too much; she still wanted an extra bonus.
“Fritz Fleischer was born…” Li Xuewu glanced at the documents beside him and continued, “He was born in Gera on December 21, 1903, right?”
"He's over sixty, a real old man," Selena said, arms crossed. "But he's also a daring fellow."
Do you know what he told me?
Selena leaned closer to Li Xuewu and whispered, "He said he hopes I can help him escape from prison, whether it's a jailbreak or digging a tunnel, it's all fine."
"Did he go stupid from being in there all day?"
Li Xuewu sneered and said, "What is he thinking?"
“No matter what he’s thinking, I’ve agreed to it.” Selena shrugged her shoulders and said, “I told him that I’d help him get out of prison if we made a deal.”
"And ensured his safe departure from East Germany and arrival in any country in the world."
"And then?" Li Xuewu looked at the woman in black stockings swaying in front of him, politely crossed his right leg, straightened his body, and asked, "Did he agree to your conditions?"
"How can it be--"
Selena sat up straight, amused, and stopped flashing the car lights at her boss; she knew when to stop.
“If an agreement could be reached so easily, I wouldn’t believe he is Fritz Fleischer.”
"How could an old man who lived through World War II, who single-handedly created the only private bus manufacturer in East Germany that mass-produced buses, just give in like that?"
Selena shrugged, the fur coat slipping off her shoulders and draped over her arm, exuding a seductive allure.
"After difficult negotiations, he insisted that he would only sell Gerardo and the Fritz-French automobile plant after he was released from prison; this was his condition."
But he had no choice—
Li Xuewu said calmly, "Doesn't he know why he was sent to prison?"
“If I didn’t tell him, how could he possibly accept this fact?” Selena smiled faintly and said confidently, “I played him the recording of my conversation with the local prosecutor, and do you know how frustrated he looked?”
"So what? He didn't give in?"
Li Xuewu smiled and looked at her, asking, "How did you convince him?"
“I couldn’t convince him; he convinced himself,” Selena said, raising an eyebrow. “He was tired of a slice of bread and a potato.”
"How much longer can he live?"
Li Xuewu leaned to one side and said, "Enjoying one's retirement is the best choice."
"You're right, that might be his understanding, so now it's up to us."
Selena shrugged and said, "I need to return his family to him first before we can continue working together."
What the hell do you mean, "think it through yourself"?
Li Xuewu glanced at Selena and thought, "This woman is no good!"
Using someone's family members as leverage in negotiations—was that something they themselves thought out of?
This is fucking bizarre!
"Send it to the port city?" Li Xuewu had already figured out what she was going to do, and nodded, saying, "Red Star One is at Frankfurt Airport, you can use it anytime."
“Honestly, I desperately want to work under you.” Selena, emboldened by his support, confidently stated, “I can accomplish any task.”
"Don't open champagne to celebrate before things are settled," Li Xuewu said with a light laugh. "It's bad luck."
"So you believe in this too."
Selena stood up and said, "Give me a week, and I can get this done."
"But I need 150 million, not a penny less."
"No problem, it's not much."
Li Xuewu took the pen from his chest, wrote a note in his notebook, tore it off, and handed it over.
"180 million?" Selena glanced at the note in her hand and exclaimed in surprise.
"Don't set a fixed budget, otherwise things will be difficult to get done." Li Xuewu smiled faintly, put away his pen, and looked at her, saying, "I don't care how much you ultimately spend, I just need you to pack up the entire Fritz Fleischer KG Gera and get it on the ship, understand?"
"Understood, dear boss—"
Selena was overjoyed and wanted to kiss him, but he raised his hand to refuse. She could only settle for kissing the note in his hand instead.
If she had known Li Xuewu was so generous, she would have gone all out just now. Three hundred thousand a time, her husband would have been willing too.
She understood perfectly well what Li Xuewu meant; one shouldn't be too explicit in their words.
She said 150 million could get this done, so Li Xuewu gave her 180 million. What was the extra 30?
The deposit is a guarantee that she can ensure the matter is handled perfectly without any mistakes.
She may have gotten the 30 yuan easily, but in reality, she was betting her life on it.
She dared not love someone like Li Xuewu, because people who are willing to spend money to do things often disregard women, or even their lives; to put it bluntly, they are ruthless.
You can hear her clearly saying that this kind of person is most suitable to be a boss, and the superior-subordinate relationship is the safest and most suitable.
The boss didn't want her, but she enjoyed the feeling of being respected, which boosted both her confidence and her sense of pressure.
If she can't handle a man in his sixties, she can expect to be buried far from home.
***
“FritzFleischerKGGera…” Sha Qizhi said the sentence with difficulty, mimicking the accent of a translator.
"A privately owned bus manufacturer."
Li Xuewu sat on the sofa, looking at the documents in his hand, and explained to Sha Qizhi, "It's very noteworthy."
"That's truly remarkable, especially considering the economic system of East Germany." Sha Qizhi remarked, looking at the documents in his hand, "How did he manage that?"
"Money can make the devil turn the millstone." Li Xuewu sneered, "Money can also make the millstone turn the devil."
"Hehehe—" Sha Qizhi found the leader's words amusing and couldn't help but chuckle.
The secretary and translator in the room also laughed.
“Peter Gwett has been contacted.”
Sha Qizhi raised his head and reported, "He is indeed no longer in his original unit, but the transfer is not far away."
He handed a briefing to Li Xuewu and reported, "We have arranged to meet him according to the note."
"It seems Comrade Shangguan has quite the charm—"
Li Xuewu chuckled and shook his head, saying, "No wonder there's an old saying that even heroes can't resist the charms of a beautiful woman."
The report below said that he was a very simple person.
Sha Qizhi explained, "We investigated his residence and life, and it seemed very simple."
"Researchers don't like trouble."
Li Xuewu nodded and explained, "Especially in life, the simpler the better."
He looked up at the sand artifact and asked, "Didn't anyone notice?"
"Probably not, he doesn't have any informants around him."
After thinking for a moment, Sha Qizhi said, "Of course, I can't guarantee that his unit doesn't have such precautions."
“There will definitely be one, this is East Germany.”
Li Xuewu nudged him and said, "Get ready, we're being watched."
"Why... how did you know?"
Sha Qi was startled. If his mistake caused trouble for the organization, he would be held responsible.
"Do you think our office location is discreet enough?"
Li Xuewu raised his eyes and said, "Is it normal for dozens of people to book an entire floor of a hotel?"
"Also, take a look at this news article."
He pushed a newspaper towards him, gesturing for the translator to read it to him.
"...A major traffic accident occurred at the Fisherman's Hotel in Rostock, resulting in the death of a female student from the Technical University of Dresden..."
"It's Yulia!"
Upon hearing the translator read the newspaper aloud, Sagi almost jumped up in surprise, wondering how he could have died.
Yes, how could he have died?
Li Xuewu glanced at the documents in his hand, pondering his preparations for meeting Peter Gwett that evening.
"It's just hotel expenses and the cost of transporting the dairy cows from the farm—"
Sha Qizhi said somewhat apologetically, "Is it really necessary?"
"Of course—"
Li Xuewu put down the documents in his hand, looked up at him, and said, "This is not about money."
“The organization behind Yulia could not explain this behavior to East Germany, let alone come forward to help her out of the predicament.”
He said calmly, "I wanted to force them to show themselves and also bring East Germany into the picture. What a pity."
"It seems that Yulia is really not worth such a high price from them—"
"This is...too ruthless!"
Sha Qizhi still couldn't accept this fact, and frowned as he said, "Just because the mission failed?"
“This is the solution with the least loss.” Li Xuewu glanced at him and asked, “Isn’t that right?”
“When someone dies, the hotel doesn’t have to pay, and the farm doesn’t have to pay either.” He shook his head slightly and said, “They didn’t even need to explain East Germany’s response; they were just that ruthless.”
"It's normal that you can't understand it because you haven't experienced this kind of work before. Just look at the present."
Li Xuewu appeared quite calm, not giving Yulia's death much thought.
He didn't kill the person, so it's none of his business.
"Right now..." Sha Qizhi hesitated for a moment, as if he had thought of something, and frowned, "Will the other side come for revenge?"
“They killed themselves, what revenge could they be seeking? It should be retaliation.” Li Xuewu raised his eyelids and said, “Just wait, tonight won’t be peaceful.”
"Then let's not go—"
Sandware suggested, "How about we meet here?"
“We can’t not go, and we can’t stay here either.” Li Xuewu narrowed his eyes slightly and said, “If we don’t go, that Peter is doomed. Coming here would just be asking for trouble.”
"The other side is trying to push us into a fire pit to ruin this visit. We can't be foolish."
He thought for a moment and said, "The plan for tonight remains the same. I really want to meet the other party and see what their background is."
Keep an eye on the FFK car business.
Having made his decision for tonight, Li Xuewu turned to Sha Qizhi and instructed him, "Don't rely too much on or trust Selena; she's not one of us."
“I understand,” Sandware replied cautiously. “People who do things for money are unreliable.”
"Especially women, they are more emotional."
Li Xuewu nudged him and reminded him, "Keep a close eye on Fritz Fleischer's family."
"I understand, let's do it now."
Having just learned a lesson from Yulia's experience, Sha Qizhi has become a little more ruthless.
The leader told him to keep an eye on her, which was actually just to give Selena an extra layer of protection.
If Selena fails to do so, or cannot complete the mission, then Selena will become part of the mission.
Don't blame Li Xuewu for being ruthless; that's just how the game is. If you're paid to do something, there's no point in talking about feelings.
FFK's actions were definitely not a case of killing two birds with one stone; rather, they were a long-planned operation.
Starting in 60, East Germany decided to stop producing buses, and all new buses had to be repaired or converted from old buses.
Because, according to the decision of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, buses could only be purchased from Hungary.
However, IKARUS Body and the Budapest plant delivered about 700 fewer buses per year than East Germany needed, and about 1000 fewer buses per year than ordered.
Since private and state-owned transport companies are unable to purchase new buses through import channels, FFK has become the only way to buy buses.
Li Xuewu had already reviewed the information. FFK was quite modern, with comfortable facilities such as sleeping seats, toilets, and televisions on its buses.
This was done under conditions where development and production were often carried out under unfavorable circumstances.
For example: insufficient supply of materials, imprisonment of legal representatives, etc.
At this time, Fritz Fleischer, the legal representative and general manager of FFK, had been imprisoned for several months.
His chief designer absconded, and the bus production line has been in a semi-paralyzed state for the past few years.
Despite this environment, FFK persevered and even produced 200 X-ray trains based on the SIL chassis for the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, as well as caravans, service vehicles, and other consumer goods for East German racing teams, such as exquisite garden furniture to match their cars.
If FFK could be moved back to China from East Germany, then Steel Automotive would be fully capable and qualified to establish a separate automobile manufacturing plant specializing in buses and special vehicles.
Steel & Automobile now has its own independent bus production line, as well as other special vehicle production lines.
However, this production scale is still far inferior to that of a complete and technologically advanced factory.
The key is that with this factory, Hongxing Steel Group can raise funds and cooperate in other areas.
After promotion, the factory's products are fully capable of being distributed throughout Southeast Asia via the port city.
It is believed that the Santa Ya Group will not miss this business opportunity.
Given a promising outlook on distribution channels and the market, wouldn't bringing this factory back be more profitable than the W50?
So it's not that Li Xuewu doesn't want to compete in the automotive industry, but rather that he's unwilling to blindly follow the visiting delegation in competing for it.
While the delegation members were flocking to East German star enterprises, Hongxing Steel Group had already made progress and even achieved success in multiple areas.
Acquiring FFK was equivalent to acquiring the complete set of East German automobile production technology, which represented a much greater and more valuable stake in the deal.
Hongxing Steel Group doesn't need the workers and technicians, and Li Xuewu knows he can't take them with him.
Stop daydreaming. Buying equipment and bringing in talent are two different things. We can't rush things.
Furthermore, once these devices return to China, Hongxing Steel Group has plenty of ways to get them up and running.
Even if there are setbacks, you will succeed.
If you want to get fat in one bite, you need a mouth that can swallow the sky, which Hongxing Steel Group doesn't have yet.
***
"Put on makeup?"
Before leaving home, Li Xuewu specially changed into a newly bought woolen overcoat, the kind with a distinct East German style.
The coats I bought in China were too conservative and the styles were a bit outdated. East Germany, which was most influenced and eroded by Western culture, was much more fashionable.
It's clear that Shangguan Qi had this in mind; she was wearing a khaki trench coat, looking both pretty and elegant.
She gained style but lost warmth, and even followed Selena's example by wearing stockings.
Perhaps because he was looking at her, Shangguan Qi blushed slightly and explained softly, "It's just simple light makeup."
"Yes, that's a form of respect."
Li Xuewu smiled and nodded, extending his arm in a gesture of respect: "Do you need me to be a gentleman?"
"That would be perfect!"
Shangguan Qi didn't shy away from everyone's gaze and smiled as she took his arm.
Actually, China isn't overly conservative, and there are such close interactions among gay people.
Old Li still insists on dancing, so who can say he's a lecherous old man who doesn't practice self-discipline?
Li Xuewu called himself a gentleman because the other person was wearing high heels, and walking with her arm around his would be more stable.
Inside the hotel, everyone watched them leave. Security and advance personnel were already in place to deal with the situation tonight.
The security personnel were extremely nervous and had already instructed the head of security to ensure the safety of the leaders.
The head of security was also Alexander, and without a proper weapon, he had no choice but to fight desperately.
Downstairs, in front of a luxury car, Li Xuewu held an umbrella for Shangguan Qi, and the two got into the car one after the other.
The driver was one of their own, and the passenger was a security guard.
There was a car in front and a car behind. These were the guards that Li Xuewu couldn't persuade to leave. He knew he was being watched and couldn't hide from them, so he had to face them head-on.
What does the other party want to do?
Li Xuewu believed that the other party definitely intended to kill him, because Yulia was not only a key member carefully cultivated by the other party, but also represented the other party's face.
Face is something that can be important or unimportant, depending on how you look at it.
Anyway, Li Xuewu values his reputation a lot, and he can't bow his head in front of the other party, so he has to stand up and deal with it.
The meeting place with Peter Gerwit was a newly opened beer hall, a typical German location.
But bartenders rarely see customers like Li Xuewu and Shangguan Qi.
Riding in luxury cars and escorted by so many security personnel, are they here to escalate the situation at their bar?
Who is this important person?
Li Xuewu and his group not only attracted the attention of the bartender, but also drew the attention of the other customers in the tavern.
"Lily—" a voice came from the direction of the booth, someone was greeting her with surprise.
"It really is you—"
As Sha Qizhi said, Peter is a bit too naive; he can overlook them even in this kind of atmosphere.
It seems that Shangguan Qi's charm is more likely to attract his attention.
"Lily is my English name."
Shangguan Qi explained to Li Xuewu somewhat embarrassedly, then smiled and waved to her old classmate.
The other patrons in the tavern let out an "oh," as if they understood what was happening.
But they also paid even more attention to this group, with the same look they had when watching a TV drama.
Li Xuewu didn't pay any attention and gestured for Shangguan Qi to go first, while he ordered drinks and snacks from the bartender.
This was thanks to the help of a translator. He really didn't understand German; he could only know a little of the basics, which was far from enough for his daily needs.
With the help of the translator, Li Xuewu ordered some drinks and food from the food truck and then went to the booth.
"...You have no idea how surprised I was..."
Peter was excitedly expressing his feelings when he suddenly noticed a man sitting next to his crush, and it felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head.
"He... who is he?"
"Let me introduce myself, my surname is Li."
Li Xuewu smiled, extended his hand, nodded, and said, "Lily's friend."
“Oh—” Peter hesitated for a moment, then glanced at Shangguan Qi, but still reached out and shook hands with Li Xuewu.
What a naive person! He could shake hands with his love rival right in front of him. How naive he must be.
"Don't get me wrong, we're just friends."
Li Xuewu smiled and gestured to Shangguan Qi beside him, saying, "Lily and I are colleagues."
"Is that so? Hehehe—"
Peter, looking rather silly, smiled sheepishly, scratched his head, and looked at Shangguan Qi.
It's clear he takes this meeting very seriously, but his hairstyle is too new while his clothes are too old.
It's been a long time since I've worn this outfit, and perhaps there's no occasion like this that would require it.
He sat there somewhat awkwardly, feeling uncomfortable.
Because Lily didn't show enough distance from Mr. Li's words.
Peter isn't stupid; he's just not good at expressing himself, but he can tell what Lily is feeling.
But after he understood it, his mind became confused.
"I heard you work at the Institute of Optics?"
Li Xuewu didn't mince words from the start, asking directly, "We've come to learn this technology and would like to ask you for some advice."
"Which university invited you?"
Peter looked at him with suspicion, then turned to Shangguan Qi and asked, "Didn't you go back to China? You're in Germany now..."
"No, I'm still in China."
Shangguan Qi explained, "We came as part of a delegation for an inspection tour, and there is technical cooperation involved."
"Oh, is that so?"
Peter didn't seem to understand, but he nodded nonetheless.
Li Xuewu pulled out a document from his pocket. It was given to him by the delegation after he landed. It had a certificate issued by the East German Economic Committee, which was enough to prove his legitimate identity.
However, Shangguan Qi didn't have it, but Peter didn't need her to. When he saw Li Xuewu's identification, he waved his hand apologetically and said, "Of course I believe you."
He said this while looking at Shangguan Qi, and the meaning was clear: he trusted Shangguan Qi more than Li Xuewu's credentials.
"...Our photolithography technology is actually quite basic, with a precision of only 3 micrometers..."
Amidst beer, delicious food, and the company of old classmates, Peter spoke of these things without any reservations.
Of course, he also firmly believed that his old classmate and her colleague were officially recognized.
Therefore, he feels no pressure when talking about his research and work.
Li Xuewu listened attentively, but did not take any notes, in preparation for any subsequent criticism.
"Initially, we assembled the exposure equipment using modified movie projector parts."
Peter shrugged and looked at Shangguan Qi to explain, "You should know the principle behind this; it's contact lithography, which isn't considered advanced."
"But it already surprised me a lot."
Shangguan Qi nodded and said, "When you wrote to me, I knew your research was enough to change the world."
"That was just a joke—"
Peter lowered his head shyly, but the smile on his face was genuine, after all, it was a compliment from the goddess.
“We are still using this technology now, only it’s become more sophisticated.”
He explained, "If you're interested, you can come with me to the lab tomorrow."
Li Xuewu certainly wanted to go, but he was afraid that if he went, he wouldn't be able to get out, and the East Germans would go crazy.
He didn't want to become a bargaining chip in foreign negotiations, because life is only once, and once you're dead, it's really over.
“That’s not appropriate,” Li Xuewu said, shrugging. “We must respect your work.”
"It's nothing—"
It's clear that Peter really wanted to impress the goddess, and this was the only thing he could offer.
After returning from the United States, he lost contact with his goddess. After their only communication was interrupted, he didn't even have the chance to confess his feelings.
After returning to East Germany, his research yielded no results; even the lithography technology was a collective achievement.
He felt somewhat out of place here simply because he came from the United States, even though he was very skilled.
The research institute here is very wary of him. If he weren't still single after all these years, someone would probably have come to his door to have a heart-to-heart talk and urge him to have a child soon.
Even so, the leaders in the institute often talked to him and inquired about his thoughts and feelings.
He's not stupid; of course he knows what other people are thinking.
It was in this state of mediocrity and helplessness that his goddess arrived.
Tell me, should he get excited or not?
What capabilities can this photolithography technology achieve?
Li Xuewu didn't follow up on his question, but instead asked, "Has it already been put into production and use?"
"There's no problem with civilian products like radios."
Peter frankly admitted, "It's not good in other aspects either."
Li Xuewu understood the caution in his eyes; the rest of the conversation concerned military applications.
It seems that East Germany's lithography technology was indeed far behind that of West Germany. He learned from Shangguan Qi that the United States and other Western countries had already begun research and development of lithography technology.
Putting everything else aside, chip technology has already begun to take off at this point, and those that haven't yet taken off will have to catch up in the future.
Just think about it, we developed so fast later, but how badly were we bullied by others in the chip industry?
If it weren't for our vast market and comprehensive strength, we would have been bullied into submission long ago.
The more advanced the technology becomes, the more we will need chips; the more technologically advanced the technology, the more indispensable it will be.
The Northern Mao's attempt to develop vacuum tubes was a completely foolish thing to do in a moment of impulsiveness.
The product of laymen leading professionals.
Li Xuewu wanted lithography machines, even those using outdated technology from West Germany.
"Boss, someone's here—"