Chapter 505
A Personal Visit!
Inside the RV, Su Chen was eating frozen pears, a specialty fruit from Northeast China, when his phone rang. When he saw that the caller was Jiang Hui, a look of surprise flashed across his eyes. He didn't pay attention to Su Yan and the others beside him and immediately answered the call, also turning on the speakerphone.
There was nothing he could do; once frozen pears thaw slightly, the juice inside oozes out, and his hands were already covered in pear juice.
"Sir, did I disturb you?" Jiang Hui's respectful voice immediately came from the phone.
"No, is there something wrong at home that you called?" Su Chen took a sip of frozen pear juice and asked casually.
Jiang Hui on the other end of the phone immediately recounted the phone call Pei Rang had made to him, especially their conversation, in detail. He also explained why he had called, as he was worried that there might be something Pei Rang didn't understand.
"Hmm?" Su Chen let out a long nasal sound, the corners of his mouth slightly turned up, and he couldn't help but laugh and scold, "This Pei Rang is getting more and more cunning, he even knows to use you to judge my attitude."
If Su Chen hadn't analyzed it, Pei Rang's little schemes would have been hidden in his conversation with Jiang Hui.
Which of the major international semiconductor companies isn't powerful and has many subsidiaries in China? They all know about Xiaxin International's situation. If they wanted to make contact, they would have already done so. Why wait until now?
Moreover, those well-known semiconductor giants are all proud and arrogant. How could they possibly arrive in China half a month in advance? Those who can come at this time are mostly small and medium-sized semiconductor companies that are not very strong and do not have much strength in China. They want to take this opportunity to come in advance to explore the market and see if they can contact Xiaxin International to reach a cooperation agreement.
If a cooperation can be reached, that would definitely be better. After all, cooperating with Chinese companies is much better than cooperating with those large global semiconductor companies that are baring their fangs. At least you don't have to worry about them taking a bite out of you at any time.
As for Pei Rang's ideas, they were certainly not as simple as just cooperation. After all, the chip strategy had already been discussed privately with Pei Rang. The European market would be handed over to Ye Feng, and the American market would be handled by Prince Sheikh...
If Su Chen wasn't mistaken, Pei Rang was planning to take advantage of this opportunity to acquire those small and medium-sized semiconductor companies.
Don't underestimate these semiconductor companies just because they're small. They've managed to survive in the semiconductor market, which means they must have unique capital, technology, or excellent management teams. This is a valuable asset for the startup, Xiaxin International.
Don't forget that Pei Rang emphasized the relocation issue of Xiaxin International in his phone call with Jiang Hui. It's because there isn't a strong management team to handle this matter, and the person in charge has to personally handle it, running back and forth between the two places. This will definitely greatly reduce the coordination.
This is a direct attack on Su!
Yunmengze Group has now gotten on track in all its industries. Apart from the ongoing relocation of Xiaxin International, the only project that is not yet on track is the Artificial Intelligence Industrial Park, but there is no need to rush this project.
It's understandable that Pei Rang wants to build up his talent pool or explore new business markets.
Just thinking about the artificial intelligence industrial park reminded Su Chen of the task he had assigned to Pei Rang. He wondered how the investigation was going and decided to take this opportunity to call and ask Pei Rang.
Su Chen finished the frozen pear in a few bites, took out a tissue to wipe his hands, and said as he wiped them, "Okay~ Old Jiang, I understand about this. Is there anything else at home?"
Jiang Hui's voice immediately came through: "Sir, there's nothing else going on at home. Huang Feng called early this morning and asked me to arrange some Huaiyang cuisine. I just had Tianque prepare it and send it over!"
Hearing this, Su Chen raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly: "Hmm, you did a good job. Tell the chef of Tianque to put in more effort and pay more attention to the ingredients. Just do whatever you need, whether it's international air freight or freshly caught seafood."
After giving a few more careful instructions, Su Chen hung up the phone. After thinking for a moment, he found Pei Rang's number and called him.
Seeing this, Su Yan quickly said, "Big brother, Xiaoyu and I will go lie down on the bed in the back for a while. We got up a little early this morning and are feeling a bit sleepy..."
Looking at Su Yan's energetic appearance, Su Chen saw that he didn't seem sleepy at all.
However, Su Chen knew that this was just an excuse Su Yan made up on the spot. He just felt that it was inconvenient for the couple to listen to what Su Yan was about to talk about, as it involved some confidential matters.
"Go ahead, and bring these fruits with you too!" Su Chen nodded and pointed to one of the plates of fruit on the table.
Su Yan didn't dawdle. Holding the fruit in one hand and Lin Xiaoyu's hand in the other, he quickly walked towards the back.
Just then, the phone on the table was answered, and Pei Rang's somewhat puzzled voice came through: "Boss, what's the matter with you calling?"
Upon hearing Pei Rang's voice, a strange expression immediately appeared on Su Chen's face. Even Chen Fei, who was secretly eating a bunch of grapes, almost choked. It was clearly an act.
"Hehe~ Old Pei, I called you, don't you know why?" Su Chen's tone was also a bit playful. "Where did your confidence go when you called Old Jiang?"
Pei Rang, on the other end of the phone, hadn't expected his boss to be so direct, leaving him speechless and unsure how to respond.
"Tell me what you're really up to. Don't try to fob me off with talk of cooperation or anything like that!" Su Chen didn't want to give him too much time to think and went straight to the point.
Although Su Chen had already guessed, it was just a guess, and he had no idea what Pei Rang's specific plans were.
"Ahem~ I knew I couldn't hide it from your sharp eyes, boss!" Pei Rang coughed awkwardly twice before offering a small compliment to Su Chen.
He then slowly said, "To be honest, boss, I learned from the experience of your two previous AI experts and discovered two very promising small semiconductor companies. Their integrated circuit design technology is very mature, so I was thinking of bringing them under the group's umbrella!"
Upon hearing this, Su Chen tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, producing a rhythmic sound. A knowing glint flashed in his eyes; it was indeed almost exactly as he had guessed.
"Oh? Tell me more, how mature do you mean? Is it worth it for you, President Pei, to go through all this trouble?" Su Chen's tone was neither fast nor slow, and even a little teasing, but he also pointed out the key point—I've already seen through your little scheme, Pei Rang!
Pei Rang chuckled twice on the other end of the phone, his tone noticeably more relaxed than before. He couldn't help but praise his own plan; only by arousing the boss's interest could he gain his attention. If he had called directly before, Su Chen would definitely have told him to handle it as he saw fit, but with Ji Wenbo at Xia Xin International, these people might not be given important positions. They might even think that Pei Rang was trying to plant people within Xia Xin to interfere in Xia Xin International's internal affairs.
If that happens, the consequences will be something Pei Rang can't afford to bear.
But if Su Chen were to speak on this matter, things would be different. At least Ji Wenbo wouldn't think that these people were arranged by Pei Rang.
Competition exists within any company, even Yunmengze. The person in charge of each important project has put in a lot of effort, and no one wants to see someone else take the credit.
"Boss~ The first company is called 'Xinyue Electronics,' located in Silicon Valley, the Bald Eagle. It's very small, with only about thirty people, but their core members are all Chinese from major international companies!"
"They have unique expertise in the design of analog and RF chips, especially in low-power design, which perfectly fills a gap in Xiaxin International's portfolio!"
"Another company is called 'Jingrui Technology.' Their boss is a native American, but their technical experts are all from China. They specialize in the research and development of semiconductor packaging materials and advanced packaging technologies. Although most of their successes are still in the laboratory stage, I have read several of their papers and patents. Their ideas are very cutting-edge and they have huge potential!"
"Both of these companies are typical 'small but beautiful' companies. They have outstanding technology, but lack funding and market access. Among the small enterprises that came this time, they are like hidden gems! Their purpose in coming so far in advance is very clear: they want to find partners in China who can appreciate their technology, or rather... buyers!"
“Boss!” Pei Rang’s tone became more serious: “If we can bring these two companies under our wing, we can not only quickly enhance Xiaxin International’s technological reserves in their respective fields, but their core teams can also greatly alleviate our current shortage of senior technical personnel and the pressure on project progress. This will lay a solid foundation for Xiaxin International’s rapid expansion!”
Pei Rang rattled off a long string of words in one breath, then held his breath, waiting for his boss's decision.
Su Chen's expression changed from casual at first, but became serious as Pei Rang explained. After all, jokes are jokes, but he wouldn't joke about company matters.
He tapped his finger unconsciously on the table. He trusted Pei Rang's judgment. Since he said these two companies were very good, they must be right. This plan was indeed based on the overall interests of the group.
However… he finally figured out the real reason why Pei Rang called Jiang Hui. Apparently, he was worried that if he rashly intervened in semiconductor matters, Ji Wenbo, who was in charge of this area, would gossip and have opinions.
No wonder he comes from a finance background; his mind is incredibly meticulous!
Su Chen chuckled, his tapping ceasing. "Old Pei, you've gone through all this trouble, and this last point is the key, isn't it? You're afraid Wenbo might have something to say, so you're pushing me, your boss, out to be the 'talent scout,' to support the 'promising horse' you've chosen?"
"Tell me, have you already met with the owners of both companies and reached a preliminary agreement?"
"Hehe~" Pei Rang chuckled, clearly a little embarrassed. "As expected, I couldn't hide it from the boss. Right after talking with the owners of the two companies, I immediately called Butler Jiang..."
After a pause, Pei Rang's voice became serious again: "President Ji's dedication to Xiaxin International is evident to everyone in the group. If I were to directly recommend two teams there, it would indeed be easy for people to misunderstand the nature of the matter. But if you, boss, were to take charge, President Ji would definitely integrate the teams into the company very quickly."
"Alright, stop flattering me!" Su Chen laughed and scolded, but there was no blame in his tone. "Your idea is good. Now that Xiaxin International has been separated from the core research institute, there is no need to worry about technology leaks."
"If Xchip International wants to expand rapidly and establish a foothold domestically and even globally, relying solely on cultivating its own talent and poaching employees from major companies is simply too slow. Recruiting these unique and promising small teams is a shortcut! I agree with this in principle, however…"
Hearing his boss nod in agreement, Pei Rang was just about to thank his boss for his trust when there was an unexpected twist at the end, which made his excited heart skip a beat and jump into his throat.
They dared not utter a word, waiting for their boss to say something next.
"You should talk to Ji Wenbo about this beforehand. It would be best if you could sit down and have a proper discussion. After all, as the head of Xiaxin International, the technical team will ultimately be used by him. He has the most say in whether the atmosphere and technical approach of these two teams are in line with Xiaxin International's overall strategy!"
"Furthermore... this kind of thing must not happen again. Your intentions are good, but your first thought was to discuss it with the person in charge of the project, not with me, the boss. Don't forget your identity as the president of Yunmengze Group. Nominally, Xiaxin International is also under your management!"
Upon hearing this, Pei Rang's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, instantly settled down. He quickly assured him, "Yes, boss, I misunderstood this matter. I'll contact Ji Wenbo later."
"Hmm~" Su Chen responded softly, then thought that it was nothing and hung up the phone. He immediately thought of the artificial intelligence industrial park and asked, "By the way, how's the investigation about going back to Shanghai?"
"Before?" Pei Rang was stunned for a moment, not quite understanding at first. Su Chen couldn't help but remind him of the Artificial Intelligence Industrial Park, and he immediately realized what was going on. He hurriedly reported, "Boss, we've investigated and found out. It's the Chen family from Shanghai. They're very discreet. If it weren't for this investigation, I wouldn't have known that the Chen family had such strength. By the way, boss, the current head of the Chen family has already sent a visiting card, wanting to meet you!"
"He said he would personally pay you a visit whenever you return to Shanghai!"
"Oh~" Su Chen became somewhat interested. He naturally knew what kind of background the Chen family Pei Rang was talking about. They were one of the four major families in Shanghai, a true prehistoric behemoth, not as widely known as the "Four Young Masters of Shanghai." They were the kind of people whose existence was best left unsaid.
Only after reaching a sufficiently high level can one be qualified to know even the slightest bit of information about another. As for why Su Chen knew these things, it was all thanks to the popular science that Ye Feng had given him before, which made him aware of which places were truly places where hidden talents resided.
"Okay, I understand!"
Su Chen hadn't expected such a "surprise." How could he refuse a personal visit from the person in charge of the current administration? (End of Chapter)