Chapter 406: Seeking Praise
Typically, when two companies are in dispute, the "mediators" are usually the investors behind each side.
Take, for example, a famous case in later years between two video streaming platforms, Youku and Tudou. When news of a potential merger first surfaced, both parties publicly denied it: "Impossible. Totally made-up." But soon after, that rumor became reality...
Or the fierce battle between two major ride-hailing apps that Su Yuanshan remembered vividly. To fight for domestic market share, the two sides kept pouring money in like crazy, to the point where they were losing up to 40 million yuan per day at peak intensity… Yet, in the end, both companies merged under the mediation of multiple capital interests.
Of course, FarCore's situation with Intel was quite different. First, there was no chance FarCore could acquire Intel, nor would Intel ever acquire FarCore—even just within the CPU sector, it was impossible. Second, the two companies didn't share any common investors.
But that didn't mean communication was off the table.
Back when the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) was first established, Su Yuanshan had personally visited Andy Grove, and the two had exchanged emails. At the time, FarCore wasn't nearly the force it had become now. Su's biggest title then was as the sole owner of Xinghai.
Now, Xinghai had gone public, and its stock had nearly doubled since its IPO price of just over 80 yuan. Although it had dipped slightly recently due to Intel's new CPU announcement, the fluctuations were normal. After all, Xinghai wasn't just a CPU manufacturer—it had become a young tech giant with operations across multiple domains, particularly in internet infrastructure and increasingly dominant in graphics processing.
Moreover, the two companies shared a mutual "friend"—or rather, partner.
From the beginning of both Xinghai and FarCore's founding, whether out of respect or cautious strategy, Su Yuanshan had never considered Microsoft as a competitor. On the contrary, he had actively pursued cooperation across various sectors like the internet. And both he and Bill Gates shared the identity of "genius programmers," which had fostered a good personal rapport—holiday greetings via email were common between them.
With Microsoft also remaining curiously silent in recent weeks, Su Yuanshan decided it was time to send Mr. Gates an email.
...
One day later.
Director Zhang's office.
To prepare for the upcoming meeting, Director Zhang had cleared his schedule, setting aside two full hours during the workday. Given his close relationship with Su Yuanshan, there was no need for such formality—they could've easily met after hours for a casual chat. But Su had to return soon, and Zhang had a few personal matters, so they agreed to meet during office hours.
Zhang was quite pleased that Su hadn't forgotten to stop by during his trip to Shanghai.
At 2:50 in the afternoon, Su Yuanshan and Wen Xiaoqian appeared right on time.
Seeing that Director Zhang was already waiting in the lounge area, Su quickly stepped forward and extended a hand. "Good to see you, Director Zhang."
Zhang warmly shook his hand, smiling all the while. Then, noticing a different young woman behind Su this time, he paused with a hint of curiosity. After a brief moment of thought, he asked, "Where's Assistant Zhou?"
Normally, this wouldn't be a proper question in a formal setting, but Zhang had more of a mentor-mentee rapport with Su. Besides, he knew Zhou Xiaohui had been with Su for years, and that she held the formal title of board assistant—one of FarCore's founding senior executives. Rumor had it she also handled FarCore's overseas operations remotely. So naturally, she was always by Su's side, even for visits to state officials like Zhang himself.
With Zhou absent, Zhang couldn't help but wonder if she was starting to take on more responsibility now.
"Miss Zhou is currently overseeing administrative affairs at the R&D center and industrial park in the Special Economic Zone. She's very busy. Let me introduce you—this is Wen Xiaoqian. Just call her Xiao Wen," Su said.
Wen, being quite young, bowed politely with hands clasped in front and offered a sweet smile. "Nice to meet you, Director Zhang. Please just call me Xiao Wen."
"Alright, have a seat."
Once Secretary Chen served tea, Director Zhang turned his gaze directly to Su Yuanshan.
Su had only said "let's have a quick chat" over the phone, but Zhang knew this guy was even busier than he was. Clearly, he wouldn't show up just to make small talk.
And even if it was small talk, Zhang was happy to hear it.
Every time he saw Su, he felt a surge of genuine enthusiasm—like a young man again.
"Director Zhang, we completed our tape-out successfully. Had a celebration banquet last night," Su said with a cheerful grin. "Didn't invite you because I figured you'd be busy."
"Haha, well congratulations!" Zhang replied. He'd already heard about the celebration the night before—it had been quite the affair—but FarCore didn't seem eager to publicize it widely.
"Hehe, nothing too impressive. The only problem is… we're not the most advanced," Su admitted. He then gave a high-level summary of Intel's recent moves and the specs of FarCore's newly taped-out CPU, phrased in terms Zhang could understand.
Su knew that while Zhang came from a tech background and had some knowledge of semiconductors, CPUs—especially the specific performance metrics—were beyond his expertise.
When Su explained that, had it not been for Intel, FarCore's CPU would've been the most powerful in the world, Zhang's eyes widened, and he unconsciously licked his lips. He stared at Su and took a deep breath.
He had toured the tech park and the wafer fab several times. He knew FarCore was developing a CPU and that the technology was cutting-edge. But he had never realized just how cutting-edge—world-leading level.
This was the central processor—the brain of a computer!
"So a successful tape-out means it can go into mass production, right?"
"Exactly. And both tape-out and production were done at Deyuan. For commercial reasons, we kept the project confidential until now," Su said with a grin. "And the moment we succeeded, I came straight to see you… hoping for a bit of praise, actually."
Zhang blinked, then quickly understood Su's meaning.
He burst out laughing. "Good! You absolutely deserve praise—and a big one at that! Xiao Chen!"
Zhang wasted no time. He turned to his secretary with bright eyes: "Notify the publicity department. Fire up the media machine—get this on TV and in the papers. Arrange for interviews. That's okay, right?"
Su chuckled and nodded. "Sure, no problem. Interview Dr. Zhang and Gao Xiaodi. One's the fab president, and the other heads the CPU team."
Secretary Chen got up with a smile. "Oh, I know both of them. Met them at the Entrepreneurs' Forum at the end of last year."
"Good. Also, schedule a site visit," Zhang said, eyes gleaming. "I'll personally go and congratulate the team."
Su nodded again.
Director Zhang really knew how to seize the moment.
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Albino1
Chapter 407: FarCore Wants to Be the Third Party
When Su Yuanshan asked Director Zhang for some "praise," it was also, in a sense, a favor to Zhang—giving him a moment of political glory.
FarCore had developed a world-class desktop CPU. While internally the team still felt somewhat disheartened, to the outside world it was a breakthrough from "zero to one."
And not just a breakthrough—it immediately positioned FarCore at the forefront of global technology.
Su Yuanshan saw this very clearly. And so did Director Zhang.
Rather than saying Su was asking for praise, it would be more accurate to say he had delivered a huge political gift—a major achievement that would directly solidify Shanghai's leading position in the domestic semiconductor industry.
This was what being a true "industry leader" looked like...
"Excellent, excellent!" Director Zhang exclaimed twice in a row after Secretary Chen left. He raised his teacup, took a deep gulp, and laughed heartily. "The most advanced wafer fab, combined with the most advanced chip—this is world-leading technology, right?"
"Yes," Su Yuanshan replied, then paused, looking slightly sheepish. "Actually, internally, we try not to use vague phrases like 'world-leading.' We prefer to classify things by generation and mainstream standards."
"For example, most mid-to-low-end fabs today still use 6-inch wafers with 0.8-micron processes. But Deyuan uses 8-inch wafers and 0.5-micron processes—that's currently the most advanced commercial technology. That said, in terms of cutting-edge R&D and reserves, we're still about one to one-and-a-half generations behind foreign countries."
"For instance, 12-inch wafers are already well-developed in foreign labs and are about to enter production. In terms of process nodes, they've already been pushing toward 0.35 and even 0.25 microns..."
Director Zhang nodded. "So basically, we're still behind when it comes to cutting-edge fields that require heavy R&D investment, right?"
"Exactly," Su Yuanshan replied with a grin. "We can't keep relying on importing everything forever—you know the story. The struggles we go through to bring in new technology are comparable to the trials of a pilgrimage. The contracts we've signed feel like national humiliation."
Director Zhang nodded with a smile. "True. Scientific research is crucial. The central government and local administrations like ours have been increasing support for it year by year. But after falling behind for so long, catching up will take time."
"Right. While we're making up for the past, we also need to seize key opportunities for the future," Su said, raising a timely example. "The internet is one such direction. FarCore has already incubated two internet companies that are extremely competitive on a global scale—arguably dominant within their respective fields."
He was referring, of course, to the companies led by Ding Lei and Pony Ma.
After they parted ways, both quickly became darlings of the investment world. Within six months, their respective first-round financing rounds reached a staggering $80 million and $100 million.
And instead of spending that money on raises, BMWs, or luxury villas, they poured it entirely into operations. Today, both companies had set up branches in Silicon Valley, Europe, Japan, and Hong Kong. These weren't just sales offices—they were R&D centers modeled after FarCore, built to attract global talent.
In fact, the two were doing even better than Su had imagined—better than they had done in their "original timelines."
"See? We're not stupid! We were just poor and had no opportunities," Director Zhang said, clearly moved even though he didn't know all the details.
Su Yuanshan sighed. "Exactly… The real challenge is that chances like these are incredibly hard to come by."
"Don't worry, Shanghai will seize its chance," Director Zhang said with a wide grin. "I don't know if I'll live to see the full industrialization you talk about, but during my tenure, I'm going to make sure we get the semiconductor industry off the ground!"
Su paused, then smiled brightly. "Of course you will, Director Zhang! Just keep up with your health checkups, cut back on smoking and drinking, and you'll live to a hundred."
...
They also discussed inviting experts to Shanghai for an official inspection. Technically speaking, with FarCore's current scale, it could handle everything on its own. But Su Yuanshan still wanted Director Zhang to get involved—partly to "offer a favor" that would elevate Shanghai as the undisputed leader in semiconductors, surpassing the so-called "Chip City." And partly because, given the CPU's uncertain status overseas, domestic publicity was essential.
Even if Intel didn't cause trouble, it would still be extremely difficult for Chinese companies to enter the high-end global market, especially in Europe and the U.S. That was simply the reality of international bias and outdated perceptions.
FarCore's own experience with its smartphones—despite the combined efforts of Chen Jing, Wang Rui, and Duan Yongping—still faced hurdles in global expansion. It all came down to global prejudice and lagging recognition of Chinese tech.
That said, Southeast Asia was much more receptive. Thanks to its success with VCDs, FarCore had long begun to build influence in the region. On top of that, their partnerships with regional telecom companies ensured that phones from Zhongxin and Vidoo were selling well there.
Just the night before, a comment from Zhang Rujin had stuck with Su Yuanshan. He said that if the new CPU had potential patent issues, it would be best not to wait for Intel—just launch it first with full fanfare.
So, after leaving Director Zhang's office, Su Yuanshan immediately boarded a late flight and rushed back to the Special Economic Zone overnight.
The moment he returned to his dorm, he turned on his computer and opened his email.
Even if he did follow Zhang Rujin's advice and planned to launch the CPU on September 10—Teachers' Day—he still needed to reach out to some key parties first.
For example, Microsoft.
The continued delay in Windows 95's release had made him wary.
Even if Wintel planned a grand, synchronized launch, Su Yuanshan wanted to wedge himself in between them.
In plain terms, FarCore wanted to be the third wheel.
And Su Yuanshan had long dreamed of becoming the third party between Microsoft and Intel.
After writing and sending the email, he went to shower. When he came back, he saw a new reply waiting in his inbox.
"Su, good evening."
"It's been a while. And your first email in six months is asking about the release date for our OS… Honestly, I can't answer that. And I strongly suspect you're trying to use me."
Seeing that Mr. Gates had firmly refused to disclose Windows 95's launch date—and was cheekily calling him out—Su laughed aloud. He checked the time on the email and realized Gates was probably still at his desk.
So he sent another reply:
"Would I be honored enough to take part in your launch event?"
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Albino1
Chapter 408: Back to Silicon Valley
It had been a long time since Su Yuanshan had gone abroad. On one hand, he had been extremely busy; on the other, due to some early "gray area" dealings between FarCore and Xinghai, he had admittedly felt a bit apprehensive.
Now, both tech companies had matured. Their various technical collaborations and exchanges were fully on track, and FarCore had gained recognition from its peers as a company with true innovation and breakthrough capabilities. In other words, Su Yuanshan now had much more confidence.
To formally join the x86 camp—and to "visit old friends"—it was time to return to Silicon Valley.
…
Watching his inbox remain empty, Su Yuanshan knew that Mr. Gates was probably grappling with a difficult decision.
To outsiders, Gates was a genius programmer, the founder of Microsoft, and now the world's richest man. But very few stopped to consider—how could someone become the world's richest by merely being a technical genius?
Just last month, Forbes released its latest rich list: Bill Gates topped it with a personal fortune of $13 billion.
Upon seeing the ranking, Su Yuanshan couldn't help but do some mental math, then smugly concluded that Gates wasn't actually richer than him—it was only because he'd let Gates take that top spot.
In fact, this year, Fortune magazine had already begun to include wealthy individuals from mainland China—a significant and positive signal. It suggested that, in the process of opening up, China had begun to allow some people to get rich first. On a deeper level, it marked a shift in a country that once practiced strict economic collectivism—it was now allowing private wealth accumulation.
That signal mattered—a lot, especially internationally.
Unlike some domestic companies that craved fame to boost their influence, Su Yuanshan didn't care much about rankings. Besides, under the FarCore umbrella, only the EDA company was preparing to go public in Hong Kong by the end of the year; the others hadn't even made a move yet, so wealth calculations were difficult. Only Su Yuanshan and his brother-in-law Zhang Ke could have their net worths estimated, due to their holdings in Xinghai.
Though… both had paid under the table to stay off the list.
Gates couldn't quite figure out why, after months of silence, Su Yuanshan suddenly wanted to "stand beside him" at the launch. But he knew full well what Su's presence at Microsoft's press conference would mean.
FarCore and Xinghai were Su Yuanshan's creations, and this young man had made more waves than Gates himself had in his early days—an opinion widely held across Silicon Valley.
And Xinghai was now going head-to-head with Intel in the CPU space.
Silicon Valley's tech world was a gossip mill. Back when Sanders showed up at IBM in red pants for a meeting, the whole story spread through the Valley in a day and became legendary small talk.
As Microsoft's head, Gates naturally wanted as many x86-compatible platforms supporting Windows as possible. The fiercer the competition, the better. But as Intel's ally… he still needed to give Andy Grove some face.
For example, Intel's Andy Grove had already been invited to the Windows 95 press conference.
…
Su Yuanshan wasn't in a rush. He made himself a cup of coffee and began casually browsing the news.
He had to admit, Ding Lei was doing quite well. His portal site already resembled a real platform. After six months of development and three months of testing, the community features were now live. Users could log in, play mini-games, grow virtual flowers, fish, and more, with levels and titles to earn.
It was basically a browser-based farming simulation game.
Of course, Su didn't have time to play games—he just observed it with a critical eye. Most of his attention was on the search engine functionality.
At the University of Pennsylvania, Ye Rudai had officially registered a search engine startup called Find, buying the domain from a speculator. In addition to building its own search portal, the company was also offering backend search services and technology to other websites.
Starting off by renting Xinghai's servers, she had quickly transitioned to independent operations. In just half a year, she was thriving—and who knew how many engineers she'd poached?
"Not bad," Su murmured after testing a few keywords. Apart from the crawler speed needing improvement, the search results were accurate and clean—very much in line with her style.
Just then, his email client pinged with a new message.
"An honor. The event is scheduled for September 5th. You're welcome to attend."
Staring at the message, Su Yuanshan exhaled deeply, a small, satisfied smile forming.
He wondered what kind of inner struggle Mr. Gates had gone through to reach that decision—maybe even held a board meeting about it...
But in the end, no matter how it came about, Su Yuanshan's face had to be given some credit.
…
On September 2nd, Su Yuanshan and Zhou Xiaohui flew directly from Hong Kong to California.
As they landed, Su spotted Yang Yiwen and Ye Rudai waiting at the gate.
"Sister-in-law," Su greeted Yang Yiwen first, extending a hand to shake.
Yang Yiwen shot a quick glance at Ye Rudai and stifled the urge to tease—normally, Su would go in for a hug. But seeing Ye Rudai standing beside them, he seemed to hold back this time.
"Yezi," Su called her name, slightly hesitant.
A handshake felt too formal. A hug—well, not in front of Yang Yiwen and Zhou Xiaohui.
So he cleared his throat and said, "Nice work."
Ye Rudai smiled. "So do I get to thank you for the compliment?"
"Let's go already! We're all old friends—cut the pleasantries," Yang Yiwen laughed, smacking him playfully and grabbing his suitcase. She and Zhou Xiaohui immediately started chatting.
In the car, Su sat in the front passenger seat while Ye Rudai and Zhou Xiaohui chatted in the back. Yang Yiwen occasionally turned around to join the conversation, leaving Su to quietly enjoy the scenery.
Before long, they arrived in Silicon Valley, where Karina and her executive team were already waiting at the entrance.
…
After a brief stay in the reception room, Yang Yiwen took Zhou Xiaohui and Ye Rudai off for a "tour," while Su Yuanshan followed Karina into her CEO office.
"Boss, long time no see."
Karina sat on the couch, smiling warmly with a touch of nostalgia.
She couldn't help but recall Su's words at that Fields Café three years ago—"We'll go public in three years."
And they had done it. Brilliantly.
"Yeah, long time," Su echoed, feeling a bit sentimental. Since Karina's visit to China last year, they hadn't seen each other in person.
Of course, that didn't mean they hadn't communicated. They still exchanged emails weekly.
"You're here this time for FarCore's CPU licensing, right?"
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Albino1
Chapter 409: Facing the Meeting Alone
Because of commercial confidentiality—and the fact that the two companies were fundamentally different systems—after their first phase of collaboration ended, Karina wasn't fully updated on FarCore's CPU progress. Su Yuanshan also hadn't mentioned much about it in emails.
She only knew that FarCore's CPU had successfully taped out. And she also knew it involved x86 instruction set patents.
While Xinghai had licensed all CPU technologies to FarCore—and vice versa—Karina, having been deeply involved in the earlier legal battles with Intel, understood very well that under their settlement agreement, Xinghai's x86 licensing rights were strictly limited. Simply put, Xinghai's license was non-transferable.
Meaning Intel could come after FarCore at any moment.
"Yes," Su Yuanshan answered firmly, without hesitation. "By the way, did Microsoft invite you too?"
"They didn't at first. But after they invited you, they invited me too," Karina said with a playful smile. "Our billionaire friend's attitude is very ambiguous. We can't figure out what he's thinking. Do you know what he's thinking?"
"I don't either. But I'll go ask," Su Yuanshan chuckled. "Face-to-face."
Karina blinked, then burst into laughter. "Perfect. You're the ideal person to do it."
Indeed, Su Yuanshan was the ideal choice.
He and Gates had a personal relationship, and although it was well-known that he was the ultimate boss behind Xinghai and FarCore, he didn't hold any official executive position at Xinghai and was just a "lowly" assistant to the chairman at FarCore.
On paper, nobody could accuse him of anything inappropriate.
"But since they only invited me after inviting you… it makes me suspect that Gates has decided to just let things run their course. After all, we're all big names now. Even if we meet face-to-face, it's not like we'll start a fistfight. Speaking of which, have you seen Andy lately?" Karina asked.
"Yeah, chatted briefly with him at the last semiconductor conference," Su Yuanshan said. "Everyone agrees—competition is a good thing."
That might sound absurd to some, but Su Yuanshan believed it.
He truly thought competition was essential to prevent a company from becoming lazy and stagnant. Competition was the source of innovation and drive.
Of course, that was under one condition: the existing competition system must be maintained.
Meaning, once previous disputes were settled, moving forward, companies would battle it out fairly in the market.
Who won or lost didn't matter yet—but the pie was only so big. Newcomers trying to enter? Forget it.
This had always been Intel's attitude toward AMD, Cyrix, and others.
If Su Yuanshan were in their shoes, he'd think the same way. If he had the ability, he'd eliminate any rival before they even had the chance to grow.
If he couldn't eliminate them—then it was open competition.
That's why, when the number one and number two companies fought, often the third, fourth, and fifth players would get crushed or scared away.
"Well, if Andy says competition is good, then I'll ask him for a ticket to the club too," Su Yuanshan said with a grin.
Karina just shrugged, showing she couldn't help much there.
They then moved on to discussing Xinghai's future development plans. The moment the conversation turned to business, Karina's demeanor shifted—serious and efficient. She handed Su Yuanshan a stack of recent meeting summaries and long-term strategic plans.
"We've decided to continue investing heavily into internet technologies. Based on market research, investors are most optimistic about Xinghai's future because of its internet strategy," Karina explained.
As he skimmed through the documents, Su asked, "Haven't investors noticed that the internet boom is getting a bit overheated? It's one thing for retail investors to gamble on stock volatility, but even institutional investors think this way?"
"Institutions naturally have risk assessment mechanisms. They agree the internet bubble is inflating, but they also believe the semiconductor industry's momentum, the proliferation of personal computers, and the development of internet infrastructure and applications will keep the bubble growing for quite some time. Even if it's a bubble, it won't burst easily."
Karina chuckled. "Besides, who knows? Maybe the internet's potential is so vast that no amount of hype can pop it."
"That's not impossible," Su Yuanshan mused, pointing at one page of the report. "Still, this document makes a good point—Xinghai's strength lies in foundational internet technologies. So even if some flashy websites collapse, we'll stay solid."
Karina nodded firmly. "Exactly. Our main strategy will be to focus on developing core internet technologies."
Su made a small sound of agreement, then looked at her again. "What about semiconductors?"
"We'll continue that too. In fact, I'm considering spinning off the CPU and GPU departments into separate subsidiaries, with an eye toward independent IPOs in the future."
Su Yuanshan looked at her in surprise.
He had known for some time that Karina was ambitious—and as Xinghai grew stronger, her ambitions had only expanded. She even dreamed of turning Xinghai into the next IBM.
But now, she was seriously planning to spin off the semiconductor divisions?
"Why?" Su asked.
"I've thought it through," Karina said calmly. "Those two departments are too specialized. Staying inside Xinghai isn't optimal for their growth. Spinning them off would allow them to focus solely on their core technologies—and on the market."
She paused, then asked him in return, "Isn't that exactly what you're doing with FarCore?"
Su Yuanshan pursed his lips, considering for a few seconds before nodding slowly.
"In terms of growth and technical breakthroughs, it does make sense. So… you're betting Xinghai's future mainly on the internet?"
"On internet infrastructure and mobile communications," Karina clarified, her eyes shining with determination. "Isn't that what you predicted?"
"…"
Su Yuanshan smiled and shook his head.
He had to admit, Karina wasn't shy about tipping her hand to him.
And she wasn't wrong. These two sectors were the future. From a capital perspective, they could even surpass CPUs and GPUs.
"Alright, I support you. Plus, with gaming and application markets booming, GPUs will only become more important. After spinning them off, make sure to control every share carefully."
"Of course."
"Good. I'm going to rest a bit now. I've got an appointment with Mr. Gates tonight."
They left the office together, and in the reception hall, Su Yuanshan also briefly met with Chen Haomin and Tang Wenjie.
Afterward, he drove with his mentor and sister-in-law to the villa to rest.
As he had told Karina earlier—since he couldn't figure out Gates' true thoughts, it was best to just ask him directly.
Su Yuanshan planned to face the meeting alone—sword drawn.
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Albino1
Chapter 410: Making the World a Bit Better
After two years away, returning to the familiar little villa filled Su Yuanshan with emotion.
Back then, he had bought the place casually—just a place to serve as a dorm. But unexpectedly, the residents had developed deep feelings for it. Even now, despite being able to afford homes anywhere in the world, those early team members still lived here.
Of course, work had gotten increasingly busy, and with it came the need to work from home. So the group had agreed to expand the second floor—leaving the garage below and building a large sunroom above to serve as an office. They also preserved Su Yuanshan and Xi Xiaoding's original rooms, along with a dedicated guest room.
"Senior brother, you guys still live here even after buying new homes?"
Actually, even before Xinghai went public, Qin Si and Yang Yiwen had purchased a vacation home along the coast in Irvine. After the IPO, they also invested in property along the famously luxurious 17-Mile Drive.
Partly for vacations. Partly as an investment.
"It's just more convenient here…" Tang Wenjie wrapped an arm around Su Yuanshan's shoulder. With his broad, muscular frame, he looked more like a fitness trainer than a soon-to-be PhD in electronic engineering. "It's like a real-life Friends here."
"Haha, now that you say it, it does feel a bit like that." Su grinned as he made his way to what had once been his room.
But before he could enter, Ye Rudai coughed softly behind him. "That's… my room now."
"Huh?" Su turned around, surprised, just in time to see her blush a little. Yang Yiwen burst out laughing, hugging her as she said, "Serves you right for not visiting for two years. Daier's been spending more time in Silicon Valley lately, so we fixed it up for her to stay in."
"Oh man…" Su scratched his head. "Then where do I sleep?"
"Xi Xiaoding's old room. Xiaohui will take the guest room. Sound good?"
"…Fine."
…
After his shower, Su Yuanshan wanted to chat with Ye Rudai, but she and the other women were engrossed in conversation, completely ignoring him…
"Good thing I still have senior brother." Su leaned against the headboard, set an alarm, and grinned at Tang Wenjie. "Chat with me for ten minutes?"
"You little…" Tang smiled helplessly but still plopped down at the edge of the bed. "You've been up for almost twenty-four hours, and you still can't sleep?"
"Yeah, I'll sleep for exactly three hours. Any more or less and I'll be too groggy." Su checked the time—2:50 p.m. His meeting with Gates was at 7:00 p.m.
"Then get some sleep. I've got a lot I want to talk to you about, but how can I when you're like this?"
"It's fine. Just talk—I'll listen." Su closed his eyes halfway.
"All right… You said so." Tang began explaining the fabrication process ideas related to FinFETs.
Thanks to Xinghai and FarCore, his research partner was now Texas Instruments. The concept for FinFETs had come from Su Yuanshan; Tang Wenjie had completed the theoretical design and validation. All that remained was experimental implementation.
But experimental implementation meant fabrication—a level of complexity far beyond the small academic team Tang and his advisor had.
So when Su met with Vincente earlier that year, he arranged for Tang to collaborate directly with TI.
This had actually deviated from Su's original plan. He had intended for his senior brother to return to the mainland and spearhead the project there. But thinking it through, waiting that long might kill the momentum—and it felt unfair to Tang.
After all, he was family, not a tool. Su had to consider Tang's future and standing too.
Of course, Su still had a backup plan. Once Tang completed his dissertation, he would join FarCore's Silicon Valley R&D center—specifically Lin Benjian's optics team. Through FarCore, the collaboration would be formalized. That way, the tech would end up with FarCore, and Tang's future would remain bright.
As for whether returning to China would bring complications later on… well, that wasn't Su's concern for now.
In fact, Su was beginning to think it might be better for Tang and Yiwen to just stay in the U.S.
As Tang explained the technical details, Su's eyelids grew heavier and heavier until his breathing slowed and he drifted into sleep.
Tang chuckled softly and got up carefully, shaking his head as he closed the door behind him.
He grinned at Yang Yiwen and muttered, "Just like a kid—needs someone to lull him to sleep."
Yang glared at him. "That just means your explanation skills suck. You bored him to sleep."
"Nonsense…" Tang started to argue, but Yiwen gave him a look. When he saw Ye Rudai giggling nearby, he instantly got the hint—best not to joke about Su in front of her.
But really, it wasn't Tang's fault. He and the other senior brothers had watched Su grow up from an eleven-year-old kid who fought for computer time in the lab. Genius or not, age doesn't change that memory.
"Qin Si will be here soon. You go pick her up—and grab groceries on the way."
"Got it." Tang turned to Ye Rudai and Zhou Xiaohui. "Anything you two want to eat?"
…
Fields Café.
Mr. Gates watched Su Yuanshan stuff snacks into his mouth, mildly speechless.
"Sorry… I'm starving," Su said with a sheepish grin, swallowing a piece of doughnut. "I barely ate on the plane. Our chef's flight was delayed, so she only got back as I was leaving. I've basically missed two meals."
"Shall we go to a proper restaurant?" Gates offered with a smile.
"Nah. I'm saving room for spicy fish hotpot back home—you're warmly invited, by the way. Qin Si's cooking is legendary, and hard to come by."
Gates paused, immediately realizing who Su meant. "Miss Qin Si?"
"That's right." Su took a sip of coffee, smiling.
"I'm also here to announce that Xinghai Holdings will soon transition into Xinghai Foundation, opening to a small circle of partners."
"Hmm… So currently, Xinghai Holdings oversees Xinghai Trade in HK, Xinghai Tech in Silicon Valley, and Xinghai Investments." Su gave him a playful wink. "Interested in buying in? Let's make the world a bit better together."
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Albino1