mynovelweb Chapter 398 Liang Mengsong's Joining
Chapter 398 Liang Mengsong's Joining
April 18, 2001, 7 PM.
The rain had just stopped, but the sky over Hong Kong was still overcast, with low-hanging clouds. The air was humid and stuffy, like a steam room. Ling Yun got out of the car; the puddles on the ground hadn't dried yet.
The building in front of us is Landmark Plaza, with a dark green glass curtain wall and the Hong Kong regional flag hanging on the flagpole in front of the entrance.
A man in his forties, tall and thin, wearing a dark blue suit, stood in the doorway with neatly combed hair. He saw Ling Yun, strode over, and extended his hand. "Mr. Ling? I'm Chen Zhiming from the headhunting firm. Mr. Liang is already inside."
Ling Yun shook hands with Chen Zhiming and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Chen."
Chen Zhiming said modestly, "It's no trouble at all, it's my duty. I should thank President Ling for supporting our business." As he spoke, he stepped aside and led them inside.
The lobby has white marble floors that gleam like mirrors. Behind the reception desk hangs a huge painting of Victoria Harbour, its colors vibrant.
The elevator reached the 42nd floor, the doors opened, revealing a dark gray carpet in the corridor. Several black and white photographs of old Hong Kong street scenes hung on the walls. Chen Zhiming pushed open a door leading to a small conference room, simply furnished with a round table, a few chairs, and floor-to-ceiling windows. Outside the window was Victoria Harbour, where the sea and sky blended seamlessly into a deep blue, and several ships moved slowly by.
A man sitting at the round table stood up when he saw Ling Yun enter. He was around fifty years old, of medium build, wearing a light blue shirt without a tie, the cuffs buttoned tightly. His face was expressionless, his eyes bright and deep, like still water. He extended his hand, and Ling Yun shook it.
"Mr. Ling, this is Liang Mengsong."
Ling Yun said, "Mr. Liang, please have a seat."
The two people sat down across from each other at the round table.
Ling Yun spoke first, saying, "Mr. Liang, Mr. Chen should have already introduced our situation to you, so I won't repeat it again. I'd like to invite you to join Xinghuo Group, mainly to be responsible for building a chip factory in Hong Kong and overseeing chip manufacturing. You will decide on the equipment, funding, and team. I won't interfere; you'll have the final say. I'll only set the strategy; you'll be responsible for its implementation."
Liang Mengsong said, "Mr. Ling, I worked at TSMC for fifteen years, rising from engineer to head of R&D. The projects I handled ranged from 0.35 micrometers to 0.18 micrometers, from aluminum processes to copper processes, and from logic chips to memory chips. Without me, TSMC's copper process would have been at least two years behind. This isn't me boasting; it's what my industry peers say."
"However, TSMC is not the place where I can realize my ideals. It is heavily bureaucratic. All the credit goes to the leaders, and all the problems are blamed on me. It's the same every year. I don't argue, I don't debate, I don't explain. Arguing is useless, debating is useless, explaining is useless. I've been going around in circles for fifteen years, and I'm still in the same place."
"I still have time, and I want to make a technological breakthrough, so when Mr. Chen came to me and told me about your situation and needs, I agreed. You are a person who does great things. I have seen what you have done in the news and know that your ambitions are huge. You are laying out the entire industry chain. Once your layout is completed, no company will be able to defeat you. The power of integrating the entire computer industry will be absolutely explosive."
Ling Yun shook his head slightly.
Liang Mengsong thought Ling Yun was being modest, implying that the effect wasn't that significant. In reality, Ling Yun was simply suggesting that Liang Mengsong's vision was too narrow; his own plans extended beyond the computer industry, and his supply chain strategy wasn't just for the present.
Liang Mengsong continued, "Last year, I proposed a solution: a 0.1-micron process, copper interconnects, and a low dielectric constant dielectric. If this solution were successful, TSMC could catch up with Intel, surpass UMC, and stand shoulder to shoulder with IBM. The proposal was submitted, but it was ignored. Two months later, it was approved. It was approved, but I wasn't the one to implement it. Someone else took over, a relative of the leadership. He knew nothing, couldn't do anything, all he knew was to hold meetings, write PowerPoint presentations, and report to the leadership. The project was underway for six months with no progress. I wanted to make this project a success in the new factory."
Ling Yun looked at him and said, "Since you've come to Xinghuo, you must abide by Xinghuo's culture. Your achievements are your own, your problems are your own, and your responsibilities are your own. Xinghuo has always had a system of rewards and punishments. Do your job well, and you will be rewarded for outstanding contributions and punished for violations."
Liang Mengsong didn't speak. He lowered his head, looking at his hands. He turned his hand over, looking at his palm. The calluses on his palms were thick and yellowish, from years of holding a mouse and a soldering iron. He clenched his fist, then released it. He looked up.
"Mr. Ling, I have a non-compete agreement. I cannot work for a similar company for one year after leaving TSMC."
Ling Yun asked, "What's the penalty for breach of a non-compete agreement?"
Leung Mong-sung said, "Ten million."
Ling Yun said, "Ten million NT dollars, three million Hong Kong dollars. Not much."
Liang Mengsong looked at him and said, "US dollars, ten million US dollars. But Mr. Ling, I can prove that my value is far more than ten million."
Ling Yun paused for a moment, then he laughed—not at Liang Mengsong, but at himself. He laughed briefly, then stopped. He looked at Liang Mengsong and said, "Ten million US dollars is not a problem. You don't need to prove to me that you're worth ten million US dollars. I'm hiring you to build a business, not to do a job. I believe you can do a good job with this business we share, so I'm hiring you. The money isn't an issue, and I'm not a stingy person. I haven't treated any of my old colleagues who fought alongside me. When I left Xingchen Technology, I gave them a choice. The earliest group of people who followed me, those who left with me, and the rest are now gradually coming to mainland China to join Xinghuo Group."
Liang Mengsong looked at him for about ten seconds, then said, "President Ling, I am willing to work with you to build a career. I want to surpass TSMC and Intel in the chip manufacturing industry."
Ling Yun nodded. "Let's work together."
"Mr. Ling, where is that factory you mentioned planned to be built?"
Ling Yun said, "It will be built in Hong Kong. You decide on the specific location. If Hong Kong is not suitable, other places can be chosen, but I hope to find a suitable place in Hong Kong because if we want to make achievements in semiconductors, we will inevitably be subject to suppression and control by the United States. Hong Kong is a suitable location, as it is a free port and can be protected by the central government."
"You decide whose equipment to buy and what model to get. You also decide which process to take and how to build the team. I won't interfere with these tactical aspects, and I don't have time to manage that much. I'll only set goals for you at the strategic level. And it's not just me setting goals; the group's vice president-level meeting will set the goals, along with a five-year plan."
Liang Mengsong nodded and said, "I'll go back and resign. Please handle the non-compete agreement for me. The penalty for breach of contract will be deducted from my salary. If it can't be deducted in one year, then it will be deducted for two years. If it can't be deducted in two years, then it will be deducted for three years. It will continue until it's paid off."
Ling Yun looked at him and said, "You don't need to worry about the non-compete agreement. The group's legal department will handle it. The penalty for breach of contract is also not a problem. The factory's investment will exceed 200 billion US dollars in total. The stock options you are given will appreciate many times over every year."
"Mr. Ling, when can I start work?"
Lingyun said, "The sooner the better. Go to Taiwan first to resign and complete the formalities. Once the formalities are complete, come to Hong Kong. You'll take the lead on the factory matter. You decide which factory to acquire. After that, you communicate with Sophia, and Icecloud will provide the funding. Money isn't the problem; the problem is the team and equipment. You handle these things. If you really can't solve them, then come to me."
Liang Mengsong nodded.
Ling Yun picked up the water glass on the table, took a sip, and said, "That's settled then. Let's not delay any longer. Go ahead and get busy."
Liang Mengsong walked to the door, placed his hand on the doorknob, and glanced back at Ling Yun. Ling Yun was still standing by the round table, hands in his pockets, looking at him. "Thank you, Mr. Ling, for giving me this opportunity."