ABT Chapter 103: A Starkly Different Path

Another week passed before Anning returned to China with the equipment. The equipment was shipped by sea, and with over ten million worth of goods, she couldn't trust leaving them unattended. Therefore, she followed the ship all the way back. For her, who had never been on an ocean liner before, the journey was exhausting.

The moment Li Fanyu saw Anning at the port in Tiancheng, he almost shed tears. After not seeing her for nearly half a month, he noticed that she had lost weight and looked exhausted.

Having been on the ship for so long, her legs felt like they weren't her own anymore. Returning amidst a typhoon made the journey feel like riding a roller coaster. With only male sailors on board, she didn't dare interact too much with them and locked herself in a separate cabin, feeling sick most of the time.

Seeing Li Fanyu coming to pick her up, Anning didn't bother saying anything and just leaned on his shoulder, too tired to speak.

Li Fanyu was prepared to welcome her, but after a few sentences, he realized that Anning had fallen asleep on his shoulder.

He carried her horizontally and, after reaching the car, turned back to hire a truck from the port to transport the equipment that had already gone through customs back to the company.

Under Old Zhang's repeated urging, the main building of the laboratory had already been constructed. Behind the Zhengxin Company, a large steel-structured building stood tall, covering an area of nearly three thousand square meters.

Old Zhang had already contacted the Chinese branch of the equipment sellers, and as soon as the equipment arrived, arrangements were made for its installation and assembly in the laboratory.

Dozens of workers, with five construction vehicles, took a whole day to install all the equipment.

Finally, the laboratory took shape.

Upon entering the gate, there was a light rail visible, designed for transporting large experimental items.

The light rail ran through the entire laboratory, with more than ten separate compartments on either side, each equipped with various testing items such as powertrain reliability test benches, component durability test benches, spray laser diagnostic laboratories, live simulation laboratories, and comprehensive data acquisition equipment.

It could be said that this laboratory, as it stood, was capable of handling all aspects of testing and debugging from engine design to testing and calibration.

Old Zhang couldn't help but feel emotional. It was not easy, really not easy! The first automotive industry laboratory in China to reach international standards. What is hope? This is hope!

Does China have automotive laboratories? Yes, and many of them. If you insist on calling the kind found in universities, which include only a few engine section models and a very simple transmission demonstration machine, a laboratory, does it really help with research and development?

The answer is no.

That kind of laboratory pales in comparison to the one in front of us. Li Fanyu's laboratory, from construction to equipment installation, cost a total of over twenty-five million, not including the land.

The university also has a laboratory, including all the equipment, including the approximately three hundred square meter dilapidated bungalow, which doesn't even come close to this amount.

What is the difference? This is the difference.

Although the equipment had been installed, it had not been debugged, so it was currently in a state where it could only be viewed but not used.

This time, Anning almost used all her resources in Germany, from classmates to mentors, and even the connections she had accumulated at Mercedes-Benz, to ensure that the complete set of equipment was transported back to China without any cuts or deletions.

In Old Zhang's words: a solid foundation ensures future development. With this laboratory, even if there are some deviations in the design direction, they can be corrected.

This is important!

The group of people wandered around the laboratory like bumpkins in the city for quite a while before leaving with a lingering sense of satisfaction.

Old Zhang was a thorough atheist and never went for any feudal superstition. However, when the laboratory was first established, he broke the tradition and bought two strings of firecrackers, which were lit on both sides of the laboratory gate.

With the crackling sound of firecrackers, the laboratory was established. There were only a few people present, and there wasn't even an official name yet.

In the auditorium of Nanhua City's Nanqi Group.

Zhang Yong spoke passionately to the media.

"The Nanqi Automotive Industry Research Center is the first comprehensive automotive laboratory cluster in our country. Its establishment not only breaks the blank in China's research-oriented automotive laboratory field but also represents an important milestone in the rise of the automotive industry in Nanhe City.

As far as we know, not only in China but even across Asia, the Nanqi Automotive Industry Research Center is the largest among similar institutions. Without being modest, it can be called the number one in Asia!

Today, the first phase of the research center has been initially completed. The first-phase projects include EMC laboratories, vehicle test laboratories, material laboratories, metrology centers, and collision safety laboratories, comprising five high-tech experimental units. Covering an area of nearly ten thousand square meters, it has more than 150 types of equipment. The current investment has reached three billion!

Here, I would like to thank Mayor Wang and the municipal party committee leadership team for their strong support to Nanqi Group, and also thank the country for unprecedented favorable policies. As a part of the national automotive industry, Nanqi Group will surely shoulder the banner of independent production and continuously surpass on the road of self-improvement!"

The leaders and several responsible persons of Nanqi Group on the rostrum were all smiling happily, and the reporters below held their recording pens ready.

After the leaders took turns speaking, the reporters stood up and followed them to the newly built Nanqi Automotive Research Center.

The research center had been arranged like a sports arena to create visual impact, with several oversized hydrogen balloons deliberately set up by Nanqi Group. The balloons carried banners over two meters wide and over ten meters high, complemented by colorful flags fluttering in the wind, making the scene quite festive.

As the leaders entered the gate, journalists occasionally picked up their cameras to capture the leaders discussing and gesturing.

Just before entering the research center, a manager named Zhang Fei from Nanqi stopped the reporters.

With a greasy smile, he took out a stack of red envelopes from his briefcase and earnestly handed them out to each journalist.

"Everyone has worked hard. The research center is still in its infancy, and some internal facilities and equipment are not yet perfect. When you're filming later, please focus more on the leaders. We have arranged a special equipment shooting area for you. After it's over, I'll take you to reshoot. Thank you for your understanding. Please don't leave after the event. Our company has arranged everything at the Galaxy Hotel. Let's have a good time together!"

Galaxy Hotel? Oh, you're naughty.

The journalists smiled knowingly and quietly tucked the five hundred yuan bills into their pockets.

For a moment, the atmosphere was harmonious and joyful.


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