Outside the gate of the Longxin Semiconductor factory, the scene was bustling.
Journalists from seven or eight media outlets had their interview vehicles parked at the entrance, with cameras and microphones all aimed squarely at the tightly closed factory gate.
A few men dressed in suits, looking like officials, were arguing with the head of the security team.
"Is Longxin factory really about to start trial production?"
"Rumor has it that Longxin’s goal is to surpass international advanced levels. Is that true?"
"Longxin..."
"I’m from the Lucheng District Committee. I want to inspect the project progress. Why won’t you let me in?"
"..."
The head of the security team was a young man in his twenties, wearing the black uniform of a core member of the Wanlong Society. He stood expressionless in front of the electric gate, with over a dozen young security guards in Longxin uniforms lined up behind him.
As soon as news of Longxin’s trial production spread, these reporters and some local officials flocked over like cats catching a whiff of fish.
However, Liu Yutong had already made it clear that she didn’t want pointless interviews and inspections to waste CEO Qiu’s and the engineers’ time, so she had issued strict orders.
No outsiders were allowed in without prior notice. Even Uncle Li had to check in advance.
To enforce these requirements strictly, the security team recruited mostly young former military personnel, and the team leader was a core member of the Wanlong Society. Only this way could orders be carried out without hesitation.
Otherwise, an ordinary security guard might buckle under pressure when faced with local officials.
"I’m sorry. Without an appointment, no one is allowed in."
The security team leader repeated expressionlessly, "Longxin is in the middle of key technical debugging. All visits and interviews are declined. This is a direct order from our Miss. Please leave, everyone."
"Miss? Are you talking about your Longxin Chairwoman Liu? What does a young girl like her know?"
A middle-aged leader with a beer belly grew angry: "This is a standard inspection process. We’re inspecting an enterprise in our district, and a mere security guard dares to stop us?"
The security team leader remained unmoved: "I’ll say it one last time. Without an appointment, no one gets in!"
Just then, a black Mercedes drove up to the factory gate.
The window rolled down, and Zeng Jin poked his head out. Seeing the crowd at the gate, he couldn’t help exclaiming, "Whoa! So many media and officials. Did something major happen at Longxin?"
He then signaled to Liang Mengsong, got out of the car to investigate, and learned that Longxin was starting trial production today, hence the swarm of reporters and leaders.
That wasn’t surprising—chip manufacturing was a key industry in China, and trial production at a new chip factory carried great significance, naturally attracting many curious visitors.
But to his surprise, even these people, including the officials, couldn’t get past the gate.
Without dwelling on it, he walked to the front of the crowd and handed his business card to the security team leader: "Please inform them that Zeng Jin from Taiwan’s Zeng Group has come as invited by Chairwoman Liu."
The security guard took the card, glanced at it, and spoke more politely: "Mr. Zeng, please wait. I need to verify this."
"I understand, I understand." Zeng Jin smiled and nodded.
Liang Mengsong didn’t stay in the car long either and got out shortly after.
He was in his early fifties, with jet-black hair, looking quite spirited.
Once out of the car, he looked around at the so-called Longxin factory, his eyes filled with curiosity and surprise.
"General Manager Zeng, this factory looks quite large," he said.
Zeng Jin nodded: "What’s built now is probably less than a third of the total plan. Over there, large areas are still under construction. Once it’s all complete, it should be a super-factory that ranks on the international list."
Liang Mengsong was noncommittal about this. Unlike Zeng Jin, an outsider, he wasn’t so optimistic about Longxin.
Whether it could become an international giant was one thing, but whether this newly established Longxin could withstand foreign sanctions down the line was another question entirely.
But it was still too early to discuss that now.
Zeng Jin continued, "Engineer Liang, let me give you some insider info. Longxin’s chairwoman is no ordinary person. Her influence in mainland China might be beyond your imagination. If you work for a boss like this, I guarantee you won’t regret it."
Although his words were somewhat exaggerated to praise Liu Yutong, part of it came from genuine belief.
Since Liu Yutong was already so formidable overseas, she couldn’t be bad in China, right?
His eagerness to visit was actually to get a deeper understanding of the Wanlong Society’s power.
Once he had a rough idea, he could decide which industries it was best for the Zeng family to expand into mainland China.
Liang Mengsong adjusted his glasses and said nothing.
He had agreed to come to mainland China for two reasons. First, the terms Zeng Jin offered were indeed generous—triple his salary, unlimited R&D funding, and a promise to help resolve his non-compete agreement with TSMC.
Second, he was indeed unhappy at TSMC. Originally, he had planned to try his luck at Samsung in South Korea, but he couldn’t resist Zeng Jin’s repeated invitations. To force him to come to the mainland, this guy even shamelessly hinted that the Zeng family used to be involved in organized crime.
Vaguely, the message was: either come with me, or I’ll take your family with me.
Having no other choice, Liang Mengsong agreed to come to the mainland. But now that he was actually here, he was still uneasy.
Besides Zhongxin, what other decent chip companies existed in mainland China?
He’d never even heard of this Longxin before.
Still, since he was already here, he thought he’d just take a casual look, go through the motions, and maybe tell this yet-unmet chairwoman about the situation in the hopes she’d stop Zeng Jin from bothering him.
Zeng Jin had told him earlier that this Chairwoman Liu was a young girl, with a clean background and a very legitimate company.
Surely she’d be easier to talk to than General Manager Zeng, right?
As he was thinking this, footsteps sounded from inside the factory gate.
Everyone turned to look.
Liu Yutong strode over in large steps, flanked by her assistant and several Wanlong Society bodyguards.
She wasn’t wearing a suit today—just a simple white shirt paired with black trousers, her long hair tied in a high ponytail. She looked less sharp and more fresh and capable.
"Chairwoman Liu is out!"
"Hurry! Get ready for the interview!"
"..."
The reporters stirred into action instantly.
The local officials also put on smiling faces and moved forward to greet her.
Liang Mengsong finally got a clear look at this alarmingly young chairwoman, and inwardly he was astonished.
Even though he had mentally prepared himself, seeing a twenty-year-old woman in charge of such a massive enterprise still felt hard to believe.
Even more admirable was the fact that someone so young had chosen to invest in the chip industry, which burned through money like water and had a long return cycle. Such a choice was extremely rare among young people today.
"Chairwoman Liu, I’m from the High-Tech Zone Management Committee. Can I trouble you for a few minutes to discuss cooperation?"
"Chairwoman Liu! We’re from the Science and Technology Bureau. We’ve come specially for an inspection..."
"Chairwoman Liu, I’m from the District Government..."
"..."
The officials gathered around, each introducing themselves.
Liu Yutong frowned, a hint of impatience flashing in her eyes.
"Step aside, please."
"Longxin factory will release information about trial production at an appropriate time through official channels. We are not accepting interviews at the moment. Leave immediately and do not disrupt the factory’s normal operations."
Then, she turned to those officials: "We appreciate the goodwill from all of you, but this is a critical trial production phase, and the factory needs a quiet environment. If there are cooperation needs in the future, we will proactively contact the relevant departments. For now, please return as well."
The smile on the potbellied official's face froze, clearly not expecting Liu Yutong to be so dismissive.
"Chairman Liu, this is non-cooperation with government work!"
Liu Yutong looked at him. "Cooperation? Do you have an official approval from Director Li of the provincial level? Or any formal correspondence from the relevant authorities? If not, please leave! The DragonCore project is a national key priority, not a tourist attraction!"
"You!" The minor official's face flushed bright red.
Liu Yutong simply waved at the head of the security team. "Escort unrelated personnel out."
"Yes, Miss!"
The security chief immediately led a group of guards, forcibly driving the reporters and those local officials away from the factory gate.
Zeng Jin stood to the side, watching in shock.
He had known Liu Yutong was assertive, but he never imagined she would be this assertive—even daring to expel local officials. In the province of Taiwan, businessmen treated officials with extreme deference, never acting like this!
After dealing with the trouble outside, Liu Yutong walked over to Zeng Jin and the others.
When she saw Liang Mengsong, a smile immediately spread across her face, and she extended her hand. "Engineer Liang, you must have had a tiring journey! Please, come in!"
The speed of her change in expression left everyone present stunned.
Those officials were particularly furious.
Why were these two outsiders treated politely and invited in, while they, the local officials, were rudely kept out?
The more they thought about it, the angrier they grew.
"How dare she treat us like this!"
"I'm going back to file a report right now—environmental review for DragonCore, tax inspections... let's see how long she can keep up this bravado!"
A young, bespectacled official chimed in indignantly.
"Outrageous! We came on behalf of the government to care about corporate development, and this is her attitude? We must deal with this severely!"
"Exactly! She needs to be taught a lesson, so she won't be so arrogant!"
The group cursed loudly.
Then, a middle-aged official who had remained mostly silent at the back tugged at the potbellied man's sleeve.
"Old Liu, calm down. Have you forgotten what background this Chairman Liu has? I've heard that Leader Li at the provincial level has a relationship so close with her, they might as well be family."
"Leader Li? Which Leader Li?"
"Which one? The top leader in our region. I heard he even brought this young lady's materials to meetings in the capital, citing her as a model young entrepreneur and emphasizing that she needs focused support and care."
The potbellied official's anger instantly vanished.
The others, who had just been so vocal, also fell silent, exchanging glances.
"Ahem..."
The potbellied man coughed and abruptly put on a serious expression. "Actually... when you think about it, Chairman Liu's approach is perfectly understandable. The chip industry is high technology, and trial production requires absolute quiet. It's indeed unsuitable for too many visitors."
The others immediately nodded in agreement.
"Exactly, exactly! We were inconsiderate and too presumptuous. We should have made an appointment—that's basic courtesy!"
"Chairman Liu, so young and already taking on such a big role, must have exceptional qualities. We should support great entrepreneurs like her, not cause trouble!"
"Right, right! Let's go, let's go, no need to interfere with their work here..."
As they spoke, they hurried toward their cars and disappeared within moments.
The reporters who had remained nearby witnessed this and looked at one another in bewilderment.
"What just happened? Why did they leave all of a sudden?"
"No idea—quick change of heart than turning a page."
A savvy reporter whispered to a colleague, "I've heard this DragonCore project is deeply connected. That Chairman Liu seems to be... well, let's just say some things are better left unasked. Let's pack up and leave."
Inside the factory.
Seeing that Liu Yutong was not taking them to see the production line but heading in another direction, Liang Mengsong asked with some confusion, "Aren't we going to the production line first?"
Liu Yutong turned to him with a smile. "Engineer Liang, let's go to the cafeteria for a meal first, rest a bit, and then tour the production line. Although DragonCore is just starting out, I can assure you that when it comes to employee benefits, we won't fall short of any major international corporation."
Liang Mengsong nodded and said nothing more.
He secretly wanted to go straight to the production line, but as a guest, he would follow their arrangements.
When they stepped through the cafeteria doors, they were stunned.
This... was this really a factory canteen?
The cafeteria was decorated like a five-star hotel, with crystal chandeliers and marble floors—extremely luxurious and beautifully appointed.
What was most impressive was the food station: a thirty-meter-long buffet table laid out with an array of dishes—lobster, king crab, wagyu, foie gras, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, roast duck... everything from Chinese and international cuisines, even the signature dish from Yufang Restaurant—small fish pancakes.
"This... Chairman Liu, are you sure this is the employee cafeteria?" Zeng Jin's eyes widened. Giving employees such high-quality meals—wasn't this overly extravagant?
At that moment, employees carried trays as they moved around; someone had a whole lobster with noodles on their plate, another was cutting into a sizzling steak, while a group of young people sat around a table with steaming small fish pancakes and various seafood.
Frankly speaking, this meal standard was far more luxurious than many well-known large companies.
Liu Yutong smiled. "Engineers at DragonCore work very hard, so the least we can do is supplement them with good food. Our restaurant is fully self-service; take whatever you like. The kitchen has over 20 chefs from starred hotels, capable of preparing both Chinese and Western cuisine. If there's something special you crave, you can tell the cafeteria manager in advance, and as long as conditions allow, we'll try our best to accommodate."
Liang Mengsong watched the relaxed engineers happily eating and had to admit that the food here was far better than what he had experienced at Taiwan Semiconductor.
The sight even made his stomach growl faintly.
"Engineer Liang, President Zeng, help yourselves. I reserved a private room, but I think dining in the main hall has a better atmosphere." Liu Yutong personally handed them two trays.
Liang Mengsong took the tray, a bit dazed, and walked to the food station.
He picked two salmon sushi rolls, a serving of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, and a portion of pan-seared foie gras...
By the time he sat down, his tray was full.
Also in front of them was inevitably a pot of small fish pancakes.
"Engineer Liang, this small fish pancake is the signature dish of my restaurant chain. I'm not sure if it will suit your taste."
Liang Mengsong tried these for the first time. He picked up a small fish and put it into his mouth—the tender fish meat burst with flavor, unexpectedly delicious.
"How is it?" Liu Yutong asked.
"Very good," Liang Mengsong answered honestly. He picked up another fish and a piece of griddle cake and began to eat with gusto.
Just as he was eating with relish, a middle-aged man in work clothes hurried into the cafeteria.
“Engineer Qiu!”
“Director Qiu!” some engineers greeted the newcomer.
“Everyone, enjoy your meal!” Qiu Ciyun greeted them cheerfully as well.
Then he briskly walked over to Liu Yutong’s table.
“Chairman, why didn’t you inform me when Engineer Liang arrived?” It was clear he knew Liang Mengsong.
The semiconductor industry was a small circle; top technical talents mostly knew each other, or at least had heard of one another.
“I thought you’d come to the cafeteria first and was about to tell you,” Liu Yutong said with a smile.
Liang Mengsong stood up at that moment and extended his hand: “Engineer Qiu, I’ve long admired you.”
Qiu Ciyun grasped Liang Mengsong’s hand tightly and shook it vigorously: “Engineer Liang, I really didn’t expect Chairman Liu to recruit you. This is fantastic! Fantastic! With you here, we have hope for quickly breaking through the 65-nanometer process and then the 45-nanometer!”
Liang Mengsong felt a bit overwhelmed by his enthusiasm: “Director Qiu, you’re too kind. I haven’t decided yet…”
“Decide? What’s there to decide!”
Qiu Ciyun waved his hand grandly: “Once you’re here, you won’t leave… I mean, don’t go. We’ve got everything you need here. R&D funding is more than enough! Whatever equipment you need, as long as it’s not banned, the chairman can get it for you!”
“By the way, has your family come? Should we bring them over as well? Our chairman’s hometown, Pearl City, has a particularly great environment! It’s also extremely safe! Very livable! I guarantee that once you and your family visit, you’ll never want to leave.”
“Am I right, Chairman?” he said, turning to Liu Yutong.
Liu Yutong nodded: “I’ll do my best to meet whatever you need.”
But as Liang Mengsong listened to their exchange, he felt a strange unease creep up on him. How come it sounded like he’d stumbled into a den of thieves? And he couldn’t leave?
