The following month was uneventful and bland.
The 24-hour live stream always attracted over a million viewers.
As for Meng Hao, he was like a typical office worker punching in and out on time.
At nine in the morning, he would appear in the live stream room and begin assembling the photolithography machine.
From eleven in the morning to two in the afternoon, it was lunch break.
He officially resumed work at half-past two in the afternoon and clocked out at six sharp.
Oh, and there were weekends too.
This schedule was truly the envy of countless workers stuck in the 996 grind.
As for the four photolithography machines, they were indeed taking shape, much like building LEGO blocks, just as the haters and keyboard warriors had sneered.
Countless parts marked "private enterprise" were taking form as Meng Hao assembled them with the aid of various equipment.
Of course, amidst the monotonous and incredibly boring "building blocks" work, Meng Hao even managed to give away over a hundred red envelopes worth 50,000 yuan each.
A lottery giveaway of five million yuan.
Across the entire internet, not even the former Wang校长 had been as extravagant as Meng Hao.
As the work progressed smoothly, the last photolithography machine was completed within the one-month deadline Meng Hao had promised.
After re-inspecting all four photolithography machines and confirming they were functioning correctly, Meng Hao made a V-sign gesture to the camera.
"Not bad, all four photolithography machines are done!"
"Next up is the sales phase."
"This time, the photolithography machines will be sold through auction. If any of you viewers are interested, please bid enthusiastically!"
After speaking, Meng Hao wiped the sweat from his forehead and his figure disappeared from the live stream room.
The live stream room immediately became lively again.
Meng Hao's remark about "interested viewers bidding enthusiastically" instantly caused a flurry of comments to flood the screen.
"Holy crap, I suspect Hao Ge is messing with us!"
"A Hua Rong Technology Phantom-class mecha costs over a million yuan, which even ordinary well-off families can afford; a Hua Rong Type I mecha costs tens of millions, which some large and medium-sized enterprises with needs, or rich and spoiled brats with too much money, might be able to bite the bullet and buy!"
"Damn, this is a photolithography machine… one that costs hundreds of millions… Hao Ge really thinks highly of us!"
"I feel like, besides those behemoth corporations and the country, no individual could possibly afford this thing!"
"That's not necessarily true, maybe small and medium-sized enterprises have the financial capacity to purchase it… for example, Da Xia Tobacco!"
"Small and medium-sized enterprise Da Xia Tobacco? …Why don't you mention the perpetually losing Three Barrels of Oil then?"
"..."
As the live stream gradually went off-topic and the debate intensified, the news that Meng Hao was putting the photolithography machines up for auction once again surged to the top of major platforms.
...
Hua Wei.
President Ren was handling documents.
A slightly older, extremely steady secretary, who had clearly been with President Ren for many years, hurried over.
"President Ren."
"There's news from Hua Rong Technology!"
Oh?
President Ren immediately put down the pen he was using to review documents.
He looked at the secretary who had hurried in, his eyes full of expectation, waiting intently for the rest of her words.
A little over a month ago, the announcement by the Western Alliance countries, led by the United States, to increase high-end chip prices by 20% had not caused significant disruption to Hua Wei—
Because.
As early as two to three years ago.
The "chokehold" plan targeting Hua Wei had already cut off Hua Wei's import of high-end chips.
This had forced Hua Wei to find extremely low-cost alternatives to barely manage.
However.
As the Western Alliance countries intensified their chokehold efforts.
Those extremely low-cost alternative chip manufacturers had also begun to gradually restrict chip exports.
It could even be said that.
In another month or two.
Hua Wei would face a situation where they would have no chips to use.
For Hua Wei, whose mobile phone business accounted for nearly half of the group's business, a halt in high-end chip supply would lead to a catastrophic decline in operational scale.
Therefore.
President Ren of Hua Wei, more than any other manufacturer in Da Xia, was eager for the emergence of domestically developed high-end chips.
"From the live stream, Meng Hao has completed the repair of four photolithography machines, and they are now fully functional."
"According to the test results, the first batch of wafers etched with 5nm process has a qualification rate exceeding 85%."
"This time, our Da Xia country truly possesses domestically developed photolithography machines."
As a child of Da Xia, that secretary was one of the 1.4 billion people of Da Xia.
Putting aside her position at Hua Wei, she was also genuinely proud of Meng Hao's achievements.
Da Xia.
Finally broke through the blockade and chokehold imposed by Western countries in the field of photolithography.
Finally, it possessed its own domestically produced chips!
"Good."
"Very good."
"Extremely good."
President Ren laughed heartily.
The accumulated frustrations of the past few years were finally swept away.
His wrinkled face truly bloomed like a flower under his hearty laughter.
After a brief moment of joy.
President Ren immediately put down the urgent documents in his hand and pulled out a sheet of paper from the side.
"I will issue a presidential order now."
"No matter how much that kid Meng Hao prices them, we must purchase five to six units!"
"Given Hua Wei's massive demand for chips, at least five photolithography machines will be needed to meet our needs."
Before President Ren could start writing vigorously.
The secretary showed a distressed expression.
"President Ren."
"The demand for five photolithography machines may not be met."
Hm?
President Ren was taken aback.
"Wasn't it said that the photolithography machines were tested and confirmed to be functional?"
"Did something unexpected happen?"
The secretary shook her head and gave a wry smile.
"There were only four photolithography machines successfully repaired and modified this time."
"The raw materials for photolithography machines are extremely expensive and scarce. Hua Rong Technology, under Meng Hao, seemingly only managed to gather enough materials for four machines!"
Indeed.
Photolithography machines, comparable to the most high-end luxury goods.
The vast amount of raw materials used often involved extremely scarce mineral resources… the vast majority of these resources were even controlled by various countries.
Is that so!
President Ren tapped the table with his finger, his brow furrowing again.
"Four photolithography machines, we must secure at least one."
"Do you need me to intervene? I can fly to Shilin personally to negotiate with Meng Hao."
The secretary again gave a wry smile and shook her head.
"The owner of Hua Rong Technology, Meng Hao, seems to be using an online auction for sales!"
"Moreover, given his personality, even if you went to negotiate in person, I'm afraid it wouldn't change his decision."
This point.
President Ren agreed with.
He had heard.
That even the highest-ranking military official, Elder Ouyang, had failed to persuade Meng Hao to join the military. In the end, he could only issue an order that unless Meng Hao committed acts that endangered national security, no individual, group, or organization was to interfere with Meng Hao's decisions.
If even someone like Elder Ouyang couldn't change Meng Hao's mind.
Then his decisions, even if President Ren himself were to visit, it was indeed unlikely to change his thoughts.