Chapter 131: The Words "Fear Before the Fight" Do Not Exist in My Dictionary

After a long discussion in the conference room, the heavyweights, including Huang Zhigang and Fang Xuesen, finally secured the guarantee they wanted from Zhao Guoyang: he would do his utmost in the upcoming negotiations to help their side secure the 20% technical stake.

As they departed, the faces of the senior officials were lit with gratified smiles.

With the arrival of Zhuo Qingfeng, the Songjiang municipal authorities could hardly afford to be negligent. They arranged for him, along with Director Fang, Elder Li, Ji Zhongxuan, and other key figures, to rest at the Municipal Government’s Guest House. As for Zhao Guoyang and his group, they returned to their own hotel.

On the way back, they traveled in a van provided by the Songjiang Municipal Machinery Industry Commission. Inside the vehicle, Jiang Hong, Liu Renhe, and Liu Yaohong could not stop wiping sweat from their brows. Seeing their lingering tension, Wang Ziqin offered an apologetic smile.

"I apologize for the strain today; it was my lack of foresight that put you three in such a difficult spot," Wang Ziqin said, self-critically.

"Not at all, Director Wang, you are being far too polite," the three department officials replied, waving their hands dismissively.

"It was nothing, really, but Mayor Huang’s presence was just so imposing. When he spoke to us, my legs were actually shaking," Liu Yaohong said with a forced, grimace-like smile. Jiang Hong and Liu Renhe exchanged glances and nodded in firm agreement.

Liu Yaohong turned his gaze toward Zhao Guoyang. "Guoyang, no matter how you look at it, this trip to Songjiang has been well worth it. You had the Mayor of Songjiang, the Executive Deputy Director of the National Machinery Industry Commission, and our own Governor Zhuo—so many ministerial-level leaders—nearly coming to blows just to snatch you up as a talent. If you told people this, they might not even believe it. Isn't that right, Professor Zhu?"

Zhu Maotao, fully aware of the sequence of events, chuckled. "Honestly, I had initially intended to bring young Zhao over to be my doctoral student. Now that I think about it, I’m glad I didn't say it aloud. Otherwise, I fear Elder Li and Academician Ji would have directly annexed our Jinling University of Technology."

Zhu Maotao’s teasing remark drew a burst of laughter from the group. Zhao Guoyang smiled sheepishly, unsure of how to respond.

Once the laughter died down, Zhao Siyan, sitting beside him, nudged his arm and whispered, "Zhao Guoyang, are you confident about tomorrow’s summit? The head of Volkswagen’s technical development department is a German... no, he is one of the world’s top automotive experts."

Although Zhao Siyan spoke quietly, everyone in the van heard her. Instantly, all eyes turned to Zhao Guoyang.

Zhao Guoyang shrugged nonchalantly and said calmly, "I know. Jansen is quite a formidable figure, but just because he’s impressive doesn't mean we should be intimidated, right? In my dictionary, there is no such thing as being afraid before the battle begins."

Zhao Guoyang was, of course, referring to Jansen, the head of technical development at the Volkswagen Group. As a key representative of Volkswagen’s technical innovation, he held a pivotal position within their entire technical system. However, with a mind stored with far more advanced technology from his previous life, Zhao Guoyang was truly not afraid to go head-to-head with Director Jansen and trade blows.

In this era, perhaps the "hydraulic transmission technology" or "constant velocity joint technology" that Volkswagen’s technical department had recently developed were considered highly advanced and forward-thinking. But in Zhao Guoyang’s knowledge base, these were nothing noteworthy. If he were to casually mention "color-changing interior material technology" or "transparent A-pillar technology" to Jansen, it would surely make the man’s jaw drop.

Seeing Zhao Guoyang’s resolute demeanor, the tension in the group dissipated. Of everyone present, Wang Ziqin was naturally the one who held the highest hopes for Zhao. He recalled that on the way back, he had shared a car with Governor Zhuo and Zhao Guoyang. During that hour-long ride, Zhao had discussed the preparations for the upcoming Jinling Automobile Factory with the Governor.

He had provided insights on key considerations for the factory's setup, the selection of the first model, and the future direction of the group. As a bystander, Wang Ziqin could clearly perceive the depth of Zhao Guoyang’s familiarity with the automotive industry and the breadth of his strategic vision. To use the words of Governor Zhuo, Zhao Guoyang was a prodigy of the automotive industry; his precision in grasping the pulse of a car company was something few could match.

With such a prodigy by his side, Wang Ziqin felt that tomorrow’s summit might just yield some unexpected surprises. The German expert might be impressive, but he was ultimately just a man. By comparison, this prodigy might just outshine him.

With this thought, Wang Ziqin looked at Zhao Guoyang with added anticipation. "Guoyang, tomorrow rests entirely on your shoulders. If you can truly help Songjiang gain the upper hand in the negotiations, it will be a significant contribution from our Jiangnan Province to our brother province and city."

Zhao Guoyang nodded firmly, determined to do his utmost tomorrow to stifle the arrogance of the Germans. This was not merely a matter of national prestige for the Republic against Germany; it was about whether the domestic automotive industry could march toward the world stage in the next ten or twenty years. Therefore, this summit deserved every bit of the seriousness he could muster.

After returning to the hotel, Zhao Guoyang fell straight to sleep. The day’s travel between Songjiang and Gusu, involving four hours of back-and-forth, had left him utterly exhausted.

The next morning, Zhao Guoyang was awakened early by his alarm. It was a habit he had cultivated: whenever he faced a major event, he would wake up two hours early to settle his thoughts. Lying in bed, he silently reviewed the state of the global automotive industry and the strengths and weaknesses of the Volkswagen Group. By the time he finished, he felt ready.

At 8:00 AM, the car from the Songjiang Machinery Industry Commission pulled up to the hotel. Zhao Guoyang followed Wang Ziqin and Zhu Maotao into the vehicle, with Zhao Siyan walking beside him. Jiang Hong, Liu Renhe, and Liu Yaohong, lacking permits for the summit, could not join them. They remained at the hotel, gathering around the television to watch the Songjiang TV broadcast of the event.

Once inside the car, Wang Ziqin spoke to Zhao Guoyang: "Guoyang, Director Liang called this morning. He wants me to bring you to meet the key Chinese representatives before the summit begins. You will be joining them to take on the challenge from the Germans."

"Understood!" Zhao Guoyang replied, his gaze unwavering.