Let you be a great man, not a scumbag

Chapter 1802 More Important Than Making Money

Jiang Cheng seemed oblivious to the forced composure in his words, his fingertips still slowly tapping on the table. The sound wasn't loud, but each tap struck Jiang Xin's heart with an undeniable sense of pressure.

He put down his teacup, and when he looked up, the smile in his eyes had faded a bit. His tone was flat and straightforward, yet every word hit the nail on the head.

"Can they hold on? How long has the Jiang family's mining license renewal been stuck at the approval bureau? And the environmental rectification notice for that tailings pond in the west of the city, it'll probably be posted at the factory gate next Monday, right?"

Jiang Xin tightened his grip on the cup handle, his knuckles turning white.

These are the most troublesome messes for the Chiang family right now.

Even the core members of the family were not fully aware of the situation, yet Jiang Cheng casually mentioned it.

So Jiang Cheng probably started investigating his own home after returning from the bar that night.

Seeing that Jiang Xin remained silent with a stern face, Jiang Cheng leaned back in the bamboo chair.

His posture was relaxed, but his tone carried an undeniable certainty: "The Jiang family can't overcome the technological barriers to rare earth deep processing. You can't circumvent the policy red lines. And the internal family disputes are something you can't afford to waste time on. How long can you hold on by just guarding that little bit of mine?"

Jiang Cheng leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp as an eagle's, staring directly at Jiang Xin for the first time.

"However, things that your Jiang family can't handle are no problem for me..."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xin's expression changed drastically.

He naturally had no doubt about Jiang Cheng's words; he had witnessed this man's skill and power many times before.

The clearer he became about Jiang Cheng's abilities, the more cold sweat seeped down his back.

There's never a middle ground when dealing with big shots like this.

Alternatively, they could cling to this powerful figure and revive the crumbling Chiang family.

Or, you might let a wolf into your house, only to be devoured without a trace, leaving you unaware of how you died.

Seeing Jiang Xin's sudden change in expression, Jiang Cheng slowly added, "As for the price, it's nothing more than turning the Jiang family's rare earth business from 'making money while lying down' to 'making even more money while standing up.'"

Jiang Xin's Adam's apple bobbed, and the scales in his heart were completely tipped.

Jiang Cheng's words struck at his weak points and hit the Jiang family's Achilles' heel.

He knew this was not charity, but cooperation, and even more so, a game of strategy with no other choice.

After a long silence, he finally spoke, his voice hoarse, tinged with weariness and helplessness.

“Brother Cheng, as you know, the Jiang family isn’t something I can decide on my own. I need to go back and discuss this with my father and a few of my uncles.”

Jiang Cheng was clearly not satisfied with these words.

He tapped his fingertips lightly on the table twice more, his smile fading slightly, but his tone remained nonchalant.

With an undeniable confidence, he said, "If I really wanted to get involved in the rare earth business, do you think I could find any other partners besides your Jiang family?"

Jiang Xin's Adam's apple bobbed, and he steadied his hand holding the teacup. His smile remained polite, and his tone was neither humble nor arrogant: "Brother Cheng, you flatter me. There are indeed quite a few people in the industry who want to get in touch with you."

"That's right." Jiang Cheng withdrew his hand and leaned back in the bamboo chair again, looking very relaxed.

She looked up at Jiang Xin, raising an eyebrow. "Have you ever thought about why I specifically sought you out?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xin slowly shook his head. Just as he was about to reply, Jiang Cheng chuckled and cut him off, saying, "Isn't it because we've known each other for a while, right?"

"If you're willing, then let's continue this win-win situation; if you're not, that's fine too. Let's just consider today as a day for some Beijing cuisine and a chat."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xin simply understood without a word.

"We've known each other for a while?" That sounds like a very comforting question.

But he knew perfectly well that in those previous meetings, Jiang Cheng's gaze had never lingered on him for even a moment.

Ultimately, it was simply that the rare earth mines in the hands of the Jiang family happened to meet the other party's needs.

However, even though she thought this way, she didn't dare show it to Jiang Cheng at all.

He just smiled and raised his glass to Jiang Cheng, clinking it lightly. His tone was sincere yet tactful: "Brother Cheng, that's very kind of you. I was overthinking things."

Xin paused for a moment before asking, "Brother Cheng, may I ask why you suddenly want to get into rare earths? This year's market is far from what it used to be."

Jiang Cheng didn't hide anything. He lightly twirled his fingertip on the rim of the cup, and when he looked up, his gaze deepened: "We need to make a lithography machine."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xin nearly dropped his teacup, his pupils shrinking in shock.

He has been immersed in the business world for many years and is no stranger to the ins and outs of the high-tech field. The three words "lithography machine" are simply a synonym for a bottomless pit of money.

After calming himself down, he lowered his voice and advised, "Brother Cheng, this isn't like the rare earth business where you can make quick money. Lithography machines cost hundreds of billions to develop, and you might not even see a ripple. The R&D cycle is incredibly long, and the technological barriers are sky-high. Many giants have spent half their lives trying to crack it. It's a thankless and expensive job. There are plenty of ways to make money easily in the market. Why would you jump into this fire pit?"

Jiang Cheng twirled his fingertip halfway around the rim of the cup, and when he looked up, he first clicked his tongue slowly.

It's a system reward, so I have to do it.

Although it costs a lot of money, compared to the fact that we won't be able to develop our own lithography machine for another seven years, we should take the lead now and push forward the start of this technology. Even if it costs a lot of money, we should still do it.

After pondering for a while, Jiang Cheng put on a solemn expression of concern for the country and its people.

His tone deepened: "What else could it be? This year, the international blockades have almost strangled us. Chips are blocked, lithography machines are blocked, and downstream industries are also feeling stifled. As a Chinese person, it's upsetting to see this. We can't just let them block our way out, can we?"

Seeing Jiang Xin's expression change, Jiang Cheng put down his teacup and sighed, but his words were firm and resolute: "There are many ways to make money, but some things always have to be done by someone."

After saying that, he pretended to ponder and looked out the window.

The wind from Houhai rustled through the leaves, and his gaze seemed to hold an endless expanse of mountains and rivers.

"We, the great nation of China, cannot always live with others holding us by the throat. Chips are the heart of technology, and lithography machines are the hammer that makes that heart. As long as this hammer is in someone else's hands, we will be dependent on them. I am a businessman, and profit-seeking is my instinct, but first and foremost, I am a Chinese person. This is more important than making money."